A Brother to a Surface Elf
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Dragondun@aol.com
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He traveled silently through the forest, moving quickly but carefully. He surveyed the land in front of him, realizing he would have to go all day to make it through the forest. Drizzt sighed, and kept walking. His stomach rumbled, and he realized he hadn't eaten anything all day. He decided he should settle down and find a place to camp, and quite possibly, something to eat. He found a small grove of trees, and made a rough shelter of the dead branches that were laid on the ground. He pulled out a small onyx statuette, and said softly. "Come to me, Guenhywar." In a flash from the Astral Plane, Guenhywar, the mighty hunting panther, bounded to his master's side. "Guenhywar," Drizzt said, "I need food, get me something to eat, while I set a fire." Guenhywar bounded away, and Drizzt gathered some twigs, and started a few sparks from his tinderbox. By the time he had a small fire crackling, Guenhywar had gathered a few rabbits for him. "My thanks, Guenhywar," Drizzt said, rubbing the panther's furry head, "You are dismissed." Guenhywar was gone in a trail of mists, and Drizzt set his first rabbit on the fire. After he had finished his meal, he started to lie down, and rest until the moon rose.

Drizzt awoke suddenly, thinking he heard a noise. He listened, but he heard nothing, so he passed it off as the rustling of leaves

***

Sylven DeShu, the surface elf, watched the camp of the mysterious stranger who set up a camp during the daytime. He triggered his ring of invisibility, knowing that his mysterious visitor might peek his head out of his rough tent of sticks at any time. He didn't know who he was, the stranger kept his face hidden amongst the cowl of his cloak. He knew that he was elven-sized, like himself. However, he didn't hear reports about an elven traveler going through his band's forest. Oh well, Sylven thought, as he kept his silent vigil over the camp. When the sun was just about ready to set, he crept silently to the shelter of his visitor. He looked very carefully and saw that a drow elf was lying under the rough roof of sticks! He walked silently in the tent, he saw the drow elf quickly rise, as if he saw him, but he knew his ring of invisibility was active, so he wondered why he looked like he saw him. The drow elf looked like he was getting ready to go. Sylven knew he must not let that happen. He quickly jumped outside and started to set a trap.

***

Drizzt lifted his head and looked around. The moon was going to rise very soon. So, he packed everything carefully in his backpack, and stepped outside. The first thing he noticed when he stepped outside was a rustle in the leaves above him, and he looked up in time to see the net fall on him.

***

Sylven saw the drow fall so easily in his trap. He removed his ring of invisibility, and dropped down in front of the drow, a short sword in hand. He landed in front of Drizzt and looked him in his purple eyes.

***

Drizzt saw the surface elf drop in front of him, and although he could cut the net easily with his magical scimitars, he decided to wait and see what would happen. "Well drow, I see that you fell easily into my trap. Don't bother struggling, or I'll have to kill you." The elf said, not moving his gaze from Drizzt.

"Well, you did catch me, so what will you do with me." Drizzt said calmly.

"I have no desire to kill you while helpless in a net, but I will take you to my leader, and I will see what I will have to do. If I must kill you, it will be a simple sword swipe, and no torture will you endure at my hand." The elf replied, tying a rope to the net. "Now walk, drow, or I will have to drag you." Drizzt sighed and followed Sylven through the forest. After what seemed to be many hours, they came upon a small campsite, with camouflaged homes and elves going to and fro. "My campsite, and you'd best not strike at me, for an entire legion of skilled elven troops await within." Sylven explained. Sylven took Drizzt into the largest home, where a beautiful, red-haired woman sat on a wooden throne. Sylven knelt in front of her and said, "I found this drow, and I caught him, I wish to bring him here for your judgement, oh Queen Eliharna."

Eliharna looked at Drizzt in awe, and said "Arise Sylven DeShu, you have served well, know that you will be rewarded. However, it is dark, and we will judge him in the morning. Since you have captured the drow, our law dictates that you must guard him, take him to the prison." Sylven rose and took Drizzt to a small, rectangular building, which had several cells to hold prisoners, though it looked like they were hardly ever used, if never at all. He threw Drizzt into the cell and removed the net, taking his scimitars, daggers, and when he searched him, he took out a small onyx figurine. "This figurine, drow, I would like to know what it is." Drizzt flinched in anger, wanting to call Guenhywar to his side, so that he might be free. He suppressed his feelings, remembering a moment like this when he was in the svirfneblin city of Blingdenstone. "It is a figurine holding an entity, it is a companion for a lonely road, it is the panther Guenhywar." Drizzt spoke calmly.

"Don't call to it, if you do, I will have to kill you, although I will die at the claws of your magical panther." Sylven answered. Sylven took a seat across from the cell Drizzt was in, and sharpened his blade, finding nothing better to do. "Sylven," Drizzt asked, "Shall I die a death simply because I am a drow?"

"Maybe, I might speak on your behalf, since you gave me no trouble, but if you decide to do something to me and I survive, I will tell them to kill you, and I will be the one to stick a sword through your heart." Sylven answered honestly, seeing no reason to lie. "Well, since you know my name, I wish to know yours."

"Drizzt Do'Urden of Da'ermon Nachezbaernon, House Do'Urden, Ninth House of Menzoberranzen." Drizzt said, almost rhetorically.

"Well Drizzt, tell me of how you came to the surface." Sylven asked. Drizzt told of his tales since he came to the surface, even how he came into the elf's forest. "Well Drizzt, a very entertaining story, but it sounds true enough. Maybe you will evade death, as you seem to have done before."

"Yes, maybe I will," was Drizzt's only reply.

Then a scream was heard, followed by shouts of the word "Drow!" Sylven and Drizzt both heard the cries of battle, and realized that the warriors were either dead or not fighting yet. Sylven quickly unlocked Drizzt's cell, and said "Well Drizzt, prove that you are worth more then the rest of your race, help me fight the drow!" Drizzt went out and grabbed his scimitars from the ground, and sprinted after Sylven to attack the drow. A sight of horror filled the eyes of Sylven and Drizzt. There were slaughtered elves and homes burning to the ground. Many drow scampered about, chasing fleeing elves, or just trying to find more chaos to start. Two drow warriors spotted Sylven and ran to him. Sylven quickly picked up his sword and angled his shield to block for surprise attacks. He noticed Drizzt was getting ready to fight also. As the two drow warriors came within fighting range, Drizzt and Sylven sprung into action. Drizzt quickly fended off his opponent's attack routines and plunged his scimitars into his attacker's heart. Sylven did his attack differently. With his opponent wielding two hand axes, it appeared he had the disadvantage, however, he quickly launched a fake strike at the drow's hip, which, of course was blocked, but that's what Sylven wanted. He hit the wrist of the drow's other sword arm with his shield, and jabbed his sword into the drow's throat. The battle between Sylven, Drizzt, and the rest of the raiders lasted several minutes almost an hour, but it was a small raid, and terribly disorganized. When the fighting was done, Sylven and Drizzt looked at the burnt elven colony. Terrible damage had been exacted on the elves, even though they defeated the raiders. The colony was all but burnt, and most of the elves were either slain or wounded. Sylven sighed when he said, "You have earned your freedom, you may go or stay, as you choose, but know that if you leave, Sylven DeShu will accompany you."

"You should stay here, I cannot risk having to lose a skilled fighter like you wherever I travel."

"I did not ask for an opinion, so don't question my decision, for you are truly, although our skin is different, you are a brother to a surface elf."

END