Читать книгу Elinor. The Deserted Valley. Book 1 - Mikhail Shelkov - Страница 33

Arriving at the Forbidden Glade, Fao was taken aback. There she discovered Laol-Jamal, Molaynur, and Ainurmo, who at first refused to leave Swa-Ioledea. They explained to her that they weighed all their options and decided to trade the Vedich forest for something more. Fao was pleasantly surprised, but angry with Swaol-Ney. She called quite a few more children – Pariolwool, Muolwool, Mayamolive, Moulsabr, and even a very small Buka. Swaol-Ney only spread her hands:

“Well, they all wanted to come!”

“They still do not understand what they want!” Fao boiled with anger. But there was no turning back now. Either take a chance and go, or stay and wait for their conspiracy to come out sooner or later.

Ina brought Mo-Tenge-Lioywe, Muolkomes, Luoluy, Muoldock, and Rodolrod. The presence of the last one was not at all pleasing for Fao. He was always on his own wave, he frowned for no reason, then joked out of place. His humor was strange, sometimes too coarse and incomprehensible to the rest. Rodolrod was adult enough, but had not yet learned to turn into an animal, though he didn’t seem stupid and was skilled enough. He sometimes made Fao uneasy. But now she had to reconcile herself with his presence.

“I want to say goodbye to my mother!” Moulsabr declared suddenly.

“Me too!” Buka climbed up.

Fao immediately cursed the moment when she trusted Swaol-Ney. She was ready to pounce on a friend.

But then the matter came under the control of Wey-Leya.

“No goodbyes!” she said. “Whoever wants to leave leaves with us now! Who wants to stay, stays!”

“I stay!” Buka yelled.

“And I!” added Moulsabr.

“Good! Then we will tie you to the trees! And in the morning, they will find you!”

“Are you serious?” Fao grabbed Wey-Leya by the sleeve.

“I do not want to be in the court of the elders for the second time!” Wey-Leya confidently stated, and Fao even felt embarrassed at her own feebleness.

“But the six-fingered people will drag us away,” Buka lamented.

“If they yell like that, they’ll surely wake up some of the adults,” Ina whispered.

“Let’s go! We’re all going!” Nome fixed the situation, stepping forward. “Children too!”

They agreed, as the fear of being tied up in the clearing at night overpowered the fear of the unknown.

The detachment of the young Vedichs advanced into the dark thicket.