The battle was still going strong when the two women returned. Lenna and Kat
started up right where they left off after their dragon's had replenished
their coal supplies. 

Both noticed holes where other dragon teams should have been and quickly
moved to cover them so no space was left wide enough for one of the graying
masses to slip on by.

Off to her left she suddenly saw Rook move in behind Katrina where a ugly
gray thing was trying to come up behind her. The black let out a small flame
that incinerated the wraith and then moved off. She couldn't help but grin
at their quick response., nor the fact that they seem to be keeping an eye
on her and her partner.

Lenna suddenly became worried as the pair turned away and went back to slide
in beside Lonnie and Meritanth. Rooks flame didn't look just right. It
hadn't been as strong as it should have been.

<<Blanchie... see if something's wrong with Rook?>> she sent to her dragon
just as the lavender pulled hard to the right and let go a long stream of
flame, wiping out a group close by. 

<<Meri... what's wrong with Rook?>> she sent to her brothers dragon at the
same time, knowing B`rand might tell Rook not to tell Blanchie the truth so
not to worry her.. or the black simply not telling her so as not to worry
his cuddle mate.

<*He's suffering from heartburn, *> came Meritanth's reply a few seconds
later. <*He's going back to the Warren. He can't continue. *>

Going back... heartburn.... Lenna remembered the first time that happened
just after B`rand and Rook arrived in the Cleft. She'd though it a game they
had been playing to get at her... 

<<Will he be all right?>> she sent back to Meri, concerned for her mates
dragon almost causing her to forget for a moment where she was and why, as
Blanchie veered to the left after another pocket of wraiths.

<<HEY!! You could have warned me!!>> 

<You should have been paying attention to what we are doing out here!> 

<<Well I'm so sorry I let myself get a little worried over your cuddle
mate... he is sick you know!!>

<I know.> Even as the dragon replied Lenna could feel her concern. The
lavender wanted to go home as much as she herself did to see that they were
all right, but knew they were needed here

She wanted to teleport back to the Warren to check up on him. To try to
reassure B`rand as much as herself that the black would be all right, but
knew she couldn't. All flaming dragon's were needed right now.

<<Lenna... Shinner said that you are to go right back to the Warren....>
Blanchie told her a few minutes later, making her rider wonder if she had
said something to Dan'yar's dragon about her being worried and he had passed
it on to his rider. 

<<We can't leave now!! There's still to may wraiths out here to flame!!>>

Yes she wanted to go back. She had to check on Rook and make sure he was all
right... but she had a duty to the Warren and she couldn't let her one fears
and worries override that duty. No matter how bad she wanted to.

<Lenna he said you are to go back,> Blanchie repeated again, this time more
strongly. <There are injured dragon's and all healers are being called back.
You are needed.>

<<What about Azure and her rider... they need someone to watch their backs!>>

<<Meri and your twin will do that. Shinner just told them.>

Lenna looked over and saw that her partner had just received the same
message from the brown of her brothers. And then Azure was veering off to
meet up with Lonnie's 
dragon and there was nothing else for her to do but teleport back to the Cleft.

The sight that greeted her upon arrival didn't look all that promising. As
Blanchie had told her their were several injured dragon's and riders on the
green. The rider's ignoring their own pains to try to comfort the pains of
their lifemate's. 

She had Blanchie set her down near by and was off and running towards them
just as another Dragonhealer looked up and saw her. Her eyes searching every
where for B`rand and Rook. She had to make sure the *heartburn* was all the
black was suffering from. 

If B'rand or Rook got hurt any worse and they didn't think to let her know.....

But they weren't anywhere to be seen.

<<Blanchie???>>

<They are home where we should be helping them!!>

Lenna was about to agree when Maios, one of the Dragonhealers came running
up to her.

"Gods I'm glad you're here!" the man exclaimed and pointed her in the
direction of a blue with a severally burnt wing. "See what you can do with
him, then just take your pick. There are so many of them coming in!"

Lenna wanted to tell him that she had to go check on Rook first... but knew
the injured blue need to be looked at now. His rider Sev'th was beside
himself with worry when she got to him.

<<Blanchie... talk to Rook... find out how he is and if he needs me now or
can wait just a bit.>

"Can you help him?" Sev'th cried when he saw her coming. "Please Lenna...
tell me he'll be all right? He's got to be all right..."

"I'll need to look at Jepson first before I'll know anything, but the fact
that he's still here is a good thing." She told the worried rider and set to
work. 

In the end the dragon's wing had been drugged to ease the pain and a very
large piece of cloth had had to be sewed over the parts where the membranes
had been so badly damaged by the wraith burn that Lenna knew it would take a
long while for it to grow back. 

She explained to the rider that with the fine gauss to act as a support, the
dragon's membranes would grow back over it and the wing would be stronger
for the help. 

"But you are *NOT* to try to even fly him until one of us give you the okay
to try!!" she warned him.

"But if it'll be stronger...."

"It has to heal first and it'll take the tissue a while to grow back," she
explained to him what could happen if he tried to push the healing process
and saw the rider's face turn white, before he nodded his head.

