"Andre Norton - Witch World - The Turning 07 - The Key of the Keplian" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

in the school she attended the truth was known.Some of it, at least. She had read there of the Anasazi,
the books reinforcing the old tales Far Traveler had first heard from his mother. But that there was a road
she had never known.

Black eyes twinkled in her great-grandfather's seamed face.A face like a map of the hills and gullies of
his land.Brown as the dust, yet alive as the land itself.

"Bring me my parfleche." She brought the tanned deerskin war bag and waited. From it he drew out a
piece of white deerskin tanned and scraped to perfect suppleness. He spread it on the bed and she gazed
down. His hand lifted, wavering a little.

"Here…" his fingers touched, "here is our land. Follow the stream high into the hills. Upon the hillside,
there is first the white stump of a great tree struck by lightning." Eleeri nodded; she had seen that.
"Farther up, there are the marks of a place where the hills fell long ago. Quartz seams the rocks above."
She nodded again. That, too, she had seen in her hunting. "Leave the stream and follow the map where it
shows here." Once again his fingers rested on the skin. He paused to breathe deeply and in the silence
they both heard and recognized the sound that came to their ears.

Far Traveler cursed. "She comes, the meddling one. You must leave me and go."

"I will not leave you to die alone." She hurried to the door and peered out. Many miles down the road,
the small red car labored to climb the steep grade. Eleeri seized a key from the hook and ran into the
yard. Swiftly she locked the gate into the yard, before running back to her great-grandfather.

"She may think we are out if we keep silent." The old man chuckled. "That one is like the pack rat;
always she pries into every corner. No locked gate will keep her from us long. You know their customs.
Once she sees me, she will have you out of here and where you cannot escape. You must run, my child.
Run so fast and so far she cannot ever find you again. Only the road will hide you now."

Eleeri set her face. "I will not leave you to die alone."

"I do not plan to die alone,"came the low words. "Fetch to me my bow, my knife. Bring the war paint I
prepared."

Eleeri ran, to return with the items. Squatting on her heels, she watched as her kinsman rose from his
bed. By the sweat on his forehead, she could tell it was a terrible effort, but she did not speak. He had
lived as a warrior; it was fitting he should die as one. She watched as he stripped to breechclout and
slowly donned his ceremonial buckskins. Arming himself, painted face set, the old man marched to the
doorway. Fierce black eyes gazed up at the sun. On the road below, the red car was closer.

He began to chant then, softly.The death song of his race. He finished the first part of the song and
turned to her. A hand gestured,then another song lifted into the clear air.Blessings on a warrior about to
ride forth.The Blessing of Ka-dih and of the tribe. Then he turned again to look up into the mountains.
The chant rose louder as he listed his deeds, prayed that he might be acceptable as a warrior. His song
ended on a last wild cry and then his face changed. His hands lifted in greeting and he took a step
forward.

As Eleeri gasped, light seemed to flow about him.She felt as if great winds beat about the house,then she
cried out as Far Traveler crumpled slowly. Around her, warmth flowed, welcoming a warrior home,
comforting her who was left behind. She bowed her head quietly. It was well. Her kinwhom she had