精灵血脉四部曲-第210部分

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　　　〃Tough　old　orc…kin；〃　Catti…brie　replied　quietly。

　　　〃Tougher　than　ever；〃　Regis　said。　〃Berkthgar　has　returned　as　well。〃

　　　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　nodded。　Both　had　heard　rumors　to　that　effect。

　　　〃He's　running　with　Revjak　and　the　Tribe　of　the　Elk；〃　the　half…ling　explained。　〃We　hear　little　from　them。〃

　　　His　tone　told　the　pair　that　there　was　more　to　that　tale。

　　　〃Bruenor　paid　Revjak　a　visit；〃　Regis　admitted。　〃It　did　not　go　well。〃

　　　Drizzt　knew　Revjak；　understood　the　wise　man's　soul。　He　knew　Berkthgar；　too；　and　it　didn't　take　the　drow　long　to　surmise　the　source　of　the　apparent　problems。

　　　〃Berkthgar's　never　truly　forgiven　Bruenor；〃　Regis　said。

　　　〃Not　the　hammer　again；〃　said　an　exasperated　Catti…brie。

　　　Regis　could　offer　no　explanations；　but　Drizzt　resolved　then　and　there　to　pay　the　barbarians　a　visit　of　his　own。　Berkthgar　was　a　noble　and　powerful　warrior；　but　he　could　be　a　stubborn　one；　and　the　drow　suspected　that　his　old　friend　Revjak　might　be　needing　some　support。

　　　But　that　was　business　for　another　day。　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　spent　the　night　with　Regis　in　his　Bryn　Shander　residence；　and　then　the　three　were　out　bright　and　early　the　next　day；　setting　a　swift　pace　due　north　for　the　dwarven　mines。

　　　They　arrived　before　midday；　and　as　they　came　down　into　the　valley；　an　anxious　Catti…brie；　who　had　grown　up　in　this　very　place；　took　the　lead　from　Regis。　The　young　woman　needed　no　guide　in　this　familiar　setting。　She　went　straight　to　the　mon　entrance　to　the　dwarven　plex　and　went　in　without　hesitation；　stooping　to　get　under　the　low　frame　so　easily　that　it　seemed　as　if　she　had　never　been　away　from　the　place。

　　　She　verily　ran　along　the　dimly　lit　corridors；　pausing　briefly　with　every　dwarf　she　encountered梑earded　folk　whose　faces　inevitably　beamed　when　they　recognized　that　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt　had　returned。　Conversations　were　polite；　but　very　short；　a　well…wish　from　the　dwarf；　an　inquiry　by　Catti…brie　or　Drizzt　about　where　they　might　find　Bruenor。

　　　At　last　they　came　to　the　room　where　Bruenor　was　reportedly　at　work。　They　heard　the　hammer　banging　within；　the　dwarf　was　forging；　a　rare　event　over　the　last　decade；　since　the　creation　of　Aegis…fang。

　　　Catti…brie　cracked　open　the　door。　Bruenor　had　his　back　to　her　but　she　knew　that　it　was　him　by　the　sturdy　set　of　his　shoulders；　the　wild　red　hair；　and　the　helmet　with　one　horn　broken　away。　With　the　sound　of　his　hammer　and　the　roaring　fire　just　to　the　side　of　him；　he　did　not　hear　them　enter。

　　　The　three　walked　right　up　to　the　oblivious　dwarf　and　Catti…brie　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。　He　half…turned；　hardly　glancing　her　way。

　　　〃Get　ye　gone！〃　the　dwarf　grumbled。　〃Can't　ye　see　I'm　fixin'　。　。　。〃

　　　Bruenor's　words　fell　away　in　a　profound　swallow。　He　continued　to　stare　straight　ahead　for　a　long　moment　as　if　he　was　afraid　to　look；　afraid　that　the　quick　glimpse　had　deceived　him。

　　　Then　the　red…bearded　dwarf　did　turn；　and　he　nearly　swooned　at　the　sight　of　his　daughter　returned；　and　of　his　best　friend；　e　home　to　him　after　six　long　years。　He　dropped　his　hammer　right　on　top　of　his　own　foot；　but　he　didn't　seem　to　notice　as　he　shuffled　over　a　step　and　wrapped　both　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt　in　a　hug　so　tight　that　they　thought　the　powerful　dwarf　would　surely　snap　their　spines。

　　　Gradually；　Bruenor　let　Drizzt　slip　out　of　that　hug；　and　he　wrapped　Catti…brie　all　the　tighter；　mumbling；　〃me　girl；〃　over　and　over　again。

