Almost completely exhausted, Arvis collapsed to the ground. Kord started forward, but Druz stopped him, catching his arm with one hand. "Wait," she urged quietly. "Arvis is still alive. Work to keep him that way." "How do we know you'll keep your word about killing the wolf, druid?" Forras demanded. "Because I gave my word." The druid halted at the clearing's edge, almost out of sight in the shadows. "Just as I give my word that I will kill you if you're still in this forest in the morning." "Your word isn't good enough." It wasn't until after she'd spoken the words that Druz realized how barefaced they sounded. The forest seemed to grow still around her. The druid stared at her. Druz stayed ready to move, realizing that she was trapped between the elf and the bear. Her throat felt cottony and dry. "You doubt me," the druid stated flatly. "The shepherd who retained our services," Druz said quietly, "isn't a man who's going to be easily satisfied. His oldest son was horribly disfigured by the wolf's attack. Even with clerics and healers, it's going to be years before the boy is returned to his full health. The shepherd wants revenge for that." "This is not about revenge," the druid said. "That's what I was paid for." Druz held her head up defiantly. She stepped toward the druid. Arvis glanced around quickly then pushed himself along the ground as if afraid the druid would punish him first. He stayed down as he moved. Druz kept walking, closing in on the druid. He flicked his eyes past her warily, looking to see if the others would come to her aid. Druz wasn't surprised when they didn't. The bear was easily the biggest she'd ever seen. "I'm coming with you," Druz said. Swift as a bird on a wing, the druid brought his scimitar up to Druz's throat. She steeled herself, stopping her immediate response to draw one of the knives hidden behind her back. She thought she might even have had a chance at blocking the scimitar, but she knew she couldn't allow the confrontation to come to that.