Catti-brie's captor looked on the Companions of the Hall in glee. He figured he would draw out their pain as much as possible. Look at the turmoil within Drizzt Do'Urden! Oh how he lavished in his pain. A thought just occurred to him. Should he kill Catti-brie in front of Drizzt and then kill Drizzt? Oh, how much pain he could bring to them! He pondered the possibilities. Either way the outcome would work to my favor, the man thought to himself.
He looked over into his second portal where he could keep his eye on his pawn, as he now referred to Catti-brie as. How good it was to have power again! He was never to be fooled by anyone. He had been used way to many times, but now was his time, the time for power!
Catti-brie looked around her room for the second time. It was still hard to see but with the help of her pendent she could see in the darkness for some distance. She had finally come to peace with her emotions and she realized that Drizzt would not want her to sit by idly. He would want her to continue on. She looked around the room trying to formulate an escape plan. If she only had her sword and her bow! She could sure teach that man and his nasty kobolds a lesson or two.
Her thoughts were interrupted as her captor walked into the room.
"So I see you've been a good girl. I like that. We wouldn't want any problems would we?" The man said as he put his hands on either side of her face. She tried to pull away and the man just laughed mockingly at her. She spit in his eyes as an act of deviance. He quickly pulled back from her. In response to her act he backhanded her causing her nose to bleed. Satisfied, he walked away from her.
"The only reason I came here was to see if losing your special friend was going to leave you forever grief stricken." He put a very evident emphasis on special. She gave him a very dirty look in response. And he paid her no heed as he continued. "Since you seem to be recovering nicely I will take my leave." He muttered a few words and he was gone again. Why did he want her? Catti-brie wondered to herself. Now that Drizzt was gone it wasn't couldn't be he was trying to get back at him, but then why did he keep bringing up Drizzt? What was he trying to accomplish? Was it something to do with her father and his wealth? She could only wait to find out.
Drizzt woke up early the next morning. How could he sleep when the one he loved was in mortal danger? He looked around to see if anyone had woken up early. Everyone else was still sound asleep. He walked carefully and lightly away from them to the edge of the cliff so he could watch the sunrise. The sun should be rising any time now, he told himself. That got him to thinking about Catti-brie. He would usually meet Catti-brie early and they would watch the sunrise together.
The sun was beginning to rise and the light was burning his eyes like usual, but today it wasn't a good kind of pain. It was a pain that went deeper than that. His stomach twisted inside and out as he thought about Catti-brie in some kidnappers hands when she should be in his arms right now. Was she okay? Had they hurt her? What if the captor or captors were indeed drow? Could he ever forgive himself for letting his evil heritage hurt one of his dearest and closest friends? With these things on his mind he came to a decision, I have to go get her.
His head was still kind of swimming as he got up and decided that he was going to go off on his own to find Catti-brie. If her captors were indeed drow he alone would be able to face them. He couldn't risk losing anymore of his close friends. With this new resolve he quietly slipped back into the camp and packed his things quickly. He slung them over his back and looked back at his friends one last time. How peaceful they seemed. He sighed as his burden grew heavier and he turned and left the camp, hurriedly running off in the trees.
Unknowingly to Drizzt, Catti-brie was watching the same sunrise. Though the window was small in the room she could still make out the sun's beautiful rays. She thought of how Drizzt would put an arm around and hold her close to him every morning as they watched the sunrise.
She also thought of her father and of his fate to go back to Mithral Hall and how he was going to kick and struggle ever step of the way. He didn't want to go back, that much she knew, but she still wasn't sure quite why. She also thought of Wulfgar. How good it was to have Wulfgar back with the group, but it had made things a little uncomfortable for her relationship Drizzt. She thought of Regis and his speech on friendship and love. That is what she had to look forward too she reminded herself. She struggled with the rope that was holding her to the chair. She couldn't make it budge.
"There is no use even trying to undo that rope." An all to familiar voice spoke into the silence. Right before her stood her captor.
"Just for future reference, that rope is magically enhanced, so only a person with the special spell could undo the bonds." He told her. She sat back in the chair defeated.
"Has anyone ever told you how cute you are when you're angry?" The man asked. She looked at him and glared. He laughed at her.
"Obviously not. Not even your little drow friend?" He said making her grow even angrier still. She tried to kick him in the shins as he stood in front of her put to her surprise her blow was absorbed. He shook his head sadly at her.
"You shouldn't have done that, Catti-brie." He struck out at her with his fist. He hit her across the face with the same amount of energy she had tried to use on him. The impact broke her nose. "I told you so!" He said and with a wave of his hand he was gone. Catti-brie was left alone with the dark again this time with the company of extreme pain.
Pwent and his gang of Gutbusters were still searching for some kind of sign of their beloved king. They had been searching since sunrise to no avail.
"Me king, me king." Pwent was shouting at the top of his lungs hoping to hear from Bruenor. He was just about to holler it again when he burst into the clearing where Bruenor and Wulfgar were unpacking their supplies for the night.
"Me king!" Pwent shouted as he ran full out towards Bruenor. He reached Bruenor and he plowed him over in a big bear hug. Wulfgar had to stop and laugh at the sight. Here Bruenor was trying his best to try to pull away from Pwent as Pwent kept hugging him tighter, and cutting Bruenor up in the process with his armor.
"Me and me boys were really worried about ye, weren't we boys?" He called out to his troops who responded with a deafening roar.
"Well I'm fine! It's me daughter and Drizzt now to that are in trouble. Catti-brie got captured and now Drizzt is off chasin' her by h'mself! And ye were worrin' 'bout me!" Bruenor's gray eyes flashed with annoyance. Pwent backed down.
"Me and me boys didn't know…" Pwent trailed off and looked helplessly at Bruenor. Bruenor calmed down as he took a deep breath. Wulfgar put a strong steady hand on Bruenor's shoulder.
"We will keep looking with you for as long as it takes to find Catti-brie. She is just as important to you as she is to us. We must keep trying." Wulfgar said to Bruenor. Regis nodded his head in agreement.
"We'll do what ever it takes for a friend." Regis chimed in. Bruenor looked away from Wulfgar and Regis so they couldn't see his eyes filling with tears.
"I've sworn to protect ye me king and so have me boys. We'll go with ye through any kind o' trouble." Pwent added in after a moment of silence. Bruenor nodded in Pwent's direction but he didn't look up at him. No words needed to be said at the moment. All were in agreement within their thoughts.
I apologize once again for how the chapters keep coming up. For some reason when I upload a document it messes the format all up.