DISCLAIMER:
It is the desire of the author of this work of fiction that it be known that she does not hold any copyright over any of the Forgotten Realms characters or places included in her work (i.e. Drizzt Do'Urden, Guenhwyvar, Cattie-brie, Regis, Dove Falconhand, Kellindil, Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon, Harkle and the rest of the Harpells, Bruenor Battlehammer, Wulfgar, Roddy McGristle, Ellifain, the organization of Bregan D'aerthe, and the cities of Silverymoon, Luskan, Calimport, Waterdeep, Balder's Gate, Mithril Hall, Menzoberranzan and Icewind Dale, and the associated weapons and possessions) although she wishes she did.
There are several characters, places and weapons, however that only have come to life from her ideas they are as follows: Thalion Ellesar, Ornlu the astral wolf, the Fang-Cleaver (Caragrist), The Lost Grove and Waterfall, Fletcher Ravenmane, Hawthorne Pickett, D'Aron d'lil D'Issan, Barachiel Elentari, Hélène Volhard, Alkar Hammerhand, and Gaya Banazir. (Granted some of these haven't shown up yet, but…)
Loff'ta Nos'tangi (Happy Birthday in Drow)
The sunlight filtered through the trees in the forest, shading the spot where Thalion lay. Her dark hair reflected the sunlight as she ran her hand through it. This was her special place, in the edge of Silverwood, nearly to the Evermoors, just to the southwest of Silverymoon. She came here everyday that she could spare, which was becoming a rare occurrence. She opened her emerald eyes and rolled over. She could see her horses grazing down near the stream that ran to meet the River Rauvin. She sighed. Such is the fate of the first god-child of Lady Alustriel, she thought. I had better be getting back, or she will be worried. After all, tomorrow is my birthday. Thalion smiled. It wasn't everyday that an elf turned twenty-five. She knew that they would be having some sweet confection that the Harpells had promised they would be bringing. And presents! There would be presents!
She stood quickly and brushed off the grass from her breeches, pushed her hair behind her pointed ears, and whistled. "Thoron! Lach! Quessiel! Come on let's go home!" The three horses threw up their heads and whinnied as they trotted over to her. Thalion picked up her gear and saddled up Quessiel. The small grey mare's feet shifted with excitement, and she tossed her head. Thalion called Thoron over and loaded the heavier of the two packs on him. She had spent the majority of the morning gathering various herbs and spices to be used in the kitchens and in some of the wizard's and cleric's spells. The sandy brown stallion stretched his head back and pulled a mouthful of mint leaves out of the pack. "Hey! Don't eat too much of that!" Thalion cried, "It will make you have an upset stomach!" Thoron cocked his head to the side and promptly spit out the glob of half-chewed mint. He shook his head and sneezed. Now all she had to do was load the smaller pack on Lach. She knew this would prove to be a chore.
The chestnut gelding was currently trotting circles around the other two horses. Thalion shook her head and sighed. "Lach, come here boy," she called softly. The gelding stopped and slowly approached her. She reached into the bag and pulled out a small cube of sugar. She laid it in the flat of her palm and laughed as Lach's whiskers tickled her hand as he lipped it up. "That's a good boy!" she told the gelding as she slipped his pack back on him and tightened the girth strap. She turned and climbed into Quessiel's saddle. She checked her bag and made certain that the three kittens it contained were still sleeping. She strung her bow and adjusted her quiver so that it was within easy reach. After all of her gear was mentally checked, she turned back to the shady tree where she had been napping. "Come on now Hwesta, we need to go home."
High in the branches a shadow shifted and moved as the mother cat climbed to the ground. She yawned and stretched her dark striped body in the grass, and leaped onto Quessiel's saddle in front of Thalion. The elven maiden absentmindedly stroked her cat, as she gently kneed Quessiel in the direction of Silverymoon.
She ate in the saddle, as they passed through Silverwood, and on toward Silverymoon. To her right she found the Nether Mountains as she followed the Rauvin River north. Thalion glanced over her left shoulder back to glimpse Thoron and Lach easily keeping pace with the fleet footed Quessiel. Lach was running easily, with his neck slightly arched and his tail flying behind him like a banner. Thalion smiled at the young gelding's antics. He ran next to Thoron and began bucking and twisting. The older stallion easily sidestepped the wild gelding and threw his head high to neigh. Lach quickly picked up the pace, and Thoron matched him easily. Thalion laughed as both horses raced past Quessiel in a dead heat. She guessed that this match would be a close one. Thoron had a longer stride, but Lach was younger. Thalion tightened her grip on Quessiel's reins. "Noro lim, Quessiel! Noro lim!" Those were the words that the small grey mare wanted to hear.
