pen and was bleeding again； even though Halisstra's chin had barely touched it。
Outside； the singing stopped。 Halisstra heard a rustling above and glanced up to see Feliane； kneeling in the ferns and staring down at her。 The priestess had scrubbed her face clean of the black dye； and her skin was an unhealthy looking mushroom…white。 Looking at it； Halisstra decided she must have been wrong about the sky being overcast； the moon must have been peeking through the clouds； because for a moment a faint； silvery radiance illuminated Feliane。 Then it was gone； and Halisstra could see the priestess's face clearly again。
Well？ Halisstra asked in sign。 What is my fate to be？ The song…or the sword？
〃The song；〃 Feliane answered。
Halisstra nodded grimly and stood。 She wanted to meet death on her feet。
I'm ready； she signed； fingers moving in tense； sharp jerks。
Feliane's round face broke into a grin。 On a drow； it would have been a gloat of triumph； but so innocent and naive looking was Feliane that for a moment it appeared like a warm smile。 Halisstra pushed that foolish notion from her mind and stood； rigid； waiting。
Feliane began to sing in High Drow。 From behind her； Halisstra could hear a chorus of women's voices； though Feliane's was the strongest。
〃Climb out of the darkness； rise into the light。
〃Turn your face to the sky； your elf birthright。
〃Dance in the forest； sing with the breeze；
〃Claim your place in the moonlight among flowers and trees。
〃Lend your strength to the needy； battle evil with steel。
〃Join in the hunt； to no other gods kneel。
〃Purge the monster within and the monster without；
〃Their blood washes you clean； of this have no doubt。
〃Trust in your sisters； lend your voice to their song。
〃By joining the circle； the weak are made strong。〃
Feliane extended her hand down into the hole； as if inviting Halisstra to take it。 Her pale skin had taken on a moonlit glow。
It took Halisstra a moment to realize the import of the song and gesture。 It wasn't an execution but an invitation。 And not just to life； bur to join the circle。 To join the priestesses of Eilistraee。
Halisstra's eyes narrowed。 It had to be a trick of some kind。
〃Trust？〃 she said…out loud； surprised to find that her ability to speak had returned。
She didn't need to let the scorn she felt creep into her voice； the word already held a negative connotation in the drow tongue； implying weakness； naivete。 She thought of the alliances she'd tried to build among her own sisters and how those alliances had been betrayed。 She'd tried to reach out to Norendia； telling her sister about the bard who'd been teaching her darksong。 A few cycles later； that bard had 〃fallen〃 from one of the city walkways to her death。 Later that same cycle； Jawil； second oldest of the Melarn daughters after Halisstra； had made an attempt on Halisstra's life。 When Halisstra had rushed to Norendia for help； she had been stabbed in the back。 Literally。 Thankfully； Halisstra's magic had proved strong enough to save her…and to kill her two sisters。
〃Trust；〃 she muttered again。
Behind Feliane； she could see the priestess who had slain the troll。 The woman looked down； smiled； then stepped back out of sight。
Ideas flashed through Halisstra's mind； quick as lightning strikes。 She could use bae'qeshel magic to charm Feliane into lowering her a rope then stun the rest of Eilistraee's priestesses with a painful burst of sound and escape。 But each flash of inspiration left behind it a rumble of doubt； disturbing as the distant thunder。
Was escape really what Halisstra wanted…or had there been a faint echo of truth in the oath she'd sworn earlier？ She'd been drawn to the World Above； though she hadn't been able to articulate the reason； either to Ryld or to herself。 But now she was starting to understand。 She'd always thought treachery and selfishness to be indelible hallmarks of the drow； but she was beginning to see that there could be another way。
The drow who lived on the surface not only trusted one another； they were also willing to extend that trust to her。 Even knowing that she had killed one of their priestesses…that she might do the same to any of them。 Their faith in her capacity for redemption was strong； even though there was only the word of a dying priestess to base it on。
Or was there？
From somewhere above came the sound of a flute； playing a few soft； tentative notes。 It reminded Halisstra of the sounds Seyll's sword had made when she was fighting the stirges。 And of that single； piercing note that had at last knocked them from the sky。 Had that been Eilistraee's magic at work？ Had Halisstra already been accepted by the goddess； even then？
Feliane waited patiently； hand still extended； as Halisstra wrestled with her doubts。 The elf priestess's entire body was glowing silver。 Her hair seemed alive with sparkling stars； her smile was as bright as a crescent moon。 The goddess had filled her； transformed her。 She stared down at Halisstra with a mother's love； urging her to accept it。
Trembling； Halisstra raised her hands above her head； just like the figures painted on the cave walls。
〃I accept； Eilistraee；〃 Halisstra said。 〃I will serve you。〃
She felt a tear streaking down her cheek； and angrily told herself it was just a drip from the ferns above…then she realized it didn't matter。
Feliane； too； was weeping。
