"Dennis L. McKiernan - Hell's Crucible 2 - Into the Fire" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKiernan Dennis L)

Once again they started easterly. Of a sudden Beau frowned and
looked at Phais.
"We do not die of old age, Beau," said Phais, "if that is what thou art
mulling. Instead 'tis by violence or accident, or by poison as nearly did
I."
"Oh my," said Beau, his eyes filling with distress. "Nothing peaceful
whatsoever?"
Phais shook her head.
Beau glanced at his medical kit. "Illnesses?"
Phais spread her hands. "There are but few which affect Elvenkind,
and those most virulent."
"Oh my," said Beau. "Oh my."
And easterly they rode, while the wind blew chill and brooding
clouds darkened the skies above.
***
"This way," called Bekki above the howling wind, and Tip, next in
line, could but barely hear him. Still Tipperton turned and shouted
behind, "This way! This way!" and whether Beau heard him and shouted
the word on, Tipper-ton could not say.
Blindly they followed Bekki through the hurling white, barely able to
see the horse or pony ahead as they tramped in file, each drawing an
animal or two behind.
 Finally they reached a vertical flank of mountain stone, and Bekki
turned rightward to the east, while the frigid blast shrieked down from
the heights above, carrying stinging ice and hurtling snow on its furious
wings.
"I say," called Tip toward Bekki, but his words were shredded on
the squalling wind and carried to shrieking oblivion. I say, wouldn't it be
better if we were roped together? But no one could hear him or read
his thoughts, and so, unattached, he followed Bekki, and Beau followed
him, with Phais coming after and then Loric. To the right loomed
shapes—trees?—he did not know. He was just about to try yelling to
Bekki again when of a sudden the fury abated, and he came into a
cavernous vault, with stone overhanging above and rubble underfoot,
and in the dimness he could see Bekki and his pony trudging on ahead,
back into recesses of the great hollow.
Tip led his pony on inward and turned to see Beau and his mount
coming after, and then Phais drawing her animal behind with a
packhorse in tow as well, and finally Loric with two steeds after.



Bekki nodded at the fire. "Before we leave, we shall gather wood to
replace that which we burn."
Beau gazed around at the vaulted chamber, a semidome of sorts,
sides curving 'round to the back, ceiling arcing down to the back as well,
the rubble-strewn floor more or less level. They sat at the rear of the
hollow in relative comfort, snow flying and wind howling a hundred feet
away at the bowed mouth of the wide cavity.
Beau turned to Bekki. "Oh my, Bekki, how did you ever find this