"We've no more to fear from the beasts," he said after a while, "but we've left a sign for men to read. They won't follow our trail very easily, and until they find that symbol they won't know for sure we've turned south. Even then it won't be easy to smell us out without the beasts to aid them. But the woods south of the trail will be full of warriors looking for us. If we keep moving after daylight, we'll be sure to run into some of them. As soon as we find a good place we'll hide and wait until another night to swing back and make the river. We've got to warn Valannus, but it won't help him any if we get ourselves killed."
"Warn Valannus (предупредить Валаннуса)?"
"Hell, the woods along the river are swarming with Picts (ад = проклятие, лес вдоль реки кишит пиктами)! That's why they got us (поэтому /они/ нас достали = обнаружили). Zogar's brewing war-magic; no mere raid this time (Зогар готовит военную магию, не просто рейд /на/ этот раз; to brew — варить (пиво); замышлять (мятеж, заговор и т. п.)). He's done something no Pict has done in my memory — united as many as fifteen or sixteen clans (он сделал что- то, /чего/ /не/ делал ни один пикт на моей памяти — объединил целых: «так много как» пятнадцать или шестнадцать кланов). His magic did it; they'll follow a wizard farther than they will a war-chief (его магия сделала это, они пойдут за чародеем дальше, чем /они пойдут/ за военным вождем). You saw the mob in the village (ты видел сборище в поселке); and there were hundreds hiding along the river bank that you didn't see (и были сотни, прячущихся вдоль берега реки, которых ты не видел). More coming, from the farther villages (еще больше придет из дальних селений). He'll have at least three thousand fighting- men (он будет иметь = у него будет, по крайней мере, три тысячи бойцов). I lay in the bushes and heard their talk as they went past (я лежал в кустах и слышал их разговор, когда они проходили мимо). They mean to attack the fort; when, I don't know, but Zogar doesn't dare delay long (они хотят атаковать форт, когда, я не знаю, но Зогар не осмеливается откладывать надолго). He's gathered them and whipped them into a frenzy (он собрал их и привел их в неистовство). If he doesn't lead them into battle quickly, they'll fall to quarreling with one another (если он не поведет их в битву быстро, они распадутся в ссорах = рассорятся друг с другом). They're like blood-mad tigers (они словно кровожадные тигры).
brew [bru: ], wizard ['wzd], chief [i: f]
"Warn Valannus?"
"Hell, the woods along the river are swarming with Picts! That's why they got us. Zogar's brewing war-magic; no mere raid this time. He's done something no Pict has done in my memory — united as many as fifteen or sixteen clans. His magic did it; they'll follow a wizard farther than they will a war-chief. You saw the mob in the village; and there were hundreds hiding along the river bank that you didn't see. More coming, from the farther villages. He'll have at least three thousand fighting-men. I lay in the bushes and heard their talk as they went past. They mean to attack the fort; when, I don't know, but Zogar doesn't dare delay long. He's gathered them and whipped them into a frenzy. If he doesn't lead them into battle quickly, they'll fall to quarreling with one another. They're like blood-mad tigers.
"I don't know whether they can take the fort or not (я не знаю, возьмут ли они форт или нет). Anyway, we've got to get back across the river and give the warning (как бы там ни было, мы должны вернуться через реку и дать = сделать предупреждение). The settlers on the Velitrium road must either get into the fort or back to Velitrium (поселенцы на дороге в Велитириум должны либо попасть в форт, либо вернуться в Велитриум; either … or … — либо …, либо …). While the Picts are besieging the fort, war parties will range the road far to the east (пока пикты будут осаждать форт, военные отряды будут рыскать по дороге далеко на востоке) — might even cross Thunder River and raid the thickly settled country behind Velitrium (возможно даже пересекут Громовую реку и совершат налеты на густо населенную местность за Велитриумом)."
whether ['wed], warning ['w: n], country ['kntr]
"I don't know whether they can take the fort or not. Anyway, we've got to get back across the river and give the warning. The settlers on the Velitrium road must either get into the fort or back to Velitrium. While the Picts are besieging the fort, war parties will range the road far to the east — might even cross Thunder River and raid the thickly settled country behind Velitrium."