wo more feral grunts； and started at them。 Ryld put out one hand to push Halisstra behind him； but she had already skipped back into the darkness。 He set his feet； ready for the charge； and saw the arrowhawk shoot out of the darkness again。 The arrowhawk whipped its tail forward； and Ryld； knowing what was ing； closed his eyes and lifted one arm…both hands on Splitter's pommel…to shield his sensitive eyes。
There was a sizzle of electricity； the faint smell of ozone； and the none…too…faint stench of burned hair again。 The furred creature growled in agony； and Ryld opened his eyes。 Again； the arrowhawk was nowhere to be seen； likely whirling through the forest dodging tree trunks； circling back for another pass。
〃Wait！〃 a woman's voice called。 Ryld thought at first that it was Halisstra。
〃No； Feliane；〃 Halisstra called back。 〃It's all right。 Between Ryld and the…〃
〃No！〃 the surface drow cut in。
Ryld would have turned to watch Feliane approach； but the animal had decided to charge him again。 Not sure what Feliane was trying to stop； exactly； Ryld stepped in toward the big animal。 He saw the arrowhawk ing； though and slid to a stop in the snow。 The animal must have realized why the drow came to such a sudden halt； and when the arrowhawk came in low for another slash with its talons； the creature saw it as well。
Jaws snapped over the arrowhawk。 There was a loud confusion of fluttering wings； screaming； growling； snapping； and popping…and the arrowhawk fell to the snow in two twitching； bleeding pieces。
〃What's going on here？〃 Feliane called； her voice much closer。 〃What in the goddess's name are you doing？〃
Its long； fang…lined jaws dripping with the arrowhawk's blood； the animal looked fiercer； more dangerous； and angrier than ever。 Ryld smiled； spun his massive enchanted greatsword in front of him； and ran at the thing head on。
Behind him and off in the underbrush； Halisstra and Feliane were talking in urgent tones； but Ryld's trained senses put that aside。 They were allies； and the only opponent of note was the furious beast。 Whatever they were discussing； they could tell him about it later； after he had dispatched the vicious； cunning predator。
The creature reared up again as Ryld came in； and the drow slipped Splitter in low in front of him； slicing a deep furrow in the beast's exposed underbelly。 Blood oozed from the wound； and quickly soaked the matted； dirty brown fur around it。 Ryld spun his greatsword back around and pointed it forward； held in both hands above his head； for a final impaling stab。
The forest predator again proved it wouldn't go down easily。 Before Ryld could plunge Splitter home； the thing's huge； handlike claw wrapped around his right arm； digging into the space between his pauldron and vambrace to puncture the skin of his underarm。
Ryld tucked his right arm down； pressing the claw against his armored side to keep the beast from tearing away his pauldron…and a good portion of skin and muscle with it。 That had the unfortunate effect of tipping the point of his greatsword up。 The animal pushed down； and its weight was enough to send Ryld sinking； slipping； then falling onto his back。 Splitter's tip passed harmlessly past the animal's shoulder。 When he felt the other claw clamp onto his left pauldron； Ryld knew he was pinned。
The beast snapped at his face； but Ryld still had enough room to jerk his head out of the way。 With all his considerable strength； the weapons master pushed up； but with his arms trapped over his head and his sword all but immobile next to the animal's ear； he had to use his back and shoulders to try to lift himself off the ground…carrying the fifteen…foot animal that must have weighed a ton at least with him。 He didn't move it far； but when the animal felt him trying to push up； it pushed down； extending its arms the fraction of an inch Ryld needed to muscle his sword down and under。 Twisting his wrists painfully； Ryld managed to get the greatsword's tip up under the beast's chin。
The animal rolled； its dark； dull eyes down and stretched its neck up and away from the sword。 The two of them were stuck that way； and Ryld feared that that was how they were going to remain for a very long time： it pushing him away； he trying to stab it through the throat。
〃Halisstra！〃 Feliane screamed。 〃No！〃
The sound was shrill； panicked； and close enough that it finally registered on Ryld that the two females were still there。 He wasn't alone。 As females were wont to do； they were letting him take the brunt of the punishment； but they wouldn't leave him like that…of would they？ From the sound of Feliane's voice； it was exactly what she intended to do。
