"Thou art sure of this, that this is the way?"

"Yes, yes, a million times yes! (Were it a trap wouldn't we be bloodied and strung up by now?) Spare me your distrust and follow like a good chimp!"

She stared at him, hands on her hips. He turned and gestured for her to move forward. With a sigh and a shake of her head she resumed her pace.

Climbing out of the pit had been taxing, demanding a strain on muscles neglected in captivity. They were lucky their captors left the pit open; even luckier to have avoided any patrols as they crept through the fort's halls. Around every corner she imagined a gnoll's growling face lying in wait.

"Why have we stopped again?" She watched him examine the empty room just like the others. His eyes scanned everything, flitting over the old desks and bookcases. A peculiar sharpness pooled in his orbs until his concentration registered her question.

The man glared at her as if her question had an obvious answer. "You think me a fool to leave behind my belongings to these mongrels? (Would she expect a soldier to wage war without a weapon?) No, I will not escape empty-handed and unable to defend myself. Just as I'm sure you'd like returned your feathers and bones and whatever other barbaric totems they took."

He spent another moment searching the room before leaving with a frustrated cry. She hurried after him as they came upon another. "We do not have all day for this! Whatever items left behind surely cannot equal our freedom."

"(No, this cannot be! Where are they? What have they done with my scrolls?) These items are our freedom! We are nothing without our grimoires, or have you forgotten the tools of our trade? Surely even your backward culture of witchcraft understands this. No, we cannot leave. Not yet!" He tore through the room, ignoring her.

"We are wasting precious time! We have to—"

Snarls bounced off the walls, the echoes a harrowing reminder of the danger they were in. Her eyes widened and she turned from the man to survey the halls. She snatched up his arm and marched him out of the room.

"No, unhand me! I've not yet finished looking!"

"We go. Now! Lead the way and be quick about!" He tried to shove her aside, but she refused to budge. "If thou value thy life as much thou sayeth then thou willst move!" The angry barks grew louder, silencing a budding argument on his lips.

He led her further into the twisting hallways, only stopping to determine what direction they headed. She could only hope he knew where he was going, and at times a nagging paranoia hung in the back of her mind. The stonework around them eventually crumbled away, leading into a cavernous tunnel. It opened up onto the cliff face the fortress occupied. The night sky looked down on them, Selune's Tears dancing around the moon high above.

He stood with his back turned to her as they breached the exit and then turned to her. "Make no mistake, were I under different circumstances I would have shown you no such graciousness. (Had the beasts not twisted my arm…)" He pointed off into the distance and walked. "This path up ahead will lead us away from here and from then we part ways."

"Would it not be more favorable to continue together until reaching the nearest town?"

"As enjoyable as this truce of ours has been, I want it severed. I've kept my word, which is an honor beyond what you deserve. (She can be cracked, but that is for another time.)"

He would trek through the wilderness unarmed and alone rather than accept company? She had every reason to want him gone, but her offer to travel together a little longer seemed a sensible enough idea. Even knowing he harbored hostility toward her still, the situation called for looking past that.

Fine. Let the fool have his way.

They crept up the path, every loose pebble kicked aside sending them into alarm. She watched him through sidelong glances. He was muttering to himself again, although this time he was quieter about it. "Thy name, what is it? I am owed that small luxury."

His muttering came to a halt. "You are owed that? I owe you nothing, especially once we are past that bridge there. Once we cross the river we are enemies again." He picked up his pace. Silence stretched between them until he startled her with a sigh. "Edwin. Now tell me yours."

"Thou knowest not the name of thy captive?"

"Humor me. It seems I've forgotten."

She smirked at his deadpan. "I am called Dynaheir. Thou hadst me captured and kneweth not mine name?"

"That is business you shall not be privy to. Do not pester me anymore. (She will spill everything to me in time. Everyth—gack!)"

