Yet now the griffons were obviously afraid. They landed on the banks of the river, refusing all of Alhana's angry, imperious commands to fly farther. Instead, they moodily preened themselves and steadfastedly refused to obey.
Finally there was nothing for the companions to do but climb off the griffons' backs and unload their supplies. Then the birdlion creatures, with fierce, apologetic dignity, spread their wings and soared away.
"Well, that is that;" said Alhana sharply, ignoring the angry glances she felt cast at leer. "We shall simply have to walk, that's all. The way is not far:"
The companions stood stranded upon the riverbank, staring across the sparkling water into the forest beyond. None of them spoke. All of them were terse, alert, searching for trouble. But all they saw were the aspen trees glistening in the last, lingering rays of sunset. The river murmured as it lapped on the shore. Though the aspens were green still, the silence of winter blanketed the land.
"I thought you said your people fled because they were under siege?" Tanis said to Alhana finally.
"If this land is under control of dragons, I'm a gully dwarf!" Caramon snorkel.
"We were!" Alhana answered, leer eyes scanning the sunlit forest. "Dragons Filled the skies-as in Tarsis! The dragonmen entered our beloved woods, burning, destroying-" Her voice died.
Caramon leaned near Riverwind and Muttered, "Wild goose chase!"
The Plainsman scowled. "If it's nothing more than that, we'll be fortunate," he sail, his eyes on the elfanaid. "Why did sire bring as here? Perhaps it's a trap."
Caramon considered this a moment, then glanced uneasily at his brother, who had not spoken or moved or taken his strange eyes from the forest since the griffons left . The big warrior loosened his sword in its scabbard and moved a step nearer Tika. Almost accidentally, it seemed, their two hands clasped. Tika cast a fearful look at Raistlin but held onto Caramon tightly.
The merge just stared fixedly into the wilderness.
"Tanis!" Alhana said suddenly, forgetting herself in her joy and putting her hand on his arm. "Maybe it worked! Maybe my father defeated them, and we can come home! Oh, Tanis-" She trembled with excitement. "We've got to cross the river and find out! Come! The ferry landing's down around the bend-"
"Alhana, wait!" Tanis called, but she was already running along the smooth, grassy bank, her long full skirts fluttering around her ankles. "Alhana! Damn it. Caramon and Riverwind, go after her. Goldmoon, try to talk some sense into her:'
Riverwind and Caramon exchanged uneasy glances, but they did as Tanis ordered, running along the riverbank after Alhana. Goldmoon and Tika followed more slowly.
"Who knaves what"s in these woods?" Tanis muttered. "Raistlin-"
The merge did not seem to hear. Tanis moved closer. "Raistlin?" he repeated, seeing the mage's abstracted stare.
Raistlin stared at him blankly, as if waking from a dream. Then the merge became aware of someone speaking to him. He lowered his eyes.
"What is it, Raistlin?" Tanis asked. "What do you sense?"
"Nothing, Tanis;' the merge repined.
Tanis blinked. "Nothing?" he repeated.
"It is like an impenetrable fog, a blank wall;" Raistlin whispered. "I see nothing, sense nothing:'
Tanis staged at him intently, amid suddenly he knew Raistlin was lying. But why? The merge returned the half-elf's gaze with equanimity, even a small, twisted smile on his thin lips, as if he knew Tanis didn't believe him brat really didn't care.
"Raistlin;' Tanis sail softly, "suppose Lorac, the elfking, tried to use the dragon orb-what would happen?"
The merge lifted his eyes to stare auto tile forest. "Do you think that is possible?" he asked.
"Yes;" Tanis said, "From what little Alhana told me, during the Tests in the Tower of High Sorcery al Istar, a dragon orb spoke to Lorac, asking, him to rescue it from the impending disaster."
"And he obeyed it?" Raistlin asked, his voice as soft as the murmuring water of the ancient river.
