"What now?" Cat demanded once she and Deudermont were alone in his cabin. "We can't just be leavin' him to whatever fate brings him."

"I know. I feel the same. Drizzt is a dear friend of mine. You know I would give my life to save him, but I have to think about the crew. We can only afford to stay in port one more day, and then I'm afraid we must go."

"Just a few more days, I beg you." After their less than fruitful visit to the jail, the captain had sent men all over the city to check the slave blocks or to see if anyone had left Memnon with any exotic cargo. That had taken an extra week in port. The port masters were quickly losing patience with Captain Deudermont. They wanted him gone to allow merchant ships into port.

"We've over stayed our welcome in Memnon as it is. The city thanks us for our services, but in their eyes as of now, we are just taking up dock space."

"To the nine hells with their docks!"

"Cat—there is nothing more I can do. My crew has families to feed. We can't afford to stay any longer. I'm sorry." He laid a sympathetic hand on her shoulder before walking out of the cabin.

A sense of helplessness Cattie-brie had never known before threatened to overwhelm the poor girl. She slumped down to the bed. How could this have happened? Her dear friend seemed beyond reach. Sure he had disappeared before, into the lightness Underdark, but Cattie-brie knew were he was, knew how to go about finding him, for the most part. This time, she did not even know where to begin looking.

She pulled the blankets up about her, even though it was barely mid-day, Cat felt incredibly tired. But the minute she became comfortable in her bed, an idea popped into her mind. She shot out of bed and raced toward the deck.

"I've got it," she shouted to Captain Deudermont. He turned a questioning look upon her. "That medallion, Rollins said it was a symbol of a slaver trader."

"I don't see how—" The captain started to say, but Cattie-brie cut him off, her mind racing.

"Where do they reside?" She asked the young sailor, whom after hearing his name moved along side the exited woman.

"Tantara, I think, but everyone knows there is no such place. The city is nothing more than a myth."

"Maybe not. If a dark elf was bein' sold or merchandise on a caravan out o' the city, we'd likely hear something of it, unless. . ." He voice trailed off as she turned back toward her cabin. She was back on deck ten minutes later, clothed in her travel gear.

"What are you about?" The captain asked a look of genuine concern on his face.

"Going to Tantara."

"You don't even know how to get there, let alone if it's even there at all."

"But I will not let Drizzt be sold. I will find a way." Her look was determined.

"I've heard many tales of it. I will help you." Rollins was quick to offer.

Later that day, Cattie-brie and her new companion Rollins set out on the road to Calimport, in hot pursuit of their missing companion, then if the fates permit, south to Tantara.

* * * * *

That same day, a hundred miles and more to the south, a dark elf looked out upon the Tantarian harbor. Camardella had roused the sleeping drow early and the two set out for the docks. They went down to the bottom of the ramp, which opened up into a large outcrop packed with taverns and shops. Unlike the rest of the city, these buildings were not cut into the stone. It was obvious to Drizzt that this was the lowlier part of Tantara.

To the right there was a short drop to the sandy floor and from there the desert went on southwards for as far as the eye could see. Drizzt looked back toward the valley, now four hundred feet above them. He could see the flowing sand as it cascaded down the cliff.

He turned back to the front, and as the two went around the corner of a building, Drizzt came face to face with another slightly bizarre, if not completely out of the ordinary, sight. There before him were ships—large and small—just resting in the sand. "What is this place?" he whispered, completely taken aback by this strange place.

"What was that?" Camardella asked. Drizzt shook his head; a bewildered look on the pour drow's face caused Doménico a small chuckle. "Nothing quite like this in the entire world," He threw his arms out wide to exaggerate the point. They walked further up the docks, passing many three mast- schooners similar to the ones in Waterdeep. The slave trader stopped before one of these ships. "This one is ours."

Within the hour the drow watched the mighty city of Tantara blend into the horizon.

(R&R PLEASE!!!!!!!)