Khazeen
(somewhere south of Cleft, evening, Day 8)

     All was now in readiness.  Nine wild dragons crouched in concealment
beneath small groves of trees that dotted the course of a winding stream, or
lay beneath rocky overhangs that would conceal them from the eyes of any
patrols that might chance to fly overhead.  The four Nomads that Khazeen had
handpicked for this mission  - Feysal, Idran, Madur, and Analt - stood nearby.
In true Nomad fashion, they betrayed little of the nervousness that they must
have secretly felt about their impending mission into the stronghold of the
enemy.

     The great padded-leather sacks that would be strapped to Shamir's back
and flanks were ready - only the dragon himself was missing.  Shortly after
their arrival here, the great beast had demanded that he be allowed to go and
hunt...and Khazeen, anxious that the creature not be in one of his "balky"
moods at so important a time, had reluctantly agreed.  After all, they had
time...they would not begin their operation until well after midnight, when
the warren's inhabitants would be rolled up into their beds, and that was
still some hours away.  And Khazeen knew that he could always summon the
dragon back if he stayed away too long.

     He had sent one of Zelandreth's wilders ahead, to fly a reconnaisance
mission in the vicinity of Cleft Warren - the dragon would report directly
back to him on any unusual activities there that might require him to alter
his plans.  And even if the dragon were seen by Cleft's partols, it would not
matter - no one would think it *too*  unusual to see a lone wilder about.

     For reasons of caution, he had decided not to include any joined dragon-
rider pairs in this operation.  That way, if anything went wrong, the only
ones who might be caught were the Nomads - who would not talk easily if
questioned, and in any case could not divulge anything that his enemies would
find of value.  The woman Ankara that he'd sent back to the warren knew almost
as much as any of them did.

     If all went as planned, he wouldn't even need his wilders to
intervene...Shamir would be in - and, with or without the expendable Nomads,
out - before an alarm could be raised and a pursuit mounted.  They were here
only to create a diversion in case things went wrong.

     He did, though, still have one nagging worry - where was Renata?  She
should, he thought, have completed her mission by now and returned to
Jhezrael.  Perhaps the swordsman had somehow managed to kill her...well, he
could live with that, though he'd hoped that proof of the man's death would
have helped to mollify Zelandreth somewhat.  For now, at least, the testy
queen's cooperation was vital to his plans.

     He'd instructed his scout to be alert for any signs that her dragon,
Vega, was inside Cleft Warren.  If so, he was to report back to Khazeen at
once - for it would mean that Renata had been either captured, or - even worse
- defected to the other side.  He hadn't told Renata what he was planning for
tonight, of course, so the raid would go forward as planned.  But if Renata
were at Cleft, it would mean that the moment he returned, Jhezrael would have
to be evacuated.  

     But for the moment, all he could do was wait.

* * * * * * * *
Trevor
(same time)

     They came out of teleport just a short distance above the ground, so
close that Triss had to come to a running stop despite her furious
backwinging.  But at least they were alive, and Trevor knew just how close
they'd come to a much worse outcome after that missed teleport.  For a moment,
the dragon and her two passengers did nothing but remain still, taking deep
breaths to clear their heads and settle their stomachs.

      "If *that's* what teleporting is like, I'll leave it to you riders,"
Nikol said after a moment.  "It felt like...like being turned inside out."

     Trevor nodded, trying to get rid of the feeling of nausea that plagued
him.  Nikol's description of what that teleport had felt like matched his own
impressions.  "That wasn't a normal teleport," he said.  "I shouldn't have
told her to go...Triss was too tired, and she couldn't hold the image of where
we were supposed to be going.  The image of this place just sort of came into
my mind, and she used it to get us out."  He decided not to go into details of
what could have happened.  Teleport accidents, more often than not, were one-
way trips into oblivion.  His own brother, along with his dragon, had died
that way almost fifteen years ago.

     *Triss, are you okay?* he asked, gently stroking the still-quivering neck
beneath him.

