her long hair up and down her back, against the silky fabric of her robe. Goldmoon wanted to bring him the same sensual pleasure he gave her, but his armor covered him like a shell. She wriggled one hand beneath the leather and then inside his shirt, where she could press her fingertips against his back.
Riverwind straightened, and his head jerked up. A low moan rumbled through his chest as Goldmoon ran her fingers along his spine.
'You sound like a cat purring,' she teased.
Riverwind gave a little snarl like a wild cat. Though she'd heard him use it in the battle with Hollow-sky, it startled her now. Riverwind grinned at the look on her face, then bent over and very lightly licked her behind the ear. He drew her hands forward and flicked his tongue over both palms.
Goldmoon shivered with delight. She caught the ends of the ceremonial sash about his waist and wound them once about his wrists. 'Now I am the tiger hunter,' she joked and pressed against him harder, kissing his mouth, then his chin, his throat.
Goldmoon had never before sensed so much buming warmth within her body. The dank cavern no longer felt chill, but Riverwind suddenly struggled free of the sash and held her away from him. 'This hunt must end,' he gasped.
'What's wrong?' she asked, frightened by the way his whole frame shuddered.
The warrior took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Calmer, he stroked her cheek with his forefinger. 'We will change many of our people's ways,' he explained, 'yet there are some customs which we ought still to follow. I have yet to ask your father's permission to court you.'
Goldmoon tapped her foot in annoyance. 'I suspect that I might change more customs than you, if I have my way,' she retorted.
'Is the honor of marriage vows so worthless a thing to wait for?' he asked.
'No, but Father might not agree,' Goldmoon said tightly.
'He cannot deny me,' Riverwind pointed out, 'if I go on a courting quest.'
She gave a sly grin. 'The look on Arrowthorn's face will be worth seeing.' More seriously she added, 'I will wait for you, Riverwind, however long it takes.' She sighed. 'Though I do not think the waiting will be easy.'
'And now,' Riverwind said firmly, 'we must find the way out!'
'What's that?' asked Riverwind, tilting his head to hear as they walked along by the light of the fire-beetle lantern.
'It sounds like water running,' Goldmoon replied, listening. She licked her dry lips. 'We can fill our waterskins, at least.'
'Better yet,' said Riverwind, 'it is probably an underground stream that may lead us to the surface and out of here if we follow it!'
Hope rising in their hearts, the two hurried toward the source of the sound and came upon a swiftly flowing, underground river.
'Crow's luck!' Goldmoon snapped with annoyance as the strong current tore her waterskin from her grasp.
'Don't worry, I'll get it,' Riverwind offered, stepping into the water to reach after the bag.
'No, Riverwind. The water's too swift. Leave it,' Goldmoon ordered.
But Riverwind took another step, then slipped on something underfoot, and plunged forward with a cry. He tried to swim back to the bank, but despite his efforts, the current dragged him off into the darkness.
'Riverwind!' Goldmoon screamed. She stood up and, in her haste, knocked over the lantern. The lid fell off and the fire beetles skittered out and away from the water.
Echoes of her call rang through the cavern, mocking her. Absolutely alone in the pitch-black, unfamiliar cave, Chieftain's Daughter stood frozen with terror.
'I've got to go after Riverwind! What if he's hurt? But do I dare?' she whispered, her fear of drowning pulling her back from the water as strongly as her love for Riverwind pulled her toward it.
Suddenly Goldmoon laughed grimly. 'Of course I dare,' she cried out. Tearsong had told her to sacrifice that which hindered her daring — her fear.
The princess unfastened the clasp to her fur cloak and let it fall to the ground. Taking a deep breath, she dove into the water toward the spot where Riverwind had disappeared.
The cold of the water was a painful shock. Goldmoon tried to surface immediately, but the weight of her long dress hindered her and the undercurrent held her in its clutches. Her lungs were ready to burst.
That's it, she thought. I'm going to drown. Let it be quick, without pain, she prayed. She began to feel numb all over.
But with a last burst of energy, Goldmoon kicked her legs hard, driving her up into the small pocket of air between the deep water and the top of the cavern.
Her respite was short-lived. A deep thrumming filled the air all about her. A waterfall, she realized, and she was being carried straight toward it!
Light blinded Goldmoon's eyes, and for a moment, as she shot over the edge of the waterfall, she felt as though she were a hawk hanging over the world. Then she plunged. Shooting pains surged from her stomach and heart, and when she hit the water below, she was too disoriented to tell up from down.
Then strong arms grasped her and pulled her gently from the water to the shore. Too weak to do more than turn her head, she smiled sweetly as Riverwind collapsed beside her. They lay dripping and shivering on the sweet- smelling grass in the warm sunshine, taking deep breaths of the fresh air.
They were in a valley beneath the mountain. The waterfall poured out of a cliff face so far above them that their survival seemed a miracle.
'I knew,' Goldmoon gasped, 'that you would find us a way out.'
Riverwind laughed, and Goldmoon laughed with him. She rolled near to him and lay her head on his shoulder. Then she sighed heavily and her eyes became clouded with concerns for the future — now that they had one. 'We'll have to explain about Hollow-sky. At least now we know just how far Lore-man will go. He won't catch us off guard again.'
'I don't understand,' Riverwind said. 'After he tried to get Hollow-sky to kill you, won't your father just banish his family?'
'We have no proof — just Hollow-sky's words — and he is dead. Loreman is very powerful; there are too many people who will take his side. Since Hollow-sky failed, Loreman will probably denounce him as a traitor himself.'
'And what do we say about us?' Riverwind asked.
'Father won't be pleased,' she said. 'But I will tell him that I will wed none but you.'
'If I ask him for a courting quest, can he deny me?' Riverwind asked tensely.
'No. He'll be forced to follow tradition. But he may send you to find or do something impossible.'
'If it will earn me you, the gods will aid me.' Riverwind smiled gently and slid his fingers through her wet hair.
Goldmoon shifted her position and sat up on her knees, facing him. 'Tearsong told me that one day you would bring great power to my hands. So I know you will return triumphant.'
'And quickly,' Riverwind added hopefully.
'Do you know what happens at the questing ritual?' Goldmoon asked.
Riverwind shook his head no.
'Well, after you've spoken privately with Father, you'll stand before the whole tribe. Arrowthorn will proclaim that you will go on a quest to prove your worthiness to be my husband. Then, he'll ask me if that is what I want — »
'And you'll say yes,' Riverwind added with a smile of certainty.
'Well, yes.' She smiled back. 'Then he'll announce us betrothed, until such a time as the quest is fulfilled or forsaken.'
'It will be fulfilled,' he said solemnly, capturing one of her hands in his own.
'And then,' she said, 'we'll kiss before the whole tribe.
..' She placed her free hand on his shoulder and leaned
toward him. She heard his swift intake of breath before she kissed him lingeringly. 'Well, perhaps not quite like that,' she whispered sweetly.
