Cleft Warren #69
02/03/97

Life's Little Reminders  

Lenna 
******

"Are you all right?" he asked concerned and she grinned with some effort. 

"I'm fine," she lied... It would be soon. The warning always came before it
happened. And she knew she had just been warned......Not right now when it
couldn't be the worst of times...but soon. 

Lenna just didn't want to have B`rand worrying right now when he was so
concerned over Rook. Hopefully it would wait until the time the drugs she'd
given the black had taken effect....

Please Blanchie... wait until he's up for it, she prayed. 

"Whatever. I guess you better get back before someone notices you did more
than healing over the last few hours." He grinned, kissed her, then relieved
that he wouldn't asked any more questions, Lenna turned to mount Blanchie
and the two of them returned to the injured below.

So many were hurt. She dismounted and saw the Dragonhealer look her way, a
sad smile of relieve on his face at her reappearance and pointed at a green
who had just landed.

Nodding her head she hurried off to see what she could do for him. 

<Oh isn't that sweet!> Blanchie said in her mind sometime later. <He does care!>

<<Who cares?>> Lenna asked her dragon as she continued working on a long
nasty burn on the green, who had been lucky in the fact that the burn hadn't
gone very deep. He'd heal up fine in no time.

<Rook,> The lavender dragon replied. <He didn't want me to worry about how
he was feeling, so he asked Meri to get him something to eat. Isn't that sweet?>

Lenna chuckled. It was more likely he didn't want her to think him weak, or
her to think him an unworthy dragon for a ledgemate, but who was she to let
her dragon know that.

<<Yes my love. That's very sweet,>> the blond rider agreed as she finished
off working on the Green then turned to his rider and gave him instructions
on how to care for his beast for the next few days. <<But if I were you...I
don't think I'd let Rook know that you know about Meri. You know how males
can be.>>

<It's that ego thing you were telling me about right?>

<<Right...>>

<Oh all right. But I still think it sweet.>

Lonnie
*******

The tall blond rider had just finished getting ready and was about to mount
his dragon for the short flight down to the dining hall to meet up with
Katrina, when Meritanth told him of Rook's request.

<<Why didn't he ask Blanchie to hunt for him if he's so hungry?>> Lonnie
frown knowing from something Meri had told him that his sister and her
dragon had gone home to check on her mate's dragon.

<Blanchie and her rider have gone back down to help with the injured
dragon's and their riders,> Meri told him. <Besides I don't think Rook wants
her to know... but I told her anyway.>

<<Meri...>> Lonnie warned, knowing how is sister could be.

<<Oh don't worry my rider.> the beast chuckled. <I know by now how to handle
Blanchie. I told her Rook didn't want to worry her because he doesn't want
her to think less of him as ledge mate.>

<<You have been learning.>> Lonnie chuckled as they flew off to the feeding
pens. <<Well find Rook a good young beast to eat.>>

He himself had been more than a little worried about his partner and the
black when they had left the battle so quickly. So he really didn't mind
going on this little errant. It would give him a chance to find out how they
really were, and set his mind to ease.

Not long after, Meritanth landed on the ledge carrying a large cow. Rook's
eyes gleamed as he tore into the meat.

"Just wanted to see how the patient was doing," Lonnie said with a wicked gleam.

"Don't even start with me, Lonnie," B'rand warned.

"Okay...so how long has he not been able to chew coal?" Lonnie asked
innocently. He wasn't above a little teasing.

"Why don't you go chew some coal?" B'rand snapped. "He's got a little
indigestion, that's all."

"A little? What's he doing here then?"

B'rand felt rather than saw it coming. "I'm probably going to regret this,
but... duck."

"Duck?" Lonnie's look changed as he suddenly dived flat on the ledge; B'rand
followed as a gout of flame passed over their heads.

B'rand contemplated the dust streaks on his partner's face before he added,
"That's why."

"Wow! Does he have this problem often?" Lonnie asked as he picked himself up
off the ground and moved out of line of the black's path in case he did it
again.

He looked down and found his clean garments covered in black streaks of soot
and knew he'd have to take the time to go back and change before meeting up
with Katrina.

"Only after he's been chewing firestone... and...well.. No, not often."

It was clear that B`rand didn't want to talk about it right then so Lonnie
changed the subject.

"Well if he's satisfied for the moment...and you're sure he'd gonna be all
right... I think we'll be going."

"Got a hot date?" B`rand grinned, noticing the close his partner had on. Not
his usual attire.