Thalion crouched low in the saddle as the diminutive mare gathered her muscles under them, then exploded. They easily caught up to the other two and ran on ahead of them. Thalion allowed the horses to run on for a few moments, until she could see the twisted spires in the distance. She called for them to slow. Thoron and Quessiel did so obediently, but Lach ran on for a few paces until he realized that the others had stopped. Thalion shook her head and laughed at the silly gelding. She dismounted and checked to make certain that the packs were still secure on the horses and climbed back into the saddle. After checking on the kittens in her pack, something caught her eye. She turned Quessiel halfway around and blinked wide at what she saw.
The silver creatures stood at the edge of the woods. They resembled horses; except they had cloven hooves and a single spiral horn grew from their foreheads. Unicorns! Thalion found it hard to breathe. There was nothing that was as beautiful as a unicorn in all of the Realms. Yet Thalion did not see just one unicorn in front of her, she saw two! She had discovered a mare and her foal. "By Mielikki," she breathed. The unicorns watched her intently. Thalion was afraid to move; she didn't want to scare them away. She nearly screamed when Lach whinnied and trotted toward the beautiful creatures. The horses can see them too! I'm not seeing things! Thalion sat quietly on Quessiel to see what Lach and the unicorns would do. The chestnut gelding stopped a few paces from the pair and whinnied again. This time, he received an answer.
The foal whinnied back and trotted out to meet him. Thalion smiled broadly. Until the end of her days, she was hard pressed to find a more adorable image than that of her silly gelding nose to nose with a unicorn foal. She gently called Lach back to her side. She wheeled Quessiel around and gently kneed the mare forward. She turned to look over her shoulder, and the silver pair had disappeared. Thalion smiled.
They entered Silverymoon a few moments later, crossed the Moonbridge and smiled at the guards. They nodded and waved back at her in response. "We wish you a happy birthday for tomorrow, in case we don't get to see you, Lady Thalion!" one of the guards shouted to her. "Thank you Eradan," she called back over her shoulder, "although I do hope that I see you tomorrow!" The burly man always seemed to be on duty when Thalion returned from one of her treks to Silverwood, and she had become rather attached to the proud guard. It had been this sandy-haired man that had given Thalion the small grey striped kitten that he had found afloat in the Rauvin near the entrance to Silverymoon. "How fares Hwesta?" Eradan called after her. She waved back as she told him, "The kittens grow more each day, and she is the most caring mother I have ever seen." Although he was quite a distance away, Thalion could see he was beaming.
Thalion and her horses entered the "Gem of the North" and headed up the main avenue and continued in the direction of the High Palace. They passed many merchants along the avenue, and as the crossed through the Market Thalion stopped to talk with several. They continued on their way and turned down the wide alley that lead to Lady Alustriel's stables near the rear of the High Palace, behind the Silver Throne. Lach and Thoron tossed their heads and whinnied at the other horses that were in the stable. Several replies welcomed the troupe home. Thoron entered his stall and stood patiently. Thalion dismounted from Quessiel as Hwesta lithely hopped to the ground and disappeared into the hay to search for mice. She laid the kittens on a bed of hay and removed the bridle and saddle. She rubbed the mare down, and went to Thoron and eased his pack off his back. After she had rubbed the older stallion down, she removed Lach's pack and rubbed the gelding down. She fed and watered her horses and set to work on cleaning her tack. She polished the saddle, with its many twisting wines embroidered into the leather. It along with its matching bridle and saddle pad had been one of her birthday presents from her god-mother last year. Lach had been another.
Thalion smiled as she thought back to last year's celebration. Her god-mother had held a private party and surprised her with the spindly legged red colt. She had been so overjoyed, that she spent the night in the stable with him. Her grin grew as she thought of the events that had unfolded this afternoon. Her bumbling silly gelding had been nose to nose with a unicorn foal! She was so proud of him. She couldn't wait to tell her god-mother what had happened. She gathered her gear and scooped up the kittens that were wrestling in the sweet smelling hay and headed toward the kitchens to get something to eat. She walked slowly out of the stable and for the first time noticed that there were several other horses in the stalls that did not belong to Lady Alustriel.
