精灵血脉四部曲-第76部分

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ieve　that　they　won't；　I　suspect　that　we　would　be　wise　to　keep　them　out　of　the　lower　tunnels梕ven　though　we　plan　to　light　those　tunnels。〃

Dagna　nodded　his　agreement。　〃A　wise　choice　indeed；〃　he　said。　〃The　tall　men　are　better　suited　to　fighting　along　the　mountainsides。　Me　own　guess　is　that　the　drow1！！　e　in　around　the　mountain　as　well　as　through　it。〃

〃The　men　of　Settlestone　will　meet　them；〃　added　another　dwarf。

From　the　shadows　of　a　partly　closed　door　at　the　side　of　the　room；　Bruenor　Battlehammer　looked　on　curiously。　He　was　amazed　at　how　quickly　Regis　had　taken　things　into　his　control；　especially　given　the　fact　that　the　halfling　did　not　wear　his　hypnotic　ruby　pendant。　After　scolding　Bruenor　for　not　acting　quickly　and　decisively；　for　falling　back　into　a　mire　of　self…pity　with　the　trails　to　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt　apparently　closed；　the　halfling；　with　Pwent　in　tow；　had　gone　straight　to　General　Dagna　and　the　other　war　manders。

What　amazed　Bruenor　now　was　not　the　fact　that　the　dwarves　had　gone　eagerly　into　preparations　for　war；　but　the　fact　that　Regis　seemed　to　be　leading　them。　Of　course；　the　halfling　had　concocted　a　lie　to　assume　that　role。　Using

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Bruenor's　resumed　indifference；　the　halfling　was　faking　meetings　with　the　dwarf　king；　then　going　to　Dagna　and　the　others　pretending　that　he　was　bringing　word　straight　from　Bruenor。

When　he　first　discovered　the　ruse；　Bruenor　wanted　to　throttle　the　halfling；　but　Regis　had　stood　up　to　him；　and　had　offered；　more　than　sincerely；　to　step　aside　if　Bruenor　wanted　to　take　over。

Bruenor　wished　that　he　could；　desperately　wanted　to　find　that　level　of　energy　once　more；　but　any　thought　of　warfare　inevitably　led　him　to　memories　of　his　recent　past　battles；　most　of　them　beside　Drizzt；　Catti…brie；　and　Wulfgar。　Paralyzed　by　those　painful　memories；　Bruenor　had　simply　dismissed　Regis　and　allowed　the　halfling　to　go　on　with　his　facade。

Dagna　was　as　fine　a　strategist　as　any；　but　his　experience　was　rather　limited　regarding　races　other　than　dwarves　or　stupid　goblins。　Regis　was　among　Drizzf　s　best　friends；　had　sat　and　listened　to　Drizzf　s　tales　of　his　homeland　and　his　kin　hundreds　of　times。　Regis　had　also　been　among　Wulfgar's　best　friends；　and　so　he　understood　the　barbarians；　whom　the　dwarves　would　need　as　allies　should　the　war　e　to　pass。

Still；　Dagna　had　never　been　fond　of　anyone　who　wasn't　a　dwarf；　and　the　fact　that　he　wholeheartedly　accepted　the　advice　of　a　halfling梐nd　one　not　known　for　bravery！梥urprised　Bruenor　more　than　a　little。

It　stung　the　king　as　well。　Bruenor　knew　of　the　dark　elves　and　the　barbarians　at　least　as　well　as　Regis；　and　he　understood　dwarven　tactics　better　than　anyone。　He　should　be　at　that　table；　pointing　out　the　sections　on　the　map；　he　should　be　the　one；　with　Regis　beside　him；　to　meet　with　Berkthgar　the　Bold。

Bruenor　dropped　his　gaze　to　the　floor；　rubbed　a　hand　over　his　brow　and　down　his　grotesque　scar。　He　felt　an　ache　in　the　hollow　socket。　Hollow；　too；　was　his　heart；　empty　with　the　loss　of　Wulfgar；　and　breaking　apart　at　the　thought　that　Drizzt　and　his　precious　Catti…brie　had　gone　off　into　danger。

The　events　about　him　had　gone　beyond　his　responsibilities　as　king　of　Mithril　Hall。　Bruenor's　first　dedication　was　to　his　children；　one　lost；　the　other　missing；　and　to　his　friends。

