Situational Leadership® Guide Definition, Qualities, Pros Cons, Examples

Situational Leadership ® Guide Definition, Qualities, Pros Cons, Examples UNDERSTANDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP ®Situational leadership ® is a leadership model, which has been largely influenced and molded by its early developers Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey. In this section we’ll examine the early development of the theory in late-60s to 70s, before looking at how the leadership model has evolved from the early inception.The history of the theoryThe human history has seen leaders who have had the ability to adjust to different situations, changing their management style along the way. Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II is often used as an example, together with General George Patton, whose leadership style we’ll discuss in detail in the final section.In 1969, Blanchard and Hersey published a book Management of Organizational Behaviour, which developed the theory of situational leadership ®. When the theory was first introduced, it was actually called the Life Cycle Theory of Leadership. Around mid-1970s, the theory began to be known as situational leadership ®. The strength of the theory is evident in the fact that the book is already on its ninth edition.In the book, Blanchard and Hersey’s central argument regarding leadership was that there isn’t a single factor indicating how you should decide what the correct style of leadership is in any given situation. Instead, leadership is determined by the leader’s personal characteristics, the characteristics of his or her subordinates and the situation where leadership is taking place. This means there essentially isn’t a ‘best’ style to lead independent of the situation at hand.Both men continued developing the theory further, until late-1970s and early 1980s when they decided to branch out and publish their own take on the developed idea.Blanchard published One-Minute Manager in 1982, with the book becoming an international bestseller. The book has been translated into 37 languages and Blanchard published an updated version of the book in 2015. In the original book, Blanchard tells a story of a young manager who faces multiple different decisions and meets with a number of different management styles. The book continues with the idea that management must adapt to the situation at hand without overlooking the wellbeing of the people the leader is managing. In essence, the book tells leaders to find a balance between operational goals and personal wellbeing.Watch the below video of Ken Blanchard explaining his idea of a One-Minute Manager and the requirements of a good manager: Paul Hersey also developed his thoughts around situational leadership ® further and published a book The Situational Leader (Hersey, P. (1985): The Situational Leader, New York, NY: Warner Books). Prior to developing situational leadership ® with Blanchard, Hersey had also set up The Center for Leadership Studies, which afterwards began providing training in situational leadership ® to individuals and companies.The modern developmentAs well as Blancha rd and Hersey adding to the theory with their respective books and essays on leadership and management, other theorists and thinkers have been adding their own thoughts to the situational leadership ® model. Blanchard has collaborated with writers such as Patricia and Drea Zigarmi, Spencer Johnson and Mark Miller, for example.Perhaps among the most vocal situational leadership ® theorists has been Daniel Goleman. In his article Leadership That Gets Results, he points out that leadership isn’t often effective if the same approach is applied in all situations. As we’ll see below, Hersey and Blanchard’s approach identifies four core leadership styles, but Goleman expands these styles further and lists six leadership styles.According to Goleman, situational leadership ® and situational leaders should implement these six specific leadership styles:Coaching leadership â€" where the focus is on individual’s personal development and job-specific skills.Pacesetting leadership â€" whe re leaders need to present high expectations to their subordinates.Democratic leadership â€" where subordinates are nearly equal to the leader in terms of decision-making.Affiliate leadership â€" where the subordinate comes first in all situations.Authoritative leadership â€" where leaders take charge in identification and analysis of problems, but also allow subordinates to participate.Coercive leadership â€" where leaders simply tell subordinates what to do and how to do it.One his website’s FAQ section, Goleman states, “Leadership is influencing people to take action” and that “it’s highly situational: anyone might step forward to lead, given the right circumstances”.Goleman’s theory about situational leadership ® is at the core of its rather similar to the original theory developed by Hersey and Blanchard. Where the two situational models start differing is in Goleman’s model emphasizing the underlying importance of emotional intelligence. Goleman believes a good situational leader must have the emotional intelligence to understand what approach fits the situation, instead of just analyzing the readiness level of the subordinate and the task at hand. THE CORE ELEMENTS OF SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP ® “Effective leaders need to be flexible, and must adapt themselves according to the situation.” Paul Hersey and Kenneth BlanchardThe above quote defines the core idea behind one of today’s most talked about leadership theories: Situational Leadership ®. The model, which celebrates a multitude of leadership styles instead of a single solution, has been considered a transformative and essential new way to manage and to lead. But what does it mean to be a situational leader? Is it always beneficial to change your approach to leading the troops? In this guide, we’ll examine the development of situational leadership ® theory, study its core elements and discover the qualities a situational leader must showcase. Finally, we’ll outline the pros and cons of the leadership theory and examine its power through four examples.UNDERSTANDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP ®Situational leadership ® is a leadership model, which has been largely influenced and molded by its early developers Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey. In this section we’ll examine the early development of the theory in late-60s to 70s, before looking at how the leadership model has evolved from the early inception.The history of the theoryThe human history has seen leaders who have had the ability to adjust to different situations, changing their management style along the way. Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II is often used as an example, together with General George Patton, whose leadership style we’ll discuss in detail in the final section.In 1969, Blanchard and Hersey published a book Management of Organizational Behaviour, which developed the theory of situational leadership ®. When the theory was first introduced, it was actually called the Life Cycle Theory of Leadership. Around mid-1970s, the theory began to be known as situational leadership ®. The strength of the theory is evident in the fact that the book is already on its ninth edition.In the book, Blanchard and Hersey’s central argument regarding leadership was that there isn’t a single factor indicating how you should decide what the correct style of leadership is in any given situation. Instead, leadership is determined by the leader’s personal characteristics, the characteristics of his or her subordinates and the situation where leadership is taking place. This means there essentially isn’t a ‘best’ style to lead independe nt of the situation at hand.Both men continued developing the theory further, until late-1970s and early 1980s when they decided to branch out and publish their own take on the developed idea.Blanchard published One-Minute Manager in 1982, with the book becoming an international bestseller. The book has been translated into 37 languages and Blanchard published an updated version of the book in 2015. In the original book, Blanchard tells a story of a young manager who faces multiple different decisions and meets with a number of different management styles. The book continues with the idea that management must adapt to the situation at hand without overlooking the wellbeing of the people the leader is managing. In essence, the book tells leaders to find a balance between operational goals and personal wellbeing.Watch the below video of Ken Blanchard explaining his idea of a One-Minute Manager and the requirements of a good manager: Paul Hersey also developed his thoughts around situa tional leadership ® further and published a book The Situational Leader (Hersey, P. (1985): The Situational Leader, New York, NY: Warner Books). Prior to developing situational leadership ® with Blanchard, Hersey had also set up The Center for Leadership Studies, which afterwards began providing training in situational leadership ® to individuals and companies.The modern developmentAs well as Blanchard and Hersey adding to the theory with their respective books and essays on leadership and management, other theorists and thinkers have been adding their own thoughts to the situational leadership ® model. Blanchard has collaborated with writers such as Patricia and Drea Zigarmi, Spencer Johnson and Mark Miller, for example.Perhaps among the most vocal situational leadership ® theorists has been Daniel Goleman. In his article Leadership That Gets Results, he points out that leadership isn’t often effective if the same approach is applied in all situations. As we’ll see below, Herse y and Blanchard’s approach identifies four core leadership styles, but Goleman expands these styles further and lists six leadership styles.According to Goleman, situational leadership ® and situational leaders should implement these six specific leadership styles:Coaching leadership â€" where the focus is on individual’s personal development and job-specific skills.Pacesetting leadership â€" where leaders need to present high expectations to their subordinates.Democratic leadership â€" where subordinates are nearly equal to the leader in terms of decision-making.Affiliate leadership â€" where the subordinate comes first in all situations.Authoritative leadership â€" where leaders take charge in identification and analysis of problems, but also allow subordinates to participate.Coercive leadership â€" where leaders simply tell subordinates what to do and how to do it.One his website’s FAQ section, Goleman states, “Leadership is influencing people to take action” and that â €œit’s highly situational: anyone might step forward to lead, given the right circumstances”.Goleman’s theory about situational leadership ® is at the core of its rather similar to the original theory developed by Hersey and Blanchard. Where the two situational models start differing is in Goleman’s model emphasizing the underlying importance of emotional intelligence. Goleman believes a good situational leader must have the emotional intelligence to understand what approach fits the situation, instead of just analyzing the readiness level of the subordinate and the task at hand. THE CORE ELEMENTS OF SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP ®Situational leadership ® theory or model comprises a few key elements. These include four styles of leadership, the readiness level of the subordinates and the developmental models.The four leadership stylesAccording to Hersey and Blanchard, there are four basic leadership styles associated with the situational leadership ® model. The four are: telling, s elling, participating and delegating.Style 1: TellingAs the name suggests, this leadership styles refers to an almost autocratic leadership role in which the leader tells the subordinates what to do. Furthermore, the leader also explains how to do the tasks.Style 2: SellingThe second style refers to a slightly more democratic model in which there is some discussion between the leader and the subordinates. The leader is aiming to ‘sell’ the idea and message to subordinates and to get them to buy into the process and the tasks.Style 3: ParticipatingThe third model is largely a democratic leadership approach, as the leader allows more leeway to the subordinates. The amount of direction from the leader remains limited and the subordinates have an active role in making decisions and directing the way the tasks get finished.Style 4: DelegatingFinally, Hersey and Blanchard identified the final leadership style, which is characteristically a hands-off approach to leadership. The style m eans the leader is less involved in how decisions are made, allowing subordinates to make them and to take most of the responsibility in getting the job done.Readiness levels of the subordinatesIn addition to the leadership styles, the situational leadership ® model also recognizes four different readiness levels of direct reports. These are used for understanding the maturity of the people the leader has to manage.You can see the