Apr. 21st, 2024

senmut: Drizzt hold ing his hand up against the sun in the distance (Forgotten Realms: Drizzt Sun)
[personal profile] senmut
Magic-Twisted Fates (6472 words) by Sharpest_Asp
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Catti-brie (Dungeons & Dragons), Ensemble
Additional Tags: Time Travel
Summary:

Catti knows that touching a magical item with another magical item is a bad idea... now.



The Twisting

First, there had only been confusion. Catti-brie had used Taulmaril's lower limb to nudge the item away for better visibility, having been certain it was a magical trap. She was all but certain Alustriel would do her very patient explanation of why touching a magical item with another magical item was always a bad idea, but first, she had to get back to her Lady.

Worse, to her Ranger, knowing how he would be tearing apart the region to find her. Their enemies would not have survived her vanishing, Catti-brie knew without a doubt.

Just as surely, she knew this place was nowhere near the Silver Marches. The trees were different, and the air felt more like summer than the hesitant spring she'd been in. She pushed herself to her feet, double-checked that Taulmaril was fine, and sighted for game trails that were more pronounced. One of those would surely take her closer to a village, after all, in time.





It wasn't the sound or scent on the wind. It was the lack of them.

Catti-brie had studied with one of Mielikki's favorite rangers for too long to not realize that the silence of an area was more dangerous than most sounds. That was when she took note of the fact that the smell of the woods was not quite right.

She was not as proficient in climbing trees as Drizzt Do'Urden, but her Lady had given her a ring that let her rise to a level where she could walk on a sturdy bough and appraise the land below. Just past where a stream and hillock narrowed the path, she made out a band of… elves most likely. Closer to her, though, was a space that seemed empty within the trees and meadow that opened past that point.

Too empty for a bright, warm day like this. The elves were not enough disturbance to make that emptiness.

Before she finished processing the conscious awareness, she had an arrow on the string, seeking the center of the emptiness. If she was wrong, the arrow would return to her in a few minutes. If she wasn't —

— she might put a few elves in her debt.





At this distance, Sharrevaliir could not hear the sizzle in the air left by the streak of silver that rained down from a tree beyond the pinch-point ahead. He could not be sure what the streak, or the two that followed, were, but silverfire was something he equated with safety, danger, and family. It was enough like that for him to put aside all of his thoughts of rituals and tracking.

And he listened.

"Andelver, what do you make of it?" he called to his eldest, knowing the man to be professionally paranoid.

"Magic… more? The woods feel wrong now."

The rest of the band halted, well back from the bottleneck of the trail they were on, and Sharr retreated to be behind the defenses his wizard-sons were already setting their minds to.

Nor was it long before the magic ahead was brought crashing down, as the orc band's patience gave way to seeing their prey falter… and the death from above that had smashed through the war leader's skull.





Catti-brie dropped to the ground carefully, once the last orc fell. She headed straight for the glen, intent on meeting the elves. She needed to know just where she was, and since magic had been thrown around, she might even be able to charm a wizard into spiriting her back to the city.

She knew blood-lust, though, and stopped well short of where they were checking bodies. One, one of the taller ones, turned her way, and despite the strange armor, she knew good and well that was one of her Lady's own sons!

"Ghael?"

"Have we met?"

"I was fair certain, unless ye be Elin."

"He's over there," the Tall One said. "I am Ghael, but I have no memory of you." He gave a roguish smile her way. "I promise I do try to remember bold women."

She didn't really process the half-flirt for what it was, as her entire world devolved back to confusion. How could he not know —

"Donnae be thinkin' me daft, but what year is it? North or dwarf calendar, please."

"Two sixty-six, by the North Reckoning. Year of the Pointed Bone."

"Moradin's beard!" she swore, sitting right down on her rump. Her ranger was but a wee bairn being watched over by his viper sister! This was spellwork far beyond any cantrip she'd mastered so far!

"You… look distressed," Ghael said, most unhelpfully. "Let me get my father."

"Your da? Your da is… bless Mystra, then, as had tae have had a hand in twistin' that spell!"





