精灵血脉四部曲-第209部分

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e　beast；　its　brain　spilling　from　its　skull　onto　the　brown　plain。

　　　Catti…brie　went　right　by　the　dying　thing；　replaced　her　sword　and　fired　off　her　fifth　shot　with　Taulmaril；　this　one　popping　into　the　shoulder　of　the　next　beast　in　line；　dropping　its　arm　lifeless　to　its　side。　Looking　past　the　wounded　yeti；　Catti…brie　saw　the　last　of　the　yetis；　which　were　closest　to　the　lead　wagons。　In　the　distance　she　also　noted　the　other　caravan　guards；　a　dozen　sturdy　fighters；　riding　hard　to　catch　up　to　the　battle。

　　　〃This　fight's　our　own；〃　the　woman　said　quietly；　determinedly；　and　as　she　closed　on　the　wounded　yeti；　she　hooked　Taulmaril　over　the　horn　of　her　saddle　and　once　more　drew　out　Khazid'hea。

　　　Still　down　in　the　tight　hole；　Guenhwyvar　found　her　mighty　claws　gave　her　the　advantage。　The　yeti　tried　to　bite；　but　the　panther　was　quicker；　her　neck　more　flexible。　Guenhwyvar　angled　under　the　yeti's　chin；　her　jaws　snapping　onto　the　shaggy　neck。　Her　claws　kept　up　their　raking　motions；　kept　the　yeti's　considerable　weapons　at　bay；　while　the　deadly　jaws　clamped　tight　and　suffocated　the　beast。

　　　The　panther　came　out　of　the　hole　as　soon　as　the　yeti　had　stopped　its　fighting。　Guenhwyvar　looked　left　and　right；　to　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie。　She　issued　a　roar　and　raced　right；　where　the　situation　seemed　far　more　dangerous。

　　　Drizzt　was　charging　at　the　yeti　he　had　wounded；　but　pulled　up　short；　forcing　the　yeti；　which　had　been　ready　to　meet　the　charge；　to　overpensate。　It　leaned　too　far　forward。　The　drow's　scimitars　cut　fast　and　hard；　ripping　into　the　yeti's　hands；　severing　several　of　the　beast's　fingers。

　　　The　yeti　howled　and　pulled　in　its　arms。　Drizzt；　so　impossibly　quick；　chased　them　back；　snapping　Twinkle　into　the　yeti's　upper　arm；　and　scoring　a　hit　down　low；　at　the　beast's　waist；　with　his　other　blade。　Then　Drizzt　went　deftly　out　to　the　side；　out　of　range　before　the　beast　could　counter。

　　　The　yeti　was　not　a　stupid　thing；　not　where　bat　was　concerned；　and　it　understood　that　it　was　overmatched。　It　turned　to　flee；　long　and　loping　strides　that　could　outrun　almost　any　man；　or　any　elf。

　　　But　Drizzt　wore　the　enchanted　anklets；　and　he　paced　the　beast　easily。　He　was　behind　it　and　then　beside　it；　scoring　hit　after　hit；　turning　the　dirty；　shaggy　coat　bright　red　with　spilling　blood。　The　ranger　knew　the　truth　of　tundra　yetis；　knew　that　they　were　not　simple　animal　hunters。　They　were　vicious　monsters　that　murdered　for　sport　as　well　as　for　food。

　　　So　he　continued　to　pace　it；　would　not　let　it　flee；　easily　dodging　the　feeble　attempts　the　beast　made　to　strike　at　him；　and　scoring　his　own　brutal　hits　repeatedly。　Finally；　the　yeti　pulled　up　and　turned　in　a　final；　desperate　rush。

　　　Drizzt；　too；　charged；　scimitars　extended；　one　taking　the　yeti　in　the　throat；　the　other　in　the　belly。

　　　Agile　Drizzt　came　out　the　other　side；　right　under　the　stumbling　yeti's　reaching　arm。　The　drow　skidded　to　a　stop　and　banged　his　blades　hard　against　the　yeti's　back；　but　the　beast　was　already　on　the　way　down；　already　defeated。　It　fell　headlong　into　the　dirt。

　　　Now　it　became　a　race　between　Catti…brie　and　the　one　remaining　uninjured　enemy　to　get　to　the　yeti　she　had　wounded　in　the　arm。

　　　Catti…brie　won　that　race；　and　slashed　hard　as　the　yeti　reached　for　her　with　its　one　working　arm。　Khazid'hea；　fine…edged　Khazid'hea；　took　that　arm　off　cleanly；　severing　it　at　the　shoulder。

