按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
nearby。
'Hyksos？' he hazarded anxiously； for the dung of the horses in their lines was very fresh； not more than a few days old…it was dry on the outside； but still damp when he broke open a lump。
'Ours。' Taita had recognized the tracks of the chariots。 After all； he had made the first designs of these spoked wheels many decades before。 He stooped suddenly and picked up a tiny bronze rosette ornament that had fallen from a dashboard and was half buried in the loose earth。 'One of our light cavalry divisions； probably from the Phat regiment。 Part of Lord Naja's mand。'
'What are they doing out here； so far from the lines？' Nefer asked； puzzled； but Taita shrugged and turned away to cover his unease。
The old man cut short their period of rest and they went on while the sun was still high。 Slowly the outline of Bir Umm Masara hardened and seemed to fill half of the sky ahead of them。 Gradually they could make out the etching and scarification of gorge； bluff and cliff。 As they reached the crest of the first line of foothills； Taita checked his horse and looked back。 Distant movement caught his attention； and he held up his hand to shade his eyes。 He could see a tiny feather of pale dust many leagues out in the desert below。 He watched it for a while and saw that it was moving eastwards； towards the Red Sea。 It might have been thrown up by a herd of moving oryx； or by a column of fighting chariots。 He did not remark on it to Nefer； who was so intent on the hunt for the royal falcon that he could not tear his eyes from the silhouette of the mountain ahead。 Taita thumped his heels into the flanks of his horse and moved up beside the boy。
That night； when they camped halfway up the slope of Bir Umm Masara； Taita said quietly； 'We will make no fire this night。'
'But it's so cold；' Nefer protested。 'And we are so exposed here that a fire could be seen for ten leagues across the desert。'
'Are there enemies out there？' Nefer's expression changed； and he gazed down over the darkening landscape with trepidation。 'Bandits？ Raiding Bedouin？'
'There are always enemies；' Taita told him。 'Better cold than dead。' After midnight when the icy wind woke Nefer； and his colt； Stargazer； stamped and whinnied； he rolled out of his sheepskin blanket and went to calm him。 He found Taita already awake； sitting a little apart。
'Look！' he ordered； and pointed down on to the lowland。 There was a distant glimmer and flicker of light。 'A campfire；' Taita said。
'They might be one of our own divisions。 Those who made the tracks we saw yesterday。'
They might indeed；' agreed Taita； 'But then again； they might be somebody else。'
After a long； thoughtful pause Nefer said； 'I have slept enough。 It's too cold； anyway。 We should mount again and move on。 We don't want the dawn to catch us here on the bare shoulder of the mountain。'
They loaded the horses and in the moonlight found a rough path made by wild goats that led them round the eastern shoulder of Bir Umm Masara； so that when the light began to strengthen they were already out of sight of any watchers in the distant encampment。
The chariot of Ammon Ra； the sun god； burst furiously out of the east； and the mountain was suffused with golden light。 The gorges were dark with shadow； made more sombre by the contrast； and far below the wilderness was vast and grand。
Nefer threw back his head； shouted with joy； 'Look！ Oh； look！' and pointed up past the rock peak。 Taita followed his gaze and saw the two dark specks； turning in a wide circle against the heavens。 The sunlight caught one； so that it glowed for a second like a shooting star。
'Royal falcons。' Taita smiled。 'A mating pair。'
They unloaded the horses and found a vantage…point from which they were able to watch the circling birds。 Even at this distance they were regal and beautiful beyond Nefer's ability to express it。 Then suddenly one of the birds； the smaller male； the tiercel； broke the pattern of flight； and angled up against the wind； his leisurely wingbeats taking on a sudden ferocity。
'He has discovered；' Nefer shouted； with the excitement and joy of the true falconer。 'Watch him now。'
When it began the stoop was so swift that to have taken the eye off it for even a moment would have meant missing the kill。 The tiercel dropped down the sky like a thrown javelin。 A single pigeon was coasting unsuspectingly near the base of the cliff。 Nefer recognized the moment when the plump bird became suddenly aware of the danger； and tried to avoid the falcon。 It turned so violently towards the safety of the rock face that it rolled over on to its back in full and frantic flight。 For an instant its belly was exposed。 The tiercel tore into it with both sets of talons； and the big bird seemed to dissolve in a burst of puce and blue smoke。 The feathers drifted away in a long cloud on the morning wind and the falcon bound on； locking its talons deep into its prey's belly； and plunged with it into the gorge。 The killer and its victim hit the rocky scree slope only a short distance from where Nefer stood。 The heavy thud of their fall echoed off the cliff and resounded down the gorge。
By this time Nefer was dancing with excitement； and even Taita； who had always been a lover of the hunting hawks； gave voice to his pleasure。
'Bak…her！' he cried； as the falcon pleted the ritual of the kill with the mantling： it spread its magnificently patterned wings over the dead pigeon； covering it and proclaiming the kill as its own。
The female falcon came down to join him in a series of graceful spirals and landed on the rock beside her mate。 He folded away his wings to let her share the kill； and between them they dismembered and devoured the carcass of the pigeon； ripping into it with their razor…sharp beaks； and pausing between each stroke to lift their heads and glare at Nefer； with those ferocious yellow eyes； while they gulped down the bloody fragments of flesh and bone and feathers。 They were fully aware of the presence of the men and horses； but tolerated them as long as they kept their distance。
Then； when all that was left of the pigeon were a blood spot on the rock and a few drifting feathers； and the usually sleek bellies of the falcons were crammed with food； the pair launched into flight again。 Wings flogging now to carry them； they rose up the sheer cliff face。
'Follow them！' Taita hitched up his kilt and scampered over the treacherous footing of the scree slope。 'Don't lose them。'
Nefer was faster and more agile； and he kept the rising birds in sight as he raced along the shoulder of the mountain beneath them。 Below the peak the mountain was split into twin needles； mighty pinnacles of dark stone； terrifying even from below。 They watched the falcons rise up this mighty natural monument； until Nefer realized where they were headed。 Where the rock overhung； halfway up the eastern tower； there was a V…shaped cleft in the stone face。 Stuffed into it was a platform of dried branches and twigs。
'The ne