精灵血脉四部曲-第102部分

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Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　heard　a　roar　and　saw　a　dark　elf；

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swatted　by　the　panther；　go　tumbling　away　on　the　left　as　well。　Catti…brie　started　that　way　to　follow；　but　heard　a　whistle　from　behind　and　looked　over　her　shoulder　just　as　Drizzt's　tattered　green　cloak　waved　in　the　air。　The　woman　reflexively　ducked；　then　stood　staring　at　a　crossbow　dart　that　had　tangled　up　in　the　thick　cloth；　a　crossbow　dart　that　had　been　aimed　at　the　back　of　her　head。

Drizzt　dropped　the　cloak　and　skipped　to　Catti…brie's　side；　affording　her　a　fine　view　of　the　walkway　behind　them　and　the　group　of　drow　fast　approaching。

On　the　narrow　walkway；　there　was　no　better　weapon　in　all　the　world　than　Taulmaril。

Streak　after　streak　flashed　down　the　length；　killing　and　wounding　several　drow。　Catti…brie　thought　she　could　keep　up　the　attack　indefinitely；　until　all　the　pursuing　enemies　were　slain；　but　suddenly　Drizzt　grabbed　her　by　the　shoulders　and　heaved　her　to　the　side；　falling　flat　with　her　under　him　halfway　around　the　round　stalactite。

A　lightning　bolt　slammed　the　stone；　right　where　they　had　been　standing；　showering　them　both　with　multicolored　sparks。

〃Damn　wizard！〃　the　fiery　woman　shouted。　She　came　up　on　one　knee　and　fired　again；　thinking　she　had　located　the　mage。　Her　arrow　dove　for　the　approaching　group；　but　hit　some　magical　barrier　and　exploded　into　nothingness。

〃Damn　wizard！〃　Catti…brie　cried　again；　then　she　was　running；　pulled　on　by　Drizzt。

The　walkway　beyond　the　stalactite　was　clear；　and　the　panions　far　outdistanced　those　pursuing；　as　the　dark　elves　had　to　be　wary　of　any　ambush　near　the　pillar。

Many　intersecting　walkways；　a　virtual　maze　above　the　great　pound；　presented　themselves；　and　very　few　Baenre　soldiers　were　anywhere　to　be　seen。　Again　it　seemed　as　though　the　friends　had　some　running　room；　but　where　could　they　go？　The　entire　cavern　of　Menzoberranzan　was　opened　wide　before　them；　below　them；　but　the　walkways　ended　far　short　of　the　perimeter　of　the　Baenre　pound　in　every　direction；　and　few　stalactites　hung　low　enough　to　join　with　the　great　stalagmite　mounds　that　might　have　offered　them　a　way　to　get　back　to　the　ground。

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Guenhwyvar；　apparently　sharing　those　confused　thoughts；　fell　back　into　the　group；　and　Entreri　again　took　up　the　lead。　He　soon　came　to　a　fork　in　the　walkway　and　looked　back　to　Drizzt　for　guidance；　but　the　drow　only　shrugged。　Both　of　the　seasoned　warriors　realized　that　the　defenses　were　fast　organizing　around　them。

They　came　to　another　stalactite　pillar　and　followed　a　ringing　walkway　ascending　its　curving　side。　They　found　a　door；　for　this　one　pillar　was　hollowed；　but　there　was　only　a　single；　empty　room　inside梟o　place　to　hide。　At　the　top　of　the　ascending　ring；　the　bridging　walkways　continued　on　in　two　directions。　Entreri　started　left；　then　stopped　abruptly　and　fell　flat　to　his　back。

A　javelin　soared　just　over　him；　hitting　and　sinking　into　the　stone　stalactite　right　in　front　of　Catti…brie's　face。　The　young　woman　stared　at　it　as　writhing　black　tentacles　arched　along　its　quivering　length；　crackling　and　biting　at　the　rock。　Catti…brie　could　only　imagine　what　pains　that　evil…looking　enchantment　might　cause。

〃Lizard…riders；〃　Drizzt　whispered　into　her　ear；　pulling　her　along　once　more。　Catti…brie　looked　all　about　for　a　shot　and　heard　the　scuttling　feet　of　subterranean　lizards　as　they　ran　along　the　cavern's　ceiling。　But　in　the　dimly　lit　view　afforded　her　by　her　magical　circlet；　she　made　out　no　clear　targets。