　　　The　yeti　went　into　a　crazed　dance；　spinning　all　about　and　then　toppling　to　the　ground；　its　lifeblood　gushing　forth。

　　　Catti…brie　rushed　away　from　it；　not　wanting　to　get　caught　up　in　that　frenzied　thrashing；　and　knowing　that　the　fight　was　not　yet　won。　She　turned　just　in　time　to　meet　the　charge　of　the　last　yeti；　extending　her　sword　and　bracing　herself。

　　　The　beast　came　straight　in；　arms　out　wide　and　extended。

　　　Khazid'hea　went　right　through　its　chest；　but　still　its　strong　arms　grasped　Catti…brie's　shoulders　and　its　momentum　barreled　her　over　backward。

　　　As　she　flew　and　fell；　Catti…brie　realized　the　danger　of　a　five　hundred　pound　yeti　ing　down　atop　her。　Then；　suddenly；　she　was　still　falling；　but　the　yeti　was　gone；　simply　gone；　its　momentum　reversed　by　the　flying　Guenhwyvar。

　　　Catti…brie　hit　the　ground　hard；　managed　to　roll　to　absorb　some　of　the　force；　and　then　came　back　to　her　feet。

　　　The　fight　was　over；　though；　with　Guenhwyvar's　strong　jaws　clamped　tight　on　the　throat　of　the　already　dead　yeti。

　　　Catti…brie　looked　up　from　the　cat；　into　the　stare　of　blank　amazement　splayed　across　the　faces　of　the　other　caravan　guards。

　　　Six　dead　tundra　yetis　in　a　matter　of　minutes。

　　　Catti…brie　couldn't　restrain　a　smile；　nor　could　Drizzt　as　he　came　up　to　join　her；　as　the　men　turned　their　horses　away；　shaking　their　heads　in　disbelief。

　　　According　to　Cadderly；　Drizzt's　reputation　as　a　fighter　had　gotten　them　onto　the　caravan　in　the　first　place；　and　now；　the　pair　realized；　that　reputation　would　spread　wide　among　the　merchants　of　Luskan。　Would　spread　wide；　as　would　the　clear　acceptance　of　this　most　unusual　drow　elf。



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　　　Soon　after；　the　friends　were　back　on　their　mounts　and　back　in　the　lead。

　　　〃Three　for　me；〃　Catti…brie　remarked　offhandedly。

　　　Drizzt's　lavender　orbs　narrowed　as　he　considered　her。　He　understood　the　game；　had　played　it　often　with　Wulfgar　and　even　more　so　with　Bruenor；　during　the　days　of　their　exploits。

　　　〃Two　and　a　half；〃　Drizzt　corrected；　remembering　the　panther's　role　in　killing　the　last　of　the　beasts。

　　　Catti…brie　did　the　math　quickly　in　her　head　and　then　decided　that　there　was　no　harm　in　giving　the　drow　the　argument；　though　she　believed　that　the　last　yeti　was　dead　before　Guenhwyvar　ever　got　to　it。　〃Two　and　a　half；〃　she　replied；　〃but　only　two　for　yerself！〃

　　　Drizzt　couldn't　suppress　a　chuckle。

　　　〃And　only　one　and　a　half　for　the　cat！〃　Catti…brie　added　with　a　superior　snap　of　her　fingers。

　　　Guenhwyvar；　loping　along　beside　the　horses；　issued　a　growl；　and　both　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt　burst　out　in　laughter；　figuring　that　the　too…intelligent　panther　had　understood　every　word。

　　　The　caravan　continued　into　Icewind　Dale　without　further　incident；　arriving　ahead　of　schedule　in　Bryn　Shander；　the　primary　marketplace　in　the　dale　and　the　largest　of　the　ten　towns　that　gave　this　region　of　the　dale　its　name。　Bryn　Shander　was　a　walled　city；　built　upon　low　hills　and　circular　in　design。　It　was　located　near　to　the　exact　center　of　the　triangle　created　by　the　three　lakes　of　Maer　Dualdon；　Lac　Dinneshere；　and　Redwaters。　Bryn　Shander　was　the　only　town　of　the　ten　without　a　fishing　fleet；　the　staple　of　Ten…Towns'　economy；　and　yet　it　was　the　most　thriving　of　the　cities；　the　home　of　the　craftsmen　and　the　merchants；　the　hub　of　politics　in　all　the　region。