The elf priestess began to chant； and Halisstra felt her body grow lighter。 The stone floor dropped away from her feet as she floated upward； drawn by Feliane's spell。 The fringe of ferns made the hole in the ceiling look too narrow to fit through； so Halisstra crossed her arms tightly against her chest； making herself smaller。 As she rose through the opening； wet ferns brushed against her face； forcing her to close her eyes。 Her body squeezed through them； slipping out of the cave； and she felt dozens of hands touching her； guiding her。 The priestesses were all around the opening； lifting her from the cave； hugging her； singing。
〃Climb out of the darkness； rise into the light。。。〃
Opening her eyes； Halisstra looked up and saw the full moon through a break in the clouds。 The goddess's face smiled down at her； weeping raindrops of joy。
〃Eilistraee！〃 Halisstra cried。 〃I am yours！〃
〃The goddess weles you into her embrace；〃 Feliane whispered in her ear。 〃Now you must prepare yourself for the trial she has set you。〃
Ryld frowned； puzzled； as he examined the footprints in the slush。 He was still on the animal's trail…he was certain of that…but its footprints had suddenly changed。 In one spot where the beast had paused； the track became more like the print a bare drow foot would make； but with deep gouges at the front of each toe that must have been claw marks。 They reminded Ryld； at least a little； of the footprints of an orc but the stride； when the animal had continued from that spot； was all wrong。 The beast had risen to walk on two feet； not four。 The pattern of its footprints； however； was still more like the lope of a quadruped。
Short sword in hand； Ryld continued following the tracks。 The animal…thing had tried to conceal its trail by walking along rocks or logs and wading up a stream； but Ryld had no difficulty following it。 He was used to tracking opponents across the bare stone of caverns and tunnels。 Even with it melting； the slush made tracking anything the work of a child。
Eventually he spotted a small structure deep in the forest。 Made from rough…hewn logs； the one…room building had a slumped appearance； as if it was about to collapse at any moment。 Its door hung at an angle； attached to the frame by a single rusted hinge； and the roof was thick with moss and larger； leafy surface plants sprouted from it in spots。 Firewood that had once been stacked against one wall lay tumbled across the ground； dotted with a sprouting of fungus； and a hole in the building's roof marked where a chimney had once stood。 Surrounded by a litter of broken bottles and rusted pots that had obviously been dragged out by scavengers long before； the shelter looked utterly abandoned。
But something was moving inside it。
Ryld drew his piwafwi around himself and crept closer through the trees。 He felt something soft under his boot； and the stink of fresh excrement rose to his nostrils。 His lip curled。 Even in the warrens of Menzoberranzan； people didn't defecate so close to their homes。 Whoever was living in the little shelter was no better than an animal； the weapons master thought； angrily scraping his boot。
He looked up just in time to see a small black shape streaking toward him from the cabin。 It was the same sort of animal he'd been tracking…but not the same one。 As the beast sank its teeth into the wrist of his sword hand； Ryld's warrior's instincts took over。
He grabbed the creature by the scruff of the neck with his free hand and used its own momentum to slam it into a tree。 Dazed； it staggered to the side； shaking its head。
Ryld whipped his sword around in a slash at the animal's throat…but it proved quicker than he expected。 His blade slammed into the tree behind it as the beast rolled out of the way。
Yanking his sword free； Ryld rounded on the creature…only to see it rearing up on two legs。 It held its forepaws out in an unmistakable gesture of surrender。 Its mouth worked； forming words that were half yip； half speech。
〃Wait！〃 it gasped in oddly…accented Low Drow。 〃Friend。〃
Ryld hesitated； but kept his sword ready。
〃You can speak？〃 the weapons master asked。
The creature nodded urgently； then it closed its eyes as a shudder coursed through it。 Bald patches appeared in its fur and spread； exposing pale skin； and its muzzle shrank and flattened。 The quadruped legs rearticulated themselves with a soft crackle of cartilage； and paws transformed into hands and feet。
When the transformation was plete； a naked human youth stood where the animal had been。 Were he a drow； Ryld would have guessed his age at about twenty； but humans matured faster than that。 The boy was probably no more than a dozen years old。 His hair was black and tangled； his hands and feet as filthy as those of an urchin from the Stenchstreets。
〃What sort of creature are you？〃 Ryld asked。
The boy uttered a word that Ryld didn't recognize； speaking one of the languages of the World Above。 Seeing that Ryld didn't understand； he switched to Low Drow。
〃A blend of wolf and human；〃 he answered。 〃I shift between the two。〃
〃Wolf？〃
〃The furred animal that walks on four legs；〃 the human replied。
The weapons master nodded。
〃Where is the other wolf…human？〃 Ryld asked it。 〃The gray one。〃
He kept a wary eye on the structure and surrounding forest； furious at himself for having let his attention wane a moment before。
〃There's no one here but me。〃
〃Liar；〃 Ryld spat。 He stepped forward； menacing the boy with his sword。 〃Is the larger one your parent？ Is that why you're trying to protect it？〃
〃I have no parents。 They were killed