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"Have you found the trail?" Drizzt whispered, ave Guenhwyvar a pat on the side and knew froer was nearby

"Gone, then" Drizzt said, staring off into the enomes: my brother called them e found the tracks by the pool

Wicked and stupid" He sheathed his scimitar and knelt beside the panther, his arm comfortable draped across Guenhwyvar’s back "They’re sh to elude our patrol"

The cat looked up as if it had understood his every word, and Drizzt rubbed a hand roughly over Guenhwyvar’s, his finest friend’s, head Drizzt remembered clearly his elation on the day, a week before, when Dinin had announced-to Masoj Hun’ett’s outrage-that Guenhwyvar would be de-ployed at the patrol’s point position beside Drizzt

"The cat is mine!" Masoj had reminded Dinin

"You areany further debate Whenever the figurine’s ic would permit, Masoj summoned Guenhwyvar froing Drizzt an added degree of safety and a valued companion

Drizzt knew froone the liround, more than was advised, between himself and the rest of the patrol Drizzt had confi-dence that he and Guenhwyvar could take care of them-selves, and with the others far behind, he could relax and enjoy the wait The ave hih his confused e, offered Drizzt a perfect audience for his audible contein to wonder the worth of it all" Drizzt whispered to the cat "I do not doubt the value of these Patrols-this week, Alone, we have defeated a dozen reat harm to the city-but to what end?"

He looked deeply into the panther’s saucer eyes and found sympathy there, and Drizzt knew that Guenhwyvar somehow understood his dilemma

"Perhaps I still do not knoho I am" Drizzt mused, "or who my people are Every time 1 find a clue to the truth, it leads me down a path that 1 dare not continue upon, to con-clusions I cannot accept"

"You are drow" came a reply behind them Drizzt turned abruptly to see DiDin a few feet away, a look of grave con-cern on his face ’

"The gno to deflect his brother’s concerns ’

"Have you not learned what it means to be a drow?" DiDin asked "Have you not come to understand the course of our history and the proht at the Academy"

Drizzt replied "They were the very first lessons we received Of our future, and h, I do not understand"

"You know of our enemies" Dinin proh

"They fill the holes of the Underdark, alaiting for us to let down our guard We will not, and our enemies will fall i to our power"

" Ah, but our true enehtless ca-verns of our world" said Dinin with a sly se and evil" Drizzt kneho Dinin was refer-ring to, but he suspected that his brother was hiding so

"The faeries" Drizzt whispered, and the word prompted a jumble of emotions within him All of his life, he had been told of his evil cousins, of how they had forced the drow into the bowels of the world Busily engaged in the duties of his everyday life, Drizzt did not think of them often, but whenever they ca he hated in his life If Drizzt could some-how blame the surface elves-as every other drow seemed to blame them-for the injustices of drow society, he could find hope for the future of his people Rationally, Drizzt had to disends of the elven war as another of the endless strea desperately to those words

He looked back to Dinin "The faeries" he said again, "whatever they may be"

Dinin chuckled at his brother’s relentless sarcasm; it had become so commonplace "They are as you have learned"

he assured Drizzt "Without worth and vile beyond your iination, the tormentors of our people, who banished us in eons past; who forced-"

"I know the tales" Drizzt interrupted, alar volulanced over his shoulder "If the patrol is ended, let us erous for such discussions" He rose to his feet and started back, Guenhwyvar at his side

"Not as dangerous as the place I soon will lead you" Dinin replied with that same sly smile

Drizzt stopped and looked at him curiously

"I suppose you should know" Dinin teased "We were selected because we are the finest of the patrol groups, and you have certainly played an i that honor"

"Chosen for what?"

"In a fortnight, ill leave Menzoberranzan" explained Dinin "Our trail will take us ’?" Qrizzt asked, suddenly very curious

Teeks, maybe three" replied Dinin, "but orth the ti brother, who enact a lorious blow for the Spider Queen!"

Drizzt thought that he understood, but the notion was too outrageous for him to be certain

"The elves!" Dinin beamed "We have been chosen for surface raid!"