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Bruenor found Catti-brie treading water beyond the carnage of Pinochet’s ship Pinochet paid the young woh Far in the distance, the crew on his reht the fires under control, but had turned tail and sailed aith all the speed it could ot me," Catti-brie said as the rowboat approached

"Ye should’ve stayed by hed at her

"I’ve not the kinship with fire as yerself," Catti-brie retorted with a bit of suspicion

Bruenor shrugged "Been that way since the halls," he replied "Mighten be rabbed the side of the low-riding boat and started up, then paused in a sudden realization as she noticed the sciot the drow’s blade!" she said, re the story Drizzt had told her of his battle with a fiery deed scimitar had saved Drizzt from the fire that day "Suren that’s yer salvation!"

"Good blade," Bruenorat its hilt over his shoulder "The elf should find it a naht of three," Pinochet interrupted

Bruenor turned an angry glare on him and snapped, "Then swim!"

Pinochet’s face contorted, and he started to rise threateningly

Bruenor recognized that he had taunted the proud pirate too far Before the hten, the dwarf sla hi a beat, the dwarf grabbed Catti-brie’s wrist and hoisted her up by his side "Put yer bow on hiain bobbing in the water, to hear He threw the pirate the end of a rope "If he don’t keep up, kill ’im!"

Catti-brie set a silver-shafted arrow to Taulh the threat, though she had no intention of finishing off the helpless man "They call me bow the Heartseeker," she warned "Suren ye’d be wise to swim"

The proud pirate pulled the rope around him and paddled

"No drow’s corowled at Drizzt

The man took a slap on the back of the head for his words, and then sheepishlyplank The captain studied the expressions of his crewmen as they surveyed the droho had been their companion for weeks

"What’ll ye do with him?" one sailor dared to ask

"We’vethe pointed question "Get them out and dry, and throw the pirates in chains" He waited a moment for his crewmen to disperse, but they held their positions, entranced by the draled!" Deuderar, now only a few feet from the plank "Let us retire to my cabin," he said calar did not answer They ith the captain silently, absorbing the curious, fearful, and outraged stares that followed them

Deuderroup of his crew as they looked to the south, past Pinochet’s burning ship, to a s hard in their direction

"The driver of the fiery chariot that rushed across the sky," one of the crewman explained

"He took down that ship!" another exclaiship, now listing badly and soon to sink "And sent the third one running!"

"Then a friend of ours, he is indeed!" the captain replied

"And of ours," Drizzt added, turning all eyes back upon hiar looked curiously at his companion He had heard the cry to Moradin, but had not dared to hope that it was indeed Bruenor Battleha to their aid

"A red-bearded dwarf, ifwoar’s jaw dropped open "Bruenor?" he ed "That is h," Deuder the passengers of the rowboat to his cabin as soon as they ca that on the deck the droould prove a distraction to his crew And at this time, with the ships fouled, they had important work to coar deht for - "

Deuder sed "I only wish that I had such e south Surely then the pirates would flee whenever the Sea Sprite broke the horizon!"

Wulfgar eased back from his defensive posture

"My deception was not intended to bring harm," Drizzt said soe to the south to rescue a friend - that much remains true"

Deudermont nodded, but before he could answer, a knock cain’ yer pardon," he began

"What is it?" asked Deudermont

"We follow yer every step, Captain, ye know that," the sailor sta’s on the elf"

Deudermont considered the sailor, and then Drizzt, for a moment He had always been proud of his crew; ether for many years, but he seriously wondered how they would coh this dile his trust in his men

"Well, we know he’s a drow," the sailor began, "and we knohat thathis next words carefully Drizzt held his breath in anticipation; he had been down this route before

"But theh a bad jam there," the sailor blurted all of a sudden "We wouldn’t a gotten through without ’em!"

"So you want the across his face His crew had coain

"Aye!" the sailor replied heartily "To a man! And we’re proud to have ’eed Drizzt at the plank just a few minutes before, poked his head in "I was scared, that’s all," he apologized to Drizzt

Overwhelmed, Drizzt hadn’t found his breath yet He nodded his acceptance of the apology

"See ye on deck, then," said the second sailor, and he disappeared out the door

"We just thought ye should know," the first sailor told Deuderone

"They are a fine crew," Deuderar when the door had closed

"And what are your thoughts?" Wulfgar had to ask

"I judge a man - elf - by his character, not his appearance," Deudermont declared "And on that subject, keep the mask off, Drizzt Do’Urden You are a far handsomer sort without it!"

"Not many would share that observation," Drizzt replied

"On the Sea Sprite, they would!" roared the captain "Now, the battle is won, but there is th would be appreciated at the prow, et these ships unfouled andbefore that third pirate comes back with more of his friends!

"And you," he said to Drizzt with a sneaky smile "I would think that no one could keep a shipload of prisoners in line better than you"

Drizzt pulled the mask off his head and tucked it in his pack "There are advantages to the color of narls out of his white locks He turned with Wulfgar to leave, but the door burst in before them

"Nice blade, elf!" said Bruenor Battlehaical scimitar to Drizzt "Find a na’ a na roastin’!"

"Or a dwarf hunting dragons," Drizzt reain the first tion’s horde Then he gave it a new ho his old one a fitting companion for Twinkle

Bruenor walked up to his drow friend and clasped his wrist fire," the dwarf began softly, fighting back a choke that threatened to break his voice apart, "suren then I knew that me other friends would be safe"

"But they are not," Drizzt replied "Regis is in dire peril"

Bruenor winked "We’ll get hi to put an end to Ruhtly one final tiar, the lad he had ushered into ar wanted to speak but could find no path for the words beyond the lump in his throat Unlike Drizzt, the barbarian had no idea that Bruenorhis dear mentor, the dho had beco before hirabbed Bruenor by the shoulders just as the das about to say so

It took Bruenor a few seconds of wiggling to get loose enough to draw breath "If ye’d squeezed the dragon like that," the dwarf coughed, "I wouldn’t’ve had to ride it down the gorge!"

Catti-brie walked through the door, soaking ith her auburn hair matted to her neck and shoulders Behind her came Pinochet, drenched and huaze of Drizzt, locking the drow in a silent moment of emotion that went deeper than simple friendship "Well met," she whispered "Good it is to look upon Drizzt Do’Urden again Me heart’s been with ye all along"

Drizzt cast her a casual smile and turned his lavender eyes away "Somehow I knew that you would join our quest before it was through," he said "Well "

Catti-brie’s gaze drifted past the drow to Wulfgar Twice she had been separated froain had met, Catti-brie was rear saw her, too Droplets of seawater sparkled on her face, but they paled next to the shine of her s Catti-brie, eased Bruenor back to the floor

Only the embarrassment of youthful love kept the on