Something large ambushed them. Edwin thrashed in its grip, clawing at the hand around his throat. The ground rumbled beneath her as a second form moved closer.

"Gnolls tell us to watch for you and now we found you! We not let you pass our bridge. Back to the gnolls you go!"

With nothing to defend herself with, Dynaheir surged forward to flee past the creature. She was not fast enough. With unexpected speed it scooped her up and hoisted her over its shoulder. "Gnolls not happy. Not happy at all."

She had been so close and yet she was denied!

Dynaheir screamed. She beat against the creature's back. Angry tears streaked down her cheeks. Her wailing only stopped when a fist bashed against her head.


"Come on, just cross the bridge! You'll be fine."

"I… I think I'm quite fine right here."

"You weren't so scared down in the mines."

"That's because rocks do not sway beneath your feet! And if I remember correctly it was you clinging to me the whole time."

Imoen crossed her arms over her chest. Zanven shifted his feet, tapping the ground with his staff. Everybody else had already begun crossing.

"I just watched four gnolls walk across this bridge before any of us set foot on it, and Minsc is having no problems either. If it can hold all of them it'll hold you. Let's go!"

"I just don't think… I mean, I can stay here, wait until you all are—hey!"

Imoen seized his arm and dragged him toward the bridge. "Look one way or another we gotta get across the river just like everybody else." She pulled him along until he dug in his heels.

"I-I-I'll fall over or the bridge will snap or-or gods know what!"

"You will not! Nobody else has and they're all almost on the other side now. You're worrying over nothing." Zanven wrestled his arm away. She sighed; there was no way they could just leave him behind. She stared at his familiar and her eyes lit up. "Hey Peri."

The dragon looked between her and Zanven, confusion etched onto his face. "No. Whatever she says, whatever she does, do not listen to her," Zanven said.

"Oh, stop it! Just come here a moment, Peri. I need to tell you something and just you." The promise of a secret worked magic. Peri's head cocked to the side, reluctance giving way to interest.

"Anything you need to say you can say to me. Aloud. To both of—Peri, no! Get back here!" He reached out too late, catching air as his familiar fluttered over to Imoen. "Do not listen to her!"

"What is it? What's for me?" Peri asked, hovering near her.

"Well, you see"—she lashed out before he could react, hugging him tightly—"easy now, just listen," Imoen whispered. "I need you to fly across without us and stay over there. You go over before us and wait with everybody. You trust me, right… well, maybe not, but you should! Here, you do this, and I've got some of those carnival sweets with your name on 'em!"

Suspicion fled the fairy dragon, his tail swishing. Imoen let go and watched him sail over the bridge. She turned toward Zanven. "Just you and me now."

"I-you… Peri!"

Imoen clasped his hand. "Either I'm your eyes or you stay over here by yourself."

"Imoen please!"

"Deep breaths and happy thoughts. A step at a time and we'll be done before you know it." She tugged him along, her fingers aching in his grip. His resistance melted away enough to take one step onto the bridge and then another. "Just like that! Angelboy's a trooper!"

"Don't call me—Imoen!" The bridge swayed to one side, sending him into a fit. "Back! Let me go back right now!" He tensed up, every muscle stiff as a board; it was like dragging a tree, albeit a rather weak one.

She shushed him and continued to guide him across. It was slow going, but he cooperated in spite of his protests. "You've got it easy right now. You can't even see how far a drop it is down to the river." She winced as he crushed her fingers. "Okay. Poor choice of words."

A shrill voice yelled out to them. "Hurry up! Make Tiax wait any longer and he'll cut the bridge and be done with you!"

Unkind, but it did the trick. Zanven was more apt to hustle after the gnome's threat and Imoen too; that was one bluff she wasn't going to call. He all but jumped off of the bridge as they reached the other side. He ripped his hand away from her and grumbled when Peri perched on his shoulder.

"Y'know, we're gonna have to cross again when we come back."