four maturity levels displayed in the chart below:Readiness 1, also known as R1People who don’t have the right knowledge or skills for the role/job, and often lack willingness to finish the tasks.Readiness 2, also known as R2People who are willing to finish the tasks, but who don’t have the knowledge or skills required to do so.Readiness 3, also known as R3People who have the right knowledge or skills for the role/job, but who lack the willingness to take responsibility and/or finish the tasks.Readiness 4, also known as R4People who are willing to fini sh the tasks and take responsibility, and who are extremely skilled and knowledgeable.For a leader to be effective, Blanchard and Hersey suggest identifying the readiness level and then applying the leadership style, which helps in achieving the objectives. As mentioned above, a situational leader must be able to consider both the organizational task at hand, but also the readiness and wellbeing of the subordinates.In the below model, you can see how the different leadership styles match with the readiness level of the subordinates:Readiness 1TellingReadiness 2SellingReadiness 3ParticipatingReadiness 4DelegatingAccording to the theory, a leader must always base their relationships with the subordinates on three essential points:How much the leader gives guidance and direction.How much socio-emotional support the leader provides.What is the readiness of the subordinates in performing the tasks.By matching the readiness level with the right style, the relationship can be based on the right approach and yield better results.Let’s examine each leadership style with the readiness level a bit further. First, the telling/directing approach is a top-down approach. By telling subordinates clearly what to do, the leader can take control of the outcome. Since R1 is linked with low skills and low commitment, the directing approach makes it easier to accomplish tasks and ensure the team knows what to do. This type of leadership, companied with the R1 maturity level, is linked with industries such as military. In the military, a top-down approach is needed often because the lower ranked soldiers won’t have the same experience, skills and knowledge than leaders in the higher ranks.Second, the selling/coaching approach provides supervision, yet it’s done more as a coaching style rather than a management style. Since the subordinate’s maturity is still lower, but the willingness is there, the leader should help the subordinates to gain experience and confidence. The le adership style is naturally good fit with the education sector and could often work well in internship situations in a variety of industries.R3 matches with the participating/supporting leadership, as the subordinates have high skill sets, but relatively low commitment and therefore, a boost in confidence and motivation can efficiently get the tasks finished. The leader’s role is not to tell what to do, but to provide feedback on how the subordinate is performing and help only when it’s actually needed. The leadership style is often good for environments where the subordinates have experience, but might lack the confidence to perform tasks, such as junior management positions.Finally, the delegating leadership style is aimed at subordinates with R4 readiness level. This is because the subordinate has high skills to perform tasks and has high motivation and commitment to support the skills. Therefore, the leader’s role is to oversee things go according to plan and simply ensure the best person is doing the specific roles. The leadership requires plenty of experience from the subordinates and therefore, often fits senior roles.Here’s a handy diagram to explain the above: Situational Leadership ® CurveBlanchard’s developmental modelsBlanchard developed the above original model further with his Situational Leadership ® II, or SLII model. In the revised look of the theory, he suggests there are four developmental models within the situational leadership ® model. According to him, employees in organizations pass through a development cycle, as experience or changes in roles increase maturity and skillset of the employee.As employee’s developmental levels vary, the leader must be able to understand these subtle differences and apply the right kind of management to ensure the employee can perform the tasks to the best of his or her ability and develop further.The developmental model is similar to the readiness level of the employee, as they both deal with competence and commitment of the employee. The four development levels are:Enthusiastic BeginnerHigh commitment, low competenceDisillusioned LearnerSome competence, but problems cause lower commitment Capable but Cautious PerformerGrowing competence, but commitment can varySelf-Reliant AchieverHigh competence, high commitmentIn addition, Blanchard’s SLII model also recognises the four leadership styles, although they are given slightly different names. His four leadership styles are called: Directing, Coaching, Supporting and Delegating.In Blanchard’s opinion leadership relies on two key behaviours: supporting and directing. The styles have the following characteristics:Directing behaviorsProviding specific instructions,  Controlling the behavior of subordinatesSupporting behaviorsEncouraging subordinates,  Listening subordinates,  Offering recognition and providing feedbackIn terms of the four leadership styles:Directing is high on directing behavior, but low on supporting behaviorCoaching is high on both directing and supporting behaviorSupporting is low on directing behavior, but high on supporting behaviorDelegating is low on both directing and supporting behaviorAgain, t he revised look at these different styles acknowledges there’s no superior style. Instead, the leader must match his or her leadership style to the developmental skill of the subordinate and the task being accomplished.Learn from Ken Blanchard himself on how to lead like Jesus. THE QUALITIES OF A SITUATIONAL LEADERKeeping in mind the above, what makes a good situational leader? Situational leadership ® requires the leader to possess a variety of traits and skills, as the leader has to be able to adapt to different situations and to respond to the subordinate’s needs.Hersey’s four common leadership qualitiesHersey’s situational leadership ® model identifies four common leadership qualities a leader needs to succeed. These are the ability to diagnose, adaptation, communication and the ability to advance.Ability to diagnoseA situational leader must possess the skills to diagnose and analyze situations. You need to be able to understand the situation you are trying to influence in order to pick out the best leadership style for the specific situation. In essence, you need the skills for identifying two core aspects:The task at hand and the requirements for completing itThe readiness and development level of the subordinates responsible for the completion of the taskIn order to improve your ability to diagnose and analyze the situation, you need to continue learning. Self-improvement is the key to situational leadership ® success and it involves anything from gaining more understanding of the industry, the organization and of leadership theories and styles in general. If you continue to improve and enhance your own understanding of things, the better you’ll become in diagnosis and analysis.AdaptationYou also need to showcase adaptability as a situational leader. An effective leader must adjust their behavior depending on the requirements of the situation.Adaptation can be improved by enhanced knowledge, but you should also focus your energy on broadening your horizon. Instead of directing all the time, ask more questions and listening to your subordinate’s opinions. Asking and listening doesn’t mean you must do as you are told, but accepting different perspectives can improve your ability to adapt to change.CommunicationSince situational leadership ® requires leaders to modify their approach, according to the situation and the behavior of the subordinate, the ability to communicate effectively becomes key to success. Communication looks different in the telling and the delegating style and therefore, you need to be able to master both styles.Improving your communication skills is an important aspect of becoming a better leader. You need to master the basics of maintaining eye contact, listening actively and responding appropriately. But in addition, you need to be able to include empathy, authority and clarity to your communication.Learn how to become a good communicator. Ability to advanceFinally, a situational leader needs to be able to advance, i.e. manage the movement. Leaders are naturally always in charge of things and the better able they are at holding the different strings together, the better they are at leading. But this ability to manage and advance is especially important in situational leadership ®, as you constantly have to readjust your approach and management style according to the task and the readiness of the subordinates.Picking the right approachSince there is no single correct approach to leadership, a situational leader must be able to pick out the right style for each occasion. When deciding on the correct approach, the leader must focus on four contextual factors: the relationship between the leader and the subordinates, the task at hand, the leader’s authority, and the readiness level of subordinates.The relationship between the leader and the subordinatesFirst, it’s important for the leader to identify the relationship he or she has with the group, i.e. to use the diagnostic skills. The aim is to focus on understanding the group’s skills and commitment.In essence, the more inefficient the group, the more it would benefit from a relationship that is based on directing. The leader should focus on creating order and to implement clear rules to improve efficiency.On the other hand, an organized and skilled group could benefit from a supportive relationship. In these situations, the leader should focus on instilling a more democratic approach.Considering the task at handNext, the leader must implement adaptation, as well as diagnosis, to better understand the task at hand. Are you facing a complex or a simple task? You need to be able to identify the elements of the task and their difficulty level in order to understand how well the group is able to achieve the tasks. Knowing the tasks elements also help in determining whether you should implement a more directive or supportive approach to guiding the subordinates.Identify the authority levelThe ability to communicate will help identify the authority level required for guiding the subordinates. As a leader, you must be able to understand your power over the subordinates and more specifically, whether it comes from your position or your relationship within the group.According to situational leadership ®, a leader’s power might be related directly to the position and the power it brings about. For example, the authority might come from the leader’s ability to reward or punish the subordinates.On the other hand, you might also enjoy a high level of authority because you have a strong personal relationship with the subordinates. For example, your supportive behavior might have led to increased trust and respect among the group.The readiness level of subordinatesFinally, a good leader must be able to manage and pick out the different readiness levels of the subordinates. This tells you each individual’s ability to achieve the tasks and the commitment they show towards completing the se tasks.With the above in mind, watch the below YouTube video of movie examples of leadership styles and try to piece together which clip features which of the four leadership styles: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP ®Situational leadership ® comes with its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages.Advantages of situational leadership ®One of the major benefits of the situational leadership ® approach is the core message of the theory: there is no single leadership style, but rather a leader must find the right fit for the given situation. This removes the need to follow a rigid strategy at all times and instead, a leader is more able to make sense of the situation around him or her. The model understands that industries and organizations are different and that even within a team, different people can react differently to tasks. In essence, situational leadership’s strength is how it understands the unique nature of the world.Since the leader is trying to mould the leadership style around the team’s readiness level and needs, the group environment can be comfortable and effective. It can affect the group’s performance, because the leader is using a style that motivates the employee and improves their performance. For example, a low competence-low readiness employee wouldn’t feel comfortable with a delegating style, as they are looking for more advice and encouragement from the leader.The leader understands the different development phases of the group and can, therefore, pick the styles that boost motivation and improve team’s effectiveness. Since the