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Their　fates　were　beyond　him　now；　he　could　only　hope　that　they　would　win　out；　would　survive　and　e　back　to　him；　for　Bruenor　had　no　way　to　get　to　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt。

Bruenor　could　never　get　back　to　Wulfgar。

The　dwarf　king　sighed　and　turned　away；　walking　slowly　back　toward　his　empty　room；　not　even　noticing　that　the　meeting　had　adjourned。

Regis　watched　Bruenor　silently　from　the　doorway；　wishing　that　he　had　his　ruby　pendant；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　to　try　to　rekindle　the　fires　in　the　broken　dwarf。

Catti…brie　eyed　the　wide　corridor　ahead　suspiciously；　trying　to　make　out　distinct　shapes　among　the　many　stalagmite　mounds。　She　had　e　into　a　region　where　mud　mixed　with　stone；　and　she　had　seen　the　tracks　clearly　enough？goblin　tracks；　she　knew；　and　recent。

Ahead　loomed　the　perfect　place　for　an　ambush。　Catti…brie　took　an　arrow　from　the　quiver　strapped　behind　her　hip；　then　held　Taulmaril　the　Heartseeker；　her　magical　bow；　ready　in　her　hands。　Tucked　under　one　arm；　ready　to　be　dropped；　was　the　panther　figurine。　She　silently　debated　whether　or　not　she　should　summon　Guenhwyvar　from　the　Astral　Plane。　She　had　no　real　proof　that　the　goblins　were　about梐ll　the　mounds　in　the　corridor　seemed　natural　and　benign梑ut　she　felt　the　hairs　on　the　back　of　her　neck　tingle。

She　decided　to　hold　off　calling　the　cat；　her　logic　overruling　her　instincts。　She　fell　against　the　left…hand　wall　and　slowly　started　forward；　wincing　every　time　the　mud　sloshed　around　her　lifting　boot。

With　a　dozen　stalagmite　mounds　behind　her；　the　wall　still　tightly　to　her　left；　the　young　woman　paused　and　listened　once　more。　All　seemed　perfectly　quiet；　but　she　couldn't　shake　the　feeling　that　her　every　step　was　being　monitored；　that　some　monster　was　poised　not　far　away；　waiting　to　spring　out　and　throttle　her。　Would　it　be　like　this　all　the　way　through　the　Underdark？　she　wondered。　Would　she　drive　herself　insane　with　imagined　dangers？　Or　worse；　would　the　false　alarms　of　her　misguided　instincts　take　her

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off　guard　on　that　one　occasion　when　danger　really　did　rise　against　her？

Catti…brie　shook　her　head　to　clear　the　thoughts　and　squinted　her　eyes　to　peer　into　the　magically　starlit　gloom。　Another　benefit　of　Lady　Alustriel's　gift　was　that　Catti…brie's　eyes　did　not　glow　with　the　telltale　red　of　infravision。　The　young　woman；　though；　inexperienced　in　such　matters；　didn't　know　that；　she　knew　only　that　the　shapes　ahead　seemed　ominous　indeed。　The　ground　and　walls　were　not　firmly　set；　as　in　other　parts　of　the　tunnels。　Mud　and　open　water　flowed　freely　in　different　areas。　Many　of　the　stalagmites　seemed　to　have　appendages梘oblin　arms；　perhaps；　holding　wicked　weapons。

Again　Catti…brie　forced　away　the　unwanted　thoughts；　and　she　started　forward；　but　froze　immediately。　She　had　caught　a　sound；　a　slight　scraping；　like　that　of　a　weapon　tip　brushing　against　stone。　She　waited　a　long　while　but　heard　nothing　more；　so　she　again　told　herself　not　to　let　her　imagination　carry　her　away。

But　had　those　goblin　tracks　been　part　of　her　imagination？　she　asked　herself　as　she　took　another　step　forward。

Catti…brie　dropped　the　figurine　and　swung　about；　her　bow　ing　to　bear。　Around　the　nearest　stalagmite　charged　a　goblin；　its　ugly；　flat　face　seeming　broader　for　the　wide　grin　it　wore　and　its　rusting　and　jagged　sword　held　high　above　its　head。

Catti…brie　fired；　point　blank；　and　the　silver…streaking　arrow　had　barely　cleared　the　bow　when　the　monster's　head　exploded　in　a　shower　of　multicolored　sparks。　The　arrow　blasted　right　through；　sparking　again　as　it　sliced　a　chunk　off　the　stalagmite　mound。

