>      Renata sighed.  "Warrenlady, I have a message from Wingleader J'errid.
> He says that he is expected to recover, though perhaps not fully - and that he
> will return here as quickly as Shaithos is capable of flying again."
>
>        The next part was the hard one, but she drew strength from C'aranth's
> presence at her side.  She cleared her throat nervously and continued.  "I was
> also asked to give you a message from both J'errid and Wingleader Mc'Key of
> Geode Warren.  The message is that...that Renata and her dragon were both
> killed in the wraith battle."
>
>       "I am very...sorry...to hear about Renata's...death," she said
> guardedly.  "And you are...?"
>
>      "Rita," she replied.  "I would...like to apply to be a...a rider at your
> warren."
>

Renata handed over a rolled piece of parchment, "This is from Jer'rid.
It is a list of Cleft riders killed during the battle."

Cynthia took the parchment and unrolled it.  She looked at the names
carefully written on the document, and mentally compared it to the list
that Dan'yar had given her.  All the names matched, except one.  Written
at the bottom of the list, slightly crooked compared to the others were
the names Renata and Vega.  Just below, Jer'rid had signed the
parchment.

Cynthia looked up at the dark haired woman in front of her, "You, I
mean, Renata saved him."

"So I have been told."

"And Renata died while doing so."

"Apparently so."

"Someday, I'll have to thank him for saving me a great deal of effort,"
Cynthia said with a grin.  "Rita, I would be honored to have you as a
rider at Cleft Warren."

"Thank you Cynthia, for a second chance at life."

"Will that stuff come out of your hair," Cynthia said wrinkling her nose
at the faint, lingering odor.

"It should wash out in a few weeks," C'aranth said.

"I hope so," Cynthia said, "the color isn't right for you."

"You might get used to it," Rita replied.

"Maybe."

***
[Post mating flight]


>     He drew her tightly against him, reveling in the delicious warmth of her
> body where they touched.  "I don't know what I'm feeling," he admitted to her,
> as he had done earlier with Andahar.  "After what M'del did to me, I thought
> that...that participating in something like that would be the end of me.  But
> it wasn't...any more than it was for Triss.  I don't understand...gods, I wish
> I did..."
>
>      "Maybe we'll all understand things better after we've had a bit of time
> to think it through," she told him, pressing her cheek against his.  "Come on,
> Mapmaker, let's get dressed for dinner.  You've got an important job to do
> tonight."
>

"I do," Trevor asked.

"Oh," Cynthia said coyly, "didn't I mention that I was going to make you
tell everyone we intend to be mates?"

"No, I don't think you did."

"Funny, I thought I had," Cynthia replied and she sauntered off toward
her apartment.

***
[The Ledge outside Cynthia Apartment]

>      Syren grinned as well.  [Well, since you did offer,] the queen decided,
> stepping back up onto her bed and lying down so that Bohoc was sandwiched
> between the two of them.  [This is certainly better than sleeping out on the
> ledge, even though it may be a bit crowded.]
>
>      [You *did* promise me that you'd teach me how to be a proper cuddler,]
> Triss reminded Bohoc smugly.  [Here is your chance!]
>
>      [And you cannot neglect your queen, either!] Syren said teasingly.  [I
> think you are about to become a very busy dragon!]
>

[Mmmph,] was all Bohoc could manage in reply.

[I think we're squashing him,] Trissana offered.

Syren turned her head to gaze at bohoc, her eyes changing colors
playfully, [Do you think that's possible?  I think we're just cuddling.]

[Well, he does seem to be turning slightly blue,] Triss pointed.

[You know, I think you're right.  Maybe if I shift a little this way.]

Bohoc suddenly inhaled deeply and panted for a moment before turning
toward Syren, [Did you know there's a difference between cuddling and
crushing.]

[I don't think so,] the queen replied, [Did you?]

[I do now,] Triss answered.