He really didn't like that judging from the new wave of muttering. Imoen smiled and prodded him along to catch up with everybody else.


Much to his chagrin his body still quaked. Even now he had to remind himself the ground beneath him was very much solid. No feeble bridge and no river to fall into it.

"Are you still angry, Master?"

"No."

"You look like you are. I can share a sweet with you if you'd like."

"Well I'm not. I'm not mad! I don't want your candy!"

"Oh he's mad. Bet he'll stew over it all day too."

He huffed, fingers antsy on his staff. Just one good thwack. A single one right across her head. She only deserved it.

"Huh," Imoen said, "at just the right angle you kinda look like Jaheira with that scowl of yours. Needs some more work to be menacing though."

He frowned at being compared to Jaheira of all people. It was a losing battle against his curling lips as a smile overwhelmed him. "Gods you're insufferable!"

"Aww, thank you! I do try really hard."

He sighed, knowing she'd won. It was no use sulking around her. "Leave it to you to take that as a compliment… Are we any closer to this place? Wherever these gnolls are leading us?"

"Think so. They said something about a big ol' fort and there's one up ahead. Minsc wanted to charge right on into it the moment he saw it. Bit of a hike still from the looks of it." She coughed, hiding a chuckle. "Think those shaky legs of yours will make it? I can carry you if you'd like this time, but you'll have to repay the favor."

"Shut up."

Insufferable didn't do her justice.

It was a blessing that the group came to a stop as Jaheira called for everyone's attention; at least the stern woman was good at saving him from Imoen's prattle. The gnolls' impatient growls signaled stopping grated on their nerves.

"They tell of a more clandestine way into the keep," Jaheira said. "While I am loath to continue trusting them it would be unwise to walk through the front door."

"Oh so we're sneaks now? I can do that just fine!" Imoen said.

"Why must Tiax sneak into these gnolls' decrepit hovel? His lessers should know when to welcome their master without question!"

Zanven shared a sigh with Jaheira. An unspoken connection hung between them: tolerating others was hard.

"There is another way into the fort," Jaheira continued, "that lies underneath. The gnolls know of a series of caves leading inside. Castles often have tunnel systems as a means of escape during turbulent times. We will enter that way."


The grinding of stone on stone woke her with a fright. Light trickled into the pit, a gift were it not for her captivity. She shielded her eyes, making out the gnoll lumbering down the steps.

"I sincerely hope you try to have some dignity in death. No doubt our failure to escape spurred on their hunger."

Dynaheir spared Edwin a glare before she was pulled to her feet. Edwin was treated much the same, hissing in protest; it earned him a blow to the face that sent him to the ground and he was lifted back up. The spear at their backs convinced them to march up the crumbling stairs.

A chorus of snarls welcomed them upon exiting the pit. Gnolls formed two lines leaving little room to walk through them. Like cattle, they were prodded through the formation. Dynaheir flinched from the storm of gnashing teeth and groping claws. There was no dignity to be found, as even the cringing Thayan discovered. Dread wormed its way down her spine. She would be slaughtered this day.

It was a wonder they made it through the crowd alive. The gnoll shoving them along made certain of that, fending off any of those too enthusiastic in harassing them. Their robes were little more than bloody tatters by the end of the march. They were greeted by two more of the beasts: one brandished a pair of knives, the other hefted an axe. The axe wielder adorned itself with bones and scrap metal woven into its fur; their leader perhaps?

The axe dropped without warning, stilling before it could cleave Dynaheir's head clear from her shoulders. Her heart stopped. It cackled in her face, the fetishes all over it clattering as it shook with laughter. Taking its cue the clan of gnolls joined in.

"They are toying with us. You would play into their game and give them the satisfaction they seek?" Edwin asked. He straightened and stared back at the gnoll with an aura of defiance. It bared its fangs and looked to its companion behind it, motioning with a clawed finger. It stepped aside and the other gnoll rushed forward, tackling him to the ground.