"No.. just meeting up with Katrina to get a bite to eat." 

"Well have fun."

Lonnie and Meritanth left then and headed home. With the delay he hoped the
girl would still be waiting in the hall and wouldn't be upset that he was so
late.

A they landed back on the so called green two things happened at once. The
memory of the events would live for ever in his mind....

Lenna
*******

She was working on the leg injury on a brown, when they appeared in the
skies over the Warren.

< Kracken and his rider.> Blanchie informed her, and Lenna couldn't help but
to notice the sadness in her dragon's tone. < Kracken is badly injured but
he wanted to bring his rider home before it was to late.>

She started for the two, wanting to be of help, but her dragon called her off. 

<There are others who will try to help them, but Kracken knows the end is
near. There's nothing that can be done for the dragon.>

Lenna felt herself sway as the meaning of the lavenders words hit her. Felt
Blanchie's head come up to steady her as she forced herself to watch Kracken
land and the other's move to help them. Saw Trevor talking to Cynthia and
then move to help unload the unconscious rider from where the riding straps
where holding him in place, while her old friend tried to help the beast.

Everything suddenly seemed to move in slow motion from then on. She watched
as if from in a dream as Cleft's great Queen flew into the air and came
towards them. 

Saw her hovered over Kracken for a moment and then grabbed both his front
and back shoulders in her claws.  With great effort the queen lifted the
mortally wounded dragon into the air. She flew upward with him as the
few dragons at the warren began to keen.  When she had attained sufficient
altitude, she released him. Kracken fell for a few seconds and disappeared.

Suddenly the air was filled with the dragons returning from the wraith
battle and their keening was almost deafening.  

Blanchie beside her, raised her head and joined in the dragon's sad keening,
as they paid their respects to the brave dragon who's last action had been
to see to his riders safety with the last of his dying energies. 

Lenna fell to her knees, tears falling freely. Her body was shaking as she
witnessed the tan dragon she knew to be Isolinde's, R'bert's friend land and
her go to him, screaming out his name.

That it could have been B`rand and Rook hit her like a ton of bricks.
Gods...what would she have done? She loved him so much... to be without him...

<I too would be sad without them in our lives,> Blanchie's comforting
thoughts filled her mind. <But we would go on. We will always have each other.>

Yes... they would always have each other.. but she knew that part of her
heart that held her love for her mate would be forever gone.

Her hand came up to grip at the silver dragon he had placed around her neck.
Her good luck charm, she called it. Now more than ever with the passing of
Kracken, she wanted to have his baby. The tiny piece of silver would never
be able to comfort her if anything happened to him...

Her eyes lifted to see Isolinde and another rider leading R'bert away, and
thought it good that the man would have someone to help comfort him though
his loss. Though knowing even their presence in his life would never be able
to fill the gap of what he'd just loss.

She felt a hand on her arm and turned to see her brother standing there. 

"It's hard to deal with," Dan'yar told her. "I know better than most. But
you learn to live though it even if sometimes you still wished you didn't."

He helped her up and she went willing into his arms when he hugged her. She
knew he was thinking of Laya, his former mate and the mother of his two girls. 

"You still miss her don't you?"

"Yes I do," he admitted. "She'll always have a place in my heart. But the
gift she left to me has helped me get thought her death. Without the
girls... I don't know if I would have wanted to live my life without her."

"But you have Brisse now." Lenna reminded him.

"Yes I do," he grinned. "And I know Laya is happy knowing I was able to let
someone else into my heart. For Brisse's so deeply imbedded in my heart
right now, I couldn't imagine her not being in my life."

"We're trying to have a baby," Lenna told him and waited to see what his
reaction would be. He surprised her by not laughing.

"Maybe having a baby to take care of will help curb your wild streak," he
grinned. "But seriously, I think you would be a good mother. I know how you
are around the girls and I know you really love B`rand, so having a baby
with him would be the next step.. if you both agree?"

Lenna nodded her head. 

"I take it you haven't told anyone else about it yet?" he asked and saw her
shake her head no. "Well then it'll be our little secret until something
happens."

She hugged him all the tighter. 

"Now go on home and see that man of yours," he told her and gently pushed
her towards Blanchie. "I think they have things pretty much under control
here... oh by the way.. that was a neat job you did on Jasper's wing. I
think it'll be stronger then ever when it heals. You have learned a thing or
two about dragon's haven't you?"