Sharr waited until the others, not of their village, had decided their paths home before coming to sit by the fire with the strange warrior. He'd spoken briefly to her earlier, but he was the leader, and had to see to all of this.

"Catti-brie."

"Sharrevaliir."

"Just use Sharr. The long form is a mess to say, and no better in the dwarven brogue," he said, giving her a smile. She returned it, but it didn't touch her eyes at all.

He offered a piece of bread to her, watched as she gladly ate it — slowly, showing she knew its properties — as he sized her up. Human in all appearance, elf-crafted magical bow and quiver, armor that was mithral and finely made at that… She was an enigma, one that had stated he would have died.

He could credit that as truth. He would have been first past the bottleneck, and taken the full brunt of the ambush.

Now he needed to find a way to make it better for her. "You need an archmage. I happen to know a few," he said at last.

"Aye, ye would. Closely even," she said, eyes darting to where the four Tall Ones were still conferring over what to do once they had their father safely home.

Sharr laughed, bright and bold, at that humor from her. "I think I like you, Catti-brie of the dwarves." She had not offered a clan name, but then, he knew about dodging names. "What do you wish of me? Passage to one of those archmages? Or a safe place to see if the magic unwraps on its own accord?"

"If I may, I'd prefer tae go tae one as not yer consort," Catti said, tipping her chin up. "I know her in me own time, and it would be stranger for me tae be depending on her than one o' the others."

"It will be done," Sharr promised her. He reached for her hand, and she gave it, to seal that bargain. "Catti-brie, even if Mystra did twist the spell, or not, I am grateful to you, to be able to live another day. I have a son, still a child, that I wish to see grow strong."

"Be certain as ye tell the cleric then," she offered as advice, and he nodded solemnly.

"Meant to. Kept putting it off. It was said in full hearing of the whole Hunt earlier, though."

"Good. Then even if today has been the worst day in a long while, some good came of it," she said, relaxing. "I'll trust in Mystra's daughter, whichever one, tae see me home tae my time."

"And when that happens, I will be looking forward to knowing you better," Sharr said, a quiet promise in his words to keep surviving.

Maybe… maybe this was the best to make of a magical mishap.




The Fates Changed

Letters had been safely placed with Syluné Silverhand, Sharrevaliir, and Ghael before Syluné (and Mystra) saw to unraveling the spell. Catti-brie had carefully extracted promises not to open them before the date on the outside of each. Having three copies meant surely someone would act when the time came, but having them dated to a year that would insure she was in her Da's keeping and her ranger would be safe with the Clan was just as important to her.

I cannot tell if you will go to your proper time or lose all memory of what comes after once the time line has changed, Syluné had warned.

Catti-brie would take that risk, and she closed her eyes as the spell began tingling all around her, undoing the time-weave that had placed her here in this time before her birth.





It was a very warm, for the region, spring day, with the snow beginning to melt fully and the grass hurrying to the surface for the short growing season. Catti-brie, of course, had come out, watched by the dwarven guards, but once the ranger appeared, they let her go, knowing he'd keep her safer than the three of them ever could.

At eleven years old, counted just that winter, Catti-brie was full of life, and eager to run all over the cairn with her ranger. He had smiled on seeing her, called his massive cat to them, and joined her in a game of tag up and around their path to his cave. The game — and laughter — came to a sudden end though as Guenhwyvar turned toward the southern direction, body taut with anticipation. Drizzt was turning with her, but one hand beckoned, and Catti obeyed, coming to the rocks closest to his back to protect herself.

She actually saw the reason before Drizzt could make it out fully, but Guen was tracking the animal in the air with the rider, which meant her ranger didn't need to see it to know what was there. Or so Catti believed, as he wasn't drawing his swords, and Guen had circled to be in a better place to watch — and guard if the need arose.

"Me ranger?" she asked once she was certain he could see all the details despite the sun.

"A pegasus," he said in an awed voice. "With a rider, but… a pegasus up here?"

Guen made a noise, and Catti-brie thought she was both curious and supportive all at once in it.

"I know they are supposed to know, but what of the rider?" Drizzt answered the cat.

Guen huffed.

