Chapter 25 Chapter 20 Get their reward

Drizzt and Katie had learned to ride horses when they traveled from Mithril Hall to Waterdeep.But that was six years ago.Since then, only the endless waves of the Sword Coast have ever brought them a jolt.During the five days the caravan traveled from Luskan to the west rim of the Spine of the World, they reacquainted themselves with the art of riding, albeit with pain in their thighs and buttocks. When they rode to Icewind Dale, the entire caravan was left far behind by them. Icewind Dale! Drizzt wanted to tell Katie to slow down.But she had already reined in as much as the awed drow. They have come home, and this is their real home.In this place within a radius of a hundred miles, they met for the first time, and here they found and forged their most important friendship.All the memories flowed through their hearts as they looked out over the windswept tundra.The lonely wind made a deep moan, and it came from the glacier in the northeast that never shed a tear for thousands of years.The only thing galloping between heaven and earth is the icy wind—the name of this valley.

Katie wanted to say something to Drizzt, and he felt his emotions bursting forth.But none of them spoke because they couldn't find the most appropriate words.They silently confided to Icewind Dale with indescribable emotions. "Come on." Drizzt finally said these two words.Drow looked back and saw that the caravan's six carriages had gathered behind them.He turned his head again, looking at the beautiful and magical Icewind Dale again.The Cone of Cairn is still far out of sight, but they will see it soon. Suddenly, drow was desperate to see that mountain!How many days and nights he passed there!

How many times has he sat on the bare rock of the Cain's Cone.Looking at the stars in the sky and the bonfires in the barbarian camp? He wanted to tell Katie to move on, and Katie, who understood, urged the mount a step ahead of time. It was another memory of Icewind Dale that hit Drizzt's nerves, a warning from the ranger's senses that this was not a safe place.Round the last foot of the Spine of the World and truly enter the wilderness, home to ferocious tundra snow apes and goblin hordes.Drizzt didn't want to bother Katie at this point, but he did want her to share his worries again.

It is impossible for careless people to survive in this Jedi known as Icewind Dale. That day, they ran into no trouble.At dawn the next day, they set off on their way.The mud formed after the spring freeze and thaw has dried and hardened, forming a solid road surface.The wheels of the carriage can rotate like flying on it, which greatly increases the speed of travel. The sun rose, and the sun shone on their faces, stinging their eyes.Drizzt's purple eyes were bred for the dark subterranean environment, and they tended to be more painful in sunlight.Even after more than twenty years of surface life, six of which had been spent on the shimmering waters of the Sword Coast, Drizzt's sensitive eyes could not adjust to the glare of the surface.But he didn't care about the sting, he was happy for the light.At dawn, he always greets Chaoyang with a smile.The sunshine that fills the sky and the earth is always reminding him that he is far away from the source of evil.

That morning, as the sun hung high in the clear southeast sky, the distant horizon lay clearly before them.Drizzt and Katie got their first real glimpse of their homeland after a long separation.There was a little flash of light in the distance, which Drizzt took to be sunlight bouncing off the snowy top of the Cain cone. Katie wasn't so sure, the Kane cone wasn't that tall.They had another two days' journey to get there.But she didn't express her doubts.She hoped Drow was right, she wanted to go home! Like Drizzt, she picked up speed, and the carriage fell farther and farther.The driver of the leading carriage had to remind them loudly.They smiled at each other and slowed down.

"Soon," Drizzt said. Their speed is still very fast.But after a while, Drizzt began to pull on the reins, glancing around and sniffing the air carefully. Katie got these alerts, and the horse slackened to a canter and began to survey the surrounding area. Everything seems to be ok.The gray-brown ground was flat and clean, and there was nothing in the wilderness. Drizzt couldn't hear any sound except the pounding of horseshoes and the whistling of the north wind, which only carried the humid summer fragrance of Icewind Dale.But Zall didn't feel at ease because of this.This is a place haunted by monsters, how come there are no special signs?

"What do you think?" Katie whispered to him. Drizzt was still scanning his surroundings.There was a distance of about a hundred yards between them and the carriage, which was rapidly decreasing.Drizzt still didn't notice any sign of anything out of the ordinary.But the warrior's sixth sense told him that both he and Katie were missing something. Drizzt took the onyx statue from his pocket and softly called Guenhwyvar.When the mist gathered and the panther emerged, Drow motioned for Katie to get her bow ready.And young women have already done so.She turned her horse's head and rushed to the right flank of the convoy, while Drizzt rushed to the left flank of the convoy.

