精灵血脉四部曲-第110部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


th　his　scimitars　swished　through　the　air；　short　of　the　mark。

　　　Catti…brie　didn't　miss　the　opening；　and　darted　ahead；　sword　thrusting。

　　　Back　snapped　Drizzt's　blades；　impossibly　fast；　slamming　the　sword　on　both　its　sides。　But　Drizzt's　feet　weren't　positioned　correctly　for　him　to　follow　the　move；　to　go　diagonally　ahead　and　take　advantage　of　Catti…brie's　turned　sword。

　　　The　young　woman　went　ahead　and　to　the　side　instead；　sliding　her　weapon　free　of　the　clinch　and　executing　the　real　attack；　the　slash　at　Drizzt's　hip。

　　　Drizzt's　backhand　caught　her　short；　drove　her　sword　harmlessly　high。

　　　They　broke　apart　again；　eyeing　each　other；　Catti…brie　wearing　a　sly　smile。　In　all　their　months　of　training；　she　had　never　e　so　close　to　scoring　a　hit　on　the　agile　and　skilled　drow。

　　　Drizzt's　expression　stole　her　glory；　though；　and　the　drow　dipped　the　tips　of　his　scimitars　toward　the　floor；　shaking　his　head　In　frustration。

　　　〃The　bracers？〃　Catti…brie　asked；　referring　to　the　magical　wrist　bands；　wide　pieces　of　black　material　lined　with　gleaming　mithril　rings。　Drizzt　had　taken　them　from　Dantrag　Baenre；　the　deposed　weapon　master　of　Menzoberranzan's　first　house；　after　defeating　Dantrag　in　mortal　bat。　Rumors　said　those　marvelous　bracers　allowed　Dantrag's　hands　to　move　incredibly　fast；　giving　him　the　advantage　in　bat。

　　　Upon　battling　the　lightning…quick　Baenre；　Drizzt　had　e　to　believe　those　rumors；　and　after　wearing　the　bracers　in　sparring　for　the　last　few　weeks；　he　had　confirmed　their　abilities。　But　Drizzt　wasn't　convinced　that　the　bracers　were　a　good　thing。　In　the　fight　with　Dantrag；　he　had　turned　Dantrag's　supposed　advantage　against　the　drow；　for　the　weapon　master's　hands　moved　too　quickly　for　Dantrag　to　alter　any　started　move；　too　quickly　for　Dantrag　to　improvise　if　his　opponent　made　an　unexpected　turn。　Now；　in　these　sparring　exercises；　Drizzt　was　learning　that　the　bracers　held　another　disadvantage。

　　　His　feet　couldn't　keep　up　with　his　hands。

　　　〃Ye'll　learn　them；〃　Catti…brie　assured。

　　　Drizzt　wasn't　so　certain。　〃Fighting　is　an　art　of　balance　and　movement；〃　he　explained。

　　　〃And　faster　ye　are！〃　Catti…brie　replied。

　　　Drizzt　shook　his　head。　〃Faster　are　my　hands；〃　he　said。　〃A　warrior　does　not　win　with　his　hands。　He　wins　with　his　feet；　by　positioning　himself　to　best　strike　the　openings　in　his　opponent's　defenses。〃

　　　〃The　feet'll　catch　up；〃　Catti…brie　replied。　〃Dantrag　was　the　best　Menzoberranzan　had　to　offer；　and　ye　said　yerself　that　the　bracers　were　the　reason。〃

　　　Drizzt　couldn't　disagree　that　the　bracers　greatly　aided　Dantrag；　but　he　wondered　how　much　they　would　benefit　one　of　his　skill；　or　one　of　Zaknafein's；　his　father's；　skill。　It　could　be；　Drizzt　realized；　that　the　bracers　would　aid　a　lesser　fighter；　one　who　needed　to　depend　on　the　sheer　speed　of　his　weapons。　But　the　plete　fighter；　the　master　who　had　found　harmony　between　all　his　muscles；　would　be　put　off　balance。　Or　perhaps　the　bracers　would　aid　someone　wielding　a　heavier　weapon；　a　mighty　warhammer；　such　as　Aegis…fang。　Drizzt's　scimitars；　slender　blades　of　no　more　than　two　pounds　of　metal；　perfectly　balanced　by　both　workmanship　and　enchantment；　weaved　effortlessly；　and；　even　without　the　bracers；　his　hands　were　quicker　than　his　feet。

　　　〃e　on　then；〃　Catti…brie　scolded；　waving　her　sword　in　front　of　her；　her　wide　blue　eyes　narrowing　intently；　her　shapely　hips　swiveling　as　she　fell　into　a　low　balance。

