Ходячий замок
Chapter 21
Lightblindedinthroughalong,jaggedhole,andafigurecameleapinginthroughtheopening.Sophieturnedeagerly,hopingitwasHowl.Buttheblackoutlinehadonlyoneleg.Itwasthescarecrowagain.
TheWitchgaveayowlofrageandrushedtowarditwithherfairpigtailflyingandherbonyarmsstretchedout.Thescarecrowleapedather.Therewasanotherviolentbangandthetwoofthemwerewrappedinamagiccloud,likethecloudoverPorthavenwhenHowlandtheWitchhadfought.Thecloudbatteredthiswayandthat,fillingthedustyairwithshrieksandbooms.Sophie’shairfrizzed.Thecloudwasonlyyardsaway,goingthiswayandthatamongpotterypillars.Andthebreakinthewallwasquiteneartoo.AsSophiehadthought,thefortresswasreallynotbig.Everytimethecloudmovedacrosstheblindingwhitegap,shecouldseethroughit,andseethetwoskinnyfiguresbattlinginitsmidst.Shestared,andkeptwaggingherstickbehindherback.
Shewaslooseallexceptherlegswhenthecloudstreamedacrossinfrontofthelightonemoretime.Sophiesawanotherpersonleapthroughthegapbehindit.Thisonehadflyingblacksleeves.ItwasHowl.Sophiecouldseetheoutlineofhimclearly,standingwitharmsfolded,watchingthebattle.ForamomentitlookedasifhewasgoingtolettheWitchandthescarecrowgetonwithit.ThenthelongsleevesflappedasHowlraisedhisarms.Abovethescreamingandbooming,Howl’svoiceshoutedonestrange,longword,andalongrollofthundercamewithit.ThescarecrowandtheWitchbothjolted.