"What'd she say?" Catti-brie asked but Drizzt didn't answer, not when the winged beast was making its way to the nearest safe landing point to them. Instead, he was squaring his shoulders, in the way he did when the humans were ugly to him, the rare times she had seen him interact with them.

The beast — apparently a pegasus was a horse with wings, and feathers mixed into the mane, tail, and hide — settled, and a man almost as tall as a barbarian youth slipped off its back, petting the beast's neck before looking their way.

"Would you be Catti-brie Battlehammer?" the tall man asked, and Catti's eyes widened. She thought he was a bit like an elf, but not like her elf.

"That entirely depends on why a half-elf upon a pegasus would be looking for such a person," Drizzt said mildly. Catti-brie felt a little miffed, but her ranger had the right of it, she supposed.

"Pardon me, that was rude," the man said, and Catti liked the way he was speaking to her ranger. "My name is Ghaelryss Aerasumé, and I am here because of some complicated magic.

"Catti-brie Battlehammer saved my father about fifty years ago, and left letters on when and how to find her clan in this time, to aid them, before things could go terrible for the people of this region."

Drizzt did not take his eyes off the strange elf, and Catti-brie decided this all sounded like one of the strangest things she had ever heard. Her ranger was calm, though, and Guen had decided to walk over to the pegasus.

"You have one of these letters with you?" Drizzt asked mildly.

"Of course."

"Me ranger?"

"Time magic does exist. It's one of the most dangerous," Drizzt told her. To the other elf, he added. "My name is Drizzt Do'Urden. May I know the name of your companion?"

"Ruakerym. And your friends?"

"Guen is the cat."

"And I am Catti-brie Battlehammer, daughter of Bruenor Battlehammer," Catti said when Drizzt did turn to her. She walked closer, appraising the stranger. "Ye're a bit odd-lookin', but there's no other elves but me ranger in Ten-Towns for me tae ken why."

Ghaelryss smiled, kneeling down to be more at her level. "I'm half-human, because of my mother. I got her height, paler colors, and that shapes us elf-kin differently."

"Ye talk to me ranger; if he believes ye, I'll talk tae me da."

"I don't think I can ask for a fairer trial," the half-elf said, standing to look at Drizzt. "Her letters mentioned a ranger, but few details. I apologize if I seemed a little startled. But she was adamant in the letters that 'the ranger can help best'."

Drizzt looked down at Catti, who shrugged.

"Ye are the best man I know outside of me da."

"Come. There is a path to my cavern, and there is a flat area out of the wind for Ruakerym," Drizzt said, turning to guide them all up.





Ghael — as he preferred to be called — had gone outside after answering a few brief questions for Drizzt, once the letter had been read. Catti-brie had agreed it was her handwriting, all prettied up, and she was buzzing with energy, but Drizzt was not yet moving to go down.

Guen had moved close to him, and his hand kept moving over her shoulders.

"Ye seem worried. It's a good thing, aye, tae know where and what?" she finally asked.

"Yes. Planning can be done for that. But the other, the destruction? Am I supposed to leave this region to fend for itself?"

Catti-brie's face scrunched up, and then she looked him square in the face from where she was perched on his low table. "It all changes. It's the snow hitting the peak, that builds, and pushes huge sheets of it down," she said. "Ye told me it just takes one thing tae make it fall like that.

"We leave, and that starts the snow-slide."

Drizzt tipped his head to the side, then slowly nodded. "How are you so wise?"

"I listen," Catti said, flinging herself onto the sofa, hugging him tight. "Ye wouldnae be yerself, if'n ye didn't worry about the louts of the Towns."

"They're not all terrible," Drizzt protested, but he returned the hug. When she let him move, it was so he could stand, looking at Guen a moment. The panther blinked once, and he went to pull his cloak on.

"Going to get Da?"

"Yes. Guen will watch over you. I'm not taking a stranger down there, or letting Bruenor get hit by this in front of your clan."

"Aye, good thing."





It turned out that the elves of the High Forest had been preserving food for the last two years, and had points along the route to resupply the dwarves and their ponies. Bruenor had scratched his head at that, not wanting to take anything that put them in debt.

