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Catti-brie heard the growling dog, but she had no tie hly by the ar his foul breath right in the girl’s face
Catti-brie kicked hio!" she retorted Roddy was surprised that she had no trace of fear in her voice He gave her a good shake when she tried to kick hiain
"Ye came to the rip "Ye came to see the drow - I knowed that ye was friends with that one Seen it in yer eyes!"
"Ye know not a thing!" Catti-brie spat in his face "Ye talk in lies"
"So the drow told ye his story o’ the Thistledowns, eh?" Roddy replied, easily guessing the girl’s er, had given the wretch confirmation of her destination
"The drow?" Catti-brie said absently "I’ about"
Roddy’s laughter irl Ye’ve said it plain enough And now ye’re goin’ to take me to see hi another rough shake
Roddy’s grimace softened then, suddenly, and Catti-brie liked even less the look that cairl, ain’t ye?" Roddy purred, grabbing Catti-brie’s other shoulder and turning her to face him squarely "Full o’ life, eh? Ye’ll take hten be there’s other things we can do first, things to show ye not to cross the likes o’ Roddy McGristle" His caress on Catti-brie’s cheek seerotesque, but horribly and undeniably threatening, and Catti-brie thought she would gag
It took every bit of Catti-brie’s fortitude to face up to Roddy at thatthe griroup Bruenor was a fighter, and so was his daughter Catti-brie’s knee found Roddy’s groin, and as his grip suddenly relaxed, the girl brought one hand up to claw at his face She kneed him a second time, with less effect, but Roddy’s defensive twist allowed her to pull away, alhtened suddenly around her wrist, and they struggled for just a rab at her free hand, and before she could understand what had happened, she was pulled frorasp and a dark form stepped by her
"So ye cohtedly at Drizzt
"Run off," Drizzt told Catti-brie "This is not your affair" Catti-brie, shaken and terribly afraid, did not argue
Roddy’s gnarled hands clenched Bleeder’s handle The bounty hunter had faced the drow in battle before and had no intention of trying to keep up with that one’s agile steps and twists With a nod, he loosed his dog
The dog got halfway to Drizzt, was just about to leap at hi it far to the side The dog ca off several steps every tih of this," Drizzt said, suddenly serious "You have pursued ues I salute your resilience, but your anger is misplaced, I tell you I did not kill the Thistledowns Never would I have raised a blade against them!"
"To Nine Hells with the Thistledowns!" Roddy roared back "Ye think that’s what this is about?"
"My head would not bring you your bounty," Drizzt retorted
"To Nine Hells with the gold!" Roddy yelled "Ye took ainst the side of his scarred face
Drizzt wanted to argue, wanted to reht, and that his own axe swing had felled the tree that had torn his face But Drizzt understood Roddy’s motivation and knew that mere words would not soothe Drizzt had wounded Roddy’s pride, and to a hed any physical pain
"I want no fight," Drizzt offered firone, on your word alone that you’ll pursue hter sent a shudder up Drizzt’s spine "I’ll chase ye to the ends o’ the world, drow!" Roddy roared "And I’ll find ye every tih to keep h! I’ll have ye, drow I’ll have ye now or, if ye run, I’d have ye later!"
Roddy flashed a yellow-toothed smile and cautiously stalked toward Drizzt "I’ll have ye drow," the bounty hunter growled again quietly A sudden rush brought him close and Bleeder swiped across wildly Drizzt hopped back
A second strike proh, calanced Drizzt’s chin
He was on Drizzt in an instant, his axe whipping furiously every which way "Stand still!" Roddy cried as Drizzt deftly sidestepped, hopped over, or ducked under each blow Drizzt knew that he was taking a dangerous chance in not countering the wicked blows, but he hoped that if he could tire the burly ht still find a ile and quick for a big man, but Drizzt was far quicker, and the drow believed that he could play the gaer
Bleeder ca across at Drizzt’s chest The attack was a feint, with Roddy wanting Drizzt to duck under so that he ht kick the drow in the face
Drizzt saw through the deception He leaped instead of ducked, turned a sohtly, even closer to Roddy Now Drizzt did wade in, punching with both sciht into Roddy’s face The bounty hunter staggered backward, feeling war out of his nose
"Go away," Drizzt said sincerely "Take your dog back to Maldobar, or wherever it is that you call home"
If Drizzt believed that Roddy would surrender in the face of further hue and charged straight in, dipping his shoulder in an attempt to bury the drow
Drizzt pounded his weapon hilts down onto Roddy’s dipped head and launched hiht over Roddy’s back The bounty hunter went down hard but caer at Drizzt even as the drow turned back
Drizzt saw the silvery flicker at the last instant and snapped a blade down to deflect the weapon Another dagger followed, and another after that, and each time, Roddy advanced a step on the distracted drow
"I’rin Two quick steps brought hiain sliced in
Drizzt dove into a sidelong roll and caan to unnerve Drizzt; he had hit the bounty hunter with blows that would have dropped e the burly huht led Drizzt to the inevitable conclusion that heRoddy with ain Bleeder cae He stepped within the arc of the axe blade and blocked with one weapon, leaving Roddy open for a strike with the other sciht jabs closed one of Roddy’s eyes, but the bounty hunter only grinned and charged, catching hold of Drizzt and bearing the lighter coround
Drizzt squir that his conscience had betrayed him In such close quarters, he could not th, and his lie of speed Roddy held his position on top and maneuvered one arm to chop doith Bleeder
A yelp froot, and that didn’t register enough for him to avoid the panther’s rush Guenhwyvar bowled Roddy off Drizzt, slah to swipe at the panther as it continued past, nicking Guenhwyvar on the rear flank
The stubborn dog caht around Roddy, and drove it away
When Roddy turned back to Drizzt, he was e flurry of scimitar blows that he could not follow and could not counter Drizzt had seen the strike on the panther and the fires in his lavender eyes no longer indicated compromise A hilt smashed Roddy’s face, followed by the flat of the other blade A foot kicked his stole motion Ied drow pressed on One sciain under the axe head, and Roddy round once more
Drizzt’s second weapon struck first, though, slicing across Roddy’s forear at his wounded liround
Drizzt never slowed His rush caught Roddy off guard and several kicks and punches left the h into the air and kicked straight out with both feet, connecting squarely on Roddy’s jaw and dropping hied it off and tried to rise, but this ties of two scimitars come to rest on opposite sides of his throat
"I told you to be on your way," Drizzt said gri Roddy feel the cold metal acutely
"Killa weakness in his opponent, "if ye got the belly for it!"
Drizzt hesitated, but his scowl did not soften "Be on your way," he said with astrial he kneould face