精灵血脉四部曲-第71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！



Out　of　the　darkness　the　two　came；　the　beast　pressing　on。　Drizzt　closed　his　eyes。　He　sensed　that　the　remaining　tentacle　would　snap　at　him；　and　he　reversed　direction；　suddenly　throwing　all　his　weight　behind　Twinkle。　The　tentacle　wrapped　his　back；　he　got　his　opposite　elbow　up　just　in　time　to　prevent　its　end　from　ing　right　around　and　slamming　his　face。

Twinkle　was　in　the　monster　halfway　to　the　hilt。　A　wheezing　and　gurgling　sound　came　from　the　beasf　s　throat；　but　heavy　paws　battered　at　Drizzf　s　sides；　shredding　pieces　of　his　cloak　and　scratching　the　fine　mithril　armor。　The　cat　tried　to　turn　its　impaled　neck　to　the　side　to　bite　Drizzt's　arm。

Drizzt　free　hand　went　to　work；　furiously　pumping　up　and　down；　bashing　his　scimitar　repeatedly　against　the　caf　s　head。

He　felt　the　claws　grasp　and　hold　him；　biting　maw　just　an　inch　from　his　belly。　One　claw　slipped　through　a　chain　link　in　the　metal　coat；　slightly　puncturing　the　drow's　side。

The　scimitar　bashed　again　and　again。

Down　they　tumbled　in　a　heap。　Drizzt；　on　his　side　and　staring　into　wicked　eyes；　thought　he　was　doomed　and　tried　to　squirm　free。　But　the　cafs　grip　loosened；　and　Drizzt　realized　that　the　beast　was　dead。　He　finally　wriggled　from　the　hold　and　looked　down　at　the　slain　creature；　its　green　eyes　shining　even　in　death。

〃Don't　ye　go　in　there；〃　one　of　the　two　guards　outside　Bruenor's　throne　room　said　to　Regis　as　he　boldly　approached　the　door。　The　halfling　considered　them　carefully梙e　never　remembered　seeing　a　dwarf　so　pale！

The　door　banged　open；　and　a　contingent　of　dwarves；　fully　armed　and　armored；　burst　out；　falling　all　over　each

107

R。　A。　Salvatore

other　as　they　ran　off　down　the　stone　corridor。　Behind　them　came　a　verbal　tirade；　a　stream　of　curses　from　their　king。

One　of　the　guards　started　to　dose　the　door；　but　Regis　hopped　up　and　pushed　his　way　in。

Bruenor　paced　about　his　throne；　punching　the　great　chair　whenever　he　passed　close　enough。　General　Dagna；　Mithril　Hall's　military　leader；　sat　in　his　appointed　chair；　looking　rather　glum；　and　Thibbledorf　Pwent　hopped　about　gleefully　in　Bruenor's　shadow；　cautiously　dodging　aside　whenever　Bruenor　spun　about。

〃Stupid　priests！〃　Bruenor　growled。

〃With　Cobble　dead；　there　are　none　powerful　enough？　Dagna　tried　to　intervene；　but　Bruenor　wasn't　listening。

〃Stupid　priests！〃　the　dwarf　king　said　more　forcefully。

〃Yeah！〃　Pwent　readily　agreed。

〃Me　king；　ye've　set　two　patrols　off　to　Silverymoon；　and　another　north　o'　the　city/'　Dagna　tried　to　reason。　〃And　ye've　got　half　me　soldiers　walking　the　tunnels　below。〃

〃And　I'll　be　sending　the　other　half　if　them　thaf　s　there　don't　show　me　the　way！〃　Bruenor　roared。

Regis；　still　standing　unnoticed　by　the　door；　was　beginning　to　catch　on；　and　he　wasn't　displeased　by　what　he　was　seeing。　Bruenor梐nd　it　seemed　like　the　old　Bruenor　once　more！梬as　moving　heaven　and　earth　to　find　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie。　The　old　dwarf　had　stoked　his　inner　fires！

〃But　there　are　a　thousand　separate　tunnels　down　there；〃　Dagna　argued。　〃And　some　may　take　a　week　to　explore　before　we　learn　that　they're　dead　ends。〃

〃Then　send　down　a　thousand　dwarves！〃　Bruenor　growled　at　him。　He　stalked　past　the　chair　again；　then　skidded　to　a　stop梐nd　Pwent　bounced　into　his　back梐s　he　regarded　the　halfling。

〃What're　ye　looking　at？〃　Bruenor　demanded　when　he　noticed　Regis's　wide…eyed　stare。

