Chapter Three
The Long Winding Road
Del walked alongside Catti-brie in silence. Occasionally she would glance over to make sure Arcite was taking care with Regis. The stallion would snort at her and she'd chuckle softly. The grey warhorse used to be a member of the order, until a ritual gone wrong permanently trapped him in horse form. He had retained his intelligence, which Del found extraordinarily useful. She shifted her leather jerkin a bit. It was rubbing uncomfortably against her bruised side.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Drizzt's soft voice startled her.
She turned to look at the ranger. "Just a little sore. Nothing I can't handle." She smiled reassuringly at him.
"Why did you help us with those Frost Giants?" He had been mulling over that question since the encounter.
Del chuckled. "Honestly, I don't know. Just part of my nature I think. The part that gets me into quite a bit of trouble."
Drizzt smiled. "Ah, I think I have one of those, too."
Catti-brie fell into step with the two drow. "Jus' what are ye two getting on about?"
"Just discussing our trouble-seeking natures. I believe you fit into the category as well." Drizzt replied, nudging the woman playfully in the side.
Catti-brie laughed merrily. "Aye, that I do. Had to develop it just to deal with ye. Otherwise all these adventures of yers woulda scared me right into the Nine Hells." With another chuckle she jogged to catch up with Wulfgar.
"She's quite the character, and likely a very loyal friend. You must be grateful for her." Del turned to Drizzt with a soft smile.
"Loyal to a fault sometimes, and yes I am." They walked in silence for a while before he asked the question. "Do you have many friends on the surface?"
She sighed. "A few. Mostly they just respect me for my position in the Order. I have only one true friend. A Moon Elf named Ellisande. She was the only one to look past my skin and reputation to get to know me. I truly treasure her companionship." Arcite snorted. "Oh and I do have Arcite and Taerth as well. My valiant protectors." She smiled brightly at the horse.
"It is much the same with my companions. They don't see me as a drow, but as Drizzt."
Suddenly Del stumbled as though something solid had bumped into her hip. Drizzt reached forward to help her, but she dropped to her knees. Reaching out, she seemed to grab thin air, but seconds later Taerth shimmered into the spot, his massive head held in her hands. His ears were laying flat and the two tentacles on his back swayed dangerously. "Vel'bol zhah ol, ussta barra?" (What is it, my shadow?)
The others had stopped and watched the exchange. Drizzt slowly knelt down as well. "Xun udos inbal tar'annen?" (Do we have company?)
Del stared into the yellow eyes for a moment longer before she stood up abruptly. "Eroln." (Orcs.)
Drizzt stood and pulled out his scimitars. "Orcs!" The others pulled out thier weapons. "Regis! You take Arcite off to the side of the trail. You're not healed enough, and we can handle a few dirty Orcs."
Del opened her saddlebag and pulled out her gauntlet, strapping it on quickly. Wulfgar readied Aegis-fang, Bruenor adjusted his helm and pulled out his axe, and Khazid-hea glinted in Catti-brie's hand.
Drizzt glanced at Del. "Should you be fighting with your injury?"
She frowned at him. "It's merely a bruise. I'll be fine." She drew her sword and turned her eyes to the trail ahead. Soon enough a group of thirty-some Orcs came into sight and the companions were engaged in battle. Del and Taerth immediately fell into their familiar ryhthm.
A large orc swung a notched axe at her. She danced out of the way and closer to him, taking away the advantage of the weapon's longer reach and the over-compensation of the move. With a feral smile she punched the orc with her gauntleted hand. It howled in pain and fury, and went to knock her down and move in for the kill, when it sauddenly went rigid. Taerth had appeared behind the unfortunate creature and stunned it with his tentacles, leaving Del to plunge her sword into the beast's chest, killing it.
Drizzt was a blur of steel as he dispatched orc after orc with deadly accuracy, wading through the throng with Catti-brie at his side. Khazid-hea neatly slicing through the poorly-made weapons and right into thier wielders. Wulfgar howled and launched Aegis-fang into an unsuspecting orc, crushing it's chest and ending it's life. With a massive tug, Bruenor dislodged his axe from and orc's spinal column with a squelching sound.
A single Orc was left and the companions watched Del seem to toy with it. She danced out of the reach of it's halberd a third time, and Drizzt made to go help her. A hand on his chest stopped him. "No, lad." Bruenor whispered.
"She may need help." He hissed back.
"I've seen how she fights. That beast of her's ought to be makin' an appearance any time now."