    <Yes...I think so,> she said.  <I am so sorry, my rider...I nearly killed
all of us.>

     *No, I did,* he told her, as he dismounted and gave Nikol a hand down.
*You got us out of it!*

     Silently, he cursed himself.  How many times had J'errid and Qedhar
warned the trainees against overtaxing their young dragons with too many
teleports?  M'yer had certainly suspected that there might be a problem, and
had made a point of asking Trevor about it.  And Trevor, like the idiot he
was, had ignored him!  Well, he was at least determined that Triss should not
blame herself for his faulty judgement.  He came around so she could rest her
nose against his chest..  *It was all my fault,* he told her, stroking her
gently.  *I knew how tired you were, and shouldn't have asked you to go any
farther.*

     Triss closed her eyes and turned her head to gently rest her cheek
against Trevor's chest.  <No, my rider...I knew that as well, but thought I
could do what you asked.  I just wanted to help Blanchie...and to make you
proud of me...>

     *I'm proud of you for being exactly what you are!*  Trevor told
her.*You're the most wonderful dragon that ever lived...and you do NOT need to
risk your life to prove it to me, do you understand?" 

     <Yes, my rider,> she said softly.  They stayed like this for several
seconds, until he heard Nikol politely cough to get his attention.  He quickly
disengaged himself from Triss, knowing how odd this would look to anyone who
wasn't a rider.

     "Begging your pardon," said Nikol. "I don't mean to bother you,
but...will we be returning to Cleft now?"

     Trevor's eyes opened wide...CLEFT!  By now, P'ker and M'yer knew that the
three of them were missing...and if he'd been them, the first thing he'd have
done was go back to the warren to see if they'd ended up there by mistake.  If
they hadn't already done so, they certainly would soon!  And that meant...

     "We're going right now!" he told the blaster.  He dashed around the
dragon, intending to leap up onto her saddle, but Triss quickly stood up to
prevent him.  *Hey, lie down again!  I can't get up there when you're
standing!  We've got to go now!*

     <No, my rider,> the dragon replied sadly but firmly.

     Trevor blinked in surprise...Triss had *never* openly disobeyed him!
*This is no time for joking!* he told her, becoming frantic.  *My mother will
think we're dead!  CYNTHIA will think we're dead!  We have to get back to
Cleft!*

     Triss hung her head, but made no move to lie down again.  <My rider, we
nearly died a few minutes ago because I was too tired to teleport properly.  I
am even more tired now, and know that I could not get us there.  I would give
my life for you, you know this...but I cannot risk yours! I need to rest for
awhile, and eat...then I will return you to the warren.>

     Trevor clenched his fists in frustration.  She was right, of course...but
he could just imagine Cynthia's reaction when M'yer or P'ker told her that he
and Triss had come out of teleport with them...!

     <I am so very sorry, my rider,> Triss said, bowing her head to touch her
nose to his shoulder.  <But better this than to make her fears come true!>

     Trevor nodded, sitting down dejectedly.   "Looks like we're not going
anywhere for awhile," he told Nikol.  "We may as well make ourselves
comfortable."  

     Nikol looked around him.  "Do you know where we are?" he asked.

     Trevor, too, looked around, deciding that he needed something to distract
him.  He'd pulled the image of this place almost at random from his mind, the
first one that came into his head.  It took him a few seconds to relate their
surroundings to what he'd mapped.  "We're in the Nomadlands," he said, "nearly
100  miles south of the warren."  Well, that ended the other idea he'd been
considering, asking Triss to simply fly them straight to Cleft without
teleporting.  They'd get there more quickly just by giving the dragon the
short rest she needed to teleport.

    "Will someone come looking for us, then?" Nikol asked.

     "Maybe," Trevor answered.  "P'ker and M'yer know by now that we didn't
come out of teleport with them, and they'll probably try to search for us.
But the spot they'd have gone to is about a hundred miles west of Cleft and
just a little south, so they're a long way from us."  

     "In other words, we wait then," Nikol decided.  He began looking around
for kindling to start a fire, and after a moment Trevor went to help him.
Soon, with Trissana's help, they had a small fire going.  The dragon asked if
she could be allowed to fly a short distance away to hunt, and Trevor, knowing
she needed to eat, reluctantly gave his consent after warning her not to go
too far.  She spread her wings and took off, and was quickly lost to view.
Trevor and Nikol sat down on either side of the fire to wait.

