The next morning, Trey woke up to find the scarred elf standing by the window, watching the sunrise. "You are awake," she said, without turning to look at him. It was a statement, rather than a question or even observation.

Trey grunted in response. "My things are packed, as are Nuitae's. I wish to leave quickly."

The moon elf turned to look at him, blinking only once, before returning to the window. "As you wish. I have no belongings, so I will depart when you are ready."

It was such flip from the elf's previous way of speaking that Trey was unsure for a moment if it was even the same elf. The scar proved it, however, there was no faking that. The rest of the morning was spent in silence, the elf never moving from the window while Trey made sure his weapons and Nuitae's were all accounted for. He strapped on his belt with various poisons and bolts, laced the holster for his crossbow across his chest, and sheathed his swords on his back. There was no need for his cloak. If the rest of the towns were anything like this one, he would need his weapons fast.

"You ready?"

"I am. Let us be gone."

Trey nodded, and the two set out. It took but a short while, and the two were out of the town, without a second glance. Once they were well away from the sight of the town, they stopped. "This is where I leave you, Drowslayer. You will find the half-drow on the edge of the forest towards the east. From here, I warn you once more to stay clear of the path she would lead you down."

"I will take your advice into counsel, but beyond that, I am afraid I am little to no match for Nuitae's strong will."

"At least you are honest," the elf said with a smirk. Trey was sure that if the elf would smile, her beauty would be unparalleled, if it was not already.

"Would you at least tell me your name? Perhaps to let Nuitae know. It would be much easier to convince her."

"No!" the elf said sharply, then quickly regained her composure. "That child must not know of me. I can give you a name to call me by, but she must not know it. I will have your word in this, or you will have no name."

"You have my word then."

The single sightless eye seemed to be fixed on Trey, and it unnerved him slightly. Seeming to be happy with his word, the elf said softly, "I am called Nargatha'un. It is a crude name composed from many languages, but it suits me well. It can be taken to mean "Scarred One." My other name, Siathshian, is the same, though it means "Sight without sight." Either is fine, I am known by both. Farewell Trey N-tel-quess."

Trey bowed his head slightly, then followed her directions. When he reached the beginning of the forest, he called for Nuitae. Several times he called, but heard nothing, and was beginning to think he had been duped. Just as he started to venture further into the forest, a wolf appeared- one of the largest he had seen. It stood before him, watching him, and he made no sudden movements. Finally the wolf howled low and short, and turned around. He walked a few paces, and stopped, turning to look at Trey again, before walking. Understanding that this wolf was not just some animal, Trey followed, but kept his hand on his dagger.

Trey followed the wolf for several minutes, calling out Nuitae's name. Finally, he heard a muffled response. The wolf stopped and turned his head to the right, then back to Trey. And back to the right. Trey looked at the wolf, and ran in the direction.

"HELP ME," Nuitae yelled, though her voice was still muffled. Trey followed her voice. It was an easy enough thing to do considering how loudly Nuitae was spewing curses everywhere. When Trey finally arrived, it was all he could do to keep from falling to the ground with laughter.

"It is NOT funny!" Nuitae yelled again. If a blush could be seen on her black cheeks, there would have been one. Nuitae was on her back, propped up just slightly, her head and shoulders resting on a wolf even larger than the one that had guided Trey. However, laying across her chest, midsection, and legs were three more wolves, and a few pups, making it impossible for Nuitae to move. Several more wolves stood in a circle around her.

"Get these animals off me!"

Trey stood there, a wide grin on his handsome face. "Have you tried asking politely? I'm sure they were only trying to keep you from harming anyone else or yourself."

"I will NOT ask politely. First I was knocked unconscious from behind- and mark my words if I find the person who did that they will regret it!" The tone of her voice made Trey thankful that he was not the one who was the cause of this. "By the time I woke up, my hands were bound and these wolves were already surrounding me and on top of me! I tried darkness, but they wouldn't budge! And these stupid pups just chased after the faerie fire I tried to create! NO! I will NOT ask to be let up!"

"Suit yourself, then," Trey said with a shrug, and he sat down to watch. Finally, after what was surely an hour, and Nuitae's anger only having risen in that amount of time, he heard her speak.

"Would you please leave me be?" Nuitae asked in a tone that in no way hid her hurt pride. That said, the first wolf slowly stood up and shook itself, leaving Nuitae's head to fall flat against the ground. There was a soft thud and pain shot through Nuitae's head. The large wolf sauntered up to Trey, who could not help but notice she seemed to have a grin on her maw.

We have kept her here out of harm because we were asked to do so by a friend. Though she is not drow, she is not truly an elf, by our standards, but we have done as asked. She is unharmed, and we return her to you, and willingly.

Trey bowed deeply to the she-wolf. "I thank you for your kindness. It will not go unnoticed."

See that it does not. We have one boon to ask of you.

"Ask it," Trey replied.

Teach her. Teach her to be an elf. She was not raised among drow, that much is apparent to those of us here. But neither does she seem to accept what she is- a surface elf. She can never be drow unless she wants to be, but the same may be said otherwise.

I do not know the ways of the elves, unless you count drow. In this, I cannot be a teacher. I can teach her to fight like drow, because that is all I know.

The wolf's eyes narrowed. Have you so soon forgotten your life, Treian Kalir?

With that, one by one, the wolves stood up and walked away, allowing Trey to cut the bindings on Nuitae's wrists and help her to stand. She was fuming mad.

"Let's be done with this place," she said, scowling at the two wolf pups who were watching her with hopeful eyes and wagging tales. When Nuitae ignored them, they whimpered slightly, causing her to look down at them. Briefly, as if trying not to be seen, she reached down and scratched them behind the ears and under the jaw. Happy, they followed their pack out of the grove. Nuitae did not notice, but Trey watched as the lead she-wolf walked deep into the forest, and right before disappearing, transformed into a sylvan elf.