Ryld redoubled his efforts； but so did the beast and they got no closer to a resolution…until Ryld heard a woman growl in an odd way； realizing it was Halisstra。 The thing dipped that fraction of an inch forward that Ryld was hoping for。
The tip of the greatsword bit into the animal's throat； and blood poured down the blade。 The animal grunted； opening its mouth a quarter of an inch…and allowing the blade to slip that much farther in。 Hot red blood exploded from the wound； then pumped out of the monstrosity's neck in rhythm to its speeding heart…Ryld had found the artery he'd been hoping for。
He saw Halisstra's boot to his right and heard a sword e out of its sheath。 She had jumped onto the animal's back and was straddling it； drawing the Crescent Blade to deliver the killing blow。
Ryld celebrated that realization by twisting Splitter's tip into the creature's throat； bringing more blood and sending a shiver rippling through the creature's fur。
Feliane ran up next to them and must have hit the side of the animal hard。 Halisstra grunted； and the hulk started to topple sideways。 Ryld sawed into its neck for good measure； not sure it was actually dead。
Feliane's boot scuffled in the snow next to him； and she said； 〃Stop it。 For Eilistraee's sake； that's not what the Crescent Blade was meant for。〃
Ryld let the quivering carcass roll off him and fall into a dead sprawl in the underbrush。 Wincing from the pain in his shoulder and underarm； he slid his blade out of the dead animal's neck and got to his feet； stepping back a few steps before he had his legs under him。
Halisstra and Feliane were standing next to the fallen animal； and Feliane's hand was wrapped tightly around Halisstra's sword arm。
〃I couldn't 。 。 。〃 Halisstra said； her voice quavering； each word punctuated by a puff of steam that rolled into the frigid air。 〃I couldn't let it kill him。〃
Both of the women turned to look at Ryld； who could only shrug。
〃She was only protecting her young；〃 Feliane said。
She was looking at Ryld； but the weapons master got the distinct impression she was talking to Halisstra。 Ryld didn't understand。 Who was protecting 。 。 。 ？
〃The animal？〃 he asked。
〃She's a giant land sloth；〃 the Eilistraeen said； releasing Halisstra's arm and stepping away from her。 〃She was a giant land sloth。 They're rare； especially this far north。〃
〃Good；〃 Ryld said。 〃It was tougher than it looks。〃
〃Damn it！〃 Feliane cursed。 〃She was only protecting her young。 You didn't have to kill her。〃
Halisstra was looking at her sword； the blade glowing in the darkness。
〃Why；〃 Ryld asked； 〃would it attack an armed drow to protect its young？ It could have lived to birth more。〃
Feliane opened her mouth to answer but said nothing。 A strange look came over her； one that Ryld couldn't remember ever seeing on the face of a drow。
Halisstra looked down at the dead sloth and whispered； 〃She。 。 。 。〃
Ryld shook his head。 He didn't understand and was beginning to think he never would。
Chapter Three
It had been two days since Pharaun had contacted his master； and the news that sending had brought still sat heavily on the wizard's shoulders。 The spell allowed only a short message to travel through the Weave from the Lake of Shadows into Menzoberranzan and an equally short message back。
Ship of chaos is ours； Pharaun had sent； careful to use no unnecessary words though that was against his natural tendencies。 Advise on proper diet。 Don't trust captain。 Any word of Ryld Argith or Halisstra Melarn？ Sent home to report details。
He'd waited the interminable seconds for a reply； all the time wondering if the time he had been waiting for had e…the moment when Gromph Baenre； Archmage of Menzoberranzan； would fail to answer。 That would be the moment Pharaun would know that they had failed； that they had no city to return to； no civilization to protect。
That time had。 not yet e。
Feed it manes； the archmage had replied。 As many as you can。 Captain will serve power。 Master Argith and Mistress Melarn not here。 Stop your squabbling and get moving。
Pharaun didn't stop to wonder how Gromph had known that the tenuous alliances within the expedition were fraying。 Gromph was a drow himself； after all； and probably assumed it。 If he thought he'd had the time； Pharaun might have studied that point much more closely； tried to determine the degree to w