Book 1 - Doomstalker

Book 1 - Doomstalker Read Online Free PDF Page B

Book: Book 1 - Doomstalker Read Online Free PDF
Author: Glen Cook
Tags: Fiction, Science-Fiction, Fantasy
overheard some of their
talk while they were captives. The speech of the Zhotak savages is
hard to follow, as we all know, but they believe the group at
Stapen Rock was an advance party charged with finding our
weaknesses. They belong to an alliance of nomad packs which has
invaded the upper Ponath. They number several hundred huntresses
and are arming their males.” She indicated the prisoner.
“This group was all male, and very well armed.”
    Again an angry stir, and much snarling about stupid savages fool
enough to give males weapons. Marika sensed a strong current of
fear. Several hundred huntresses? It was hard to imagine such
numbers.
    “What became of the other nomads?” she wanted to
ask.
But she knew, really. Her dam was a cautious huntress. She
would have scouted Stapen Rock well before doing anything. She
would have made no move till she knew exactly what the situation
was. Then she would have had her companions fill the shelter with
arrows and javelins. That three Degnan huntresses had not returned
said the nomads, male or no, had been alert and ready for
trouble.
    “I wonder if any nomads got away,” she whispered.
Then, “No. Dam would still be tracking them.”
    Kublin shook beside her. She could have shaken herself. This was
bad, bad news. Too much blood. The nomads might appease their
consciences with claims of blood feud now, and never mind that they
were guilty of a dozen savage crimes. Meth from the Zhotak did not
think like normal meth.
    Near chaos reigned below. Each of the heads of loghouse had her
own notion of what should be done now. Hotheads wanted to go out in
the morning, in force, and hunt nomads before nomads came to the
packstead. More cautious heads argued for buttoning up the stockade
now, and forget the customary search for deadwood and small game.
Some vacillated, swinging back and forth between extremes. Because
Gerrien took no firm position, but simply listened, there was no
swift decision.
    Dorlaque shouted a proposal for arming the males within the
stockade, a course never before taken except in utmost extremity.
Males could not be trusted with weapons. They were emotionally
unstable and prone to cowardice. They might flee from their own
shadows and cost the packstead precious iron tools. Or in their
panic they might turn upon the huntresses. Dorlaque was shouted
down.
    It went on till Marika grew sleepy. Beside her, Kublin kept
drifting off. Many of the younger pups had gone to their pallets.
Skiljan entered nothing into the debate but an occasional point of
order, refereeing.
    After all the arguments had gone around repeatedly, unto
exhaustion, Gerrien looked up from her paws. She surveyed the
gathering. Silence fell as she rose. “We will question the
prisoner.” But that went without saying. Why else would
Skiljan have brought him in? “And we will send a messenger to
the silth packfast.”
    Marika came alert immediately. A low growl circulated among the
Wise. Pohsit tried to rise, but her infirmities betrayed her.
Marika heard her snarl, “Damned silth witches.” Several
voices repeated the words. Huntresses protested.
    Marika did not understand.
    Gerrien persisted. “Each year they take tribute. Some
years they take our young. In return they are pledged to protect
us. We have paid for a long time. We will call in their side of the
debt.”
    Some began to snarl now. Many snapped their jaws unconsciously.
There was a lot of emotion loose down there, and Marika could not
begin to fathom it. They must be treading the edge of an adult
mystery.
    Skiljan shouted for silence. Such was her presence at that
moment that she won it. She said, “Though I am loath to admit
it, Gerrien is right. Against several hundred huntresses, with
their males armed, no packstead is secure. Our stockade will not
shield us, even if we arm our own males and older pups. This is no
vengeance raid, no counting of coup, not even blood feud between
packs. Old ways of handling attackers will not
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