     "I saw what you did in the hatching cavern," Trevor said, desperate for
any diversion to keep him from having to think of Cynthia pacing the floor
worrying about him.  "You do very good work.  I draw maps myself."

(Mike - feel free to fill in some conversation here...Trevor doesn't mind
answering any questions Nikol may have, and may venture some himself...but
he's a bit distracted right now)


* * * * * * * *
Khazeen

     The wilder scout reappeared overhead, and Khazeen immediately questioned
the beast while it circled overhead.  *Was there any sign of Vega?* he
demanded.

     <I did not sense that one,> the wilder responded.

     *Very good.  Did you observe anything unusual?* 

     <A dragon flew in while I watched.  Apparently, one of their dragons is
missing.>

     Khazeen considered this.  A missing dragon and rider might disrupt the
warren's usual routine, and make them more watchful...but it could also cause
them to weaken the warren's defences by sending out searchers.  The wilder
could give him no additional information, so he decided not to alter his
plans.  After sending the dragon back to observe further, he motioned for
Feysal to attend him.

     He'd chosen Feysal to lead the Nomads on this mission, mainly because
he'd shown such unswerving enthusiasm in his service to Khazeen during his
short time at Jhezrael.  In reality, it would be Khezaan himself - through
Shamir - who would still lead.  But since Shamir could not communicate
Khezaan's orders directly, the Lord of the Nomadlands had worked out a series
of signals that the dragon *could* give that would allow him to communicate
his commands.  He had personally drilled the boy until he could repeat them by
rote...and now he went through them one more time to ensure that things would
go smoothly.

     Shamir still hadn't returned, and Khezaan was beginning to get annoyed by
his continued absence.

** * * * * * * *
Trissana

      Just over a low ridge from where her rider and the other human were,
Triss found a likely place to acquire her dinner.  She'd learned that at
night, animals tended to avoid the open plains and seek cover.  And this, she
thought, as she looked below her, was just the place - clumps of scraggly
trees on either side of a small stream, with odd rock formations scattered
about...even a couple of small caves, she noticed.   She landed and quickly
began to hunt.

     It didn't take her long to find a few small animals.  Not a good sized
meal for a dragon, but at least enough to take the edge off her hunger and
make her feel better.  After she'd finished eating, she walked over to the
stream and dipped her muzzle in it to drink.

     She was happy that her rider had not blamed her for what had happened,
but she still felt disappointed in herself.  He was so sad that he could not
return home to reassure Syren's rider...and she blamed herself for not being
able to do what he wished.  Right now, she felt like nothing more than
throwing her head back and roaring with frustration!  

     Trissana knew her rider loved her and cared for her, just as she did
him...and he had told her that becoming a dragonrider had been his greatest
desire.  But she also felt that she was hardly the dragon he had really
expected or wanted to join with.  In her own mind, she felt that she *did*
need to prove herself to him, whatever he might say to the contrary!  Not just
that she could do anything for him that a male dragon could...she had to be
even *better* than that to make up for the difficulties she knew their
crossjoining would always present for him.        

     Behind her, she heard a crackle of something stepping on dry brush.
Thinking that perhaps another animal - maybe a larger one - had conveniently
come along to become part of her dinner, she raised her head and turned around
to look.  

    To her surprise, she found herself looking at another dragon.  Startled by
the unexpected encounter, she quickly turned fully around to face the
newcomer.  <Hello,> she told the newcomer, deciding to open the encounter on a
friendly note.  <I'm Trissana.  Who are you?>

     The other dragon didn't reply, just continued to look at her through eyes
that reminded her of glowing embers.  The newcomer was completely black, just
like Rook or Adrian...but much bigger, even bigger than she was.  But the
strangest thing of all was that she hadn't sensed him before...even now she
was receiving nothing from his mind.

     She wondered who this could be...she knew he was not a Cleft dragon, but
he seemed awfully large for a wilder.  At least, she decided, he didn't seem
hostile; had he meant to attack her, he'd have done so at once.  Perhaps, she
thought, he was from the place that Garoth came from.  <Do you know Garoth?>
she asked.  Still he did not answer, just cocked his head and stared
questioningly at her.   She began to suspect that for some reason he either
couldn't hear or understand her.

