3 eclipse月食-第43部分

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to　report　to　Taha　Aki。　
　“Taha　Wi　and　his　two　brothers　did　not　return。　
　“The　younger　brothers　searched　for　their　elders；　but　found　only　silence。　Taha　Aki　mourned　for　his　sons。　
He　wished　to　avenge　his　sons’　death；　but　he　was　old。　He　went　to　the　Makah　chief　in　his　mourning　clothes　and　
told　him　everything　that　had　happened。　The　Makah　chief　believed　his　grief；　and　tensions　ended　between　the　
tribes。　
　“A　year　later；　two　Makah　maidens　disappeared　from　their　homes　on　the　same　night。　The　Makahs　called　
on　the　Quileute　wolves　at　once；　who　found　the　same　sweet　stink　all　through　the　Makah　village。　The　wolves　
went　on　the　hunt　again。　
　“Only　one　came　back。　He　was　Yaha　Uta；　the　oldest　son　of　Taka　Aki’s　third　wife；　and　the　youngest　in　the　
pack。　He　brought　something　with　him　that　had　never　been　seen　in　all　the　days　of　the　Quileutes　—　a　strange；　
cold；　stony　corpse　that　he　carried　in　pieces。　All　who　were　of　Taha　Aki’s　blood；　even　those　who　had　never　
been　wolves；　could　smell　the　piercing　smell　of　the　dead　creature。　This　was　the　enemy　of　the　Makahs。　

　“Yaha　Uta　described　what　had　happened：　he　and　his　brothers　had　found　the　creature；　who　looked　like　a　
man　but　was　hard　as　a　granite　rock；　with　the　two　Makah　daughters。　One　girl　was　already　dead；　white　and　
bloodless　on　the　ground。　The　other　was　in　the　creature’s　arms；　his　mouth　at　her　throat。　She　may　have　been　
alive　when　they　came　upon　the　hideous　scene；　but　the　creature　quickly　snapped　her　neck　and　tossed　her　
lifeless　body　to　the　ground　when　they　approached。　His　white　lips　were　covered　in　her　blood；　and　his　eyes　
glowed　red。　
　“Yaha　Uta　described　the　fierce　strength　and　speed　of　the　creature。　One　of　his　brothers　quickly　became　a　
victim　when　he　underestimated　that　strength。　The　creature　ripped　him　apart　like　a　doll。　Yaha　Uta　and　his　other　
brother　were　more　wary。　They　worked　together；　ing　at　the　creature　from　the　sides；　outmaneuvering　it。　
They　had　to　reach　the　very　limits　of　their　wolf　strength　and　speed；　something　that　had　never　been　tested　
before。　The　creature　was　hard　as　stone　and　cold　as　ice。　They　found　that　only　their　teeth　could　damage　it。　They　
began　to　rip　small　pieces　of　the　creature　apart　while　it　fought　them。　
　“But　the　creature　learned　quickly；　and　soon　was　matching　their　maneuvers。　It　got　its　hands　on　Yaha　Uta’s　
brother。　Yaha　Uta　found　an　opening　on　the　creature’s　throat；　and　he　lunged。　His　teeth　tore　the　head　off　the　
creature；　but　the　hands　continued　to　mangle　his　brother。　
　“Yaha　Uta　ripped　the　creature　into　unrecognizable　chunks；　tearing　pieces　apart　in　a　desperate　attempt　to　
save　his　brother。　He　was　too　late；　but；　in　the　end；　the　creature　was　destroyed。　
　“Or　so　they　thought。　Yaha　Uta　laid　the　reeking　remains　out　to　be　examined　by　the　elders。　One　severed　
hand　lay　beside　a　piece　of　the　creature’s　granite　arm。　The　two　pieces　touched　when　the　elders　poked　them　
with　sticks；　and　the　hand　reached　out　towards　the　arm　piece；　trying　to　reassemble　itself。　
　“Horrified；　the　elders　set　fire　to　the　remains。　A　great　cloud　of　choking；　vile　smoke　polluted　the　air。　When　
there　was　nothing　but　ashes；　they　separated　the　ashes　into　many　small　bags　and　spread　them　far　and　wide　—　
some　in　the　ocean；　some　in　the　forest；　some　in　the　cliff　caverns。　Taha　Aki　wore　one　bag　around　his　neck；　so　
he　would　be　warned　if　the　creature　ever　tried　to　put　himself　together　again。”　
　Old　Quil　paused　and　looked　at　Billy。　Billy　pulled　out　a　leather　thong　from　around　his　neck。　Hanging　from　
the　end　was　a　small　bag；　blackened　with　age。　A　few　people　gasped。　I　might　have　been　one　of　them。　
　“They　called　it　The　Cold　One；　the　Blood　Drinker；　and　lived　in　fear　that　it　was　not　alone。　They　only　had　
one　wolf　protector　left；　young　Yaha　Uta。　
　“They　did　not　have　long　to　wait。　The　creature　had　a　mate；　another　blood　drinker；　who　came　to　the　
Quileutes　seeking　revenge。　
　“The　stories　say　that　the　Cold　Woman　was　the　most　beautiful　thing　human　eyes　had　ever　seen。　She　looked　
like　the　goddess　of　the　dawn　when　she　entered　the　village　that　morning；　the　sun　was　shining　for　once；　and　it　
glittered　off　her　white　skin　and　lit　the　golden　hair　that　flowed　down　to　her　knees。　Her　face　was　magical　in　its　
beauty；　her　eyes　black　in　her　white　face。　Some　fell　to　their　knees　to　worship　her。　
　“She　asked　something　in　a　high；　piercing　voice；　in　a　language　no　one　had　ever　heard。　The　people　were　
dumbfounded；　not　knowing　how　to　answer　her。　There　was　none　of　Taha　Aki’s　blood　among　the　witnesses　but　
one　small　boy。　He　clung　to　his　mother　and　screamed　that　the　smell　was　hurting　his　nose。　One　of　the　elders；　on　
his　way　to　council；　heard　the　boy　and　realized　what　had　e　among　them。　He　yelled　for　the　people　to　run。　
She　killed　him　first。　
　“There　were　twenty　witnesses　to　the　Cold　Woman’s　approach。　Two　survived；　only　because　she　grew　
distracted　by　the　blood；　and　paused　to　sate　her　thirst。　They　ran　to　Taha　Aki；　who　sat　in　counsel　with　the　other　
elders；　his　sons；　and　his　third　wife。　
　“Yaha　Uta　transformed　into　his　spirit　wolf　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　news。　He　went　to　destroy　the　blood　
drinker　alone。　Taha　Aki；　his　third　wife；　his　sons；　and　his　elders　followed　behind　him。　
　“At　first　they　could　not　find　the　creature；　only　the　evidence　of　her　attack。　Bodies　lay　broken；　a　few　drained　
of　blood；　strewn　across　the　road　where　she’d　appeared。　Then　they　heard　the　screams　and　hurried　to　the　
harbor。　
　“A　handful　of　the　Quileutes　had　run　to　the　ships　for　refuge。　She　swam　after　them　like　a　shark；　and　broke　
the　bow　of　their　boat　with　her　incredible　strength。　When　the　ship　sank；　she　caught　those　trying　to　swim　away　
and　broke　them；　too。　
　“She　saw　the　great　wolf　on　the　shore；　and　she　forgot　the　fleeing　swimmers。　She　swam　so　fast　she　was　a　
blur　and　came；　dripping　and　glorious；　to　stand　before　Yaha　Uta。　She　pointed　at　him　with　one　white　finger　and　

