Chapter 7 Chapter 5 The Cliff

It was Drizzt leading the way as the four of them walked along the banks of the Mirar River, and they hoped to get as far away from Luskan as possible.Although they hadn't slept for many hours, their experience in Thousand Sails City stimulated their adrenaline to flow through their blood vessels, and none of them felt tired. That night, something magical seemed to hang in the air, a clear chirping that made the most exhausted traveler close his eyes and listen with sorrow.The streams that flowed from the high spring snowmelts and flew down, glistened in the twilight, and their white foam caught the starlight and returned it to the sky with jewel-like drops.

The group involuntarily relaxed their vigilance and returned to their usual state of alert.They no longer feel the danger lurking around them, but only the biting, refreshing chill of a spring night and the enigmatic pull of the sky.Bruenor let himself be immersed in the dream of Mithril Hall; Regis returned to the memories of Calimport; flew up.He thought of similar nights in the vast tundra, when he dreamed of things beyond the horizon of his own world.Now that he had crossed that horizon, he noticed only that one important thing was missing.The one thing that surprised himself, and went against his adventurous instincts to deny these easy thoughts, was that he now wished above all that Catti-brie, the woman he had loved since childhood, would be here to share the beauty of tonight with him.

If the others hadn't been absorbed in their respective thoughts tonight, they wouldn't have missed Drizzt's blissful step.For the dark elf, when night fell over the land, such a magical night convinced him that he was right in the most important and difficult decision he had ever made in his life, that is, he chose to give up his race and homeland.In Menzoberranzan, the dark city of the drow, there are no stars in the sky.The icy rocks on the darkened ceilings of vast caverns do not possess an inexplicable fascination that tugs at the heartstrings. "How much our race has lost by going into darkness!" Drizzt whispered to Ye Ye.The enigmatic attraction of the endless sky carried his soul's joy beyond normal boundaries and opened his mind to the many unsolvable problems of the universe.He is an elf, and even though his complexion is black, there is in his soul the same harmonious joy as his surface kin.He wondered if such feelings were common among his kind, were they really still in the hearts of all dark elves?Or had the infinite ages of racial purification extinguished the fire in their hearts?In Drizzt's opinion, perhaps the greatest loss suffered by his race retreating to the depths of the earth was the loss of the ability to contemplate the spirituality of existence simply because of thoughts.

When the morning sun blurred the starlight, the crystal-like luster of the Miral River gradually faded.It caused an unspoken melancholy to the party as they camped in a sheltered spot by the embankment. "Nights like this are rare," Bruno said as the first rays of light in the east crept across the horizon.There was a gleam in the corner of his eye, which was rarely touched by a dwarf who valued reality. Drizzt noticed Bruno's dreamlike bliss, and remembered the many nights he had spent with Bruno at Brunor's Rock, their special meeting place in Ten-Towns' Valley of the Dwarves. "Very few really," he agreed.

With a sigh of resignation, they began to move, and Drizzt and Wulfgar began to eat breakfast while Bruenor and Regis examined the map they had obtained in Luskan. Despite Bruenor's complaints and jeers at the halflings, he forced himself to believe that Regis was traveling with them for a compelling reason (besides their friendship).Though he concealed his emotions well, Bruenor was actually quite happy when Regis asked, angry and breathless, at the last moment before they set off from Ten Towns, to join the adventure. Regis knew the best of all of them south of the Spine of the World.Bruenor himself hadn't been out of Icewind Dale for almost two centuries, and he was just a hairless young dwarf.Wulfgar never left Icewind Dale, and Drizzt's travels on the surface were limited to nocturnal adventures, jumping from shadow to shadow, and avoiding the place where the gang sought to find Mithril Hall. A place that must be passed.