"Da," Catti-brie said, standing up on the balls of her feet so she was eye to eye with her father. Soon, she'd be taller than him, if she kept growing so fast. "If one of them Tall Ones had saved your life? Me and the whole clan would do anything for them for a lifetime, tae pay that back.

"Their father, the youngest one said, is leader for three whole villages, and revered by most elves of his region. Means what that future me did was very big. Worth the food tae get where we're going and then some."

Bruenor sighed, then reeled her in for a gruff hug. "Aye. We'll be rolling soon, then, knowing we have food waiting for us."

She smiled before running off, intent on being as big a help as she could be. Drizzt, having been standing to one side, gave Bruenor a jaunty wink, opening his mouth to say something witty, no doubt.

"Don't ye start, me elf. Go bundle up yer hides; we can trade them for ye as we go."

"I have no need of coin… but you are welcome to them, to provide for a very wise girl-child."

He quickly left, as Bruenor tried to bluster around the sentiment he was feeling toward his daughter.





With thirteen wizards helping the dwarves along, the trek to Dwarvendarrow went far smoother than Drizzt's pessimism believed possible. Even the full-blooded elf among them had spent time with Drizzt, though, learning of the strange ranger.

Tyresia, for his part, was learning all he could of the culture and history of Drizzt's people, while studying the hidden spell on him. Each of the Tall Ones had made it their mission to find out why such a good drow was cut off from the Song of Eilistraee, without betraying that they knew of more drow like Drizzt. Several of them sparred him during rest periods, a few discussed the concepts of magic as Drizzt had learned them, and Thyl engaged him on his understanding of natural medicine.

Through it all, Catti-brie kept an eye on things, liking this family more and more, for how sincere they were about helping, whether it was with her ranger or her clan. If they'd been her friends in the future, it was no wonder she'd chosen to trust them with clan secrets!





It took the better part of three years to get things fully dealt with. The Tall Ones were in and out, aiding at every step of the way, but between the travel, the recruiting, the reclaiming, and then just settling in, Catti-brie hadn't had time to get to know anyone else of their family.

When she was fourteen, and Del happened to be the wizard on staff, that changed. Bruenor was glad of it, mystified by inexplicable human things, because the young half-elf could immediately acquire a human woman to come deal with his very distraught daughter.

~Aunt Syluné, Catti-brie needs help. She developed an ailment that none of the dwarves know how to deal with.~

The arch-mage raised an eyebrow, did math from what Ghael had reported, and smiled in her workroom. ~I will be right there. Tell her not to worry; I believe I can help her.~

She went and found the medicinals, the necessary supplies she kept on hand for those human women that sometimes stayed with her from time to time, and kissed her husband, promising to return in a few days. She took her visual from Del, and was soon behind closed doors with Catti-brie, explaining certain things about growing up human… to said human's frustration.





Catti-brie guided Syluné up the mountain to where her ranger had made his own home. He had quarters inside the Hall, but only used them in the worst of winter. Even now, she wasn't sure if he would be there. He had aided the Tall Ones a couple of times, had done forays beneath the Hall that had secured a trade alliance, and … traveled.

His restlessness was clear when he had no driving mission, such as tracking down the crystal before it could devastate Ten-Towns, or when Bruenor needed his skill and eyes below. She knew he had slipped into Silverymoon a few times, but never with a Tall One to show him around.

"He may be exploring up at Second Peak," Catti told the arch-mage. "He's been trying to make certain the haunted ruins up there aren't causing problems for the wilds."

"Thyl mentioned something about those; I believe he was with the ranger when they were found?"

"Aye. And me ranger's dealt with a few dire creatures since we settled. Says it's best tae find the source, and try tae fix it."

"I do hope he's been discussing his findings with the Ladyservant in Silverymoon," Syluné said. "They could send a cleric or a druid to help him."

Catti-brie filed that away. She was old enough to know Drizzt couldn't do it all on his own now.

She took the last hairpin turn on the track up to the ranger's home, and smiled brightly as Guen made a greeting from the sunbeam she was laying in. She tracked from that to the opening… and didn't see her ranger. That sent her eyes up and she spotted him sitting in the crook of the one sturdy tree closest to his home, cloak pulled over his eyes.

"Gonna laze the day away, me ranger? Brought company."