***
[Vorbis' Apartment]

Davyd knocked on the door and entered a moment later when he was bidden
to.  Vorbis was sitting at a small desk near the window while a young
girl dusted the furniture.  Davyd looked at the girl and then at Vorbis
with his eyebrow raised slightly.

Vorbis motioned him over and said, "That is Serina.  She will be helping
us during our stay here."

Davyd turned toward her and said,  "I am Davyd, Lord Vorbis' advisor.
It is a pleasure to meet you."

Serina, looking a bit unsure courtised and returned to her work.  Davyd
turned back toward Vorbis and began to unroll a map in front of him on
the desk.  "I have been looking at possible sites for us to settle.  I
did a bit of research on irrigation, which will be necessary for
sucessful farming."

"And?"

"There are three possibilities," Davyd said pointing them out.

"Didn't my wife suggest this one?" Vorbis asked.

"She did, and in many ways it is the best."

"But it doesn't appear to be as defensible as the other two."

Davyd nodded slightly, "That is difficult to tell for certain from these
maps."

The door opened and Lady Amberylle entered.  She saw Serina and then
turned to glare at her husband.  She crossed to the bedroom, entered and
slammed the door behind her.

Vorbis stood, and turned to Davyd, "Send a messenger to the General.  I
want him and several of his men to meet me here so we can go inspect
these sites."

"I will dispatch someone," Davyd replied.

"Good," Vorbis said and he walked to and trhough the bedrrom door.

{Kris B, Kris G and Darren: Next?}

***
[Cynthia's apartment]

Cynthia reached out and adjusted Trevor's collar.

"Thanks," he said.

"You were a bit crooked."

He offered her his arm, "Ready."

She smiled and took it.  They walked from their apartment and toward the
dining hall.  When they entered, they found it more crowded than usual.
Aparently word that something was going to happen had gotten out.

Trevor and Cynthia walked over to one of the tables near the center of
the room and they stood behind their chairs.  Wine glasses were passed
over and placed in front of them.

Trevor cleared his throat, and the large room got suddenly quiet.
"You're all here because of rumours that an announcement of some kind
was going to be made."  He paused and looked around quickly.  His gaze
fell on his mother and Turner standing together and smiling broadly.
"We are here to announce that Turner and my mother have decided to
become mates."

A cheer erupted from the gathered riders and they swarmed around Kellie
and Turner, showering congradulations on them.

Trevor felt a fist connect lightly with his arm, and he turned to
Cynthia.  "That wasn't what I had in mind," she said.

>From within the croud, a head and shoulders emerged as Turner first
climbed up on a chair and then a table, "That's not why we were all
here!" he bellowed.

The noise level died down some and Turner continued, "We're here because
Trevor and Cynthia have decided to be mates."

"What about you and Kellie?" someone shouted.

"We're going to be mates too."

The crowd cheered again and swarmed toward Trevor and Cynthia.  Before
they could get ot them, Cynthia asked, "Did you two plan this?"

NRPG:
I think I got most of the tags left for me.  Depending on when Cynthia
manages to get up the next morning, she'll go see Rainen for breakfast
or lunch, and perhaps do a little trading.

Since all of you know what Kate wrote to me, I'll let you know that I've
contacted her about continuing to play Isara.  I'll keep you guys posted
as best I can.

Darren: I suspect that the Nomads camped outside the warren will be a
bit uneasy when a group of armed, landbound horseman come riding into
the warren.  It could get interesting.  I suspect the landbound soldiers
will under estimate the fighting skills of the Nomads.  (Like the
Crusaders did when they charged into the Middle East.)

Mike: When will Nikol come to his senses and just buy Andorra?

BTW: I am very pleased with the way that Nomad culture is developing.
When we started at Cleft, the Nomads were all outside the warren and
they were (I think) under-developed.  Since we have brought them in as
PCs they have developed into a 3-dimentional society where honor and
loyalty are very important.  I want to thank you guys for contributing
to that.

Respectfully submitted,
Warrenlady Cynthia - Cleft Warren
Alton Reich
--
    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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