Some of them she recognized immediately as those belonging to the Harpells, the wizard family that lived in Longsaddle. There was a well groomed black stallion, one shaggy grey pony, and a small brown mare stabled next to Lach that she knew she had seen before, but she couldn't quite place them. She recognized Dove Falconhand's grey stallion, and the other horses that belonged to her adventuring party. There were also several finely boned horses that Thalion placed as elvish mounts from Moonwood. Her relatives had arrived! She hadn't seen them very often since her father's murder and even rarely after her mother's passing.
Thalion's father had been an elvish archer of great renown. He had accompanied Lady Alustriel's sister, Dove Falconhand, on many adventures. Kellindil had seen barely sixty years before he was slain by Roddy McGristle, a human bounty hunter that was on the trail of the renegade drow elf, Drizzt Do'Urden. He died only seeing his daughter's face once. His wife, Anariel, lived on for a few years, but as the soul-partner of a surface elf dies, the soul of the mate dies. Anariel surprised many of her kin by living on for several years. Yet, those years changed her beautiful mother greatly. By the time she finally died, her sparkling hair had lost its normal golden sheen and her blue-green eyes that once shone like the stars, seemed empty. Thalion missed her mother greatly, and although she had barely known her father, she missed him even more because of that fact.
Although a human had killed her father, she harbored no hatred for the race. She knew through tales her mother told her, tales from Dove Falconhand, and then more recently Lady Alustriel that the twisted Roddy McGristle had become so overwhelmed with his obsession to kill Drizzt, that when her father stood in his way the mountain man had slew Kellindil without blinking. Her father had died defending a friend, and not many surface elves could call one of their cousins from the Underdark a friend. Kellindil was the first surface elf that the rogue drow had met when he entered the world of light, and after the light elf learned of this strange dark elf's actions in rescuing Dove Falconhand's party, Kellindil knew he had met a true friend. Although their paths had not crossed directly after their initial encounter, Kellindil, along with his kin followed Drizzt until he met up with the blind ranger, Montolio DeBrouchee, known to his friends as Mooshie. His cousins watched the drow throughout his stay with the ranger and reported back to Kellindil that Mooshie was teaching the dark elf the way of Mielikki, the Lady of the Forest. Nothing brought the archer more joy to hear that news, aside from the birth of his own daughter. He visited his family quickly to see his wife and child and returned with his cousins to watch over Mooshie's Grove and the dark elf.
After the defeat of Ulgulu, Kempfana, Caroak, Graul and the hordes they lead against the blind ranger and the rogue drow, Kellindil apprehended Roddy McGristle. He was only a day away from turning the traitorous mountain man over to the authorities in Maldobar, when the quickling Tephanis released the burly man and aided him in killing Thalion's father. The murdered elf's body was found just a few weeks later by Dove Falconhand and the remainder of her adventuring party. By that time, Roddy McGristle and Tephanis had made their way nearly to the Spine of the World hot on the trail of the drow. Kellindil was mourned by Silverymoon, where he had first met Lady Alustriel. The Silver Lady had been invited along with her sisters to see the elf's new born daughter, and they were made her god-mothers. After Kellindil's and Anariel's deaths, Dove Falconhand had come to Moonwood and took the young Thalion with her back to Silverymoon where Lady Alustriel had offered to watch over the young elf until she was able to take care of herself. Thalion's kin had agreed wholeheartedly. There was no safer place than by the Lady Alustriel's side in Silverymoon. Thalion learned many things in the great city. She attended the University of Silverymoon, where she learned much about the magical arts, and she was privately tutored by the Knights of Silver, Lady Alustriel's elite knights, in the arts of battle. "For all good and goodly folk!" was their creed, and in turn Thalion had adopted that as her own. The Knights in Silver had adopted her as she was their own daughter, which they considered as a responsibility to the murdered Kellindil. Many elves were included in the ranks of the Knights, and all of the Knights had known the elven archer.
Father. She shook her head and wiped the moisture from her eyes. I shouldn't be doing this, she thought. I loose track of the time when I mourn the past. The kittens squirmed in her arms as she entered the palace. She gently put the kittens down on the floor and giggled as they pounced on each other and wrestled. She walked up the stairs and slowed at the top, waiting for the kittens to scale the steps. The three followed her like puppies down the hall and into her room. They clambered up into the bed and dug under the covers, as she put the contents of her pack away and drew out a change of clothes and a towel. "You three stay here until I come back. It will just take me a minute."
