精灵血脉四部曲-第67部分

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Tarathiel　had　the　good　sense　to　duck　low；　and　he　pulled　the　stunned　Drizzt　Do'Urden　down　beside　him。

〃Uni！〃　the　elf　mouthed　silently　to　Drizzt；　and　the　draw's　hand　instinctively　went　under　the　front　collar　of　his　traveling　cloak；　to　the　unicorn's…head　pendant　Regis　had　carved　for　him　from　the　bone　of　a　knucklehead　trout。

Tarathiel　pointed　back　to　the　thick　copse　of　trees　and　signaled　that　he　and　Drizzt　should　be　leaving；　but　the　drow　shook　his　head。　His　posure　returned；　Drizzt　again　peeked　over　the　stone　wall。

The　area　was　clear；　with　no　indication　that　the　unicorn　was　about。

〃We　should　be　gone；〃　Tarathiel　said；　as　soon　as　he；　too；　discerned　that　the　powerful　steed　was　no　longer　close。　'Take　heart　that　Montolio's　grove　is　in　the　best　of　care。〃

Drizzt　sat　up　on　the　wall；　peering　intently　into　the　tangle　of　pines。　A　unicorn！　The　symbol　of　Mielikki；　the　purest　symbol　of　the　natural　world。　To　a　ranger；　there　was　no　more　perfect　beast；　and　to　Drizzt；　there　could　be　no　more　perfect　guardian　for　the　grove　of　Montolio　DeBrouchee。　He　would　have　liked　to　remain　in　the　area　for　some　time；　would　have　dearly　liked　to　glimpse　the　elusive　creature　again；　but　he　knew　that　time　was　pressing　and　that　dark　corridors　awaited。

He　looked　to　Tarathiel　and　smiled；　then　turned　to　leave。

But　he　found　the　way　across　the　small　field　blocked　by　the　mighty　unicorn。

〃How　did　she　do　that？〃　Tarathiel　asked。　There　was　no　need　to　whisper　anymore；　for　the　unicorn　was　staring　straight　at　them；　pawing　the　ground　nervously　and　rolling　its　powerful　head。

〃He；〃　Drizzt　corrected；　noticing　the　steed's　white　beard；　a　trait　of　the　male　unicorn。　A　thought　came　over　Drizzt　then；　and　he　slipped　his　scimitars　into　their　sheaths　and　hopped　up　from　his　seat。

〃How　did　he　do　that？〃　Tarathiel　corrected。　〃I　heard　no　hoofbeats。〃　The　elf's　eyes　brightened　suddenly；　and　he　looked　back　to　the　grove。　〃Unless　there　are　more　than　one！〃

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Starless　Night

〃There　is　only　one；〃　Drizzt　assured　him。　〃There　is　a　bit　of　magic　within　a　unicorn；　as　this　one；　by　slipping　behind　us；　has　proven。〃

〃Go　around　to　the　south；〃　Tarathiel　whispered。　〃And　I　will　go　north。　If　we　do　not　threaten　the　beast；。。。〃　The　moon　elf　stopped；　seeing　that　Drizzt　was　already　moving梥traight　out　from　the　wall。

'Take　care；〃　Tarathiel　warned。　〃Beautiful　indeed　are　the　unicorns；　but；　by　all　accounts；　they　can　be　dangerous　and　unpredictable。〃

Drizzt　held　a　hand　up　behind　him　to　silence　the　elf　and　continued　his　slow　pace　from　the　stone　wall。　The　unicorn　neighed　and　tossed　its　great　head；　mane　flying　wildly。　It　slammed　a　hoof　into　the　ground；　digging　a　fair…sized　hole　in　the　soft　turf。

〃Drizzt　Do'Urden；〃　Tarathiel　warned。

By　all　reasoning；　Drizzt　should　have　turned　back。　The　unicorn　could　have　easily　run　him　down；　squashed　him　into　the　prairie；　and　the　great　beast　seemed　to　grow　more　and　more　agitated　with　each　step　the　drow　took。

But　the　beast　did　not　run　off；　and　neither　did　it　lower　its　great　horn　and　skewer　Drizzt。　Soon；　the　drow　was　just　a　few　steps　away；　feeling　small　beside　the　magnificent　steed。

Drizzt　reached　out　a　hand；　fingers　moving　slowly；　delicately。　He　felt　the　outer　strands　of　the　unicorn's　thick　and　glistening　coat；　then　moved　in　another　step　and　stroked　the　magnificent　beast's　muscled　neck。

