(NRPG: Sorry this is a bit Katrina oriented, but I had to get her family off
from the Cleft and throw in something about what she decided to do about
her brother and father, since I left off with them in my last post).

-----------------------------
Scene: Cleft
Time: Afternoon after the wraith attacks.

 Katrina and Azure had come away from fight with the wraith's with only
a few singes but no serious injuries. There had of course been that
close call with the wraith that came up unnoticed from behind. But
thankfully the intervention by other riders, and by Rook and B'rand
Azure and Katrina had not been seriously injuried.

 <How is Rook feeling Azure>, sent Katrina?

 <Blanchie said he is fine, but he is grumpy and being a pain. The poor
fellow is also a bit embarrassed as well>.

<Poor Rook, and poor B'rand to have to deal with Rook. I wish them
well>, sent Katrina.

 <Ah, Rook will get over it. But you know, I think he enjoys being
difficult>, replied Azure. Katrina grinned at that comment.

 Katrina headed over to where her family was preparing to leave. Now that
the waiths had been taken care, Katrina's family, and many others who had
come to the Warren for the hatching via other modes of transportaion
besides dragonback, were finally able to get on their way. As Katrina
headed for
her parent's wagon, Seth saw her and ran over. As her brother ran towards
her Katrina thought about what Azure told her about the boy having a trace
of affinity.

 Katrina looked over at her father. He was loading the wagon, but
stopped long enough to see Seth head in Katrina's direction. Katrina
bit her lip, saw her dad's cool look at her, and she knew she couldn't
do it-she couldn't tell her brother about his affinity. As a matter of
fact, Katrina didn't think she could tell any of her family, she knew her
father would be mad and devastated. Samuel Silvera wanted Seth, his only
son, to take over the 'Biz' when he left this world.

 "Hey Kat, you alright," said Seth?

 Katrina started at the sound of her brother's voice, since she didn't
realize he had already made it over to her.

"I'm fine Seth. You all ready to take off?"

 "Yup, ready to be on the road again. By the way, I'm glad you're
alright Kat. I wouldn't want you to be injuried like some of the
other riders and dragons that came back. And that poor dragon that
killed itself-that was sad, and kinda creepy," said Seth.

 "Well that does happen, since the dragon and rider bond is so
strong." At that moment Katrina almost mentioned to Seth about his
affinity, but she held it back. She could almost feel her dad's
eyes on her from the family wagon.

 Katrina did manage to ask,"Seth are you happy helping dad with the 'Biz'?

 "Yes I am. I really like traveling to different places, meeting all
kinds of different people. And I'm getting good at debating prices.
Why do yo ask?"

 Katrina quickly said, "Oh just curious, I just want you to be happy."

 Seth laughed and said,"You sound like mom."

 At Seth's mention of mom, Tess and Serina came over to say their
good-byes to Katrina. Serina took one look at Katrina, still covered
in some soot, and said,"Kat you look disgusting."

 Katrina replied,"Well it is good to see you to little sis."

 Seth found Katrina's comment quite humerous, laughed, brushed some soot
off Katrina onto his hand, and pretended to lunge at his pristine sister.
Serina shouted something like "Don't you dare," and dodged behind Tess.
Tess broke the little show up, told Seth and Serina to say their good-byes
to Katrina, and sent them to see if their father needed anymore help loading.
Tess then turned back to Katrina after she was sure Serina and Seth made
it back to the wagon without further incident.

 "It was great seeing you dear, and the hatching was definetly one I'll
remember for a while. Maybe we will stop by to visit this Summer."

 Tess then paused and looked at her oldest daughter. Katrina had a
distant look in her eyes. Tess thought maybe she was speaking to Azure,
but then she saw Katrina brush the silver patch of hair above her ear and
Tess knew something was wrong.

 "Katrina you looked troubled, what is it?"

 Katrina came out of her distant thoughts and replied,"Nothing I'm fine."

 Tess looked doubtful, smiled and said,"Come now Kat, I wasn't just
hatched. A mother knows when something is amiss with her children. Besides
I caught you brushing that bit of silver of yours, and I know you tend
to do that when your are distressed or nervous."

 Katrina looked at Tess and smiled. Katrina's mother's hair was messed
up a bit from helping load the wagon, and her dark brown eyes, so much
like Katrina's, were filled with concern. Katrina had always felt close
to her mom. That seemed odd though, because there had been a time when
Katrina had been close to her father. But that was so long ago-before
Azure, before Katrina's interest in dragon. It was a time when Katrina
was just a hatchling to use a draconic reference. Back then she had
thought her father was the greatest, but not now. Katrina sighed and
looked at her mother.

