AN: This story takes place soon after Mooshie's death. I'm pretending that there was time for all this to occur before Drizzt was being hunted by the bounty hunter, and all that.
When Drizzt reached the edge of the clearing, he slowly walked in. Although he tried, he could not tear his eyes away from the terrible carnage they saw. It appeared that no elves had been left alive. Drizzt's evil kin had hurt him again, this time even more, because they had hurt others, and Drizzt could do nothing to prevent it.
Drizzt made his way to where the elven girl had fallen after being hit by the priestess' spell. When he saw her crumpled body, he knelt down beside her and cried. As he cried, he picked up her small body and held her to his chest. She looked to be only about six or seven years old. Drizzt contemplated her unfair death by his murdering kin. He hugged her close, and as he did, Drizzt felt her faint heartbeat. She was still alive. The priestess' spell had just knocked her out. Inwardly rejoicing, Drizzt stood, cradling her small body in his arms. He began to run.
Drizzt carried the elven girl back to his camp in the woods. He took off his cloak, and folded it into a pillow for her head, the laid her down. Drizzt sat and watched over the girl's unconscious body for the entire day, as the sun rose and began to set again. The entire time he watched her, he thought about the injustice of her situation. No matter how many times his rationale told him that it wasn't his fault, Drizzt couldn't help but feel guilty for the deeds of the other drow. Because of them, this girl's entire family, her entire village, had been slaughtered. She was the only one left. Drizzt didn't even know if she would ever wake up. The spell that hit her might have caused a slow death, instead of a fast one. These thoughts filled Drizzt's head as he watched the motionless girl, through the day and night and as the dawn broke the next morning.
After the long night he had spent watching the girl, Drizzt couldn't help but doze through the next day. His Reverie was interrupted by a sound from the elven child. Drizzt sat bold upright, and then crawled over to her still figure. She was mumbling words under her breath, but Drizzt couldn't understand her. Figuring that she must be thirsty after being asleep for so long, Drizzt reached for his canteen, and opened it. He let a few drops fall into the child's open mouth, and then poured a stream, when she swallowed and opened her mouth for more. The girl drank the water, her eyes still closed, and then seemed to fall asleep again, settled comfortably in Drizzt's arms. Happy at her recovery, Drizzt allowed himself to relax and sleep.
When Drizzt woke later that day, the noon sun seemed to pierce his light-sensitive eyes. Shaking his head, and shielding his eyes with a hand, Drizzt looked around. Suddenly he sprang to his feet. The girl was gone. Drizzt thought of yelling for her, but then realized that she would not answer him, and that he did not even know her name. The dark elf searched for her footprints and found them leading to the edge of the camp. He followed them and, rounding a tree, he saw her, sitting on the ground, facing away from him. Quietly, he sat down beside her. With her elven hearing, she heard his movements, and turned directly to face him. "Who are you?" she said, sniffling. Before Drizzt could answer, she said, "I know who I am, but I don't know what I'm doing in the forest by myself. Mommy doesn't let me in the forest by myself. Especially at night." With all the confidence of the small child, she crawled to Drizzt and sat in his lap. "You have to take me back to Mommy. She will be worried. My name is Inriole. Who are you?" She said this very fast, and very matter-of-factly, and Drizzt was somewhat taken aback.
"My name is Drizzt," he said slowly. "Do you remember why you are in the forest with me?"
"No," she said. "You should take me back now, but you have to carry me, 'cause it's nighttime." She wrapped her arms around Drizzt's neck and smiled. Drizzt smiled too, but was puzzled. He looked around at the bright sunlight that shone even through the thick treetops. He stood up, still holding the elven girl, and began walking back to his camp. "We can't go back to your home now, Inriole."
"Why?" she asked. "Mommy will be worried."
"I know, Inriole," replied Drizzt, "but she would want you to stay here for right now."
"Why do I have to stay here? Why can't I go home?" Inriole began to pout. "I'm scared, it's dark, and you're a stranger. I want to go home!"
Drizzt reached the tree where he had sat watching the unconscious girl earlier. He set her down and sat down beside her, holding her small hands. "I know that you're here without your family. But you have to be brave." Changing the subject, Drizzt asked her, "Why do you keep saying that it is nighttime, Inriole? The sun is shining right above us."
"No, it's not," she said pouting. "If it was, I could see you."
"You can't see me?" Drizzt asked.
"No!" she cried. "It's too dark to see anything!" Ever since the girl had woken up, Drizzt had been wondering why she made no comment on his appearance. After all, she had recently watched her village murdered by elves that looked just like Drizzt. Up until now, Drizzt had put it down to memory loss. Maybe Inriole had simply forgotten the events of the attack on the village due to the shock. Now Drizzt knew the truth. He slowly drew his hands up in front of Inriole. Her eyes still seemed to focus on his face. Suddenly Drizzt jabbed his forefingers directly at the child's eyes. She didn't move, or blink. Drizzt's guess had been right. Inriole was completely blind.
Now that Drizzt understood, he began to wonder. The priestess' spell had blinded the girl, but apparently without any pain. That was why Inriole simply thought it was nighttime. She didn't remark on Drizzt's appearance because she couldn't see him at all. Right then, Drizzt decided not to tell her of the attack. If she truly couldn't remember the traumatic experience she had gone through, he didn't want to bring back the memories by describing a drow elf to her, or telling her of the deaths of her family. Not yet, anyway.
"Inriole?" said Drizzt quietly. "It's not nighttime."
"Yes it is," she said. "It's too dark to see."
"No," Drizzt replied. "The sun is shining down. It's full noon, Inriole."
"Don't lie! It's nighttime! Why are you lying to me?" Inriole cried , her eyes watering.
"Shhh…," said Drizzt, hugging the girl. "Can't you feel the sun Inriole?" In the bright sunlight, Drizzt could see Inriole's face upturned, bathed in the golden light.
"I can feel it," she said. "But why is it so dark out?"
"It isn't dark, Inriole." Drizzt whispered, "You just can't see the light."
"Why not?" cried the elven girl, her eyes filled with tears. "I want to see the light!" Suddenly she gasped. "Am I … blind?" she asked, her voice small.
Drizzt nodded, and then said quietly, "Yes, Inriole. You are blind."