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Drizzt Do'Urden, ranger of Mielikki and now guardian of the woods in which the tribe of Ryllinn's sylvan elves were living in, rode up and down the dirt road on his white charger restlessly scanning the woods for any unusual signs. He had gotten word that many drow had been seen in these woods, and he knew that even taking Vhaerun's rogues into account, that there should not be as many drow out in the open as had been seen by the villager around this area. A sudden rustling in the woods brought him out of this thought and he looked up to see a party of elves walking towards him. He recognized one of them.
"Hail, Korlarrin of the sylvan elves. What brings you out of your village?" he greeted the older elf, whom smiled grimly at the familiar drow ranger.
"My daughter has gone missing, Ryllinn." he explained, getting a sympathetic nod from the ranger. "There is something else too. We had a tenday ago, captured an unfamiliar drow whom had been wandering our forests. He did not cause us any harm, so we let him go. I have belief that my daughter is following him. She has this morbid fascination for dark elves." he said in a barely concealed voice of exasperation. Drizzt perked up at this mention of a drow.
"Now that is funny. My reports have also been that there is a strange drow in these woods." he told Korlarrin. "How many in your party?" he asked. Korlarrin looked at Garethar and a few words were spoken in cryptic sylvan.
"Five elves counting me and three Kethsar." he said, indicating the last as the eagles whom soared the sky above his head. Drizzt nodded.
"It seems that we have a task in common then. I will help you to find your daughter and rid the forest of this strange drow." he said, stepping down off of his horse to grasp the other elf's hand. Korlarrin nodded in satisfaction.
"It is well. We shall continue until it gets dark." he said, indicating that they should move. Drizzt looked about and took the saddle and packs off of his horse, scribbling a quick note on a parchment and tieing it to its' bridle.
"Go home, Sheercrest, I have a new mission to undertake." he spoke quietly to the horse, setting it loose in the direction of town and patting it lightly on the rump. The white horse cantered off and Drizzt followed the party of sylvan elves.
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Zak finally slowed down around nightfall. The elven child, Ryllinn he supposed he should call her now, had been steadily falling behind, but struggling to keep pace still with the seasoned sword master and adventurer.
He stopped in a small sheltered copse of trees and looked about satisfactorily.
"I think I shall rest here for a bit." he said, looking back at Ryllinn, who stopped, a grateful expression momentarily flitting across her features before she nodded matter-of-factly again, watching as Zak leaned up against one of the trees, blending in with the shadows.
"It may do you good to get some rest if you are going to persist in following me." he told her, closing his eyes as he spoke. With his reflexes, he would be able to wake and fight from this position, so he was unworried as he drifted off into rest. Ryllinn, after looking about for a bit, chose a tree opposite Zak and offered a short prayer to Eilistraee.
"Goddess watch over myself and this Zaknafein and keep us from harm. I know not his intentions yet, but with your guidance, I shall know by the time we reach the Promenade." she offered. Then, looking around, she cast an alarm spell over the small area they occupied and drifted off.
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Matron Briza, using her scrying glass, knew where the rogue weaponmaster and his little elven friend were. She read the lips of the elf and knew where they were headed, all of this making sense to the crafty Matron suddenly.
"So, Zak plans to head to Skullport, is it?" she whispered to herself as she stood in a cavern near the surface. "Well, he will be met with a greater surprise than even he could imagine when he arrives." she swore, her form dissapating and disappearing as she spoke the words that would take her into the city.
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