Chapter Seven
He couldn't get to sleep. Pain was a constant, making him toss and turn, but not being able to get comfortable. He rolled over only to bump into Catti-Brie who was sleeping beside him. He felt her stir awake.
She mumbled something incoherent before uttering something he could understand. "Drizzt?"
"Yes."
"Are ye ok?"
He growled. "I wish people would stop asking me that. I cannot sleep."
Catti-Brie sighed. "So ye decided to wake me up."
"I never intended to. I did not know you were this . . . close to me."
There was a short silence. "Oh." She replied, before turning to face him. "Ye're in pain."
He grimaced. "Yes. I should not have run like I did. I tripped."
Catti-Brie chuckled at that. "Ye'll heal. The faster we get to Silverymoon the better." A hand was placed on Drizzt's cheek. "I don't like to be seein' ye in all this pain."
Drizzt sighed, closed his eyes and leaned in to the touch. How his feelings were mixed up! He felt like grabbing her with his good arm and kissing her senseless, he also felt like turning around and hoping she would leave him alone for the rest of the night.
A tiny part of him yelled out that she would now see him as weak and that part of him wanted to throttle her. That scared him more than anything.
He froze. When her lips gently brushed against his, his mind stopped. So did his breath.
Their next kiss wasn't as chaste as that first brushing of lips. He kissed Catti-Brie back this time and let his good arm wrap around her, his hand moving lightly through her hair.
He could feel her own fingers running through his own mane. When her fingers found the point of one of his ears he gasped in sudden pleasure, let go and turned around.
"Drizzt?" She called, wondering what had just happened.
"Sorry . . . my ears." He answered, quite cryptically.
"What about your ears?" She asked, lightly running a finger over one of the points.
The move sent shivers down his spine and he let out a groan. "Sensitive." He muttered, his voice husky. He heard Catti-Brie giggle next to him and he knew she got his meaning.
She moved to once again sit in front of him, grabbed his head and leaned down to once again kiss him. Passion rose and the kiss stopped only when they both needed air.
"We could go somewhere more private." Catti-Brie told him, before once again claiming his lips in a searing kiss.
When her words finally sunk in, he froze. "No." He whispered, finding it increasingly hard to think. "Not here."
She nodded, though a disappointed look came into her eyes. She was actually glad for a second of his blindness, so he couldn't see her reaction. "Aye. Maybe later then?"
He smiled. "Maybe." Moving deeper in to his bedroll, he was thankful that the warmth that now thrummed through his veins kept the pain in his arm to a minimum.
He managed to fall asleep not too long after and woke with the dawn the next morning, his arm once again shooting pain through his body. That wasn't enough to stop the strangely good mood he was in.
He could feel eyes on him and knew that once again his mood change had everyone staring at him. Mounting Wind Dancer, he was glad that Tarathiel had put his arm in a sling.
The day was pleasant and company good. Drizzt forgot about many of his worries and spent the time jesting with his friends. Following his heart he had the most Elvish desire to sing. The others were glad that he had at least a good voice for singing and soon, Tarathiel joined in.
"Elves and their damnable songs!" Grumbled Bruenor, though he smiled as he found the sight of his drow friend's light mood heartening.
Drizzt laughed. "Dwarves and their stone. I spent my childhood under more rock than you could imagine and still don't understand that obsession."
The others soon joined in the normal friendly banter. Catti-Brie saying women were better than the men in most races, giving Drizzt a good laugh at her impression of a drow priestess.
Regis made some comment about thieves and halflings. About how their small size and abilities made them more important than fighters, as they could remain unseen.
Wulfgar made a comment about barbarian strength being more than that of any other race, except for maybe the giants. He then proceeded to have a friendly wrestling match with everyone else just to prove he was right.
Tarathiel didn't know what to say. He laughed at the jibes the five friends could say about each other's race without feeling the least bit insulted. He felt strangely parted from their fun.
This went on for several minutes, before Drizzt realised that the elf hadn't joined them in their game. "What are you thinking about Tarathiel?"
The Moon Elf sighed. "Your playful bantering. Drow . . . my family."
Curiosity burned in Drizzt's eyes. "Your family?"
Tarathiel stared ahead of him, his eyes cloudy. "Yes . . ."
Drizzt cocked his head to one side, waiting for the elf to continue. When it seemed no more answer was coming he couldn't help but ask his question. "Where are they?"