Regis　would　have　liked　to　say；　〃At　my　oldest　friend；〃　but　he　merely　shrugged　instead。　For　an　instant；　he　caught　a　flash　of　anger　in　the　dwarf's　one　blue…gray　eye；　and　he　thought　that　Bruenor　was　leaning　toward　him；　perhaps　fighting　an　inner　urge　to　rush　over　and　throttle　him。　But　the　dwarf　calmed　and　slid　into　his　throne。

108

Starless　Night

Regis　cautiously　approached；　studying　Bruenor　and　taking　little　heed　of　pragmatic　Dagna's　claims　that　there　was　no　way　to　catch　up　with　the　two　wayfaring　friends。　Regis　heard　enough　to　figure　that　Dagna　wasn't　too　worried　for　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie；　and　that　didn't　surprise　him　much；　since　the　crusty　dwarf　wasn't　overly　fond　of　anyone　who　wasn't　a　dwarf。

〃If　we　had　the　damned　cat；〃　Bruenor　began；　and　again　came　that　flash　of　anger　as　he　regarded　the　halfling。　Regis　put　his　hands　behind　his　back　and　bowed　his　head。

〃Or　me　damned　locket！〃　Bruenor　roared。　〃Where　in　the　Nine　Hells　did　I　put　me　damned　locket？〃

Regis　winced　at　every　roaring　outburst；　but　Bruenor's　anger　did　not　change　his　feelings　that　he　had　done　the　right　thing　in　assisting　Catti…brie；　and　in　sending　Guenhwyvar　along　with　her。

And；　though　he　half　expected　Bruenor　to　punch　him　in　the　face　at　any　moment；　it　did　not　change　the　halfling's　feelings　that　he　was　glad　to　see　Bruenor　full　of　life　again。

109

Chapter　9

CAGED

lodding　along　a　slow　and　rocky　trail；　they　had　to　walk　the　horses　more　than　ride　them。　Every　passing　inch　tormented　Catti…brie。　She　had　seen　the　light　of　a　campfire　the　previous　night　and　knew　in　her　heart　that　it　had　been　Drizzt。　She　had　gone　straight　to　her　horse；　meaning　to　saddle　up　and　head　out；　using　the　light　as　a　beacon　to　the　drew；　but　Fret　had　stopped　her；　explaining　that　the　magical　horseshoes　that　their　mounts　wore　did　not　protect　the　beasts　from　exhaustion。　He　reminded　her；　too；　of　the　dangers　she　would　likely　encounter　in　the　mountains　at　night。

Catti…brie　had　gone　back　to　her　own　fire　then；　thoroughly　miserable。　She　considered　calling　for　Guenhwyvar　and　sending　the　panther　out　for　Drizzt；　but　shook　the　notion　away。　The　campfire　was　just　a　dot　somewhere　on　the　higher　trails；　many　miles　away；　and　she　had　no　way　of　knowing；　rationally；　that　it　was　indeed　Drizzt。

Now；　though；　crossing　along　the　higher　trails；　making　their　steady　but　painfully　slow　way　in　that　very　same　direction；　Catti…brie　feared　that　she　had　erred。　She　watched　Fret；

110

Starless　Night

scratching　his　white　beard；　looking　this　way　and　that　at　the　unremarkable　landscape；　and　wished　they　had　that　campfire　to　guide　them。

〃We　will　get　there！〃　the　tidy　dwarf　often　said　to　her；　looking　back　into　her　disgusted　expression。

Morning　turned　into　afternoon；　long　shadows　drifted　across　the　landscape。

〃We　must　make　camp；〃　Fret　announced　as　twilight　descended。

〃We're　going　on；〃　Catti…brie　argued。　〃If　that　was　Drizzf　s　fire；　then　he's　a　day　up　on　us　already；　no　matter　for　yer　magical　horseshoes！〃

〃I　cannot　hope　to　find　the　cave　in　the　darkness！〃　the　dwarf　retorted。　〃We　could　find　a　giant；　or　a　troll；　perhaps；　and　I'm　sure　that　many　wolves　will　be　about；　but　a　cave？〃　Looking　into　Catti…brie's　deepening　scowl；　Fret　began　to　ponder　the　wisdom　of　his　sarcasm。

〃Oh；　all　right！〃　the　tidy　dwarf^cried。　〃We　will　keep　looking　until　the　night　is　full。〃

They　pressed　on；　until　Catti…brie　could　hardly　see　her　horse　walking　beside　her　and　Fref　s　pony　nearly　stumbled　over　the　edge　of　a　ravine。　Finally；　even　stubborn　Catti…brie　had　to　relent　and　agree　to　make　camp。