"I'll be careful with him," the rider agreed at last. He'd do anything that
would help his dragon heal right. Even if it meant now trying to fly for
sometime to come.

Lenna nodded to him then took off back towards where other dragons were
slowly starting to arrived for treatment. She saw another injured blue with
a bad wing burn and started towards her when she noticed someone else had
already seen the blue.

<My rider I really think you ought to go look at Rook now,> Blanchie told
her when she would have started towards a red with a slight burn down his
side. <He's been understanding up to now about why you haven't come... but I
don't think he will be much longer... He's in pain and acting like a hatchling.>

<# I am NOT acting like a hatchling!! #> Rook told the purple when she
started to move away from him to go and pick up her rider. <# I'm in
terrible pain here and just letting you know it...#>

<You're letting everyone in the Warren know it too!> Blanchie told him. <But
never fear... my rider will come look at you and set things to right...> 'I
hope!' Blanchie muttered to herself as she took flight. She had been trying
to use dry humor to keep the blacks mind off of his burning middle and for a
while it seemed to be working... but now even she could tell how much pain
he was in and started to get real worried. 

Good bed mated were hard to find and she didn't want to have to train up
another one. Besides...Rook suited her just fine as he was. He certainly was
the most worthy of all the dragon's in this place. Why else had she agreed
to allow him and his rider to stay?

<# Because my rider is the only one around who your rider can't bully or
brow beat and you like how they make you feel when they mate....Been to long
huh Blanchie? #> Rook asked, his tone a little derisive as he was still
upset with her earlier comments about him acting like a hatchling.

<Don't worry Rook... my rider will soon be here to fix your little problem,>
Blanchie's tone mirrored her riders for sweetness.

<# I don't have a problem!! #> Rook moaned as he corrected his ledge mate.
<# Just because my insides feel as if every wraith I flamed today has come
back to seek revenge on me.... it doesn't mean I have a problem!! #>

<What ever you say sweetie,> Blanchie replied, just as she landed back on
their ledge with her rider. <I know how hard you worked today... why you
must have flamed twice as many wraiths as the rest of us did... you're just
over worked..>

<# Yes I did! #> he agreed and would have puffed out his chest in pride if
it didn't hurt so much to simply breath.

Lenna was off her dragon in a flash as soon as they landed. B`rand had moved
towards her and she could see the worry and concern for his beast clearly
written there on his handsome face.

"Is it the same thing as before?" she asked as they drew up aside of
eachother and he followed her back so she could have a look at the black.

"Yea... He's not feeling to good at the moment," B'rand
told her and stepped back to let her work. "All he's done is lay there and
moan every since we got back and I'm a little more than worried because it's
never lasted this long before."

"Have you tried giving him anything to ease the pain?" she asked as she
moved around to check out the glands on the side of his neck... they looked
a little swollen... but she didn't tell this to her mate. Why worry him if
it was nothing.

"I wouldn't have known what to give him."

"What did you give him when this happened in Falagand?" she asked throwing
him a sidelong glance. 

"I didn't... Koda.. the healer there always looked after him if it looked
like it was bad," B`rand admitted with a frown. "But he's never been *this*
bad before."

It didn't take her long to fix up a potion for the dragon to ingest. Only
once having to have Blanchie fly her back down to the healer hall to find
ingredient she didn't have in her supplies. Once there she consulted with
the head Dragonhealer and he advised her on what to put in it to quicken the
healing effects.

Now all they could do was wait and see if it would do any good. Blanchie
refused to leave the blacks side for any long periods of time. Wanting to
offer him whatever comforts she could.

"It will take a little time to see if the potion I gave him will do anything
for him, so we might as well go get cleaned up while we're waiting," Lenna
told her mate after making sure Rook had finished off the whole offering.

She saw her mate look back at his dragon and knew he was about to protest.
Reaching out she put her hand on his arm and waited until he looked back at her.

"It might be a while love to see if it'll do any good," she told him, then
took a quick look at the both of them and wrinkled her nose. "I for one want
to get rid of this stink about me, and think you could use a cleaning too."

Dan'yar
*********

<It's over!> Shinner's voice filled his thoughts as he looked out over the
now empty skies around them. 

Not a wraith was to be seen. They had done it. 

<We're to take our fight and proceed with swipes over the area to be sure
they are all gone and that the villagers are all right and see if they
require medical help before we go home.>

Dan'yar had Shinner relay the message to the members of his flight wing and
then set back and tried to find a comfortable position on his saddle for
what might prove to be a long ride.

He hated doing these sweeps... but knew they had to be done. For there was
always the chance that the wraiths could be hiding out, trying to catch the
riders unaware and then strike again after they were gone. 

It was the sweep riders job to make sure this didn't happen. So he did it.

<There's something down there....> Shinner told his rider some time later. 

<<What?>>

<<A dragon... but ...wait...>>

The copper-green dragon went quiet for a moment before speaking to his rider
again. 

<The dragon says that his rider is injured and in need of help. I don't know
the dragon.>

<<Tell the others we're landing. I want Lonnie and Katrina to have their
dragon's stay aloft to keep an eye on things in case this is a trap.>>

Dan'yar had Shinner and the others land some distance from the injured pair
and had his copper send a message to the other dragon, before dismounting.
His eyes quickly scanning the area to be sure there weren't any other's
hiding in the rocks near by.

