精灵血脉四部曲-第70部分

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The　stinging　words　calmed　the　volatile　dwarf；　but　only　a　little。　What　secret　might　Regis　be　hinting　at？

Thibbledorf　Pwent　bounded　into　the　room　then；　his　armor　squeaking　no　less；　though　his　face；　beard；　and　hands　were　certainly　smeared　with　grease。　He　stopped　beside　Bruenor；　surveying　the　unexpected　situation　for　just　a　moment。

Pwent　rubbed　his　hands　eagerly　in　front　of　him；　then　ran　them　down　the　front　of　his　cruelly　ridged　armor。　〃Should　I　hug　him？〃　he　asked　his　king　hopefully。

Bruenor　slapped　a　hand　out　to　hold　the　eager　battle…rager　at　bay。　〃Where's　me　girl？〃　the　dwarf　king　asked　a　third　time；　this　time　quietly　and　calmly；　as　though　he　was　asking　a　friend。

Regis　firmed　his　jaw；　then　nodded　and　began。　He　told　Bruenor　everything；　even　his　role　in　aiding　Catti…brie；　in　handing　her　the　assassin's　dagger　and　the　magical　mask。

Bruenor's　face　began　to　twist　in　rage　again；　but　Regis　stood　tall　（relatively　speaking）　and　dispelled　the　rising　ire。。

〃Am　I　to　trust　in　Catti…brie　any　less　than　you　would？〃　Regis　asked　simply；　reminding　the　dwarf　that　his　human　daughter　was　no　child；　and　no　novice　to　the　perils　of　the　road。

Bruenor　didn't　know　how　to　take　it　all。　A　small　part　of　him　wanted　to　throttle　Regis；　but　he　understood　that　he　would　simply　be　playing　out　his　frustration；　and　that　the　halfling　was　really　not　to　blame。　Where　else　could　he　turn；　though？　Both　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　were　long　gone；　well　on　their　way；　and　Bruenor　had　no　idea　of　how　he　could　get　to　them！

Neither　did　the　scarred　dwarf；　at　that　moment；　have

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any　strength　to　try。　He　dropped　his　gaze　to　the　stone　floor；　his　anger　played　out　and　his　grief　returned；　and；　without　another　word；　he　walked　from　the　room。　He　had　to　think；　and　for　the　sake　of　his　dearest　friend　and　his　beloved　daughter；　he　had　to　think　fast。

Pwent　looked　to　Regis　and　Buster　for　answers；　but　they　simply　shook　their　heads。

A　slight　shuffle；　the　padded　footsteps　of　a　hunting　cat；　perhaps；　was　all　that　Drizzt　could　discern。　The　drow　ranger　stood　perfectly　still；　all　his　senses　attuned　to　his　surroundings。　If　it　was　the　cat；　Drizzt　knew　that　it　was　close　enough　to　have　caught　his　scent；　that　it　undoubtedly　knew　that　something　had　wandered　into　its　territory。

Drizzt　spent　a　moment　scrutinizing　the　area。　The　tunnel　continued　haphazardly；　sometimes　wide；　sometimes　narrow；　and　this　entire　section　was　broken　and　uneven；　the　floor　full　of　bumps　and　holes　and　the　walls　lined　by　natural　alcoves　and　deep　nooks。　The　ceiling；　too；　was　no　longer　constant；　sometimes　low　and　sometimes　high。　Drizzt　could　see　the　varied　gradations　of　heat　on　the　high　walls　ahead　and　knew　that　those　walls　were　lined　by　ledges　in　many　places。

A　great　cat　could　jump　up　there；　watching　its　intended　prey　from　above。

The　thought　was　not　a　settling　one；　but　Drizzt　had　to　press　on。　To　backtrack；　he　would　have　to　go　all　the　way　to　the　chute　and　climb　to　a　higher　level；　then　wander　about　in　the　hopes　that　he　would　find　another　way　down。　Drizzt　didn't　have　time　to　spare；　neither　did　his　friends。

He　put　his　back　against　the　wall　as　he　continued；　stalking　in　a　crouch；　one　scimitar　drawn　and　the　other；　Twinkle；　ready　in　its　sheath。　Drizzt　did　not　want　the　magical　blade's　glow　to　further　reveal　his　position；　though　he　knew　that　hunting　cats　in　the　Underdark　needed　no　light。

