Well, obviously everyone likes Angel; more will come out about her as I go…

Chapter 25--Day After

Drizzt and Catti-brie were the first ones up the next day. They went outside to watch the sunrise together then walked down into the dining hall. It was a mess all right. Snoozing Dwarves laid everywhere and the air vibrated with their snores. Food lay all over. There had been a food fight last night after all.

Drizzt spotted Bruenor sleeping with his head on the table. He and Catti-brie walked over to him. Drizzt gestured to Catti-brie to stand back then went to Bruenor's side. He leaned close to the Dwarf. "Orcs in the mines!" he called just loudly enough for Bruenor to hear then quickly stepped back.

Bruenor came to his feet like he'd been shocked, sending his chair skittering and wielding his tankard like an axe. "What? Where are the foul beasts?!" he bellowed. He figured out what had happened when he saw Drizzt grinning and Catti-brie doubled over with laughter.

"Good morning," Drizzt grinned.

"Damn ye Drow, that wasn't funny. Stop sniggering, girl!" he snapped.

Catti-brie got her composure back and wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "Oh da, ye should've seen the look on yer face!" she said.

"I'm sure the Orcs would have never dared face a Dwarf wielding a tankard," Drizzt smirked.

Bruenor looked at the tankard as if he'd never seen one before then cursed and tossed it aside.

The clatter finally woke Stumpet and she raised her head. "What be goin' on?" she asked.

"Nothing, we just came to say our good byes before we head home. Zak will be missin' us," Catti-brie said.

"Suppose so, ye take good care of me grandson," Bruenor said.

"We will," Catti-brie said. She leaned down and kissed Bruenor's cheek. "Bye, da."

They left together. They figured the others would be along later, when they woke up.

Once back in Lonelywood they stopped to get Zak. Colson begged to come too, so they let her so the midwife could go home. Zak was hungry just as Catti-brie had thought. She sat down to nurse him the minute that they were home.

Drizzt took Colson into the kitchen to see what they had for breakfast. They had just finished eating breakfast when there was a knock on the door.

Colson ran over and answered. "Hi, ma, hi da," she said happily. "I had breakfast with Uncle Drizzt and Aunt Cat."

"That's good, did you behave yourself?" Wulfgar asked, smiling at his daughter.

"I was very good. Wasn't I, Aunt Cat?" Colson asked.

"Yes, ye were. Where are ye two off to?" Catti-brie asked Delly.

"We have some shopping to do and we have to stop at the seamstress so Colson can try on her new dress," Delly said.

"Yay! Let's go!" Colson said eagerly. She ran out the door. "Hurry!" she called.

"Thanks for feeding her, oh, I nearly forgot, Cadderly asked me to tell you that he and Danica won't be back until noon. Bye," Delly said.

"You're welcome. See you later," Catti-brie said as they left. "Zak needs a bath. I'm goin' to take him up. Will you run down to the market and buy something for lunch?"

"Gladly," Drizzt said. He left, locking the door.

Catti-brie carried Zak up to the nursery and laid him in his crib. She then left to get his bath ready. Once she left the window slid open and a silent figure entered the room.

Angel came to the side of the crib and stared down at the baby. Zak stared back at her, to small to be afraid. She smiled slowly, but it wasn't a kind smile. She reached down and picked him up.

Zak didn't like being picked up by a stranger. He took a deep breathe to scream, but Angel put her hand over the baby's mouth. "None of that, little one. You are the bait, you and your mother," she whispered.

Catti-brie entered the room and froze in shock. "Who are ye? Put me son down!" she demanded.

"Some call me Dark Angel. Don't make any noise or the brat pays for it. You're both coming with me. One trick or wrong move will cost your whelp his life," Angel warned.

Catti-brie looked into the woman's dark eyes and knew without a doubt she meant it. "All right, I'll do what ye say. Just don't hurt him," she said.

"Get warm things for both of you, hurry up," Angel ordered. She followed while Catti-brie did. Soon she and Zak were warmly dressed.

"I have two horses outside in the back, move," Angel ordered.

"Can't I have Zak?" Catti-brie asked. "Please."

"Do you think I'm stupid? He stays with me. Go before I lose patience with you, slut," Angel ordered. Ten minutes later they were riding away….

Angel's a vicious, sneaky B***H, isn't she? R/R please!!