The pores on the back of the young woman's neck felt tingling, and the warrior's intuition warned her to prepare for battle.She clasped the arrow-loaded Tamari with one hand, and steered the mount with the remaining hand. As soon as Guan Haifa appeared on the tundra, he closed his ears tightly.Drizzt's distinctive voice calling her and her uncanny senses had told her that the enemy was near.The big cat looked at Katie on the right and Drizzt on the left, then flew silently across the road to provide support to either side if needed. Noticing the actions of the caravan guard and the panther, the lead driver hastily slowed down the car, and then signaled to stop.Drizzt held up a scimitar, indicating that he agreed with the driver's judgment.

Katie on the right was the first to spot the enemy.His body was buried in the dirt, with only his shaggy brown head protruding from a hole in the ground.It was a tundra yeti, the brutal hunter of Icewind Dale.The tundra snow ape is a master of disguise.Their hair is brown in summer and turns white in winter.Katie had long been amazed at, and even admired, their ability.Even she and Drizzt, who had experienced battles, almost fell into his ambush without noticing.The young woman reminded herself again that this was Icewind Dale, and any slight mistake would lead to unforgivable and cruel punishment.

But this time it was the Snow Ape who made the mistake.Kitty raised her bow and fired an arrow, and the silver arrow pierced the snow monkey's skull.The snow monkey's head jerked back, knocked against the edge of the hole, and bounced back.Finally fell into the pit where he hid. In the blink of an eye, the ground around the hole seemed to explode, and six snow apes jumped out at the same time.This powerful, hairy beast looks like a cross between a human and a bear. Guenhwyvar, behind Drizzt and Katie, lunged forward, ramming into a yeti with all his strength.Its strength caused the snow monkey to fall back to the pit wall, and the inertia caused the black panther to also jump down.