approach allows changes, the leader is able to switch the approach to something different if, and when, the team develops its readiness level.Overall, the leadership style is effective in increasing awareness. As mentioned in the previous section, situational leaders must be aware of what is happening around them. By increasing their awareness, they can also develop empathy t owards the subordinates, which will help them approach employees in the right manner. Since you need to know what type of readiness and competency the employee has, you need to learn about them and understand where they are coming from. This can make the situational leader better at identifying problems and attuning themselves to the passion and motivation of the employee.The enhanced awareness is not just beneficial in dealing with the subordinates, but it also improves the leader’s ability to reach organizational goals. Since the leader must be aware of the task in order to pick the right leadership approach, the leader must have an acute awareness of the requirements of reaching desired objectives. The leader must be attuned to the organizations goals and acutely aware of the steps that must be taken to reach the goals. Matching the right readiness level employee with the specific tasks is an important part of situational leadership ® and something that can boost operational ef ficiency.Furthermore, the flexible and intuitive approach to leadership can help the team work better together. Since leadership always reflects the team’s maturity, there’s no fear the motivation and encouragement will be ill fitted to maturing subordinates.Disadvantages of situational leadership ®But situational leadership ® has been criticized for some of its failings. The style is critiqued for its lack of understanding of the demographic differences in leadership style preferences. P. Northouse in his 2007 book Leadership, Theory and Practice claims situational leadership ® doesn’t identify appropriately how the styles can be used in group settings, when different demographics are present. Men and women have been found in studies to respond to differently to leadership styles and the personal leadership traits within different demographics can drastically change. While the theory understands uniqueness and allows the identification of specific circumstances, it also has a tendency to assume each leader, task or subordinate follow a similar pattern.But the critique and disadvantages of the theory don’t only relate to the theory side of the approach. Situational leadership ® has also been critiqued for the possibility of it creating confusion within the group. If the leader has to change his or her approach within team members or as the team develops, the subordinates can be left questioning the approach. For example, changing from a telling style to a delegating style can make it harder for the employees to know what to do even if their readiness level has increased. Once you get used to a certain style, a sudden change to something different can take some time to adjust. This could cause problems in team morale or the relationship with the leader. The changes in leadership style can be perceived as manipulative and coercive. Therefore, it requires a careful approach from the leader.Finally, the attention of a situational leader tends to emphasize the short-term strategy, as the focus is always on analyzing the current objectives and readiness levels of the subordinates. Therefore, the leadership style could benefit from overlooking important long-term objectives of the organization and instead rely too much on short-term strategy and politics of the organization.EXAMPLES OF FAMOUS SITUATIONAL LEADERSFinally, it’s a good idea to examine situational leadership ® through concrete examples. There have been plenty of examples in the past of leaders who have been able to adjust their leadership style according to the situation and the development level of their employees.Below are four such examples of both leaders and companies.General George PattonGeneral George Patton is one of American military’s most revered leaders and a perfect example of a situational leader. General Patton didn’t just lead in the battlefield, but during his time with the military, he also produced several papers on military and war strategy. His cor e message was that in order to win a war, one must be focused on analyzing the situation. General Patton’s situational analysis became one of the foundations of the US Military’s preparations for action.General Patton outlined one of the core messages of situational leadership ®, which states that leadership and strategy must be flexible. If it’s necessary to change action and leadership style because the situation calls for it, then a good leader will be able to do so.Some of General Patton’s core principles of leadership included the following:Be flexible with your approach to different situations.Use co-operation and collaboration as tools for leadership.Earn the trust of your team by motivating them with positivity.Set an example with your own actions.As you can see, the above principles are closely associated with the qualities a situational leader needs to posses in order to succeed.John WoodenJohn Wooden is another example of a great situational leader. Wooden is cons idered to be one of the best basketball coaches in the history of American college basketball. During his time as the head coach of UCLA’s men’s basketball team, Wooden won ten championships, with seven of them following each other.Furthermore, the team went on to create a record-breaking 88-game win streak and Wooden managed all of this with a team that was constantly changing. Team members graduated and moved on, with new players coming through the ranks almost every year. This meant the team dynamics were constantly changing and even team member’s readiness level could vary from the more mature and experienced players to the rookies. This required Wooden to adjust and tweak his leadership style accordingly.One of the most telling quotes about Wooden’s situational approach is his saying, “When you’re through learning, you’re through”. Wooden understood that change is inevitable and constant analysis and development is required for success. Royal New Zealand NavySit uational leadership ® isn’t just suitable for individual leaders, but the model can be applied throughout an organization. Blanchard has worked with organizations, such as the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) in order to improve operational and organizational success.RNZN suffered from low morale, with new reforms causing issues within the organization. Blanchard’s situational leadership ® model was used to analyze the situation and to clarify policies that “would consolidate, clarify, and specify training that, when directed appropriately, would remove conflict and lead to higher productivity and morale.”Personal responsibility was improved and the focus shifted away from simple command structure to leadership. The Navy identified readiness levels and applied more delegation to high competency subordinates to help boost morale. The navy even began training new recruits and officer cadets in the principles of Situational Leadership ®. According to Blanchard’s data, RNZN has i ncreased its morale and productivity since the application of situational leadership ® approach.Coca-Cola and Jack StahlFinally, Jack Stahl’s approach to leadership, especially as the President of Coca-Cola from 1978 to 2000, can be considered as an example of situational leader. Stahl believes good leaders are “situational”, as they “are able to step into any circumstance and recognize whether they need to engage at the strategy level or dive into the nitty-gritty”.Stahl learned this situational approach from an early on and through a mistake he made when applying leadership. He was asked by his then CEO Doug Ivester to prepare a report with his team on a tight schedule. Instead of analyzing the team’s readiness levels and competence, he simply delegated large parts of the task only to find out the project was largely undone by the time the deadline knocked on the door. Stahl learned then that effective leaders must know what kind of oversight to apply and when in order to get the tasks done.In this  interview, Stahl makes an important point stating, “management is not a popularity contest”. “As a leader, once you see that people are doing that (focusing on details) successfully, then you pull back and worry about things from a more strategic perspective,” Stahl went on to say.FINAL THOUGHTSSituational leadership ® has quickly become one of the most revered leadership theories and much of the success relies on the flexibility of the approach. Situational leadership ® model understands that organizational needs are different and that people are not homogenous when it comes to competency and commitment. In order to lead, you must understand the correct way to guide and motivate your subordinates.But the flexible and situation-specific approach has also provided a lot of ambiguity around the theory and model. Since the theory borrows from other leadership approaches, it is hard to analyze its effectiveness and to even understand when a leader is being situational and when they are simple using a specific leadership model, such as autocratic leadership or democratic leadership.Nonetheless, understanding the model can help a leader improve his or her diagnosis and awareness. By understanding the needs of his or her subordinates, as well as the demands of the task, the leader can show more empathy, efficiency and flexibility, which can help boost team morale and even enhance productivity. The ability to fit one’s approach to a specific situation can be strength in today’s increasingly changing business environment.

I or Me

Mar 18 2019    In our quest to use proper, formal grammar, we may sometimes actually create a grammar faux pas. Such may happen when using the pronouns I and me. For example, take a look at the snippet of a business communication below: Dear Mr. Jeffers: We have received your job application, and our human resources department is reviewing it presently. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Ronald Davidson or I at the toll free number listed on our website. It sounds correct, but is it? Not quite. Rather than use the word I, which sounds more formal than me, the correct word choice in this example is actually me. It comes down to pronoun case. I is a subjective (a.k.a. nominative) pronoun. In other words, I must function as the subject of the sentence. I like to eat fresh-baked bread. (I is the subject.) When I eat fresh-baked bread, I slather butter all over my slice. (I appears as the subject of both the dependent clause and independent clause.) By contrast, the word me only appears in the objective (a.k.a. accusative) case. That means it can be found in the position of direct object, indirect object, or object of the preposition. Just as in the first example, where I was used instead of me in the direct object position, we can accidentally make the same mistake when we try to insert the correct pronoun into a prepositional phrase. Sometimes we err on the side of trying to sound more formal, which is actually incorrect. Incorrect Usage: She brought along a lovely loaf of hot-baked bread, which she shared with Emma and I.             Correct Usage: She brought along a lovely loaf of hot-baked bread, which she shared with Emma and me. (Me is the object of the preposition that begins with the word â€Å"with.†) One of the easiest ways to check whether you’ve got the correct pronoun is to simply remove the first party mentioned in the prepositional phrase. Doing this makes the sentence read as follows: She brought along a lovely loaf of hot-baked bread, which she shared with me. It’s much easier to recognize that the correct pronoun is me when we remove Emma and, isn’t it? So, what does this tell you? Relax! Oftentimes our ears naturally select the correct word without us consciously noticing it. If you are in the position of writing a formal letter or email, go ahead and write it out, but before you send it off into the mailbox or through the ether of the Internet as the case may be, give it a quick proofread and verify you have your I’s and me’s straight, double checking for any â€Å"stuffy† I’s in the objective position. It’s a quick and easy fix that will lend credence to your communication. To learn even more about correct usage, pronouns, and all sorts of other fun grammar constructions, check out Fix It! Grammar. In each level there is a comprehensive Grammar Glossary that will help you shore up your grammar and usage in no time! Between you and me, I think we’ve got this grammar faux pas fixed for good!    Jennifer Mauser  has always loved reading and writing and received a B.A. in English from the University of Kansas in 1991. Once she and her husband had children, they decided to homeschool, and she put all her training to use in the home. In addition to homeschooling her children, Jennifer teaches IEW classes out of her home, coaches budding writers via  email,  and tutors students who struggle with dyslexia.

