Gryphon in Glory by Andre Norton

Author:Andre Norton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-01-10T00:20:23+00:00

Joisan

I STOOD ON STONE AND IT WAS SOLID UNDER ME. I FELT THE

COOL OF the breeze that tugged at the ragged, earth-smeared loops of my hair where the braids had come apart, I heard the nervous twittering and calls of the birds. All this I could believe in. But the rest—could one walk half in, half out of some spell? There had been enough behind me in the past hours that could lead me to believe that I might indeed no longer be able to think straight and clearly.

"Untaught—and no longer a cub. There is nothing but folly in such a one." A new voice in my head, a contemptuous voice. "It was not so in the other days."

Slowly I went to my knees that my eyes might be on a closer line with the bland gaze meeting mine. Beyond the cat, the bear yawned, its small eyes ignoring me. Surely—surely it had been the bear that thought-spoke that time!

These—these animals—I had no other way to name those who transferred speech directly into my mind—how… I fought down my fear.

This was the Waste, I must always remember that and be warned. In a place where remnants of Power had been loosed for more generations than my people had built and lived in the Dales, how could I—dare I—marvel at anything that I might encounter here? Cats—a bear—who thought-spoke—these were no more extraordinary than the means by which I had been lifted out of an earth-walled prison into this outer world again.

"I—can—not speak—as—you—do…"I returned haltingly.

Now the smaller cat yawned with the same boredom the bear had shown. "Why state that which is so plainly true?"

That had come in direct answer to my speech! I had not fallen easy prey to hallucination, unless it was so strong a one, or a spell, that it carried this semblance of reason.

"Allow me time." I did not wonder at my pleading with the cat; at that moment it seemed very natural. At least there was my old liking for its kind to make this easier. I still distrusted the bear. "I thought I knew a little of your people—but this—"

"Our people?" There was disdain in that. "You have never met with our people, witling." The yellow eyes narrowed a little. "Our like does not live with yours—or has not for more years than it has taken these walls to loose their stones."

I searched for an apology. It was plain that if this cat knew of those who roamed Dale keeps, it considered itself of a different breed altogether.

"Your pardon," I said hurriedly. "I have seen some like unto you. They are of the Dales. But I do not know you, and if I have offended, then please understand it is done in ignorance."

"Ignorance? If you are ignorant why then do you wear the key? That opens doors without, minds within." Now the voice was impatient as well as condescending. My furred questioner plainly found me one she considered of inferior intelligence—I deduced that this was the female of the pair.

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