〃Drizzt　Do'Urden！〃　came　a　cry　from　a　lower；　parallel　walkway。　Drizzt　stopped　and　looked　that　way；　to　see　Berg'inyon　Baenre　on　his　lizard；　hanging　under　the　closest　edge　of　the　stone　walkway　and　readying　a　javelin。　The　young　Baenre's　throw　was　remarkable；　given　the　distance　and　his　curious　angle；　but　still　the　weapon　fell　short。

Catti…brie　responded　with　a　shot　as　the　rider　darted　back　under　the　stone　bridge；　her　arrow　skimming　the　stone　and　flying　freely　to　the　ground　so　very　far　below。

〃That　was　a　Baenre；〃　Drizzt　explained　to　her；　〃a　dangerous　one　indeed！〃

〃Was；〃　Catti…brie　replied　evenly；　and　she　took　up　her　bow　and　fired　again；　this　time　aiming　for　the　center　of　the　lower　bridge。　The　magical　arrow　burrowed　through　the　stone；　and　there　came　a　shriek。

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Berg'inyon　fell　free　from　below　the　bridge；　and　his　dead　lizard　tumbled　after。　Out　of　the　panions'　sight；　the　young　noble　enacted　his　levitational　powers　and　turned　about　in　the　air；　slowly　descending　to　the　cavern　floor。

Drizzt　kissed　Catti…brie　on　the　cheek　in　admiration　of　the　remarkable　shot。　Then　they　ran　on；　after　Entreri　and　Guenhwyvar。　Around　the　next　stalactite；　the　two　saw　Entreri　and　the　cat　bury　another　dark　elf。

It　all　seemed　so　hopeless；　though；　to　no　avail。　They　could　keep　scoring　minor　victories　for　hours　on　end　and　not　deplete　the　resources　of　House　Baenre。　Even　worse；　sooner　or　later　the　pound's　defense　would　organize　fully；　and　the　matron　mother　and　high　priestesses；　and　probably　more　than　a　few　powerful　wizards　as　well；　would　e　out　of　the　domed　chapel　to　join　in　the　chase。

They　climbed　a　walkway　ringing　another　stalactite；　going　to　the　highest　worked　levels　of　the　cavern。　Still　there　were　drow　above　them；　they　knew；　hiding　in　the　shadows；　on　their　lizard　mounts；　carefully　picking　their　shots。

Guenhwyvar　stopped　suddenly　and　sprang　straight　up；　disappearing　into　a　cluster　of　hanging　stones　fully　twenty…five　feet　above　the　walkway。　Back　down　came　the　mighty　panther；　raking　and　gouging　the　lizard　it　brought　along。　The　two　crashed　to　the　stone　walkway；　rolling　and　biting；　and　for　a　moment；　Drizzt　thought　that　Guenhwyvar　would　surely　go　over　the　side。

Entreri　skidded　to　a　stop　a　safe　distance　from　the　bat…tfing　beasts；　but　the　ranger　sprang　beyond　him；　putting　his　scimitars　to　deadly　work　on　the　entangled　lizard。

Catti…brie　had　wisely　kept　her　stare　upward；　and　when　a　drow　drifted　slowly　out　of　the　stalactite　cluster；　Taulmaril　was　waiting。　The　dark　elf　fired　his　hand…crossbow　and　missed；　the　quarrel　skipping　off　the　bridge　behind　her；　Catti…brie　responded　and　blew　the　tip　off　a　stalactite　just　to　the　side　of　the　drow。

The　drow　realized　immediately　that　he　could　not　win　against　the　woman　and　that　deadly　bow。　He　scrambled　along　the　stalactites；　kicking　off　them　and　flying　along　the　cavern's　ceiling。　Another　arrow　cracked　into　the　stone；　not　so　far　behind；　and　then　another　blew　out　the　hanging　stone

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right　in　front　of　him；　just　as　he　went　to　grab　at　it。

The　levitating　drow　was　stuck　with　no　handholds；　hanging　in　midair　twenty　feet　up　and　now　a　few　dozen　feet　to　the　side　of　the　walkway。　He　should　have　released　his　levi…tation　spell　and　dropped　for　the　ground；　recalling　the　magical　energies　when　he　was　far　below　Catti…brie's　level。　He　went　up　instead；　seeking　the　safety　of　the　nooks　in　the　uneven　ceiling。