Club Drugs Essay - 1018 Words

Its 6 oclock on a Saturday morning and while some teenagers are enjoying the extra hours of sleep, many are still bouncing around to the sounds of techno music. Thousands of teenagers and even some adults gather into clubs decorated with black lights, disco balls, and tons of smoke machines. Their hearts are pounding and their pulse is racing at the speed of light, all compliments of designer drugs known as club drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse). Changing the molecular structure of an existing drug or drugs to create a new substance creates designer drugs (Kusinitz 151). The all night dance parties, known as raves, are about the wildest thing going from midnight till dawn, and often beyond. Just because these drugs may portray†¦show more content†¦Ecstasy is a combination of other illicit drugs. Because many different recipes are used to make Ecstasy, the risk of death and permanent brain damage are heightened when some substances are combined (NIDA). The bottom line with this drug is you never know what is in the $5-$20 pill you just bought, so the safest bet would be to do without it. The use of Ecstasy has led to more powerful drugs such as Ketamine, known on the streets as Special K, or K. Special K emerged as a recreational drug in the 1970s and was known as Vitamin K in the underground club scene in the 1980s (Kusinitz 44). It resurfaced in the 1990s as Special K in the rave scene (45). Normally found in an injectable form, it is converted to powder and re-packaged into small ziplock bags or capsules (46). This powerful hallucinogen is generally snorted, and is occasionally sprinkled on tobacco or marijuana and smoked (NIDA). Special K is usually combined with other drugs, such as Ecstasy or cocaine, to enhance the high. The high, called the K-Hole, can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours and can produce hallucinations that include visual distortions and a lost sense of time and identity(NIDA). Sold by the vials, K runs around $10-$30 and is available widely throughout raves (Mass 16). The most common form of hallucinogen and the easiest to get at raves, is LSD. Commonly known as acid, it is sold for $3-$5 a hit and can last up to 12Show MoreRelated Club Drugs Essay986 Words   |  4 Pagessounds of techno music. Thousands of teenagers and even some adults gather into clubs decorated with black lights, disco balls, and tons of smoke machines. Their hearts are pounding and their pulse is racing at the speed of light, all compliments of designer drugs known as club drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse). Changing the molecular structure of an existing drug or drugs to create a new substance creates designer drugs (Kusinitz 151). The all night dance parties, known as raves, are about theRead More Club Drugs and Teens Essay2233 Words   |  9 Pagesa common target of anti-drug campaigns and government advertisements. The goal of these campaigns is to make teens and young adults aware of the dangers associated wi th drug use. While these campaigns are generally effective, teens are still greatly tempted by the dangerous, exciting, and fast-paced world of club drugs. Despite the information they are constantly receiving from their teachers, parents, and government media, some teenagers will still adamantly pursue drugs in hopes of finding â€Å"a goodRead MoreCase Study : Club Drugs Addiction1474 Words   |  6 PagesAfterPartyChat: Club Drugs Addiction Beginning with discothà ¨que scene of the 1970s, the recreational and often psychedelic substances commonly known as â€Å"club drugs† maintained their prominence in later decades at nightclubs, concerts, and raves all across the United States. These substances gained their moniker because their use became commonplace in settings where users wanted to enhance their experiences, most frequently used at clubs with loud music, dramatic lights, and countless people dancingRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of The Case Of Banned Performance -enhancing Drug At The Club2014 Words   |  9 Pagesperformance -enhancing drug at the club, where he works. The two healthcare professionals involved in this case will be the physiotherapist and sports scientist. The essay will also discuss the rights and dignity of the players, principles of health care ethics and will propose a legal and defensible resolution for this situation, with the help of relevant code of ethics and professional conduct. †¢ Stakeholders and Healthcare Professionals Kamil as an employer of AFL club is a sports physiotherapistRead MoreOn Raves and Club Drugs1058 Words   |  4 Pagesthat we don’t have to worry about anything in our life, that we part of a family where everyone respects each other. That’s what made us feel different and being part of something that not many people could tell back in the days. Can’t deny that club drugs helped to achieve this feeling and it was a massive part of it as well. We were confused teenagers who desperately tried to find the way to make sense of this whole world. We wanted to choose our way of life against from a prescribed life whatRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Club Drugs1252 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Drug Free World, an estimated 208 million people use illicit drugs internationally. Some people take them at home or out with friends, but one of the main places drugs are common is on the dance floor. Club drugs have become increasingly prevalent in our culture and there seems to be no signs of stopping. With how easily these drugs seem to get into clubs the problem is becoming larger and larger. These substances, whether its smoked, swallowed, inhaled, or injected, are extremely dangerousRead MoreFight Club Analysis1678 Words   |  7 PagesDo you find yourself lost, searching for self-worth in modern Society? The Narrator in Chuck Palahniuk’s novel Fight Club struggles with insomnia due to his repetitive nine to five office -job. He longs to feel alive, thinking that purchasing materialistic objects and conforming to what modern society considers the norm will fill his void. Tyler Durden, The Narrators alter ego states, â€Å"the first step to eternal life is you have to die† (Palahniuk 11). His extreme statement represents that one mustRead MoreThe Issue Of Insider Outsider972 Words   |  4 Pagesexperiences and processes (e.g. White customers refer Black dancers as a gold digger if they asked for money directly; Black dancers always non-scheduled to perform in a more lucrative booth) that Black exotic dancers gone through within the exotic dance club environments, and is also a member of her researched group since she was a Black exotic dancer and familiarised with the sex worker movement prior to her research (Siobhan, 2010). For McClelland and Newell, their research on the influence on motheringRead MoreThe Fight Club By Chuck Palahniuk1309 Words   |  6 PagesSenior English: Fight Club Essay 8 September 2014 Violence as a Coping Method In the novel Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, what it means to be alive is examined through violent underground boxing rings, featured in cities around the world. The story follows an unnamed narrator, who lives a monotonous yet well off life, and his alter ego, Tyler Durden, a more freethinking and violent character, as he explores himself and the essence of living through participating in a fight club. Growing from the narrator’sRead MoreInterpersonal1363 Words   |  6 PagesHunter Davis-Interpersonal Communication Fight Club Fight Club, a 1999 American film, is a brilliantly constructed film of escaping reality and dealing with pain in the famous art form of fighting. Director David Flincher adapted the film from the 1996 novel. Main actors, Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden and Edward Norton as the narrator, act excellently as they deal with their reality by celebrating violence in underground fight clubs. The narrator becomes involved in a relationship triangle between

Documenting The Depression Essay - 1041 Words

Documenting the Depression: The FSA photographers and Rural Poverty nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; The Great Depression fell hard in the year of 1935 bringing what seemed to some people the end of the world. But in truth, the Great Depression was nothing near the end of the world, in fact the year of 1935 was not the first year nor was it the last year that many families had suffered and went hungry due to lack of work. Families forced to leave their home. Children going in hunger while their bellies pierced with pain. Mothers trying desperately to keep the family together while holding the brunt of the problems due to the depression. The husbands feeling the guilt for not having a job and thinking that it is his fault. Children scream†¦show more content†¦Because of that exhibit, people discovered that some things had not changed at all since than: rural poverty, racial discrimination, and social injustice. The exhibit helped shed new light to what really happened during those times. For the people that went through the depression, it may have brought back memories †Å"Don’t forget were you steamed from† someone once said and for the people who may never know what it is like to be taken away from all you know and forced to live in poverty, it helped shed new light to the meaning, â€Å"There is no place like home.† nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The pictures show the evidence. The faces of the people, worn out and etched with worry. The children full of dirt and grit. The families gathered around but with no smiles. I will never know exactly how hard those times were for those people, nor will anyone else who did not live in those times. But the pictures, well they speak for themselves. I was asked to answer the question, â€Å"What messages did these photographs send to middle-class Americans who saw them† but my only conclusion is fear. I do not think that they felt guilty during that time period because it wasn’t them. I actually think that they considered themselves lucky and considered the poverty stricken to have gotten what they deserve. The once-fertile farmlandsShow MoreRelatedSocial And Social Support And Spirituality1590 Words   |  7 Pagesand assess her risk for dementia (Appendix I) (Borson, Scanlan, Brush, Vitallano, Dokmak, 2000). She scored a 5, indicating a negative screen for dementia. The client scored a 3 on the Geriatric Depression Scale (Appendix J) (Kurlowicz, 1982), indicating that she is not likely suffering from depression, but she may be at risk for it. The concerns for M.L. are that she often feels very bored, lonely, and unmotivated. M.L. stated that she slips into moods were she cries a lot and feels so hopelessRead MoreThe And Purpose Of The Self Efficacy Theory1635 Words   |  7 Pagesencouragement. The adult might want to keep documenting it so that they get the messages and see what the program says about their reading. This encouragement, although it is not from their peers, would make the patients more likely to try the program and continue using it. The ease of documenting their blood glucose level in the internet portal and app could have relived some of their stress. These positive feelings could help encourage the patient to continue documenting their glucose level. This deals withRead MoreSymptoms And Diagnosis Of Ant enatal Depression813 Words   |  4 Pagesto 30, with depression indicated at a cut-off score of ≠¥10 in postpartum studies (Cox, Holden, Sagovsky, 1987). It is considered highly reliable for postpartum screening with a sensitivity of over 90% and a specificity between 77% and 88% (Chaudron et al., 2010). The EPDS is considered a more effective tool in antenatal screening compared to other recognized depression screening instruments such as the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) or the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)(FreedRead MoreCognitive Theory1395 Words   |  6 Pagesthoughts, feelings or behavior. Adolescent