Tarathiel snorted. "I remember it happened on a winter's night. I had left my home to pick the fruit that my wife wanted for that night." He paused and shifted slightly in his saddle. "By the time I got back, the whole village was in an uproar. Five drow were near the entrance, a small raiding party really. They had tried to flee, but had been cut down on their exit."
Again he paused, this time the silence was long and uncomfortable. "Only two elves were killed. My wife and 10-year-old daughter. It was a hard time for me and for a moment I went completely mad from grief. If the drow weren't already dead, they would have been killed several times over by the time I was through with them."
The other five members of the party looked horrified at what had happened. "You're daughter . . . she was only ten?" Drizzt asked, before clamping his hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry. You do not have to answer that."
Tarathiel didn't. His mind was filled with images of his family now, thoughts he had not entertained in quite a while. He hated when he had enough time on his hands to think about them.
Horrified at what he had just said, Drizzt was lost in his own thoughts, trying to think up something that could comfort the elf. So lost in the thoughts that Tarathiel had given them all, the party was all taken by surprise when they walked into the sudden ambush.
The sun now high in the sky did not seem to stop this pack of werewolves. All were in their much stronger hybrid form, the twisted half human-half beast shape that the creatures were famed for.
Drizzt quickly drew Twinkle out of its sheath with his good hand, more comfortable with the elven-forged weapon in his hand. He heard an angry growl coming from right next to him and he quickly lifted his scimitar, only to almost have his arm pulled out of its socket by the strength of the creature. Still, he somehow managed to stay on his horse and battle the creature, glad now for the lessons he was given for fighting in complete blackness, even if it was just for short periods of time.
Every one in the party was having their own private battle with their own werewolf. Even little Regis was busy bludgeoning one on the head with his unicorn shaped mace.
The battle was over quicker than it had started, three of the monsters falling dead, the others running for the safety of their own kin.
Drizzt was breathing hard, winded from the fast paced fight he had just been a part of. His foe had gotten away along with Regis' and, to his ultimate shame, Bruenor's. All were exhausted.
A hiss of pain was heard as the adrenalin of the battle wore off. Catti- Brie let out a small shriek, while the other's all gasped. Drizzt looked on curiously. "What happened? Is everyone ok?" The answer he got shocked him. Tarathiel, lost more in thought than the others, had been bitten.
While the wound itself was not too deep, the chance that he would be infected with lycanthropy hung over all their heads.
Even if Drizzt could have seen the wound, he wouldn't have been able to do anything more than bind the wound and pray to Mielikki that he would be ok. He heard the thud of something hitting the ground. Slowly he slid off Wind Dancer and slowly walked toward the noise he had heard. The sound of someone getting up off the ground was unmistakeable.
"Are you alright?" He asked, before realising he should have kept quiet.
"Fine!" Came the curt reply form the elf. Tarathiel glared, before moving into the wood for a while, leaving the other five behind. Soon he came back, his arm wrapped well in a plant the elf knew well.
Drizzt could identify it by smell alone. He knew it was a healing plant used to ward off infection. "How do you know about that particular plant?" He asked, knowing Tarathiel was no healer or ranger.
"I am a Moonwood elf. Attacks from the werewolves are always feared, though usually they live up more to the north. This plant has been known to stop the curse from taking hold. I have been bitten before and was not inflicted. I should be fine now as well."
Drizzt nodded and smiled. Tarathiel completely believed what he was saying, his voice filled with confidence. He had heard of this plant before as it was one that could be found in the grove he had learned his skills in.
There was a collected sigh from all six of them as the danger now seemed to be completely over and no one was injured too badly.
Hopping back on their horses, the small company set off again, only stopping when the sun had set and vision was obscured to all but the Moon Elf.
They would make it to Silverymoon sometime the next day. This was hoped for to all.
A/N - Wow!! Look, it has been updated! Thank you to my reviewers, especially you loyal people who have not missed one chapter yet * hugs reviewers *. 9 people reviewed the last chapter. That is a record for this story and I thank you all.
Ok, so special thanks to those nine. Alexandra Dragonhart, ChichiX, LirielMe, Carlin Robertson, celtic-lyre, Lady Cinnibar, She-cat, Brandi and Katie.
As to those people asking why I haven't mentioned much of Montolio . . . just wait, he will come into play later on. Not in the physical sense obviously, but he will be mentioned a lot.
