[NRPG: This is a short one sandwiched between Beth's surgery and our
trip to Huntsville to look for a house.  I'm hoping to get another one
out next week.]

{SNIP}
     [A ball?] Triss asked.  [You mean like that one?]

     *Like what one...* Trevor began to ask, when the ball in question
suddenly bounced right into his lap.  *Um, yeah, this looks very
familiar.
Look, you can even see a few scratches that Syren made on the leather
with
her teeth...*

    He looked up to see Cynthia walking toward them, a wide smile on her

face.  "Well, you did say when we were out camping that you'd like to
teach
Trissana how to play ball.  There's a little time before the meeting in
the
dining hall, so I thought this might be a good time."

     "You're so good at timing things," Trevor told his mate, grinning.
He
held the ball up in front of Trissana's nose, and the dragon gently took
it
into her teeth.

      [What do I do with it?] she inquired.

     Trevor stood up, backing away to stand next to Cynthia.  *You throw
it,*
he said.  *C'mon, give it a try!*

    [Okay, here goes!] she said, giving her head a flip and releasing
the
ball.  It sailed high into the air, but with a bit of running Trevor was
able
to catch it as it came down.  He lobbed it back at her, and she caught
it
with surprising ease.

     Triss sprang to her feet with a happy snort, and started to back
away
from them.  [I believe I may keep this for awhile...unless *someone*
would
like to chase after me to get it...]

     Cynthia smiled at her mate.  "This looks familiar, doesn't it?  As
they
say, the more things change, the more they stay the same."

     "I think you're right," he agreed.  "Well, do you want to be on my
team
or hers?"

    "I don't know," she said.  "For old times sake, perhaps I should go
and
conceal myself behind the bushes again while you play, like I did last
time."

     "Hm, no," Trevor said.  "If you're going off into the bushes, I
think I
should come with you.  Sounds like it could be a lot of fun."

     Cynthia smiled.  "Isn't it comforting to know that some things *do*

change?"
{END SNIP}

Trevor returned the smile, "They do indeed."

The ball rocketed through the air and hit Trevor in the leg.  He and
Cynthia stopped looking at each other and looked over at the perlescent
dragon glaring at them.

"I think someone would prefer us to play with her rather than each
other," Cynthia said with a mock pout.

"I'd say so," Trevor grinned as he walked over to pick up the ball.  He
gestured to Cynthia who sprinted past a happy looking Trissana.  She
watched as the ball sailed over her head and Cynthia caught it.

Cynthia bounced the ball in the grass twice and threw it in a high arc
over Trissana's back.  When Trevor threw it back, Triss tried to extend
her neck to catch it, but missed.

Triss swung her head around to look at Cynthia with a slightly annoyed
look on her face.  Cynthia threw the ball high again, and Triss launched
herself into the air to catch it.  She glided to a landing a few yards
away and held the ball high in the air.

Cynthia trotted over to Trevor and asked with a grin, "So, is the game
over now so you and I can retire to the bushes?"

Trevor shook his head, "Triss says she isn't finished with us yet."

A shadow passed over them and Syren landed a short distance away.
Trissana fired the ball from her mouth and Syren plucked it from the air
with her jaws.  Syren sent the ball back over their heads as Cynthia and
Trevor watched it sail by.

"There's no way we can catch that," Trevor said with a frown.

"Give me a lift," Cynthia said with a determined look on her face.

"What?"

A moment later Cynthia was reaching for another ball while perched on
Trevor's shoulders.  "It's still too high up," she said, "You're going
to have to jump."

"Jump," Trevor replied with a hint of terror in his voice, "We'll loose
our balance."

"No we won't," Cynthia said confidently.  "Ready... Now!"

Trevor gathered himself and jumped straight up.  Cynthia gathered the
ball into her outstretched arms with a cheer.  Trevor landed and they
teetered, but did not fall.  He joined her in a triumphant yell, but
then noticed the look on her face.  "What's the matter?"

Cynthia dropped the ball and looked at her hands, "Dragon slime," she
chuckled.

Her chuckles became an infectious laugh.  Soon they were laying in the
warm grass howling while their dragons looked at them like they were
insane.

Cynthia rolled over and propped her head on her hand so she could watch
Trevor wipe the moisture from the corners of his eyes.  "How did I ever
live without you?" she asked.

Trevor forced his laughter to subside.  "I ask myself that question on a
regular basis."  He drew her to him and kissed her deeply.

"Make love to me," Cynthia whispered in his ear.

"I'll get Triss to Take us back to our apartment," he replied softly.

"No," Cynthia replied, "I want you here and now.  I want to feel the sun
on my skin and you inside me."

"But other people..."

"I don't care about other people," Cynthia said, "After tomorrow they
are going to think I'm insane anyway, so they might as well start now."

"If you insist," Trevor conceeded as he moved to nibble on her neck.

Later they lay together with the sun on their skin and the soft breeze
cooling them.  Cynthia rolled over to look at Trevor.  "When we meet
with C'aranth, Renata, and Katrina later I want you to promise to agree
with me," Cynthia said.

"Agree with you about what?" Trevor asked with his brow furrowed.  He
somehow knew that she was up to something that he probably wouldn't
like.

"You're going to be staying here tomorrow, not going to Vorbis' camp.
You need to spend some time with your mother."

"And you?  Are you going?"

"I have to.  I have to show that the entire Warren stands with Lady
Amberylle," Cynthia replied.

Trevor didn't answer.  He simply gave her a dark look.

Cynthia smiled slightly, "I'll be fine.  I'll bring Andahar with me and
tell him to watch my back and Amberylle's.  It'll be symbolic, if
nothing else."

"That the Nomads stand with the warren in opposing Vorbis," Trevor said
with a nod.  "You never cease to amaze me."

"I hope to continue," Cynthia replied, "Amazing, not ceasing."

Trevor grinned at her and then laughed.

NRPG:
Well, Beth is out of class early, so I'm going to pick her up and we're
off to the airport.

Alton
--
    Alton & Elizabeth Reich
     alton.reich@snet.net
"Love is born with solar flares / From two magnetic poles /
It moves toward a higher plane / Where two halves make two wholes"
-- Rush, The Speed of Love



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