　　　She　sensed　her　chance；　Drizzt　realized。　She　knew　he　was　fighting　at　a　disadvantage　and　finally　sensed　her　chance　to　pay　back　one　of　the　many　stinging　hits　he　had　given　her　in　their　sparring。

　　　Drizzt　took　a　deep　breath　and　lifted　the　blades。　He　owed　it　to　Catti…brie　to　oblige；　but　he　meant　to　make　her　earn　it！

　　　He　came　forward　slowly；　playing　defensively。　Her　sword　shot　out；　and　he　hit　it　twice　before　it　ever　got　close；　on　its　left　side　with　his　right　hand；　and　on　its　left　side　again；　bringing　his　left　hand　right　over　the　presented　blade　and　batting　it　with　a　downward　parry。

　　　Catti…brie　fell　with　the　momentum　of　the　double　block；　spinning　a　plete　circle；　rotating　away　from　her　adversary。　When　she　came　around；　predictably；　Drizzt　was　in　close；　scimitars　weaving。

　　　Still　the　patient　drow　measured　his　attack；　did　not　e　too　fast　and　strong。　His　blades　crossed　and　went　out　wide；　teasing　the　young　woman。

　　　Catti…brie　growled　and　threw　her　sword　straight　out　again；　determined　to　find　that　elusive　hole。　And　in　came　the　scimitars；　striking　in　rapid　succession；　again　both　hitting　the　left　side　of　Catti…brie's　sword。　As　before；　Catti…brie　spun　to　the　right；　but　this　time　Drizzt　came　in　hard。

　　　Down　went　the　young　woman　in　a　low　crouch；　her　rear　grazing　the　floor；　and　she　skittered　back。　Both　of　Drizzt's　blades　swooshed　through　the　air　above　and　before　her；　for　again　his　cuts　came　before　his　feet　could　rightly　respond　and　position　him。

　　　Drizzt　was　amazed　to　find　that　Catti…brie　was　no　longer　in　front　of　him。

　　　He　called　the　move　the　〃Ghost　Step；〃　and　had　taught　it　to　Catti…brie　only　a　week　earlier。　The　trick　was　to　use　the　opponent's　swinging　weapon　as　an　optical　shield；　to　move　within　the　vision…blocked　area　so　perfectly　and　quickly　that　your　opponent　would　not　know　you　had　e　forward　and　to　the　side；　that　you　had；　in　fact；　stepped　behind　his　leading　hip。

　　　Reflexively；　the　drow　snapped　his　leading　scimitar　straight　back；　blade　pointed　low；　for　Catti…brie　had　gone　past　in　a　crouch。　He　beat　the　sword　to　the　mark；　too　quickly；　and　the　momentum　of　his　scimitar　sent　it　sailing　futilely　in　front　of　the　ing　attack。

　　　Drizzt　winced　as　the　unicorn…handled　sword　slapped　hard　against　his　hip。

　　　For　Catti…brie；　the　moment　was　one　of　pure　delight。　She　knew；　of　course；　that　the　bracers　were　hindering　Drizzt；　causing　him　to　make　mistakes　of　balance梞istakes　that　Drizzt　Do'Urden　hadn't　made　since　his　earliest　days　of　fighting梑ut　even　with　the　unfortable　bracers；　the　drow　was　a　powerful　adversary；　and　could　likely　defeat　most　swordsmen。

　　　How　delicious　it　was；　then；　when　Catti…brie　found　her　new　sword　slicing　in　unhindered！

　　　Her　joy　was　stolen　momentarily　by　an　urge　to　sink　the　blade　deeper；　a　sudden；　inexplicable　anger　focused　directly　on　Drizzt。

　　　〃Touch！〃　Drizzt　called；　the　signal　that　he　had　been　hit；　and　when　Catti…brie　straightened　and　sorted　out　the　scene；　she　found　the　drow　standing　a　few　feet　away；　rubbing　his　sore　hip。

　　　〃Sorry；〃　she　apologized；　realizing　she　had　struck　far　too　hard。

　　　〃Not　to　worry；〃　Drizzt　replied　slyly。　〃Surely　your　one　hit　does　not　equal　the　bined　pains　my　scimitars　have　caused　you。〃　The　dark　elf's　lips　curled　up　into　a　mischievous　smile。　〃Or　the　pains　I　will　surely　inflict　on　you　in　return！〃