Catti…brie　took　deadly　aim　and　let　fly。　The　streaking　arrow　drove　right　through　the　doomed　drow　and　thundered　up　into　the　ceiling　above；　disappearing　into　the　stone。　A　split　second　later；　there　came　another　explosion　from　above；　from　somewhere　above　the　cavern　roof。

Catti…brie　stared　curiously；　trying　to　decipher　the　meaning　of　that　second　blast。

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Chapter　25

THE　DESPERATE　RUN

atron　Baenre　swelled　with　pride　as　the　ritual　continued；　undisturbed　by　the　events　in　the　pound。　She　did　not　know　that　Dantrag　and　Berg'inyon　had　gone　out　from　the　chapel；　did　not　know　that　her　vicious　Duk…Tak　was　dead；　slain　by　the　very　renegade　Matron　Baenre　hoped　to　soon　present　before　the　other　ruling　matron　mothers。

All　that　Matron　Baenre　knew　was　the　sweet　taste　of　power。　She　had　brought　together　the　most　powerful　alliance　in　recent　drow　history；　with　herself　at　its　head。　She　had　out…maneuvered　K'yorl　Odran；　always　a　clever　one；　and　had　virtually　cowed　Mez'Barris　Armgo；　the　second　most　influential　drow　in　all　the　city。　Lloth　was　smiling　brightly　on　the　matron　mother　of　House　Baenre；　she　believed。

All　she　heard　was　the　singing；　and　not　the　sounds　of　battle；　and　all　she　saw；　looking　up；　was　die　magnificent　illusion　of　the　Spider　Queen；　going　through　its　perpetual　shift　from　arachnid　to　drow　and　back　to　arachnid。　How　could　she；　or　any　of　the　others；　watching　that　specter　with　similar　awe；　know　of　the　raging　fight　nearly　a　thousand　feet　above

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the　roof　of　that　domed　chapel；　along　the　bridged　stalactites　of　House　Baenre？

*　*　*　？*

〃A　tunnel！〃　Catti…brie　cried　to　Drizzt。　She　grabbed　him　by　the　shoulder　and　turning　him　toward　the　still…levitating　dead　drow。

Drizzt　looked　at　her　as　though　he　did　not　understand。

〃Up　above！〃　she　cried。　Catti…brie　brought　her　bow　up　and　fired　again　into　the　general　area。　The　arrow　slammed　into　the　base　of　a　stalactite；　but　did　not　go　through。

〃If　s　up　there；　I　tell　ye！〃　the　young　woman　exclaimed。　〃Another　tunnel；　above　the　cavern！〃

Drizzt　looked　doubtfully　to　the　area。　He　did　not　question　Catti…brie's　claim；　but　he　had　no　idea　of　how　they　might　get　to　this　supposed　tunnel。　The　closest　walkway　was　fully　a　dozen　feet　from　the　area；　and　to　get　to　that　walkway；　though　it　was　barely　thirty　feet　away　from　and　a　few　feet　higher　than　their　current　position；　the　panions　would　have　to　take　a　roundabout　route；　many　hundreds　of　yards　of　running。

〃What　is　it？〃　cried　Entreri；　rushing　back　to　join　his　hesitating　panions。　Looking　past　them；　back　down　the　walkway；　the　assassin　saw　the　forms　of　many　gathering　drow。

〃There　may　be　a　tunnel　above　us；〃　Drizzt　quickly　explained。

Entreri's　scowl　showed　that　he　hardly　believed　the　information　valuable；　but　his　doubts　only　spurred　Catti…brie　on。　Up　came　her　bow　and　off　flew　the　arrows；　one　after　another；　all　aimed　for　the　base　of　that　stubborn　stalactite。

A　fireball　exploded　on　their　walkway；　not　far　behind　them；　and　the　whole　bridge　shuddered　as　the　metal　and　stone　in　the　area　of　the　blast　melted　and　shifted；　threatening　to　break　apart。

Catti…brie　spun　about　and　let　fly　two　quick　shots；　killing　one　drow　and　driving　the　others　back　behind　the　protection　of　the　closest　supporting　stalactite。　From　somewhere　in　the　darkness　ahead；　Guenhwyvar　growled　and　crossbows　clicked。

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〃We　must　be　off！〃　Entreri