"No plane-shifting around here," Bruenor explained. "And that's what yer cat does."
"You fear that Guenhwyvar will open a portal that unwelcome visitors might also use?"
"Talked to me priests and we're all agreein' it's better not to find out."
Drizzt nodded and settled back.
"All the more reason for me and Drizzt to go out and keep a scouting perimeter," Catti-brie reasoned.
"I ain't suggesting that."
"Why?"
"What do you know, Bruenor?" Drizzt prompted.
He moved in closer, and so did Catti-brie, and so did Regis, who was nearby and eavesdropping.
"She's a haunted pass, to be sure," Bruenor confided, after taking a moment to look all around.
"Full o' yer ancestors," said Catti-brie.
"Full o' worse than that," said Bruenor. "We're to be fine-too many of us for even them ghosts to be playing with, I'm guessing."
"Guessing?" Regis echoed skeptically.
Bruenor only shrugged and turned back to Drizzt.
"We're needin' to get an idea o' all the land about," he explained.
"You think that Gauntlgrym is near?"
Another shrug. "Doubtin' that-it'd be more toward Mirabar-but we're likely to find some clues here. That fight them centuries ago was going the orcs' way-a bad time for me ancestors-but then the dwarves outsmarted them... not a tough thing to do! There's tunnels all about this pass, and deep caves, some natural, others cut by the Delzoun. Me ancient kin interlocked them all and used them to supply, to bind their wounds, and to fix their weapons -and for surprise, for the dwarfs lured them stupid orcs in on what looked like a small group, and when them ugly beasts came charging, their tongues flapping outside their ugly mouths, the Delzoun popped up from trapdoors all about them, within their ranks.
'Was still a fierce fight. Them orcs can hit hard, no one's doubting, and many, many o' me ancestors died here, but me kin won out. Killed most o' them orcs and sent the others running back to their holes in the deeper mountains. Them caves are likely still down there, holding secrets I mean to learn."
"And holding nasties of many shapes and sizes," Catti-brie added.
"Someone's gotta clear them nasties away," Bruenor agreed. "Might as well be me."
"You mean Hi-," Regis corrected.
Bruenor gave him a sly smile.
"You plan to find a way down there and take the army underground?" Drizzt asked.
"Nan. I'm plannin' on passing through, as I said. We'll go back to Mithral Hall and get through with the formalities, then we'll decide how many we should be bringing back out after the next winter blows past. We'll see what we can find."
"Then why go through here now?"
"Think about it, elf," Bruenor answered, looking around at the encampment, which seemed fairly calm and at ease, despite their location. "Ye look danger right in the face, at its worst-or what ye're thinking to be its worst-right up front, and ye're not to be caught off yer guard by fear no more."
Indeed, in looking around at the settled camp, Drizzt understood exactly what Bruenor was driving at.
The night was not completely restful, and more than once, a sentry team cried out, "Ghost!" and the dwarves and others scrambled.
There were sightings and shrieks from unseen sources out in the darkness. Despite their weariness from the road, the clan did not get a good night's sleep, but they were back on the move in the morning, singing their songs, denying fear as only a dwarf could.
"Dreadmont and Skyfire," Bruenor explained to his friends the next day, pointing out two mountains, one to the south and one to the north. "Markin' the pass. Ye take in every landmark, elf. I'll be needing yer ranger nose if we're finding a place worth a return visit."
That day went uneventfully, and the troupe passed another fitful, but not overly so, night and were back on the road before the dawn.
At mid-morning, they were rolling along at a brisk pace, singing their songs from front to back, the battleragers and other soldiers trotting along easily.
But then the wagon beside Bruenor's lurched suddenly, its back right wheel dropping, and its front left coming right off the ground. The horses reared and whinnied, and the poor drivers fought hard to hold it steady. Dwarves rushed in from the side, grabbing on, some trying to catch the cargo that was sliding off the back, sliding into a gaping hole that was opening in the ground like a hungry mouth.
Drizzt rushed across in front of Bruenor's wagon and darted back behind the frightened, rearing horses, who were being dragged back with the rest of the wagon.