　　　Drizzt　took　the　opportunity　to　bring　in　Guenhwyvar　from　her　astral　home；　and　as　soon　as　the　dwarf　finally　sorted　himself　out　from　Catti…brie；　the　panther　buried　him；　knocking　him　prone　and　standing　triumphantly　above　him。

　　　〃Get　the　durned　cat　off　o'　me！〃　Bruenor　roared；　to　which　Guenhwyvar　casually　licked　him　full　in　the　face。

　　　〃Oh；　ye　stupid　cat；〃　the　dwarf　plained；　but　there　was　no　anger　in　Bruenor's　voice。　How　could　he　possibly　be　angry　with　his　two；　no　three；　friends　returned？

　　　And　how　could　that　anger；　if　there　had　been　any；　have　held　up　against　the　howls　of　laughter　from　Drizzt；　Catti…brie；　and　Regis。　A　defeated　Bruenor　looked　up　to　the　cat；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　Guenhwyvar　was　smiling。

　　　The　five　panions　spent　the　remainder　of　that　day；　long　into　the　night；　trading　tales。　Bruenor　and　Regis　had　little　to　say；　other　than　to　quickly　retell　their　decision　to　leave　Mithril　Hall　in　Gandalug's　hands　and　return　to　Icewind　Dale。

　　　Bruenor　couldn't　fully　explain　that　choice梙is　choice；　for　Regis　merely　had　followed　along梑ut　Drizzt　could。　When　Bruenor's　grief　over　the　loss　of　Wulfgar　and　his　elation　about　the　victory　over　the　dark　elves　had　finally　dissipated；　Bruenor　had　gotten　restless；　as　had　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt。　The　red…bearded　dwarf　was　old；　past　two　hundred；　but　not　too　old　by　the　standards　of　the　dwarven　folk。　He　was　not　yet　ready　to　settle　down　and　live　happily　ever　after。　With　Gandalug　back　in　Mithril　Hall；　Bruenor；　for　once；　could　forget　about　responsibilities　and　consider　his　own　feelings。

　　　For　their　part；　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　had　much　more　to　talk　about；　recounting　tales　of　their　pirate…chasing　along　the　Sword　Coast　with　Captain　Deudermont。　Bruenor；　too；　had　sailed　with　the　captain；　though　Regis　did　not　know　the　man。

　　　And　the　two　had　so　many　tales　to　tell！　One　battle　after　another梩hrilling　chases；　music　playing；　and　Catti…brie　always　straining　to　decipher　the　enemy's　insignia　from　her　high　perch。　When　they　got　to　the　events　of　the　last　few　weeks；　though；　Drizzt　ended　the　recounting　abruptly。

　　　〃And　so　it　went；〃　the　drow　said。　〃But　even　such　times　can　bee　a　hollow　enjoyment。　We　both　knew　that　it　was　time　to　e　home；　to　find　you　two。〃

　　　〃How'd　ye　know　where　to　find　us？〃　he　asked。

　　　Drizzt　stuttered　over　his　answer　for　just　a　moment。　〃Why；　that　was　how　we　knew　it　was　time　to　e　home；〃　he　lied。　〃We　heard　in　Luskan　that　some　dwarves　had　e　through　the　city；　returning　to　Icewind　Dale。　The　rumors　said　that　Bruenor　Battle…hammer　was　among　them。〃

　　　Bruenor　nodded；　though　he　knew　that　his　friend　was　not　telling　him　the　truth；　or　at　least；　not　all　of　it。　Bruenor's　party　had　purposely　avoided　Luskan；　and　though　the　people　there　certainly　knew　of　the　march；　the　dwarves　had　not　〃e　through　the　city；〃　as　Drizzt　had　just　claimed。　The　red…bearded　dwarf　said　nothing；　though；　for　he　held　faith　that　Drizzt　would　tell　him　the　plete　truth　in　good　time。

　　　He　suspected　that　his　friends　had　some　monumental　secret；　and　the　dwarf　figured　that　he　knew　what　it　was。　How　ironic；　Bruenor　privately　considered；　for　a　dwarf　to　have　a　drow　elf　for　a　son…in…law！

　　　The　group　went　quiet　for　a　while；　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie's　tales　having　been　told　in　full；　at　least；　as　in　full　as　they　were　apparently　going　to　be　told　at　this　sitting。　Regis　went　out　into　the　hall　and　returned　in　a　moment　with　news　that　the　sun　was　high　in　the　eastern　sky。