"Greetings Catti; Lady Silverhand," Drizzt said to that, reaching up to push the hood back to be polite. At Guen rising from her spot to go investigate the lady — they had not met when Syluné assisted the ranger in ending the threat of the dragon's gate — Drizzt dropped to the ground lightly.

"I am to tell you that my sister believes you are purposefully avoiding her," Syluné said with a gentle smile. "The boys have filled her ears, and no doubt the Ladyservant has as well."

Drizzt shook his head. "I hardly have anything worth taking her time with," he said, beckoning for them to follow him inside. He did approve of Syluné fearlessly offering her hand to Guen, and being allowed to scratch, if Catti was reading his shoulders right.

Once inside with water and fruit offered, Drizzt looked at both. "I presume there is some need of me?"

"Less need, more that we — my family — wish to offer you aid."

Drizzt sat up a little more. "Oh?"

Catti-brie blinked at him, realizing he had suspicions around this when it had been the first she knew. "Me ranger, ye have a spell on ye."

"I figured that out the first year we met Ghael. All of them were being too intent on spending time with me and studying me when they thought I wasn't watching.

"When the Ladyservant also spent time studying me, I knew I had something masked from my own awareness," Drizzt answered that. "I've done my best to keep it from becoming a concern."

"That's why you stay only a few days at a time in my sister's city?" Syluné asked. "Why didn't you just say something, you ridiculous ranger? The boys wanted to defeat it on their own, but they would not have held off from asking us if they had known you already knew something!"

Drizzt shrugged. "There's been plenty to keep me occupied."

"Rangers," Syluné said with quiet affection. "Well, my youngest sister has had enough with the slow approach, and I am here to offer to unravel whatever the mystery is.

"Because it is keeping you from making new friends, and finding better resources for being who you are, Drizzt Do'Urden."

He tipped his head to the side, but it was Catti-brie that answered.

"The Lady told me about drow like ye, good ones, that live in their own place, and help as they can from the shadows," she said. "It sounds wonderful, and I want to go with ye, someday, tae meet them."

"Good… drow?" Drizzt echoed.

"Yes." Syluné sighed softly. "We should not have let time get away from us so long. Dove thought you knew them already, when she did not find a trace of you after DeBrouchee's death. Their leader, however, said you were unknown and unknowable to her goddess, the one who protects all good drow.

"Which meant you could not be introduced, until we sorted out why."

Drizzt closed his eyes, trying to fathom this in a way that made sense, but finally just looked at the arch-mage. "Do what is needed."

Syluné nodded, and began readying for the magic.





Catti-brie was seventeen the year Menzoberranzan invaded Blingdenstone, en route to Mithral Hall. She helped lead the effort to get the survivors — far more than she would have thought possible — settled into the dwarven Hall. She had been learning their language from the first days that Drizzt had introduced her to Belwar. Even with her winters spent in Shadowdale, learning wizardry, it made her an asset in facilitating the care of the war-torn people.

Drizzt was busier than ever with plans to shore up the Hall defenses, having been brought back to the Hall from the goodly drow by Bo. The Tall Ones, each having spent time as wizard-on-staff to King Bruenor, were back in force to help the ranger prepare. They would have, no matter, Catti-brie knew, but the fact her ranger had gotten tangled up in their mother first, and then something with their father, had only made it more likely.

When Menzoberranzan forces made it to the outer tunnels beneath the Hall, and breached several points along the mountain, the forces of the Silver Marches were there, and delivering brutal punishments for the temerity of the evil drow. Nor was Drizzt more than a ghost on their senses, despite a supposed mandate to capture him for sacrifice. Catti-brie had reluctantly agreed to let him hunt, keeping Guen with her.

Every dwarf, human, svirfneblin, and elf knew when Drizzt found his prey. Fear was not an expression most drow showed easily, but whatever he had done rippled out and through them, cutting the blood-lust, sending them fleeing back into their holes.

Catti-brie was with the party that eventually found him and his fellow hunters. Ghael looked very sober, even as Andy was binding up a gash, and the two elven clerics that had joined them were doing their best to aid a filthy, almost naked dwarf —

— with the whole party surrounded by dead drow women in ornate robes.

