tg.wizardfirstrule-第44章

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ugh　the　dark　form。　The　stump　reeled　back　into　the　boundary　with　a　shrill　screeching；　the　severed　part　vaporizing　in　midair。　Richard　picked　up　Zedd　with　one　arm；　threw　him　over　his　shoulder　like　a　sack　of　grain；　and　carried　him　to　Kahlan；　where　he　laid　him　gently　on　the　ground。　She　held　the　wizard's　head　in　her　lap；　inspecting　for　wounds。　Richard　ducked　low　as　he　ran　back；　but　the　expected　attack　didn't　e。　He　wished　it　would；　he　longed　for　the　fight；　hungered　to　strike。　He　found　Chase　jammed　partway　under　a　log。　Richard　seized　the　mail　and　pulled　him　over。　Blood　oozed　from　a　gash　on　the　side　of　Chase's　head。　Debris　was　stuck　to　the　wound。
　
　Richard's　mind　raced；　trying　to　think　what　to　do。　He　couldn't　lift　Chase　with　one　arm；　and　he　didn't　dare　to　put　the　sword　away。　He　did　know　he　didn't　want　Kahlan　to　e　help；　he　wanted　her　to　stay　safely　away。　Getting　a　good　grip　on　the　warden's　leather　tunic；　Richard　started　dragging　him。　The　slick　bog　weed　eased　the　effort　somewhat；　but　it　was　still　difficult；　because　he　had　to　go　around　several　fallen　trees。　Surprisingly；　nothing　attacked。　Maybe　he　had　hurt　it；　or　killed　it。　He　wondered　if　it　was　possible　to　kill　something　already　dead。　The　sword　had　magic。　Richard　wasn't　sure　what　it　was　capable　of；　he　wasn't　even　sure　if　the　things　in　the　boundary　were　dead。　He　finally　reached　Kahlan　and　Zedd；　and　dragged　Chase　close。　The　wizard　was　still　unconscious。
　
　Kahlan's　face　was　white　with　worry。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　
　Richard　scanned　around。　〃We　can't　stay　here；　and　we　can't　leave　them。　Let's　put　them　over　the　horses　and　get　out　of　here。　We'll　look　to　their　wounds　as　soon　as　we're　a　safe　distance　away。〃
　
　The　clouds　were　thicker　than　before；　and　mist　covered　everything　with　a　wet　sheen。　As　he　checked　in　every　direction；　Richard　put　the　sword　away　and　easily　lifted　Zedd　over　his　horse。　Chase　was　more　difficult。　He　was　big；　and　all　his　weapons　were　heavy。　Blood　throbbed　from　the　wound　on　the　side　of　his　forehead；　soaking　his　hair；　and　hanging　him　over　the　side　of　the　horse　made　it　bleed　more。　Richard　decided　he　couldn't　leave　it　untended。　He　quickly　retrieved　an　aum　leaf　and　a　strip　of　cloth　from　a　pack。　He　crumpled　the　leaf　to　make　it　seep　its　healing　fluid；　pressed　it　against　the　wound；　and　had　Kahlan　wrap　the　cloth　around　Chase's　head。　The　cloth　soaked　through　almost　immediately；　but　he　knew　the　aum　leaf　would　stop　the　bleeding　in　a　short　time。
　
　Richard　helped　Kahlan　up　onto　her　horse。　He　could　tell　that　her　legs　hurt　more　than　she　would　admit。　He　gave　her　the　reins　of　Zedd's　horse；　mounted　up；　took　Chase's　horse；　and　then　carefully　got　his　bearings。　He　knew　they　would　have　a　hard　time　finding　the　trail；　the　mist　was　getting　heavy；　visibility　limited。　There　seemed　to　be　ghosts　watching　from　the　shadows　in　every　direction。　He　didn't　know　if　he　should　lead　or　follow　Kahlan；　didn't　know　how　best　to　protect　her；　so　he　rode　beside　her。　Zedd　and　Chase　weren't　tied　down　and　could　easily　slip　off　the　horses；　so　they　had　to　take　it　slow。　The　dead　spruce　looked　the　same　in　every　direction；　and　they　couldn't　go　in　a　straight　line　because　they　had　to　cut　back　and　forth　around　fallen　trees。　Richard　spat　out　mosquitoes　that　kept　flying　into　his　mouth。