"Yes. He brought it to Silvanesti:"
"So this is the dragon orb of Istar;" Raistlin whispered. His eyes narrowed, and then he sighed, a sigh of longing. "I knew nothing about the dragon orbs;' he remarked, coolly, "except what I told you. But I know this, Half-Elf-nave of us will come out of Silvanesti unscathed, if we come out at all:'
"What do you mean? What danger is there?"
"What does it matter what danger I see?" Raistlin asked, folding his hands in the sleeves of his red robes. "We must enter Silvanesti. You know it as well as I. Or will you forego the chance to find a dragon orb?"
"But if you see danger, tell us! We could at least enter prepared-" Tanis began angrily.
"Them prepare;" Raistlin whispered softly, and he turned away and began to walk slowly along the sandy beach after his brother.
The companions crossed the river just as the last rays of the sun flickered among the leaves of the aspens on the opposite bank. And then the fabled forest of Silvanesti was gradually swamped lay darkness. 'The shadows of night flowed among the feet of the trees like the dark water flowing beneath the keel of the ferry book.
Their journey was slow. The ferry-an ornately-carved, flat-bottomed beak connected to both shares by an elaborate system of copes and .pulleys-seemed at first to be in good condition. Bait once they set foot on board and began to crass the ancient river, they discovered that the rapes were rotting. The boat begarn to decay before their eyes. The river itself seemed to change. Reddish-fo:rawn water seeped through the hull, tainted with the faint swell of blood.
They had just stepped out of the boat on the opposite bank and were unloading their supplies, when the frayed rapes sagged and gave gray. The river swept the ferry boat downstream in. an instant. Twilight vanished at the same moment, and night. swallowed them. Although the sky was clear, without a cloud to mar its dark surface, there were no stars visible. Neither the red nor the silver moon rose. The only light came
THE DRAGONS OF WINTER NIGHT
from the river, which seemed to gleam with an unwholesome brilliance, like a ghoul.
"Raistlin, your staff;" Tanis said. His voice echoed too loudly through the silent (ores'.. Even Caramon cringed.
"Shirak:" Raistlin spoke the word of command and the crystal globe clutched in the disembodied dragon's claw flared into light. But it was a cold, pale light. The only thing it seemed to illuminate were the mage's strange, hourglass eyes.
"We must enter the woods;' Raistlin said in a shaking voice. Turning, he stumbled toward the dark wilderness.
No one else spoke or moved. They stood an the bank, fear overtaking them. There was no reason for it, and it was all the more frightening because it was illogical. Fear crept up on them from the ground. Fear flowed through their limbs, turning the bowels to water, sapping the strength of heart and muscle, eating into the brain.
Fear o6 what? There was nothing, nothing there! Nothing to be afraid of, yet all of them were more terrified of this nothing than they had been of anything before in their lives.
"Raistlin's right. We've-got to-get into the woods-find shelter . . :' Tanis spoke with an effort, his teeth chattering. "Follow Raistlin :'
Shaking, he staggered forward, not knowing if anyone followed, not caring. Behind him, he could hear Tika whimper and Goodmoon trying to pro}^ through lips that would not form words. He heard Caramon shout for his brother to stop and Riverwind cry out in terror, but it didn't matter. He had to run, get away from here'. His only guidance was the light of Raistlin's staff.
Desperately, he stumbled after the mage into the woods. But when Tanis reached the trees, he found his strength was gone. He was too scared to move. Trembling, he sank down on his knees, then pitched forward, his hands clutching at the ground.
"Raistlin!" His throat was torn by a ragged scream.
But the mage could not help.. The last thing Tanis saw was the light from Raistlin's staff falling slowly to the ground, slowly, and mare slowly, released by the young ravage's limp, seemingly lifeless hand.
The trees. The beautiful trees of Silvanesti. Trees fashioned and coaxed through centuries into groves of wonder and enchantment. All around Tanis were the trees. But these trees now turned upon their masters, becoming living groves of horror. A noxious green light filtered through the shivering leaves.
Tanis stared about in horror. Many strange and terrible sights he had seen in his life, but nothing like this. This, he thought, might drive him insane. He turned this way and that, frantically, but there was no escape. All around were the trees-the trees of Silvanesti. Hideously changed.