interventions have centered on behavior modification, this has been used to both change and manage behavior. An example of an exercise used to assist clients is documenting daily events that bring on unwanted actions. Adolescents suffering from depression are often asked to record thoughts on situations happening is day to day life. When a situation happens that furthers or intensifies the clients unwanted behavior, thoughts are recorded, this is to monitorRead MoreThe Gibbs Model Of Reflection1618 Words   |  7 Pagesphysician is thinking Clostridium difficle. In addition, when a patient is moved from a general ward to a single room for isolation , visitation is usually restricted to immediate family and sometimes loneliness during hospitalization can lead to depression and the feeling of being ostracize. Therefore we must be very careful and certain that we have all the relevant information before making a decision that can affect a patient negatively. The situation left me very distressed and only on reflectionRead MoreCase Study Coun 6461643 Words   |  7 Pagesin severity. Documenting the critical issues, diagnostic impressions, and treatment recommendations are imperative to successfully helping the client deal with the issues and possibly minimize the risk of future relapse in recovery. Addressing the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects will help to guide the therapist through developing the most accurate treatment model for the patient. Key Issues Listing the key issues through priority, rationale, and documenting possible treatmentRead MoreCase Study Of Delayed-Onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder917 Words   |  4 Pages Depression is a big business; big pharmaceutical companies are investing millions in finding relief for those that are immune to current selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SRNI) medications. SRNI and SSRI targets the serotonin receptors and neurotransmitter to assist with regulating mood by blocking the reuptake process. This allows serotonin to build up between neurons so messages can be sent correctly. It does a balancing act and regulatesRead MoreA Community Mental Health Team822 Words   |  4 Pagestime in practice with a community mental health team in the Northeast of England I came across a lady in her mid-twenties who had just recently gave birth to a child. My mentor and I had to go and assess her due to her showing symptoms of postnatal depression, it was important to assess the safety of her and her new-born child and to see if she was able to care for the child. NICE guidelines have set out guidelines which he lp us as nurses identify maltreatment, nurses and other healthcare professionalRead MoreRelationship Between Physicians And Patients897 Words   |  4 Pagessuffer from depression live around us and maybe they are so close to us as relatives and friends. People might be aware to recognize and help those people to be as a part of process of their medication. The most important point here is that the relationships between physicians and patients. A good communication between them means physicians can realize their patients, and also they can effectively diagnose their patients. According to National Institute of Mental Health (2016), â€Å"depression is commonRead MoreThe Relationship Between Madness And Creativity, By Katherine M. Thomas And Marshall Duke1209 Words   |  5 Pagessamples from depressed writers versus the writing samples of those who weren’t. Duke and Thomas found that there is a need for analyzing works of writing because it may provide understanding in the relationship, which will lead to an understanding of depression and mental illness. Due to this widely known relationship, some may look at mental illness in a positive light. This relationship may cause people to look at the distortions as simply art; thus, diminishing the severity of mental illness. When looking

Thanksgiving Traditions - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 511 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/03/29 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Thanksgiving Essay Did you like this example? We all, modern day humans, each celebrate Thanksgiving in a different way. We each have our own traditions we do with our family on Thanksgiving, we all have certain activities we do at certain times, like writing down what were thankful for, right before the traditional Thanksgiving feast. Our traditions are significantly different from the first feasts before us, but a couple traditions remain, like the tradition of spending times with family and enjoying wonderful food. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Thanksgiving Traditions" essay for you Create order It was argued about by many historians, but many can identify the first Thanksgiving celebration, as in September 1620, where the Pilgrims shared a meal with the Indians in that area. It was September 1620, when the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 106 passengers, with hopes of prosperity in the New World. Only half of the passengers would make it to their first New England spring, the other died of things like disease. The half-crew was greeted by an English-speaking Abenaki Indian, who later brought an Indian named Squanto, who taught them about the surrounding wilderness around them, and showed them how to raise crops, fish, and avoid the dangerous plants in the area. When the Pilgrims first corn harvest turned out successful, they held a festival which lasted three days, they invited the native Indians in the area, who, with the help of Squanto, they forged an alliance with. This meal would be recorded in history as The First Thanksgiving, although other civilizations much earlier than this one would also have a celebration of thanks. The general Thanksgiving tradition has changed over the years. In the Pilgrim or Ancient times, Thanksgiving, or their giving thanks festivals, had a bit more meaning than it has now. For starters, it had a bit more religious significance, and by a bit I mean that they saw this kind of celebration as a way to celebrate their gods, some fasting up to the event, and eating on it as a way of celebrating the gods. To others, such as the Pilgrims, it was to celebrate their harvest of corn, and maybe, just maybe, surviving to even be there, celebrating the harvest, instead of being on a small, cold, hungry boat. Our Thanksgiving, however, holds less religious significance than it may have back then. For us now, the general Thanksgiving belief is revolved mainly around family and celebrating an elaborate feast. Turkey has become a symbol for Thanksgiving itself and is widely known tradition to eat it on the Thanksgiving day, and 90% of Americans eat it on this day. This turkey usually comes with its gravy, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes. Even though we may not honor the gods on Thanksgiving, or celebrate our corn harvests like our ancestors, Thanksgiving is a time many spend and honor with their families. We especially honor the idea of thankfulness and celebrate it each year. Works Cited: Bold, Cambria. 10 Thanksgiving Traditions Were Stealing from Our Readers. Kitchn, Apartment Therapy, LLC., 16 Nov. 2018, www.thekitchn.com/10-lovely-thanksgiving-traditions-were-stealing-for-ourselves-226051. History.com Editors. Thanksgiving 2018. History.com, AE Television Networks, 27 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving.

Media Exposure And Substance Use - 1951 Words

The amount of studies on the relationships between media use and substance use is miniscule in comparison to the importance of the topic. According to Primack, Kraemer, Fine, and Dalton (2009), on average, adolescents in the United States are exposed to media for over 8.5 hours per day when taking into consideration multitasking. Primack et al. aimed to study which media exposures are most strongly associated with marijuana and alcohol use among adolescents. In order to study this, the team created a survey that assessed media exposure, substance use, and sociodemographic characteristics and distributed it to a large suburban high school outside of Pittsburgh. Although the current study focused on the use of substances among college†¦show more content†¦Alcohol marketers have started to move their advertising efforts into digital and social media venues (Hoffman et al., 2014). Researchers estimate that approximately two-thirds of alcohol marketing is conducted via new media. Famous music, movies, and television shows have noticeable references to alcohol and drugs, these references as well as the move of advertising to digital and social media venues. The research team of Hoffman et al. continued research of the links among social media use and alcohol-related digital marketing. College students completed online surveys to measure their exposure to social and online media in general and their alcohol-related digital media use and alcohol use. Hoffman et al. found that young people with a positive conotation to alcohol advertising hold more favorable expectancies for drinking, approve of drinking at higher levels, believe drinking is common, and have greater intentions to drink than those that have a negative response to alcohol advertising. Overall, the results showed that participants’ use of digital media alcohol-marketing applications predicted their alcohol consumption and problem drinking. Hoffman et al.’s study gave insight on colle ge student’s opinions on marketing and alcohol and drug use instead of just investigating how prevalent it is in media. The current study included student’s views on marketing to fully understand if the marketing truly affects student’s opinions (see

The Crystal Shard 18. Biggrin’s House Free Essays

Drizzt and Wulfgar were pleasantly surprised when they found the back entrance to the verbeeg lair. It sat high up on the steep incline on the western side of the rocky outcropping. Piles of garbage and bones lay strewn about the ground at the bottom of the rocks, and a thin but steady stream of smoke wafted out of the open cave, scented with the flavors of roasting mutton. We will write a custom essay sample on The Crystal Shard 18. Biggrin’s House or any similar topic only for you Order Now The two companions crouched in the brush below the entrance for a short while, noting the degree of activity. The moon had come up, bright and clear, and the night had lightened considerably. â€Å"I wonder if we’ll be in time for dinner,† remarked the drow, still smirking wryly. Wulfgar shook his head and laughed at the dark elf’s uncanny composure. Although the two often heard sounds from the shadows just beyond the opening, pots clanging and occasional voices, no giant showed itself outside the cave until shortly before moonset. A fat verbeeg, presumably the lair’s cook from its dress, shuffled out onto the doorstep and dumped a load of garbage from a large iron pot down the slope. â€Å"He’s mine,† said Drizzt, suddenly serious. â€Å"Can you provide a distraction?† â€Å"The cat will do,† Wulfgar answered, though he wasn’t keen on being alone with Guenhwyvar. Drizzt crept up the rocky slope, trying to stay in the dark shadows as he went. He knew that he would remain vulnerable in the moonlight until he got above the entrance, but the climb proved rougher than he had expected and the going was slow. When he was almost to the opening, he heard the giant chef stirring by the entrance, apparently lifting a second pot of garbage for dumping. But the drow had nowhere to go. A call from within the cave diverted the cook’s attention. Realizing how little time he had to get to safety, Drizzt sprinted the last few feet to the door level and peered around the corner into the torchlit kitchen. The room was roughly square with a large stone oven on the wall across from the cave entrance. Next to the oven was a wooden door slightly ajar, and behind this Drizzt heard several giant voices. The cook was nowhere in sight, but a pot of garbage sat on the floor just inside the entrance. â€Å"He’ll be back soon,† the drow muttered to himself as he picked his handholds and crept noiselessly up the wall and above the cave entrance. At the base of the slope, a nervous Wulfgar sat absolutely motionless as Guenhwyvar stalked back and forth before him. A few minutes later the giant chef came out with the pot. As the verbeeg dumped the garbage, Guenhwyvar moved into view. One great leap took the cat to the base of the slope. Tilting its head up at the cook, the black panther growled. â€Å"Ah, git outa here, ye mangy puss,† snapped the giant, apparently unimpressed and unsurprised by the sudden appearance of the panther, â€Å"afore I squash yer head an’ drop ye into a stewin’ pot.