Dragons of Autumn Twilight - By Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman Page 0,48
amazement, their hands on their weapons going slack.
The man wasn't a man at all, but a centaur! Human from the waist up, he had the body of a horse from the waist down. He cantered forward with easy grace, powerful muscles rippling across his barrel chest. Other centaurs moved into the path at his commanding gesture. Tanis sheathed his sword. Flint sneezed.
"Thee must come with us," the centaur ordered.
"My brother is ill," Caramon growled. "He can't go anywhere."
"Place him upon my back," the centaur said coolly. "In fact, if any of you be tired, thee may ride to where we go."
"Where are you taking us?" Tanis asked.
"Thee is in no position to ask questions." The centaur reached out and prodded Caramon's back with his spear. "We travel far and fast. I suggest thee ride. But fear not." He bowed before Goldmoon, extending his foreleg and touching his hand to his shaggy hair. "Harm will not come to thee this night."
"Can I ride, Tanis, please?" begged Tasslehoff.
"Don't trust them!" Flint sneezed violently.
"I don't trust them," Tanis muttered, "but we don't seem to have a whole lot of choice in the matter-Raistlin can't walk. Go on, Tas. The rest of you, too."
Caramon, scowling at the centaurs suspiciously, lifted his brother in his arms and set him upon the back of one of the half-man, half-animal. Raistlin slumped forward weakly.
"Climb up," the centaur said to Caramon. "I can bear the weight of thee both. Thy brother will need thy support, for we ride swiftly tonight."
Flushing with embarrassment, the big warrior clambered onto the centaur's broad back, his huge legs dangling almost to the ground. He put an arm around Raistlin as the centaur galloped down the path. Tasslehoff, giggling with excitement, jumped onto a centaur and promptly slid off the other side into the mud. Sturm, sighing, picked up the kender and set him on the centaur's back. Then, before Flint could protest, the knight lifted the dwarf up behind Tas. Flint tried to speak but could only sneeze as the centaur moved away. Tanis rode with the first centaur, who seemed to be the leader.
"Where are you taking us?" Tanis asked again.
"To the Forestmaster," the centaur answered.
"The Forestmaster?" Tanis repeated. "Who is he-one like yourselves?"
"She is the Forestmaster," the centaur replied and began to canter down the trail.
Tanis started to ask another question, but the centaur's quickened pace jolted him, and he nearly bit through his tongue as he came down hard on the centaur's back. Feeling himself start to slide backwards as the centaur trotted faster and faster, Tanis threw his arms around the centaur's broad torso.
"Nar, thee doesn't need to squeeze me in two!" The centaur glanced back, his eyes glittering in the moonlight. "It be my job to see thee stays on. Relax. Put thy hands on me rump to balance thyself. There, now. Grip with thy legs."
The centaurs left the trail and plunged into the forest. The moonlight was immediately swallowed up by the dense trees. Tanis felt branches whip past, swiping at his clothing. The centaur never swerved or slowed in his gallop, however, and Tanis could only assume he knew the trail well, a trail the half-elf couldn't see.
Soon the pace began to slacken and the centaur finally came to a stop. Tanis could see nothing in the smothering darkness.
He knew his companions were near only because he could hear Raistlin's shallow breathing, Caramon's jingling armor, and Flint's unabated sneezing. Even the light from Raistlin's staff had died.
"A powerful magic is laid on this forest," the mage whispered weakly when Tanis asked him about it. "This magic dispels all others."
Tanis's uneasiness grew. "Why are we stopping?"
"Because thee art here. Dismount," the centaur ordered gruffly.
"Where is here?" Tanis slid off the centaur's broad back onto the ground. He stared around him but could see nothing. Apparently the trees kept even the smallest glimmer of moonlight or starlight from penetrating through to the trail.
"Thee stands in the center of Darken Wood," the centaur replied. "And now I bid thee farewell-or fare evil, depending on how the Forestmaster judges thee."
"Wait a minute!" Caramon called out angrily. "You can't just leave us here in the middle of this forest, blind as newborn kittens-"
"Stop them!" Tanis ordered, reaching for his sword. But his weapon was gone. An explosive oath from Sturm indicated the knight had discovered the same thing.
The centaur chuckled. Tanis heard hooves beat into soft earth and tree branches rustled. The centaurs were gone.