Snow Ape hugged Black Panther, trying to strangle her to death with brute force.But Guenhelfa's powerful kick from the back leg forced him to fall into defense. At the same time, Drizzt galloped his horse.When passing by a snow ape, the two sabers slashed alternately.Zall's powerful legs gripped the horse's belly, keeping his body stable. Blood gushed out from the knife edge, and the snow monkey fell to the ground, but still howled and wanted to get up and fight back.Drizzt no longer paid attention to the wounded yeti, and turned to attack the second one.The yeti was ready, and his target was Drizzt's mount.Yetis are known for their ability to hold back galloping horses, breaking their necks with a single blow. Drizzt couldn't take that risk, and rode his horse around to the left.As he approached the ape, he swung his left leg over the saddle, jumped off his mount, and began galloping on both legs.The magic belt on the shin made him even faster than a galloping horse. Drizzt slashed at the monster several times as he brushed past the startled yeti.Then he passed the snow ape without slowing down, thinking that the enemy would definitely come after him before he was seriously injured.When he felt he had gained enough distance between himself and the yeti, he turned around and began to go around the monster on the other side. Katie was also in a gallop.She clasped the horse's belly tightly with her legs, lowered her upper body on the horse's back, and aimed at the monster closest to her. She shoots an arrow, but misses.In a blink of an eye, she had mounted the second arrow and fired again.The silver arrow pierced the snow ape's waist this time. The monster knocked down the arrow and turned to look for the source of the attack, only to be hit by a second arrow right away.When he finally saw Kitty, the third arrow had pierced his chest, but the Yeti stood tenacious.Katie rushed to the Yeti, hooked Tamari to the saddle, and drew back the Excalibur Khakid. Kakid's blade swept across the Yeti's skull at the speed of his horse, ending his life.The snow ape's body fell to the ground, and its brains sprayed all over the floor. Katie immediately put away her sword and drew her bow.Tamari shot a fourth silver arrow.The arrow lost the arm of a snow monkey.Beyond the wounded Yeti, Katie saw another Yeti running towards the wagon.The other twelve caravan guards had already started fighting them. "Let me deal with you." Katie pulled out Kajid again and approached the injured snow ape. In the narrow dirt pit, Guenhwyvar's powerful claws gave her a great advantage.Yeti tried hard to knock her down, but Panther was faster.Guenhhvar poked his head under the yeti's jaw, and his sharp teeth dug into the monster's hairy neck. Her claws kept scratching the sides of the snow ape, making it impossible for the snow ape to hug her.At the same time, she tightened her jaws to suffocate the monster. The snow monkey finally stopped struggling.The panther jumped out of the pit and looked at Katie and Drizzt respectively.Then there was a roar, and he rushed to the right, where the situation looked more critical. Drizzt charged at the yeti he had slashed, but stopped abruptly halfway.The snow ape, who was about to face the impact of the drow, leaned forward excessively and lost his balance.Drow's scimitar slashed down quickly, cutting off several fingers of the monster. The Yeti howled and retracted his arms.Drizzt pursued with incredible speed.Flash plunged into the snow monkey's upper arm, and another machete went into his weak spot.Drow then deftly dodged aside, freeing himself from the snow ape's attack. The Yeti is not a stupid creature, he knows when to run, and he can run no slower than any elf. Drizzt, who was wearing the acceleration magic belt, easily caught up with the monster, and slashed at him continuously, turning the dirty and hairy hide into a bright red.Rangers know about tundra snow apes.They are not just carnivores, but vicious monsters.Yeti kill far more creatures for entertainment than for food. Drizzt would never let the yeti escape.The drow ranger easily fended off the monster's feeble resistance, and returned with an even deadlier sword.The snow ape turned around again and fled to the distance in despair. Drizzt swung the scimitar, severing the Yeti's throat with one, and slicing the other into his stomach. Afterwards, Drizzt jumped up, and the two swords fell on the back of the snow monkey.The monster fell headlong to the ground and began to twitch before death. At the same time, Katie and the only yeti who was not injured rushed towards the yeti who had been shot in the arm by her. Katie won the race.The snow ape swung out the remaining arm, but it hit Kajid's sword squarely.The whole arm flew out without stagnation. The Yeti started a frantic dance, showering red blood everywhere.As the rain dies down, the snow monkeys collapse on the tundra. Katie ran away from him, she didn't want to get bloodied.The battle is not over.She turned around and raised her sword to block the attack of the last snow monkey. The monster saw the flying arm just now, and hurriedly raised its hand to avoid Kajid.But Kajid turned halfway and pierced his chest.The battered monster grabbed Katie by the shoulders, and Katie fell backwards. The moment she fell, Katie felt horrified at the thought that the body of the 500-pound snow monkey would be directly on top of her.As soon as her back touched the ground, the snow monkey disappeared.A black shadow flew him aside. Katie tried her best to relax her body, so that the impact from the ground had as much cushion as possible.Then she jumped up quickly. The battle was over, Guenhwyvar's teeth tore the Yeti's throat. Katie lifted her eyes from the big cat to see that the other caravan guards were staring at all three of them. Within minutes, all six snow monkeys were dead. Katie couldn't help smiling as she saw Drizzt approaching with a smile on his face.The guards mounted their horses one after