Chapter 4

Nightal 14 1372 DR, Year of Wild Magic

The next morning, Shadimir, Jepetto, Elros, and Battle-hammer were all studying the tunnel entrance where some of the guards said the two dwarves had emerged. Shadimir sighed, thinking about the dwarf he had found the night before. From Regis, he learned the dwarf's name to be Creeves Goldlense, a maker of helmets.

"I wonder if Catti-brie would know anything?" Jepetto asked out loud.

"What makes you think that she would," the undead hunter answered.

The svirfneblin shrugged. "I don't know, just a guess. I'm going to get some breakfast and clean up Battle-hammer."

Shortly after Jepetto and Battle-hammer and Elros left (to get some breakfast the hunter assumed) Shadimir stepped inside of the tunnels His fingers brushed the cave walls, feeling large claw marks and dents. "Could be possibly a creature," Shadimir whispered softly as he reached into his belt and pulled out his sculpting knife. He took one step forward, then stopped. His ears picked up the sound of shuffling from behind.

Shadimir was about to turn to face the newcomer, but then he felt delicate hands push hard on his back. The hunter lost his balance and rolled a few feet down the tunnel.

Shadimir quickly stepped to his feet, pulling Gabriel and his mace from their places. The hunter's bastard sword vibrated softly in his hands, which meant undead were nearby.

The hunter turned around, seeing six zombies, two that resembled dwarves, and the other four resembling drow. He stepped next to the closest drow zombie and drove his mace into the zombie's face, causing the body to turn to dust. Shadimir then slashed Gabriel in a lower arc, cutting through the torso of a one-eyed drow zombie.

With two zombies down, Shadimir stepped back, blocking the rusty weapons the four remaining zombies were swinging at him.

Using his agility, Shadimir rolled left and bashed his light mace into a dwarf zombie's rib cage, then stabbed Gabriel through the same zombie's chest and watched as the undead monster fell to pieces.

The hunter stepped back as the three remaining zombies advanced. He made a quick slashed with his sword that finished one drow zombie, then made a backhanded slash with his sword that finished the remaining drow zombie.

The final dwarf zombie threw itself at Shadimir, but the hunter stepped back, allowing the zombie to hit the ground.

Shadimir held Gabriel still for a moment, then drove Gabriel through the zombie's back.

After putting away his weapons, Shadimir looked down the dark tunnel. Something about this area felt very familiar to him.

"Shadimir, are you all right down there?" Jepetto asked from the entrance of the tunnel. The hunter raised to his gnome friend to tell him what just happened.

After deciding to put the search on hold, Shadimir and Elros explored Mithral Hall's marketplace. They were many fine dwarven goods on sale. Weapons, armor, jewelry, and other quality items.

Shadimir and Elros stopped at a small wooden booth where there were sais, daggers, and other small weapons were on display. The one item that caught Shadimir's eye was a bo stick that had runes carved in a spiral motion.

"Do you think Dalla would like this?" Shadimir asked his animal companion. Elros's lips parted in a smile.

Shadimir smiled as well. He had wanted to get something for Dalla after the battle had taken place at the Spirit Soaring over a month ago.

After purchasing the bo staff, Shadimir turned to see someone-who he did not expect-approaching him.

"Good evening Shadimir," Catti-brie greeted in a cold voice. "Me father tells me that you and Jepetto are hard at work, finding the one who has been attacking the dwarves." The hunter's eyes immediately noticed the black book in her hand.

Taking his eyes off of the book, Shadimir nodded as he kept his hand on the bo stick. The snow tiger let out a low growl as he stared up Catti-brie.

Catti-brie glared at Elros, then glanced at the bo stick the hunter carried. "That's a nice looking item. It seems that Rumblebelly and Drizzt were right when they said that ye own items of great beauty."

Shadimir sighed as he stared into Catti-brie's cold eyes. Unlike before, he found no emotion in them.

"This is for my daughter Dalla," Shadimir said, holding onto the bo stick. "A present for her when she comes home for the holidays."

"Ye're quite the family man," Catti-brie commented in a cold voice. "I'm sure ye know about the baby Drizzt is having with Aliyah."

The undead hunter tried not to say anything when he heard the faint hiss when Catti-brie mentioned his sister-in law's name. "As a matter of fact, I do know about it," he said with a smile. "I'm sure you must be happy for Drizzt."

"I am," the young woman responded. Shadimir could hear the sadness in her voice. Then, after a moment of uncomfortable silence, Catti-brie turned and walked away. Holding the bo stock, Shadimir wondered if Jepetto was right.

Could Catti-brie know something about the attacks.