Thalion gathered the scented oils she needed for her bath and went down the hall to the bathing chamber. She heated the water she needed and poured the oils in. Soon the entire room smelled like a meadow filled with wildflowers. Thalion sat in the warm water and scrubbed her body and washed her hair. When she had finished, she climbed out and dried off. She put on her change of clothes and went back to her room. The kittens were asleep in the covers, she noticed and a smile crossed her face as she tiptoed out of the room.
She went back down the stairs and headed in the direction of her god-mother's chambers. It was after the work of the day was finished and she knew that she wouldn't interrupt any city business. She turned the corner and entered Lady Alustriel's audience chamber as she ran her hand through her still damp hair. "There you are," said her god-mother, "we've been waiting for you." Thalion stopped and looked up.
Lady Alustriel's audience chamber was nearly full. The Harpells were seated together off to the left, her elvish family sat directly across from them on the right side of the room. Her kin nodded and several of the wizard family waved at her including her new friend, Hélène Volhard. The young blonde sorceress smiled winked at Thalion from where she sat next to Harkle Harpell. Dove Falconhand, one of her other god-mothers, sat on Lady Alustriel's left. Dove and her adventuring party were busy talking to the group that was across from them on her sister's right. The ranger was excitedly talking to the auburn haired woman that sat between the drow elf and the round halfling.
"Regis, Drizzt and Cattie-brie!" Thalion exclaimed, "What are you doing here?" They stopped talking with Dove Falconhand, and Cattie-brie spoke first. "Well, we hear ye have a birthday a comin', and bein' that we're such close neighbors we figured that a birthday was somethin' that merited at least a visit." The rest of the gathering laughed, because although Mithril Hall was not very far away from Silverymoon, the woman did not consider the underground city her home. She, Drizzt and Regis lived in the far northern reaches of the Realms, just before the Sea of Moving Ice, in a place called Icewind Dale. "And we hear," piped the halfling next to her, "that Silverymoon has absolutely the best parties. We had to make certain that the rumors were true." That drew another chuckle from the rest of the group. Regis "Rumblebelly" only smiled.
After Thalion recovered from her excitement, she asked, "Did you really all come to see me, and to celebrate my birthday?" Drizzt answered her, "It is not everyday that you will turn twenty five. We are hear to help you remember that day, and to help you celebrate." The dark elf smiled and his younger counterpart. She looks so much like Ellifain, Drizzt lamented, so very much like her. Ellifain was the moon elf that Drizzt had saved from his murderous kin on his first surface raid. By saving the young surface elf, Drizzt fell from Lloth's favor and disgraced his family. He had met her for the final time just a few short months ago and had slain her in combat, while she was wearing a mask to hide her identity. If he had known the truth, he would have never raised his scimitars against her but she came to him disguised as a male elf, and threatening his friends. The drow shook his head sadly, and his lavender eyes wore a pained expression. Cattie-Brie gently placed her hand on Drizzt's ebon skinned arm, and he placed his hand over hers. He cleared his throat and smiled, "Besides, Guenhwyvar has wanted to see you again." The black panther stood up beside Drizzt where she had been laying at Lady Alustriel's feet. Thalion smiled sheepishly at Drizzt as she looked at her god-mothers. They only smiled in return, although Thalion knew that Drizzt had told them of how Guenhwyvar had rescued the girl from a band of lycanthropes in Silverwood. The were-people would have most certainly killed Thalion if Guenhwyvar and Drizzt had not happened upon the scene and drove off the People of the Black Blood. Guenhwyvar's muscles rippled as she paced over to Thalion's side. Thalion knelt down and scratched the giant panther's head. "Thanks, Guen," she whispered into the cat's ear. Guenhwyvar purred loudly and lay down at her feet.
Thalion sat down cross-legged on the floor next to Guenhwyvar and looked back at her silver haired godmother. "What are we doing? I thought the party was tomorrow," she asked. Dove Falconhand answered, "We had planned to celebrate tomorrow, but several things have happened that called for all of our attention," she paused and glanced at Drizzt. "The trolls in the Evermoors are on the move," the dark elf said casually. "I thought that perhaps we had stirred them up somehow when we skirted the northern edge on our quick trip to Mithril Hall before we came here. I sent Regis and Cattie-brie on ahead and scouted with Guenhwyvar for several nights." He paused as a bout of whispering broke out. "What did you discover Drizzt?" asked one of the Moonwood elves.
