[A/N] I hope you guys liked the last chapter; I wanted to get a kiss
between them in there somewhere before this chapter. Enjoy the next
chapter!!
Chapter Twenty – Anguish
The night went by peacefully, and the guards saw nothing in the woods by the campsite at all during the night.
Inside the camp, however, something else was going on that would be dangerous to one of the members of the company.
* * * * *
When the sun was only beginning to lighten the sky, Catti-brie sat up in her bedroll, looking around. She assumed the Drizzt had already risen and was watching the sunrise, but was surprised when she found him still tossing and turning uneasily in the bedroll next to hers. That was curious, since he normally was awake early and enjoyed watching the sunrise.
On the other side of her, Regis had already risen and was helping the Luchièlt soldiers to prepare breakfast. Apparently, they all enjoyed his cooking. Gently, she shook the ranger's shoulder, careful of his many injuries. The night before, she had carefully cleaned the cuts, as they normally were every night to ward off infection.
He groaned, rolling onto his stomach, looking up into her eyes. Drizzt had had trouble sleeping the night before, as he did every night, remembering the crisp memories of what had happened during his captivity. His eyes were unclear, looking at her through weary eyes. Sitting up slowly, he smiled up at her blearily.
"Morning Cat." His eyes were slightly unfocused. "How are you doing on this fine morning?"
"I'm fine." She kissed him lightly. "It ye that I'm worried 'bout."
"Other than my back, I believe I am fine." He smiled slightly up at her. There was weariness in his eyes and a light layer of sweat upon his brow. It worried her, but he seemed to be hiding it quite well, and would probably get better treatment in Silverymoon.
"I'll just take yer word for it then, Drizzt." She said quietly, standing and walking over to where people already were being served breakfast, with a smiling Regis serving it. Slipping into the loose tunic, Drizzt and Catti-brie walked over to grab some of the warm meal.
"Sorry, I made stew since its all I can make normally." Regis smiled sheepishly as Drizzt accepted the bowl. "And it's probably not nearly the same as when you make it."
"It's still fine stew, Regis." Drizzt laughed softly, doing his best to hide the sickness in his belly to his friends, didn't want them worrying about him anymore that they already did. "And it's still as fine a quality as I've ever had it."
The halfling smiled. "Thanks, and there's some bread over there if you want it."
"Stew again!" A rumbling Bruenor had walked over to the breakfast line. "Tha's what we be havin' yesterday ye durned halflin'!"
Drizzt laughed, "It doesn't matter, friend Bruenor. It's still as fine a stew as any! Eat, we still have a long way to go."
"Ye should be takin' yer own words, elf." The grumpy dwarf replied. "Ye need to get meat on them skinny limbs! After all, since we be gettin' ye, ye haven't hardly been eatin' anythin'!"
"You are right, my friend, and that is why I am eating my fill now." He smiled, looking at his close friend. "I plan on getting these wounds healed soon so I may be able to spar with friends once again without worrying about them."
Catti-brie smiled, glad to see that the ranger was up and going once again. It would be a good day when they finally arrived back in Silverymoon for the banquet.
* * * * *
Soon, the camp was packed up and the group was ready to head on to Silverymoon. Delly and Colson would be waiting for them, wanting to know that the drow ranger was again safe. The day, for the most part, past on quietly. Catti-brie, however, kept a close eye on Drizzt, still worried about the signs she had seen that morning. She remembered keenly how his skin had been unnaturally warm to the touch, and that was what she was particularly worried about.
"Well, how're ye feelin'?" She asked when they stopped for a short break at midday. She sat down next to Drizzt where he sat under the shade of a tree. He had pulled to cowl of his cloak low, though he usually kept it back, even during the day.
"Fine, why do you ask?" His brow creased as she asked the question. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Drizzt gladly took a drink from the water skin she offered him. The cool water felt good as he eagerly drank it down. "Well, except for being a little tired and thirsty, I'm fine."
"Are ye sure?" Catti-brie was still worried; he had seemed to lag behind everyone else during their travels, though he normally kept up with them easily. "Ye seem t' be laggin' behind the others this morning."
"I'm fine Cat." Drizzt kept the hood of his cloak down. Why did it hurt to look into the light? Even after all these years of being on the surface? "I assure you."
Without warning, Catti-brie reached out and touched her hand to his forehead, feeling the heat that had started there. His normally clear lavender eyes were still bleary and unfocused when he looked at her.