Regis moved his fingers across the map, excitedly recalling to Bruenor his experiences at each location on the map, especially Mirabar, the mining capital of great wealth in the north; City of Glory. Bruno's fingers slid across the map, studying the features of the actual terrain. "I'd rather go to Mirabar," he finally said, tapping his fingers on the city markers crowded at the southern foot of the Spine of the World. "At least I know that the Hall of Mithril is in the mountains, not by the sea." Regis considered Bruenor's conclusion for only a moment, then suddenly pointed his finger at another point, about a hundred miles from Luskan on the scale of the map, and farther inland. "Longsaddle," Longsaddle (Longsaddle): A small town south of Mirabar.He said, "Halfway to Silvermoon, and just between Mirabar and Waterdeep. It's a good place for us to figure out the right way."

"Is this a city?" Bruno asked, for it was marked on the map as little more than a black dot. "A village," Regis corrected. "There are not many people there; but there is a family of wizards: the Harbells, who have lived there for many years, and know the North well. They should be glad to help us." Bruno scratched his chin, and nodded. "It should be better to go this way. What shall we see on the way?" "Lots of crags," Regis admitted, looking a little daunted when he thought of the places. "Desolate and full of orcs. I wish we had other paths, but Longsaddle still seems like the best option."

"There are dangers hidden in all the roads of the North," Bruno reminded him. They continued to scrutinize the map, and in the process Regis remembered more and more things.A row of unusual and unidentifiable markings, three in particular, lined up almost in a line due east of Luskan until the network of rivers south of the Prowling Forest caught Bruenor's eye. "The Patriarchs," Regis explained. "The holy land of the Uthgar tribe." Uthgar tribe (Uthgar): a cousin of the barbarians in Icewind Dale, known as the tribe of sky Ponies. "Uska tribe?"

"Barbarian," Regis said coldly. "Like the ones in Icewind Dale. Maybe they know better how the civilized world works, but they're as brave as the other barbarians. Their tribes are all over the North, wandering the wilderness." Bruenor sighed in empathy for the halfling's panic, for he was too familiar with the barbarian way of life and the power of force.Orcs are relatively easy enemies to deal with. When the two of them finished their discussion, Drizzt was lying sprawled in the shade of a tree that stretched over the river, and Wulfgar was eating his third breakfast.

"Your jaw is still wriggling for the food, I see it!" Bruno yelled when he noticed some not-so-appetizing parts of the pot left. "What a night of adventure," Wulfgar replied cheerfully, and his friends were glad that yesterday's fight had not left a scar on his heart. "Eat well, get some sleep, and then I'm ready to hit the road again!" "You'd better not get too comfortable!" Bruno ordered. "You are on duty today for a third of the day!" Regis looked around, puzzled, he was always so quick to react to increased workloads. "A third?" he asked. "Why not a quarter?"