Sadism danced in its eyes. It scraped its knives together, an all-too-eager butcher ready for its toil. Dynaheir shut her eyes when Edwin screamed. The soft whisper of lacerations gave away the gnoll's intent: this was not to be a swift nightmare. She crumpled to her knees and wretched.

Not having its fill of fun from torturing just one, the gnoll rolled off of Edwin and crawled toward her. She tried to scramble away but a claw locked around her ankle and wrenched her over. Her screams did no better than Edwin's in warding off the intrusive blades. Pain overwhelmed her mind. She squirmed away from the steel's bite, but it only provoked deeper cuts. Their torturer shifted back and forth between imitating its victim's screams, cruel in its replication.

This was not how she imagined her travels to end. She was far away from home and separated from her ward. Worse yet accompanying her into death was the fool who masterminded her capture. She cried under the blade, every whimper met with a heartless mimic of her own voice.


"Bad dogs came back! They very angry! They bring their own pinklings and killed Gnarl!"

"Give back Minsc's witch! Evil will die here for tearing her away from her berserker! Watch, Boo, as I do the dirty work of justice! Rrraaagghh!"

He bounded after the wounded monster in a rage. The gnolls had no problem keeping pace with him, their snarls echoing through the tunnel. Everybody else was left scrambling to keep up.

"Perhaps I did not emphasize clandestine enough," Jaheira yelled. "Finish that creature off before the entire damned fortress knows we are here!" Her barbs fell on deaf ears; the source of her ire was far too busy in their pursuit, not even sparing her a look as they rounded the corner.

Things had been clandestine. Right sneaks they were… up until they came upon those couple of ogres watching over the caves. It took little more than a shoddy insult to rile up the gnolls and of course a fight broke out; one that saw an ogre dead and another fleeing for its life. Ludrug and Minsc were like flies to honey when it came to battle, and boy were the ogres honey.

"Staying put wasn't such a bad idea now was it?"

"Bit of a poor time for your complaints!"

Imoen struggled with Zanven as they ran together. Her legs pumped as she did her best to avoid tangling herself up with him. It was hard enough trying to keep up and that much more so if they tumbled to the ground. The chase sent them further through the caves until they turned into hallways. The corridors gradually inclined, stairways leading them upward. The din of her comrades was a blessing; without it she would have gotten the both of them lost in the twisting passageways.

She caught up with them in time to find Minsc finishing the monster off. The gnolls danced around the corpse, delighting in the kill. Jaheira was not thrilled.

"Must every plan break down before we have a chance to act on it?" Imoen noticed her send a withering stare Tiax's way before addressing Minsc. "You do us no favors by blindly charging on!"

Minsc did not appear to sense any of her agitation. "Ah, Jaheira, that is not so. Minsc is heroic and our enemies must know this. Besides, Boo says I am an inspiration!"

Jaheira's grimace hardened. "Ask Boo this then. What will heroism matter if it gets us killed? You've made enough noise to rile up every gnoll along the entire coast!"

"To be fair, at least these ones were riled up before hand," Imoen said, pointing at Ludrug and his companions. Jaheira narrowed her eyes. Imoen shrank away, whistling a quiet tune.

Satisfied with their strange post-kill ritual, the gnolls went on alert. Their fur stood on end and they sniffed the air, growling under their breath. Only Ingot seemed nervous, not sharing the sudden onset of alarm. "Our clan is near. They know we are here. They must know! We should not have come back, Ludrug! Ogres dumb but our brothers—"

Ludrug grabbed him by the neck and brought his face close. "Clan not brothers!" He shook Ingot with every word, the gnoll an over-sized ragdoll in his grip. "Ludrug kill clan, kill Red Man."

"And show Minsc where his witch lies!"

Ludrug waved a hand at Minsc and let go of Ingot. "That too. Come pinklings. Ludrug show you why he is best!"


