Cleft Warren # 
04/16/98


First Kat's tricks at the cave and now B`rand's stupid idea with the
blindfold... Lenna was beginning to wonder if they'd set this up between them.

When she'd gotten home that night and found her mate out on the dragon's
ledge waiting for her, she should have known he was up to something... but
what she couldn't guess. 

--------

"That does it!" Lenna pulled off the blindfold. Her hand raised for a slap,
then froze. "How did you manage to do all this?"

The two candles on the table illuminated the steaming food placed on it;
nearby, a sweating bottle of wine stood, having been recently pulled from
the cold river. Lenna looked wide-eyed at B'rand. "Where did you
learn how to cook?"

B'rand snorted. "Forget that. Danki did it for me."

"Why?" she turned to look at him, her blue eyes wide with disbelief at the
thought of B`rand doing something so...so... so darn sweet!

"I think she's looking for any excuse to have us be romantic. Doesn't she
have enough grandchildren already?"

"I don't believe that."

"Believe it. She even gave me this soap, she said it was some new formula
and she wanted us to try it out."

"Where?" She scoffed. It was just like him to try to throw the blame on
someone else instead of admitting he had one romantic bone in his body...
but she knew differently and let him have his way.

"In the tub, where else?" B'rand picked up his squirming mate and carried
her to the bath. The food laid on the table, oblivious to the splashing and
giggling.

They finally got to eat Danki's dinner some hours later, the food losing
none of it's taste reheated, then they sat on the couch in front of a fire,
and Lenna told him about her day and Kat's idea to for her to go back to the
cave and try to re-enacted what happened to her that day.

"She has this idea that if I confront my fears, they'll go away," she told
him, not sure she believed it.

"Sounds like a good idea," he shrugged. "Worth trying anyway. So when are
you going to try?"

She frowned and snuggled closer to him. "Kat was all for trying it today at
the end of our patrol... but I nearly freaked when I saw where we were. She
tricked me into going there."

A cold chill went through her at the thought, but passed when B`rand pulled
her even closer. 

"B`rand...would you go back to the cave with me... after my parents party?"
she asked, "I don't know if I can do it on my own."

"If it means that much to you. I'll go. Just let me know when."

"Oh thank you!!" she turned in his arms and her lips found his.
"Thankyouthanyouthankyou!!" she repeated between kisses and then when her
hand started to move downwards... Blanchie spoke to her. 

<My rider we've been invited to something called a fish fry by Triss's rider
and the Queen,> her dragon told her, ignoring the fact that she had
interrupted something. <What's a fish fry?>

Lenna couldn't help herself and broke out laughing. 

"For just a little while!" B`rand was saying when her laughter finally
ended. "We'll go for a little while then, we can come back here and fry our
own fish."

Lenna look as though she was thinking it over. Her lips drew together and
she shook her head... "No not fish... but maybe if you're lucky they'll have
some apple pie!" 

She tried but didn't make it off the couch. B`rand's arms came around her
and pulled her back down into his lap.

"If you so much as even think about it..." his voice was threatening.

"You'll what!" she giggled when his tongue began drawing circles on her
neck, and his hands began seeking out all the places her knew turned her on. 

After a few minutes, she was more than ready to forget about the fish fry or
anything else, when he stood her up and turned her around. 

"Or I won't finish what we just started," he grinned, then held up his hand
when she would have replied to his underhandedness. "Tut tut... behave
yourself.!"

Turner
*******

"Well I don't know about hauling fish around the place," Jasper was telling
Turner later that night as the two smiths stood there with Kellie and Miko,
the other smith who'd been pressed into service by the Warrenlady earlier.

"But this fish sure did cook up to be tasty." The man went on. "Who'da
figured it?"

"Oh you're just jealous cause you didn't catch it," Miko teased. 

"Hey don't feel bad my friend," Turner spoke up. "I hear... from
somewhere... that Trev nor Cynthia caught it ... or rather they had a bit of
help catching it."

"Well then I don' feel so bad."

Turner caught sigh of his older brother, Dan'yar and Brisse and pulling
Kellie along after him, excused himself to his friends. 

"My you're looking very lovely tonight Brisse," he complimented her when
they drew near. "It looks like you found some time in your busy schedule to
get some sleep."

"And it wasn't easy getting her to leave off for that short time either,"
Dan'yar quipped and got a elbow in the stomach from the girl who held his
heart. 

"And who had to tell who to go home and get some sleep?" she asked him,
remembering things happening just a little different. "Why I had to pull
rank on him to get him to stop working out with the work crews cleaning up
the place. Maybe someone should remind him of his position around here."

"Well now love," he looked hurt. "Would you have me ask others to do things
I won't do myself?"

"Bet it was fun to be able to pull rank on him," Turner ignored his brother
and tuned back towards the young queenrider. "Not to may people have ever
gotten away with that."

