[morning after the flood]

Turner
*******

His head still hurt, but not as bad as it had last night. 

He could hear people talking in the room with him, but his mind was still
hazy from the drugs they had given him last night and it was a few moments
before he could understand what was being said. 

More who they were saying it about. 

Kellie... His love. the woman who had made his life worth living. Something
bad was wrong with her.

"Moootheer..." it took him two tries before anyone noticed he was awake,
then a cool hand was pressed against his forehead and Danki's soothing voice
was there speaking to him. 

"Shush... Don't try to talk son," she told him, and he could hear the
concern and worry in her voice. Some how it registered that not all of the
concern was for him. 

"Kelllliiee.... Okay?" he choked out. His throat was very dry making it hard
for him to get the words out. 

A glass was pressed against his lips and he took a few small sips of the
cold liquid, letting each sit in his parched mouth for a few seconds before
letting it trickle down into his belly. 

"Kellie... is she okay?" he asked again and heard someone in the room
sobbing. "Mother!!!"

Dan'yar
*******

"Cynthia suggested that I ask you to accompany me to go looking for where
ever Vorbis is and find  out if my sister did go with him," Kat was telling
Dan'yar after she had found him with a crew putting barricades up around a
few of the water holes left when the main part of the flood had flowed back
out the way it had come in. 

"While a good part of the water Had drained away, there were still some
spots where the water had not drained as of yet leaving dangerous traps for
anyone not looking to closely to where they were walking. 

Dan'yar was leading a group of workers who were locating them and marking
them so others would be more aware that they were there. 

He'd been up working since early that morning. With the girls gone he'd been
unable to sleep, and what with worrying over them joining with their own
dragons, and Turner being in the med center along with Kellie... 

Turner he found out had woken during the night and was sleeping now, but he
would be fine. The family was more worried about Kellie right now, who had
yet to waken in the time since they had pulled her out of the water and
revived her. 

There had been some discussion going on when he'd arrived this morning.
Danki had taken him aside and tried to explain a few of the details to him,
but he knew it wasn't really any of his business so had left. Turner would
have to be the one to decide if and when he woke again. In the mean time
Dan'yar knew others would be discussing the verdict the healer had talked
about, and try to figure out what was best for Kellie. 

"Sorry Kat, But I can't go with you this morning," he apologized and was
sorry, because he knew how deeply she felt about her sister. He had siblings
he had often times worried about himself. He knew as her partner he really
should go with her, but right now his own daughters were utmost in his mind. 

After nearly losing his brother the way they had, Dan'yar had an over
powering need to make sure his daughters were okay. He needed to hold them
and make sure everything was all right. 

And then there was Brisse....

The need to see her... To be with her.. Was growing stronger all the time.
He had finally admitted to himself last night how much he was missing her,
and his need to be with her was more then he could handle on his own. 

"I'm going to Keldarra to see the girls this morning and let them know how
things are here," he told her then had an idea. "You know.. Farr'in's been
in Vorbis's village more often then I have..."

"What do you mean more often?" she quipped. "You've avoided going there
every chance you've had."

"The tall blond Wingleader shrugged his shoulders and gave her a lopsided
grin. "Guilty as charged."

Then he frowned. "There's just something about that man that sets my over
active male need to pound his face into the ground each time I see him or
hear his name.. So maybe it's better that I not go with you. Farr'in would
really be a better choice."

"Believe me I totally understand," Kat was very quick to agree. "You're not
the only one who feels that way. I'll find someone to go with me.. you go on
and check on your girls."

"Take Farr'in..."Dan'yar started and was cut off by a deeper voice coming up
behind them. 

"Take Farr'in where?" the stocky older brother of Dan'yar asked when he'd
come level with them. 

"Vorbis's camp," Dan'yar told him before Kat could say anything. "Kat's
sister has disappeared and we believe that bastard had something to do with it."

"Just promise me I can have a chance at him if he's done anything to hurt
her before we get there," Farr'in pleaded, ready for some excuse to harm the
man who could hurt his own mate as well as some innocent young girl. A man
who was suspected, though it wasn't commonly known, to have ordered his own
wife poisoned. 

"You'll have to stand in line," Kat warned and Farr'in nodded his head in
understanding. 

"Just leave some of him for me."

"Deal." The girl grinned wickedly.