Something was not right. For starters she was still alive. Why did they not finish her off? Sickness roiled in her stomach. Perhaps the torture was meant to continue later.

Dynaheir rolled over and fought to lift her head up. Her captors rushed around, scrambling to arm themselves. Sounds of battle rang in the distance. She was left alone next to Edwin, forgotten amidst all the disarray. She laid a hand on Edwin's shoulder and shook him, wincing from the jolt in her arm.

"Edwin? Edwin, art thou… alright?"

Was he alive?

A groan escaped him, muffled from him facing downward. "(I am flayed like a piece of meat and she asks if I am alright? Let me die now lest I suffer another idiotic question.)"

Dynaheir wanted to thump him, but pain stayed her hand. She crawled into a sitting position, doing her best to ignore her screaming injuries. No gnolls were nearby. "Canst thou move?"

"Of course I can mo—gah!" Edwin clutched at his side. He lifted his hand, staring between his red-stained hand and her. Such a harrowing epiphany to come to terms with one's own mortality.

All of this was his fault. He had put both of them in this situation. He deserved the barbarity for it and no doubt for acts he had committed back in Thay. One less Red Wizard was a boon to Faerun.

Dynaheir closed her eyes and sighed. She laid an arm around him. "We must get out of the open." He protested at first, a feeble attempt at shoving her away. She ignored him and together they crawled back to the pit. They collapsed onto the upper steps, hidden from view.

"Yes, verily, such a bastion of safety. (Reimprisoning ourselves. How thoughtful to put ourselves back in our cells for the beasts.)"

"Keep quiet!"

Wounded as he was he still possessed enough of his mind to spew sarcasm. A shove would send him down the steps; really nothing more complicated than a light tap would have him crashing to the bottom. She banished away the thought, as tempting as it was.

Clashing weapons and battle cries neared, no longer off in the distance. Dynaheir edged them further from the top of the pit. Best to stay out of sight and let the assault pass. Anybody shedding gnoll blood was at least a temporary ally at worst.

"Could the gnolls have warranted a purge by local authorities?"

"Ha! Stow your optimism. Nobody knows of this place. (Nobody that matters at least.) More likely that a band of even worse monsters wandered here and is currently busy seeing how well these gnolls understand 'Might makes right.'"

His miserable attitude worried her. While it was folly to try fate, things could become worse. She refused to give such scenarios thought.

Squeals of pain pierced the air and Dynaheir allowed herself a smile. Whoever it was had the advantage. A roar rumbled over the cries of wounded gnolls and her grin faltered in shock. It couldn't be. Again it rumbled, its intensity crashing through the air. Her heart leaped to her throat and her smile returned with a vengeance.

Dynaheir poked her head above the lip of the pit. A host of gnolls surrounded their foe, though it was obvious they were in the midst of a retreat. She made out the motion of a great blade, the weapon dancing in a spray of blood with every swing. She could see the giant of a warrior in the crowd wading through the monsters. There were others too—even infighting amongst the gnolls?

"Minsc!" she shouted. "I am over here, Minsc!" She ducked her head down and shook Edwin. "We are saved, blasted wizard! We shall not rot here until feasted upon by our captors!"

She went to show herself once more to catch Minsc's attention; instead she came face to face with the bone-clad gnoll. It pulled her away from Edwin with a bark. It pointed to her advancing ward, garbling in its language, and raised its axe to her neck.

No! Not again! Dynaheir shrieked and thrashed in its grasp, fury and frustration boiling over. The gnoll threw her to the ground and stepped on her stomach. With her pinned, it brought its axe overhead to properly cleave her in two; no games this time.

It wasn't given the chance. There was a blur of fur and a body crashed into it, sending the two down in a heap. Dynaheir skittered away in disbelief as another gnoll turned on her would-be killer. They rolled along the ground in a cacophony of snarls, claws raking and teeth tearing. The two gnolls disentangled from each other and found their weapons, briefly halting the brawl to exchange hateful glares.

