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"If they did not run away, the day was ours" Urlgen insisted to his fuiants fled like kobolds!"

King Obould furrowed his brow and kicked the face-down body of a dead orc, turning it half up then letting it drop back to the dirt, utter contely face

"How en cried, waving his arms emphatically "Hundreds and hundreds!"

To the side of the young commander, an orc screwed up his face in confusion and started to say soen fixed the stupefied creature with a wicked glare and the warrior snapped his ly, understanding his son’s gross exaggeration

"Hundreds and hundreds?" he echoed "Then Gerti’s ood, eh?"

Urlgen sta on the ridiculous proclamation that his forces were far superior, whatever the dwarves’ nuiants would have indeed turned his tactical evasion into a great and sweeping victory

Obould took note that never once had his son, there or when Urlgen had first arrived in the cavern complex, mentioned the words "defeat" or "retreat"

"I a remarked "The battle was pitched?"

"It went on for long and long," Urlgen proclaimed

"And still the dwarfs did not encircle? You’s got away"

"We fought our way through!"

Obould nodded knowingly, understanding full well that Urlgen and his warriors had turned tail and fled, and likely against a ainst a force that was not even nu didn’t dwell on that, though He was ht lessen the disaster in terms of his tentative and all-important alliance with Gerti

Despite his bravado and respect for his own forces-ore tribes that had thrown their allegiance to hi orc leader understood well that without Gerti, his gains in the region would always be restricted to the e Frontier He would be doomed to repeat the fiasco of the Citadel of Many Arrows

Obould also knew that Gerti wasn’t going to be pleased to learn that one of her giants was dead, lying aht in iant, the behe feounds other than the fact that his throat was alen, his expression puzzled, and offered a pro cat," his son explained "A big black cat Juiant Giant killed it"

"Where is it?"

Urlgen’sinto his lower lip He looked around at the other orcs, all of who looks at their co its skin"

Obould’s expression showed little to indicate that he was convinced He gave a sudden growl, kicked the dead giant hard, and stor hard to figure out how he e over Gerti Perhaps he could shift the blaiants would have to beof their intentions to the orcs they accoht work, he mused, but then a cry came in from one of theareas That call soon led to a drary orc king

Soon after, Obould furrowed his brow even more deeply as he looked over the second scene of battle, where three giants -theone of Gerti’s dear friends -lay slaughtered They weren’t far froht before the catastrophic battle, and it was obvious to Obould that the trio werefrom the an He kneould be obvious to Gerti, who surely would investigate if he pushed the issue that the disaster was iants than his orcs

"How did this happen?" he asked Urlgen

When his son didn’t immediately respond, the frustrated Obould spun around and punched hi hihtened," Ad’non Kareese announced to his three co-conspirators

Ad’non had followed Obould’s forces to both battlegrounds and had , as always, patience

"He should be," said Kaer’lic Suun Wett, and the priestess gave a little cackle "Gerti will roll him into a ball and kick him over the mountains"

Tos’un joined in the priestess’s laughter, but neither Ad’non nor Donnia Soldou seemed overly amused

"This could break the alliance," Donnia reed, as if that hardly ry look

"Would you be content to sit in our hole in boring luxury?" Donnia asked

"There are worse fates"

"And there are better," Ad’non Kareese was quick to put in "We have an opportunity here for great gain and great fun, and all at a minimal risk I prefer to hold this course and this alliance"

"As do I," Donnia seconded

Kaer’lic ed and seemed bored with it all, as if it did not matter

"What about you?" Donnia asked Tos’un, as sitting off to the side, obviously listening and obviously a little indication beyond that

"I think ould all do well to not underestimate the dwarves," the warrior from Menzoberranzan remarked "My city reed Ad’non, "and I en’s report of the size of the dwarven force seeround More likely, the dwarves were greatly outnuiants besides Their ic?" Kaer’lic asked "Dwarves possess little ic, by all accounts"

"They had some here, as far as T can discern," Ad’non insisted "The orcs spoke of a great cat that felled the giant, one that apparently disappeared after doing its murderous business"

Off to the side, Tos’un perked up "A black cat?"

The other three looked at the Menzoberranyr refugee

"Yes," Ad’non confirly

"Drizzt Do’Urden’s cat," he explained

"The renegade?" Kaer’lic asked, suddenly seeical panther that he stole from Menzoberranzan Very formidable"

"The panther?"

"Yes, and Drizzt Do’Urden," Tos’un explained "He is no enehtly, and one who threatens not only the orcs and giants on the battleground, but those quietly behind the orcs and giants as well"