He　lightly　stepped　across　the　mouth　of　one　wide　and　shallow　alcove；　then　came　to　the　edge　of　a　second；　narrower　and　deeper。　When　he　was　satisfied　that　this　one；　too；　was　unoccupied；　he　turned　back　for　a　general　scan　of　the　area。

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Shining　green　eyes；　cat　eyes；　stared　back　at　him　from　the　ledge　on　the　opposite　wall。

Out　came　Twinkle；　flaring　an　angry　blue；　bathing　the　area　in　light。　Drizzt；　his　eyes　shifting　back　from　the　infrared　spectrum；　saw　the　great；　dark　silhouette　as　the　monster　leaped；　and　he　deftly　dove　out　of　harm's　way。　The　cat　touched　down　lightly梬ith　all　six　legs！梐nd　it　pivoted　about；　showing　white　teeth　and　sinister　eyes。

It　was　pantherlike；　its　fur　so　black　as　to　shimmer　a　deep　blue；　and　it　was　nearly　as　large　as　Guenhwyvar。　Drizzt　didn't　know　what　to　think。　If　this　had　been　a　normal　panther；　he　would　have　tried　to　calm　it；　tried　to　show　it　that　he　was　no　enemy　and　that　he　would　go　right　past　its　lair。　But　this　cat；　this　monster；　had　six　legs！　And　from　its　shoulders　protruded　long；　whiplike　appendages；　waving　menacingly　and　tipped　with　bony　ridges。

Snarling；　the　beast　padded　in；　ears　tight　against　its　head；　formidable　fangs　bared。　Drizzt　crouched　low；　scimitars　straight　out　in　front；　feet　perfectly　balanced　so　that　he　could　dodge　aside。

The　beast　stopped　its　stalk。　Drizzt　watched　carefully　as　its　middle　set　of　legs　and　its　hind　legs　tamped　down。

It　came　fast；　Drizzt　started　left；　but　the　beast　skidded　to　a　stop；　and　Drizzt　did　likewise；　lurching　ahead　to　cut　with　one　blade　in　a　straight　thrust。　Right　between　the　panther's　eyes　went　the　scimitar；　perfectly　aligned。

It　hit　nothing　but　air；　and　Drizzt　stumbled　forward。　He　instinctively　dove　to　the　stone　and　rolled　right　as　one　tentacle　whipped　just　above　his　head　and　the　other　scored　a　slight　hit　on　his　hip。　Huge　paws　raked　and　swatted　all　about　him；　but　he　worked　his　scimitars　wildly；　somehow　keeping　them　at　bay。　He　came　up　running；　quickly　putting　a　few　feet　between　himself　and　the　dangerous　cat。

The　drow　settled　back　into　his　defensive　crouch；　less　confident　now。　The　beast　was　smart桪rizzt　would　never　have　expected　such　a　feint　from　an　animal。　Worse；　the　drow　could　not　understand　how　he　had　missed。　His　blade's　thrust　had　been　true。　Even　the　incredible　agility　of　a　cat　could　not　have　gotten　the　beast　out　of　the　way　so　quickly。

A　tentacle　came　at　him　from　the　right；　and　he　threw　a

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scimitar　out　that　way　not　just　to　parry；　but　hoping　to　sever　the　thing。

He　missed；　then　barely　managed；　past　his　surprise；　to　twirl　to　the　left；　taking　another　hit　on　the　hip；　this　one　painful。

The　beast　rushed　forward；　one　paw　flying　out　in　front　to　hook　the　spinning　drow。　Drizzt　braced；　Twinkle　ready　to　block；　but　the　paw　caught　him　fully　a　foot　below　the　scimitar's　blocking　angle。

Again　Drizzf　s　ability　to　react　saved　him；　for　instead　of　fighting　the　angle　of　the　in…turned　paw　（which　would　have　ripped　large　lines　in　his　body）；　he　dove　with　it；　down　to　the　stone；　scrambling　and　kicking　his　way　past　the　panther's　snapping　maw。　He　felt　like　a　mouse　running　back　under　a　house　cat；　and；　worse；　this　cat　had　two　sets　of　legs　left　to　cross！

Drizzt　elbowed　and　batted；　jabbed　up；　and　scored　a　solid　hit。　He　couldn't　see　in　the　sudden；　wild　flurry；　and　only　when　he　came　out　the　panther's　back　side　did　he　realize　that　his　blindness　was　his　saving　grace。　He　came　up　into　a　running　step；　then　leaped　into　a　headlong　roll　just　ahead　of　twin　snapping　tentacles。