The　drow　could　hardly　breathe；　he　wished　that　Guen…hwyvar　were　beside　him；　to　witness　such　perfection　of　nature。　He　wished　that　Catti…brie　were　here；　for　she　would　appreciate　this　vision　as　much　as　he。

He　looked　back　to　Tarathiel；　the　elf　sitting　on　the　stone　wall　and　smiling　contentedly。　Tarathiel's　expression　turned　to　one　of　surprise；　and　Drizzt　looked　back　to　see　his　hand　stroking　the　empty　air。

The　unicorn　was　gone。

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Part　？

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PRAYERS　UNANSWERED

of　since　the　day　I　walked　out　of　Menzoberranzan　have　I　been　so　torn　about　a　pending　decision。　1　sat　near　the　entrance　of　a　cave；　looking　out　at　the　mountains　before　me；　with　the　tunnel　leading　to　the　Underdark　at　my　back。　This　was　the　moment　in　which　I　had　believed　my　adventure　would　begin。　When　I　had　set　out　from　Mithril　Hall；　I　had　given　little　thought　to　the　part　of　my　journey　that　would　take　me　to　this　cave；　taking　for　granted　that　the　trip　would　be　uneventful

Then　I　had　glimpsed　Ellifain；　the　maiden　I　had　saved　more　than　three　decades　before；　when　she　had　been　just　a　frightened　child。　I　wanted　to　go　to　her　again；　to　speak　with　her　and　help　her　overe　the　trauma　of　that　terrible　draw　raid；　I　wanted　to　run　out　of　that　cave　and　catch　up　with　Tarathiel；　and　ride　beside　the　elf　back　to　the　Moonwood。

But　I　could　not　ignore　the　issues　that　had　brought　me　to　this　place。

1　had　known　from　the　outset　that　visiting　Montolio's　grove；　the　place　of　so　many　fond　memories；　would　prove　an　emotional；　even　spiritual；　experience。　He　had　been　my　first　surface　friend；　my　mentor；　the　one　who　had　guided　me　to　Mielikki。　I　can　never　express　the　joy　I　felt　in　learning　that　Montolio's　grove　was　under　the　protective　eye　of　a　unicorn。

A　unicorn！　I　have　seen　a　unicorn；　the　symbol　of　my　goddess；　the　pinnacle　of　natural　perfection！　I　might　well　be　the　first　of　my　race　to　have　ever　touched　the　soft　mane　and　muscled　neck　of　such　a　beast；　the　first　to　encounter　a　unicorn　in　friendship。　It　is　a　rare

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R；　A。　Salvatore

pleasure　to　glimpse　the　signs　that　a　unicorn　has　been　about；　and　rarer　still　to　ever　gaze　at　one。　Few　in　the　Realms　can　say　that　they　have　ever　been　near　a　unicorn；　fewer　still　have　ever　touched　one。

I　have。

Was　it　a　sign　from　my　goddess？　In　good　faith；　I　had　to　believe　that　it　was；　that　Mielikki　had　reached　out　to　me　in　a　tangible　and　thrilling　way。　But　what　did　it　mean？

I　rarely　pray。　I　prefer　to　speak　to　my　goddess　through　my　daily　actions；　and　through　my　honest　emotions。　I　need　not　gloss　over　what　has　occurred　with　petty　words；　twisting　them　to　show　myself　most　favorably。　If　Mielikki　is　with　me；　then　she　knows　the　truth；　knows　how　I　act　and　how　I　feel。

I　prayed　that　night　in　the　cave　entrance；　though。　I　prayed　for　guidance；　for　something　that　would　indicate　the　significance　of　the　unicorn's　appearance。　The　unicorn　allowed　me　to　touch　it；　it　accepted　me；　and　that　is　the　highest　honor　a　ranger　can　ask。　But　what　was　the　implication　of　that　honor？

Was　Mielikki　telling　me　that　here；　on　the　surface；　I　was；　and　would　continue　to　be；　accepted；　and　that　I　should　not　leave　this　place？　Or　was　the　unicorn's　appearance　to　show　me　the　goddess's　approval　of　my　choice　to　return　to　Menzoberranzan？

Or　was　the　unicorn　Mielikki's　special　way　of　saying　〃farewell？〃

That　last　thought　haunted　me　all　through　the　night。　For　the　first　time　since　I　had　set　out　from　Mithril　Hall；　I　began　to　consider　what　I；　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　had　to　lose。　I　thought　of　my　friends；　Montolio　and　Wulfgar；　who　had　passed　on　from　this　world；　and　thought　of　those　others　I　would　likely　never　see　again。

