tg.wizardfirstrule-第50章

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rd　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　would　be　slow　going　if　they　could　find　an　opening；　a　sure　death　if　they　tried。　Their　only　chance　was　to　stay　on　the　road　and　reach　the　swamp　before　they　were　caught。　Richard　didn't　know　how　far　it　was；　or　what　they　would　do　once　they　reached　it；　only　that　they　had　to
　
　The　colors　of　day　were　washing　out　into　a　sullen　gray　as　night　approached。　Rain　pelted　his　face　in　small；　cold　pricks；　heated　and　mingled　with　sweat；　and　ran　down　his　neck。　Richard　watched　the　bodies　of　his　two　friends　bounce　and　jostle　on　the　horses；　hoping　they　were　tied　down　securely　enough；　hoping　they　were　not　badly　hurt；　hoping　they　would　be　conscious　soon。　The　ride　couldn't　be　doing　them　any　good。　Kahlan　didn't　turn　or　look　back。　She　bent　to　her　task；　her　dark　form　hunched　forward　over　the　horse　as　it　ran。
　
　The　road　curved　back　and　forth　as　it　threaded　its　way　around　imposing　misshapen　oaks　and　rock　outcroppings。　Dead　trees　became　more　infrequent。　Leaves　of　the　oak；　ash；　and　maple　trees　sealed　the　riders　away　from　the　last　vestiges　of　the　sky；　darkening　the　trail　even　more。　The　hounds　were　getting　closer　when　the　road　began　to　descend　into　a　sodden　wood　of　cedar。　A　good　sign；　Richard　thought：　cedar　often　grew　where　the　ground　was　wet。
　
　Kahlan's　horse　disappeared　over　the　edge　of　a　drop。　Richard　reached　the　brink　of　the　sharp　slope　and　saw　her　again；　descending　into　a　bowl　in　the　earth。　The　tangled　tops　of　trees　spread　out　into　the　distance；　at　least　as　much　of　it　as　he　could　see　in　the　mist　and　dim　light。　It　was　the　Skow　Swamp；　at　last。
　
　The　smell　of　wet　and　rot　assailed　him　as　he　followed　her　in　a　rush；　down　through　swirling　trailers　of　mist　that　moved　and　spun　at　their　passing。　Sharp　calls　and　hoots　came　from　the　dense　vegetation。　The　howls　of　the　heart　hounds　came　from　behind；　closer　now。　Woody　vines　hung　from　slick　twisted　limbs　of　trees　that　stood　in　the　water　on　roots　looking　like　claws；　and　smaller　leafy　vines　spiraled　around　anything　strong　enough　to　hold　them。　Everything　seemed　to　be　growing　on　top　of　something　else；　seeking　to　gain　an　advantage。　Water；　dark　and　still；　sat　in　stagnant　expanses；　sneaking　in　under　clumps　of　bushes；　enveloping　stands　of　fat…bottomed　trees。　Duckweed　drifted　in　thick　mats　on　the　water；　looking　like　manicured　lawn。　The　lush　growth　seemed　to　swallow　the　sound　of　their　horse's　hooves；　allowing　only　the　native　calls　to　echo　across　the　waters。
　
　The　road　narrowed　into　a　trail　that　struggled　to　remain　above　the　black　water；　making　it　necessary　to　slow　the　horses　for　fear　they　would　break　a　leg　on　the　roots。　Richard　saw　that　as　Kahlan's　horse　passed；　the　surface　of　the　water　rolled　in　lazy　ripples　as　things　moved　under　it。　He　heard　the　hounds　at　the　top　of　the　bowl。　Kahlan　turned　at　the　howls。　If　they　stayed　on　the　trail；　the　hounds　would　be　at　them　in　a　matter　of　minutes。　As　Richard　looked　around　he　pulled　the　sword　free。　It　sent　its　distinctive　ringing　across　the　murky　water。　Kahlan　stopped　and　looked　back　to　him。
　
　〃There〃…he　pointed　with　the　sword　across　the　water　to　their　right　〃that　island。　It　looks　high　enough　to　be　dry。　Maybe　the　heart　hounds　can't　swim。〃
　
　He　thought　it　a　slim　hope；　but　could　think　of　nothing　else。　Chase　had　said　they　would　be　safe　from　the　hounds　in　the　swamp；　but　hadn't　told　them　how。　This　was　the　only　thing　he　could　think　of。　Kahlan　didn't　hesitate。　She　led　her　horse　right　in；　pulling　Zedd's　behind。　Richard　followed　close　after　with　Chase's；　watching　up　the　trail；　seeing　movement　through　gaps　in　the　trees。　The　water　seemed　to　be　no　more　than　three　or　four　feet　deep；　with　a　muddy　bottom。　Weed　broke　from　its　anchoring　and　floated　to　the　surface　as　Kahlan's　horse　waded　through　ahead　of　him；　making　steady　progress　to　the　island。
　
　Then　he　saw　the　snakes。
　
　Dark　bodies　wriggled　in　the　water；　just　below　the　surface；　heading　toward　them　from　every　direction。　Some　lifted　their　heads；　flicking　red　tongues　out　into　the　damp　air。　Their　dark　brown　bodies　had　copper…colored　splotches；　almost　invisible　in　the　gloomy　water；　and　barely　disturbed　the　surface　a