The drow smiled and continued, "It was as I had feared Gilraen," Drizzt nodded to the Moonwood elf and continued, "The trolls were on the move although I could not determine their purpose. I hope observe them more soon." Cattie-brie interrupted, "And whatever Drizzt discovers, there's at least a thousand dwarves that are right and ready to smash on somethin' and by my Da's reckonin' troll splatters just as good as anythin' else." Drizzt and Thalion smiled as the rest of the gathering laughed. The tale of King Bruenor Battlehammer's slaying of the dark dragon Shimmergloom and his flaming ride on the beast's back to the bottom of Garumn's Gorge had been heard by all that were present. Cattie-brie's adopted father was known to be tough as the mountain's roots, and twice as strong.
"We have heard reports from our scouts that the dire wolves have been out hunting in the daylight," said Gilraen, the elf that had spoken to Drizzt earlier. Drizzt and Dove Falconhand both were frowning. Both seasoned rangers knew that it was very rare to see the large voracious wolves moving about in the sunlight. The dire wolves favored the night, and Drizzt mentally likened the situation to drow elves hunting in the day. The rest of the gathering nodded knowingly. Lady Alustriel spoke next, "My Knights in Silver have also reported that they have seen more movement from the goblin and orc clans that live to the north of Silverymoon in the Nether Mountains. We have sent scouts to the east, and to the other communities in the Silver Marches, but as of yet they have nothing to report."
Thalion's brows furrowed and she frowned. That's what mission Barachiel has gone on then. Barachiel Elentari was to Thalion, an older sister. She had been Thalion's first servant when she arrived in Silverymoon, and as time had passed, they grew closer than sisters could. The dark haired, blue eyed Barachiel was always there to listen to whatever Thalion had to say, and she gave the best advice. As a Knight in Silver, Barachiel defended her city with her life. Often at night she and Thalion could be found walking the grounds of the High Palace or in the practice hall sharpening their skills. Yet, recently, Barachiel had been asked to head a scouting mission to the northern reaches of the Silver Marches, and she could not tell Thalion where she was going and when she would return. "By your birthday," she had promised the day the Knights had ridden north from Silverymoon. Yet Thalion frowned; her birthday was tomorrow.
"We have passed through many of the areas in question," said Dove Falconhand, "and we have witnessed the same as the scouts have reported. Cattie-brie, what of the deep tunnels of Mithril Hall? Has there been any activity in the depths of the mines that might shed light on our situation here on the surface?"
The auburn haired woman shook her head, "No activity has been reported to me Da' since we passed through yesterday. But, if there is somethin' goin' on, yer sister will be the first to know." Lady Alustriel smiled at Cattie-brie, "Thank you, dear friend. The alliance that is maintained between Mithril Hall and Silverymoon is no small thing. There will be many threats to the peace that we wish to maintain here in the Silver Marches. I agree that there is something larger going on that we cannot see the root of; we will need to continue to remain vigilant as we have in the past." The company nodded and spoke amongst themselves.
All remembered the Battle of Mithril Hall where Lady Alustriel had sent a large contingent of her Silver Knights and then had personally participated in the defense of the Hall against the assault of the drow from Menzoberranzan, firing on the dark elves from her flaming chariot. When the drow had invaded Mithril Hall, Thalion had only been in Silverymoon for a few short weeks, and now it had been her home for nearly fifteen years. Time most certainly had passed.
It was Regis that interrupted their musings about the past. "I'm certain that Thalion was most certainly interested in all of our ramblings, but on the subject of her birthday, perhaps we should be celebrating." Thalion beamed. "If we are to be celebrating," Regis continued, "I want to present the first gifts." The halfling reached down into his pack that sat at his feet. "The first one is from the Eighth King of Mithril Hall. King Bruenor Battlehammer sends his congratulations and wishes you many more happy and healthy years Lady Thalion." Thalion rolled up to her knees in front of Regis and took the heavy package from the halfling's chubby fingers. She sat it gingerly on the carpet and unwrapped it carefully. She lifted the contents for all to see. Dove Falconhand nodded her approval, "Mithril chain mail. Let Bruenor know that we are most impressed and honored with his choice of a gift." Thalion smiled and threw her arms around Regis. "Tell him thank you for me! It is beautiful; like a silver stream, and I know it will protect me against anything." Regis smiled back at her, "You can tell him when you see him, because I've got a feeling that you will be able to soon." Thalion's brow furrowed and she frowned as she tried to determine what the halfling's cryptic words meant.
