Chapter One
Riddles and Battle
The grey warhorse moved along sliently, his shaggy hooves leaving indents in the softer patches of earth. Del'Fayne scratched his neck idly, still lost in the memories of her past. The silver oak leaf pendant around her neck caught the rays of light and shone brightly. She was a druid, follower of Sylvanus. Arcite snorted beneath her, she laughed and scratched his neck again. "Taerth? Vel'klar phuul dos ussta barra?" (Where are you my shadow?) She heard a soft growl from ths scrub brush to her right and smiled.
The great Displacer Beast stepped out onto the trail. Del smiled at the creature. They had an agreement of sorts. Each had saved the other's life and a cameraderie had slowly formed in the long tunnels of the Underdark. She pulled her hood closer about her. The light stung her red eyes a bit, but after nearly two decades on the surface she had grown accustomed to it. Her hood was mostly to stop the staring. Those of her order accepted her easily, but most others didn't look past her black skin and milk-white hair to see the symbol of Sylvanus on her leather jerkin. Nor the pendant she bore of his sigil.
Del'Fayne snapped out of her introspection as her keen ears picked up the ringing sound of battle. She pulled Arcite to a stop and listened to try an discern the nature of the struggle. Taerth stepped closer to her. "Kr'athin ulu tah, ussta abbil?" (Ready to hunt, my friend?) A cry of "Tempus!" sent her attention hurtling back to the battle.
She tightened her grip on Arcite's reins. "Barbarians? Here?" A confused look swept across her features. Whatever last indecision remained, was wiped from the druids mind when she heard the cry of a panther. "Arcite! Let's go help!" She gave the horse a nudge and he bolted down the path in the direction of the sounds, followed closely by Taerth.
Letting her body sway with Arcite's powerful strides, Del prepared for the fight. She reached around behind her and pulled out her spiked, adamatine gauntlet. She slipped it onto her left hand and cinched the straps down securely. Switching the reins to that hand, she drew her sword, the keen blade glinting in the sunlight. "Here we go." She whispered as the broke through a wall of thin scrub brush and onto the field of battle.
With a quick glance, her keen red eyes took in the sights before her.
Two massive Frost Giants lay dead on the ground and a third was viciously attacking a group of travellers. A young auburn-haired woman stood a distance away firing silver streaking arrows at the giant. The arrows hit, but were no more than a nuisance to the thick-skinned behemoth. Along the rock wall to her left lay a halfling and a red-bearded dwarf, both unconcious. The dwarf did seem to be waking slowly, though.
She barely stifled a gasp as her eyes rested on the group battling before the giant. Facing off with the beast, while a gigantic black panther slunk up behind it, stood the huge barbarian she had heard earlier, and a drow elf! Del shook her head to clear it and jumped off Arcite, rushing into the fray. She stopped beside the drow. "Need a couple extra hands?"
The drow grinned at her. "We sure won't refuse!" he called back.
She nodded quickly and dodged a blow from the behemoth's massive claymore. "Follow my lead!" She watched the two nod, the danced off to the side. "Can that cat follow directions?" The drow nodded again. "Good. Taerth! Circle around behind him! Tell your cat to wait for my signal, then bite hard on the back of the giant's heel."
"Right." He seemed to understand where this was going. "Guen, did you get that?" The panther growled and crouched lower.
Del smiled in appreciation. Taerth had dissapeared and only the sway of the taller grass announced his prescence. "Now! Plynn ukta harl!" (Take him down!) She watched as Taerth shimmered in, causing a collective gasp in the companions. She loved how graceful the cat looked in action, despite having six legs instead of four like the panther. The distraction cost her dearly as the giant's next swing caught her enough to toss her a good distance. Luckily only the flat of it's blade had been the culprit. She tumbled aways before getting up in time to see the drow deliver a killing blow to the giant.
She swayed a bit as she stood, wrapping an arm around herself. The auburn-haired woman approached her. "Are ye hurt badly?"
Del shook her head. "No. Just a little winded, maybe a cracked rib. I'll be fine."
"Where did ye get yer cat?"
She was about to answer when the drow made his way over to them. "That is no cat. It's a displacer beast."
The woman gasped. "I knew it looked strange, but why would a creature of the Underdark be on the surface?"
"I was just about to ask her the same thing."
Del shivered. "He is my companion, and his name is Taerth." With a groan she righted herself completely.
"How did you tame such a creature?"
"I never said he was tame. I just said he is my friend." Taerth had made his way over to them and rubbed his head against her hip.
The barbarian joined them with the dwarf and a still groggy halfling. "What's going on?"
"Just trying to figure out our well-timed arrivals." The drow replied.
"What in the nine hells is that thing?" Growled the dwarf, glaring at Taerth.
"A displacer beast." He looked up at Del. "So who may we thank for their assistance?"
Del managed a small smile, though her face was still covered by her hood. "I am Del'Fayne, a druid of the oder of Sylvanus. This here is Taerth, and my steed is Arcite. Who might you all be?"
The drow gave a nod. "This is Wulfgar, son of Beornegar." The barbarian nodded. "Regis is the Halfling. The Dwarf is Bruenor Battlehammer, King of Mithril Hall. The woman is his daughter Catti-brie, and I am Drizzt Do'Urden, a ranger of Meilikki." The panther had joined them and nudged his hip. "This would be Guenhwyvar."