† The verbeeg’s threat was an idle one. Even as it stood shaking an oversized fist, its attention fully on the cat, the dark shape that was Drizzt Do’Urden sprang from the wall onto its back. His scimitars already in hand, the drow wasted no time in cutting an ear-to-ear smile into the giant’s throat. Without uttering a cry the verbeeg tumbled down the rocks to settle in with the rest of the garbage. Abruptly Drizzt dropped to the cave step and spun around, praying that no other giants had entered the kitchen. He was safe for the moment. The room was empty. As Guenhwyvar and then Wulfgar crested the ledge, he signaled to them silently to follow him in. The kitchen was small (for giants) and sparsely stocked. There was one table on the right wall which held several pans. Next to it was a large chopping block with a garish cleaver, rusty and jagged and apparently unwashed for weeks, buried into it. Over to Drizzt’s left were shelves holding spices and herbs and other supplies. The drow went to investigate these as Wulfgar moved to peer into the adjoining – and occupied – room. Also square, this second area was a bit larger than the kitchen. A long table divided the room in half, and beyond it, directly across from where he stood, Wulfgar saw a second door. Three giants sat at the side of the table closest to Wulfgar, a fourth stood between them and the door, and two more sat on the opposite side. The group feasted on mutton and slurped thick stew, all the while cursing and taunting each other – a typical dinner gathering of verbeeg. Wulfgar noted with more than a passing interest that the monsters tore the meat from the bones with their bare hands. There weren’t any weapons in the room. Drizzt, holding a bag he had found on the shelves, drew one of his scimitars again and moved with Guenhwyvar to join Wulfgar. â€Å"Six,† Wulfgar whispered, pointing to the room. The big barbarian hoisted Aegis-fang and nodded eagerly. Drizzt peeked through the door and quickly formulated an attack plan. He pointed to Wulfgar, then to the door. â€Å"Right,† he whispered. Then he indicated himself. â€Å"Behind you, left.† Wulfgar understood him perfectly, but wondered why he hadn’t included Guenhwyvar. The barbarian pointed to the cat. Drizzt merely shrugged and smiled, and Wulfgar understood. Even the skeptical barbarian was confident that Guenhwyvar would figure out where it best fit in. Wulfgar shook the nervous tingles out of his muscles and clenched Aegis-fang tightly. With a quick wink to his companion, he burst through the door and pounced at the nearest target. The giant, the only one of the group standing at the time, managed to turn and face his attacker, but that was all. Aegis-fang swung in a low sweep and rose with deadly accuracy, smashing into its belly. Driving upward, it crushed the giant’s lower chest. With his incredible strength, Wulfgar actually lifted the huge monster several feet off of the ground. It fell, broken and breathless, beside the barbarian, but he paid it no more heed; he was already planning his second strike. Drizzt, Guenhwyvar close on his heels, rushed past his friend toward the two stunned giants seated farthest to the left at the table. He jerked open the bag he held and twirled as he reached his targets, blinding them in a puff of flour. The drow never slowed as he passed, gouging his scimitar into the throat of one of the powdered verbeeg and then rolling backward over the top of the wooden table. Guenhwyvar sprang on the other giant, his powerful jaws tearing out the monster’s groin. The two verbeeg on the far side of the table were the first of their group to truly react. One leaped to stand ready to meet Drizzt’s whirling charge, while the second, unwittingly singling itself out as Wulfgar’s next target, bolted for the back door. Wulfgar marked the escaping giant quickly and launched Aegis-fang without hesitation. If Drizzt, at that time in midroll across the table, had realized just how close his form had come to intercepting the twirling war-hammer, he might have had a few choice words for his friend. But the hammer found its mark, bashing into the verbeeg’s shoulder and knocking the monster into the wall with enough force to break its neck. The giant Drizzt had gored lay squirming on the floor, clutching its throat in a futile attempt to quell the flow of its lifeblood. And Guenhwyvar was having little trouble dispatching the other. Only two verbeeg remained to fight. Drizzt finished his roll and landed on his feet on the far side of the table, nimbly dodging the grasp of the waiting verbeeg. He darted around, putting himself between his opponent and the door. The giant, its huge hands outstretched, spun around and charged. But the drow’s second scimitar was out with the first, interweaving in a mesmerizing dance of death. As each blade flashed out, it sent another of the giant’s gnarled fingers spinning to the floor. Soon the verbeeg had nothing more than two bloodied stumps where its hands had once been. Enraged beyond sanity, it swung its clublike arms wildly. Drizzt’s scimitar quickly slipped under the side of its skull, ending the creature’s madness. Meanwhile, the last giant had rushed the unarmed barbarian. It wrapped its huge arms around Wulfgar and lifted him into the air, trying to squeeze the life out of him. Wulfgar tightened his muscles in a desperate attempt to prevent his larger foe from snapping the bones in his back. The barbarian had trouble finding his breath. Enraged he slammed his fist into the giant’s chin and raised his hand for a second blow. But then, following the dweomer that Bruenor had cast upon it, the magical war hammer was back in his grasp. With a howl of glee, Wulfgar drove home the butt end of Aegis-fang and put out the giant’s eye. The giant loosened its grip, reeling backward in agony. The world had become such a blur of pain to the monster that it didn’t even see Aegis-fang arcing over Wulfgar’s head and speeding toward its skull. It felt a hot explosion as the heavy hammer split open its head, bouncing the lifeless body into the table and knocking stew and mutton all over the floor. â€Å"Don’t spill the food!† cried Drizzt in mock anger as he rushed to retrieve a particularly juicy-looking chop. Suddenly they heard heavy-booted footsteps and shouts coming down the corridor behind the second door. â€Å"Back outside!† yelled Wulfgar as he turned toward the kitchen. â€Å"Hold!† shouted Drizzt. â€Å"The fun is just beginning!† He pointed to a dim, torchlit tunnel that ran off the left wall of the room. â€Å"Down there! Quickly!† Wulfgar knew that they were pushing their luck, but once again he found himself listening to the elf. And once again the barbarian was smiling. Wulfgar passed the heavy wooden supports at the beginning of the tunnel and raced off into the dimness. He had gone about thirty feet, Guenhwyvar loping uncomfortably close at his side, when he realized that Drizzt wasn’t following. He turned around just in time to see the drow stroll casually out of the room and past the wooden beams. Drizzt had sheathed his scimitars. Instead, he held a long dagger, its wicked tip planted firmly into a piece of mutton. â€Å"The giants?† asked Wulfgar from the darkness. Drizzt stepped to the side, behind one of the massive wooden beams. â€Å"Right behind me,† he explained calmly as he tore another bite off of his meal. Wulfgar’s jaw dropped open when a pack of frothing verbeeg charged into the tunnel, never noticing the concealed drow. â€Å"Prayne de crabug ohm keike rinedere be-yogi iglo kes gron!† Wulfgar shouted as he spun on his heel and sprinted off down the corridor, hoping that it didn’t lead to a dead end. Drizzt pulled the mutton off the end of his blade and accidentally dropped it to the ground, cursing silently at the waste of good food. Licking the dagger clean, he waited patiently. As the last verbeeg rambled past, he darted from his concealment, whipped the dagger into the back of the trailing giant’s knee, and scooted around the other side of the beam. The wounded giant howled in pain, but by the time it or its companions had turned back around, the drow was nowhere to be seen. Wulfgar rounded a bend and slipped against the wall, easily guessing what had stopped the pursuit. The pack had turned back when they found that there was another intruder nearer the exit. A giant leaped through the supports and stood with its legs wide apart and its club ready, its eyes going from door to door as it tried to figure out which route the unseen assailant had taken. Behind it and off to the side, Drizzt pulled a small knife out of each of his boots and wondered how the giants could be stupid enough to fall for the same trick twice in a span of ten seconds. Not about to argue with good fortune, the elf scrambled out behind his next victim and, before its companions still in the tunnel could shout a call of warning, drove one of the knives deep into the giant’s thigh, severing the hamstring. The giant lurched over to the side and Drizzt, hopping by, marveled at how wonderful a target the thick veins in a verbeeg’s neck make when the monster’s jaw is clenched in pain. But the drow had no time to pause and ponder the fortunes of battle. The rest of the pack – five angry giants – had already thrown aside their wounded companion in the tunnel and were only a few strides behind. He put the second knife deep into the verbeeg’s neck and headed for the door leading deeper into the lair. He would have made it, except that the first giant coming back into the room happened to be carrying a stone. As a rule, verbeeg are quite adept at rock throwing, and this one was better than most. The drow’s unhelmeted head was its target, and its throw was true. Wulfgar’s throw was on target, too. Aegis-fang shattered the backbone of the trailing giant as it passed its wounded companion in the tunnel. The injured verbeeg, working to get Drizzt’s dagger out of its knee, stared in disbelief at its suddenly dead companion and at the berserk death charge of the ferocious barbarian. Out of the corner of his eye, Drizzt saw the stone coming. He managed to duck enough to avoid getting his head caved in, but the heavy missile caught him in the shoulder and sent him flying to the floor. The world spun around him as though he was its axis. He fought to reorient himself, for in the back of his mind he understood that the giant was coming to finish him off. But everything seemed a blur. Then something lying close to his face managed to hold his attention. He fixed his eyes on it, straining to find a focus and force everything else to stop spinning. A verbeeg finger. The drow was back. Quickly, he reached for his weapon. He knew that he was too late when he saw the giant, club raised for a death blow, towering above him. The wounded giant stepped into the middle of the tunnel to meet the barbarian’s charge. The monster’s leg had gone numb, and it could not plant its feet firmly. Wulfgar, Aegis-fang comfortably back in his hands, swatted it aside and continued into the room. Two of the giants were waiting for him. Guenhwyvar wove between a giant’s legs as it turned and launched itself as high and far as its sleek muscles could take it. Just as the verbeeg standing over Drizzt started to swing its club at the prone elf, Drizzt saw a shade of black cross in front of its face. A jagged tear lined the giant’s cheek. Drizzt understood what had happened