asked　another　inprehensible　question。　Yaha　Uta　waited。　
“It　was　a　close　fight。　She　was　not　the　warrior　her　mate　had　been。　But　Yaha　Uta　was　alone　—　there　was　
no　one　to　distract　her　fury　from　him。　
“When　Yaha　Uta　lost；　Taha　Aki　screamed　in　defiance。　He　limped　forward　and　shifted　into　an　ancient；　
whitemuzzled　wolf。　The　wolf　was　old；　but　this　was　Taha　Aki　the　Spirit　Man；　and　his　rage　made　him　strong。　
The　fight　began　again。　
“Taha　Aki’s　third　wife　had　just　seen　her　son　die　before　her。　Now　her　husband　fought；　and　she　had　no　
hope　that　he　could　win。　She’d　heard　every　word　the　witnesses　to　the　slaughter　had　told　the　council。　She’d　
heard　the　story　of　Yaha　Uta’s　first　victory；　and　knew　that　his　brother’s　diversion　had　saved　him。　
“The　third　wife　grabbed　a　knife　from　the　belt　of　one　of　the　sons　who　stood　beside　her。　They　were　all　
young　sons；　not　yet　men；　and　she　knew　they　would　die　when　their　father　failed。　
“The　third　wife　ran　toward　the　Cold　Woman　with　the　dagger　raised　high。　The　Cold　Woman　smiled；　barely　
distracted　from　her　fight　with　the　old　wolf。　She　had　no　fear　of　the　weak　human　woman　or　the　knife　that　would　
not　even　scratch　her　skin；　and　she　was　about　to　deliver　the　death　blow　to　Taha　Aki。　
“And　then　the　third　wife　did　something　the　Cold　Woman　did　not　expect。　She　fell　to　her　knees　at　the　blood　
drinker’s　feet　and　plunged　the　knife　into　her　own　heart。　
“Blood　spurted　through　the　third　wife’s　fingers　and　splashed　against　the　Cold　Woman。　The　blood　drinker　
could　not　resist　the　lure　of　the　fresh　blood　leaving　the　third　wife’s　body。　Instinctively；　she　turned　to　the　dying　
woman；　for　one　second　entirely　consumed　by　thirst。　
“Taha　Aki’s　teeth　closed　around　her　neck。　
“That　was　not　the　end　of　the　fight；　but　Taha　Aki　was　not　alone　now。　Watching　their　mother　die；　two　young　
sons　felt　such　rage　that　they　sprang　forth　as　their　spirit　wolves；　though　they　were　not　yet　men。　With　their　father；　
they　finished　the　creature。　
“Taha　Aki　never　rejoined　the　tribe。　He　never　changed　back　to　a　man　again。　He　lay　for　one　day　beside　the　
body　of　the　third　wife；　growling　whenever　anyone　tried　to　touch　her；　and　then　he　went　into　the　forest　and　
never　returned。　
“Trouble　with　the　cold　ones　was　rare　from　that　time　on。　Taha　Aki’s　sons　guarded　the　tribe　until　their　sons　
were　old　enough　to　take　their　places。