"This one's from me," Cattie-brie said as she passed the elven maiden a smaller, thin wrapped package. Thalion pulled the paper off of it rapidly. "She may not be Khazid'hea," Cattie-brie said as she patted the sword at her side, "but Drizzt assures me that the dagger that you now hold in your hands carries a legacy that is no less grand." Thalion turned the dagger over in her hands and admired the keen blade. Hello, Thalion, the blade sang. My name is Caragrist. I am the Fang-Cleaver. I hope to serve you well. As the blade sang to Thalion, its pommel began to take shape. It twisted and elongated and finally settled into the form of a prancing unicorn. "Don't worry," Drizzt said, "the shape of the pommel changes for each wielder. Cattie-brie's sword did the same thing when she first began to use it."
Drizzt smiled and continued, "Now for my gift." He pulled a small package from his pack and handed it to Thalion. "Open it carefully; Regis and I worked hard on this one." Inside of the paper Thalion found two delicately carved scrimshaw pieces from the knucklehead trout that lived in the lakes of Ten-Towns in Icewind Dale. One was of a unicorn's head and the other was a highly detailed acorn, the symbols of Mielikki and Shallia. "You can wear them as a necklace," Regis clarified, "They interlock back to back and you can take them with you wherever you may go." "The chain is made of mythril," Drizzt added, "to match your new armor. What's even better, Regis carved the pieces so perfectly, that when they lock together, you have a small flask. Just the perfect size to carry a small amount of water from a certain holy spring." Thalion nodded and smiled, such wonderful presents, and she hadn't even gotten anything from the Harpells, her kin, or her godmothers.
After many stories were shared of how they first remember seeing her, the Harpells gave her enchanted boots that would keep her feet light and pace quick, no matter how far or long she traveled. Harkle had brought her a carry sack that contained an extra-dimensional enchantment that allowed her to fit nearly anything inside of it. She planted a quick kiss on Harkle's cheek and he gave her a fierce hug in return. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear, and he blushed deeply.
Her elvish family gave her a finely detailed quiver with a new bow to match. Dove Falconhand and her adventuring party brought her a concealment cape that allowed the wearer to nearly disappear if they were still and quiet enough. Her final gift came from Lady Alustriel.
Her godmother brushed a strand of silver hair out of her eyes, and cleared her throat. "This present will not be the largest or most impressive one that you have received this night, but I believe it may become the most valuable in the long run. I have seen many things in my years, and there is only one other like this gift that I know that currently exists." Whispers erupted from all over the gathering. Lady Alustriel smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Thalion, come here please."
The dark-haired elf stood and approached as she was asked. "Close your eyes and open your hands." Thalion did so obediently. Her god-mother placed a cold stone object in her hands and gently wrapped her fingers around Thalion's. "Now you may open them." Thalion blinked wide when her eyes opened and she looked at the gift. It was a small stone figurine made from a cloudy white colored stone.
The effigy was cool to her touch and as she turned it over in her hands, Thalion admired its craftsmanship. The canine face and pricked ears, the shining blue eyes, the full bushy tail, the strong powerful legs and nails, the ripples in its fur; the representation of the wolf was perfect. "His name is Ornlu," her god-mother said, after Thalion caught her breath. "As I understand it, he is like Drizzt's Guenhwyvar, so be certain to take good care of him." Thalion sat back down on the floor next to Guenhwyvar and laughed as the great cat sniffed the figurine, wrinkled up her nose and snorted. She turned back to Lady Alustriel, "Where did this come from? How did you find it, and why do you want me to have it?"
Her silver-haired godmother smiled. "It belonged to an old friend of mine, Ioreth, and with his death, he left it to me. The old fool was determined to find a battle he could not win, so he wandered into the mountains and found an entrance to the Underdark." She paused as a pained expression came across Drizzt's face. "Fear not, dear Drizzt. It was not the tunnel you used to come to the surface. Ioreth found one of many tunnels and plunged downward. He magically communicated with me many times on his journey, and I have his adventure recorded in one of the tomes in the Library." The gathering was listening to her every word. "There finally came a day which he did not contact me," tears rimmed the High Lady's eyes. "I traced him and found his body and possessions and brought them back here as he had wished." She wiped her eyes with a cloth and continued, "He was buried on the hillside where we first met, so long ago just outside of Silverymoon."
