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Bruenor, in tears, dropped to his knees and huddled over her Drizzt started to follow the dwarf’s lead, but sensed that theirs should be a privatepat on Bruenor’s shoulder and walked away to ht

A sudden burst of movement interrupted hireat throne, torn and scorched against the wall, toppled forward Drizzt held it away easily, but while he was engaged, he saw Pasha Pook dart out from behind the object and bolt for the room’s main door

"Bruenor!" Drizzt called, but he knew even as he said it that the das too caught up with his daughter to be bothered Drizzt pushed the great chair away and pulled Taul it as he started in pursuit

Pook rushed through the door, swinging around to slam it behind him "Rassit - " he started to yell as he turned back toward the stairs, but the word stuck in his throat when he saw Regis, ar before him at the top of the stairway

"You!" Pook roared, his face twisting and his hands clenching in rage

"No, hier above as a sleek black form leaped over him

To the stunned Pook, Guenhwyvar appeared as noteeth and claws

By the tiuild end

"Guenhwyvar!" the drow called, within reach of his treasured co panther loped over to Drizzt and nuzzled him warmly, every bit as happy with the reunion

Other sights and sounds kept thecomfortably on the decorated banister, his hands locked behind his head and his furry feet crossed Drizzt was glad to see Regis again, as well, butup the stairs: screarowls

Bruenor heard theate "Ru’s side

They looked down the great stairway at the battles below Every now and then, a wererat crossed by, pursued by a panther One group of rat about to deter Guenhwyvar’s feline friends, right below the friends, but a wave of black fur and glea teeth buried theis "Ye brought cats?"

Regis smiled and shifted his head in his hands "You know a better way to get rid of mice?"

Bruenor shook his head and couldn’t hide his own smile He looked back at the body of the rih they had already guessed the guildone, and so, I believe, will his wererats associates be"

Regis looked at Drizzt, knowing an explanation to be necessary "Guenhwyvar’s friends are only hunting the ratmen," he said "And hiular thieves are hiding in their rooms - if they’re smart - but the panthers wouldn’t hurt them anyway"

Drizzt nodded his approval at the discretion Regis and Guenhwyvar had chosen Guenhwyvar was not a vigilante

"We all cais continued "I kept it with o back through it to their own plane when their work is done" He tossed the figurine back to its rightful owner

A curious look caers and hopped down froiven hiuildnore the very conspicuous wound in Pook’s neck - and lifted off the ruby pendant that had started the whole adventure Satisfied, Regis turned to the very curious stares of his two friends

"Ti explained, and he darted off down the stairs

Bruenor and Drizzt looked at each other in disbelief

"He’ll own the guild," Bruenor assured the drow

Drizzt didn’t argue the point

Froain in his hu screah to understand that the guild was overmatched by the heroes froht, he had slipped instead back into the protection of the sewers

Now he could only listen to the cries and wonder how many of his lycanthrope kin would survive the dark day "I will build a new guild," he vowed to hih he fully understood the enormity of the task, especially now that he had achieved such notoriety in Calimport Perhaps he could travel to another city - Memnon or Baldur’s Gate - farther up the coast

His ponderings ca blade ca a tiny line across the side of his neck

Rassiter held up a jeweled dagger "This is yours, I believe," he said, trying to sound calm The saber slipped away and Rassiter turned to face Arteed ar the saber back into its scabbard

"I knew you had been beaten," Rassiter said boldly "I feared you dead"

"Feared?" Entreri grinned "Or hoped?"

"It is true that you and I started as rivals," Rassiter began

Entreri laughed again He had never figured the rath to be considered a rival

Rassiter took the insult in stride "But we then served the sa had finally begun to fade "I think Pook is dead, or at least thrown from power"

"If he faced the drow, he is dead," Entreri spat, thehis throat with bile

"Then the streets are open," Rassiter reasoned He gave Entreri a sly wink "For the taking"

"You and I?" Entreri ed "Few in Calimport would oppose you," the wererat said, "and with my infectious bite, I can breed a host of loyal followers in ainst us in the night"

Entreri uildhouse "Yes, my ravenous friend," he said quietly, "but there remain two problems"

"Two?"

"Two," Entreri reiterated "First, I work alone"

Rassiter’s body jolted straight as a dagger blade cut into his spine

"And second," Entreri continued, without er out and held it vertical, to wipe the blade on Rassiter’s cloak as the wererat fell lifeless to the ground

Entreri surveyed his handiwork and the bandages on his wounded elbow "Stronger already," he muttered to hi was full and bright now, and the assassin, still with es he ht come across on the daytime streets