when he heard Guenhwyvar’s padded paws set down on the table and propel the cat further across the room. Though a second giant now joined the first and both had their clubs poised to strike, Drizzt had gained all the time that he needed. In a lightning movement, he slid one of the scimitars from its sheath and thrust it into the first giant’s groin. The monster doubled over in agony, a shield for Drizzt, and caught the blow from its comrade on the back of its head. The drow mumbled â€Å"Thank you† as he rolled over the corpse, landing on his feet and again thrusting upward, this time lifting his body to follow the blade. Hesitation had cost another giant its life. For as the stunned verbeeg stared dumbfoundedly at its friend’s brains splattered all over its club, the drow’s curved blade sliced under its rib cage, tearing through lungs and finding its mark in the monster’s heart. Time moved slowly for the mortally wounded giant. The club it had dropped seemed to take minutes to reach the floor. With the barely perceptible motion of a falling tree, the verbeeg slid back from the scimitar. It knew that it was falling, but the floor never came up to meet it. Never came up†¦ Wulfgar hoped that he had hit the wounded giant in the tunnel hard enough to keep it out of the fray for a while – he would be in a tight spot indeed if it came up behind him then. He had all that he could handle parrying and counter-thrusting with the two giants he now faced. He needn’t have worried about his backside, though, for the wounded verbeeg slumped against the wall in the tunnel, oblivious to its surroundings. And, in the opposite direction, Drizzt had just finished off the other two giants. Wulfgar laughed aloud when he saw his friend wiping the blood from his blade and walking back across the room. One of the verbeeg noticed the dark elf, too, and it jumped out of its fight with the barbarian to engage this new foe. â€Å"Ay, ye little runt, ye think ye can face me even up an’ live to talk about it?† bellowed the giant. Feigning desperation, Drizzt glanced all about him. As usual, he found an easy way to win this fight. Using a stalking belly-crawl, Guenhwyvar had slithered behind the giant bodies, trying to get into a favorable position. Drizzt took a small step backward, goading the giant into the great cat’s path. The giant’s club crashed into Wulfgar’s ribs and pushed him up against the wooden beam. The barbarian was made of tougher stuff than wood, though, and he took the blow stoically, returning it two-fold with Aegis-fang. Again the verbeeg struck, and again Wulfgar countered. The barbarian had been fighting with hardly a break for over ten minutes, but adrenalin coursed through his veins, and he barely felt winded. He began to appreciate the endless hours toiling for Bruenor in the mines, and the miles and miles of running Drizzt had led him through during their sessions as his blows started to fall with increasing frequency on his tiring opponent. The giant advanced on Drizzt. â€Å"Arg, hold yer ground, ye miserable rat!† it growled. â€Å"An’ none o’ yer sneaky tricks! We wants to see how ye does in a fair fight.† Just as the two came together, Guenhwyvar darted the remaining few feet and sank his fangs deep into the back of the verbeeg’s ankle. Reflexively, the giant shot a glance at the rear attacker, but it recovered quickly and shot its eyes back to the elf†¦ †¦Just in time to see the scimitar entering its chest. Drizzt answered the monster’s puzzled expression with a question. â€Å"Where in the nine hells did you ever find the notion that I would fight fair?† The verbeeg lurched away. The blade hadn’t found its heart, but it knew that the wound would soon prove fatal if untended. Blood poured freely down the monster’s leather tunic, and it labored visibly as it tried to breath. Drizzt alternated his attacks with Guenhwyvar, striking and ducking away from the lumbering counter while his partner rushed in on the monster’s other side. They knew, and the giant did, too, that this fight would soon be over. The giant fighting Wulfgar could no longer sustain a defensive posture with its heavy club. Wulfgar was beginning to tire as well, so he started to sing an old tundra war song, the Song of Tempos, its rousing notes inspiring him into one final barrage. He waited for the verbeeg’s club to inch inevitably downward and then launched Aegis-fang once, twice, and then a third time. Wulfgar nearly collapsed in exhaustion after the third swing, but the giant lay crumpled on the floor. The barbarian leaned wearily on his weapon and watched his two friends nip and scratch their verbeeg to pieces. â€Å"Well done!† Wulfgar laughed when the last giant fell. Drizzt walked over to the barbarian, his left arm hanging limply at his side. His jacket and shirt were torn where the stone had struck, and the exposed skin of his shoulder was swollen and bruised. Wulfgar eyed the wound with genuine concern, but Drizzt answered his unspoken question by raising the arm above him, though he grimaced in pain with the effort. â€Å"It’ll be quick to mend,† he assured Wulfgar. â€Å"Just a nasty bump, and I find that a small cost to weigh against the bodies of thirteen verbeeg!† A low groan issued from the tunnel. â€Å"Twelve as yet,† Wulfgar corrected. â€Å"Apparently one is not quite done kicking.† With a deep breath, Wulfgar lifted Aegis-fang and turned to finish the task. â€Å"A moment, first,† insisted Drizzt, a thought pressing on his mind. â€Å"When the giants charged you in the tunnel, you yelled something in your home tongue, I believe. What was it you said?† Wulfgar laughed heartily. â€Å"An old Elk tribe battle cry,† he explained. â€Å"Strength to my friends, and death to my foes!† Drizzt eyed the barbarian suspiciously and wondered just how deep ran Wulfgar’s ability to fabricate a lie on demand. * * * The injured verbeeg was still propped against the tunnel wall when the two companions and Guenhwyvar came upon it. The drow’s dagger remained deeply buried in the giant’s knee, its blade caught fast between two bones. The giant eyed the men with hate-filled yet strangely calm eyes as they approached. â€Å"Ye’ll pay fer all o’ this,† it spat at Drizzt. â€Å"Biggrin’ll play with ye afore killin’ ye, be sure o’ that!† â€Å"So it has a tongue,† Drizzt said to Wulfgar. And then to the giant, â€Å"Biggrin?† â€Å"Laird o’ the cave,† answered the giant. â€Å"Biggrin’ll be a wantin’ to meet ye.† â€Å"And we’ll be wanting to meet Biggrin!† stormed Wulfgar. â€Å"We have a debt to repay; a little matter concerning two dwarves!† As soon as Wulfgar mentioned the dwarves, the giant spat again. Drizzt’s scimitar flashed and poised an inch from the monster’s throat. â€Å"Kill me then an’ have done,† laughed the giant, genuinely uncaring. The monster’s ease unnerved Drizzt. â€Å"I serve the master!† proclaimed the giant. â€Å"Glory is to die for Akar Kessell!† Wulfgar and Drizzt looked at each other uneasily. They had never seen or heard of this kind of fanatical dedication in a verbeeg, and the sight disturbed them. The primary fault of the verbeeg which had always kept then from gaining dominance over the smaller races was their unwillingness to devote themselves wholeheartedly to any cause and their inability to follow one leader: â€Å"Who is Akar Kessell?† demanded Wulfgar. The giant laughed evilly. â€Å"If friends o’ the towns ye be, ye’ll know soon enough!† â€Å"I thought you said that Biggrin was laird of this cave,† said Drizzt. â€Å"The cave,† answered the giant. â€Å"And once a tribe. But Biggrin follows the master now.† â€Å"We’ve got trouble,† Drizzt mumbled to Wulfgar. â€Å"Have you ever heard of a verbeeg chieftain giving up its dominance to another without a fight?† â€Å"I fear for the dwarves,† said Wulfgar. Drizzt turned back to the giant and decided to change the subject so that he could extract some information more immediate to their situation. â€Å"What is at the end of this tunnel?† â€Å"Nothin’,† said the verbeeg, too quickly. â€Å"Er, just a place for us t’ sleep, is all.† Loyal, but stupid, noted Drizzt. He turned to Wulfgar again. â€Å"We have to take out Biggrin and any others in the cave who might be able to get back to warn this Akar Kessell.† â€Å"What about this one?† asked Wulfgar. But the giant answered the question for Drizzt. Delusions of glory pushed it to seek death in the wizard’s service. It tightened its muscles, ignoring the pain in its knee, and lunged at the companions. Aegis-fang smashed the verbeeg’s collarbone and neck at the same time Drizzt’s scimitar was slipping through its ribs and Guenhwyvar was locking onto its gut. But the giant’s death mask was a smile. * * * The corridor behind the back door of the dining room was unlit, and the companions had to pull a torch from its sconce in the other corridor to take with them. As they wound their way down the long tunnel, moving deeper and deeper into the hill, they passed many small chambers, most empty, but some holding crated stores of various sorts: foodstuffs, skins, and extra clubs and spears. Drizzt surmised that Akar Kessell planned to use this cave as a home base for his army. The blackness was absolute for some distance and Wulfgar, lacking the darkness vision of his elven companion, grew nervous as the torch began to burn low. But then they came into a wide chamber, by far the largest they had seen, and beyond its reaches, the tunnel spilled out into the open night. â€Å"We have come to the front door,† said Wulfgar. â€Å"And it’s ajar. Do you believe that Biggrin has left?† â€Å"Sssh,† hushed Drizzt. The drow thought that he had heard something in the darkness on the far right. He motioned for Wulfgar to stay in the middle of the room with the torch as he crept away into the shadows. Drizzt stopped short when he heard gruff giant voices ahead, though he couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t see their bulky silhouettes. When he came upon a large hearth, he understood. The voices were echoing through the chimney. â€Å"Biggrin?† asked Wulfgar when he came up. â€Å"Must be,† reasoned Drizzt. â€Å"Think you can fit through the chimney?† The barbarian nodded. He hoisted Drizzt up first – the drow’s left arm still wasn’t of much use to him – and followed, leaving Guenhwyvar to keep watch. The chimney snaked up a few yards, then came to an intersection. One way led down to a room from which the voices were coming, and the other thinned as it rose to the surface. The conversation was loud and heated now, and Drizzt moved down to investigate. Wulfgar held the drow’s feet to help him inch down the final descent, as the slope became nearly vertical. Hanging upside down, Drizzt peeked under the rim of the hearth in another room. He saw three giants; one by a door at the far end of the room, looking as though it wanted to leave, and a second with its back to the hearth, being scolded by the third, an immensely wide and tall frost giant. Drizzt knew by the twisted, lipless smile that he looked upon Biggrin. â€Å"To tell Biggrin!† pleaded the smaller giant. â€Å"Ye ran from a fight,† scowled Biggrin. â€Å"Ye left yer friends t’ die!