"No place to run this time, Kalach-Cha. That which you have stolen… hand it over, and we will let you live." said a Bladeling, he and five of his grey dwarf buddies were blocking the road.

"This is getting tiresome, lad. What's so important about that blasted hunk of silver that has them chasing us all over Faerûn?" Khelgar asked, with a sigh.

"I wish I knew the answer to that." Marcus replied. He didn't believe the bladeling either. This was going to end in fight, no matter what he did.

"Ah, well take your time, lad. At least the fights come to us." said Khelgar, warming to the idea of smashing some heads together.

"Why?" Neeshka taunted. "You scared of them, Khelgar?"

"Don't be dense, demon girl. Of course I'm not scared. Just irritated." Khelgar scoffed.

"Hand the shard over now, or we will take it from your corpse." the Bladeling said growing annoyed.

"You want it? Come and get the damned thing." Marcus made a beckoning motion with his left hand as he drew his longsword with his right.

"Fool. I shall enjoy killing you." the Bladeling replied, full of confidence as he drew his own weapon. If the blading had bothered to look behind he may not have been so over confident.

"Yeah right, like you've really managed to do that so far." Marcus replied with a grin as he kept an eye on the mysterious wood elf that had appeared on the hill behind the Bladeling. Marcus couldn't shake the feeling he'd seen her before, and who even now was casting a spell.

The spell the wood elf had cast was dead on target as it hit the centre of the Bladeling's group and entangled them with vines sprouting from the ground.

"Fight, you pathetic thralls! Kill them all!" bellowed the Bladeling, furious that it couldn't move. The wood elf then transformed herself into the form of a large brown bear and charged down the hill, followed by her dire badger animal companion. The polymorphed druid attacked the still entangled Baldeling and grey dwarfs.

"Why are you still looking at me? Attack!" growled the Bladeling. They would be the last words he would ever say, as the ensuing fight was a little one sided. Entangled, they couldn't fend off the attacks of Marcus, his friends and the druid with any ease.

"You walk a strange path for a Harbourman. Forgive me, but I saw these... things about to attack you. I found I could not simply stand by while you were ambushed, again." the female wood elf said as she looked round at the bodies. She was back in her normal form. "I'd like to help, if I could. I've been trying to follow you without interfering, but I don't think you'll reach your destination without someone who knows the land."

Marcus studied the wood elf with a growing frown. "You're the elf from the Weeping Willow aren't you?" the harborman asked. "Just how in Torm's name did you know my name?"

"I am." The druid admitted. "I watch all within the Mere... but only occasionally observe those who stray from it, as you have." the wood elf explained.

Marcus nodded, noting that she's avoided answering part of his question. "Alright, so who you are and why are you following us?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest. This was going to take a while, he suspected.

"Yeah, maybe you'd like to share how long you've been tracking us and tell us who you are. If you can take your eyes off our leader for more than a moment, that is." Neeshka snapped, irritated, and more than a little jealous of the wood elf. As to why, it confused her. You know why Neeshka, she thought bitterly. The wood elf's prettier than you, she's going to steal the harbour boy from you. And I don't like the idea of having another woman in the party.

Marcus raised his eyebrows in surprise at Neeshka's reaction and a slight smile formed on his lips. Khelgar, on the other hand, was frowning a little. He kept looking at Neeshka then at Marcus. Don't tell me the demon girl is jealous of the elf? Khelgar thought. That's all we need.

"I am Elanee. And rather than shadow you, I would walk with you." the wood elf said, bowing as she introduced herself, though she did spare the tiefling a confused glance. "And this is Naloch, my animal companion." She said introducing the badger that sat at her feet. The banger seemed to wave with one of its front paws, as if it were saying hello.

"We're doing fine, thanks. And maybe you'd like to explain why you were following us in the first place." Neeshka snapped. Her jealousy and mistrust was getting the better of her.

Mistress, I don't think the horned girl likes you very much. Naloch observed.

"I'd like to know that as well... tree-worshippers tend to keep to themselves, and don't pay much mind to travellers who take the roads." Khelgar said, unsure of the druid. "And with a frame like that, you'd most likely be blown by the wind." he added, after giving Elanee the once-over.

"Now, now, no need to be jealous, barrel house." Neeshka replied with a smirk.

"Of an elf? And a tree-worshipper on top of that? Ha!" Neeshka's insult literarily bounced right off Khelgar.

"I think you will find 'tree-worshippers' a rare thing these days, dwarf, so do not use that term lightly." Elanee said gravely.

