They had started camp for he night and it was Catti-Brie's turn to gather fire wood for the night. She felt a splinter dig into the palm of her hand and sighed, "At least I don't have ta' do it every night." Dry wood was easier to find than it had been the past few nights since the rain had stopped and before long she had her arms full of dry timber. On her way back to camp she heard the snapping of twigs, a split second later the fire wood was on the ground and her sword Khazid'hea was out. Met with only silence she stood tense waiting for an attack that never came. Reluctantly she sheathed her sword and picked the fallen wood back up, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

She dropped the wood in front of Artemis, "Here ye go." She decided not to tell him about the noise, it was probably only rabbit or some other animal after all. As she watched him silently build a fire she let her mind wander, it was strange how travelling with wasn't horrible, and in fact was almost...pleasant. He didn't speak very much but she found she didn't mind, it gave her time to think. She had been lying when she said she needed to travel alone, in reality she needed to be with out Drizzt.

They had not left on the best of terms, out of some ridiculous sense of nobility he said he couldn't be with her. Said it would be cruel if they had children, how they would be ostracized by almost everyone and no amount of arguing would convince him otherwise. Catti-Brie tried to tell him that growing up in Mithral Hall they would be accepted and loved, but he was worried about the rest of the world. Part of her understood, it really did but a much larger part was hurt and angry that he would make that decision for her.

Artemis watched her with curious eyes, her emotions were as easy to read as an open book. Hands were clenched at her side, brows furrowed, and eyes filled with unshed tears he could tell something happened. He raised a brow questioningly, something she had learned meant he wanted to know what she was thinking, this time though she was too far gone to notice. He gave a barely audible sigh, "Who died?"

Her head jerked up confusion heavy in her eyes, "What are ye' talkin' about?" Artemis shook his head and waved his hand over her, as if it should be obvious. It was though she supposed and her head drooped dejectedly again, "Ah, no one I'm just goin' through a rough time." He gave her an understanding nod but didn't press any further, which she was grateful for.

The night was once again a cold one and as they had the past three nights they slept back to back. Only about an hour after falling asleep Catti Brie did something she had not done since their first night camping together, she rolled over and and nestled herself against Artemis' back. His eyes opened instantly but he didn't pull away, unwilling to sacrifice warmth for comfort that would change in an instant though as a slender arm snaked around his waist and pulled him closer

He sat up hastily, she was far too close for comfort. Her arm didn't loosen though, instead it tightened around him, she spoke so softly he almost couldn't hear her, "Don't leave me...please...." He tensed until realization hit him, she was still asleep. He sat like that for some time before he finally laid back down it took some time for him to finally drift back to sleep.

In the middle of the night Artemis started awake, he didn't hear anything but he could feel it, what ever it was near by. With a light shake he woke Catti-Brie just in time for a the 'it' to attack. A man with light brown hair, pale skin, and dark red eyes leapt through the shadows soon followed by a smaller blonde man, vampires. Almost instantly Charon's claw was in his hand and blocking the taller vampire's sword and was almost knocked from his hand by the strength of the blow.

The creature fought with raw strength but lacked any real finesse with a blade, Artemis feinted with his sword quickly drawing his dagger and stabbing it through the heart. The dagger slid easily between the ribs and pierced the heart, a look of horror and agony crossed the vampires face and he began to convulse. The vampires skin seemed to bleed away to a red mist which quickly moved away in search of it's coffin.

Catti-Brie's fight however was not going quite as smoothly though, the blond fought with all the strength a prowess of a skilled swordsman. He jumped on Catti-Brie where she laid, she kicked him up and rolled quickly to her feet pulling out her blade as she did. She swung Khazid'hea towards it's shoulder only to have the sword knocked away by it's forearm, the deep cut hardly seeming to affect it as he thrust forward, stabbing deep into her abdomen. Adrenaline dulled the pain though, she almost didn't feel it as she brought her blade straight down through his shoulder and into his heart, he fell.

She smiled weakly at Artemis as the vampire changed into a hideous red mist, he gave a small smirk in return until he saw the blade still in her stomach. She followed his eyes down and saw it and pulled it out, almost instantly all the pain that she was suppose to feel came rushing back to her and she collapsed.

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[Insert maniacal laughter herel]

Cliff hangers!!!