　　　Drizzt's　wele　there　was　not　friendly；　even　after　he　was　formally　introduced　to　the　gate　guards；　and　one　of　them　admitted　that　he　remembered　the　drow　ranger　from　when　he　was　a　boy。　Catti…brie　was　well　received；　though；　quite　well；　particularly　because　her　father　had　returned　to　the　dale　and　all　in　the　city　were　anxious　for　the　precious　metals　to　begin　their　flow　from　the　dwarven　mines。

　　　Because　his　time　of　work　for　the　caravan　merchants　was　ended；　Drizzt　would　not　have　even　entered　Bryn　Shander。　He　meant　to　turn　instead　straight　north　for　the　dwarven　valley。　Before　they　could　settle　up　with　the　caravan　leaders　inside　the　city　gates；　though；　the　panions　were　informed　that　Cassius；　the　Spokesman　of　Bryn　Shander　had　requested　an　audience　with　Catti…brie。

　　　Though　she　was　dirty　from　the　long　ride　and　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　fall　into　a　fortable　bed；　Catti…brie　could　not　refuse；　but　she　insisted　that　Drizzt　acpany　her。



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　　　〃It　went　well；〃　the　young　woman　remarked；　later　that　day；　when　she　and　Drizzt　left　the　spokesman's　mansion。

　　　Drizzt　didn't　disagree。　Indeed　it　had　gone　better　than　Drizzt　had　expected；　for　Cassius　remembered　Drizzt　Do'Urden　well；　and　had　greeted　the　drow　with　an　unexpected　smile。　And　now　Drizzt　was　walking　openly　down　the　streets　of　Bryn　Shander；　suffering　many　curious　looks；　but　no　open　hostility。　Many；　particularly　the　children；　pointed　and　whispered；　and　Drizzt's　keen　ears　caught　words　such　as　〃ranger〃　and　〃warrior〃　more　than　once；　always　spoken　with　respect。

　　　It　was　good　to　be　home；　so　good　that　Drizzt　almost　forgot　the　desperate　search　that　had　brought　him　here。　For　a　short　while　at　least；　the　drow　didn't　have　to　think　of　Errtu　and　the　crystal　shard。

　　　Before　they　reached　the　gate；　another　of　Bryn　Shander's　residents　came　running　up　to　them；　hollering　their　names。

　　　〃Regis！〃　Catti…brie　shouted；　turning　to　see　the　three…and…a…half…foot　halfling。　His　curly　brown　hair　was　bobbing；　as　was　his　ample　belly　as　he　huffed　along。

　　　〃You　were　leaving　without　even　a　visit！〃　the　halfling　cried；　finally　catching　up　to　the　pair。　He　was　immediately　scooped　up　in　a　tight　hug　by　a　speechless　Catti…brie。　〃No　'well　met'　for　your　old　friend？〃　Regis　asked；　falling　back　to　his　feet。

　　　〃We　thought　you　would　be　with　Bruenor；〃　Drizzt　explained　honestly；　and　Regis　was　not　offended；　for　the　explanation　was　simple　and　truly　believable。　Surely　if　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　had　known　that　the　halfling　was　in　Bryn　Shander；　they　would　have　gone　straight　to　see　him。

　　　〃I　split　my　time　between　the　mines　and　the　city；〃　Regis　explained。　〃Somebody　has　to　serve　as　ambassador　between　the　merchants　and　that　surly　father　of　yours！〃

　　　Catti…brie　gave　him　another　hug。

　　　〃We　have　dined　with　Cassius；〃　Drizzt　explained。　〃It　seems　that　not　much　has　changed　in　Ten…Towns。〃

　　　〃Except　for　many　of　the　people。　You　know　the　way　of　the　dale。　Most　don't　stay　long；　or　don't　live　long。〃

　　　〃Cassius　still　rules　in　Bryn　Shander；〃　Drizzt　remarked。

　　　〃And　Jensin　Brent　speaks　still　for　Caer…Dineval；〃　Regis　reported　happily。　That　was　good　news　for　the　panions；　for　Jensin　Brent　was　among　the　heroes　of　the　battle　for　Icewind　Dale　against　Akar　Kessel　and　the　crystal　shard。　He　was　among　the　most　reasonable　politicians　either　of　them　had　ever　known。

　　　〃The　good　with　the　bad；〃　Regis　went　on；　〃for　Kemp　remains　in　Targos。〃

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

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

　　　Drizzt　and　Catti…bri