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.