He couldn't get to sleep. Pain was a constant, making him toss and turn, but not being able to get comfortable. He rolled over only to bump into Catti-Brie who was sleeping beside him. He felt her stir awake.
She mumbled something incoherent before uttering something he could understand. "Drizzt?"
"Yes."
"Are ye ok?"
He growled. "I wish people would stop asking me that. I cannot sleep."
Catti-Brie sighed. "So ye decided to wake me up."
"I never intended to. I did not know you were this . . . close to me."
There was a short silence. "Oh." She replied, before turning to face him. "Ye're in pain."
He grimaced. "Yes. I should not have run like I did. I tripped."
Catti-Brie chuckled at that. "Ye'll heal. The faster we get to Silverymoon the better." A hand was placed on Drizzt's cheek. "I don't like to be seein' ye in all this pain."
Drizzt sighed, closed his eyes and leaned in to the touch. How his feelings were mixed up! He felt like grabbing her with his good arm and kissing her senseless, he also felt like turning around and hoping she would leave him alone for the rest of the night.
A tiny part of him yelled out that she would now see him as weak and that part of him wanted to throttle her. That scared him more than anything.
He froze. When her lips gently brushed against his, his mind stopped. So did his breath.
Their next kiss wasn't as chaste as that first brushing of lips. He kissed Catti-Brie back this time and let his good arm wrap around her, his hand moving lightly through her hair.
He could feel her own fingers running through his own mane. When her fingers found the point of one of his ears he gasped in sudden pleasure, let go and turned around.
"Drizzt?" She called, wondering what had just happened.
"Sorry . . . my ears." He answered, quite cryptically.
"What about your ears?" She asked, lightly running a finger over one of the points.
The move sent shivers down his spine and he let out a groan. "Sensitive." He muttered, his voice husky. He heard Catti-Brie giggle next to him and he knew she got his meaning.
She moved to once again sit in front of him, grabbed his head and leaned down to once again kiss him. Passion rose and the kiss stopped only when they both needed air.
"We could go somewhere more private." Catti-Brie told him, before once again claiming his lips in a searing kiss.
When her words finally sunk in, he froze. "No." He whispered, finding it increasingly hard to think. "Not here."
She nodded, though a disappointed look came into her eyes. She was actually glad for a second of his blindness, so he couldn't see her reaction. "Aye. Maybe later then?"
He smiled. "Maybe." Moving deeper in to his bedroll, he was thankful that the warmth that now thrummed through his veins kept the pain in his arm to a minimum.
He managed to fall asleep not too long after and woke with the dawn the next morning, his arm once again shooting pain through his body. That wasn't enough to stop the strangely good mood he was in.
He could feel eyes on him and knew that once again his mood change had everyone staring at him. Mounting Wind Dancer, he was glad that Tarathiel had put his arm in a sling.
The day was pleasant and company good. Drizzt forgot about many of his worries and spent the time jesting with his friends. Following his heart he had the most Elvish desire to sing. The others were glad that he had at least a good voice for singing and soon, Tarathiel joined in.
"Elves and their damnable songs!" Grumbled Bruenor, though he smiled as he found the sight of his drow friend's light mood heartening.
Drizzt laughed. "Dwarves and their stone. I spent my childhood under more rock than you could imagine and still don't understand that obsession."
The others soon joined in the normal friendly banter. Catti-Brie saying women were better than the men in most races, giving Drizzt a good laugh at her impression of a drow priestess.
Regis made some comment about thieves and halflings. About how their small size and abilities made them more important than fighters, as they could remain unseen.
Wulfgar made a comment about barbarian strength being more than that of any other race, except for maybe the giants. He then proceeded to have a friendly wrestling match with everyone else just to prove he was right.
Tarathiel didn't know what to say. He laughed at the jibes the five friends could say about each other's race without feeling the least bit insulted. He felt strangely parted from their fun.
This went on for several minutes, before Drizzt realised that the elf hadn't joined them in their game. "What are you thinking about Tarathiel?"
The Moon Elf sighed. "Your playful bantering. Drow . . . my family."
Curiosity burned in Drizzt's eyes. "Your family?"
Tarathiel stared ahead of him, his eyes cloudy. "Yes . . ."
Drizzt cocked his head to one side, waiting for the elf to continue. When it seemed no more answer was coming he couldn't help but ask his question. "Where are they?"
