"Dixie Lee McKeone - Tales of Uncle Trapspringer" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKeone Dixie Lee)

steady, there's nothing to fear. " "But there's still a doubt, " Halmarain snapped.
Orander frowned. "Halmarain, we are students of the nature of magic, and we will face any danger to
further our art. You will either accept that fact or find another teacher."
"I would rather keep the one I have," she retorted. Her eyes were softer than her voice and they showed
her concern. "Remember, all you've learned will be gone if you don't come back."
Orander laughed. "All this argument, and we don't even know if the stones can open a portal to another
plane."
"I almost hope they don't," the tiny woman replied, shaking her head.

Chapter 2

When my Uncle Trapspringer set out on his first great adventure his sister, Ripple, went along to keep
him company. They were approaching Lytburg when they saw some soldiers who spied them at the same
time....

"Kender!" the soldier shouted, pointing toward Trap-springer and Ripple Fargo who had just rounded a
bend in the dusty road. The warning alerted the rest of the troop, who were taking advantage of the forest
shade to rest and eat a midday meal. The soldiers tossed food and flasks aside as they jumped to their feet,
most dashing for their horses.
"Wow, look, they certainly seem glad to see us," said Trap, as his family called him. He watched the
soldiers run into each other as they tried to reach their mounts.
"Lytburg must be a friendly place," his sister, Ripple, replied. She waved at the few soldiers who were still
staring in their direction, then brushed at the road dust on her leather leggings and boots and swept a hand
from her forehead to her top knot, checking to see if any tendrils had worked loose.
"I told you we should have found a stream and washed away the dust from the road," she said. "It's the
least we could have done for people who are glad to see us. I'm so glad they are here, I've been so tired of not
seeing anyone on the road, and they're eating, do you think they might share some of their food with us?"
She gave a skip as she walked at her brother's side.
The soldiers certainly were excited. The first to reach his horse was obviously the leader of the troop. He
wore a shining, ornately trimmed helmet and a glittering coat of chain mail while the others wore
metal-trimmed, hardened leather breastplates. He jerked the reins before he had his right foot set in the
stirrup. His mount shied and the rider slid sideways in the saddle. The other rushing men, the sidling horses,
and an off-balance rider threw the leader's mount into a panic. He bucked and turned, blocking the next two
riders as they tried to pass him.
Trap and Ripple watched, fascinated. As the horse sidled back and forth, the leader's armor sparkled in
the sun and reflected small sunbeams onto the road and into the deep shade of the forest. The kender were
so busy enjoying the show that they missed seeing the archers who had eschewed their mounts and crept
nearer using the bushes for cover. Both kender forgot the struggling rider when an arrow whizzed by Trap's
shoulder.
"That's not friendly!" Ripple gasped, her eyes wide.
"They've made a mistake!" Trap said. Neither he nor his sister had done anything to incur the wrath of the
patrol. Still, the soldiers seemed too intent on shooting them to listen to explanations. He grabbed Ripple's
arm and jerked her away as a shower of arrows arose from the underbrush.
He led the way as they raced a few paces up the road. They would never be able to outrun arrows, so he
jerked Ripple to the right and pulled her into the underbrush close to the side of the road. The showers of
arrows continued. Trap felt a thud as an arrow struck him. He had not even felt the pain. He released Ripple's
hand as he gingerly felt for a wound.
"It hit your bedroll," she told him and led the way into the denser undergrowth.
Behind them they heard pounding hooves and running feet followed by the sound of snapping branches.
Another shower of arrows arced through the forest. The sharp metal points pierced soft bark or ricocheted off