The Last Ring-bearer - Kirill Yeskov [29]
All right, half the job is done – the Elf has disappeared, and now he will acquire a very much alive and sprightly double. The Orocuen changed into the Elf's moccasins (damn, how can they wear such boots, without a proper hard sole!) and ran south along the foot of the dune, trying to leave good tracks where the ground was harder. He had donned the Elf's slit breastplate like a vest and carried his own indispensable desert boots in his hands. About a mile and a half from the camp the sergeant halted; he had never been a good runner, and now his heart was beating somewhere near the throat, trying to escape. The distance was already adequate; the 'Elf' will now move onto the hamada, where he will leave no tracks. The scout tossed Eloar's leather armor about fifteen paces beyond the spot where the tracks ended; this will serve to confirm both the fugitive's identity and, indirectly, his course (south).
Stop and think again, he said to himself. Perhaps it's best not to leave the breastplate here at all – too obvious. All right, what would I do if I were him? I am a fugitive who's unsure of where to go next; looks like I've lost my pursuers, but now I have to wander in this terrible desert for who knows how long, and it's scarier than any human foe. It's high time to ditch everything I can to lighten the load; this thing is not that useful anyway, if I survive I can buy another one of these in any armor shop… Sounds reasonable? Yep. Why did I take it off now rather than earlier? Just had no time when fleeing, but now I've stopped, looked around… Sounds reasonable? Sure does. And why is it sliced like that? Because it won't be the friendlies that find it, but rather the enemies who're hunting me; by the way, they're certainly tracking me, so it's high time to move onto gravel. Sounds reasonable? Yeah… Anyway, never think the enemy stupid, but don't assume that they're geniuses, either.
He was almost ready for the sprint back – changed into his boots and ate a bitter cola nut – when his gaze fell on the breastplate lying on the stones of the hamada like a cracked eggshell, and realization of an almost-made mistake drenched him in cold sweat. An eggshell – how did the Elf crack out of it? Cut it off himself? It's precisely this kind of a trifle that can blow a whole operation! All right, unlace it… No! I the Elf am in a hurry, I don't need the armor any more – rather, cut the cord. Now it's all set.
He jogged back along the hamada, heading for the barely visible glint of the dying fire,
where his pack awaited. The cola filled him with a treacherous lightness, so that he had to deliberately slow down, lest his heart burst. Picking up the pack, he forced himself to rest for a few minutes and then resumed course; now he had to look out for Haladdin and Tangorn, which slowed him down. It turned out that they have covered over two miles already – an excellent pace he did not even count on. The scout saw Haladdin first – he was resting, sitting on the ground with his expressionless bloodless face turned up towards the stars. He had been carrying the baron for the last half a mile, and now Tangorn was back on his crutches, trying doggedly to gain them another few yards.
"Have you guys polished off all of that Elvish wine?"
"No, we've left some for you."
Tzerlag scanned his comrades, estimated