"Andre Norton - Breed To Come - uc" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

Furtig watched the Barkers out of sight and" then

worked his way around the tree, found a place where
he could leap onto the next, and made that crossing

skillfully.

He was still growling. To see Barkers invading the
hunting territory of the Five Caves was a shock. He
would waste no time duck-stalking. On the other
hand he must make sure that those he had seen were
not outscouts for a larger pack. There were times
when packs changed hunting territories, driven out
by larger packs or by lack of game.

13




BREED TO COME

If such a pack were coming into the woods, then
Furtig's warning would carry a double impact. He
must back trail on those he had seen for a space.

For a time he kept to the trees, where he left no
trail to be sniffed out even though, unlike the Barkers
and the Tusked Ones, his people had no strong body
odor. They hunted by sight and hearing and not by
scent as did their enemies.

As a final precaution Furtig opened a small skin
pouch made fast to his belt. Within was a wad of
greasy stuff; its musky smell made his nose wrinkle in
disgust. But he resolutely rubbed it on his feet and
hands. Let a Barker sniff that and he would get a
noseful as would send him off again, for it was the fat
of the deadly snake.

Down again on the ground, Furtig sped along. As
he went he listened, tested the air, watched for any
sign that the home woods had been invaded in force.
But he could not find anything save traces of the
small party he had seen.

Then— His head jerked around, his nose pointed to
a tree at his left. Warily he moved toward it. Barker
sign left there as a guide, but under it—