Renata
(just after speaking with Cynthia)

     Balancing herself carefully on the crutch to keep the weight off her
injured leg, Renata hobbled out of the dining hall.  *Vega, we're going!* she
told her dragon.  *Are you ready?*

      Vega replied.  <It will feel good to fight wraiths again!>

     *That it will, love, that it will!* Renata agreed.  She hardly dared hope
that what they were about to do would benefit her in the long run, but she
*had* to do something!  She was a dragonrider...and perhaps if she was able to
do the things a dragonrider did, she would feel less like...like a rogue.  

     Her first priority, however, was to find C'aranth.  She hadn't been
around when he'd gotten in that silly fight with Andahar earlier, and was
tempted to take him to task over it...but then again, she decided it would
probably do no good.  C'aranth was C'aranth, and would always do as his sense
of honor told him.   Just as she had, when her honor required her to seek her
own justice against her father's murderer.  But later, she'd let her honor go
by the wayside...had she not, she would not now be plagued by her memories of
Jhezrael, and of Khazeen.

     She found C'aranth on the green.  The look in his eyes told her that he
had already guessed what she was going to tell him.

     "You are going to Geode," he said.  It was a statement, not a question.

     "I must," she said.  "You know why."

     He shook his head.  "There are other ways, Renata.  I do...I do not want
to lose you."

     "When we met out on the road the other night, you told me I had lost my
honor," she reminded him.  "You were right.  Perhaps in this way I can find it
again."

     Another man might have protested her words, but not C'aranth.  He just
nodded silently.  "I understand," he said softly.  "You must do this, just as
I must find Zelandreth and put an end to her."

     She stepped closer so that she could put her arms around him, letting the
crutch rest against her side while leaning her weight against him.  He took
her in his strong arms and held her close.  "But I say this to you as well,"
he said.  "You must survive...and return here."

     "I will," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.  "I promise.  But
C'aranth...will you still be here when I do?"

     She tightened her embrace, resting her head against his chest, knowing
that she had to ask, but knowing as well that he could not make that promise.
Like her, he went wherever his sense of duty required.

* * * * * * * *
Trissana
(upper green)

     Triss stood sadly watching the empty sky where the wing had been moments
before, wishing she could have gone along.  She had hardly distinguished
herself at Jhezrael, and had briefly hoped that today would be her opportunity
to redeem herself.  But it was not to be, and now all she could do was sit
here with the queens and the hatchlings and feel useless.

     Just then, she felt something poking her...something small, but very
insistent.  She craned her neck around, and saw a small brown hatchling
nudging her repeatedly with her nose.

     <Well, little one, who are you?> she asked.  She hadn't had the time to
properly meet all of the new hatchlings, and didn't remember seeing this one
before.

     But the hatchling didn't answer.  Instead, she projected a feeling of
hunger at Triss, and then once again commenced butting the bigger dragon with
her nose.

     Triss gave the hatchling a return-nudge, which made the hatchling lose
her balance and and fall back onto her tail.  Triss laughed softly.  <Little
one, why do you not have your rider feed you?> she asked.

     She turned her attention back to the sky for a moment, but then was
surprised to feel a set of small teeth clamp down onto her tail.  <Hey!> she
said, lifting her tail up over her back, bringing the hatchling with it as she
held on with her teeth.  Triss brought her tail up far enough that the
hatchling was dangling right over her head.

     <Now, little one, what is this business?> she demanded, glaring up at the
little creature, and giving the tip of her tail a shake for emphasis.

     "Grr," the hatchling replied through clenched teeth.

     <Syren,> Triss said, exasperated, 

     <Of course I did,> Syren replied.  <Why would you think I did not?>

     <Well, apparently one of your latest clutch was not listening,> Triss
replied, and quickly explained the situation to the queen.

     <Oh, I see, you have met Eness,> Syren said.  <Trissana, you must be
patient with this one...she is a bit...well, slow...>  

     <Oh...> Triss said, as soon as she understood the queen's meaning.
<Well, then perhaps I had better find her rider.>

     <She doesn't have one. I have already tried to speak to her egg-sister
Ivee, but she is asleep,> Syren said.

     <Her rider, who can speak to us also, is asleep too,> said Tymor, joining
in the discussion.    

     <Yes, definitely,> Syren agreed.  <It is not safe for her to be out and
about by herself.  She could easily wander out of the warren and become lost.>

     Triss reluctantly agreed, and proceeded to detach the little hatchling
from her tail.  <So, you are hungry, are you?> Triss asked, then realized that
the hatchling didn't understand her.  Instead, she projected a feeling of
hunger back at her, and saw the little creature's eyes widen with excitement.

     <All right, follow me,> Triss told her.  It quickly became apparent that
Eness couldn't keep up with Trissana's much longer strides, so she slid her
tail underneath the hatchling and lifted her up with it.  Eness hung on,
nervous at first, but then clearly enjoying this new experience.