Drizzt was on his knees, with none of the others close to him, both swords still naked and unclean in his hands. Catti-brie meant to rush to him, but Guen pulled her back, making a low growl to keep her there. The cat then went forward, and they saw an aborted lunge for footing and attack.

Guen stood stock-still, and the pair of scimitars hit the stone before Drizzt folded around his cat, his shadow, his Companion. Catti-brie was all but certain she had just seen the most dangerous man in her life on the edge of sanity and falling away from them.








The New Life

Catti-brie was seventeen the year Menzoberranzan invaded Blingdenstone, en route to Mithral Hall. She helped lead the effort to get the survivors — far more than she would have thought possible — settled into the dwarven Hall. She had been learning their language from the first days that Drizzt had introduced her to Belwar. Even with her winters spent in Shadowdale, learning wizardry, it made her an asset in facilitating the care of the war-torn people.

Drizzt was busier than ever with plans to shore up the Hall defenses, having been brought back to the Hall from the goodly drow by Bo. The Tall Ones, each having spent time as wizard-on-staff to King Bruenor, were back in force to help the ranger prepare. They would have, no matter, Catti-brie knew, but the fact her ranger had gotten tangled up in their mother first, and then something with their father, had only made it more likely.

When Menzoberranzan forces made it to the outer tunnels beneath the Hall, and breached several points along the mountain, the forces of the Silver Marches were there, and delivering brutal punishments for the temerity of the evil drow. Nor was Drizzt more than a ghost on their senses, despite a supposed mandate to capture him for sacrifice. Catti-brie had reluctantly agreed to let him hunt, keeping Guen with her.

Every dwarf, human, svirfneblin, and elf knew when Drizzt found his prey. Fear was not an expression most drow showed easily, but whatever he had done rippled out and through them, cutting the blood-lust, sending them fleeing back into their holes.

Catti-brie was with the party that eventually found him and his fellow hunters. Ghael looked very sober, even as Andy was binding up a gash, and the two elven clerics that had joined them were doing their best to aid a filthy, almost naked dwarf —

— with the whole party surrounded by dead drow women in ornate robes.

Drizzt was on his knees, with none of the others close to him, both swords still naked and unclean in his hands. Catti-brie meant to rush to him, but Guen pulled her back, making a low growl to keep her there. The cat then went forward, and they saw an aborted lunge for footing and attack.

Guen stood stock-still, and the pair of scimitars hit the stone before Drizzt folded around his cat, his shadow, his Companion. Catti-brie was all but certain she had just seen the most dangerous man in her life on the edge of sanity and falling away from them.





While Bruenor and Cobble took charge of Gandalug, First King of Mithral Hall and prisoner of the drow for so long, Catti-brie followed the brothers back to the Tall Ones' camp in the lower city. Drizzt had been persuaded, by Guen, into leaving the Hall fully, so he could be under the skies.

"So what happened to me ranger?"

Andy looked at her, then Ghael, who sighed softly. "The plan was always for him to find the leaders. He expected clerics, possibly with a wizard backing them up. Those? Were apparently Matrons of the Houses."

"The highest priestesses, if'n I remember his tales right," Catti murmured.

"Yes." Ghael took a deep breath. "The plan was for him to find them, guide us, and then use anti-magic fields to strip their magic. He'd warned us that most drow clerics could fight pretty damned well, and he wasn't kidding."

"So what went wrong?" Catti-brie pressed.

"To find them," Andy began, "he let himself fall into his instincts. Fully. Which means when he found them, he began attacking them methodically, herding them closer to where we were instead of calling for us.

"It worked, mostly, but meant that by the time we had managed the rest of the plan he'd taken enough injuries to be completely without reason." Andy looked bleakly at her. "I've worked with berserker fighters before. I didn't know he was one. We didn't know a safe way to break through to his mind."

"We almost called mom," Ghael admitted. "But we dropped the anti-magic field and immediately put up a wall of force so we could get the dwarf out for the clerics, and keep Drizzt from hurting himself or others."

"We had only just dropped it when you arrived, because we thought he might be unconscious, as still as he'd gone," Andy told her.