She paused and looked at Drizzt. "He had been killed not by a monster that haunts the Underdark, but by several drow. When I discovered his body, Ornlu was standing guard; and had he not recognized me at the last moment, he would have attacked me." Drizzt's brow furrowed, "As I understand Guenhwyvar, once the one who calls the astral beast is dead, the beast must return to the astral plane." Lady Alustriel nodded in agreement, "That has been my understanding as well, but despite the terrible wounds the wolf had sustained, I found him fiercely standing over his fallen master. I spent a long time in the Underdark calming the beast and finally convincing him that his loved master was gone. As he returned to the astral plane in a cloud of fog, he threw back his head and howled. I don't think that the creatures that lived in the Underdark knew what to make of that mournful, otherworldly sound." The Silver Lady paused, "I promised him that I would find him another companion that would love him as much as he loved his previous master. Thalion you are to be that companion. I have seen how you love your animals, even that silly spindly legged colt Lach."
The younger elf blushed at the compliment, yet she knew it to be true. Already she felt the stone figurine pull at her heart. Drizzt sat down next to her, "Perhaps you should call him," he smiled, "I know how Guen gets if I leave her there too long; I'm certain he's lonely." The panther rumbled and roared in protest. Thalion smiled, "Alright. I'll call him now." She placed the stone figurine on the floor. "Ornlu, come here boy."
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The silver wolf lay in the shadow of a large tree high up on a snowy mountain. He sleepily blinked his blue eyes and opened his mouth in a large, toothy yawn. He surveyed the landscape around him, searching for what had woken him. The astral spirit of a golden eagle rode the winds high about him, and further down the mountainside he could see several astral elf and sheep as they grazed. This was his home, and yet something was amiss in his paradise. He stood and shook the snow from his silver hide and sniffed the air. He could smell the bear that lived in the cave just a short way up the mountain as it slept, but nothing out of the ordinary was detected by his keen sense of smell. But his ears picked up something. He flicked them back and forth straining to hear the noise.
Someone had spoken his name, and he had recognized the voice. It was the woman that had sent him back and taken his master's body to where it belonged. Ornlu sat up eagerly, for he remembered that promise she had made him long ago to find him a new master. His heart nearly bust with joy when he heard the girl's voice call to him across the planes. With a broad smile on his canine face, he looked over his shoulder at his astral home as he happily bounded toward the tunnel.
**********
Thalion, Drizzt, and Guenhwyvar stood as the effigy was engulfed in fog. Shortly, the fog cleared and the silvery-white astral wolf stood in its place. Ornlu blinked his blue eyes as his eyes adjusted to the material plane. He heard the voice of his new master talking to him and petting him. As his eyes finally adjusted to the material plane, he looked around him. There was his new master, a young dark-haired elf, and beside was an older drow. A vicious snarl issued from deep within him. In a single bound, he placed himself between his master and the dark elf, only to be greeted by a snarling Guenhwyvar. The astral panther's hackles were raised and she roared loudly in his face. "No Ornlu! Drizzt and Guenhwyvar are our friends!" Thalion stood between the wolf and the panther.
Ornlu cocked his head to the side with a puzzled expression on his face, until Thalion finally figured out what was going on. "Drizzt, he thinks you killed his previous master. I'm sorry." She turned to the wolf, "Look at him Ornlu, does he look young enough to be your former master's murderer?" Cattie-brie, Regis and Dove Falconhand nearly fell to the floor in a fit of laughter as they saw the "Do I really look that old?" look cross Drizzt's face. The drow frowned and glared at his friends who only laughed harder. Ornlu sat back on his haunches and stared hard at his new master. She quickly sat down next to him. "It's okay Ornlu; I will protect you from now on. You must not think things are still like they were when your last master died. The world has changed greatly since that time." Lady Alustriel nodded in agreement, "Yes, Ornlu. Things most certainly have changed." The wolf wagged his tail at the Silver Lady and padded up to her side, where she scratched his ears. "I hope that you find Thalion to be a good master, and I hope that she finds you to be a worthy companion, because we have a job for you both."
END CHAPTER ONE
Okay you guys! I want your honest opinion. Please tell me what you think would make the story better, what needs to be changed, and if you feel that the Wizards of the Coast© characters ring true. Please tell me what you think! Any comments are welcome. I am still wrestling with the paragraph sizing & indention. (Any pointers on this?)
