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Drizzt and Montolio said nothing of the drow’s tale over the next couple of days Drizzt brooded over painfully rekindled ave him the room he needed They went about their daily business methodically, farther apart, and with less enthusias, which they both realized

Gradually they ca Drizzt with hopes that he had found a friend as true as Belwar or even Zaknafein One h, the droakened by a voice that he recognized all too well, and Drizzt thought at once that his ti end

He crawled to the wooden wall that protected his dugout chah

"Drow elf, Mooshie," Roddy McGristle was saying, holding a broken scier to see The burly er in the many layers of furs he wore, sat atop a small but rove "Ye seen hi an exaggerated wink of his milky-white eyes Roddy was not arowled "Ye see more’n the rest of us, so don’t ye be playin’ du a wicked scar froht a fa back and forth along the paths of the grove

Drizzt crouched at the ready, a scimitar in one hand and a look of dread and confusion on his face He had no desire to fight - he did not even want to strike the dog again

"Get your dog back to your side!" Montolio huffed

McGristle’s curiosity was obvious "Seen the dark elf, Mooshie?" he asked again, this tiht that I have," Montolio replied He turned and let out a shrill, barely audible whistle Ier’s clear ire in no uncertain ters and slunk back to stand beside its master’s horse

"I’ve a brood of fox pups in there," the ranger lied angrily "If your dog sets on the at that, and apparently Roddy was i’s head and pulled it tight to his side

"A drow, h here before the first snows," Montolio went on "You will have a hard hunt for that one, bounty hunter" He laughed "He had soain, back for his dark houess Do you mean to follow the dron into the Underdark? Certainly your reputation would grow considerably, bounty hunter, though your very life ht prove the cost!"

Drizzt relaxed at the words; Montolio had lied for hih regard, and that fact, too, brought co out the story of the tragedy in Maldobar in a blunt and warped way that put Drizzt and Montolio’s friendship to a tough test

"The drow killed the Thistledowns!" Roddy roared at the ranger’s shtered them, and his panther ate one o’ theer Shahtly on his rimly

Roddy held out the broken scirowled "There’s two thousand gold pieces on that one’s head - I’ll give ye back five hunnerd if ye can find out old," Montolio quickly replied

"But do ye have need to see the killer brought in?" Roddy shot back "Do ye mourn for the deaths o’ the Thistledown clan, as fine a fa pause led Drizzt to believe that the ranger ht turn him in Drizzt decided then that he would not run, whatever Montolio’s decision He could deny the bounty hunter’s anger, but not Montolio’s If the ranger accused hied

"Sad day," Montolio muttered "Fine family, indeed Catch the drow, McGristle It would be the best bounty you ever earned"

"Where to start?" Roddy asked cal he had won Montolio over Drizzt thought so, too, especially when Montolio turned and looked back toward the grove

"You have heard of Morueme’s Cave?" Montolio asked

Roddy’s expression visibly dropped at the question Moruereat desert Anauroch, was so naons that lived there "Hunnerd an’ fifty e"

"The droent there, or about there, early in the winter," Montolio lied

"Droent to the dragons?" Roddy asked, surprised

"More likely, the droent to soons of Morueme could possibly know of him You should inquire there"

"I’ons," Roddy said sooin’, well, it costs too much!"

"Then it seems that Roddy McGristle has h, against the likes of a dark elf"

Roddy reined in his horse and spun the beast about "Don’t ye put yer bets against me, Mooshie!" he roared back over his shoulder "I’ll not let this one get away, if I have to search every hole in the Nethers myself!"

"Seeold," Montolio re,to his torn face The bounty hunter realized the absurdity of his actions - of course, the blind ranger could not see hirove

Montolio waved a hand disgustedly at McGristle’s back, then turned to find the drow Drizzthow to thank Montolio

"Never liked that one," Montolio explained

"The Thistledown family was murdered," Drizzt admitted bluntly

Montolio nodded

"You knew?"