"Apparently not rare enough, to have you come out of nowhere after following us, for hells knows why." Neeshka remarked. "And trust me; with a gut like his, Khelgar doesn't do anything lightly."

Marcus just rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Will you two knock it off? And let me do the talking for once?" he said, getting a little exasperated with his two companions. While he did find Neeshka's obvious jealousy of Elanee more than a little endearing, he was sure it would land her in trouble soon enough.

"Do what you want, but if she starts anything, she'll regret it." Neeshka said, as she turned to face Marcus, her red eyes alight with jealousy and suspicion of the wood elf.

She definitely doesn't like you, Mistress. Naloch said.

What gave you that idea, Naloch? Elanee replied dryly.

"Always talking, and to elves and half-demons and the like. It'll end badly, I tell you." Khelgar muttered.

"So you're a druid, then?" Marcus asked ignoring the dwarf's comment.

Elanee nodded. "Yes, I am one of the druids of the Mere. Just as you have the smell of a Harbourman upon you." Then she smiled. "I've watched you stumble through thick and bramble, miss paths right in front of your eyes, and let those beasts catch you what feels to be a dozen times over. I think one such as I could actually help you, Harbourman." the druid said, amused.

"We've been doing fine without your help. You're mistaken, sorry." Neeshka said, her jealousy making yet another appearance. "And you better watch your tongue, because he's done more for us than you've done." Neeshka didn't like where this conversation was going. She didn't know why, but she didn't want the elf anywhere near her harbour boy. Hang on, my harbour boy? You're losing it Neeshka. The tiefling thought.

Marcus just looked skywards as if pleading to a higher power, which was what he was doing. "Neesh, behave." he said, amused at the tiefling's antics. "You still haven't explained why you've been following us." he said, turning to Elanee.

Elanee sighed heavily; you're protective of him aren't you? She thought looking at the tiefling before she spoke to Marcus. "It's a strange circle of who follows who on this road. At first, I was following those who attacked you. But they seemed to be following you, which leads me to believe that there's something you have... something they want, so... I thought that perhaps my enemy's enemies would at least welcome some company to their destination and with my help, even get there faster." she finished with a teasing and knowing smile.

"Oh, this just gets better and better." Neeshka muttered darkly. She was liking the druid less and less.

Marcus just rolled his eyes. "Faster? How would we get to Highcliff faster?" he asked, interested.

Elanee nodded in approval. "I come bearing a gift, not just words. I know of a quicker path to Highcliff, and one that will hide your trail as well. There is a druid sanctuary not far from here, the Maiden's Glade, where members of my Circle would go for refuge when travelling the land. I can lead you there, and with no further attacks from these hunters of yours." The druid paused a moment. "Not that you can't handle yourself, but I am sure you're growing as tired of these attacks as I am."

"Sounds promising." Marcus remarked. "Do you know anything of the bladelings that keep attacking me?" he asked.

Elanee shook her head sadly. "Little. They are not of the land, that is for certain." She frowned, looking a little confused. "They've a strange smell about them and their speech is like nothing I've heard before. Unless they are speaking to their thralls, it is impossible to make out." Then the druid looked Marcus in the eyes. "But... they keep calling you 'Kalach-Cha'… do you know what that means?"

It was Marcus' turn to sigh. "I have no idea."

Elanee raised an eyebrow. "Then it looks like when it comes to answers, we have little to offer one another. A pity." She shook her head again. "As I only recently became aware of them... first in the Merdelain, the wetlands you Harbourmen call the 'Mere of Dead Men'. I believe they are responsible for many attacks in the Mere and beyond. Not all their victims escaped as you did." the druid said sadly. "And so I followed them, to learn of their intentions and if possible, to stop them." The determination in her voice was obvious.

"Wait a minute." Marcus said, surprised. "You're saying you want to join us and to help us?"

Elanee nodded. "Of course. There is something these hunters want from you and they seem determined to stop you from reaching your destination." Then Elanee drew herself up to her full height. "So, I feel it is my duty to balance things out."

"What? We're taking her along? Why?" Neeshka asked in disbelief.

"Is there some sort of problem?" Elanee replied coolly.

"I'll say, you're still talking, and you're acting like you're coming with us, that's the problem." Neeshka's eyes flashed dangerously.

Marcus thought it was time he stepped in before things got ugly. "Excuse us a moment, would you?" he said, as he took Neeshka by the arm and led her away out of earshot.

"What's with the tiefling?" Elanee asked.

