Unconquered Sun (43 page)

- And now, - smiling from ear to ear, the Fairy exclaimed, - forward, my Animals, and we do not stop singing! Let our transition will be with the song and a smile!

So they also went. The benefit, the song was long, this was the whole poem, however five times on the way were necessary to repeat it.

And from where only forces undertook!? Did not sleep …

Of course all this was thanks to a wonderful gift of Cora - from her magic game there was no wish neither to sleep, nor to sit, and there was a wish to run, run and run without stopping, and on the run - to dance and sing. And here still this soft meadow carpeted from fragrant flowers (let and not the presents), the hooting bees, bears, hares, baby squirrels … Well as it is possible to despond here?

But the most surprising that all this illusive beauty projected by the desert in response to the song was not dangerous at all. Bear cubs and bees, cows and leverets did not hurry to turn in blood-thirsty carnivorous ghosts at all. They peacefully were engaged in all those affairs which relied them on a poem plot. Bees collected nectar, leverets ate a grass, bear cubs collected honey... The spiteful ghosts suppressed by a magic power of a flute could not cease to play the roles ordered them. Truly, properties of a wonderful flute were unpredictable!

But neither the Fairy, nor Animals thought of it. They were entirely captured by the song, a ringing and melodious sound of a magic flute, a look in the face of the blossoming desert. They went, sang and hopped on the way, and more they needed nothing.

And so it was cheerful, so good to them to run and sing, sing and dance that absolutely unexpectedly the meadow ended. Travelers closely rose to a chain of high mountains with the real snow caps at tops.

The song ceased, the flute obediently returned to plush pads of the Puppy, from the living dancer having turned into an ordinary musical instrument. At once both the meadow, and a bear, and bees disappeared... Behind remained dead, spiteful, but - the won Desert of Desires.

1.

The Rocky Mountains met travelers very unfriendly. Cold wind scolded to bones. Continually from steep slopes some stones, ice blocks broke, uterine sounds and klekot the huge eagles soaring behind clouds were distributed. But in the afternoon nobody attacked travelers.

Strengths of the Fairy were quickly restored, and she could light again full-fledged magic fire so travelers with pleasure were heated at it from time to time. The Kitten who was strongly grieving for house comfort was especially happy. The puppy did not show visible fatigue from a long way, but too was glad to an opportunity to dry the shaggy fur coat which from snow got wet through.

On halts the Fairy sang to them the songs or told about that time when

all of them together with Prinze will return back as they will arrange again

cheerful lunches, picnics, games, song tournaments... About some the friend

outcome of events there was no wish and to think.

Stocks of sea cabbage came to an end, and it was necessary to think something about food. However local mountains were almost deprived of any vegetation, and our friends were vegetarians. And therefore the possibility of hunting for them was excluded.

At first the way lay on rather flat gorge. However, here and there the set enough large boulders so it was necessary to look attentively under legs came across not to stumble and to fall.

Soon the gorge ended and long rise began.

Who laid this way in mountains - it was necessary only to guess, but the fact that made it consciously - was absolutely clear. The footpath was narrow so it was possible to go on it only in single file. The above friends rose to mountains, the became colder above, the more often brought a footpath snow or, it is worse than that, it became covered by frost that created danger to break down. Of course, for our travelers it was not as terrible, as for people. The fairy could use the wings, and Animals all the same were plush - for them falling from any height painfully and terribly, but is not deadly. But nevertheless …

The puppy tried not to look down - he terribly was afraid of height, and height really was dizzy. To a kitten, on the contrary, all this was at all - he as any cat was not afraid of height at all and from time to time bantered at the quailed Puppy, threatening to tell then Oslenk as he was afraid in mountains that for the Puppy, of course, was absolutely inadmissible.

The fairy on the way tried to keep mum. Heights she, clear, was not afraid - on the wings she flew also above clouds, and from cold to her the special warming spells so on snow it went in a simple tunic and sandals helped to escape. The person Fei was constantly burdened by thoughts, inaccessible for Animals. She did not pay to Animals attention even then when they with boredom began to play pranks - to throw each other snowballs. From time to time it concerned Analyzer stone finger-tips, verifying the way with the card loaded from collective memory of Community.

So passed day after day, but no adventures occurred. Monsters by whom they were so frightened by Cora for some reason did not appear. But Animals were only glad to it - after ghosts of the Desert of Desires they finally grew cold to any to "Dangerous Adventures" and wanted to reach the end of a way quietly. What will be THERE, ON the PLACE, Animals tried not to think and lived only for today.

