"What a beautiful day." Drizzt remarked to his companion, Catti-brie. The couple were sitting out away from everyone on the trails near Ten- Towns, the trails they both knew so well. Sitting side by side they watched the clouds lazily glide by overhead. They had been at this very spot since the sun had risen. They just sat together enjoying each other's company, saying only a few words now and then.
"That one looks like a bird." Catti-brie pointed out a cloud to Drizzt. His eyes followed the direction of her hand. He frowned slightly.
"A bird?" his voice was full of skepticism. He continued on. "It looks more like a fish from my viewpoint."
"No, it's a bird all right! Look, see its wings?" In response Drizzt shook his head causing his long white mane to fall over his shoulders.
"Where are ye keen drow eyes? Humph. Some eyes ye got. Can't even tell a stinkin' bird from any 'o fish!" she said mockingly to Drizzt.
"What kind of eyes do you have? It's amazing you can shoot your arrows so accurately but you can't tell a fish from a bird." Drizzt said jokingly to Catti-brie.
"Ye good fer nothin' elf!" she shouted as she turned and leaped at him. Using his quick reflexes and finely honed muscles he quickly moved out of her way. She fell face first into the ground. Drizzt couldn't help but laugh. He stopped abruptly as he realized that Catti-brie hadn't moved.
"Are you alright?" he asked her as he moved over to see if she was all right. As he moved closer and bent down to see what was wrong she leaped up at him. With no time to react, Drizzt was plowed over by her attack. The two rolled around in the grass one trying to pin the other down. In the midst of the mock battle Drizzt called Guenhwyvar.
"Help me, my friend!" Drizzt shouted to the panther. The panther just looked at the two. Her ears bristled and she lay down.
Catti-brie and Drizzt were to busy laughing to even notice. As soon as one thought they had the upper hand the other would push them up off of the leading position.
"Guen! Help!" Catti-brie called to the panther as Drizzt had her firmly held to the ground. The panther decided to join in on the fun and she leaped over and knocked Drizzt off of Catti-brie. Catti-brie watched the panther and the drow struggle with each other. Within a few seconds Drizzt was pinned under the six hundred pound panther. Catti-brie came over.
"Admit it was a bird and maybe I'll call Guen off." Catti-brie said sassily. She crouched down and looked straight into Drizzt's face. He wheezed for sympathy, but didn't look into her eyes directly. She turned around and began talking again.
"Maybe a little longer under yer cat will teach ye!" Catti-brie said. She turned around to see if her point had gotten across. To her surprise the cat was gone and Drizzt was coming at her full tilt. She gasped as Drizzt leaped and once again pinned her to the ground. Soon he was on top of her, holding her to the ground.
"Admit defeat! You know it was a fish!" Drizzt said as he looked down at her beautiful face. She smiled softly up at Drizzt who was now just inches from her face.
"Ye cheated when ye called Guen off." Catti-brie said softly. He slowly loosened the hold on her pinned down arms. "Guenhwyvar has to listen to her master." He said to her. She smiled but said nothing. He finally completely released his hold on her arms and he just looked down into her sparkling blue eyes. He just wanted to kiss her right then and there but he wasn't sure if he should. He didn't want to hurt the beautiful friendship that had come to grow between them. Catti- brie looked up at him with questioning eyes, as if asking him to share his feelings. He sighed as he looked down at her again.
"Drizzt? What's wrong with ye?" Catti-brie asked Drizzt as she heard him sigh heavily. He looked away from her eyes, which now held a lot of concern. He still didn't reply as he moved so he was now sitting next to her. She slowly got up from the grass and sat up next to Drizzt. She pulled her knees up to her chest before she asked him again. "Drizzt?" He looked up at her. He sighed deeply again and he didn't answer right away. How was he supposed to tell her how he felt? He started absentmindedly playing with the hem of his cloak before Catti-brie grabbed his hands forcing him to look up at her. "Ye can tell me anythin' ye know that." She paused making sure her point hit home. "I'll ask ye again, what's th' matter?" Catti-brie earnestly asked Drizzt. She moved some of his hair out of his face when she didn't get an immediate reaction. She could tell it wasn't anything good by the sour expression on his face. Drizzt didn't reply but he just shifted uncomfortably. Catti-brie reached around him and put her arm around his other shoulder. He shivered a bit at her touch but he hoped she didn't notice.
"What's wrong? I can tell by th' look on yer face that it ain't good, so what's buggin' ye?" she asked him again. When he didn't answer again she asked him one final time. "Damn ye Drizzt! Just tell me what's th' matter wit' ye! If ye don't I'll use Cutter on ye!" He almost had to laugh at her rough dwarven accent, but he retained himself. He decided then and there that he wasn't going to tell her the whole truth about what was wrong. "I'm sorry Catti-brie, I just don't want to burden you with my own turmoil." He said hoping to stop or at least delay any more forth coming questions. She looked him straight in the eyes for a moment before she replied. "Drizzt yer bein' silly! It hurts me more ta know that yer hurtin' inside than for me not ta know what's goin' on. Yer never ever a burden, Drizzt Do'Urden, don't ye ever think that. I'd do anythin' ta help ye so why don't ye let me at least try. Tell me what's wrong Drizzt." Catti-brie said to Drizzt as she gently squeezed his shoulder in assurance, which brought another shiver from Drizzt. He looked down at the ground before he slowly replied. "I was thinking about Ellifain again. I just think she should be walking here enjoying the beautiful day, not me. It doesn't seem right. She was so misguided... I just..." He stopped not knowing how to continue. "...Couldn't help her..." he added softly while looking absently at the ground. Catti-brie knew there was more to the story than that but she decided not to push him any further right now. She reached around him and pulled him close in a warm hug.
"There was nothing ye could have done, ye know that. It wasn't yer fault. She killed herself. Yer the one that should be here and ye are." She held him a moment longer enjoying the touch of him so near her. "Besides what would I do without ye? I love ye too much!" She added softly into his hair, as soon as she said it her blood ran cold in her veins. Hopefully Drizzt hadn't heard it. What would he think? How would he act? Catti-brie just continued holding him close to her hoping that if he had heard it he won't say anything. However, Drizzt's keen drow ears had allowed him to catch it. "I love you too." Drizzt replied to Catti-brie. She pulled back from the hug to regard him. She looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face. He returned the look. "Did ye mean that?" Catti-brie asked timidly, almost as if she was afraid of the answer. He smiled warmly as he reached out and took her hands in his own. How soft and warm his hands are. Catti-brie thought quietly to herself. He almost didn't even need to answer her question. "Only if you meant it." Was his simple reply. Catti-brie knew that she didn't even have to answer his question either. For a long while they stared into each other's eyes, not saying a word. Catti-brie was the first to move. She gently ran he hand along his face without saying a word. He smiled and covered her hand with his own. Then before either of them knew what was happening their lips were touching in a sweet kiss.