another, shaking their heads in disbelief. According to Cadderly, Drizzt had joined the caravan so well because of his reputation as a warrior.Now, such prestige will be widely spread in Luskan, and will be spread around with the footsteps of merchants, letting the world know this extraordinary drow elf. ※※※※ Soon after, the two companions returned to their horses and continued to lead the caravan. "I have three," said Katie, as soon as she mounted her horse. Drizzt narrowed his purple eyes, knowing what Katie meant.In the original expedition career.Drizzt would often play this game with Wulfgar or Bruenor. "Two and a half." Drizzt corrected her, calling her attention to the role of the panther in killing the last of the snow apes. Katie calculated quickly in her head that there was no harm in agreeing with Drizzt.Still, she was convinced that the last yeti had died before Guenhwyvar threw him down. "Two and a half, then. But you only have two!" Drizzt couldn't help laughing. "The big cat is only one and a half!" Katie snapped her fingers triumphantly. Guenhwyva skipped along beside them.Hearing Katie's words, he roared unhappily.It made Drizzt and Katie laugh out loud at the same time. The caravan continued on to Icewind Dale without incident.Finally, the caravan successfully entered Bryn Shander, the main market in Icewind Dale and the largest town among the ten towns, after which this area of ​​Icewind Dale is named.Bryn Shander is a walled city.It is round in shape and built on low hills.It is located in the center of the triangular land surrounded by three large lakes, Duerden Lake, Dinesha Lake and Hongshui Lake.So it is also the only city among the ten towns that does not have a fishing fleet.It is the political and economic center of the ten towns and the most prosperous city among the ten towns.It is a settlement of craftsmen and merchants. Drizzt was not received kindly at Bryn Shander's gates.He was formally introduced to the gatekeepers, and one of the guards told the others that he had known the drow ranger since he was a child.But even so, the other guards treated him very coldly, and they didn't even want him to enter the city.Catti-brie's reception, however, was much warmer.Everyone in Bryn Shander knew that her father had returned to Icewind Dale, eagerly awaiting the steady flow of precious metals from the dwarven mines into the marketplaces here.Now that the task of escorting the caravan was over, Drizzt had no intention of entering Bryn Shander, and he wanted to head straight north into the dwarven valley.But before they could say goodbye to the rest of the caravan, someone from the city came out to tell everyone that Bryn Shander's spokesman, Cassius, had asked to meet Katie. Dirty and tired and all she wanted was a comfortable bed, Katie couldn't refuse the offer, and she insisted that Drizzt go with her. ※※※※ "Looks good," the young woman said as she and Drizzt left the Speaker's mansion. Drizzt didn't disagree with her statement.In fact, things went much better than Drizzt had expected.Cassius still remembered Drizzt Do'Urden, and warmed to him unexpectedly.Drizzt now walked the streets of Bryn Shander openly, drawing many curious looks, but no hostility toward him.Many children were looking at him and whispering to each other.More than once Drizzt's keen ears heard them utter words like "ranger" and "warrior" in respectful tones. It felt so good to be home, Drizzt almost forgot about that horrible mission.For the short time at least, Drizzt didn't have to think about Errtu and the Crystal Shard. Before they could reach the gate, another resident of Bryn Shander ran up to them, shouting their names. "Regis!" Katie yelled.The three-and-a-half-foot halfling stood in front of her.His brown curly hair bobs up and down, and his big belly rises and falls with his heavy breathing. "You don't know to see your old friends when you come here!" The halfling who finally caught up with the two shouted angrily.Before he could finish speaking, he jumped up and hugged the speechless Katie tightly. "Shouldn't you say hello to your old friend?" Regis said, jumping back to the ground. "We thought you'd be with Bruno," Drizzt explained to him.But Regis actually didn't mind their hasty departure.He also understood that if Drizzt and Katie really knew that Regis was here, they would definitely come to see him first. "Sometimes I'm in the mines, sometimes I'm in the city," Regis told them. "Someone must be an emissary between the merchant and your father!" Katie hugged him again. "We just had dinner with Cassius," Drizzt said. "Looks like Ten-Towns hasn't changed." "People have changed a lot. You know what it looks like here, people are either gone or they're dead." "Cassius still rules over Bryn Shander," Drizzt reminded him. "Jacine Brant is still speaking for Cadineva too," Regis said cheerfully.This is indeed good news.Jacin Brant was once one of the heroes of Icewind Dale against Akka Keser and the Crystal Shard, and he is the most qualified person to be a statesman. "As long as there is good news, there is also bad news," Regis continued. "Kamp remains in Targos." "Old orc too," Katie whispered. "It's worse," Regis said. "Birksga is back." Drizzt and Katie nodded, they had heard about it. "He is with the elk tribe in Regak," the halfling told them. "We hear little of them." The two heard that he still had secrets to tell. "Bruenor visited Rajak once," Regis admitted, "and it didn't turn out well." Drizzt knew the wise Rejak, and he knew Birxgar.What this meeting was like, he didn't have to guess. "Birksgar never really forgave Bruno," Regis said. "It can't be about that hammer again," said Katie angrily. Regis couldn't explain it.Drizzt had already decided at this time to visit those barbarians himself.Burksga was an honest and tough fighter, but he was also a stubborn one.Drow suspects his old friend Regak might need support. But that should be for a later time.Drizzt and Katie spent the night at Bryn