Cadderly's obvious footprints. Shayleigh came right behind, the nimble, light-footed elf having little trouble managing the deep snow. She kept her bow out and ready, playing a watchful role while Danica tracked.
Vander plodded along behind her, trying to resist the urge to cave in the vicious Ivan's thick skull, and Pikel came last, bobbing easily in the cleared wake of the giant firbolg.
They stood in the melted region before the cave entrance a few minutes later. Shayleigh peered in, using her elven heat-sensing vision, but she poked her head back out in a moment and shrugged helplessly, explaining that the air was too warm inside for her to make out anything distinct
"Cadderly went in," Danica said, as much to firm her own resolve as to the others. "And so must we."
"Nope," came Ivan's predictable reply.
The enchantment that Cadderly put over you last night will not hold for long," Shayleigh reminded him. The air is too cold this high up for even one of a dwarfs toughness."
"Better freezed than toasted," Ivan grumbled.
Danica ignored the remark and slipped into the cave. Shayleigh shook her head and followed.
Vander set Ivan on the ground, drawing curious looks from both the dwarves.
"Ill not force you into a dragon's cave," the firbolg explained, and he walked by without waiting for a reply, squeezing in through the narrow entrance.
"Oo," Pikel moaned, not so filled with humor now that they had come to a critical moment
Ivan stood resolute, his burly arms crossed over his chest and one foot tap-tapping on the wet stone. Pikel looked from his brother, to the cave, back to his brother, and back to the cave, not sure of what he should do.
"Aw, go on," Ivan growled at him a few seconds later. "I'm not for leaving the thick-headed fool to fight the dragon alone!"
Pikel's cherubic face brightened considerably as Ivan grabbed him and led the way in. When the green-bearded dwarf remembered that they were marching on their merry way to face a red dragon, that impish smile disappeared.
* * * * *
Far down the trail from the face of Nightglow, Druzil watched the black forms disappear under the high, enshrouding veil of fog. The imp had no idea of where the giant had come from - why would a giant be marching beside Cadderly? - but he was fairly confident that the other distant forms, particularly the two bobbing, short, and stout creatures, belonged to Cadderly"s friends.
The undead monster seemed certain enough. Whether the creature could actually "see" the distant party, Druzil could not tell, but the monster's chosen path was straight and furious. Some beacon was guiding this otherworldly spirit, leading it on without hesitation through the dark of night and under the light of day. The creature hadn't slowed, hadn't rested (weary Druzil was beginning to wish it would!), and it and Druzil had covered a tremendous amount of ground in a very short time.
Now, with the goal apparently in sight, the creature moved even more furiously to the base of Nightglow's treeless high slope, ripping through the snow angrily, as if the white powder's hindering depth was some deliberate conspiracy to keep the ghoulish thing away from Cadderly.
As a creature of the fiery lower planes, Druzil was not fond of the chilling snow. But as a creature of the chaotic lower planes, the imp eagerly moved along behind the undead monster, rubbing his clawed hands at the thought of the savagery that was soon to come.
*****
Cadderly gently slid one foot in front of the other, inching his way toward the chamber's far exit. The giant red toads had settled again, but the young priest felt many eyes upon him, watching him with more than a passing interest
Another few feet put him right in line with the exit; ten running strides would have gotten him through it. He stopped where he was, trying to muster the courage to break into a run, trying to discern if that would be the wisest course.
He started to lean ferward anxiously, was mentally counting down to the moment when he would spring away.
A toad hopped across to block the exit
Cadderly's eyes widened with fear and darted from side to side, looking for some other path. Behind him, toads had quietly gathered in a group, cutting off any retreat
Was this a deliberate herding tactic? the young priest wondered with complete astonishment. Whatever it was, Cadderly knew that he had to act quickly. He considered his magic, wondered what aid he might find from the song
of