     Triss knew that Eness wasn't ready to eat anything but small scraps of
meat, smaller scraps than Triss could conveniently cut loose from a carcass
with her claws....but fortunately, she knew just where to get the type of meat
she needed.  When she'd been a hatchling herself, scarcely larger than Eness,
her rider had let her come into the place where riders ate...and she
remembered that humans always had their meat cut into little bite-sized
chunks, just right for a hatchling...

     <Trissana,> Tymor said warningly, 

     <Well, I am a bit short on ideas at the moment,> Triss admitted.  <If you
have any other suggestions...>

     <Take her back to Ivee and her rider,> Tymor told her.  

     <Oh...all right,> Triss replied, wondering why her dam would wish for her
to come and see her in person.  She must be in some sort of trouble, though
she couldn't imagine what for.

     The pearl dragon changed her course, and soon stood outside of Ankara's
apartment.  Lowering little Eness to the ground, she gave the dragonet a
gentle shove inside, then poked her head in through the entrance.  Eness
waddled over and began to nudge Ankara once again, but the girl remained
asleep.  Triss decided that she needed some help.

     Sleeping through a hatchling's nudgings was one thing, but doing so when
the nudger is an 80-foot dragon was another.  Triss bumped Ankara with her
nose, and the girl went sprawling onto the floor.

     <Excuse me,> she said, as Ankara shook her head groggily and looked up at
her with surprise.  Nearby, Ivee also began to stir from sleep. <But someone
is hungry.>

(Tag Gabby...dragons make wonderful alarm clocks, don't they? :)

* * * * * * * *
Trevor
(at Amberylle's tea party)

     Trevor listened intently as Cynthia and Amberylle talked...well, as
intently as he could, while trying to balance that darned teacup on his knee.
It seemed like it would be much easier if they'd just sit around a table,
where they'd have a proper place to put them...

     "Lady Amberylle," he said, trying to look at her and keep one corner of
his eye on the treacherous cup and saucer at the same time, "you say your
husband believes that the Nomadlands are ripe.  Ripe for what?"  This seemed
like a safer subject than family and children, which was where the
conversation had begun to drift.

     Amberylle sipped her tea.  "You would have to speak to my husband about
that," she demurred.

     Trevor picked up his own cup, casting a sideways glance at Cynthia.  He
could tell that she, too, understood what this was all about.  "Does it have
anything to do with colonization, perhaps?  Exploitation of a largely
uninhabited land?"

     Amberylle smiled slightly.  "As I say, Lord Vorbis often keeps his
thoughts on such things to himself.  But would it be surprising if he did have
that in mind?"

     "No, I suppose not," Cynthia admitted.  "But has Lord Vorbis given
consideration to the problem of wraiths?"

     "I suppose he must have," Amberylle replied evasively.  "But now that
your warren is here, they should present no problem, I should think."

     "Depends on how many of you there are," Trevor said.  "And where you
decide to take up residence."

     "I'm sure that Trevor could be of assistance to your husband in making
such a decision," Cynthia said.  "The Nomadlands are not a place to be
travelled lightly, and certainly not by people who aren't familiar with them."

     Amberylle nodded.  "You have explored these lands, then?"

     "Yes, at least in part," Trevor said.  "And I think that they may be a
bit different from what your husband expects them to be."

     Cynthia smiled.  "Lady Amberylle, after hearing what you've said about
Lord Vorbis, I think we'd all be very interested in meeting him.  Perhaps he
would like to pay a visit to our warren?"

     Trevor finished his tea, and set the cup and saucer down with
considerable relief. He, too, was interested in meeting Lord Vorbis.  As
Amberylle described him, he sounded like a fascinating person...but also a
potentially dangerous one.  He hadn't missed Amberylle's use of the word
"designs" to describe Vorbis' plans for the Nomadlands...and he knew that
Cynthia hadn't either. 

    When Trevor himself had first arrived here, he'd seen himself as being the
first in a wave of settlers from the DragonLands...and it hadn't just been his
becoming a dragonrider that had changed his mind on that score.  He'd learned
things about these lands, and the people who lived in them.  And the most
important thing he'd learned was that the Nomadlands would *never* become a
smaller copy of the DragonLands, with towns and farms dotting the countryside.
The same conditions which had forced the Nomads' way of life upon them would
prevent it.  He wondered if Lord Vorbis and his people understood that.

    "I would even be willing to go and pick him up, if you'd like," he said. 

(Tag Darren - I figured that Trevor would save the serious discussions for
Vorbis himself.  As I read the timeline, Trevor would have plenty of time to
go out and either speak to Vorbis or bring him back to Cleft, before escorting
Brisse to Keldarra.)

