Temple of the Dragonslayer by Tim Waggoner

the forest north of Tresvka at first,” Elidor said. “But when we reach the plains, we’ll need to protect ourselves from the sun’s rays. We can wear our rain cloaks with the hoods up, and if they get too hot, I can weave us some simple but serviceable hats from rushes, leaves, and twigs.”
    “You can?” Sindri asked, eyes wide with wonder.
    Elidor laughed. “Of course, my small friend. I am Kagonesti.”
    The companions knew there was an excellent chance the minotaur was still searching for Sindri since the kender had now humiliated him twice. So they’d taken precautions. Whilethe others had been buying supplies, Davyn and Catriona had visited several taverns and spread the word that the kender wizard called Sindri Suncatcher had departed Tresvka on a special mission to the south.
    Catriona and Sindri had been staying at a small but respectable inn, and they decided that the others should join them there for the night. The five companions would set off on their journey at dawn.
    While the purse of coins that Maddoc had given Davyn was significantly lighter after shopping, there was still enough left for the five of them to eat dinner. Davyn felt it would be safer to leave Sindri behind while the rest of them ate, but Catriona refused to leave Sindri alone. The companions gathered in Sindri’s room to decide what to do.
    “I need to eat,” Catriona said. “Tomorrow we start out on a long journey.”
    “Of course you need to eat,” Davyn said, sounding irritated. “But if we want to keep the minotaur from finding Sindri, we can’t have him sitting in the common room with the rest of us. An elf can always brush his hair over his ears, sit in a dark corner, and with luck, pass for human.”
    “Not that he’d want to,” Elidor said, smiling to show that he was only joking.
    “But it’s not so easy to disguise a kender,” Davyn finished.
    “If we keep arguing, there won’t be any food left downstairs,” Catriona said.
    “And I haven’t had a decent meal in …” Nearra paused. “Well, I don’t remember when. But I’m starving! Let’s just go downstairs and eat. What are the odds that the minotaur will come to this particular inn looking for Sindri?”
    “He could always eat here in his room,” Davyn said.
    “What?” Sindri yelped. “And miss all the fun downstairs? I’d rather have the minotaur catch me! Why don’t I go find that beast and settle this once and for all.” He grabbed his cape and headed for the door.
    “No!” they shouted. Catriona snatched him by the hood and pulled him back.
    They all started arguing at once then.
    Catriona yelled, “Be silent!” The warrior lifted the hood of Sindri’s cape and smiled slowly, a twinkle in her eye. “I think I have a better idea.”

     
    It was busy in the common room that night. The thick stone walls made for a welcome respite from the heat outside, and almost every table was full of men and women eating and talking. Many were citizens of Tresvka who’d just come here for a good meal and to be entertained by the bard strumming his lyre in the corner. Servers ran back and forth bringing ale from the bar and steaming mutton stew or venison roast from the kitchen. Overseeing it all from the doorway, the huge innkeeper stood, his arms crossed and his face contorted into a permanent scowl.
    Davyn, Nearra, and Elidor took a table in a dark alcove as far from the entrance as they could get. Catriona arrived several moments later carrying a wooden crate.
    “Where did you find that?” Davyn asked.
    “In the kitchen.” Catriona set the crate on the bench and out popped Sindri, wearing Catriona’s rain cloak.
    “This crate used to hold potatoes,” Sindri said. Catriona turned the crate over and gestured for Sindri to climb up.
    The kender scampered onto the top of the crate with the ease and agility of a squirrel. He grinned as he looked around. “So this is what the world looks like to you big folk!” He laughed. “Your heads are