They stood their talking for a short time more and then Turner started
moving them towards the door. 

"In a hurry to go somewhere," Kellie teased as they moved around another
group of friends, then jigged sideways to avoid being seen by Lenna and
B`rand who were just entering the hall.

"Oh there's Lenna!" Kellie spoke up after spotting her, and turned to take a
step towards the new arrival, only to be pulled back around and out a side
door."

"Why Turner one would think you didn't much like your family, avoiding them
like you ...a..r..e..."

He cut off her words with a hard kiss, and left her breathless by the time
he was finished. 

"You were saying something earlier about a new game?" he asked smiling down
in to her upturned face. 

"Right...." she signed. "Varie come get us... now!!"

[Tag John... :) ]

Lenna
******

She wasn't the only one who was more than a little surprised at how Cynthia
and the map maker had seemed to be getting along. 

When had that happened, She wondered, but seeing the happy , almost glowing
look on her friends face, Lenna for once kept her mouth shut. She ask Trevor
about it later. Maybe he'd be over being angry with her by then.

She hadn't seen him since that day in the med center... and had to admit, he
had been right to yell at her the way he had... but it didn't make her feel
any different about what she had done.

True to his word... they didn't stay late, and B'rand did finish what he'd
started before leaving to go to the fish fry. 

Sometime later, she woke and found him gone. His side of the bed cool to her
touch so she knew he'd been gone for sometime.

She got up and went into the living area, but he wasn't there. Next she
tried to ask Blanchie, but the purple dragon was a sleep. 

Finally she just went back to bed, knowing if he was gone from their bed
this late, it must be warren related. 

The next morning she awoke to find his arm draped around her waist and just
laid there for a while longer before getting up to fix breakfast. 

B`rand came out of the bedroom a short time later and she handed him his cup
of coffee, before setting his food before him. 

"So what are your plans for today?"

"Got a morning patrol with Kat, and then we're meeting at Thina's to go over
the last few details for the party tonight. You are going to be able to make
it back in time to go ...aren't you?"

"As if I'd dare miss it after that dinner Danki cooked for us last night,"
he grinned leeringly at her. "Maybe I could talk her out of some more of
that soap."

Lonnie 
******* 
[Just before Lunch]

<They're here!!! They're here!!> Meritanth all but screamed in his head just
as he was leaving wing practice for the day.

<<Who's here and don't yell so damn loud!!>> he growled as he shook his head
to clear it.

<Tergath and his rider!> Meri replied as if his rider should have known.
<And the other one... Vonn and her little hatchling who thought I was
wonderful is here too!!>

Lonnie changed directions and headed back towards the Warren Green. He got
there just in time to see Dan'yar's twins running up to meet their returning
uncle. 

He made sure they stayed back out of the way, as the brown and albino
dragons landed then moved forward to greet them. 

"Welcome to the Cleft!" he shouted back to Meena as she dismounted from Vonn
and came to join them. Then Lonnie reached up and took Demee from Farr'in,
his smile grew as the little boy wrapped his arms around his neck and hugged
him.

"We came unk' Lonnie... we came!!"

"I can see that scamp." He hugged the boy back and turned to offer his hand
to Farr'in. "I'm glad to see you were both able to make it after all. We
heard what happened."

The older man just nodded his thanks and then turned back to hold his hand
out to Meena coming up along side of him.

Lonnie got in a brief hug of welcome, before Dan'yar's twins made themselves
known.

"Meena and Demee, I want you both to meet my nieces, Arly and Leyean."

"There's two of her!" the little boy cried a little confused, causing the
others to laugh. His little eyes peered at them closer.

"No I'm only one of me and she's only one of her," Arly or maybe it was
Leyean who spoke up. 

"Yea she just looks like me."

"Well sort of... but you're Arly... and you're Ley..." the boy pointed at
each one and the others saw by the look on their faces the boy had gotten it
right.

"Let's see if he can do that again," both girls spoke up just before running
around the people standing there and out of the young boys sight for a moment. 

When they stood in front of him again, they were surprised when he picked
them out again.

"How'd he do that?" Lonnie quipped. "I still have trouble picking them
apart, and I've known them all their lives."

"Where's mom and pops?" he changed the subject. 

"Oh you know how they are," Lonnie laughed as he led the way towards their
parents leather shop. "Mom's gonna be thrilled to have you home again."

"And Lenna?" he hadn't forgotten about the pepper in the stir fry trick
she'd pulled on him just before he'd left. "Has she forgiven me yet, or will
I have to watch my back the whole time I'm here?"

"Na... I think our sister has a few other things on her mind right now, so
you're safe." He chuckled. "But I know mom and pops will be waiting to see
you, and to meet you Demee."

Oh Danki was waiting all right...She was standing there in the door of their
shop when the horde arrived and after a quick hug for her son, she turned to
look at Meena and gave her a welcoming hug to... but made sure not to ask
the questions going on inside her at the moment. 