A　host　of　questions　assailed　me。　Would　Bruenor　ever　get　over　the　loss　of　his　adopted　son？　And　would　Catti…brie　overe　her　own　grief？　Would　the　enchanted　sparkle；　the　sheer　love　of　life；　ever　return　to　her　blue　eyes？　Would　I　ever　again　prop　my　weary　head　against　Guenhwyvar's　muscled　flank？

More　than　ever；　I　wanted　to　run　from　the　cave；　home　to　Mithril　Hall；　and　stand　beside　my　friends；　to　see　them　through　their　grief；　to　guide　them　and　listen　to　them　and　simply　embrace　them。

Again　I　could　not　ignore　the　issues　that　had　brought　me　to　this　cave。　I　could　go　back　to　Mithril　Hall；　but　so　could　my　dark　kin。　I　did　not　blame　myself　for　Wulfgar's　death桰　could　not　have

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Starless　Night

known　that　the　dark　elves　would　e。　And　now　I　could　not　deny　my　understanding　of　the　awful　ways　and　continuing　hunger　of　Lloth。　If　the　drow　returned　and　extinguished　that梒herished！？light　in　Catti…brie's　eyes；　then　Drizzt　Do'Urden　would　die　a　thousand　horrible　deaths。

I　prayed　all　that　night；　but　found　no　divine　guidance。　In　the　end；　as　always；　I　came　to　realize　that　I　had　to　follow　what　I　knew　in　my　heart　was　the　right　course；　had　to　trust　that　what　was　in　my　heart　was　in　accord　with　Mielikki's　will。

I　left　the　fire　blazing　at　the　entrance　of　that　cave。　I　needed　to　see　its　light；　to　gain　courage　from　it；　for　as　many　steps　as　possible　as　I　walked　into　the　tunnel。　As　I　walked　into　darkness。

桪rizzt　Do'Urden

89

Chapter　7

UNFINISHED　BUSINESS

erg'inyon　Baenre　hung　upside　down　from　the　huge　cavern's　roof；　securely　strapped　to　the　saddle　of　his　lizard　mount。　It　had　taken　the　young　warrior　some　time　to　get　used　to　this　position；　but　as　mander　of　the　Baenre　lizard…riders；　he　spent　many　hours　watching　the　city　from　this　high　vantage　point。

A　movement　to　the　side；　behind　a　cluster　of　stalactites；　put　Berg'inyon　on　the　alert。　He　lowered　his　ten…foot…long　death　lance　with　one　hand；　the　other　held　the　lizard's　bridle　while　resting　on　the　hilt　of　his　ready　hand…crossbow。

〃I　am　the　son　of　House　Baenre；〃　he　said　aloud；　figuring　that　to　be　enough　of　a　threat　to　defeat　any　possible　foul　play。　He　glanced　around；　looking　for　support；　and　moved　his　free　hand　to　his　belt　pouch　and　his　signal　speculum；　a　shielded　metal　strip　heated　on　one　side　and　used　to　municate　with　creatures　using　infravision。　Dozens　of　other　House　Baenre　lizard　riders　were　about　and　would　e　rushing　to　Berg'inyon's　call。

〃1　am　the　son　of　House　Baenre；〃　he　said　again。

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Starless　Night

The　youngest　Baenre　relaxed　almost　immediately　when　his　older　brother　Danrrag；　emerged　from　behind　the　stalactites；　riding　an　even　larger　subterranean　lizard。　Curious　indeed　did　the　elder　Baenre　look　with　his　ponytail　hanging　straight　down　from　the　top　of　his　upside…down　head。

〃As　am　I；〃　Dantrag　replied；　skittering　his　sticky…footed　mount　beside　Berg'inyon's。

〃What　are　you　doing　up　here？〃　Berg'inyon　asked。　〃And　how　did　you　appropriate　the　mount　without　my　permission？〃

Dantrag　scoffed　at　the　question。　〃Appropriate？〃　he　replied。　〃I　am　the　weapon　master　of　House　Baenre。　I　took　the　lizard；　and　needed　no　permission　from　Berg'inyon。〃

The　younger　Baenre　stared　with　red…glowing　eyes；　but　said　nothing　more。

〃You　forget　who　trained　you；　my　brother；〃　Dantrag　remarked　quietly。

The　statement　was　true；　Berg'inyon　would　never　forget；　could　never　forget；　that　Dantrag　had　b