“Yes, I remember. He was the man who hit you.” Earwig sipped his drink.
“You know, it’s funny. Lord Manion came in here a lot and he generally got drunk, but he was always a gentle-
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man. Many nights I’ve made certain he reached his home safely. But then, just the past few weeks, he changed. He turned”—the girl frowned, thinking—”ugly, cruel. It was when he started wearing that necklace, like the one you’re wearing.”
“What necklace? Oh, this?” said Earwig, glancing down at the silver cat’s skull with the ruby eyes.
“You’re not going to turn mean, are you?”
“Gee, do you think there’s a chance I might?” Earwig asked eagerly.
Catherine began to laugh. “No, I’m sorry. I don’t.”
“I didn’t think so.” Earwig sighed. The kender ran through a list of things to say to women as he tugged at the gold ring on his finger. He chose one he thought appropriate and asked, “What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?”
Catherine giggled. “It’s just my job. One of them.”
“How many do you have?”
“Two or three, depending on business. I work at Hy-ava Tavern, on Westgate Street.”
“I hope it’s not as rough as this place.”
“Pooh! I can take care of myself. I’ll bet you’ve been to a lot of places,” Catherine said wistfully.
“Oh, my, yes. AH around Krynn. Southern Ergoth, Northern Ergoth, Solamnia—”
“I’ve never been anywhere but here.”
Earwig looked intently at the woman across the bar from him. She stood straight and strong, her arms well-muscled. He believed that she could handle herself in almost any situation.
“You remind me a little of someone I know. Her name’s Kitiara.”
“Really? What’s she like?”
“She’s a fierce and cunning warrior,” said the kender.
Catherine looked a little shocked. “Wh—why thank you, Earwig. I think. …”
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“You sound like you want to leave this place.” The kender took several gulps of his drink. “Why don’t you just pick up and go?”
“I don’t have the steel yet.”
“You don’t need money to travel! All you need is a hoopak and a good walking tune.” Earwig laughed, swinging his hoopak into the air. He was feeling really good. He couldn’t remember ever having felt this good before.
Catherine shrugged and frowned. She leaned back from her guest, propping her elbows against a shelf.
“I’m sorry, Catherine. I didn’t mean to make you unhappy.” Earwig rummaged through his pockets, pulling out the first thing he came to-—the tangle of wire with the bead in it. “Here. I want you to have this.”
The barmaid, smiling in spite of herself, reached over to take the gift. Holding the wire up to the light, she stared at it in fascination. “What is it?”
“I don’t know. I got it when I was on some adventure with my friends. We go adventuring a lot together, my friends and I. One of them is a magic-user,” the kender added importantly.
“This is really amazing, Earwig.” Catherine was still staring at the wire. “If you look closely, it appears that the bead has writing on it!”
Earwig heard the door open behind him, but he didn’t turn around. He was trying to remember how Caramon got girls to kiss him. Catherine glanced up and hurriedly tucked the wire away in a pocket. She nodded once, and then leaned over the bar, her face close to the kender’s.
“Tell me about your friends,” she said. ‘Tell me about the mage. I’d love to meet him.”
“Raistlin and Caramon? They were born in a place called Solace, to the east of here. Caramon is a great and
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powerful warrior. His muscles are as big as … as that,” Earwig said pointing to a beer barrel in the corner. “I’ve seen him cut twenty men in two with one stroke!”
“No! Really?” Catherine appeared nervous. She seemed to have to force her eyes to remain on the kender.
Earwig blinked. Leaning over, he said confidentially, “Don’t look now. Gather . . . Gather . . . whatever. But your walls are spinning around and around.”
“You need another drink. That’s all. Tell me about your other friend.”