Sigh, such a nasty, cold, and rainy day…

Chapter 9--Broken

Catti-brie woke with a start. It had stopped raining, but that was forgotten when she realized Drizzt was gone. "He left while he was on watch and without waking anyone? That's not like him," she muttered. She woke the others.

"What be wrong, girl?" Bruenor grumbled.

Drizzt's gone," Catti-brie explained.

"He left on his watch? That's odd," Wulfgar remarked. "We'd better go look for him."

Bruenor got up, grumbling. "Durned Drow's got himself in trouble again or I'm a bearded gnome. I'm goin' to kick his arse for this," he grumbled.

"He's probably close by, if you called he'd probably hear you," Regis said.

"If he was close he's have already heard us. We be needin' to go look for him," Catti-brie said.

Wulfgar looked at Delly. "I think you had better stay here," he said.

Delly looked a little hurt. "Why?" she asked.

"Nothing against you, love, but if Drizzt is in trouble I don't want you and Colson to get hurt. If Colson cries at the wrong time it will give us away," Wulfgar explained.

"I understand now. You're right. We'll wait here then," Delly said.

"Regis'll stay with you, so you won't be alone," Wulfgar said.

They gathered their weapons then moved slowly off to look for their missing companion.

*Meanwhile*

Drizzt was dragged over to a wood table and his hands were pinned flat and spread to the top of it. The other bandits gathered to watch.

The leader walked over to the opposite side of it and held up a mace, examining it then looked at Drizzt. "You sure you don't want to reconsider your answer, Drow?" he asked, eying his hands pointedly. "Last chance to do as I asked."

Drizzt wasn't foolish. He knew what the man was going to do and it would hurt, but he couldn't harm that girl anymore then she had been already. "My answer's the same," he said.

"Your choice," the man smirked. He brought the mace down on Drizzt's left hand.

There was an ugly crunch as small, fragile bones were shattered and crushed, but somehow Drizzt managed to keep from screaming though he couldn't hide a grimace of pain.

The man saw it too and smiled cruelly. "Awww, poor Drow's in pain, maybe it'd help if you held his hand," he said.

The bandit that had pinned his left hand looked puzzled then grinned sadistically. "That might help," he agreed. He took Drizzt's broken hand in his and squeezed brutally.

This time Drizzt couldn't keep back a cry of pain. It hurt worse then breaking it had. He bit his lip, so hard he could taste blood.

"There, there," the leader said with mocking sympathy, "it's almost over." He slammed the cruel mace down on Drizzt's right hand as the other bandit squeezed his left.

**************************

The scream of pain caught Bruenor and the others off-guard making them jump. "That was Drizzt! It be comin' from that direction. They ran in that direction to aid their friend. They saw an old barn ahead of them that was lit up then the scream came again. "He's hurt!" Catti-brie said. "We have to find a door!"

"Waste of time, we'll make our own," Bruenor growled. He lowered his head and charged for the wall. The old wood was no match for the Dwarf's hard head and he smashed through.

"Tempus!!" Wulfgar roared and threw Aegis-Fang at another spot. Suddenly the barn had two new doors and Wulfgar rushed through the opening without a pause.

Catti-brie shook her head at her companions usual lack of strategy and followed them in with her bow ready to fire. The sight that met her eyes was a bunch off stunned and shocked bandits. She brought up the bow to fire.

The bandits were completely caught off-guard by the addition of two wild fighters to their midst. The ones holding Drizzt let go and he collapsed. The bandits grabbed weapons and moved to attack the intruders….

Whoohoo, going be a real ruckus now!!! R/R please!