"You let pinkling lead clan"—their blades collided—"You follow Red Man"—the axe missed again and again, unable to keep up—"You shame Ludrug! Chieftain of nothing, Ludrug make sure!"

The blows sent the other reeling, the battering too strong and too quick. Its axe clattered to the floor, the clink accompanied by a yelp; a hand fell away with it, claws wrapped around the hilt. It raised its arms in desperation to block the next strike, sending it stumbling to the ground. Another strike sliced through its shoulder down to its midsection. Before it had time to drop dead onto the stone its killer pounced; the execution finalized in a whirlwind of savagery.

Satisfied with its kill, the gnoll rose from the remains. Blood covered its fur in a gory visage. It advanced toward her and the pit, dragging its blade behind it. "Red Man is no champion!"

Dynaheir dove between Edwin and the gnoll. "No! He is mine to do away with!"

Her defiance stopped the gnoll. It cocked its head, studying her. "Ludrug promise big pinkling his woman. You her." It jerked a thumb toward Minsc and the others moving toward them. It then gestured for her to move with a wave. "Ludrug have Red Man."

Edwin coughed. "Am I not to have a say in my own defense? I am not—" A growl cut him off. He shifted into muttering under his breath.

Ludrug loomed over them, and Dynaheir feared it'd opt for killing them both. The gnoll turned away as Minsc and the others arrived. It stomped its foot. "Big pinkling, tell your woman move! This one his now!"

Minsc looked between her and the gnoll, an eyebrow raised. "Dynaheir is not Minsc's woman. She is his witch." He raised his sword and came to her side. "I do not like the way you are looking at her, dog-man."

"Ludrug," Dynaheir said, provoking a glare, "I know not why, but this 'Red Man' has played you all for fools at mine expense. You were pawns used to capture me until his scheming went awry. Thou art angry, as thou should be. I beg of thee though, hand him to me as my prisoner now. I have the right to retribution."

Edwin spluttered. "You dare to haggle over me?"

"Yes, and if thou wouldst like to continue living then keep thy mouth shut!" she whispered before addressing the gnoll. "I can attest to knowing thy fury, Ludrug, but leave him to me. Thou hast usurped thy leader. Take thy clan and this keep as spoils."

Ludrug paced, arms flailing. "Why not have it all? Clan, keep, and kill!" The gnoll halted and pointed a finger at Minsc. "We fight again! For Red Man. Ludrug say no to anything else."

What? No! After all the chaos there was no need for more.

"Is there no other way?" Dynaheir asked. "Surely we can find a better alternative than—"

"Your blood boils for another round, eh? Minsc accepts your challenge, but no biting this time!"

"Oh, wonderful. My life is in the hands of that overgrown clod of yours," Edwin said.

Dangle anything remotely close to a fight in front of Minsc and he'd jump at the chance for it. An all too common trait amongst Rashemi berserkers.

"Really this is unnecessary. This is not a lodge brawl to show off thy masculinity!" Dynaheir said.

Minsc scooped up his witch and the wizard, carrying them over to his friends. "Worry not! I've bested the dog-man once before and I can do it again."

"Of all the brutes in that cesspool of backwardness you call home you picked this one to follow you. (To think, either he loses and I die or he wins and I'm a Rashemi puppet.)"

She was caught between glaring at Edwin and giving Minsc a pleading look. "Thou need not take part in bloodsport, Minsc. There has been enough combat."

Minsc shook his head as if chiding her. He set them down and turned toward Ludrug. "Let us rest off our fatigue and then we shall fight. Minsc is tired and Boo is itching to fill his belly. He gets cranky when he is hungry."

"I wonder if I should even ask who Boo is," Edwin said.

Dynaheir hid her face in her palms.