 "It is hard to keep anything from you mom," said Katrina with a smile.

 "But of course," said Tess, "mothers are good at that."

 Katrina replied,"It is about Seth. Azure says he has dragon affinity,
but it is a faint trace."

 Tess looked surprised,"That ruffkin? A dragonrider? I feel sorry
for the Warren that gets him some day," Tess finished with a grin.

 "Mom this is serious. You know how father would react," replied Katrina.

 Tess chuckled and said,"He would be furious!"

 "Mom," said Katrina a bit startled. "You... Katrina trailed off trying
to decide if she should laugh, cry or be concerned.

 Tess saw the confusion and worry in her oldest daughter's eyes. "It will
be alright Kat. Seth is still young, we will have to wait and see. Anything
can happen between now and then. If Seth is Searched maybe he wont join. It
took you a while. And perhaps one day your father will see dragonriders
differently. For now though, If it will help you feel better, I'll keep the
knowlege to myself."

 Katrina with slghtly damp eyes smiled a bit and said,"Thanks mom."

 Katrina's father came over shortly afterward as Katrina hugged her mom.
Samuel announced the wagon was ready and looked at Tess and Katrina both
with soot on them now. He gave a cool look at Katrina, and shook his head
at Tess.

 "It is just a bit of soot Sam, I'll clean it off the wagon myself," said
Tess. Tess then headed for the wagon after a final good-bye to Katrina.

 Samuel looked at Katrina,"I hope you will be at least be washing up."

 Katrina replied a bit tensely, "Actually dad, I'm just going to discard my
clothes and run covered in soot and naked through the Warren."

 Samuel did not find that amusing but did not react. He just cooly
said,"I know things are tense with us, but I just want to say it is
good you made it back in one piece. Filthy no thanks to that beast of
of yours of course, but back all the same. Good-bye Katrina."

 Katrina wanted to holler,*If it wasn't for that beast I might not have
made it back. If it wasn't for that beast I couldn't of fought those wraiths
or made things safe for you to travel, and someday your only son might be
astride such a beast.* Katrina however didn't say those things-her father
wouldn't have listened, the two of them would only have argued, her father's
grudge and dislike were just too deep. Katrina knew someday a confrontation
with her father would come, but not today. Katrina got off a half-harted
good-bye just before her father turned and headed away.

------------------------------------
>[Dining Hall]-(Later that afternoon)

 After she washed up and changed, Katrina went to get a bite to eat. It
was only a small snack, but Katrina didn't think she would be up to eating
a meal later this evening-just to much on her mind.

>She heard footsteps behind her and the chair next to her was pulled
>back.  She looked over and saw P'ker drop into it.

>"It's been a while since my last wraith battle.  For a while I thought
>M'yer and I might be out of practice," P'ker said.

>"You two seemed to do fine.  You helped Azure and I out."

>"Anythime," he said and looked at his drink for a moment, "Are you doing
>anything for dinner this evening?"

 Katrina looked a bit startled for a moment. As a matter of fact, she
was glad that she hadn't been drinking anything at the moment because she
probably would have choked on it. Katrina couldn't recall anytime when she
was asked to go eat by a male dragonrider. Katrina cleared her throat and was
about to decline when she heard Azure.

<Don't you dare pull out. You have had one heck of a day. This could be
good for you. It will help you get your mind of your troubles. Besides his
dragon's kinda cute.>

 <Oh please! Besides I thought you had taken a fancy to Bohoc, Andahar's
dragon. You konw the handsome wild green one you told me once.>

 <Well he is alright to, but this is about you not me. Now accept the
dinner offer now, or all pester you about it.>

 "So what did she say," said P'ker with a grin refering to Azure?

 "She said it was fine with her, and who am I to argue with her," Katrina
replied with a smile. "Just name a time," added Katrina.

--------------------------
(tag Alton if you want you can pick it up here. If not it's fine with me).

All: Sorry I got a bit winded. It seems whenever there is a lag in my
posting times I end up writing more the I probably need to.
 Also, I didn't put a final end to Katrina's family difficulties, because
I'd like to bring them up at a later date.

Respectfully,
Kris Berg
Katrina/Azure
Cleft Warren