of orcs, who had drifted off to the side of the construction area where the unusually large orcs had gathered. He came to the conclusion that he had been paid a compliment, that Khazid'hea did not want to be pried from his grasp.
He chose his path to the three orcs carefully, allowing himself a fast route of escape should the need arise - and he feared it would. Several times he paused to search the surrounding area for any guards he might have missed.
Still some distance from the three, he called out the expected, respectful refrain to the chieftain. "Hail Dnark, may the Wolf Jaw bite strong," he said in his best Orcish, but with no attempt to hide his Underdark drow accent. He watched carefully then to gauge their initial reaction, knowing that to be the bare truth.
All three turned his way, their expressions showing surprise, even shock. Tellingly, however, not one flinched toward a weapon.
"To the throat of your enemy," Tos'un finished the Wolf Jaw tribe's salute. He continued his approach, noting that Ung-thol, the older shaman, visibly relaxed, but that the younger Toogwik Tuk remained very much on edge.
"Well met, again," Tos'un offered, and he climbed the last small rise to gain the sheltered flat ground the trio had staked out. "We have come far from the holes in the Spine of the World, as I predicted to you those months ago."
"Greetings, Tos'un of Menzoberranzan," said Dnark.
The drow measured the chieftain's voice as cautious, and neither warm or cold.
"I am surprised to see you," Dnark finished.
"We have learned the fate of your companions," Ung-thol added.
Tos'un stiffened, and had to consciously remind himself not to grasp his sword hilts. "Yes, Donnia Soldou and Ad'non Kareese," he said. "I have heard their sad fate, and a curse upon the murderous Drizzt Do'Urden."
The three orcs exchanged smug grins. They knew of the murdered priestess, Tos'un realized.
"And pity to Kaer'lic," he said lightly, as if it didn't really matter. "Foolish was she who angered mighty Obould." He found a surprising response to that from Toogwik Tuk, for the young orc's smile disappeared, and his lips grew tight.
"She and you, so it is said," Ung-thol replied.
"I will prove my value again."
"To Obould?" asked Dnark.
The question caught the drow off-balance, for he had no idea of where the chieftain might be going with it.
"Is there another who would seek that value?" he asked, keeping enough sarcasm out of his tone so that Dnark might seize it as an honest question if he so chose.
"There are many above ground now, and scattered throughout the Kingdom of Many-Arrows," said Dnark. He glanced back at the hulking orcs milling around the construction area. "Grguch of Clan Karuck has come."
"I just witnessed his ferocity in routing the cursed surface elves."
"Strong allies," said Dnark.
"To Obould?" Tos'un asked without hesitation, turning the question back in similar measure.
"To Gruumsh," said Dnark with a toothy grin. "To the destruction of Clan Battlehammer and all the wretched dwarves and all the ugly elves."
"Strong allies," said Tos'un.
They are not pleased with King Obould, Khazid'hea said in the drow's mind. Tos'un didn't respond, other than to not disagree. An interesting turn.
Again the drow didn't disagree. A tingling feeling came over him, that exciting sensation that befell many of Lady Lolth's followers when they first discovered that an opportunity for mischief might soon present itself.
He thought of Sinnafain and her kin, but didn't dwell on them. The joy of chaos came precisely from the reality that it was often so very easy, and not requiring too much deep contemplation. Perhaps the coming mayhem would benefit the elves, perhaps the orcs, Dnark or Obould, one or both. That was not for Tos'un to determine. His duty was to ensure that no matter which way the tumult broke, he would be in the best position to survive and to profit.
For all of his time with the elves of late, for all of his fantasies of living among the surface folk, Tos'un Armgo remained, first and foremost, drow.
He sensed clearly that Khazid'hea very much approved.
Grguch was not pleased. He stomped across the hillside before the tunnel entrance and all of Clan Karuck fled before him. All except for Hakuun, of course. Hakuun could not flee before Grguch. It was not permitted. If Grguch decided that he wanted to kill Hakuun then Hakuun had to accept that as his fate. Being the shaman of Clan Karuck carried such a responsibility, and it was one that Hakuun's family had accepted