I don't own The Forgotten Realms or Drizzt and his friends. Those belong to Ed Greenwood and the inimitable R. A. Salvatore. This story is purely for my amusement and no money is being made from it. Enjoy the show!

Lost Soul

Chapter 2

That night once again found Drizzt crouching over the northern thieves' encampment. Earlier he had gone back to the caravan and had Cumber set up a defensible camp well west of the pass. As of now the bandits were unaware of the wagons' presence. The caravan had lost half a day's trek, but the arrangement made it much more likely for the group to make it through with minimal losses. Most of the guards were preparing to launch an attack on the larger band of thieves to the south, and Drizzt had given them orders to attack if either group began to stir. Before the assault though, the ranger intended to make sure the bandits could not start that avalanche and block the pass. The caravan would lose much more than half a day trying to clear all that rubble.

Slipping the onyx figurine from his pouch, the drow dropped the magical item to the ground and called Guenhwyvar. A familiar gray mist arose around the statuette and coalesced into the form of a magnificent panther. The great cat pricked her ears as her friend motioned for silence. She stretched her sculpted muscles and slipped invisibly into the trees. Drizzt sent her to scout the perimeter of the camp while he silently made his way to the pile of boulders on the edge of the cliff.

The bandits were blissfully unaware of any other presence in the valley and had not stationed a guard near the rigged stones. The rocks were held in place by a wall of rough logs; a rope was tied around several large trees and secured to the top of the wooden wall. The boulders could be released into the gorge by slicing the ropes. Guen returned while Drizzt was still inspecting the contraption. The ranger considered the large feline; she was alert but not agitated. The thieves, then, were not particularly active.

He motioned for her to stand guard while he began strategically wedging several large rocks and logs against the wall. It was hard work. Drow were not especially strong, and he had to do this without making too much noise. When he was finished Drizzt knew that a determined effort by the thieves could still collapse the wall, but the drow was satisfied that it would take more than a few minutes. Hopefully that would give him time to deal with this smaller group. Content with his work, Drizzt returned to the edge of the bandit camp with Guenhwyvar in tow.

X X X X X X

The experienced Guard-Captain struggled to suppress his agitation. He and eighteen of his men were concealed a significant distance away from the southern group of bandits. This was as near as he dared bring these particular guards to the enemy camp; they simply were not woodsmen enough to get closer without raising an alarm. His half-dozen scouts had managed to secret themselves very near the camp. With any luck their bow cover would confuse the bandits long enough for the rest of the guards to close once the excitement started.

He scratched his thinning hair and sighed. He had agreed with the ranger's plan, but it would still be a difficult fight. There were thirty bandits in this camp, which meant they had almost a third more men if you added that number to the northern camp. Truly it was unusual for outlaws to gather in such numbers. It was possible that this large grouping was a unique case, but the captain's gut shouted otherwise. Gavin hoped that any captives they took would clear up the mystery.

He was given little chance to pursue that thought further as a shout rang out from the bandits' camp. The Guard-Captain swore; one of the scouts must have been spotted. He immediately ordered his men into action and sent a quick prayer to Mielikki, the patron goddess of rangers, that the drow had gotten into position in time.

X X X X X X

The small camp had left only one man to stand watch. That man faced westward, away from the fire, in an effort to preserve his limited night vision. Drizzt had stationed himself nearby, just outside of the fire's light. Guen was concealed in the trees. The two of them were supposed to begin the ambush by striking at this camp; the noise would then alert the guards that it was time to make their own assault. However, one of the rogues had left the encampment, apparently to relieve himself, before they could attack.

Drizzt silently cursed as the alarm went up in the northern camp. He dropped a globe of darkness on the three still forms next to the fire just as the sentry relayed the alarm to his compatriots. The ranger immediately leapt out and engaged the watchman as Guenhwyvar pounced on the confused thieves just awakening inside the globe.