* * * * * * * * 

Trissana
(In Tymor's quarters)

     Triss found Tymor reclining on her huge bed, and was surprised when her
dam invited her to cuddle up alongside her.  As soon as she'd done so, Tymor
curled herself around her daughter.  Large as she was, Tymor was so much
bigger that Triss still felt like a small hatchling around her.

     <Trissana, I need you to do something important for me,> Tymor said.

     <What is that?> Triss asked.

      the queen replied.  <And I need you to be my escort to Keldarra Warren.>

     <Leaving?> Triss asked, shocked.  <Mother, you can't...>

      Tymor told her.   She quickly explained to Trissana that she might, by
now, have outgrown the Empress herself...and if so, Tymor would be the new
Empress and her rider the Dragonlady at Keldarra Warren.

     Triss couldn't believe it.  Her mother was leaving her?   she said sadly.

     <Nor do I wish to go, but I must,> Tymor said.

     Triss made a sudden decision.  <Then I want to go with you, to this
Keldarra place!> she insisted.

     This took Tymor by surprise.  <Why, my little hatchling?  Are you not
happy here?>

      Triss said.  <Perhaps at this new place you are going to, I would be.>

     Tymor placed a gentle claw under Trissana's chin, forcing her to look up
into her eyes.  <And just why would you think you are not needed here, may I
ask?>

     Triss sighed.  <Well...because...>

     <Because you were not allowed to go along to the battle?  Trissana, you
know that it is not because no one thinks you are not capable of fighting
wraiths...but your clutchmates have trained constantly with the wing since
they began flying...you have not.  You were not allowed to go because everyone
here loves you too much to allow you to sacrifice yourself needlessly.>

     Triss just sighed.   she told her dam.

     <You are being very hard on yourself,> Tymor admonished her.  <You would
be more understanding of any other dragon.  Trissana, you don't really want to
leave here, do you?  I do not wish to leave, because it hurts my rider to
leave Shinner's rider...and because you, and my other hatchlings are here.
Would it not hurt your rider to leave Syren's rider?  And all of your friends
are here...would you really want to leave Syren, or that cute Bohoc?>  She
gave her daughter a playful nudge for emphasis at the mention of Bohoc's name.
<One day...not too far off now, I think...you will fly to mate for the first
time, and wouldn't you rather be won by a dragon that you know?>

     Trissana's eyes opened wide in alarm.  <Mother, no...I can't do that...I
won't...*mate*...with another dragon!>

     Tymor's eyes narrowed in thought, and the queen drew her daughter more
closely against her.  <So, that is really what this is all about, isn't it?>
she asked.  <You have been hurting over what Rashevon did to you, just like
Vonn is...and like her, you are keeping your pain to yourself and refusing to
let others help you get over it.  You think that leaving here, and going to a
place where none of the dragons know you, would make the pain go away.>

     <Well...yes...I suppose...>

     <Have you spoken to your rider about this?> Tymor asked.  

     Triss shivered.  <No...how could I?  It is not something that one can
just...*talk* about.>

     Tymor shook her great head.  <My little hatchling, I cannot pretend that
I fully understand how you feel...but you must put this behind you.
Otherwise, when your time to mate comes...>

     <It won't come,> Triss said with grim determination.  

     <It is not a matter of *hurting,* Trissana!> Tymor protested.  <It is a
natural thing, as that other...incident...was not.  The male who catches you
would mate with you only on your consent...>

      Triss cried, shivering.

     <Not even with a dragon you have known all your life?> Tymor suggested,
while concealing the fear that was beginning to grow as a result of her
daughter's words.

     <They would not do that to me,> Triss said with utter conviction.

     Tymor rolled her eyes.  <Oh, my sweet little hatchling,> she said,
pressing her cheek against her daughter's,   She knew she would have to tell
Syren about this before she departed, and just hope that the senior queen
could figure out a way to deal with this problem.

* * * * * * * *
Trevor
(Keldarra Warren, early evening)

     Trevor couldn't repress a grin as the two dragons came out of teleport,
and glided in toward the immense bowl of Keldarra Warren.  He'd spent most of
his life here, and had thought he'd never see it again.  *This is where I grew
up,* he told his dragon.  *What do you think of it?*

     Trissana stared wide-eyed at the great warren as it loomed ever larger
before them.   she said, awed.  <It is so...so...>

     Trevor patted the pearly scales on her neck.  *So magnificent?* he
suggested.  *So impressive?*

     Triss turned her head a bit to fix one eye on her rider.  <So...so
*round!*> she said.  <Why would anyone build a warren with such a shape?>

     Trevor wanted to laugh, but held himself back.  *You're right, Cupcake, I
guess I never thought of it that way before,* he told her.  Naturally, she
would assume that all other warrens would look like Cleft.

The two landed.  Trevor slid off Trissana and helped her down and then
helped her to unbuckle Kyrran from his carrier.