"Elves' eyes are for the night," Bruno explained. "When the day passes, let him be ready to find our way." "Where is our way?" Drizzt asked, lying on his grassy bed. "Have you decided on our next destination yet?" "Longsaddle," Regis replied. "Go east and then south for two hundred miles to the south, around the Everwinter Forest, and through the cliffs." "The name is unfamiliar to me," Drizzt replied. "Hometown of the Hubbell family." Regis replied. "A wizarding family known for their good qualities of hospitality. I spent some time there on the way to Ten-Towns." Wulfgar disagreed.The barbarians of Icewind Dale despise wizards, believing this dark art to be practiced only by cowards. "I don't want to see that place," he said bluntly. "Who asked you?" Bruenor growled, and Wulfgar found himself giving up on that insistence, like a son who refuses to argue stubbornly any longer when scolded by his father. "You'll love Longsaddle," Regis assured them. "The Hubbells have really earned a reputation for hospitality, and the wonders of Longsaddle will show you a side of magic you never thought possible. They'll even accept..." He found himself pointing at Choi inadvertently. Sturt, and stopped talking in embarrassment. But the calm Drizzt just smiled. "Don't be afraid, my friend," he reassured Regis. "What you said is the truth, and I have accepted my place in your world." He paused, and looked at all the disturbed eyes that fell on him one by one. "I know my friends, and I drive away my enemies," he declared emphatically to allay their worries. "Yes, by sword," Bruenor added in a low voice, though Drizzt's keen ears had already picked up the whisper. "If necessary." The dark elf admitted and smiled.Then he rolls over to sleep a little longer, trusting fully in his friends' ability to keep him safe. They spent a lazy day in the shade by the river.Later in the afternoon, Drizzt and Bruenor dined and discussed their itinerary, leaving Wulfgar and Regis to sleep peacefully, at least until they finished their portions. "We have another night at the river," Bruno said. "Then go south-west across the broad plains. This will keep us unencumbered by the forest, and all we'll have to do after that is a straight road." "Perhaps some days we're better off operating only at night!" Drizzt suggested. "We don't know which eyes have followed us since the City of a Thousand Sails." "Agreed," Bruno replied. "Then let's go. There is a long road ahead of us, and there is still a long way to go!" "Too long," Regis murmured, opening one sleepy eye. Bruno gave him a dangerous look.Sensitive and emotionally defensive that the journey was taking his friends on dangerous paths, he felt that all complaints about the adventure were directed at him. "Go, I mean," Regis explained quickly. "There are some farmhouses around here, so there should be some horses." "Horses are too expensive around here," Bruno replied. "Maybe..." said the halfling viciously, and his friends could easily guess what he was thinking.They all frowned, reflecting the general disapproval. "There's a cliff ahead of us!" Regis argued. "Horses run faster than goblins, but without horses we're bound to stop and fight every mile! Besides, it's only borrowing. When we come back again, we'll give them back the horses." Drizzt and Bruenor disagreed that the halfling suggested a bad idea, but they couldn't deny his logic.Horses really helped them at this juncture of their travels. "Shake him awake," Bruno growled. "What about my plan?" Regis asked. "When we have an opportunity, we make a decision!" Regis was very relieved, he believed that his friends would choose to have horses.He ate his meal, collected the leftovers, and woke Wulfgar. It was not long before they were on the road, and after a while they saw the lights of a small village in the distance. "Take us there," Bruenor told Drizzt. "Glutton's plan may be worth a try." Wulfgar hadn't heard their conversation in the tent, so he didn't know what was going on, but he said nothing, and didn't ask the dwarf what was going on.After his misfortune in the stiletto, he allowed himself to take a more passive role on this trip, letting the other three decide which path to take.He follows without complaint and keeps his hammer ready for action when needed. They walked several miles into land from the river, and then they saw several fields squeezed within a strong wooden fence. "There are some dogs around here." Drizzt noticed, with his extra sensitive ears. "Let the glutton go in," Bruno said. Wulfgar's face twitched in confusion, especially since the halfling didn't seem frightened by the idea. "I won't allow this to happen," said the Savage with force. "If any of us needs protection, it's this little man. I'm not going to hide in the darkness here when he's in danger!" "He went in alone," Bruno said again. "We ain't here to fight, boy. Glutton's gonna get some horses." Regis smiled resignedly, for he was completely caught in the trap that Bruenor had set for him.Bruenor would allow him to take possession of the horses, as Regis had insisted, but it was out of personal courage and responsibility that Regis had reluctantly agreed to.It's the dwarves' way of explaining themselves when they're involved in bad things. Wulfgar was still firmly on the halfling's side, but Regis knew the young warrior might inadvertently get him into trouble in such a delicate situation. "You stay here with the others," he explained to the Savage. "I can handle this myself." Gathering up his courage, he lifted his belt up, and he strode towards the small village. When he came to the gate of the fence the dogs greeted him with threatening barks.He considered turning around (the Ruby Pendant probably wouldn't do much to a malicious dog) but then he saw