     The black dragon dipped his head so it was lower than hers - a sign that
he was not hostile, as she took it - and very slowly approached her.  The
strange dragon made her uneasy...but she reminded herself that she too was a
dragon, and could handle herself.  He raised his muzzle to touch noses with
her, a gesture of greeting.  She responded, bringing her own head down a
bit...and suddenly felt teeth fastening themselves onto her throat.

* * * * * * * *
Khazeen

     The Lord of the Nomadlands gasped when his dragon's mind suddenly
impinged on his.  He was just finishing his last-minute instructions with
Feysal when Shamir's thoughts washed over him like a
wave...aggression...possiveness...lust...

     Damn it!  he swore silently.  What a time for that damned beast to find
some wilder to jump on!  There was no time for this!  *Enough!* he shouted
through the link.  *Come back here - at once!*

     >Sshe iss mine!!< came the reply, angry and defiant.

     *You WILL obey me, damn you!!* Khazeen thundered.  But Shamir resisted
stubbornly, and thus began another titanic struggle of wills between dragon
and rider....

* * * * * * * *
Trissana

     She was able to break away before the black dragon had gotten a firm hold
on her throat, but had managed to stagger back only a few steps before he was
on her, slamming against her with his heavy weight and bearing them both to
the ground.  She could tell at once that he was much stronger than she was,
but his larger size might make him slower in the air.  If she could only get
away from him long enough to get airborne...

     She tried to twist away, but his claws were already hooked into the
straps of her saddle and he gave a furious yank to pull her back.  Triss
instinctively pulled away and the straps parted, ripping the saddle right off
of her.  Her eyes widened as she stared at what was left of her prized
possession, and she was suddenly filled with anger...the big dragon would pay
for what he'd done to her new saddle!

     She sprang at him, claws outstretched, and landed atop him.  But the
larger black dragon simply rolled with her, landing her onto her back with
himself atop her.  Again his teeth clamped onto her neck.  When she tried to
twist away again, he simply increased the pressure from his jaws until she
couldn't breathe.

     Her head began to swim from lack of air.  She was only dimly aware of the
other dragon forcing her over onto her belly, and then feeling his massive
weight settling onto her.

* * * * * * * * 
Trevor

     Trevor looked up from the fire, thinking he had heard something.  Perhaps
Nikol was returning...after they'd talked for awhile, the blaster had decided
to walk to the top of the nearby ridge to see if he could see anything from
there.  Trevor doubted it...other than some woods and rocks, and a small
stream on the other side, there was nothing as far as the eye could see - even
in daylight - except endless plains.  He'd taken his odd lance with him, the
one that he'd said would produce fire from its end if lit, saying that it
might come in useful to signal for help.

     Trevor lapsed into a glum reverie, knowing that by now Cynthia must
certainly have been told that he was missing.  He couldn't bear the thought of
her worrying about him...

     And then it hit him...thoughts of anger, outrage, and fear...Trissana!!
Something had happened to her!!!

     He sprang up from the fire, drawing his sword as he ran with desperate
speed in the direction his dragon had gone.  *Triss!!* he cried.  *I'm
coming!!*        

NRPG: Triss is in *big* trouble -  can anybody help her? 
       Mike - will Nikol see this from the ridge and try to  distract Shamir,
or think of some way to drive him off?  I structured the terrain there so that
Nikol wouldn't have to face him in the open - he's ten times worse than Vega! 
      Arlene, Barb - might Andahar and Far'rin be returning from their search,
and just happen to be passing somewhere close-by? I doubt Bohoc would take
kindly to what Shamir is doing to his new friend!  A single dragon couldn't
back him off, but two might...

Three things: 1) Whatever happens, Shamir will not stay long...his master is
calling...the only question is how much harm he will do before he goes...
2)Trevor will not arrive on the scene until after Shamir has gone - trust me,
I have my obscure reasons for this! and 3) I need Shamir in one piece for the
big post Alton mentioned in his NRPG, so whoever posts on this one, please
leave him reasonably intact! :)

All - OK, I'm done for now, and will step back to let others get a word in
edgewise... :) 


Submitted by:

John

Trevor & Trissana, Cleft Warren
Kellie & Varie, Cleft Warren
Khazeen & Shamir, Jhezrael




</PRE></HTML>