This is the updated version of chapter 2. And a big round of thank yous to Darksoar who has graciously offered his services as an editor.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Drizzt Do'Urden series in any way, shape, or form. I do own the idea, if anyone else has also written this idea, I was not aware of it, so don't sue me for copying.

Chapter 2

Party of Sundabar

The Party of Sundabar, plus one, were stunned at this... thing, in front of them. It was a strange cross between an animal and what appeared to be a red goblin. It was huge, and very dead.

"Um... any guesses?" asked Dove.

"A crossbreed?" suggested Gabriel.

"Who in their right mind would breed with an animal?" questioned Darda, and then after a pause, "Or a goblin for that matter?"

"Okay, then what would you suggest?" replied Gabriel

Darda remained silent, he wasn't too sure either.

"It's a shapeshifter." Kellindil stated, "Killed in the middle of changing,"

"Then what killed it?" asked Gabriel.

Dove frowned. There were too many questions and not enough answers. She turned way in frustration, but something about the body caught her eye. Asking herself aloud, she said, "Are those claw marks? It must have been fighting something," When she went closer to investigate, she clarified, "Something big."

"A wolf or a cat?" asked Gabriel.

"A cat probably, a wolf's paws would have been too small to make these." Dove answered.

Roddy, who had been unusually silent up to this point, remarked, "The drow kept a cat, a black devil just like its owner!"

"Yes. We know he has a cat, you told us this already. But what purpose would the drow have for killing this creature?" Dove shot at him, having tired of his previous spiels of 'how it must be the drow this' or 'the devil did that'. No matter how much she might agree with him, there still had to be a legitimate reason before she could see it as a fact, let alone state it.

"What reason would a devil need to kill!" Roddy boomed back. The rest of the group sighed in exasperation, they did agree with him, to an extent. His answer was sound, if you didn't understand drow. True they were blood thirsty demons, but drow wouldn't just leave a kill lying around for someone to find, they were much too clever. So unless there was a plan for leaving it lying there, which no one could think of one to begin with, then it couldn't have been the drow's doing.

The group was aware of why Roddy was truly against the dark elf. Having heard the story from the villagers, it was a simple matter of pride, but none would say it to his face, he was an ally, an annoying one, but an ally nonetheless.

There was no need to cause contention within their party, not when they were going up against a race famed for its merciless, clever, and dark nature.

Guenhwyvar

Guenhwyvar was not happy, an hour had gone by with no sign of Drizzt waking up, there were others heading this way (she could hear them from within the cave, but their smell had yet to reach her). The torches had run out a long time ago; helping the panther to blend in with the darkness.

Guen wished she could get Drizzt and take him away from here, but she couldn't. She was slowly losing her strength, and even if the feline could get her friend out from the under the corpse, the voices were now too close to leave undetected.

She waited, hoping that they weren't a threat, and would just pass by. That hope didn't last long though, not when she heard the voice of a man that made her want to snarl. Her sense of smell only confirming her suspicions of who it was, as the strangers grew closer. She quickly relocated away from Drizzt, in the hopes that they would just see the corpse and not him. Moving to a better position of attack if, or when, necessary.

The Party

The group had gone farther up and reached a cave, the dog kept pulling in that direction and the tracks led right to it. Kellindil had already confirmed they belonged to the drow (silently confirming to the others, except Roddy, that it wasn't the impersonator that had the heavier set of footprints at the scene of the crime). They were beginning to be curious about this drow, who seemed to be alone, and was more and more likely to be uninvolved with the killing of the Thistledown family. Then why was he here and why was his weapon found at the scene of the crime. Who would want to make them think it was the dark elf? And why?

The others kept thinking this, but Kellindil's thoughts lay elsewhere. He was not too happy to be meeting a cousin of his race, even if the drow wasn't involved, he was still a cruel hardhearted being. The dark elf probably wished he could have participated. The sooner they were done with this mission the better.

As they neared the cave, they saw a giant's footprints leading away from the entrance. What would make a giant leave? They all drew their weapons as they looked into the entrance. They could see very little, until one lit a torch. As the party advanced they could see a scarlet corpse up ahead. Seeing no immediate danger they sheathed their weapons, but kept them near at hand. When they got closer a few of them were full of anger.

"A barghest whelp!" growled Fret, he may not be a traveler, but he did study.