Dan'yar knew all about Farr'in's hate for the man, and that his brother
didn't trust Vorbis for anything. A feeling he shared. He wondered if
Farr'in would be the best man to send with Kat, but then while not being to
bad with the handling of weapons himself, he knew he was no where near as
proficient, nor nearly as good a Swordsman as his brother was. If any
trouble came, Dan'yar wouldn't want anyone else backing her play then his
brother. 

Yes he was the right man to go.

"I've always fond it's better to keep the enemy you know in sight so that he
can't slip around behind you and stab you in the back when you're not
looking," Farr'in told them. 

"That's putting it mildly," Kat chuckled, but both men couldn't help but
notice there was no amusement in her tone. "Shall we go?"

"After you ma'am," Farr'in executed a  gallant sweeping of his right hand in
front of him to motion for her to go first.

"Take care of her Bro.. " She's the best Wingsecond I've ever had," Dan'yar
reached out and grabbed on to his brothers arm. 

"She's the only Wingsecond you've ever had," Farr'in shot back but returned
the arm clasp." Let's get going. The sooner we find them the sooner we can
bring your sister home if she's there."

Dan'yar watched them leaving then turned back to check on the others who had
kept on working while he'd been talking to the other two riders. 

{sometime later}

"Hey Dan'yar," a male voice yelled across the green and this time when the
tall blond headed man turned, he recognized the blaster coming up quickly in
his direction. 

"Have you seen Farr'in?" the man asked when he drew near enough not to have
to shout. 

"He and Tergath left the Warren some time ago. Why? What did you need him for?"

"So he's not likely to be back anytime soon?"

Dan'yar couldn't help noticed that the younger man looked a little
disappointed. 

"Not likely. Why?"

"I need to get someone to take me into Ralengarde," he said and explained
about the damage that had befallen his supply of black powder. "I have to
get someone to take me there so I can restock what I lost, and ..."

<<Shinner... Contact Meri and Rook's riders and get them down here. Tell
them I have an important job for them,>> he sent a quick message to his dragon. 

"Don't worry about it Nikol I have just the pair to take you there and bring
you and your needs back here to the Cleft.. They should be along in just a
minute."

The two of them talked a bit while waiting for the others to show up and
were once again interrupted by others looking to talk to Dan'yar... Or so he
thought... 

He was a bit surprised to see Andahar turn to the blaster as soon as he and
the two women walked up. One he recognized as Andorra, the nomad healer who
had saved Turner life the night before.. the other was the young nomad girl
he knew Lenna.. and Kat had brought to the warren for some hatching. 

Sylois's rider he remembered,... and the young women who had been sharing
Andahar's apartment as of late.

Andahar said something quickly in the nomad tongue that Dan'yar only caught
half of. Then the nomad chief turned to Nikol.

"My cousin has told me what has happened to the black powder you so highly
treasure,"  he said. "She has asked that she be allowed to help you to
replace it in place of a bridle price since it was she who was responsible
for it's loss."

"She doesn't have to do that," Nikol started to say, but caught the sadness
that had come into the girls eyes at what she took to be his refusal of
her... Andorra. "But if it means so much to her.. I don't see why she can't
go with me to find more."

Andahar nodded and turned back to repeat the mans words to his cousin, but
not before noticing the warm smile that had formed on the lips of his own
woman. 

For after last night, She was *his* woman. 

Reain couldn't help the small catch of her breath when he looked at her. Her
body trembled remembering the feel of his flesh pressed against her as it
had all during the long night and long into morning. 

And in as much as she would like to have him take her back to the mat they
had shared such lovely pleasures on last night, a chance to go see where the
dragonriders people lived was to much to pass up. 

"Andahar," she said in a quiet tone and waited for him to look back and nod
for her to go on. "We both have dragons who could make the trip to the new
lands... We could take Nikol to get the powder he needs?"

"If that is what you want," their eyes met and Reain could feel herself
drowning all over again in the spell he had worked on her last night. All
she could do was nod her head yes.

"Very well," he smiled lovely down at her then turned back to face the others. 

Reain nearly laughed out loud when she caught the slight glare Andorra threw
her cousin's way and knew the girl thought he was agreeing to go just to
keep an eye on the man. 

"Well there you go Nikol," Dan'yar spoke up. "A dragon ride anywhere you
need to go."

"Thank you..." the blaster started to say but a voice calling out Dan'yar's
name kept him from continuing as they all turned to see the new young
Queenrider walking towards them. 

"Dan'yar if you've a moment."