　　　〃Good　food　and　warm　beds！〃　Bruenor　proclaimed；　and　so　off　they　went；　Drizzt　dismissing　Guenhwyvar　and　promising　to　recall　the　cat　as　soon　as　she　was　rested。

　　　After　the　short　sleep；　they　were　back　together梕xcept　for　Regis；　who　considered　anything　less　than　ten　hours　too　short梩alking　and　smiling。　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　revealed　nothing　new　about　the　last　few　weeks　of　their　adventure；　though；　and　Bruenor　didn't　press　the　point；　holding　faith　in　his　dear　friend　and　his　daughter。

　　　For　that　brief　moment；　at　least；　all　the　world　seemed　bright　and　carefree。



Chapter　21

WHENEVER



　　　Drizzt　reclined　in　the　shade　on　the　smooth　and　slanted　side　of　a　boulder；　crossing　his　hands　behind　his　head　and　closing　his　eyes；　enjoying　the　unusually　warm　day梖or　it　did　not　often　get　so　warm　in　Icewind　Dale；　even　in　late　summer。

　　　Though　he　was　far　from　the　entrance　to　the　dwarven　mines；　Drizzt　did　not　fear　his　lapse　of　readiness；　for　Guenhwyvar　reclined　nearby；　always　alert。　The　drow　was　just　about　asleep　when　the　panther　issued　a　low　growl；　her　ears　going　flat。

　　　Drizzt　sat　up；　but　then　Guenhwyvar　calmed；　even　rolled　over　lazily　and　he　knew　that　whoever　was　approaching　was　no　threat。　A　moment　later；　Catti…brie　walked　around　a　bend　in　the　trail　to　join　her　friends。　Drizzt　was　pleased　to　see　her桪rizzt　was　always　pleased　to　see　her梑ut　then　he　noted　the　troubled　look　upon　her　fair　features。

　　　She　walked　right　up　and　sat　down　on　the　boulder　beside　the　dark　elf。　〃I'm　thinking　that　we　have　to　tell　them；〃　she　said　immediately；　ending　any　suspense。

　　　Drizzt　understood　exactly　what　she　was　talking　about。　When　they　had　recounted　their　adventures　to　Bruenor；　it　had　been　Drizzt；　and　Drizzt　alone；　who　had　fabricated　the　ending　tales；　Catti…brie　going　conspicuously　silent。　She　was　unfortable　in　lying　to　her　father。　So　was　Drizzt；　but　the　drow　wasn't　certain　of　what　he　might　say　to　Bruenor　to　explain　the　events　that　had　brought　them　to　the　dale。　He　did　not　want　to　inject　any　unnecessary　tension　and　as　far　as　he　knew；　it　could　be　years；　even　decades；　before　Errtu　found　his　way　to　them。

　　　〃Eventually；〃　Drizzt　replied　to　Catti…brie。

　　　〃Why're　ye　wanting　to　wait？〃　the　woman　asked。

　　　Drizzt　paused梘ood　question。　〃We　need　more　information；〃　he　explained　at　length。　〃We　do　not　know　whether　Errtu　means　to　e　to　the　dale；　and　have　no　idea　of　when　that　might　be。　Fiends　measure　time　differently　than　do　we；　a　year　is　not　so　long　to　one　of　Errtu's　race；　nor　is　a　century。　I　see　no　need　to　alarm　Bruenor　and　Regis　at　this　time。〃

　　　Catti…brie　thought　on　that　for　a　long　while。　〃How're　ye　thinking　to　get　more　information？〃　she　asked。

　　　〃Stumpet　Rakingclaw；〃　Drizzt　replied。

　　　〃Ye　hardly　know　her。〃

　　　〃But　I　will　get　to　know　her。　I　know　enough　of　her；　of　her　exploits　in　Keeper's　Dale　and　in　Menzoberranzan　against　the　invading　dark　elves；　to　trust　in　her　power　and　her　sense。〃

　　　Catti…brie　nodded梖rom　everything　she　had　heard　of　Stumpet　Rakingclaw；　the　cleric　was　an　excellent　choice。　Something　else　bothered　Catti…brie；　though；　something　that　the　drow　had　hinted　at。　She　sighed　deeply；　and　that　told　Drizzt　what　was　on　her　mind。

　　　〃We　have　no　way　of　knowing　how　long　it　will　be；〃　the　drow　ranger　admitted。

　　　〃Then　are　we　to　bee　guardians　for　a　year？〃　Catti…brie　asked；　rather　sharply。　〃Or　a　hundred　years？〃　She　saw　the　drow's　pained　look　and　regretted　the　words　as　soon