"Ye have a fever Drizzt." She lightly touched his cheek; the skin was hot to the touch. "Yer skin's burnin'."
"I'm fine Catti-brie, I assure you." He stood swiftly; though nearly fell back down as the world seemed to spin around him. After a moment, he continued walking towards where Wulfgar and Bruenor were talking together, slightly away from the Luchiélt soldiers talking amongst themselves. On his way over to them, Gabriel, their High Lord, walked up to him, standing nearly two feet taller.
"How are you feeling this day, Ranger Do'Urden?" His soft voice was pleasant and seemed soothing. "I noticed that you were sort of behind people today, so I was just wondering."
"I am fine, Gabriel." Drizzt gave a short, courteous bow to the Luchién Lord. "Just a little tired, as I had," he took a deep breath, "little sleep last night."
With that, he walked off, not saying another word. Gabriel watched his back curiously. He had heard the quiet conversation that the drow had had with Catti-brie moments ago. He had an idea why Drizzt was acting so strange this day, but he didn't want to push the ranger any further.
* * * * *
Early in the afternoon, after the group had continued on their way to Silverymoon, Drizzt began to feel ill, though he did his best to hide it from the others. Gabriel kept a watchful eye on him as he began to stumble more and more oft. Just stumbling once in a while was strange for the graceful black elf, it was becoming more frequent and the friends didn't know why it was happening.
His vision was blurry and he could hardly see his hand held out in from of him. The ill feeling in his belly had become more and more continuous and Drizzt was still hoping that it would go away soon, instead of becoming worse and worse. He hoped that they got back to Silverymoon soon; there the drow would be able to get whatever this illness was out of his system. Even the already incredibly painful welts on his body seemed to be more agonizing than they normally were, making movement painful.
Again tripping over something unseen in the leaves beneath his feet, Drizzt fell into a tree, nearly dislocating his shoulder and hitting the deep welts on his shoulder against the rough bark of a nearby oak tree. Clenching his jaw tightly, be barely managed to keep from crying out in pain. Cursing under his breath in drow, Drizzt continued walking, his hand clasped loosely over his shoulder underneath his cloak. The sickness, or whatever the hell it was, was progressing quickly, and he didn't know how to stop it.
Seeing what had happened, Catti-brie walked over to Drizzt, worry evident in her clear blue eyes. What she saw worried her.
His breathes came short and laboured, sweat pouring down his face. His normally dark, ebony hued skin seemed incredibly pale, even through his dark skin tones. His eyes were blurry and something was definitely wrong. When she lightly touched his forehead, she could feel the burning fever beneath her fingertips. Eyes wide, she called for Gabriel to come over.
By then, Drizzt was leaning heavily against Catti-brie, thoroughly regretting having not told anyone sooner. He barely felt her caressing his brow, trying to relieve the severe heat emanating from his skin. She had lowered him carefully to the ground, not knowing what else to do, since she had never been around someone so violently ill. Next thing Catti-brie, Drizzt rolled over onto his side, loosing what he had eaten for breakfast all over the grass. Catti-brie rubbed his back in soothing circles, not knowing what else to do.
Looking briefly at the ill ranger, Gabriel wasted no time in communicating to his soldiers to set up camp for the night. One soldier laid a mat down next to where Catti-brie knelt with Drizzt's head in her lap. She carefully laid him on his stomach on the mat. Tears shining in her eyes, she watched as Regis and the others walked over; worry clear in all of their faces.
"What's happening to him, Catti-brie??" Wulfgar's baritone voice was as quiet as it could get. "He didn't seem this way this morning when we left, nor did he look like this during midday."
"I don't know." Her voice was soft as she brushed strands of stray white hair from the black elf's face. "He didn't look well this mornin', though he said he did, but now this, this be worryin' me."
"Well, he'd better be gettin' better soon!" Bruenor's gruff voice held a serious tone to it. "Else he'll be findin' himself face t' face with me axe!"
Regis looked at him, looked at Wulfgar, looked at Catti-brie. Never had he seen her so upset. He knew that she loved the drow deeply, and if anything worse happened to him, she would be devastated. He had seen their shared kiss early that morning and had known that the two had confessed their feelings to each other.
Kneeling, he carefully took Drizzt's hand in his own, not wanting to leave one of his closest friends.
