Thanks everyone for reviewing and I'm not going to tell what Drizzt is going to do! *Shares Grins With Plot Bunnies*
Chapter 28--Two Rogues Meet
Drizzt made sure he was up early the next morning. After cleaning up and getting dressed he headed straight for Catti-brie's room. When he got there the door was open and the only one in the room was a servant who was cleaning it.
She looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Ranger Do'Urden," she said.
"Good morning, where's Catti-brie?" Drizzt asked.
"She left early with Mistress Delly and Mistress Lana for a daylong shopping spree," the servant said.
"Oh, well, thank you," Drizzt said. He walked slowly back towards his room. He had finally gotten up the nerve to do this and he couldn't catch her alone, so he could. It was very ironic. He was almost to his room when he decided to go into the city instead. He needed to get out and perhaps he would find Catti-brie as well.
It was a beautiful day with a pleasantly cool breeze and as Drizzt wandered through the city he found himself relaxing. Three hours had passed when a horse's enraged whinny caught his attention and he headed towards the sound. He soon came to a fenced in corral to see an enraged bay stallion fighting a noose that was around its neck and tied to a post.
A Human stood out of the horse's reach with a whip. "Stupid rogue! I'll show you whose master here!" he shouted and began lashing the horse with the whip.
Drizzt reacted without thinking. He entered the corral and caught the man's wrist just as he was about to hit the horse again. "That's enough," he said.
The Human tore his wrists free and whirled. "What business is it of yours? The worthless beast bit me! He's my damned property!" he snapped.
You deserved to be bitten if you hurt him like this before, Drizzt thought.
"How much do you want for him?" Drizzt asked.
The man stared at him then his eyes brightened with greed. It was obvious he thought he'd cheat a fool. "Want at least five hundred gold for him," he said.
Drizzt frowned at the rather high price then glanced at the battered stallion. He looked back at the man. "He isn't worth that much in the shape he's in. Three hundred," he said.
"Four hundred and fifty," the man said.
Drizzt looked at the stallion again to find it staring back at him, almost pleadingly. "Agreed," he said reluctantly and gave the man the money.
"He's all yours if he don't kill you," the man said. Laughing, he walked off.
Drizzt glared at the retreating man's back then looked at the stallion. "I don't blame you for biting him. I'm tempted to bite him myself," he said.
The stallion tossed his head and whinnied. Drizzt entered the corral and approached the stallion cautiously. "It's alright, easy now. I'm not going to hurt you," he said.
The stallion's ears went back flat against his head and he snorted warningly, teeth bared threateningly.
Drizzt was glad the stallion was tied otherwise it probably would have attacked him. He reached slowly out; using his empathy being a ranger gave him. "It's over, he won't hurt you again and I'll never hurt you. Let me take that rope off. It's too tight and I'm sure it hurts you. Trust me, fellow. Everything is all right now," he said.
The stallion's ears came up and it studied Drizzt with expressive brown eyes. It whinnied again, though softer this time. Its teeth were no longer bared, but it still looked suspicious.
Drizzt was now in the stallion's reach and praying it wouldn't attack. "Hold still now. Easy, boy," he said. He loosened the noose and pulled it off then stepped back.
The stallion tossed its head and backed away then came towards Drizzt and stretched its head towards him.
Drizzt didn't move as the stallion sniffed his face and hair then much to the Drow's relief it nuzzled him affectionately. "Good boy, now let's get you out of here. I can tend your wounds in the royal stable and there will be the finest vets in the city there as well," he said. He walked away and the once vicious stallion followed….
Hah, going to make you wait a little longer. This chapter is for the person who wanted to know how Drizzt got his horse in a Ranger's Homecoming and A New Beginning…..R/R please!!!