The surprised bandit looked in horror on the ebony-skinned drow elf. Drizzt took advantage of his opponent's shock by slicing in with Twinkle. The bandit just managed to parry the blue-glowing scimitar to the side and jumped backwards. The unbalanced thief was not quick enough to deflect the drow's other blade, and Icingdeath slipped between the bandit's ribs and into his lungs.

Drizzt turned just as a very frightened rogue ran from the darkness globe. This bandit did not seem to notice the ranger's race as he instinctively chopped his axe at the drow's head. Drizzt easily ducked the blow and stabbed Twinkle in under his opponent's right armpit. The thief reeled to the side, but the wound was not immediately fatal. The thief swung a two-handed swipe towards the elf's midsection. The ranger dodged further to the bandit's right and deflected the blow towards the ground. Now standing nearly behind the thief, Drizzt plunged Icingdeath into the bandit's kidney. The thief screamed in anguish and fell to the ground.

Guenhwyvar emerged from the darkness shortly after Drizzt finished off the second rogue. Drizzt started to send her after the missing bandit, but was deflected from this by the clamor of the fighting to the west. It sounded as if the guards sorely needed the help of both of them. Growling in frustration, the ranger sent Guen racing towards the large melee and then quickly followed her.

X X X X X X

When the guards reached the main enemy camp, they found that the scouts had been pinned down behind the trees, and the bandits had armed themselves and were on the offensive. At least one scout was already down. Gavin's men charged into the fight, promptly sending the roughly organized bandits into confusion. Outnumbered, and deprived of the total surprise they had intended, the caravan guards knew that chaos could only aid them.

The captain ordered his men to engage the thieves in melee combat, hoping to give his scouts the opportunity to put their bows to good use. Forced into melee himself, Gavin swung his two-handed sword at an approaching outlaw and felt the expected parry. Quick as lightning, Gavin drove his heel into his enemy's stomach and then freed his blade. The pained bandit recovered speedily and forced Gavin's next strike to the side, then he powered forward in an attempt to trip the captain on the uncertain terrain. Gavin back stepped once and drove his knee into his opponent's groin; the bandit groaned in pain and curled around his midriff. Gavin clouted the bandit on the skull with his heavy sword hilt. The thief's eyes rolled back into his head, and he dropped like a rock.

The captain ducked as an arrow grazed his bicep. He rose quickly as another bandit absorbed his attention. This one was far more skilled than the other, and, judging by his finer armor and weapons, he was a leader amongst the group. The thief thrust his long sword towards Gavin's heart, and the captain was forced to parry. With his strong wrists, Gavin brought his great sword back up inside the bandit's reach and nearly sliced the thief's throat. The bandit leader backed away from the cut and knocked Gavin's blade aside.

Gavin avoided a kick and blocked the next slash with his sword. He used his leverage to push the bandit back off-balance and swept a powerful double-handed blow across at shoulder height. In desperation the bandit threw himself backwards onto the ground and rolled to avoid a downward strike. He slashed his long sword at Gavin's leg as the thief tried to create time to regain his feet. Gavin could not completely avoid the slash, and the thief left a long but shallow slice across the captain's thigh. Gavin took only a few seconds to recover from the sting, but it was enough for the rogue to reclaim his footing.

The bandit leader had apparently had enough of this game of cat and mouse; he came at Gavin in a controlled fury. The captain backed desperately from the wicked attacks but could find no opening for a counter; it was all he could do to keep the lethally darting blade away.

X X X X X X

The tree limbs provided a twisting runway for Guenhwyvar as she scampered towards the frantic battle. She joined the fray by leaping onto the back of an enemy archer and crushing the man to the ground. Her maw clamped around his throat, and he soon stopped struggling. Guen then dove into the main concentration of enemy fighters and slashed to either side with her powerful claws. She tore through the grouped bandits, causing copious amounts of panic but little real damage.