He sighed, wondering how many of the other inhabitants of the Warren would
want a moment of his time before he could escape to Keldarra to see the girls. 

He schooled his thoughts and turned to her, and when he did he couldn't help
but notice her stop and the blush that colored her cheeks before she came on. 

"What can I do for you this fine morning Lady Maddy?" he asked, wondering at
the blush on her cheeks then remembered the mating flight...And who had won
her.. 

"Dan'yar I just did a quick inspection of the hatching grounds with my Queen
and she's in a snit because the sands are all still wet" Maddy told him with
a frown, ignoring the tall nomad standing there with the others.  

"I hadn't even thought about that," he confessed with a frown of his own.
"I'll see what I can do about getting some riders to start working on
getting it replaced with new sand.. or seeing if the dragons can dry it out
by flaming it."

"Well here's a couple of riders who don't look to busy right now," Maddy's
lips turned up in a secretive grin. One Dan'yar thought could have matched
one of Lenna's on a good day. 

"Sorry.. But I've need of them today," he spoke up quickly before she could
say anything. "I asked them here to act as escort for those needing to go
into Ralengarde to get some replacement supplies for Nikol here."

"Why do Lonnie and B`rand need to go with them?" she asked with a slight
pout on her face, that made Dan'yar wonder what his younger brother had done
now to piss her off. "I see two dragons here already. Can't they take Nikol
into the city for what he needs?"

"They could," Dan'yar said slowly. "But Out of the four of them, Nikol is
the only one who has been in a city of that size... and I would feel better
if Lonnie and B`rand went with them to make sure there wasn't any trouble
for the people seeing nomads for the first time..."

"No all right," Maddy agreed. "But they better remember they have work to do
here and had better not stay all day there playing around!"

This last was directed strait at Lonnie, who stood there seething and trying
hard not to let it show that her words had gotten to him. 

"I am first and foremost a dragonrider of this Warren. My .. Lady..." he
said, trying to keep the irritation out of his tone. "I do what I am asked
when I am asked and ..."

"And you had better get everyone on their dragons and ready to go," Dan'yar
broke in and then took hold of the Queenriders arm and began to lead her
away. "We've still a lot of cleaning up around here to do when you get back."

Thina
******

"It's no problem Meena.. Lady Amberylle... " Thina was saying as the two
other women took the seats she had offered. "We've plenty of room here..
even if it's not what you may be used too.. I'm afraid."

"Believe me Master Thina..."

"Thina please."

"Very well but only if you make it Amberylle," the recuperating woman smiled
warmly to those in the room. "As I was saying I've lived in worse places...
or should I say smaller for your home is truly lovely and it's an honor that
you grant me by allowing me to stay here with you while I recover."

"Well I couldn't very well say no when my sister-in -law asked me to house
her cousin. Now could I?" Thina got up and reached for the pot of tea she
had put on when Sasha had run in earlier and said they were coming by. 

Right now the two boys, Shasha and Demee were in the older boys room going
over the work the teacher had assigned them as homework. Sasha had proven to
be very good with the boy and very patient about explaining any question his
young cousin might come up with.

"I mean family is important to us and any family of Meena and Demee's.. is
family to us too. Besides which," Thina grinned. "With you here it'll give
me a chance to finally begin sewing up those clothes you ordered. I'll have
you right here to do the fittings which will make it go all that much quicker."

Amberylle broke out laughing in a very unladylike way, which only endeared
her more to Thina. "Oh I do like the way this woman thinks Meena.. I surely do."

"I thought you might." Was the pregnant Wingleaders reply.

==========================  

John... is that an okay lead in.....

Arle... how will Andahar take being in the *big* city after seeing only
nomad camps... And the same can be asked of Andorra.... Think Nikol, Lonnie
and B`rand can keep them out of trouble????? Or maybe he can keep them from
getting into trouble....

Having Meena bring her cousin to Thina's for a place to stay was only a way
of saying that while Amberylle is in the Warren she is under the protection
of not only the Warren but Dan'yar... And Farr'in's family.... 

Kate sorry.. but I just seemed right and we did sort of talk about it.... 

Kris B... so what will they find when they get there... Farr'in had reason
to both hate and fear the man because of what trouble he might mean to
Meena... (but that's an other story...)

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

Dan'yar & Shinner
Farr'in & Tergath
Lonnie & Meritanth 
Thina (Master Weaver/Tailor)



















 


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