He　hadn't　been　able　to　see；　and　he　had　scored　his　only　hit。

The　panther　came　around　again；　snarling　in　rage；　its　green　eyes　boring　like　lamplights　into　the　drow。

Drizzt　spat　at　those　eyes；　a　calculated　move；　for　though　his　aim　seemed　true　and　the　beast　made　no　move　to　dodge；　the　spittle　hit　only　the　stone　floor。　The　cat　was　not　where　it　appeared　to　be。

Drizzt　tried　to　remember　his　training　in　Menzoberran…zan's　Academy。　He　had　heard　of　such　beasts　once；　but　they　were　very　rare　and　hadn't　been　a　source　of　any　major　lessons。

In　came　the　cat。　Drizzt　leaped　forward；　inside　the　snapping　reach　of　those　painful　tentacles。　He　guessed；　aiming　his　attack　a　couple　of　feet　to　the　right　of　where　he　perceived　the　beast。

But　the　cat　was　left；　and　as　his　scimitar　swished　harmlessly　through　the　air；　Drizzt　knew　he　was　in　trouble。　He

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leaped　straight　up；　felt　a　claw　slash　at　his　foot梩he　same　foot　that　had　been　wounded　in　his　fight　with　Artemis　Entreri　on　the　ledge　outside　Mithril　Hall。　Down　sliced　Twinkle；　the　magnificent　blade　gashing　the　front　claw；　forcing　the　cat　to　retreat。　Drizzt　landed　half…entwined　with　the　beast；　felt　the　hot　breath　of　its　drooling　maw　about　his　forearm　and　punched　out；　twisting　his　wrist　so　that　his　weapon's　cross…piece　prevented　the　monster　from　tearing　his　hand　off。

He　closed　his　eyes梩hey　would　only　confuse　him梐nd　bashed　down　with　Twinkle's　hilt；　clubbing　the　monster's　head。　Then　he　jerked　free　and　ran　off。　The　bony　end　of　a　tentacle　flew　out　behind　him；　caught　up　to　his　back；　and　he　threw　himself　into　a　headlong　roll；　absorbing　some　of　the　sting。

Up　again；　Drizzt　ran　on　in　full　flight。　He　came　to　the　wide　and　shallow　alcove　and　spun　in；　the　monster　right　behind。

Drizzt　reached　within　himself；　into　his　innate　magical　abilities；　and　brought　forth　a　globe　of　imperable　darkness。　Twinkle's　light　disappeared；　as　did　the　monster's　shining　eyes。

Drizzt　circled　two　steps　and　came　forward；　not　wanting　the　beast　to　escape　the　darkened　area。　He　felt　the　swish　of　a　tentacle；　a　near　hit；　then　sensed　it　ing　back　again　the　other　way。　The　drow　smiled　in　satisfaction　as　his　scimitar　slashed　out　to　meet　it；　cutting　right　through。

The　beast's　pained　roar　guided　Drizzt　back　in。　He　couldn't　get　caught　in　too　tight；　he　knew；　but；　with　his　scimitars；　he　had　an　advantage　of　reach。　With　Twinkle　up　to　fend　against　the　remaining　tentacle；　he　jabbed　the　other　blade　repeatedly；　scoring　a　few　minor　hits。

The　enraged　cat　leaped；　but　Drizzt　sensed　it　and　fell　flat　to　the　floor；　rolling　to　his　back　and　thrusting　both　his　blades　straight　up；　scoring　a　serious　double　hit　on　the　monster's　belly。

The　cat　came　down　hard；　skidding　heavily　into　the　wall；　and；　before　it　could　recover；　Drizzt　was　upon　it。　A　scimitar　bashed　against　its　skull；　creasing　its　head。　The　cat　whipped　about　and　sprang　forward；　paws　extended；　maw　opened　wide。

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Twinkle　was　waiting。　The　scimitar's　tip　caught　the　beast　on　the　chin　and　slid　down　under　the　maw　to　dig　at　its　rushing　neck。　A　paw　batted　the　blade；　nearly　tearing　it　free　from　the　drow's　extended　hand；　but　Drizzt　knew　that　he　had　to　hang　on；　for　all　his　life。　There　came　a　savage　flurry；　but　the　drow；　backpedaling；　managed　to　keep　the　beast　at　bay。

Out　of　the　darkness　the　two　came；　the　beast　pressing　on。　Drizzt　closed　his　eyes。　He　sensed　that　the　remaining　ten