　　　〃Me　thinking's　that　I'm　catching　ye；　Drizzt　Do'Urden；〃　Catti…brie　answered　calmly；　confidently。　〃Ye'll　get　yer　hits；　but　ye'll　take　yer　hits　as　well！〃

　　　They　both　laughed　at　that；　and　Catti…brie　moved　to　the　side　of　the　room　and　began　to　remove　her　practice　gear。

　　　Drizzt　slid　the　padding　from　one　of　his　scimitars　and　considered　those　last　words。　Catti…brie　was　indeed　improving；　he　agreed。　She　had　a　warrior's　heart；　tempered　by　a　poet's　philosophy；　a　deadly　bination　indeed。　Catti…brie；　like　Drizzt；　would　rather　talk　her　way　out　of　a　battle　than　wage　it；　but　when　the　avenues　of　diplomacy　were　exhausted；　when　the　fight　became　a　matter　of　survival；　then　the　young　woman　would　fight　with　conscience　clear　and　passion　heated。　All　her　heart　and　all　her　skill　would　e　to　bear；　and　in　Catti…brie；　both　of　those　ingredients　were　considerable。

　　　And　she　was　barely　into　her　twenties！　In　Menzoberranzan；　had　she　been　a　drow；　she　would　be　in　Arach…Tinilith　now；　the　school　of　Lloth；　her　strong　morals　being　assaulted　daily　by　the　lies　of　the　Spider　Queen's　priestesses。　Drizzt　shook　that　thought　away；　he　didn't　even　want　to　think　of　Catti…brie　in　that　awful　place。　Suppose　she　had　gone　to　the　drow　school　of　fighters；　Melee…Magthere；　instead；　he　mused。　How　would　she　fare　against　the　likes　of　young　drow？

　　　Well；　Drizzt　decided；　Catti…brie　would　be　near　the　top　of　her　class；　certainly　among　the　top　ten　or　fifteen　percent；　and　her　passion　and　dedication　would　get　her　there。　How　much　could　she　improve　under　his　tutelage？　Drizzt　wondered；　and　his　expression　soured　as　he　considered　the　limitations　of　Catti…brie's　heritage。　He　was　in　his　sixties；　barely　more　than　a　child　by　drow　standards；　for　they　could　live　to　see　seven　centuries；　but　when　Catti…brie　reached　his　tender　age；　she　would　be　old；　too　old　to　fight　well。

　　　That　notion　pained　Drizzt　greatly。　Unless　the　blade　of　an　enemy　or　the　claws　of　a　monster　shortened　his　life；　he　would　watch　Catti…brie　grow　old；　would　watch　her　pass　from　this　life。

　　　Drizzt　looked　at　her　now　as　she　removed　the　padded　baldric　and　unclasped　the　metal　collar　guard。　Under　the　padding　above　the　waist；　she　wore　only　a　simple　shirt　of　light　material。　It　was　wet　with　perspiration　now　and　clung　to　her。

　　　She　was　a　warrior；　Drizzt　agreed；　but　she　was　also　a　beautiful　young　woman；　shapely　and　strong；　with　the　spirit　of　a　foal　first　learning　to　run　and　a　heart　filled　with　passion。

　　　The　sound　of　distant　furnaces；　the　sudden；　increased　ringing　of　hammer　on　steel；　should　have　alerted　Drizzt　that　the　room's　door　had　opened；　but　it　simply　didn't　register　in　the　distracted　drow's　consciousness。

　　　〃Hey！〃　came　a　roar　from　the　side　of　the　chamber；　and　Drizzt　turned　to　see　Bruenor　storm　into　the　room。　He　half　expected　the　dwarf；　Catti…brie's　adoptive；　overprotective；　father；　to　demand　what　in　the　Nine　Hells　Drizzt　was　looking　at；　and　Drizzt's　sigh　was　one　of　pure　relief　when　Bruenor；　his　fiery　red　beard　foamed　with　spittle；　instead　took　up　a　tirade　about　Settlestone；　the　barbarian　settlement　south　of　Mithril　Hall。

　　　Still；　the　drow　figured　he　was　blushing　（and　hoped　that　his　ebon…hued　skin　would　hide　it）　as　he　shook　his　head；　ran　his　fingers　through　his　white　hair　to　brush　it　back　from　his　face；　and　likewise　began　to　remove　the　practice　gear。

　　　Catti…brie　walked　over；　shaking　her　thick　auburn　mane　to　get　the　droplets　out。　〃Berkthgar　is　being　difficult？〃　she　reasoned；　referring　to　Berkthgar　the　Bold；　Settlestone's　new　chieftain。

　　　Bruenor　snorted。　〃Berkthgar　c