Ведьмак: Кровь эльфов

           Shecould,ifshehadto,continueherjourneyeventhroughablizzard;shecouldlocatethepathusingtelepathy,shecould–usingmagic–makeherselfinsensitivetothecold.Shecould,ifshehadto.Butshepreferrednottohaveto.

           Luckily,KaerMorhenwasalreadyclose.Trissurgedthegeldingontoflatscree,overanenormousheapofstoneswasheddownbyglaciersandstreams,androdeintoanarrowpassbetweenrockyoutcrops.Thegorgewallsroseverticallyandseemedtomeethighaboveher,onlydividedbyanarrowlineofsky.Itgrewwarmer,thewindhowlingabovetherockscouldnolongerreachtolashandstingather.

           Thepassbroadened,leadingthrougharavineandthenintothevalley,openingontoahugedepression,coveredbyforest,whichstretchedoutamidstjaggedboulders.Themagicianignoredthegentle,accessibledepressionrimandrodedowntowardstheforest,intothethickbackwoods.Drybranchescrackedunderthegelding’shooves.Forcedtostepoverfallentreetrunks,thehorsesnorted,dancedandstamped.Trisspulledatthereins,tuggedathermount’sshaggyearandscoldeditharshlywithspitefulallusionstoitslameness.Thesteed,lookingforalltheworldasthoughitwereashamedofitself,walkedwithamoreevenandsprightlygaitandpickeditswaythroughthethicket.

           Beforelongtheyemergedontoclearerland,ridingalongthetroughofastreamwhichbarelytrickledalongtheravinebed.Themagicianlookedaroundcarefully,finallyfindingwhatshewaslookingfor.