　
　The　sky　was　the　same　dark　steel　gray　everywhere；　there　was　no　chance　to　tell　where　the　sun　was；　to　get　oriented。　After　a　time；　Richard　wasn't　at　all　sure　they　were　going　in　the　right　direction；　it　seemed　they　should　have　reached　the　trail　already。　He　took　fixes　from　landmark　trees；　and　when　they　reached　each　one　he　would　pick　a　new　one　farther　ahead；　hoping　they　were　traveling　in　a　straight　line。　To　do　it　properly　he　knew　he　had　to　be　able　to　line　up　at　least　three　trees　to　make　sure　the　line　of　travel　was　straight；　but　he　couldn't　see　that　far　in　the　mist。　He　couldn't　be　sure　he　wasn't　leading　them　in　circles。　Even　if　he　was　going　in　a　straight　line；　he　wasn't　sure　the　direction　was　toward　the　trail。
　
　〃Are　you　sure　we're　going　the　right　way？〃　Kahlan　asked。　〃It　all　looks　the　same。〃
　
　〃No。　But　at　least　we　haven't　run　into　the　boundary。〃
　
　〃Do　you　think　we　should　stop　and　tend　to　them？〃
　
　〃We　don't　dare。　For　all　I　know　we　could　be　ten　feet　from　the　underworld。〃
　
　Kahlan　looked　around；　worried。　Richard　gave　thought　to　having　her　wait　with　the　other　two　while　he　went　ahead　and　scouted　for　the　trail；　but　dismissed　the　idea；　as　he　was　afraid　he　might　not　be　able　to　find　her　again。　They　had　to　stay　together。　He　started　to　wonder　what　they　would　do　if　they　couldn't　find　their　way　out　before　dark。　How　would　they　protect　themselves　against　the　heart　hounds？　If　there　were　enough　of　them；　even　the　sword　couldn't　hold　them　all　off　at　once。　Chase　had　said　they　had　to　get　to　the　swamp　before　nightfall。　He　hadn't　said　why；　or　how　the　swamp　could　protect　them。　The　brown　bog　weed　was　an　endless　sea　all　around；　with　hulks　of　trees　aground　in　it　everywhere。
　
　An　oak　appeared　off　to　their　left；　then　some　more；　some　with　leaves　shimmering　dark　green　and　wet　in　the　mist。　This　was　not　the　way　they　had　e　in。　Richard　turned　them　to　the　right　a　little；　following　the　edge　of　the　dead　bog；　hoping　it　would　lead　them　back　to　the　trail。
　
　Shadows　from　the　brush　among　the　oaks　watched　them。　He　told　himself　it　was　his　imagination　that　made　the　shadows　seem　to　have　eyes。　There　was　no　wind；　no　movement；　no　sound。　He　was　angry　with　himself　for　being　lost；　despite　how　easily　it　could　happen　in　this　place。　He　was　a　guide；　getting　lost　was　unforgivable。
　
　Richard　breathed　out　in　relief　when　he　saw　the　trail　at　last。　They　quickly　dismounted　and　checked　their　two　charges。　There　was　no　change　in　Zedd；　but　at　least　Chase's　wound　had　stopped　bleeding。　Richard　had　no　idea　what　to　do　for　them。　He　didn't　know　if　they　had　been　knocked　unconscious；　or　if　their　condition　was　caused　by　some　sort　of　magic　from　the　boundary。　Kahlan　didn't　know　either。
　
　〃What　do　you　think　we　should　do？〃　she　asked　him。
　
