Alan Dean Foster The Hour Of The Gate

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"that is so, webmistress, but our visitors are experienced travelers of the
mind as well as the land, for have they not this very instant convinced us to
join with them?"
"we are but independent," Oil replied, "the people of the iron cloud are
paranoid."
"rumor and innuendo spread by unsuccessful traders who have returned from
their land empty-clawed, it is true they are less than social, but that does
not mean they will not listen."
He turned to face Jon-Tom.
"they are much like some of you, friend, like yourself, and those two there,"
he pointed to Mudge and Caz, "and that one above," and he pointed now at Pog.
"They sound most interesting," said Clothahump. "I con-
fess I know nothing of them."
"Are they good fighters?" Flor wondered. "Maybe we can get more out of them
than directions."
"they are great warriors," admitted Ogalugh readily, "but you speak so
facilely of making allies of them. you do not understand, they are interested
in nothing save themselves, - will support no causes but their own."
"That's just what we were told to expect of the Weavers,"
Jon-Tom said with becoming boldness.
"but we are sensible enough to see advantage and necessi-
ty where they occur," Oil argued back. "the people of the iron cloud, i am
told, are unaffected by events elsewhere.
they are protected by their indifference and their isolation."
"Nothing is safe from the evil the Plated Folk build," said
Clothahump somberly.
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"i am already convinced, wizard," she said. "convince the ironclouders: not
me. it will be enough if they can show our fighters the way through the
southern peaks."
"I have some small diplomatic skill," said Clothahump
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Alan Dean Foster
immodestly. "I believe we can persuade them to do that, at least."
"perhaps, you must, or we can be of no help to you and
your peoples, no matter what the plated ones decide to do. we will march when
ready, but if we cannot find a way, we will be forced to turn back.
"i will send from among the weavers a personal representa-
tive. perhaps the proof that we have joined with you will help to convince the
people of the iron cloud, in any case, someone will be necessary to come back
to report on the results of your mission, be it successful or not."
"Not to preempt your prerogatives. Oil," said Caz careful-
ly. "but if we might be permitted to choose the repre-
sentative ... ?"
"Sure," said Jon-Tom quickly, turning to face the
Webmistress. "Would it be okay if a river guard named
Ananthos served as your representative?"
"ananthos... i do not know the name. a common river guard, you say?"
"Yes. He's the one who brought us here."
"a common river guard of uncommon discernment, then.
but still, it should be someone of higher rank."
"Please, Oil," Jon-Tom said, "rank will mean nothing to these Ironclouders if
what you say of their nature is correct.
And Ananthos is familiar with us. We know we can get along with one another."
"a sound recommendation, i suppose." She sighed and that whole globular black
mass quivered, "it is the common soldiers who will decide this battle to come,
as they do all such battles, perhaps it is fitting that one of their rank be
our ambassador, as you say, it will likely not matter to the ironclouders.
"very well. you may have this ananthos. he will go with you as would one of my
own children, uzmentap!"
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THE HOUR Of THE GATE
"yes my lady, yes my lady?" A tiny adult spider scurried into the chamber, the
same one who had admitted them a little while earlier.
"put out the word to all the ends of the scuttleteau, to the uppermost flanks
of the mountains and the bottoms of the rivers, to all the believers in the
weave and to all who would
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defend their webs against the plated folk, that a temporary alliance has been
struck with the people of the warmlands to help them drive the plated beasts
back into their putrid hole of a homeland once and for all!"
"it shall be done, my lady," said the herald quickly. She dismissed him with a
wave of one leg and he hurried away to do the bidding.
"we will move as soon as we have word from your messenger ananthos," she told
them. "we will go hopefully with a known route and will try our best if none
such is available, but i will not send the best of the weave over the high
snows to a cold death."
"We know that," said Clothahump gratefully. "You can't be expected to
sacrifice yourselves to no purpose. But don't worry. We'll convince these
people to show us a way."
Jon-Tom did not think it a judicial time to mention the possibility that such
a path might not exist.
"it is in your claws now. i will have this ananthos found and will give him my
personal instructions and the scarf of ambassadorial rank. will you require an
escort?"
"We've gotten this far on our own," Talea pointed out. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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