Sandridge's house.Early the next day the three companions set off for the dwarven mines. They reached the Dwarf's Hollow before noon.When entering the Taniguchi, Katie, who was eager to return home, a girl who had grown up, ran in first.Here, she doesn't need anyone's guidance, this is her home.She ran straight to the main entrance of the dwarf mine, and entered without hesitation.Whenever the ceiling of the cave was low, she knew it was time to bend down, as if she had never left here. She sprinted through the dimly lit tunnels, stopping only to say hello to her dwarf relatives when she encountered them.The faces of the bearded relatives beamed with joy at the return of the patriarch's youngest daughter and Drizzt.The Dwarves greeted them kindly, and told them where Bruenor was. Finally, they reached the house where Bruno worked.The sound of the hammer hitting came from the house, and Bruno was casting tools.This has been an extremely rare occurrence since the Fang of Aegis was forged. Katie pushed open the door. Bruno's back was turned to him, but she recognized Dad's broad shoulders immediately.The loose red hair and the helmet with only one horn left.Amidst the clanging of hammers and the roar of flames, Katie, Drizzt, and Regis quietly entered the room. The three of them walked behind the dwarf who was devoted to iron.Katie patted him on the shoulder.The dwarf looked behind him, his eyes that had been staring at the flames for a long time hadn't noticed the person coming from behind the darkness. "Go away!" said the dwarf gruffly, "don't see me..." Bruno's voice choked in his throat, and he immediately turned his head, staring blankly at the stove.It seemed that the fear was just an illusion of his own. After a long time, the red bearded dwarf slowly turned around.Seeing that his daughter and his best friend were indeed back, he nearly fainted with joy.You know, he has been waiting for them for six years.He threw the hammer on his feet, but he didn't feel any pain at all, but stretched out his arms, hugging Drizzt and Katie desperately.Make them feel as if their ribs are going to be crushed. Slowly, Drizzt finally slid out of Bruenor's arms.The dwarf hugged Katie even tighter, and kept saying, "My child." Drizzt took the opportunity to call Guenhwyvar from the Astral.When the dwarf finally parted from Katie, the panther immediately approached him and curled up happily on top of him. "Let this bloody big cat go down!" Bruno snarled, dodging Guenhuffa's long tongue licking his cheek. "Oh, you stupid cat," the dwarf grumbled loudly, but there was absolutely no anger in his voice.How could he be mad at the return of two, no, three of his friends? Even if he did get a little angry, what more could he pray for when the laughter of Drizzt, Katie, and Regis filled the small room?Expressing defeat, Bruno looked up at the big cat.At this moment, it seemed to him that Guenhuffa was also laughing. The five partners remained inseparable for the rest of the day, talking through the night, recounting to each other six years of experience.After Bruno and Regis finished telling the story of leaving Mithril Hall to Gundaron and their decision to return to Icewind Dale, they didn't say anything more, but kept listening to the stories of Katie and Drizzt. Bruenor couldn't explain clearly why he had made this decision in the first place (of course, Regis followed him wherever he went), but Drizzt could.After the grief of losing Wulfgar and the excitement of the victory over the dark elves had faded and subsided in Bruenor, he must have tossed and turned in bed like Katie and Drizzt in their midnight dreams.The red-bearded dwarf was over two hundred years old, but from a dwarf's point of view, he was not very old, and he hadn't reached the time when he could rest in peace.With Gundaron returning to Mithril Hall, for the first time in his life, Bruno could forget his responsibilities to his tribe and consider his own feelings. Drizzt and Katie had plenty of stories to tell as they hunted down pirates on the Sword Coast with Captain Deudermont.Bruenor had also been with the captain, but Regis didn't know him. So many stories for these two to tell!Battle after battle, blood-thirsty chases, bard songs.Katie also explained to her friends in detail the various ship emblems and flags she saw on the observation deck.However, when they were about to talk about what had happened in the past few weeks, Drizzt stopped talking suddenly. "That's the way it is," Drow corrected. "It's really nice that we can go home and see you two again." "How did you know we were here?" Bruno asked. Drizzt paused for a moment. "We heard in Luskan that some dwarves passed through this city, on their way to Icewind Dale. Some say Bruenor Warhammer was among them." Bruno nodded.He knew he wasn't telling the truth, or at least part of it was false.In fact, Bruno's team deliberately avoided Luskan.People there should know about the march, but the dwarves really didn't "pass" there.The red bearded dwarf said nothing.He trusted that Drizzt would tell him all about it in due course. The dwarf suspected that they had come back to reveal a great secret, and he thought he knew well what that secret was.How ironic, Bruenor thought to himself, that a dwarf should have a drow son-in-law! There was a moment of silence, and Drizzt and Katie had finished, at least what they had to say.Regis went out for a while, and when he returned he brought a message: the sun was high in the eastern sky. "Eat well and sleep well!" Bruno stood up and announced loudly.Drizzt sent Guenhwyvar back, promising to call her back as soon as she had rested enough. After a brief sleep, they reunited, with the exception of Regis.For a halfling, everything is compromised by a ten-hour nap.Drizzt and Katie still hadn't told Bruno what had happened in recent weeks.Bruno didn't ask any more, he trusted his dear friend and daughter. At least at this moment, the whole world seems so cheerful and carefree.