Zanven rolled to his side with a yawn. Sleep should not have been as elusive as it was, especially not after trekking through the mountains and fighting gnolls; that was all behind him now, finalized by Minsc's second victory. He'd trade his shoddy bed roll and the rocks beneath him for a proper bed; even more to keep the monsters and assassins from breathing down his back. He fidgeted until facing the sky, arms crossed over his chest.

Fire crackled in his ears alongside whispering voices— rather, one whispering voice. Minsc couldn't whisper even if he tried. Zanven sighed before giving up on sleeping. Between the big man's voice and the ground, everything conspired against him to ruin his rest. He rustled out from his bed roll, careful not to upset his familiar, and eased his way toward the voices.

"—and we rooted out the evil plaguing Nashkel! Kobolds behind every stone, but they could not hide from Minsc and Boo and our new comrades!"

"Temper thine excitement, Minsc. Not so loud lest thou disturb everyone."

"Ah, I am sorry. I cannot help but get carried away. You will like them, Dynaheir, although perhaps you should stay away from the gnome. Boo tells me he is a strange one and that he smells funny."

"I will make sure to take Boo's… wisdom into consideration. Really, must thou constantly defer to that rode—oh. I am sorry. Did we wake you?"

Zanven jumped, feeling like he intruded upon them. "I, uh, no, nothing of the sort. Can't quite get to sleep tonight it seems." He stood still, unsure whether to shuffle over or not.

Minsc instead made the decision for him; he strode over and pulled him down next to them. "Sleep is important, but maybe it is good you cannot rest. Come, sit with us! Minsc has told Dynaheir all about his companions. She should hear from someone else so she does not think me a liar."

"Rest assured, Minsc, that I do not take thee for a liar." Polite restraint filled her tone. "Zanven, is it? Thou hast mine gratitude. I shudder to think of how few days I had left in that keep if left alone."

Zanven rubbed his neck. "We've gotten pretty good at rescuing people lately… Are your wounds any better?"

"As well as can be, all things considered. I have been made well enough to travel on mine own feet thanks to Jaheira."

"And Edwin?"

"Alright." Her pleasant tone hardened. "I shall have a word with everybody about him soon enough."

Silence stretched between them. Had he given her insult somehow? He wrung his hands in his lap.

Minsc threw his arms over them in an embrace. "Things will be much better now that we are united. Already I can see the good we will do together, and woe to those that hunt you, Zanven! You've many a watchful eye in your friends, but now you've the eyes of a witch too!"

"I, um, yes. That does make me feel better." Zanven eased out from under Minsc's arm. Worry washed over him. Minsc was being a little too loose for his comfort.

"Those that hunt you?" Dynaheir asked, alert and inquisitive. "What is thy meaning, Minsc?"

"Zanven is targeted by evil. We were attacked once at the Nashkel Inn and there was another at the carnival. Weren't the villains surprised by his magic though!" Minsc clicked his tongue. "Only the lowest of men hunt for bounties. They are monsters to try and line their pockets with blood gold."

"Magic? A bounty?" She sounded confused, though concern laced her words. "For what reason are people seeking thy head?"

Zanven felt more questions forming on the woman's lips. He squirmed. "I do not know."

"Minsc shall not let them cause any harm to you. His friends are worth more than any bounty." Minsc clapped his shoulder and Zanven almost tumbled forward.

"Be that is it may, the reasoning is still a matter of importance. I find it odd that someone of no consequence would have a bounty on their head."

Zanven shrugged. He stood up, intent on making his way back to his bed roll. "I, ah, think I shall try to sleep again. Good night."

The conversation slipped down a path he wanted no part of. It was already a difficult subject to broach with his father's old friends. Minsc vouched for her with quite the enthusiasm, but she was still a stranger to him.

"Perhaps you can try counting hamsters. Minsc finds that helps him sleep easier," Minsc said as Zanven hurried away. Dynaheir sighed at her ward and thankfully didn't try to pull him back with any more questions.

Hamsters were the last thing on his mind as he struggled to sleep.