* * * * *
[A/N] Hey? How was that? Sappy again, I know, but please review! It makes for good plot bunnies!!
Chapter Twenty – Anguish
The night went by peacefully, and the guards saw nothing in the woods by the campsite at all during the night.
Inside the camp, however, something else was going on that would be dangerous to one of the members of the company.
* * * * *
When the sun was only beginning to lighten the sky, Catti-brie sat up in her bedroll, looking around. She assumed the Drizzt had already risen and was watching the sunrise, but was surprised when she found him still tossing and turning uneasily in the bedroll next to hers. That was curious, since he normally was awake early and enjoyed watching the sunrise.
On the other side of her, Regis had already risen and was helping the Luchièlt soldiers to prepare breakfast. Apparently, they all enjoyed his cooking. Gently, she shook the ranger's shoulder, careful of his many injuries. The night before, she had carefully cleaned the cuts, as they normally were every night to ward off infection.
He groaned, rolling onto his stomach, looking up into her eyes. Drizzt had had trouble sleeping the night before, as he did every night, remembering the crisp memories of what had happened during his captivity. His eyes were unclear, looking at her through weary eyes. Sitting up slowly, he smiled up at her blearily.
"Morning Cat." His eyes were slightly unfocused. "How are you doing on this fine morning?"
"I'm fine." She kissed him lightly. "It ye that I'm worried 'bout."
"Other than my back, I believe I am fine." He smiled slightly up at her. There was weariness in his eyes and a light layer of sweat upon his brow. It worried her, but he seemed to be hiding it quite well, and would probably get better treatment in Silverymoon.
"I'll just take yer word for it then, Drizzt." She said quietly, standing and walking over to where people already were being served breakfast, with a smiling Regis serving it. Slipping into the loose tunic, Drizzt and Catti-brie walked over to grab some of the warm meal.
"Sorry, I made stew since its all I can make normally." Regis smiled sheepishly as Drizzt accepted the bowl. "And it's probably not nearly the same as when you make it."
"It's still fine stew, Regis." Drizzt laughed softly, doing his best to hide the sickness in his belly to his friends, didn't want them worrying about him anymore that they already did. "And it's still as fine a quality as I've ever had it."
The halfling smiled. "Thanks, and there's some bread over there if you want it."
"Stew again!" A rumbling Bruenor had walked over to the breakfast line. "Tha's what we be havin' yesterday ye durned halflin'!"
Drizzt laughed, "It doesn't matter, friend Bruenor. It's still as fine a stew as any! Eat, we still have a long way to go."
"Ye should be takin' yer own words, elf." The grumpy dwarf replied. "Ye need to get meat on them skinny limbs! After all, since we be gettin' ye, ye haven't hardly been eatin' anythin'!"
"You are right, my friend, and that is why I am eating my fill now." He smiled, looking at his close friend. "I plan on getting these wounds healed soon so I may be able to spar with friends once again without worrying about them."
Catti-brie smiled, glad to see that the ranger was up and going once again. It would be a good day when they finally arrived back in Silverymoon for the banquet.
* * * * *
Soon, the camp was packed up and the group was ready to head on to Silverymoon. Delly and Colson would be waiting for them, wanting to know that the drow ranger was again safe. The day, for the most part, past on quietly. Catti-brie, however, kept a close eye on Drizzt, still worried about the signs she had seen that morning. She remembered keenly how his skin had been unnaturally warm to the touch, and that was what she was particularly worried about.
"Well, how're ye feelin'?" She asked when they stopped for a short break at midday. She sat down next to Drizzt where he sat under the shade of a tree. He had pulled to cowl of his cloak low, though he usually kept it back, even during the day.
"Fine, why do you ask?" His brow creased as she asked the question. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Drizzt gladly took a drink from the water skin she offered him. The cool water felt good as he eagerly drank it down. "Well, except for being a little tired and thirsty, I'm fine."
"Are ye sure?" Catti-brie was still worried; he had seemed to lag behind everyone else during their travels, though he normally kept up with them easily. "Ye seem t' be laggin' behind the others this morning."
"I'm fine Cat." Drizzt kept the hood of his cloak down. Why did it hurt to look into the light? Even after all these years of being on the surface? "I assure you."
Without warning, Catti-brie reached out and touched her hand to his forehead, feeling the heat that had started there. His normally clear lavender eyes were still bleary and unfocused when he looked at her.