"Are you going to be okay?  Do you need me to stay?"

She shook her head.  "I'm fine.  Tymor has told Kaeryth to tell Christalla
that we're here.  I'm sure we'll be settled in no time."

"Okay..." he said uncertainly.

She smiled at him, then impulsively hugged him.  "Goodbye, Trevor.  You be
good to Cynthia, okay?"

"I will," he promised, as he watched Trissana and Tymor touch noses in
farewell to one another.

Then he climbed back on Trissana and was gone.

     As Triss climbed steadily into the air, Trevor's eyes were still glued on
Keldarra.  His old home...and yet, it had never really been his home, because
of the sort of person he'd been while he was here.  He'd never really made any
friends here, never been close to anyone, because he'd felt compelled to avoid
all human contacts.  He'd thought briefly of remaining here awhile, but
decided against it.  Perhaps another time...but with Cleft mostly empty of
riders and dragons, now was not the time.  He needed to get back to Cynthia.

     He could still make out Tymor's immense form within the warren, and could
just barely see Brisse standing alongside her.  He hoped she'd be happy
here...at least he knew that the people of Keldarra would make her welcome.
Still, he felt badly for her...and for Dan'yar, who'd had to make such a
terribly hard decision in remaining at Cleft for the sake of his family.
Life, it seemed, was never quite a win-win situation.  With any choice, you
had to take the bad with the good.

     *Let's go, Cupcake,* he told Triss.  A moment later, the pearl dragon
teleported.
    
* * * * * * * *
(Later, back at Cleft)

     Trevor had been back only a short time when Cynthia returned to the
apartment.  Trevor had used the time to give Trissana a good oiling, and had
just started to work on Syren.  "It's amazing," he said, as she walked in, how
much these dragons can convey just by *looking* at a person."

     "Oh?" Cynthia asked, smiling.

     Trevor nodded.  "Yup.  Syren positively *glared* at me the whole time I
was oiling Triss...I think she felt I should have done her first, her being
the queen and all."

     "Well, let me change and I'll give you a hand," she told him.  But Trevor
saw from the look on her face that she was worried.

     "You're thinking of the wing, at Geode," he said, wiping the oil from his
hands before laying them on her shoulders.

     "Yes, she admitted.  "In a way, I feel as though I shouldn't have sent
our people and dragons to fight in some far-off place, and yet...I had to.
Cleft is here only because other warrens were willing to take the risk of
committing their riders and dragons to protect the Nomads.  How could I do any
less now that an entire warren is threatened?"

     "You couldn't," he said firmly, then decided to try and take her mind off
the problem for awhile.  "Cynthia, we've got something else to think about,"
he announced.

     She stopped and turned.  "Oh?"

     "Yes," he said sadly.  "I was trying to think of a *wonderful* place to
take you for a few days after our, ah, ceremony.  I had all sorts of ideas,
you know.  But after I'd dropped Brisse off, I had a very disturbing thought."

     "That with Brisse gone, there's no one to run this place during the time
I'd be gone," she said.  "Yes, that occurred to me too."

     Trevor sighed.  "We do have Isara," he said dubiously.

     Cynthia made a face.  "Yes, Isara...who can't read, write, or speak our
language, who has no conception of our laws or customs, who's never lived a
day in a warren - unless you'd consider that horrible Jhezrael a warren..."

     "I wouldn't," he said.

     "And who's going to be hard pressed now just to learn to feed and take
care of her new queen," Cynthia finished.  "She's not anywhere near ready to
take over the warren...you know how hard it is just to deal with the
paperwork.  Remember the day I got busy with other things and I had you mind
the office?  I told you to keep my in-box moving..."

     "Well, I did," he said.  "I moved it under the desk, I moved it into the
filing cabinet, I even tried hiding it under the rug, and more paper *still*
kept finding its way into the darned thing!"

     They both laughed at that, but then Cynthia turned serious.  "I think
we'll have to delay any long trips...but that doesn't mean we have to delay
the ceremony, does it?"

     "No...let's do that as soon as we can," he said.   "I'll give you an IOU
on the trip, though...as soon as we can get Isara worked up to fill in as
acting warrenlady for a few days.  But we're going to need to start the
process pretty quickly now."

     She leaned in toward him, and they kissed.  "Well, look at it this way,"
she said.  "I did just get back from a trip, to visit your family at Jhezrael.
Now I know why some people avoid visits from their mates' families..."

     Trevor's eyes widened.  "Oooh, you!" he said, in mock indignation.
Cynthia laughed and raced back into the apartment, with Trevor in hot pursuit.

(Alton - over to you)

NRPG: I couldn't do everything I wanted in this one, as it was getting a bit
lengthy.  I need to write something with both Kellie and Feysal, but I'll do
that next time around.

Submitted by:

John

Trevor & Trissana
Cleft Warren


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