Sure enough Taerth shimmered into sight behind the orc just as Del danced inside the monster's swipe to apply her gauntlet, but this orc had a shred of intelligence and instead of trying to reverse his swipe, brought the butt of his weapon to bear, savagely slamming it into her injured side. She dropped with a pained scream, her sword falling from her hand and clutching around her abdomen. The orc grinned maliciously and moved in for the kill as the four companions bolted towards them.
Taerth however seemed to lose his battle control and relased an eerie shriek, stopping the companions in their tracks and making the orc spin around. Just to be met with a furious Displacer Beast. The doomed creature's final scream didn't even make it to it's throat. The others all watched in horror as the infuriated cat tore the orc to pieces. Drizzt inched slowly over to Del. She lay on her back, one arm still held around herself.
"Del." Drizzt called out softly. "Can you call off Taerth?"
She nodded weakly. "Z'lonzic. Zahanzon l' menvis." (Enough. Scout the path.) The cat growled softly, but did back away and dissapear down the trail.
"Are you hurt badly?" He knelt next to her and pulled her head into his lap as the others joined them.
"Just give me a few moments, and we can continue."
Wulfgar frowned. "No, I think you need to rest. Is there a secure location nearby?"
Reluctantly, she nodded. "There's a clearing by an inlet to the stream about a hundred yards ahead. It's about the securest place anywhere close to us." She made to stand, but Wulfgar pushed her back down.
"I will carry you."
Del opened her mouth to protest, but Wulfgar swept her up in his arms and stood, striding down the path. Drizzt, Catti-brie, Bruenor and Regis followed, snickering.
Reaching the clearing, Wulfgar gently lay the glowering drow down. Drizzt tried to hide his amusement, but failed earning himself a glare from Del. "I'm not a complete invalid, you know!" She made to sit up but growled in pain and fell back.
Catti-brie shook her head. "Alright, let's have a look at that side." She knelt down and began unbuckling Del's jerkin. Red eyes narrowed.
"I can take care of my own injuries."
"Quit yer protestin'. Friends help each other. Now settle down and let me look at yer wounds."
Del fell silent and even cooperated with Catti-brie's ministations. They all frowned when they saw how heavily bandaged her torso was. A spot of crimson caught Drizzt's eye. "You're bleeding!"
"Must've hit me just right and punctured the bruise." She hissed as they helped her sit up to remove the bandages. She wimpered slightly as the part of the bandage stuck to her blood was gently pried away. Wulfgar, Regis, and Bruenor began setting up camp and heating water, while Catti-brie and Drizzt laid Del back down on her uninjured side.
Drizzt gently began probing the area to determine the extent of the damage. He gasped as Del hissed in pain. "It's not just a bruise. Your ribs are broken. Three of them to be exact." He leaned over her to look into her eyes. "How long have you known?" He demanded.
She met his gaze steadily. "The giant cracked two of them. That orc must've finished the job and broke the third one."
"I can't believe you fought with broken ribs!"
"Usstan inbal xunor mzild taga nindel, Drizzt Do'Urden! Folbol dos zhal'la kampi'un." (I have done more than that, Drizzt Do'Urden! Something you should understand.) She growled at him.
Violet orbs narrowed dangerously. "Fine. Let's get you patched up, but you are riding the rest of the way. I will hear no protests." He let the statement hang unitl she gave a slight incline of her head.
"Use the herbs from the brown pouch in my saddlebag. There's stips of cloth in there as well." Del spoke softly, laying her head back against the soft ground. Catti-brie stood up to go get the needed items. Drizzt began to gently clean the wound with warm water.
His eyes drifted to her back and he froze. A collection of scars of what looked like puncture marks with the skin being ripped away, marred her back. He knew those marks quite well as his own back bore them as well. Reaching out her touched one gently, and felt Del stiffen. "Dos inbal nrunn l' avuna d' natha Yathrin." (You have bore the fury of a Priestess of Lloth.)
She nodded. "Mzil d' udossta dazzan inbal." (Many of our race have.) They lapsed into silence as her wound was tended. Afterwards, Catti-brie helped her into a soft tunic, and the druid curled up with a recently returned Taerth. Soon she was asleep, the Companions of the Hall taking turns keeping watch throughout the night.
A/N: Wow, I am on a roll lately. Three posts in two days...go me! cuddles muses excitedly Hopefully I can keep up this pace for awhile. That would soo rock! As always, happy reviews make happy authors! Love and happy reading! SpiritChild