Dancing Bears by Fred Saberhagen

Author:Fred Saberhagen [Saberhagen, Fred]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Fantasy, General, Fiction, Science Fiction, Suspense, Historical, Human-Animal Relationships, Bears, Metamorphosis, Russia
ISBN: 9780812550047
Google: HBD5GgAACAAJ
Amazon: 0812550048
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 1996-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

Sherwood, having walked twice around the block in the middle of Irkutsk, was wondering what had happened to his dear companion.

Now, in early September, the weather had suddenly turned chill, and he turned up the collar of his summer coat.

The American was distracted from his contemplation of the weather by the sight of a large dog, a wolflike, shaggy and unbarking beast, that came trotting toward him from out of the gathering dusk. It sat on its haunches eight or ten paces away, and looked at him, tongue lolling, almost a hungry expression on the canine face. Sherwood noticed that the street had somehow become almost deserted.

Here came a second dog, which very much resembled the first. And now a third, sitting also, all taking their places in what was now the beginning of a semicircle, which seemed as if it might be intended to hold Sherwood against a doorless wall.

When he started to walk away, the dogs growled and moved to contain him in their formation. They were very large indeed—for dogs.

Four hounds, now. Now five. Now six. Muttering faint snarls and inching closer to him.

He drew the pistol from under his coat, and as if the act had been a signal the dogs leapt to the attack.

Sherwood fired, and fired again, using up two silver bullets, and brought down two hounds, before one of the surviving dogs leaped on him from behind.

In self-defense, he Changed. His clothes went bursting, ripped to shreds. He got his vest off just in time.

GreatMedved reared up roaring.

Most dogs, except for hunters bred and trained, would have scattered when challenged by a bear. But these large canines only gazed at him with expressions of warm regard. Obviously they felt themselves quite up to the task of dealing with anymedved however large. Fangs savaged him from behind, his legs and flanks, no matter which way he turned.

No doubt about it—it was Sherwood the Bear that the dogs wanted, and they were coming after him with murderous enthusiasm.

At last he caught one hound in front of him and mangled it. But killing one or two was not going to save his life. The fury of the combat blocked out pain, but he could feel that his blood was running out; the pack was chewing out his life.

A man with a gun appeared, no, in truth at least half a dozen men, all obviously members of a trained team of bear hunters, except that they were coming to his aid and not to kill him. Maybe dog hunters would have been a better description. A commanding voice was barking orders. Whips and truncheons rose and fell, beating off the hounds, who were too steeped in bear's blood now to willingly relinquish their kill. But the men were determined that the bear's life must be saved. Pistols cracked and banged.

Dogs that had not heeded the command to retreat were shot dead.

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

At last the attack dissolved in outraged howls and whimpers. After

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.