She nodded her head, but her thoughts were already on the man waiting for
her at home. Mounting the lavender dragon, she gave the order for her to
take them home.

Once there she could hardly wait long enough to dismount before finding her
mate and then taking his hand, led him into the bedroom. So great was her
need to be with him. To be one with him, that nothing else mattered to her. 

Lonnie
******* 

He was relived to see Azure on the green with several other's when he and
Meri landed a short time later, and hoped Katrina wasn't upset that they
were late. 

Once inside he stood by the door and looked around the room for her and
finally spotted her sitting with another rider. 

P'ker, one of the two who'd came here from Keldarra to track Tymor's growth.
Well she didn't look to upset that he was late.

He wondered over to them.

"Sorry I'm late," he said and saw her frown. "For dinner... we'd made plans
to meet up and eat."

"Oh Lonnie I completely forgot about that," the girl said
and motioned for him to take a seat. "P'ker and I got to talking and...well..."

Forgot about their dinner....

"Well the plans were only tentative anyway," he said refusing the chair.
"You two go on and finish your conversation. I see my brother over there and
need to talk to him."

Forgot about their plans to meet for dinner... sheesh... the girl sure knew
how to bring a man down, he thought as he made his way towards Turner. 

<Why such feelings my rider?> Meri asked. <Can we not just go to Telnor and
visit with the one you share good feeling with there?>

That stopped Lonnie in his tracks. 

Why not? Leisa was always willing to show him a good time when ever he
stopped by for a visit. But then so was Thisha in Marrid.... So what if
Katrina had forgotten about eating with him... not that he had any plans for
them past that... but a trip to visit Leisa was sounding better and better.

<<Why not? You up for a trip buddy?>> he asked and turned towards the door
leading outside. 

<I always enjoy your visit's with the female human.>

So did he... as long as Thisha didn't find out about it.

After today a little fun and good feeling were just what he needed. <<Let's
go. Meet me outside okay buddy?>>

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

[Then next morning ]

As Rook was feeling somewhat better the next morning, B`rand joined Lenna
when she suggested they eat breakfast in the dining hall. 

Upon arriving she saw D'arcon, a rider she didn't know to well sitting by
himself at a table near the door. That reminded her of what Blanchie had
told her last night. 

"I'll be right back love," she turned and smiled at her mate. "Why don't you
go ahead and fill us each a plate. I need to talk to D'arcon for just a moment."

"Just leave him in one piece when you're finished with him okay?" B`rand
told her after seeing the look he knew so well come into her blues eyes. 

"No promises," she replied and took off to meet up with the man. She had a
thing or two to say to him about his actions with the injured Rogue dragon
they had been caring for.

"Good morning Lenna," D'arcon greeted her when he saw he stop by his table. 

"Don't good morning me mister," she snapped, not even bothering to smile. "I
want to know just what the hell you were thinking when you sent your dragon
to threaten another?"

"Not that it's any of your damn business," he snapped back at her attack.
"But I was under orders from the Warrenlady herself to find information that
could lead us to the rogues Warren."

There was something he wasn't telling her. She could read it there in his eyes. 

"I don't believe you!" she smiled a bit to sweetly. "I know Cynthia a little
to well to believe she would sanction any dragon threatening another just to
find out information. Maybe I should ask her though... just to be on the
safe side."

She could see the man flinch even though he tried to appear unconcerned with
her words.

"But in the mean time in my role as a Dragonhealer, am telling you to leave
Garoth alone!! I will not have a patient of mine harassed while his rider is
in need of what comforts his dragon can give him. Do I make myself clear?"

"Oh I assure you Lenna," he said, looking right into her eyes. "I heard what
you said."

"Just see that you remember it before you try anything like this again."

With that she turned and walked away. Another second later she might have
seen the angry look that covered his face now. A look that seemed to say he
didn't care much for what she wanted, he'd do what he needed to do and to
hell with her.

B`rand had already found them a table by the time she made it back over to him. 

"What was that all about," he asked when she had taken a seat.

"That man is an idiot," she fumed and before she could say anything else he
was kissing her hard. She couldn't remember for the life of her what she'd
been thinking before then, when he finally lifted his lips from hers.

"That's better," he grinned when his diversion had shut her up. He really
didn't want to listen to her talking about the other man right now. 

Then Katrina joined them before she could ask him what he had meant, and
B`rand was asking after the girls family. 

[Tag Kris... if you want to add something.]

They were just about finished when she looked up and saw Trevor walking
towards them. The scowl on his face made her wonder what he was up to. 