"A what?" asked Roddy, frowning in confusion, currently ignoring his dog who kept sniffing around and tugging at his leash.

"A barghest is a creature who will leave their young in another realm where they can feed and grow." answered Dove, who then paused at her answer. "Feed... the family, the mother was fed upon."

"I keep telling you it was the drow!" Roddy barked.

Dove ignored him for now, focusing in on Gabriel who was no remembering the shapeshifter creature just earlier. "That would explain the other one earlier."

"Yes," Kellindil agreed.

"Don't ignore me!" Roddy growled, releasing the leash to his dog unintentionally. The hound instantly bolted toward the corpse.

It's barks were quickly joined by roars. The whole group froze. Before the dog could touch the corpse, a black panther had jumped out of the shadows and attacked it. A yelp was heard from the surprised canine as it flew away from its target. It landed near the group, and didn't get up. The only sound that could be heard was the growling of the panther. Kellindil drew an arrow and aimed toward the dark predator. "This must be the one who killed the shape shifter."

"If the panther is here, then the drow must be as well." Dove concluded, before continuing in a softer voice, "We need to think of a strategy before attac–"

Roddy charged the cat in fury. He just lost both dogs to the same cursed thing. He would get revenge no matter what now; the reward was just a bonus. If the panther was nearby then he could hurry up and kill that blasted dark elf.

"McGristle wait!" Dove cried, trying to stop him advancing, but she was too late.

Guenhwyvar

Guenhwyvar, who had been waiting, was just starting to relax, thinking they wouldn't find Drizzt, when suddenly the dog had come racing towards Drizzt's location, almost giving him away. She quickly lunged towards it, not caring that she was revealing herself. There was no way she would let the dog or it's owner find Drizzt in his helpless state. Roaring in anger she quickly pounced on the dog, biting his neck before shoving him away. She stared at her prey as they were now aware of her presence. The elf was training an arrow at her. She waited to see what would transpire. She didn't have to wait long as the one who had attacked her master before, came charging in.

She wouldn't have it any other way. The others she didn't smell as a threat (the elf was just unsheathing his claws in self defense), but this one, he was thick with it. She crouched and prepared to strike at him, only to be struck with an arrow. She roared in pain, the man who had charged had stopped in surprise, just out of reach of an easy kill. She roared again, this time in frustration. She backed up a little bit, in case she threatened the elf to aim somewhere other than her shoulder. She knew that shot was a warning to her. If the next one was fatal she would be forced back to her realm, leaving Drizzt unprotected. She needed to think about this.

Drizzt

Drizzt pulled out of the darkness of sleep. He was still weak, but not so much where he felt like he would collapse immediately. He couldn't understand where he was, nor why he couldn't move much. Then it rushed back to him, the battle, Guenhwyvar, the humans! He quickly bit back a cry. He had avenged them, he shouldn't be this sad, but he couldn't help feeling like it was his fault. He then heard a roar, a very close roar. 'Guenhwyvar!' He thought in panic.

Lifting his head as much as he could, he was able to see her right next to him, fur bristled up in angry. He tried to go to her, but he was still trapped. "Guen." He whispered, too weak to speak any louder. The cat, however; did hear him. She glanced towards him and could see he was awake. He saw her shift closer to him, still looking ahead.

Why was she on the defensive?

Then he saw the arrow in her shoulder. He let out a low growl as he tried to edge out, ignoring his aching ribs as he got an arm out from under the corpse.

His friend needed his help, Guen saw this and subtly backed up even more to put her hind paw in front of his exposed hand, preventing him from being seen by whoever was in front of her. He was curious as to why Guenhwyvar didn't want him to be noticed, then he could hear the voices, he didn't know what they were saying, and he couldn't lift his head up high enough to see in front of him yet.

He edged out a little more, trying to be as subtle as possible in moving the corpse. Now that it stiffened, some of its weight was now on its joints, making it easier for him to crawl out. Minding his ribs as he crawled, he finally moved forward enough to lifted his head and saw a group of four humans, a dwarf and... a surface elf!

The Party

The group was confused. Why did the cat just move in front of the dead barghest and take up a defensive position? None of them had heard the drow whisper to her... none except the elf.

Kellindil's sensitive ears had heard Drizzt's soft voice. His sharp eyes caught sight of a blood covered black hand behind the feline before it was hidden by a giant black paw. Kellindil grimaced. There, underneath the corpse, was the dark elf they had all been looking for.