T'kiric crouched and looked over the mass of old footprints that led from the cell and over to the nearest bridge spanning the expanse below.
Dwarves, gnomes, and everything in between.
Clawed footprints of something large was right amongst them.
"A quaggoth?" He thought as he tried to make sense of the mismatched imprints.
"Dear brother, what did you get yourself involved in?" Another set, almost just as large and ending in sharp, curved nails were also evident. These ones however, we're alien to him.
"Something to look for, perhaps."
He followed the tracks across the bridge to the tower and then back to the main ledge. Spent bolts from hand crossbows lay strewn about this part of the plateau.
"Drow everywhere," He surmised. "Firing in all directions." T'kiric knelt and gingerly picked up a bolt bolt between a gloved thumb and forefinger, bringing it close to his nose.
He let the scent rise Into his nostrils,
"Decay and sulfur."
His mind worked quickly, piecing together the most likely scenario.
"Demons in Menzonberranzan and demons here. How far have they truly spread?"
From an overhang above a spider, covered in dark grey hair and as large as a wagon wheel descended towards the deep-in-thought Drow. It landed as softly and silently as a shadow The pads on its eight legs making no sound at all, and barely five feet from his exposed back. It raised its two front legs up as the remaining six tensed like deadly springs as it's body lowered.
"Not now, Spindle." Said T'kiric in a murmur that was barely audible. He turned, still kneeling came face to many eyed face with the large spider. He still marveled the sight of her. Sleek and silent, loyal and deadly.
His companion and friend.
T'kiric took a bit of comfort at the spiders playful behavior knowing if Spindle wasn't in a state of unrest, there was a good chance that whatever had caused this skirmish was long gone.
He extended his hand and Spindle in turn, lowered the end of her raised leg down so that it rested in T'kiric's palm.
"Come on," he said patting the fur covered leg before standing and giving the place a final look over.
The Drow prison known as Velkynvalve was still, save for the rush of the waterfall that filled the basin below.
"Let's go find your uncle Sarith."