Surely he couldn't still be upset with her for their little talk. After all
it must have done some good. He and his little dragon were a pair now.

"Well, the new dragonrider!" she commented.  "So
my little talk with you yesterday morning helped, I see!"

Trevor shrugged.  "Whatever.  You know, Lenna, I'm so hungry this morning
that I could eat a HORSE."

She nodded, looking back down at her coffee.  "Well, you know where the food
is," she told him, though his use of the word horse made her smile. 

[insert John's Horses and Hatchlings post here. I'm not going to add to it
because you don't mess with perfection :)]

Lenna shrugged, unconcerned.  "Truth is a slippery thing, Mapmaker.  It
depends so much on how you look at things..."

Besides... he'd never get her to admit what she had done was wrong. As she
had said... it had severed a purpose. 

"How you *look* at things?" Trevor demanded.  "Okay, Lenna, how *do* you
look at the way you swiped my horse..."

"He ran away," she reminded him.

"...gave him to the Rushela..." he said, ticking yet another item off on his
fingers.

"For a good cause," she said.

"Made up a big lie to cover up what you'd done..."

"Well, just a little white lie, perhaps..."

"Forced Katrina  to be your accomplice in lying to me..."

"She didn't say a word, actually..." Lenna turned to look at her partner who
just sat there looking as innocent as she could get by with.

"And now...now, you're sitting there and telling me, bold as brass, that
everything you did was all right and that I ought to somehow be *thankful*
to you for the whole thing!!"

Lenna pursed her lips and thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yep!
I think that pretty well covers it!"

She heard the sound of his voice, but couldn't understand what he was
saying. One minute she was fine and the next... heat... lust... 

No... not now.....

<I'm sorry my rider.. but yes... now.>

She got up, ignoring the others at the table and ran outside to find
Blanchie. She didn't see the worried look on her mates face as he got up to
follow her.

The only thing in her mind right now were the feeling intensifying to the
point where she cared for nothing else but seeing them taken care of....

Blanchie threw back her head and roared out her challenge startling those
around her before jumping into the air and soaring away from the hopeful
males on the ground.

Upwards she flew. Her wings extending to their fullest as she soared higher
and higher, leaving those who would try to win her further behind. 

<Come!! Show me who is the worthiest of you!!> she called out laughing as
she turned briefly to watch them. Purposely she slowed to give them time to
caught up, then ducked left when a green thought he was close enough grab her.

<Not quick enough you unworthy crow!!> the lavender laughed and banked
right, leading the others on a merry chase. 

Lenna was still on the ground though her thoughts were merging with those of
her dragon. She was flying around from man to man, teasing them even as
Blanchie teased those in pursuit of her in the air. 

Laughingly she pulled one man's head to her for a kiss then quickly thrust
him away...

"Nope... not you.. You're not worthy enough to have me!!" she giggled and
went after another, but scooted out just out of his reach when he tried to
pull her close. 

"You're to wimpy...for a woman like me!" she taunted him.

In her hazed and fiery state she didn't see the two male dragon's flying
away from the Warren. Her brothers, who's dragon's were slightly upset to be
missing out on the mating flight... but went along with their riders wishes
anyway.

<You have to be quicker than that!!> Blanchie/Lenna laughed as they avoided
yet another would be winner. 

Then her winged were trapped from her blind side and as the dragon was
caught from above, her rider was pulled into the embrace of his rider below
and his lips came down crushing hers.

Both struggled to get away, but they were well and truly caught. 

*Submit... you are mine.* Man and dragon ordered the pair. 

<Prove it!!> they refused to be still and give in.

<We caught you didn't we?> the males chuckled as their hold on the females
tighten to prove their point. <Who else but ones who would be worthy enough
could do that... now SUBMIT!!>

<You are worthy! We will have you.> Rider and dragon both agreed and finally
gave into the males.

"Was there ever any doubt," The male and his dragon answered back, and Lenna
felt the winner pick her up and carry her away. 

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

I figured it was about time for this since Blanchie hadn't as yet had a
mating flight in Cleft.....

Krister... Lenna expects her orders to be followed... but ..well... you know
how you male riders are.... just don't think you've heard the end of her if
you chose to ignore her <grin> But have fun anyway if you do ...hehe..

Allen...I can't wait to see how B`rand and Rook respond to this...

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

Barbara (a.k.a.

Lenna & Blanchie
Lonnie & Meritanth
Dan'yar & Shinner
Cleft Warren