"Damn!" Catti-brie swore. "Bet there's not a potion tae be had in the whole Hall, and I just let Guen steal him completely away like that?!"

Ghael shook his head. "One of the clerics with us still had a sending, and alerted the ones above. He'll be cared for, physically, but Guen did what he needed I think."

Catti didn't much like it, but she made sure none of the other brothers needed anything before tearing off to go and find her ranger.





Catti-brie found her ranger sitting shirtless on a rock, Guen sitting alertly at his side. From the sheen of ointments and some bandages, she surmised someone had gotten hold of him for healing. She took in the full sight of him, cleaning his blades, his armor to one side, and noted the bruised, swollen mass of welts under the ointments. His face was puffy, with one eye closed, and there was a bandage wrapped around his head for whatever had caused that. He'd apparently even allowed for his hair to be roughly braided and tied back.

She came and petted Guen, waiting until he motioned at the rock with the cleaning cloth to sit beside him. She didn't start speaking, just took out her knives and checked them over from the rough cleaning they'd gotten after the fight. She'd thrown one and used the other against a very startled drow that had made it to the svirfneblin line of defense.

Mostly, she had used Taulmaril, her magical bow. Even that had been over her father's wishes, saying she was too young to be part of a proper pitched fight.

After he was satisfied his blades were clean, and he picked up his armor to look for damage, Guen yawned, head-butted both of them, and went back to her realm. Catti-brie took that as a sign that she was in charge of her ranger now, and that he was at least mostly back to his right mind.

"Should eat soon," she commented when he finished looking his armor over.

"Yes, you should," he said, and it almost sounded right, his gentle wry teasing.

Almost.

"Both of us," she insisted. "I'll carry your bundle, you carry your swords."

He didn't sigh, just nodded once, and she decided she was going to give him at least one meal and a sleep before she poked his wounded psyche. That seemed the best course.





Her plan to let Drizzt have a meal and a sleep was sidetracked within minutes of the meal ending, before they had even managed to put away dishes. His head had come up from the fugue state he had been in, and he concentrated in that way that said something was inside his head.

The next minute, he was standing, going to the bundle of his bloody clothing and the armor.

"Me ranger?"

"I need to go; someone needs help," he said, despite how battered he looked still.

"Och, not without me, and ye can borrow shirt and tunic from me; not so far apart in size now."

He managed a smile at her, and caught the clothing she tossed to him from the pile she hadn't laundered yet. The only dirt on them was honest sweat and dirt, but he'd fuss if she gave him clean ones as filthy as he was.

She was tired, she realized, which meant he had to be exhausted. Still, whatever he'd been told by magic would keep him from resting, she was certain.

"Back out," he said, reaching for her pack, since his was not available. "You don't — "

"Aye, and I do," she informed him. "Ye be half-dead on yer feet. Two of us are still a match for most things, but only together."

"As you will."





The path Drizzt set skirted where the major battle outside had taken place, and he flinched a little to see the pile of bodies waiting for the wizards to be able to inter them through spellwork. He kept going, heading for something only he could really tell was there.

A small detour into a shady copse procured a couple of early fruits, one of which he handed to Catti-brie. When she bit into it, it was almost like drinking one of her teacher's elixirs, with how it invigorated her. She half-smiled to herself, recognizing the peculiar way his ranger magic worked, and said a silent thanks to Mielikki for providing the aid.

Finally, near one of the several small streams that appeared out of the mountain side, he came to a stop and just pointed for Catti to sight along his arm. There was… something not quite right in the space between the stream and the side of the tunnel it had dug out.

"Cover me, do not fire without me signaling," Drizzt said with a whisper for her ears alone.

She brought Taulmaril around, stringing her, and readied an arrow. He walked down along the stream, leaping to the side where the lump —

The drow! As soon as Drizzt had landed, the lump had uncurled and come up to their feet, a sword and dagger in both hands as fast as her ranger might have drawn!

Drizzt spoke, firm but calm in tone, despite Catti-brie not understanding the words. The stranger lowered his weapons, then actually sheathed them without checking the scabbards and without difficulty despite having two to put away. Were all drow like her ranger? She didn't think so.