† â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  protested the giant, but Biggrin had heard enough. With one swipe of its huge axe, it lopped the smaller giant’s head off. * * * The men found Guenhwyvar diligently on watch when they came out of the chimney. The big cat turned and growled in recognition when it saw its companions, and Wulfgar, not understanding the throaty purr to be a friendly sound, took a cautious step away. â€Å"There has to be a side tunnel off the main corridor further down,† Drizzt reasoned, having no time to be amused by his friend’s nervousness. â€Å"Let’s get this over with, then,† said Wulfgar. They found the passage as the Drow had predicted and soon came to a door they figured would lead to the room with the remaining giants. They clapped each other on the shoulder for luck and Drizzt patted Guenhwyvar, though Wulfgar declined the drow’s invitation to do likewise. Then they burst in. The room was empty. A door previously invisible to Drizzt from his vantage point at the hearth stood ajar. * * * Biggrin sent its lone remaining soldier out the secret side door with a message for Akar Kessell. The big giant had been disgraced, and it knew that the wizard wouldn’t readily accept the loss of so many valuable troops. Biggrin’s only chance was to take care of the two intruding warriors and hope that their heads would appease its unmerciful boss. The giant pressed its ear to the door and waited for its victims to enter the adjoining room. * * * Wulfgar and Drizzt passed through the second door and came into a lavish chamber, its floor adorned with plush furs and large, puffy pillows. Two other doors led out of the room. One was slightly open, a darkened corridor beyond, and the other was closed. Suddenly Wulfgar stopped Drizzt with an outstretched hand and motioned for the drow to be quiet. The intangible quality of a true warrior, the sixth sense that allows him to sense unseen danger, had come into play. Slowly the barbarian turned to the closed door and lifted Aegis-fang above his head. He paused for a moment and cocked his head, straining to hear a confirming sound. None came, but Wulfgar trusted his instincts. He roared to Tempos and launched the hammer. It split the door asunder with a thunderous snap and dropped the planks – and Biggrin – to the floor. Drizzt noticed the swing of the open secret door across the room beyond the giant chieftain and realized that the last of the giants must have slipped away. Quickly the drow set Guenhwyvar into motion. The panther understood, too, for it bolted away, clearing the writhing form of Biggrin with one great bound, and charged out of the cave to give chase to the escaping verbeeg. Blood streamed down the side of the big giant’s head, but the thick bone of its skull had rejected the hammer. Drizzt and Wulfgar looked on in disbelief as the huge frost giant shook its jowls and rose to meet them. â€Å"It can’t do that,† protested Wulfgar. â€Å"This giant’s a stubborn one,† Drizzt shrugged. The barbarian waited for Aegis-fang to return to his grasp, then moved with the drow to face Biggrin. The giant stayed in the doorway to prevent either of its foes from flanking it as Wulfgar and Drizzt confidently moved in. The three exchanged ominous stares and a few easy swings as they felt each other out. â€Å"You must be Biggrin,† Drizzt said, bowing. â€Å"That I am,† proclaimed the giant. â€Å"Biggrin! The last foe yer eyes’ll see!† â€Å"Confident as well as stubborn,† Wulfgar remarked. â€Å"Little human,† the giant retorted, â€Å"I’ve squashed a hunnerd o’ yen puny kin!† â€Å"More reason for us to kill you,† Drizzt stated calmly. With sudden speed and ferocity that surprised its two opponents, Biggrin took a wide sweep with its huge axe. Wulfgar stepped back out of its deadly range, and Drizzt managed to duck under the blow, but the drow shuddered when he saw the axe blade take a fair-sized chunk out of the stone wall. Wulfgar jumped right back at the monster as the axe passed him, pounding on Biggrin’s broad chest with Aegis-fang. The giant flinched but took the blow. â€Å"Ye’ll have t’ hit me harder ‘an that, puny man!† it bellowed as it launched a mighty backswing with the flat head of the axe. Again Drizzt slipped below the swing. Wulfgar, however, battle-weary as he was, did not move quickly enough to back out of range. The barbarian managed to get Aegis-fang up in front of him, but the sheer force of Biggrin’s heavy weapon smashed him into the wall. He crumpled to the floor. Drizzt knew that they were in trouble. His left arm remained useless, his reflexes were slowing with exhaustion, and this giant was simply too powerful for him to parry any blows. He managed to slip in one short thrust with his scimitar as the giant recovered for its next swing, and then he fled toward the main corridor. â€Å"Run, ye dark dog!† roared the giant. â€Å"I’ll after ye, an’ I’ll have ye!† Biggrin charged after Drizzt, smelling the kill. The drow sheathed his scimitar as he reached the main passage and looked for a spot to ambush the monster. Nothing presented itself, so he went halfway to the exit and waited. â€Å"Where can ye hide?† Biggrin taunted as its huge bulk entered the corridor. Poised in the shadows, the drow threw his two knives. Both hit home, but Biggrin hardly slowed. Drizzt moved outside the cave. He knew that if Biggrin didn’t follow him, he would have to go back in; he certainly couldn’t leave Wulfgar to die. The first rays of dawn had found their way onto the mountain, and Drizzt worried that the growing light would spoil any chance he had for ambush. Scrambling up one of the small trees that concealed the exit, he pulled out his dagger. Biggrin charged out into the sunlight and looked around for signs of the fleeing drow. â€Å"Yer about, ye miserable dog! Ye’ve no place to run!† Suddenly Drizzt was on top of the monster, gouging its face and neck in a barrage of stabs and slices. The giant howled in rage and jerked its massive body backward violently, sending Drizzt, who could not gain a firm hold with his weakened arm, flying back into the tunnel. The drow landed heavily on his injured shoulder and nearly swooned in agony. He squirmed and twisted for a moment, trying to regain his feet, but he bumped into a heavy boot. He knew that Biggrin couldn’t have gotten to him so quickly. He turned slowly onto his back, wondering where this new giant had come from. But the drow’s outlook changed dramatically when he saw that Wulfgar stood over him, Aegis-fang firmly in his hand and a grim look stamped upon his face. Wulfgar never took his eyes off of the giant as it entered the tunnel. â€Å"He’s mine,† the barbarian said grimly. Biggrin looked hideous indeed. The side of its head where the hammer had struck was caked with dark, dried blood, while the other, and several spots on its face and neck, ran bright with blood from new wounds. The two knives Drizzt had thrown were still sticking in the giant’s chest like morbid medals of honor. â€Å"Can you take it again?† Wulfgar challenged as he sent Aegis-fang on a second flight toward the giant. In answer, Biggrin stuck out his chest defiantly to block the blow. â€Å"I can take whatere’ ye have t’ give!† it boasted. Aegis-fang slammed home, and Biggrin staggered back a step. The hammer had cracked a rib or two, but the giant could handle that. More deadly, though, and unknown to Biggrin, Aegis-fang had driven one of Drizzt’s knives through the lining of its heart. â€Å"I can run, now,† Drizzt whispered to Wulfgar when he saw the giant advancing again. â€Å"I stay,† the barbarian insisted without the slightest tremor of fear in his voice. Drizzt pulled his scimitar. â€Å"Well spoken, brave friend. Let us fell this foul beast – there’s food to be eaten!† â€Å"Ye’ll find that more a task than ye talk!† Biggrin retorted. It felt a sudden stinging in its chest, but it grunted away the pain. â€Å"I’ve felt the best that ye can hit, an’ still I come at ye! Ye can no’ hope t’ win!† Both Drizzt and Wulfgar feared that there was more truth to the giant’s boasts than either of them would admit. They were on their last legs, wounded and winded, yet determined to stay and finish the task. But the complete confidence of the great giant as it steadily approached was more than a little unnerving. Biggrin realized that something was terribly wrong when it got within a few steps of the two companions. Wulfgar and Drizzt knew, too, for the giant’s stride suddenly slowed visibly. The giant looked at them in outrage as though it had been deceived. â€Å"Dogs!† it gasped, a gout of blood bursting from its mouth. â€Å"What trick†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Biggrin fell dead without another word. * * * â€Å"Should we go after the cat?† Wulfgar asked when they got back to the secret door. Drizzt was wrapping a torch out of some rags he had found. â€Å"Faith in the shadow,† he answered. â€Å"Guenhwyvar will not let the verbeeg escape. Besides, I have a good meal waiting for me back in the cave.† â€Å"You go,† Wulfgar told him. â€Å"I shall stay here and watch for the cat’s return.† Drizzt clasped the big man’s shoulder as he started to leave. They had been through a lot in the short time they had been together, and Drizzt suspected that the excitement was just beginning. The drow sang a feasting song as he started to the main passage, but only as a dodge to Wulfgar, for the dinner table wouldn’t be his first stop. The giant they had spoken with earlier had been evasive when asked about what lay down the one tunnel they had yet to explore. And with everything else they had found, Drizzt believed that could only mean one thing – treasure. * * * The great panther loped along over the broken stones, easily gaining on the heavy-footed giant. Soon Guenhwyvar could hear the verbeeg’s labored breathing as the creature struggled with every leap and climb. The giant was making for Daledrop and the open tundra beyond. But so frenzied was its flight that it didn’t move off the face of Kelvin’s Cairn to the easier ground of the valley. It sought a straighter route, believing it to be the quicker path to safety. Guenhwyvar knew the areas of the mountain as well as its master, knew where every creature on the mountain laired. The cat had already discerned where it wanted the giant to go. Like a shepherd’s dog, it closed the remaining distance and scratched at the giant’s flanks, veering it into the direction of a deep mountain pool. The terrified verbeeg, certain that the deadly warhammer or darting scimitar weren’t far behind, didn’t dare stop and engage the panther. It surged blindly along the path Guenhwyvar had chosen. A short time later, Guenhwyvar broke away from the giant and raced ahead. When the cat reached the edge of the cold water, it tilted its head and concentrated its keen senses, hoping to spy something that could help it complete the task. Then Guenhwyvar noticed a tiny shimmer of movement under the sparkles of the first light on the water. Its sharp eyes sorted out the long shape lying deathly still. Satisfied that the trap was set, Guenhwyvar moved back behind a nearby ledge to wait. The giant lumbered up to the pool, breathing heavily. It leaned against a boulder for a moment, despite its terror. Things seemed safe enough for the moment. As soon as it had caught its breath, the giant looked around quickly for signs of pursuit, then started forward again. There was only one path across the pool, a fallen log that spanned the center, and all of the alternative routes around the pool, though the water wasn’t very wide, weaved around sheer drops and jutting rockfaces and promised to be slow going. The verbeeg tested the log. It seemed sturdy, so the monster cautiously started across. The cat waited for the giant to get close to the center of the pool, then charged from its hiding place and launched itself into the air at the verbeeg. The cat landed heavily into the surprised giant, planting its paws in the monster’s chest and rebounding back toward the safety of the shore. Guenhwyvar splashed into the icy pool, but scrambled quickly out of the perilous water. The giant, though, swung its arms wildly for a moment, trying to hold its precarious balance, then toppled in with a splash. The water rushed up to suck it down. Desperately, the giant lunged for a nearby floating log, the shape that Guenhwyvar had recognized earlier. But as the verbeeg’s hands came down, the form it had thought to be a log exploded into movement as the fifty-foot water constrictor threw itself around its prey with dizzying speed. The unrelenting coils quickly pinned the giant’s arms to its side and began their merciless squeeze. Guenhwyvar shook the freezing water from its glistening black coat and looked back to the pool. As yet another length of the monstrous snake locked under the verbeeg’s chin and pulled the helpless monster under the surface, the panther was satisfied that the mission was complete. With a long, loud roar proclaiming victory, Guenhwyvar bounded off toward the lair. How to cite The Crystal Shard 18. Biggrin’s House, Essay examples