After　they　had　settled　in；　she　went　and　found　a　tree；　a　tall　pine；　and　climbed　nearly　to　its　top　to　keep　her　vigil。　If　the　light　of　a　campfire　came　up；　the　young　woman　determined；　she　would　set　out；　or　would　at　least　send　the　panther。

There　were　no　campfires　that　night。

As　soon　as　the　dawn's　light　permitted；　the　two　set　off　again。　Barely　an　hour　out；　Fret　clapped　his　clean　hands　together　excitedly；　thinking　that　he　had　found　a　familiar　trail。　〃We　are　not　far；〃　he　promised。

Up　and　down　went　the　trail；　into　rocky；　tree…filled　valleys；　and　up　again　across　bare；　windswept　stone。　Fret　tethered　his　pony　to　a　tree　branch　and　led　the　way　up　the　steep　side　of　one　mound；　telling　Catti…brie　that　they　had　found　the　place；　only　to　discover；　two　hours　of　climbing　later；　that　they　had　scaled　the　wrong　mountain。

In　midafternoon　they　discovered　that　Fret's　earlier

111

R。　A。　Salvatore

promise　that　they　were　〃not　far；〃　was　accurate。　When　he　had　made　that　statement；　the　cave　the　dwarf　sought　was　no　more　than　half　a　mile　from　their　location。　But　finding　a　specific　cave　in　mountain　territory　is　no　easy　task；　even　for　a　dwarf；　and　Fret　had　been　to　the　place　only　once梟early　twenty　years　before。

He　found　it；　finally；　as　the　shadows　again　grew　long　in　the　mountains。　Catti…brie　shook　her　head　as　she　examined　the　entrance　and　the　fire　pit　that　had　been　used　two　nights　before。　The　embers　had　been　tended　with　great　care；　such　as　a　ranger　might　do。

〃He　was　here；〃　the　young　woman　said　to　the　dwarf；　〃two　nights　ago。〃　Catti…brie　rose　from　the　fire　pit　and　brushed　her　thick　auburn　locks　back　from　her　face；　eyeing　the　dwarf　as　though　he　was　to　blame。　She　looked　out　from　the　cave；　back　across　the　mountains；　to　where　they　had　been；　to　the　location　from　which　they　had　seen　this　very　fire。

〃We　could　not　have　gotten　here　that　night；〃　the　dwarf　answered。　〃You　could　have　run　off；　or　ridden　off；　into　the　darkness　with　all　speed；　and？

〃The　firelight　would've　shown　us　through；〃　Catti…brie　interrupted。

〃For　how　long？〃　the　dwarf　demanded。　〃We　found　one　vantage　point；　one　hole　through　the　towering　peaks。　As　soon　as　we　went　into　a　ravine；　or　crossed　close　to　the　side　of　a　mountain；　the　light　would　have　been　lost　to　us。　Then　where　would　we　be；　stubborn　daughter　of　Bruenor？〃

Again　Catti…brie's　scowl　stopped　the　dwarf　short。　He　sighed　profoundly　and　threw　up　his　hands。

He　was　right；　Catti…brie　knew。　While　they　had　gone　no　more　than　a　few　miles　deeper　into　the　mountains　since　that　night；　the　trails　had　been　treacherous；　climbing　and　descending；　winding　snakelike　around　the　many　rocky　peaks。　She　and　the　dwarf　had　walked　a　score　of　miles；　at　least；　to　get　to　this　point；　and　even　if　she　had　summoned　Guenhwyvar；　there　was　no　way　the　panther　could　have　caught　up　to　Drizzt。

That　logic　did　little　to　quell　the　frustration　boiling　within　Catti…brie。　She　had　vowed　to　follow　Drizzt；　to　find　him　and　bring　him　home；　but　now；　standing　at　the　edge　of　a　for…

112

Starless　Night

lorn　cave　in　a　wild　place；　she　faced　the　entrance　to　the　Underdark。

〃We　will　go　back　to　Lady　Alustriel；〃　Fret　said　to　her。　〃Perhaps　she　has　some　allies梥he　has　so　many　of　those！？who　will　be　better　able　to　locate　the　drow。〃

〃Whaf　re　ye　saying？〃　Catti…brie　wanted　to　know。

〃It　was　a　valiant　chase；〃　Fret　replied。　〃Your　father　will　be　proud　of　your　effort；　but？

Catti…brie　rushed　up　to　t