More words between the two followed, before Drizzt held a hand out to the other drow, who hesitated only a moment before accepting it. Drizzt guided the drow to a more narrow spot of the stream, leaped across, and the other followed. A few more moments and they were near enough to Catti-brie for her to see that the drow was nervous but giving trust to Drizzt. She lowered the bow, not yet taking the arrow off the string, as they came into the space Drizzt had left her in.

"He's of my other goddess's people," Drizzt said. "The Song can't lie about that for him," he added, and that was enough for her to put her weapon away.

She took in the stranger fully, noting the signs she'd learned meant youth in an elf, while the earlier competency with weapons made her hate the drow all over again.

"I cannae do the spell for words yet, me drow," she teased him.

"No, I think not," Drizzt said, and she could see a new, different tension in him, even as he was settling against a tree. He gestured — sign language probably — and the other drow took a seat in the deep shade of another tree. "Catti-brie, this is Kastan." He switched to his language, and repeated that based on the names, though she suspected there had been a lot more in what Drizzt said to the drow.

Kastan nodded at her, before asking a question Drizzt answered.

"He wanted to know why a noble woman was merely a fighter," Drizzt said with a quirk of his mouth to her. "I told him you were a princess, a fighter, and learning to be a wizard, because no one tells you no."

Catti snorted, but the look of awe on Kastan's face was priceless. "Wait until he learns the language and I tell tales on ye!"

Drizzt just closed his eyes, the clearest sign that he had decided to trust fully. "We camp here." He repeated that for the drow, who nodded obediently. Catti-brie settled at yet a third tree, deciding her ranger would never put her at risk.





Ghael gave Catti-brie a hug, out of the clear blue, with just that little bit of warning that would allow her to duck if she wanted to.

"You look like you're hanging from a twig," Ghael said bluntly as the girl settled in with him and Del.

"Ye heard me and Drizzt went out?"

"Yes," Del said, shifting so she could actually recline against him. She did so gratefully, always at ease with the youngest nephew of her teacher.

"Found a drow, one that answered to me ranger's other goddess. So meant to be one of yer aunt's folk."

"I can see why it was so urgent then," Ghael mused. "Rather than risk someone of our allies finding him and mistaking him for an enemy."

"Aye, no arguin' there," Catti told him. "Nay, the problem is in me ranger hisself." She sighed. "He's trustin' the boy — said the boy was still of school age — but wound up tighter than a spring for a war machine."

"That's damn young," Del said bluntly. "Is it just the age? Uncle Kor said he and Drizzt have bonded over protecting kids."

"I cannae say; he's not tellin' me words that matter!" Catti huffed.

"And he hasn't been back to a cleric now we all have prayers and spells back, probably, because he's got a kid on his hands," Ghael said, nodding. "Right, time for me to go get dad."

Catti-brie looked hopeful at that. "Will ye? I mean, me Da and Dagna said the Hall is clear, and he wouldnae need tae be inside anyhow, but up, at Drizzt's place on the rise."

"I'll ask someone in the city to bring him, and he'll sort Drizzt's head out fast," Ghael promised.

"Thank ye."

"That's what family does; we take care of each other, and you're as much family as he is," Del said to that.





For all she loved her clan and her friends, it was something of a relief that winter to go to Shadowdale for her lessons with Syluné. Her ranger had left with Kastan not long after the Tall Ones had brought their father up to deal with him. Catti had continued to lead the effort to integrate the svirfneblin into Mithral Hall, with Belwar being appointed as liaison to Bruenor for his people.

One thing after another in the small ways that life had of keeping people busy had happened, but now she was in her second home, and leaving that behind.

"A busy year, my dear?" Aumry asked in his quaint, old-fashioned and avuncular way. She really did like him, as he tried hard to keep Shadowdale safe for freefolk of the Dalelands.

"Aye," she agreed.

"Well, I think letting your mind be the busy part will pass the winter a little easier," Syluné said. "I hope you found time to practice?"

"How could I not, when every week one of the Tall Ones was showing up?" Catti said, amused and bright.

It was a busy life… but it was a good one, and she sent that woman she might have been in another life thanks for making it happen.

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