Khelgar looked up at the druid. "I have no idea lass." he said. "I don't even know why Marcus lets her stay. She's a thief and will be nothing but trouble in the long run." Then the dwarf looked over to where the harbourman and tiefling were talking. "But Neeshka's been… possessive, I guess, is the best word, ever since they met. I'm worried, to be honest. It's as if she's cast an enchantment spell on him."

Elanee nodded in understanding at what Khelgar was trying to say. "Interesting." She mused. "That would explain her reaction to me." Elanee realised that Neeshka saw her as a possible rival for Marcus's affections, so the tiefling was staking her claim and making it clear that Elanee would have a fight on her hands. Elanee smiled to herself. Neeshka needn't worry, for she had no romantic intentions toward the harbourman whatsoever. The druid was far more interested in the silver shard he carried. "They say opposites attract… and those two are certainly that."


"Neesh as much as I liked your… defence of me, I think I can fend her off." Marcus said with a smile. "And I don't think she's interested in me as much as the shard."

Neeshka coloured slightly. "I didn't think you'd noticed." she said softly.

Marcus grinned. "Oh I noticed, alright. But my dear, you must learn the time and place. We need Elanee's help. There are bladelings after us, after me. Why, I'm not entirely certain. I'm not asking you to change. But I am asking you to trust me. Can you do that, Neesh?"

Neeshka looked the harbourman in the eyes for a long time before she nodded. "I guess I do, harbour boy." Then she smirked. "But I'm going to be keeping my eye on her... and you, alright?"

Marcus chuckled. "I'd have it no other way, Neesh." he said "That's all I can ask of you, to trust me." Then he suddenly had to fight down the urge to lean in and kiss her. What in the Nine Hells are you thinking, Marcus Cole? He asked himself. You hardly know Neeshka, yes she's attractive, but kissing her wouldn't be a smart thing to do… Although given her reaction to Elanee maybe it's not such a daft thought…

Neeshka noticed the odd look that the harbourman had gotten and instinctively licked her lips. He's going to kiss me, she thought. Can't remember the last time a man kissed me. Do I want the harbour boy to kiss me? Neeshka asked herself Of course I do, it'd be nice. But where would it lead and am I ready for that? The tiefling wondered.

"Come on, the others are waiting. And Khelgar has yet to vent." Marcus said, settling instead on taking Neeshka by the hand and leading her back to where Elanee and Khelgar waited.


Mistress, I think they want to mate. Naloch said to Elanee through their bond, as the badger motioned towards Marcus and Neeshka who were returning after almost giving in and kissing each other.

Naloch! Elanee exclaimed mildly shocked at her animal companion. That might be the case. They are clearly attracted to each other. Time will tell.

"Sorry about that. You were going to show us this quicker path, yes?" Marcus said as he and Neeshka returned.

"Yes, let's be off. Judging by the sun and trail, you were headed to Neverwinter, correct? Seeking safety behind walls, are you?" Elanee asked, a little amused by the fact that the two young people before her were still holding hands. And compared to the druid, Marcus and Neeshka were young. Being an elf, Elanee was far older than she seemed. She was a hundred and fifty years old, by elf standards just a little more than a teenager, for elves can live easily for up to seven centuries, whereas humans and planartouched beings like Marcus and Neeshka would be lucky to live for a hundred years.

"Wha… what the hells is this? First, the demon girl, now this willow thin slip of an elf?" Khelgar said, irritated. "Let's invite all the realms! Make a grand army, tromping through the wilderness!"

"We will not be tromping through the wilderness; we will be weaving through it like the wind." Elanee replied, annoyed at the dwarf.

"And speaking of wind, shut your mouth, Khelgar, before your breath summons more of those creatures." Neeshka said. "Besides, wouldn't you rather have our new friend right here where we can see her, rather than behind us the whole way?"

"Would you two stow it for five minutes?" Marcus asked his two bickering companions. "We need to reach my Uncle Duncan in the city. He may have knowledge on a shard I possess." he said to the druid.

"A shard?" Elanee asked thoughtfully. "Ah, so that would be the silk wrapped bundle I saw in your pack. It sounds like that is what those creatures are looking for."

"Yes, but what we don't know is why or its importance." Marcus replied with a nod. And how in the hells did you know it was in my pack? The harbourman wondered, as he glanced down at Naloch. I do recall having to chase away a badger...

"Hmmm. Well, if they seek it, then let us do what we can to keep it from them." Elanee nodded her thanks. "Regardless, I appreciate your trust in telling me, thank you. Let's be on our way. Follow me... the Maiden's Glade is not far."