　Richard　tried　not　to　look　as　worried　as　he　really　was。　〃Chase　said　we　had　to　get　to　the　swamp　or　the　hounds　would　get　us。　It　won't　do　them　any　good　to　be　laid　out　here　and　tended　to　while　we　wait　for　them　to　wake；　only　to　have　the　hounds　get　'us　all。　As　I　see　it；　we　have　only　two　choices：　leave　them　here　or　take　them　with　us。　There　is　no　way　I'm　leaving　them。　Let's　tie　them　down　on　the　horses　so　they　don't　fall　off；　and　get　to　the　swamp。〃
　
　Kahlan　agreed。　They　worked　quickly　to　lash　their　friends　to　the　horses。　Richard　changed　Chase's　bandage；　and　cleaned　up　the　wound　a　little。　The　mist　was　changing　to　a　light　rain。　He　fished　around　in　the　packs；　finding　the　blankets；　and　removed　the　oilcloth　they　were　wrapped　in。　They　put　a　blanket　over　each　friend；　then　covered　them　with　the　oilcloth　to　keep　them　dry；　crisscrossing　rope　over　it　all　to　hold　it　in　place。
　
　When　they　were　finished；　Kahlan　unexpectedly　put　her　arms　around　him；　hugging　him　close　and　tight　for　a　moment；　separating　before　he　could　return　her　gesture。
　
　〃Thank　you　for　saving　me；〃　she　said　softly。　〃The　boundary　terrifies　me。〃　She　looked　sheepishly　up　at　him。　〃And　if　you　remind　me　what　I　said　about　not　ing　after　me；　I'll　kick　you。〃　She　smiled　as　she　looked　up　from　under　her　eyebrows。
　
　〃Not　a　word。　I　promise。〃
　
　He　smiled　back　at　her　and　pulled　up　the　hood　of　her　cloak；　stuffing　her　hair　into　it；　to　keep　her　dry　in　the　rain。　He　pulled　up　his　own　hood　and　they　started　off　down　the　road。
　
　The　woods　were　deserted。　Rain　dripped　down　through　the　tangle　overhead。　Branches　reached　around　the　trail　like　talons　reaching　to　snatch　both　people　and　horses。　Even　without　their　riders'　direction；　the　horses　trotted　their　way　carefully　down　the　center　of　the　road；　their　ears　pricking　from　one　side　to　the　other；　as　if　listening　to　the　shadows。　So　dense　was　the　thicket　to　each　side　that　there　was　no　chance　they　could　take　to　the　trees　if　they　had　to。　Kahlan　drew　her　cloak　tighter。　It　was　go　on；　or　go　back。　And　there　was　no　going　back。　They　rode　the　horses　hard　the　rest　of　the　afternoon　and　evening。
　
　When　the　day's　death　began　stealing　away　the　soft　gray　light；　they　still　had　not　reached　the　swamp；　and　there　was　no　way　to　tell　how　much　farther　it　was。　Off　through　the　tangled　woods；　they　caught　the　sound　of　howling。　Their　breath　caught　in　their　throats。
　
　The　heart　hounds　were　ing
　
　CHAPTER　15
　THE　HORSES　NEEDED　No　encouragement　to　run。　They　fled　down　the　road　at　full　speed；　their　riders　making　no　attempt　to　slow　them；　the　howls　of　the　heart　hounds　energizing　the　effort。　Water　and　mud　splashed　as　their　hooves　pounded　the　road；　and　rain　ran　in　rivulets　across　their　hides；　but　it　was　the　mud　that　won　out；　streaking　and　caking　on　their　legs　and　bellies。　When　the　hounds　shrieked；　the　horses　returned　a　snort　of　fear。
　
　Richard　let　Kahlan　take　the　lead；　wanting　to　stay　between　her　and　their　pursuers。　The　sounds　of　the　heart　hounds　were　still　distant；　off　toward　the　boundary；　but　he　knew　by　the　way　they　were　angling　in　from　the　left　that　it…　was　only　a　matter　of　time　until　they　would　be　overtaken。　If　they　could　turn　to　the　right　and　head　away　from　the　boundary；　there　was　a　chance　they　could　outrun　the　hounds；　but　the　woods　were　thick；　impenetrable；　it