a figure coming out of the farmhouse. "What do you want?" demanded the farmer, who stood on the other side of the door clutching an ancient pole-shaped weapon (perhaps passed down through many generations) hostilely. "I'm just a tired traveler," Regis began to explain, trying to look as pathetic as possible.This is a fictional tale that farmers hear all too often. "Go away!" he ordered. "But……" "Get out!" Some distance away on the ridge, the three companions watched the encounter, though in the dim twilight only Drizzt could clearly see what was happening.The drow could see the tenseness of the situation by the way the farmer clutched his weapon, and he could tell by the scowling look on his face that he was determined not to yield. But Regis pulled something out of his coat, and the farmer let go of his grip on the weapon almost at the same time.A moment later, the door swung open, and Regis walked in. The three of them waited anxiously for several hours in torment, but there was no sign of Regis.They thought about going to the farmers themselves, fearing that the halfling had been tricked.Finally, after the moon had passed its highest point, Regis reappeared through the door with two horses and two ponies.Farmers and family members waved him goodbye and asked him to promise to visit them if he passed this road again. "Astonishing!" Drizzt laughed.Bruenor and Wulfgar could only shake their heads in disbelief. When he first entered the village, Regis felt that his friends would worry if he was delayed.The farmer insisted on having dinner with him before discussing his business, and since he had to be polite (and since he had only had one dinner that day) he had to accept it, but he kept the meal as short as possible, Politely declined when serving the fourth meal.After that, getting the horse was a breeze.The only thing he had to promise was to leave the horse with the wizards when he and his friends reached Longsaddle. Regis was sure his friend wouldn't go crazy waiting for him.He only kept them waiting half the night in worry, but the fruits of his efforts could save them many days spent on dangerous roads.After an hour or two of riding with the air whistling past them, they'd forget their anger at him, and he knew it.Even if they wouldn't forgive so easily, a big meal was always a little inconvenient for Regis. Drizzt deliberately took the team east rather than southeast.He couldn't find any landmarks on Bruno's map that would bring him close to a route that would lead directly to Longsaddle.If he tried to go in a straight line and didn't go past the point on the map, they would come across the road from the city of Mirabar to the northeast, and they wouldn't know whether to turn north or south.The Dark Elves do know they can come across the road north of Longsaddle if they go straight east.It may take miles to walk the road, but it may save days of looking back to find the way. The whole day and night of the next day their ride was easy and pleasant.After this, Bruenor decided they were far enough away from Luskan to resume their normal travel schedule. "Now we can go forward in daylight," he announced just after the afternoon of their second day with horses. "I still think it's better to go at night," Drizzt said.He just woke up and brushed his lean but muscular black horse. "I don't want it," Regis retorted. "Night is for sleeping. And at night the horses don't see the potholes and rocks that would lame them." "The best of both worlds," suggested Wulfgar, stretching to drive the last traces of drowsiness out of his bones. "We could set off after the sun had passed its zenith, with the sun shining only behind us for Drizzt's sake, and go on into the night." "Good idea, boy." Bruno smiled. "As a matter of fact, it seems to be afternoon now. Then get on your horses! Time to go!" "You should speak your mind after dinner," Regis grumbled to Wulfgar, reluctantly lifting the saddle onto the white pony's back. Wulfgar stepped over to help his struggling friend. "But we'd save half a day's journey that way." "That's a pity," Regis retorted. That day, four days after they left Luskan, the party came to the Crags, a series of broken hills and narrow stretches of rolling hills.Here is full of a rough, untamed beauty, a desolate and compelling momentum that makes every traveler who comes here full of a sense of conquest, because he is likely to be the first to see something that no one has ever seen. People who have seen things.And like the feeling of being in the wilderness in general, the thrill of adventure comes with the dangers that can happen.They managed to get into the first deep, undulating ravine, and Drizzt pointed out the tracks he knew well, the tracks of a large group of goblins. "Less than a day away," he told friends who were starting to get nervous. "How many?" Bruno asked. Drizzt shrugged. "At least a dozen, maybe twice." "Let's go on," suggested the dwarf. "They're in front of us, which is much better than being behind us." When the sun was setting, it meant that they had gone half way for the day, so they took a nap and let their horses graze on a small meadow. The goblin tracks were still ahead of them, but Wulfgar in the rear kept looking behind on the road. "We're being followed," he said to the puzzled faces of his friends. "Orcs?" Regis asked. The Savage shook his head. "It's not like I've seen it. It seems to me that those who follow us are cunning and cautious." "Maybe the orcs here are smarter than the orcs in Icewind Dale in understanding the other higher races," Bruenor said, but he guessed it wasn't an orc, and he didn't need to look at Regis to know that the other was like himself. Worry.Because their current position is not far from the first Patriarch Hill pointed out by Regis.