But when they already got used to such situation, their illusions thawed as winter snow - in the spring.

2.

That day - and it was the fourth day of transition through the Rocky Mountains - weather was unexpectedly changed, strong wind blew, the blizzard began. Travelers rose already so highly that the earth finally passed out of sight and even the certain birds who were coming across to them on the way flew at them that is called "under legs".

This blizzard was absolutely not by the way. Though the Fairy put an air board against which broke as a sea wave about a breakwater, snow wind, but a footpath so swept up, Animals hardly broke through thicknesses of snow. Meanwhile wind all amplified, travelers were threatened by the real snow-storm and it was necessary to do something. All patience was exhausted by a case with the Puppy. From a strong flaw from where from above directly the solid cap of icy snow fell to a footpath. The puppy slipped and nearly fell from break. From falling its Saviour only tightly the Kitten who seized its skin.

- So, Zveryatki my dear, - did not sustain, at last, the Fairy, - it is impossible to go on such snow-storm further. Wind grows stronger, clouds clouded almost all sky - will just blow off all of us in an abyss soon. And I will not be able to keep such mass of wind and snow without magic wand … What will we do?

- As that, m-ya-u-u! - the Kitten mewed, licking a rough pink uvula a wet skin, - to look for some cave and to wait a snow-storm.

- Ingeniously, and-av! - the Puppy hooked it. - And where you will find it here? How many went - still did not see any! And if we find, and suddenly there someone sits? You think, caves in such place can be uninhabited?

The fairy reflected. Words of the Puppy voiced her own fears. If the cave in principle could be found if to try, then to hope that it will be uninhabited …

The fairy began to guess already what safety of their way for all four days is connected with. They were unusually lucky. They got to the Rocky Mountains during the winter period, and just during occurrence of strong cold weather. In such cold, more and more or less dangerous inhabitants of mountains were simply hidden. And where still they could find a shelter from bad weather how not in caves? But, on the other hand, also the Kitten, a cave - the rescue, unique for them, in such snow-storm is right.

The fairy touched a green stone of the Analyzer at herself on a forehead and began to scan surrounding space. The analyzer started magic beams in the parties regarding search of emptiness in rock. The most part of beams was reflected in distance of twenty thousand steps from a firm surface, but some groped emptiness, the closest of which settled down all in one thousand steps.

- Animals! We are rescued! - the Fairy exclaimed, with alarm looking at the black thunderclouds gathering over them. - The analyzer shows the closest cave of all in one thousand steps from here, and directly at the rate - we can reach it under the own steam!

- Ur - r - r - and! - the Kitten was delighted. - At last I will be able to dry properly!

But the Puppy had a bad presentiment, and therefore he did not divide fun of the Kitten - dogs, as we know, are more sensitive to possible danger, than cats.

And meanwhile clouds gathered quite serious and instead of separate snowflakes tumbled down the large flakes of snow adjusted by wind which promptly gained strength. Travelers began to bustle and moved on a footpath almost run though it was and it is dangerous. But what to do! Otherwise will just blow off them in an abyss when the real storm begins.

The pale, not giving heat sun finally was behind clouds, and snow tumbled down so, as a stone's throw away nothing was visible. The fairy had to light the flying brightly shining magic spark that Animals did not lose her from a look and inadvertently did not fall down in a boundless chasm.

When snow began to reach knees of the Fairy, Animals (which it was on a belt!) were forced to get up on brittle shoulders of the Fairy as they could not go further under the own steam any more. The air board already almost did not constrain a wild pressure so easy plush Animals hardly kept on a neck of the Fairy. At last, the footpath sharply curtailed to the right and they, following on it, came across a big round cave. In its dark belly it was dry and warm.

Without thinking twice the Fairy with Animals on shoulders ran in her … and in time! Because just at this moment huge caps of snow with a terrible roar fell to a footpath throughout their way. If they still slightly lingered on it, would carry away them in an abyss of mass of stale mountain snow …

The fairy with relief sighed and, having bent down, gave the chance to Animals to jump off on a stone floor. And then she clapped - the magic fiery ball appeared again and brightly lit the mouth of a cave., It seems, was nobody. The cave was uninhabited that inexpressibly pleased travelers - now it is possible to have a rest and dry, at last, really!