"Yes," Trey agreed. "I am quick to be rid of this place as well." Quickly, the two left, regretting the missing horse now that they had to shoulder all their belongings.

"She snapped her cord and ran off during the noise when Brichan and the others ambushed me. It was a weak strap- it could not have withstood a full grown horse in fright."

"It is regrettable," Nuitae said, choosing her words carefully. She had other things on her mind. "How did you know where I was?"

"The wolf led me to you," Trey started, devising his lie quickly. "I started out from the town thinking you would be waiting for me. When you didn't, I began looking for you, and the wolf appeared." Well, it was not a complete lie. "Tell me, have you ever heard of Dambrath?"

"Heard of it, yes, know of it, no. My mother mentioned it once when I was very little. Something about taking me there for whatever reason. Why do you ask?"

"Why don't we head there. I will help you along the way, and once there, I'm sure you can find a suitable place to live."

Nuitae rounded on him with fury he had not seen before. "I cannot! I cannot simply abandon this hatred that drives me! What is in Dambrath, anyways?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

"Many different people. Many drow. Drow who have forsaken their dread goddess and ways of the Underdark to seek an existence on the surface. And, just as common… half-drow."

The shock on Nuitae's face was obvious. Her eyes were wide, and when she realized Trey was watching her, she moved her head and let her silver hair fall in front of her face. "Of course, Dambrath is not the only place where surface drow live. And it is mostly home to half-drow and other half-elves. There are many surface cities for drow who follow Eilistraee. Perhaps you may find your answer there?"

It was many, many moments before Nuitae spoke. When she did, she was quiet and subdued. "I have spent my whole life hating drow, knowing them to be only evil. For me to be surrounded by them, and know they are not, I do think I would go insane. Truthfully, I can barely seem to keep my mind together just with the knowledge. No, I cannot take that path. Maybe someday, in the distant future, that path will become available. But for now, I am afraid I can know only vengeance or else I will never be at ease."

It was not what Trey was expecting. Nuitae lashing out, yes, he expected that. A fiery argument and vow to kill every drow she met, yes, he expected that as well. He did not expect her to speak so solemnly, and so truthfully. It would have been easier for him had she have lashed out. He could have simply lied to her and told her he would take her to the Underdark, but in reality set them on a course for Dambrath. When she had been so honest with him, he found he could not do that.

Not openly, anyways. I'll continue to teach her how to fight like a drow, and use her abilities to her advantage. But I'll also keep my word to both Nargatha'un and the wolf. I will teach her to be a normal elf as best I can, while keeping her safe. He would humor her, as the scarred elf suggested. But he would also draw out this mission as long as he could, so that eventually, she might give it up. I just hope it doesn't take too long. If it is not her destiny to hunt drow, then I need to find her a place quickly, so that I can continue on my path. For my path cannot be changed, even if hers still can.

Trey smiled. It might work. "Then you will need to learn much, much more." Nuitae's face brightened the moment he spoke. "From now on, we speak only in Drow, or in the sign language, unless we are around others, especially elves. Then we converse in Elvish or Common, depending on the situation at hand. And otherwise, I will teach you to fight like a drow. I will teach you of their culture, society and history.. Everything I can. If you are determined, then eventually you may need to act and speak like a real drow. Any mistakes may cause your life to be forfeit."

Nuitae nodded, a look of grim determination on her features. "I understand," she replied in Drow.

They walked for a long time. On horses, their journey to Raven's Bluff would have been a day or two at the most. On foot, it was double that time. Neither Nuitae nor Trey seemed to care. It gave them time for Nuitae to learn, and get better with the language. Four days of speaking in nothing but Drow worked surprisingly well, without having to deal with interruptions from other humans or elves in either of the languages. Early in the morning and just before sunset, Trey and Nuitae began sparring, Trey barking out commands and tips while they fought. How to use Nuitae's darkness ability and faerie fire to her advantage. One thing troubled Trey, however. Though her use of these two abilities was extraordinary for being raised in a light-filled world, they were still weak, and she could not levitate at all. Levitation was key to a young drow's training, and all drow could perform it exceptionally well.

"If you were exposed to the Underdark, your two innate abilities would be much stronger. As for levitation," he told her one night, "I am not sure you will ever be able to use it."

Nuitae pursed her lips. "I don't much care about that," she said, "I can't imagine I would need it more often than faerie fire, or simple combat."

And so the lessons continued. Trey taught her many basic things, and though he touched on the fact that drow cities were completely matriarchal, he skirted past the delicacies of their traditions. By the time they reached Raven's Bluff, Nuitae was nearly as good as he was with the blades, and could match him one for one with the crossbow.

"Once in Raven's Bluff, we will get you your own weapons. I'm sure someone can find us some good drow weapons out from under the watchful eye of the soldiers, or whoever is in charge. It was once a drow city, after all."

"I didn't know that!" Nuitae said, spinning around so quickly Trey grew dizzy.

"Aye, it was. Of course, that was centuries upon centuries ago. But lore still exists. It's a port city, but we'll stay there for a while and wait."

"Wait for what?"

Trey grinned. "Rumors, of course!"

Kay, I'm posting it a tad early. After this chapter, I will resume my once-a-week update, unless I write something spiffy and upload a chapter special. Look for new chapters every friday or saturday!

Thank you for reading! Send me your thoughts, I'd love to hear them! Especially concerning Nuitae's father.. I'd like to hear what my readers think, any guesses or interpretations you might have!