"By good Mielikki, where is my daughter?" Korlarrin roared, pacing back and forth across the small hut where his daughter, Ryllinn, had just been yet a half day ago. She had come to speak with him about the drow, but he had been too busy to attend her, and then she had left. Upon summoning her again, she was no where to be found. Intuition led him to send out his scouts, who had just reported that she had not been seen in the village since shortly after the dark elf had left.

Garethar, his loyal scout commander, looked nervous and fingered his bowstring anxiously. It had been a long day, and the disapperance of the elf king's daughter was not a good addition to this day. "Well?? Where is she? Your scouts have to have found some trace of her!" he roared again, stopping right in front of the scout. Garethar stood up tall and looked the older elf right in the eyes as he spoke.

"Niether my scouts nor my Kethsar have seen her, m'lord." he said in a strong voice, not hesitating as the elf king bore down on him with a hard stare. "It is actually assumed that she was following the dark elf as he left. She seemed to be quite interested in him." he explained, praying that Korlarrin would find this answer acceptable. Finally, after a long moment, the older elf sighed and turned away, rubbing a hand over the feathered spear that he carried.

"Friend Garethar, I wish you to assemble a party of six Kethsar, scouts or whomever you feel is able that will be ready to follow me in the search for Ryllinn." he told the scout wearily. "Be ready by sunset."

"It will be done, m'lord." the scout bowed briefly and left. Korlarrin shook his head and stared off into the distance. Ryllinn was too headstrong for her own good sometimes, but this time was no laughing matter. Getting involved with the affairs of renegade drow was serious.

******

Zaknafein was making good headway towards his destination when he suddenly felt the sensation of being watched. Slowing down, he listened for any sounds of being followed, but he heard nothing. He moved on, silent in the expanse of forest, when suddenly a black-fletched arrow zipped over his head and struck something in the bushes that grunted as it fell. Curious about the arrow, but more so about his own safety, he crouched and drew his twin swords.

After a moment of silence, the dark elf crept forward and investigated the bushes ahead. Arrow through its' heart, a gnoll lay dead. He looked around as if in challenge, searching for the bowman. Finally, he saw a glimpse of long, chestnut hair in the trees above. Groaning softly, he spoke to the trees.

"You would do best to leave me be, sylvan elf. You have no business meddling in the affairs of a drow." he commanded, sheathing his swords and drawing his cloak about himself. There was no further movement. He knew exactly where she was, however, and with that, suddenly sprung into action, hurling a globe of darkness at the spot where she was and sending a dagger harmlessly past her into a nearby tree as a distraction as he spun into a nearby copse and left her behind.

*****

Zaknafein had been right, Ryllinn was following him. After killing that gnoll, she figured he might be grateful and ask her to journey with him. Not so, as was demonstrated by plunging her into darkness and causing a dagger to narrowly miss her. When she could finally see again, he was gone, but she swore to find him again. Nothing was going to stop her from finding out the drow's real intentions, which she knew was not finding the worship of Eilistraee.

***** Go On, Then