"Ye have a fever Drizzt." She lightly touched his cheek; the skin was hot to the touch. "Yer skin's burnin'."
"I'm fine Catti-brie, I assure you." He stood swiftly; though nearly fell back down as the world seemed to spin around him. After a moment, he continued walking towards where Wulfgar and Bruenor were talking together, slightly away from the Luchiélt soldiers talking amongst themselves. On his way over to them, Gabriel, their High Lord, walked up to him, standing nearly two feet taller.
"How are you feeling this day, Ranger Do'Urden?" His soft voice was pleasant and seemed soothing. "I noticed that you were sort of behind people today, so I was just wondering."
"I am fine, Gabriel." Drizzt gave a short, courteous bow to the Luchién Lord. "Just a little tired, as I had," he took a deep breath, "little sleep last night."
With that, he walked off, not saying another word. Gabriel watched his back curiously. He had heard the quiet conversation that the drow had had with Catti-brie moments ago. He had an idea why Drizzt was acting so strange this day, but he didn't want to push the ranger any further.
* * * * *
Early in the afternoon, after the group had continued on their way to Silverymoon, Drizzt began to feel ill, though he did his best to hide it from the others. Gabriel kept a watchful eye on him as he began to stumble more and more oft. Just stumbling once in a while was strange for the graceful black elf, it was becoming more frequent and the friends didn't know why it was happening.
His vision was blurry and he could hardly see his hand held out in from of him. The ill feeling in his belly had become more and more continuous and Drizzt was still hoping that it would go away soon, instead of becoming worse and worse. He hoped that they got back to Silverymoon soon; there the drow would be able to get whatever this illness was out of his system. Even the already incredibly painful welts on his body seemed to be more agonizing than they normally were, making movement painful.
Again tripping over something unseen in the leaves beneath his feet, Drizzt fell into a tree, nearly dislocating his shoulder and hitting the deep welts on his shoulder against the rough bark of a nearby oak tree. Clenching his jaw tightly, be barely managed to keep from crying out in pain. Cursing under his breath in drow, Drizzt continued walking, his hand clasped loosely over his shoulder underneath his cloak. The sickness, or whatever the hell it was, was progressing quickly, and he didn't know how to stop it.
Seeing what had happened, Catti-brie walked over to Drizzt, worry evident in her clear blue eyes. What she saw worried her.
His breathes came short and laboured, sweat pouring down his face. His normally dark, ebony hued skin seemed incredibly pale, even through his dark skin tones. His eyes were blurry and something was definitely wrong. When she lightly touched his forehead, she could feel the burning fever beneath her fingertips. Eyes wide, she called for Gabriel to come over.
By then, Drizzt was leaning heavily against Catti-brie, thoroughly regretting having not told anyone sooner. He barely felt her caressing his brow, trying to relieve the severe heat emanating from his skin. She had lowered him carefully to the ground, not knowing what else to do, since she had never been around someone so violently ill. Next thing Catti-brie, Drizzt rolled over onto his side, loosing what he had eaten for breakfast all over the grass. Catti-brie rubbed his back in soothing circles, not knowing what else to do.
Looking briefly at the ill ranger, Gabriel wasted no time in communicating to his soldiers to set up camp for the night. One soldier laid a mat down next to where Catti-brie knelt with Drizzt's head in her lap. She carefully laid him on his stomach on the mat. Tears shining in her eyes, she watched as Regis and the others walked over; worry clear in all of their faces.
"What's happening to him, Catti-brie??" Wulfgar's baritone voice was as quiet as it could get. "He didn't seem this way this morning when we left, nor did he look like this during midday."
"I don't know." Her voice was soft as she brushed strands of stray white hair from the black elf's face. "He didn't look well this mornin', though he said he did, but now this, this be worryin' me."
"Well, he'd better be gettin' better soon!" Bruenor's gruff voice held a serious tone to it. "Else he'll be findin' himself face t' face with me axe!"
Regis looked at him, looked at Wulfgar, looked at Catti-brie. Never had he seen her so upset. He knew that she loved the drow deeply, and if anything worse happened to him, she would be devastated. He had seen their shared kiss early that morning and had known that the two had confessed their feelings to each other.
Kneeling, he carefully took Drizzt's hand in his own, not wanting to leave one of his closest friends.
* * * * *
[A/N] Hey? How was that? Sappy again, I know, but please review! It makes for good plot bunnies!!