rj.theshadowrising-第122部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
anch； and suddenly was wearing a wide brimmed hat and walking with a staff bearing a short sword blade。 Another 〃window；〃 and Egwene and a woman with long white hair were staring at him in surprise while behind them the White Tower crumbled stone by stone。 Then they were gone； too。
Perrin drew a deep breath。 He had seen the like before； here in the wolf dream； and he thought the sightings were real in some way； or meant something。 Whatever they were； the wolves never saw them。 Moiraine had suggested that the wolf dream was the same as something called Tel'aran'rhiod； and then would say no more。 He had overheard Egwene and Elayne speaking of dreams； once； but Egwene already knew too much about him and wolves； perhaps as much as Moiraine。 It was not something he could talk about； not even with her。
There was one person he could have talked to。 He wished he could find Elyas Machera； the man who had introduced him to the wolves。 Elyas had to know about these things。 When he thought of the man； it seemed for a moment he heard his own name whispered faintly in the wind； but when he listened； there was only the wind。 It was a lonely sound。 Here there was only himself。
〃Hopper！〃 he called； and in his mind； Hopper！ The wolf was dead； and yet not dead； here。 The wolf dream was where wolves came when they died； to await being born again。 It was more than that； to wolves； they seemed in some way to be aware of the dream even while awake。 One was almost as real … maybe as real … as the other； to them。 〃Hopper！〃 Hopper！ But Hopper did not e。
This was all useless。 He was there for a reason； and he might as well get on with it。 At best； getting down to where he had seen the ravens rise would take hours。
He took a step … the land around him blurred … and his foot came down near a narrow brook beneath stunted hemlock and mountain willow； with cloud…capped peaks towering above。 For a moment he stared in amazement。 He was at the far end of the valley from the Waygate。 In fact； he was at the very spot he had been aiming for； the place where the ravens had e from； and the arrow that killed the first hawk。 Such a thing had never happened to him before。 Was he learning more of the wolf dream … Hopper had always said he was ignorant … or was it different this time？
He was more cautious with his next step； but it was only a step。 There was no evidence of archer or ravens； no track； no feather； no scent。 He was not sure what he had expected。 There would be no sign unless they had been in the dream； too。 But if he could find wolves in the dream； they could help him find their brothers and sisters in the waking world； and those wolves could tell him if there were Shadowspawn in the mountains。 Perhaps if he were higher up they could hear him call。
Fixing his eye on the highest peak bordering the valley； just below the clouds； he stepped。 The world blurred； and he was standing on the mountainside； with white billows not five spans overhead。 In spite of himself； he laughed。 This was fun。 From here he could see the entire valley stretched out below。
〃Hopper！〃 No answer。
He leaped to the next mountain； calling； and the next； and the next； eastward； toward the Two Rivers。 Hopper did not answer。 More troubling； Perrin did not sense any other wolves； either。 There were always wolves in the wolf dream。 Always。
From peak to peak he sped in blurred motion； calling； seeking。 The mountains lay empty beneath him； except for deer and other game。 Yet there were occasional signs of men。 Ancient signs。 Twice great carved figures took nearly an entire mountainside； and in another place strange angular letters two spans high had been incised across a cliff a shade too smooth and sheer。 Weathering had worn away the figures' faces； and eyes less sharp than his might have taken the letters themselves for the work of wind and rain。 Mountains and cliffs gave way to the Sand Hills； great rolling mounds sparsely covered with tough grass and stubborn bushes； once the shore of a great sea before the Breaking。 And suddenly he saw another man； atop a sandy hill。
The fellow was too distant to see clearly； just a tall； dark…haired man； but plainly not a Trolloc or anything of the sort； in a blue coat with a bow on his back； stooping over something on the ground hidden by the low brush。 Yet there was something familiar about him。
The wind rose； and Perrin caught his smell faintly。 A cold scent； that was the only way to describe it。 Cold； and not really human。 Suddenly his own bow was in his hand； an arrow nocked； and the weight of a filled quiver tugged at his belt。
The other man looked up； saw Perrin。 For a heartbeat he hesitated； then turned and became a streak； slashing away across the hills。
Perrin leaped down to where he had stood； stared at what had occupied the fellow； and without thought pursued； leaving the half…skinned corpse of a wolf behind。 A dead wolf in the wolf dream。 It was unthinkable。 What could kill a wolf here？ Something evil。
His prey ran ahead of him in strides that covered miles； never more than barely in sight。 Out of the hills and across the tangled Westwood with its wide scattered farms； over cleared farmland； a quilt of hedged fields and small thickets； and past Watch Hill。 It was odd to see the thatched village houses covering the hill with no people in the streets； and farmhouses standing as if abandoned。 But he kept his eye on the man fleeing ahead of him。 He had bee so used to this pursuit that he felt no surprise when one leaping stride put him down on the south bank of the River Taren and the next amid barren hills without trees or grass。 North and east he ran； over streams and roads and villages and rivers； intent only on the man ahead。 The land grew flat and grassy； broken by scattered thickets； without any sign of man。 Then something glittered ahead； sparkling in the sun； a tower of metal。 His quarry sped straight for it； and vanished。 Two leaps brought Perrin there as well。
Two hundred feet the tower rose； and forty thick； gleaming like burnished steel。 It might as well have been a solid column of metal。 Perrin walked around it twice without seeing any opening； not so much as a crack； not even a mark on that smooth； sheer wall。 The smell hung here； though； that cold； inhuman stink。 The trail ended here。 The man … if man he was … had gone inside somehow。 He only had to find the way to follow。
Stop！ It was a raw flow of emotion that Perrin's mind put a word to。 Stop！
He turned as a great gray wolf as tall as his waist； grizzled and scarred； alighted as if he had just leaped down from the sky。 He might well have。 Hopper had always envied eagles their ability to fly； and here； he could too。 Yellow eyes met yellow eyes。
〃Why should I stop； Hopper？ He killed a wolf。〃
Men have killed wolves； and wolves men。 Why does anger seize your throat like fire this time？
〃I don't know；〃 Perrin said slowly。 〃Maybe because it was here。 I didn't know it was possible to kill a wolf here。 I thought wolves were safe in the dream。〃
You chase Slayer； Young Bull。 He is here in the flesh； and he can kill。
〃In the flesh？ You mean not just dreaming？ How can he be here in the flesh？〃
I do not know。 It is a thing dimly remembered from long ago； e again as so much else。 Things of the Shadow walk the dream； now。 Creatures of Heartfang。 There is no safety。
〃Well； he's inside； now。〃 Perrin studied the featureless metal tower。 〃If I can find how he got in； I can put an end to him。〃
Cub foolish； digging in a groundwasps' nest。 This place a evil。 All know this。 And you would chase evil into evil。 Slayer can kill。
Perrin paused。 There was a sense of finality to the emotions his mind attached the word 〃kill〃 to。 〃Hopper； what happens to a wolf who dies in the dream？〃
The wolf was silent for a time。 If we die here； we die forever； Young Bull。 I do not know if the same is true for you； but I believe it is。
〃A dangerous place； archer。 The Tower of Ghenjei is a bad place for umankind。〃
Perrin whirled； half…raising his bow before he saw the woman standing a few paces away； he