〃Guenhwyvar！〃　Catti…brie　called；　and　she　readied　the　bow。　She　knew　she　had　to　get　moving；　that　this　area　had　been　clearly　marked　by　the　spark　shower。　She　considered　the　gray　mist　that　had　begun　to　swirl　about　her；　and；　knowing　the　summoning　was　plete；　scooped　up　the　figurine　and　ran　away　from　the　wall。　She　hopped　the　dead　goblin's　body　and　cut　around　the　nearest　stalagmite；　then　slipped　between　two　others。　Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　she　saw　another　four…foot…tall　huddled　shape。　An　arrow　streaked　off

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in　pursuit；　its　silvery　trail　stealing　the　darkness；　and　scored　another　hit。　Catti…brie　did　not　smile；　though；　for　the　flash　of　light　revealed　a　dozen　more　of　the　ugly　humanoids；　slinking　and　crawling　about　the　mounds。

They　screamed　and　hooted　and　began　their　charge。

Over　by　the　wall；　gray　mist　gave　way　to　the　powerful　panther's　tangible　form。　Guenhwyvar　had　recognized　the　urgency　of　the　call　and　was　on　the　alert　immediately；　ears　flattened　and　shining　green　eyes　peering　about；　taking　full　measure　of　the　scene。　Quieter　than　the　night；　the　cat　loped　off。

Catti…brie　circled　farther　out　from　the　wall；　taking　a　roundabout　course　to　flank　the　approaching　group。　Every　time　she　came　past　another　blocking　mound；　she　let　fly　an　arrow；　as　often　hitting　stone　as　goblins。　She　knew　that　confusion　was　her　ally　here；　that　she　had　to　keep　the　creatures　from　organizing；　or　they　would　surround　her。

Another　arrow　streaked　away；　and　in　its　illumination　Catti…brie　saw　a　closer　target；　a　goblin　crouched　right　behind　the　mound　she　would　soon　pass。　She　went　behind　the　mound；　skidded　to　a　stop；　and　came　back　out　the　same　way；　desperately　working　to　fit　an　arrow。

The　goblin　swung　around　the　mound　and　rushed　in；　sword　leading。　Catti…brie　batted　with　her　bow；　barely　knocking　the　weapon　aside。　She　heard　a　sucking　sound　behind　her；　then　a　hiss；　and　instinctively　dropped　to　her　knees。

A　goblin　pitched　over　her　suddenly　low　form　and　crashed　into　its　surprised　ally。　The　two　were　up　quickly；　though；　as　quickly　as　Catti…brie。　The　woman　worked　her　bow　out　in　front　to　keep　them　at　bay；　tried　to　get　her　free　hand　down　to　grab　at　the　jeweled　dagger　on　her　belt。

Sensing　their　advantage；　the　goblins　charged梩hen　went　tumbling　away　along　with　six　hundred　pounds　of　flying　panther。

〃Guen；〃　Catti…brie　mouthed　in　silent　appreciation；　and　she　pivoted　about；　pulling　an　arrow　from　her　quiver。　As　she　expected；　goblins　were　fast　closing　from　behind。

Taulmaril　twanged　once；　again；　and　then　a　third　time；　Catti…brie　blasting　holes　in　the　ranks。　She　used　the　sudden　and　deadly　explosions　of　streaking　lines　and　sparks　as　cover

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and　ran；　not　away；　as　she　knew　the　goblins　would　expect；　but　straight　ahead；　backtracking　along　her　original　route。

She　had　them　fooled　as　she　ducked　behind　another　mound；　wide　and　thick；　and　nearly　giggled　when　a　goblin　leaped　out　behind　her；　rubbing　its　light…stung　eyes　and　looking　back　the　other　way。

Just　five　feet　behind　the　stupid　thing；　Catti…brie　let　fly；　the　arrow　blasting　into　the　goblin's　back；　snaring　on　a　bone；　and　sending　the　creature　flying　through　the　air。

Catti…brie　spun　and　ran　on；　around　the　back　side　of　the　wide　mound。　She　heard　a　roar　from　Guenhwyvar；　followed　by　the　profound　screams　of　another　group　of　goblins。　Ahead；　a　huddled　form　was