Tarathiel snorted. "I remember it happened on a winter's night. I had left my home to pick the fruit that my wife wanted for that night." He paused and shifted slightly in his saddle. "By the time I got back, the whole village was in an uproar. Five drow were near the entrance, a small raiding party really. They had tried to flee, but had been cut down on their exit."
Again he paused, this time the silence was long and uncomfortable. "Only two elves were killed. My wife and 10-year-old daughter. It was a hard time for me and for a moment I went completely mad from grief. If the drow weren't already dead, they would have been killed several times over by the time I was through with them."
The other five members of the party looked horrified at what had happened. "You're daughter . . . she was only ten?" Drizzt asked, before clamping his hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry. You do not have to answer that."
Tarathiel didn't. His mind was filled with images of his family now, thoughts he had not entertained in quite a while. He hated when he had enough time on his hands to think about them.
Horrified at what he had just said, Drizzt was lost in his own thoughts, trying to think up something that could comfort the elf. So lost in the thoughts that Tarathiel had given them all, the party was all taken by surprise when they walked into the sudden ambush.
The sun now high in the sky did not seem to stop this pack of werewolves. All were in their much stronger hybrid form, the twisted half human-half beast shape that the creatures were famed for.
Drizzt quickly drew Twinkle out of its sheath with his good hand, more comfortable with the elven-forged weapon in his hand. He heard an angry growl coming from right next to him and he quickly lifted his scimitar, only to almost have his arm pulled out of its socket by the strength of the creature. Still, he somehow managed to stay on his horse and battle the creature, glad now for the lessons he was given for fighting in complete blackness, even if it was just for short periods of time.
Every one in the party was having their own private battle with their own werewolf. Even little Regis was busy bludgeoning one on the head with his unicorn shaped mace.
The battle was over quicker than it had started, three of the monsters falling dead, the others running for the safety of their own kin.
Drizzt was breathing hard, winded from the fast paced fight he had just been a part of. His foe had gotten away along with Regis' and, to his ultimate shame, Bruenor's. All were exhausted.
A hiss of pain was heard as the adrenalin of the battle wore off. Catti- Brie let out a small shriek, while the other's all gasped. Drizzt looked on curiously. "What happened? Is everyone ok?" The answer he got shocked him. Tarathiel, lost more in thought than the others, had been bitten.
While the wound itself was not too deep, the chance that he would be infected with lycanthropy hung over all their heads.
Even if Drizzt could have seen the wound, he wouldn't have been able to do anything more than bind the wound and pray to Mielikki that he would be ok. He heard the thud of something hitting the ground. Slowly he slid off Wind Dancer and slowly walked toward the noise he had heard. The sound of someone getting up off the ground was unmistakeable.
"Are you alright?" He asked, before realising he should have kept quiet.
"Fine!" Came the curt reply form the elf. Tarathiel glared, before moving into the wood for a while, leaving the other five behind. Soon he came back, his arm wrapped well in a plant the elf knew well.
Drizzt could identify it by smell alone. He knew it was a healing plant used to ward off infection. "How do you know about that particular plant?" He asked, knowing Tarathiel was no healer or ranger.
"I am a Moonwood elf. Attacks from the werewolves are always feared, though usually they live up more to the north. This plant has been known to stop the curse from taking hold. I have been bitten before and was not inflicted. I should be fine now as well."
Drizzt nodded and smiled. Tarathiel completely believed what he was saying, his voice filled with confidence. He had heard of this plant before as it was one that could be found in the grove he had learned his skills in.
There was a collected sigh from all six of them as the danger now seemed to be completely over and no one was injured too badly.
Hopping back on their horses, the small company set off again, only stopping when the sun had set and vision was obscured to all but the Moon Elf.
They would make it to Silverymoon sometime the next day. This was hoped for to all.
A/N - Wow!! Look, it has been updated! Thank you to my reviewers, especially you loyal people who have not missed one chapter yet * hugs reviewers *. 9 people reviewed the last chapter. That is a record for this story and I thank you all.
Ok, so special thanks to those nine. Alexandra Dragonhart, ChichiX, LirielMe, Carlin Robertson, celtic-lyre, Lady Cinnibar, She-cat, Brandi and Katie.
As to those people asking why I haven't mentioned much of Montolio . . . just wait, he will come into play later on. Not in the physical sense obviously, but he will be mentioned a lot.