Drizzt tarried not far behind the magical panther, thanks to his enchanted anklets. Still running full out, he used his momentum to dash up the side of a large maple and into its branches; then he ran along its lower limbs and stopped seamlessly just above another archer. Sheathing Twinkle, he gracefully crouched down and grabbed the limb; then he swung out and around the bandit, Icingdeath artfully slicing through the rogue's windpipe and jugular before the thief even knew that the ranger was there. Drizzt landed in perfect balance, again drawing Twinkle. The agile drow slipped effortlessly through the fray, cutting tendons and hamstrings, slicing through key armor straps, doing whatever he could to add to the confusion on his first pass.

He exited the other side of the melee and took a moment to note the scouts, now taking careful aim with their bows to remove particular opponents from the fight. Drizzt smiled grimly and started to rejoin the battle when he noticed Gavin's dilemma. Reaching into his magical drow body he grasped his innate powers and lined the bandit leader with harmless, purple-glowing flames.

"Scouts! Take that one in the leg if you can!" Drizzt was unsure whether they were marksmen enough for that, but at least they would give the lead rogue something else to think about. Having done what he could for the captain, Drizzt reentered the combat.

X X X X X X

The bandit started severely when he suddenly found himself sprouting flames. His enemy immediately pounced on the opening and attacked the distracted thief. The bandit instinctively blocked the attack; since he was not in pain he chose to ignore the magical lights. He started a counter offensive but was forced to dodge a low-flying arrow. He jumped back to avoid another swipe of the sword and grimaced as another arrow narrowly missed his leg. Understanding now that the flames made him an excellent target, he darted back and forth in an attempt to keep the captain between him and the bow fire.

Gavin carefully tracked his opponent's movements; he understood that the thief's critical position would soon force him to move in a sudden an unusual attack. The captain made a measured thrust and pressed forward and to the right, once again exposing his enemy to the archers. He watched the light change in his opponent's eyes, and knew the unusual attack was coming. Gavin pivoted to the right just as the bandit extended himself forwards and slightly left in a thrust of his own which unexpectedly exposed his entire right side to the archers. With his enemy's blade uselessly extended, and himself safely on the bandit's left, Gavin struck the base of the rogue's skull with the flat side of his great sword.

The bandit leader crumpled to the ground.

X X X X X X

Drizzt had maneuvered his way to Guenhwyvar's side, and they now fought seemingly as one unit. The ranger's partner complemented his every move, and the bandits were soon fleeing the deadly pair. Drizzt and Guen had no intention of letting them get away. They raced after the outlaws, knocking out opponents or herding them back towards the main fight. Then, to Drizzt's ultimate horror, the bandits turned on each other as they realized that they would not be allowed to escape.

The captain immediately ordered the guards to knock the thieves unconscious, but their was very little they could do. The band of thieves determinedly slaughtered their own and forced the caravan guards to keep their distance. When the dust settled only two of the bandits remained alive; having been dropped earlier they were missed in the closing fracas.

Drizzt and Gavin regarded each other in utter bewilderment; the captain shook his head in disbelief. Whatever else they had been, these had not been ordinary bandits.

X X X X X X

Lotis had been lucky enough to be out of the camp when the attack struck. As soon as he had heard the commotion he had raced back, only to find that his four companions had been efficiently killed. There was no overlooking the brutal fight that was taking place down the valley, but the lone thief could not possibly get there in time to make any sort of difference. If the rest of the attackers were as skilled as the one who had decimated his own camp, there was no possible way that his band would prevail. And Lotis had glimpsed the black skin of the assassin as he ran off; only a fool would willingly tangle with drow elves.

The thief decided it was a good time to leave his companions. They would escape or not without his help. He thought to set off the rockslide and slow any pursuers, but he found that someone had tampered with the trap. There was no time to fix it now; Lotis' best strategy was to slip away and report this debacle to their master. Perhaps the thief would be forgiven the failure.


Any ideas about what is going on? Please don't forget to review. Tell me, please, about any grammar or spelling errors. I really hate those. Thank you for reading; I hope you enjoyed it.