"You are welcome into our home while you are here. I'm glad you and your
little one here could make it."

She reached out slowly and held her hands out to take the boy from Lonnie.
No one in the room was the lease bit surprised when Demee went to her and
wrapped his arms around her. 

"Why don't you all have a seat in the back and I'll get us something to
eat," Danki told them and started to lead the way with a happy Demee still
in her arms.

"I had the boy first," Lonnie frowned as he followed.

"Oh don't worry *Unk* Lonnie," the boys mother grinned. "I'm sure you'll be
seeing plenty of Demee while we're here."

Lenna
*******

Brisse was already at Thina's when she arrived after her patrol. She dropped
Kat off and told her she'd meet up with her at the joining party late. 

Plans had been made about taking a trip back to the cave in the morning, and
she was already beginning to regret agreeing to go. 

But Kat had been smart and had made Lenna give her word she would go and
attempt to travel back though the dark damp caves... and Lenna was not one
to go back on her given word.

Something Katrina had already found out.

"Well ladies let's get to it," Thina smiled warmly and past out a sheet of
paper to them both. "you've each got one third of the list of things we're
doing to planing on serving. Kelly has agreed to see to the food, so we can
leave the goodies in her hands. I'll just need you two to call out what's on
your lists and we can mark those ones off that are taken care of."

The list calling went on for a short time. Thina or Brisse had seen to just
about everything on them, Lenna helping with the last few, then they sat
around for a while talking about the best way to make sure things around the
Warren wee fixed and repaired. 

When Thina started to ask Brisse about the baby she was carrying, Lenna made
up some lame excuse about needing to go home and get ready then left.

It still hurt her everytime she thought of the chances that Brisse's baby
could be B`rand's. She'd still had no signs that she herself could be
pregnant. And the sooner it got to Brisse's time, the more it hurt.

Family
********

Lenna and B`rand were two of the earliest to arrive. She spotted Farr'in
just as soon as they entered the hall and made a bee-line towards him,
wrapping her arms around him and letting him know just how much she had
missed him. 

Farr'in hugged her back and ruffled her hair, then held his hand out to
greet B`rand. Lenna saw the wink pass between them, but before she could say
anything about it, he turned and introduced her to the woman with him.

"Lenna, B`rand, this is Meena, rider of Vonn, and the alpha Wingleader in
Norwall," he said, not knowing his face lit up when he spoke the woman's
name. "And this little guy is Demee, her son."

"It was nice that you could make the trip with Farr'in to help celebrate our
parents special day," Lenna smiled warmly as she gave the woman a brief hug.
"And I'll bet my big brother here already has you learning how to wash that
big brown lump he calls a dragon." She said bending down to talk to Demee.

"Wash Tergath!! Oh Unk Farr'in can I !!!" the boy turned with excitement in
his eyes to look up at the stocky man standing there beside his mama. "I do
a good job. I would!!"

That set all the adults to laughing and Demee joined in cause he thought
they were funny. 

The twins, Arly and Leyean showed up just then and asked if they could take
Demee to meet some of the other children living in the Cleft. 

Meena looked quickly up at Farr'in who nodded is head. 

"They'll take care of him and see he doesn't get into anything that could
harm him." he assured her, so she gave the twins permission and watched them
lead him off. 

"Hey there's Dani," Farr'in's grin widen as he caught sight of Dan'yar and
Brisse who had just entered the hall. Then he frowned slightly when he
caught a good look at the young queenrider. "Is Brisse near her time? She's
not looking so good right now."

Lenna turned away, a frown appearing on her face. It was B`rand who spoke up.

"She's been working real hard around here to help get things back to normal
after the wraith attack a few days ago. You'd be proud of how well she's
been doing. She's come a long way since joining with Tymor."

"I'm sure all the attention Dani's been paying to her hasn't hurt much,"
Farr'in joked, noticing the look on his sister's face and reminding himself
to talk to him mother about it later. He hoped the two of them, Lenna and
B`rand weren't having any problems. 

"Well I think I'll go say hi to them," he said and looked down at Meena
asking if she'd like to join him. 

A commotion started before they got there and people began rushing in the
same direction. 

Farr'in heard someone yell *Get a healer* and quicken his pace to find out
what had happened. 

{{TAG: Lyn!!! It's your show now :)}}


---------------------  

Kris Gant from Norwall will be joining us for the next story line while
Farr'in is back home in the Cleft....I'll see that all post dealing with her
are bounced to her so she's not over filled with post ;)

****Submitted by: *******

Barbara:

>From Cleft Warren 
Lenna & Blanchie
Lonnie & Meritanth
Dan'yar & Shinner
The twins; Arly & Leyean
Turner (the smith) 
Danki
Yarik
Thina

>From Norwall Warren 
Farr'in & Tergath.