<My rider says to move away from your rider.>

<He is hurt.>

<My rider will look at him once you are out of flaming range.>

Dan'yar waited until the unknown dragon backed up away from the fallen man
then slowly began walking towrds him. His eyes searching the area around him
with each step. It was only when he stood over the man that he saw how badly
the man had been injured. It was a mirical he was still alive with all that
blood covering him.

<<Shinner tell his dragon that medical help is on the way.>>

<My rider has sent word.  Healers from the warren will come and get your
rider.  We will stay with you and wait for them.>

<$ Thank you, $> Garoth breathed.  <$ I am Garoth.  My rider is H'riol. $>

<Shinner,> the other dragon answered.  <My rider is Dan'yar.>  


Dan'yar had Shinner send a message back to the Warren about the injured man.
He didn't want anyone getting upset when an unknown dragon appeared in the
skies above the place. Even if he was accompanied by Warren dragons.

Within minutes the healers had arrived and quickly got the injured man
loaded up for the trip back to the Cleft and the help he desperately needed.
After arriving back, he check in with the Warrenlady and Wingleader before
finding out from Shinner where Brisse and Tymor where.

It didn't take long for him to find her among the injured riders in the
hall. He felt a stab of pride when he saw how involved she had become in
directing the healers and orderlies as if she'd been doing it all her life.

When he finally caught up with her, she was talking to the rider of the blue
he'd heard Lenna had worked wonders on, assuring the man that his dragon
would be all right.

"But it's you who needs to be seen to right now Sev'th," she was telling him
when she noticed Dan'yar come up to stand next to her. "You won't do your
dragon any good if you come down with an infection because you didn't have
your own injuries treated."

The young rider blushed and nodded his head. "I'll see to it at once ma'am,"
he said softly and went off with the healer who'd been trying to get him
into a room to look at him.

"I see you've been kept bust here while we've been gone," he smiled warmly
and took her arm leading her away from the group.

"Oh Dani... I still have work to do.." she commented looking back the way
they had come and then regretfully up at him. "I wish I could go with you
now..."

"I understand love," his eyes shown in understanding. "But surely you could
spare me a few seconds of your time for this."

His lips bent and took hers in a sweet gentle kiss. It lasted just a few
seconds though he wanted it to last forever.

"I just needed to feel you and your touch to assure myself that we  made it
back safe this time."

She couldn't help herself and wrapped her arms around him, holding onto him
as if never wanting to let him go.

They stood that way for several minutes... more than the few seconds he had
asked for, then she stood back and looked up at him. 

"I need to get back to work and you need to go see the twins... Arly and
Leyean have been worried."

"I'll go now that I know you are okay," he said and kissed her once more
before turning away and leading her back to the room full of riders. 

"I'll see you later, when you're finished here," he told her. "Maybe if
you're not to tired we can get something to eat."

"I'd like that."

Lonnie
********

After making plans with Katrina to meet back in the dining hall after they
both had a chance to clean up. (Unless she had other plans.) Lonnie made his
way to his parents home. 

Somehow it always seemed to fall to him to go by their parents house to let
Yarik and Danki know that their brood had all arrived back at the Warren
once more safe and sound. 

"We already know that my kind hearted son," his mother told him, cocking her
head towards Dan'yar who'd just arrived before him and was now hugging his
daughters. "But thank you for thinking to come let us know."

He could hear something in her tone a voice and decided it must have been
directed at the one other member of the family who rode a dragon... and was
absent from the family's living space.

"Well I'm sure Lenna would have come to let you know herself that she was
all right," he started in defending his own twin. "But she got called back
early to help treat the injured dragon's and has been working non stop this
whole time."

<If you want to call what my rider is doing right now ....work.... well who
am I to disagree with you?> Blanchie told her riders sibling. 

<<How is Rook, Blanchie?>> Lonnie asked then had to answer a question his
father asked. 

<He's resting for now... I'll let you know if anything changes.>

"Well folks...I think I'm gonna head on home and get myself cleaned up a
bit." He told his parents. 

"Well I wasn't going to say anything... but now that you mention it..." his
mother said sweetly and Lonnie was reminded of his twin. So that's where she
got it from.

Lenna
********

She found B`rand out on the dragon's ledge leaning against the rocky wall
sometime later after they had cleaned themselves up. 

Moving behind him she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his back.

"He'll be all right love," she told him. "He just needs time to recover.
Have you asked him if he's hungry? I'm sure Blanchie would hunt for him again."

[Your turn Allen....how *is* Rook feeling?]

Suddenly a strange feeling came over her and she swayed a little before
recovering. Her hand finding the wall for the support it gave her.

B`rand seemed to have noticed and turned to face her. His eyes looking worried. 

"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......

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

Barbara (a.k.a.

Lenna & Blanchie 
Dan'yar & Shinner
Lonnie & Meritanth 
Danki and Yarik (Their Parents )
Cleft Warren