Del started. So these were the Companions of the Hall? "It's a pleasure to suddenly be in such illustrious company."
Drizzt laughed. "Tales do indeed travel fast."
"Where are ye headed?" Catti-brie asked gently.
"The Spirit Soaring." She swooned as a wave of pain took her by suprise. "Heh. Guess that giant got me better than I thought." Catti-brie had grabbed onto her and she leaned into the support. "Thanks."
"We should find a spot to camp and see to our injuries. First we need to get away from these corpses, they will undoubtably attract scavengers." Drizzt led the group towards their pile of belongings. Del motioned for Arcite to approach her.
"There is a cave I used as shelter an hour's ride from here on my last journey to the cathedral. I can take you there." She mounted with a bit of difficulty.
Drizzt nodded. "That would be just fine. Are you well enough to ride, though?"
"I can ride better than walk. Arcite's gait is very smooth." She frowned at the halfling. He still didn't look well. "Regis is welcome to ride with me, if he wishes."
Regis gave a nod and Wulfgar gently placed the halfling in the saddle in front of Del. "Taerth? Zahanzon l' menvis p'los udossa, ussta barra." (Scout the path before us, my shadow.) The great beast growled softly and bounded off ahead.
Drizzt frowned and stared hard at her. "Your Drow is quite good, lady druid." She caught the way he was staring at her and shivered.
"He responds to it easier than Elvish or Common."
He moved closer to Arcite and walked alongside the stallion. "Have you spent some time in the Underdark?"
"Some time, yes. It was how I aquired Taerth as my companion. He saved my life." She was glossing over a few things, but she was unsure as to how the ranger would react to seeing one of the females of his race on the surface.
Suddenly Regis shifted in her arms. "You feel thin and uncomfortable, like an elf. Are you an elf, Del'Fayne?"
"Aye, I am an elf."
Drizzt lifted an eyebrow. "If so, then why are you tolerant of my presence? Elves and Drow aren't exactly kissing cousins."
She let out a sardonic chuckle. "I know your reputation, dear ranger." Handing Regis the reins, she began uncinching her gauntlet, and slipping it off. Her eyes widened as she realized she hadn't put her glove on under it. She quickly pulled her arm back behind Regis. Slipping it off quickly, she pulled on a leather riding glove, then took the reins back in her left hand.
They arrived at the cave in silence. Drizzt seemed pleased enough with the location and reached up to help Regis and Del down from Arcite's back. She let out a pained moan as her feet hit the ground. Drizzt steadied her. "We'll need to take a look at that injury."
She pulled away from him. "No. I can tend it myself." She opened her saddle bag and pulled out a bundle of medical supplies. "There is a stream not far from here. I am going there to tend my wounds and freshen up."
"Should ye really go alone?" Catti-brie asked. Her voice full of concern.
"I won't be alone. Taerth will accompany me. How do you think I've managed to travel so far.." She made to walk away, but stopped at Arcite's snort. "Oh I am sorry." Reaching out she scratched the velvety nose. "Would someone see to Arcite? I do not think I could brush him down in my condition."
Drizzt nodded. "I can do it."
"Thank you." She slipped away into the woods towards the stream she knew was only a short walk away. This would have to be quick, lest one of them see her. Standing before the stream she quickly stripped off her cloak, jerkin, and tunic. Her ebony skin hid the bruise, but she could tell it covered most of her right side. She pulled off her gloves and sat down before gently probing the area with her fingers. She let out a gasp as she found not one, but two cracked ribs. "Well, it could have been worse."
It had taken a lot for her to remain stioc about her injuries around the companions, but now that she was alone, the tears fell freely. With a wince, she knelt down and pulled out the herbs she had brought. She worked the fragrant herbs into a poultice that made her skin tingle as she applyed it to the affected area. Finally she wrapped long strips of cloth around her entire torso, securing them under her arm with a clasp. As she reached for her shirt, a noise behind her made her freeze. She heard a strangled gasp and turned to see Catti-brie staring slack-jawed at her.
Not wanting to startle the girl any more, she slowly pulled her shirt on and stood up. "What are you doing here?"
"Ye had been gone awhile and Drizzt sent me to check."
"I'm not going to hurt you.."
Catti-brie nodded. "I know, but why didn't ye tell us ye're a drow?"
She shook her head. "I guess out of habit, and I didn't know how Drizzt would react to seeing another of his kind.."
"Ye have to tell the others.."
"Aye, I will." She picked up her cloak and sachel. "We should go back before they get impatient and send another search party." The women shared a laugh and headed back to the campsite. Del pulled her cloak back on. "Should probably not just appear out of nowhere.."
"Good idea."
The two emerged from the woods to the apparent relief of the rest of the group. "You found her. Are you both alright?" Drizzt asked, emerging from the cave followed closely by the others.
"Ye had us worried, girl. Wanderin' off to tend yer own wounds like that." Bruenor grumbled.
"Sorry. Um, there is something you all need to know about me...when Regis asked me if I wan an elf...I kind of... left something out."
"What might that be?" Drizzt lifted an eyebrow.
"This." She reached up and pulled her hood down, shaking out her white hair. "I'm drow."
A/N : Woo. I like this start much better than the other one. I know some things may be a little off, but it will get better. If there are any suggestions to amke the tale more interesting..feel free to let me know.