The kitten right there started inflating mattresses which got from a zaplechny swag that all three had an opportunity to lie down. The fairy was engaged in cultivation of magic fire, and the Puppy …

The puppy, usually at the first halt trying to be filled up somewhat quicker on lateral for what repeatedly received complaints from the Kitten, remained on guards now. Something in this cave was not pleasant to the Puppy, but that - he could not understand. The scent told nothing to it - he did not catch suspicious smells. Hearing too - as it lifted the brown trailing ears and did not twirl by the head in different directions - he heard nothing suspicious. But the cave all the same was not pleasant to it. After all the Puppy was a sentry dog - he had an excellent intuition.

And at this time the Kitten stopped inflating mattresses. The fairy made fire, and all three sat down at fire. The fairy got from a trunk on a small portion of sea cabbage - only five spoons on everyone - and poured on a bottom of a little "pink" concentrate, three-four drinks on everyone. The kitten and the Puppy sadly looked at these pathetic portions, but told nothing. Eventually, volunteered to go for searches of Adventures, so it is necessary to suffer. In general, if not a "pink concentrate", they could not move long ago any more because on tiny portions of sea cabbage, as we know, far you will not leave …

Animals sighed and were accepted to food, and the Fairy somehow to lighten mood of the friends, decided to start some pleasant conversation. And, of course, conversation was about what will be when all this history, at last, ends …

- … as soon as we celebrate my dear Prinze's return home, to us, probably, it will be already necessary to think of our little son …

- Mr-r-r-r-myau! - approvingly the Kitten mewed. Tips of sharp claws he clung small stalks of seaweed on one and, slowly bringing them to a mouth, carefully chewed - so he tried to prolong pleasure from a poor meal. - The boy it is time to send to School pages - to him the seventh year …

- A-av! Already absolutely, absolutely adult, - the Puppy assented, licking the plate - he, unlike the Kitten, ate everything at one stroke. - And there was such a baby quite recently! As if yesterday to it here pads cut an umbilical cord with these!

- Yes, - pensively looking in fire, the Fairy provorkovat, - absolutely adult … It is necessary to train strenuously him for receipt, Zveryatki, to both me and you to help Oslenk too, and that we will still be dishonored if he neither is not able to write a dictation, nor to solve problems on addition and subtraction … - the Fairy anxiously became silent. - And it at me such … foolish … - it is upset the Fairy said. - Oslenok complains that to study, unlike the daughter, does not want. That in four years freely both reads, and considers, and this … Is not able to write still almost, reads - barely … - its voice was cut short. - From where it has it? Probably, went to Prinze - to that too, let's run about only on the wood, and even fairy tales it are written down by Oslenok …

- Well, the Hostess, do not even worry about it! - the Kitten who ate already the last leaflet of cabbage and now waved a pad, savouring, small drinks drank a concentrate. - I talked to other animals few times when we flew with you to Skies, on councils (The kitten very much was proud of it and at the first opportunity mentioned the special situation at the Fairy - to greater envy of the Puppy). And so, they say that at School of pages all these examinations do not play any role. So it is not enough boys that they are taken with hands and legs and so. And, in confidence, I will tell you why … - the Kitten conspiratorially winked.

- Why? - unanimously the Puppy and the Fairy asked.

- And therefore, - half-whisper the Kitten said, as if ubiquitous intelligence agents from "STING" could and overhear it here, - that boys becomes less and less, and they are major candidates in husbands for graduates from School of fairies … -

- Yes, it is quite probable, - sadly having sighed, the Fairy told. - In my time when I graduated from School, - you remember - them was too a little … Only to twenty sisters from our course got … And it from hundred schoolgirls! I remember, I so roared when on a graduation party I have nobody was to dance!

- To you-e-e-e, ne-e-e-e with whom!!!??? - unanimously the Kitten and the Puppy exclaimed. Though they perfectly remembered to the hysteric Fei that evening, but pretended that they hear this history for the first time.

- With your beauty, with your voice, noble manners! - indignantly the Kitten exclaimed.

- With your ability it is beautiful to dance, and-av! - the Puppy assented.

The fairy pretended that she believed in their a little rough flattery and smiled - Animals did it for the love of it …

- The matter is that these twenty pages were distributed among sisters on a lot - that it was offensive for nobody - so … my ability to dance, sing and other did not play any role here, - sadly having smiled, the Fairy told and tenderly frayed plush heads of loyal friends. - You know, my dear Zveryatki that in our Community everything always becomes on justice. Their Knowledge - yes will be It is blessed for ever and ever - will never allow any violations!

At glorification of their Knowledge Animals reverentially inclined the heads. And then the Kitten told: