All Hell Breaking Lose

[Sorry if I get some of this wrong... but as everything is a bit 
confusing I thought to just try to put some of it back into an order
everyone could follow... for give me if I don't]]
----------------------------

All hell was breaking lose around them. 

Lonnie didn't know how it was happening or who the strange dragons were 
who suddenly showed up. But he knew when they didn't respond to Meri's
greetings something was wrong. 

Suddenly he spotted Rook and Trissana just seconds before they teleported,
and wondered where they had gone. He also got a bit upset that his partner
had left without telling him what was going on. 

He turned back towards the dragons they were following, and suddenly knew
they'd been tricked. 

<<Meri... go back to the caves!>> he cried. <<They drew us away from there
for a reason. But we got to go back and help the others until help arrives.>>

Kellie
*******

(hope you don't mind John :)

"But what if something has happened?" Kellie asked.  "Cynthia, I think
someone needs to go out there and check things out before it's completely
dark - and I'm volunteering!"

Suddenly, two dragons appeared in the sky over Cleft.  Trissana and Rook
trumpeted to the dragons on the ground and descended quickly.

Cynthia rushed over toward the pair, concerned, "What happened?  Where are
the others?"

"We found evidence of dragons, and went into a cave to look for them,"
B'rand replied, "We were attacked by wilder's.  Trevor and I teleported 
back here.  Dan'yar and C'aranth stayed behind in the cave.  Lonnie and
D'arcon were outside the mountain, so I have no idea what happened to 
them."

"Where was the cave?" Cynthia asked.

"It was at the top of a mountain just north of where C'aranth was 
attacked," Trevor said, "Trissana can show Syren."

"Look we don't have time for this," B`rand commented heatedly at the 
delays. "My partner and the others are back there alone right now. 
We've got to get back to them!"

"Just have her show Varie and Vonn," Cynthia replied.  She turned to 
the two women, "Go see if you can find the others, and be careful."

"We will," Meena replied confidently.

"Well if we're going then lets go!" B'rand didn't wait to see if the 
others were following him or not. He turned raced back to the black and
mounted. Then finally looked around to find the others looking his way 
and gave the raised hand sign for them to rise.

Kellie mounted Varie and made sure to have her check with Vonn to be sure
the new dragon had the proper picture in her mind. 

<She does. We go?> Varie asked wanting to get to where here friends were 
and help them.

<<We go!>> Kellie agreed looking around until she spotted B`rand on Rook 
and waited for him to give the sign to lift off. They'd follow him, since 
he knew where they were going.

She would never know until later if it was the appearance of more Warren
Dragons or that the rogues hadn't really thought out their plans all that
well, but they didn't stick around long after the Cleft riders appeared 
in the skies over the small battle. 

Once the dragons and their riders began the attack, to stave them off 
the mountain caves, the rogues pulled off to a safe distance. Several
disappearing as if going back to where they came from. Kellie hoped
frantically that they weren't going for reinforcements.

About that time Several others appeared in the skies above. She 
recognized the lavender dragon of Lenna's, and figured it was about 
time the young rider had shown up. 
Those wilder's that stayed drew together and came at the Warren riders. 

Flame spitting from their dragons mouths in a weak attempt to hold them 
at bay until their leader could make good her escape.

The leader, a woman they now saw in the cave entrance holding the weapon
pointed at C'aranth, wasn't anyone that the Cleft riders could remember
seeing before.

She held him up in front of her as Kellie and Meena had their dragons 
land. Someone needed to talk to the woman to try to get her to give up 
and release the man before someone else was killed. 

They were both shocked to see the dead dragon carcass just inside the 
mouth of he cave behind the woman and her captive, and Kellie heard a 
small gasp come from the woman on her right.

"Dani had no part in that," Kellie told Meena in a side whisper. 
"There's no way he'd kill a dragon. Shinner would never allow it."

"But then who's?" Meena asked as the two advanced, their dragons not 
far behind them just in case they were needed. 

"That rider is one of our people," Kellie called out when they finally stopped.

"Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind taking your dragons and leaving here 
so he won't die by my hand," the woman shouted back, pressing the arrow 
head into the young mans throat.

"Why kill him," Meena shouted back. "You'd only be alone and then 
what's to stop us from taking you?"

"You have a point there," the woman shrugged but made no move to 
release C'aranth. "So what do we stay we make a deal. I'll release 
him if you all just step out of the way and let me go on my merry way."

Kellie's face took on a sorrowful look as she shook her head. "I'm 
afraid we can't do that. How would it look if we just allowed you to 
escape? What would our friends say?"

"Something tells me she doesn't give a damn about what they'd say," 
Meena said out of the side of her mouth. 
"We have to come up with something soon or we'll be packing him back 
over some dragons shoulder for burial."

"I know," Kellie agreed frowning. "Part of me says that not a bad 
thing. But think of all the explaining we'd have to do."

......................

<<My rider we have to get you out of here now!>> the copper-green told 
his rider when the others were leaving. <<If we hurry we can make it.>>

But by the time the dragon had finished speaking escape for the rider
 was cut off. 

<<No... I have to stay and protect this fool as best I can,>> Dan'yar 
told him and moved to throw his arm upwards to block a downward thrust 
of someone's sword. 

He fought without much thought, wanting to injure the person enough to
 stop him without killing him, as Dan'yar didn't believe in wanton 
killing, no matter what the price.

With the first man out of action he turned to face another at the same 
time he heard someone cry out in anguish and dared a brief look back to 
see C'aranth pulling his purloined sword out of a dragons hide. 

The thought of the dead dragon nearly caused him to lower his guard and
almost cost him his life as the third attackers blade made it through 
his defenses and he felt the burning stab of pain along his left arm. 

Then he brought his own sword into play, blocking the next thrust enough 
to force the attacker off balance enabling him to bring his foot up into 
the man stomach, knocking the wind out of him long enough for Dan'yar's 
fist to connect with his face, sending him into dreamland.

He turned. Alert for any new attackers, but found himself alone on the 
far side of the caves where the fighting had driven him.

The cave when he listen, was just to quiet for his own liking. Where was 
the sounds of fighting he'd heard earlier. Or the sounds of people 
calling out in triumph?

There...a sound. It came from off to the right. Slowly the tall blonde
headed man made his way closer to where he'd heard the sound until 
finally he could hear voices. 

**So what do we stay we make a deal. I'll release him if you all just 
step out of the way and let me go on my merry way.**

He didn't recognize the woman's voice, but saw that she had a weapon 
pointed at the throat of C'aranth, who was doing his best not to 
struggle. 

***I'm afraid we can't do that. How would it look if we just allowed 
you to escape? What would our friends say?***

Kellie. He would know her voice anywhere. 

'That's it girl,' he muttered to himself as he moved a little bit 
closer. 'Just keep her talking a little while longer....'

**I have a better question,** the unknown rider asked flippented. 
**What do you think your friends will say if you bring this one back 
dead?**

Dan'yar heard Kellie laugh. **Well now. I don't think many of them 
back in the Cleft would be to upset at not having to deal with that 
one any longer. He's been a real pain every since he got here. Why 
he even tried to carve up our Wingleader....***

***I thought he was one of your men,*** C'aranth said lamely.

In side the cave Dan'yar had gone as far as he could without the risk 
of being detected. Somehow he had to get the woman to back up about ten
paces and he'd be in good position to movie in without fear of her 
seeing him first.

<<Shinner... can you get Varie to tell her rider to move slowly 
forward. I need her to make the woman back up towards me,>>

Without giving anything away, he watched Kellie's foot lift up and 
take a step towards them. Then another and another talking all the 
while still trying to get the woman to release C'aranth.

Just a little closer.....closer....

Dan'yar moved then. His arms coming around the woman, hands moving 
under her arms to force them away from her body and the crossbow out 
of line with C'aranth's neck.
He pulled back, bring her with him, and ended up sprawled on the floor 
when she managed to hook her foot behind his tripping him and bring 
them both down hard on the earth below. 

As Dan'yar scrambled to get a hold of her, she squirmed out of his 
grasp and then something heavy fell across his body, pinning him to 
the ground before he could do anything. 

When he finally struggled out from under the weigh, to find it was 
C'aranth, and looked around, the woman was gone.

"Where is she!?!" he shouted back towards Meena and Kellie who were 
just entering the cave. "Where did she go? We've got to find her...."

........  

It wasn't until almost half an hour later, the small cave leading off 
of the third cave to the left was discovered. Somehow it had been 
missed in the original survey of the cave systems and only now did 
they find it opened into a tunnel that led far back into the mountain, 
to come out who only knew where....

This they found out by the foot prints near the entrance was where the 
woman had gone after escaping from the two men earlier. 

Who she was they still did not know. But somehow if they ever found her
again, Dan'yar would be better prepared. 

"Dani now will you let Shinner take you back to get that cut looked at?"
Lonnie asked, when he noticed his brothers paling face. "Do you know 
what I'm gonna have to go through between Mother and Brisse for not 
making you go home earlier?"

"Might as well," the older man swore as he looked back at the caves 
one last time. "I doubt we'll find anything else here today."

His glance then focused on C'aranth, but he didn't say the words 
swimming around in his head. He didn't feel now was the time or the 
place to say anything about the dead dragons. Maybe their deaths 
couldn't have been helped, but Dan'yar had a sick feeling inside 
that the man had enjoyed killing them. 

Maybe this was something he should take up with Cynthia at a later 
time. But not to much later.

"Mount up riders," he shouted to get everyone's attentions while he 
had Shinner pass it alone mentally. "Let's go home.

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

Nrpg: If this doesn't make any sense then don't blame me... I'm half 
asleep and mixed up anyway....

John and Kris G... TAG..... 

The woman rider is to get away. No one is to find her for John and I 
still have some evil plans for her to come into play soon......

But you'll just have to wait to find out what they are....

Next post Lenna and Turner... and the rest... Thina too ;)

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

Dan'yar & Shinner
Lonnie & Meritanth
Cleft Warren

aka 
Barbara