Wingleader's Follies

Dan'yar had just left the Hatching caves and was thinking of what he would
say to Meena about setting up a training schedule for the twins.

While he knew he would not allow them to join a fighting wing, at least for
a few more years, he did want to have them train for it now so that by the
time they were old enough they wouldn't be so far behind.

And what he had said about the twins going out on short patrols with season
riders did seem to him like a good idea. It would be something to keep them
out of trouble and teach them responsibility all at the same time. 

Besides he didn't think they could come to any harm patrolling. If by chance
they came across anything dangerous, the season riders they were with would
be under strict orders to send the girls home to report on what was happening.

He wanted Meena's take on this to be sure he was doing the right thing. As a
father he believed he was doing what was the right way to go about it... but
then he also knew he was to close to the problem... and he wasn't ready to
deal with the fact yet that as dragonriders... one day they would fly to
mate... that thought scared the hell out of him. They were way to young to
have to deal with that part of being riders now.

They were both still babies.

Damn!! Why couldn't their joining have waited a few more years! Why now!!

<<Shinner can you see if Vonn's rider is up for a visit?>>

He found her in her office going over the list of new rider's they had about
to enter training and took the seat she offered him. Then went on to explain
why he had sought her out.

Sometime went by as they talked it over.

[Tag Kris... what does Meena think of Dan'yar wanting

<<WRAITHS!!>> came the cry from the Queens. <<Bohoc and Triss have seen
WRAITHS!!>>

<<Shinner alert the Wing to form on the Green!!>> Dan'yar shouted as he took
off running in that direction to meet up with them and get things going. 

Dan'yar was pleased to see the Wings responding so quickly, but then frown
slightly when he saw Meena arrive on Vonn. He made his way quickly towards
her and was ready with his argument even before she landed on the ground.

"You can't think to go this time Meena!" he said and felt more then saw
Farr'in join them. 

"Wraiths are attacking Dan'yar," she told him. "My Wing is as ready as yours
to go fight them."

"I don't doubt that Meena... but you're to close to having your baby and to
fight now would be foolish as well as dangerous," Dan'yar told her. "They
all know of your condition and what do you think will happen if your wing
concerns itself with protecting you instead of what their out there to do!"

"Love... for our child you have to see you can't go this time," Farr'in
moved to take her in his arms. One hand moved to caress her bulging middle.
"Love if anything happened to you out there... what would Demee and I do? We
need you!"

"But I'm a dragonrider..." she told them.

"And one of the best we have here in Cleft or you wouldn't be a Wingleader,"
Dan'yar said softly. "So do the right thing right now Meena for your family
and the baby you carry.

[Tag Kris... will she insist on going... or maybe stay home and yell at
Farr'in for not being there when she needs him the most.......hint hint.....]

At that moment the others turned and races towards their dragons and all
eyes were on Dan'yar and Kat as the signal was given for Alpha Wing to rise. 

<WE go to fight Wraiths!!> Shinner shouted as they took their place at the
head of the Wing. 

Dan'yar had his dragon give the picture he had received from Triss to the
others and then gave the order to teleport, and was pleased when they all
came out of the port still in wing formation.

Then they were there, the Wing diving as one. Flames spouting in front of
them as they moved to attack their long time enemy.

As he passed over the ground he could see the burnt out tree when Shinner
had told him, Andahar had tried to hide, and wondered how the man had
survived without getting himself killed.

He reminded himself to have a talk with both riders upon returning to find
out what they had been up to, then focus all his attentions on the fight
going on around them.


It didn't take as long as other battles, being a small group of the gray
menace. Alpha Rider's cleaned them up with minimal injuries, then returned
to the Warren to report the news.

HE saw Farr'in wave to him as he and Tergath angled off towards their home.
To check on Meena he thought with a smile, then became sad as he remembered
there was no one waiting for him at home for him to report to... No one to
share his fears and dreams with since Brisse had gone off to Keldarra, so
that he'd have to keep them all bottled up inside of him.

The twins were home waiting on him, which made him feel slightly better.
They both made mush of him and he allowed them to take him riding jacket and
put it in the hamper, then as Arle led him into the living room, Leyean went
to get him a cold drink. 

He didn't feel quiet so lonely. How could he with his daughters
attentions... But still something was missing.

Later after they had finally allowed him to get cleaned up they all made
their way over to the dining hall for a late lunch and when Shinner told him
that Trissana's rider was wanting a word with him, he sent the girls off to
give them some privacy to talk about what he knew was coming. 

Dan'yar had wanted to talk with Andahar and Trevor upon his return but
because of the loneliness he was feeling he'd allowed the twins to distract
him for a while.

Now Trevor was coming to him, so he'd listen to what he had to say before
deciding what to do.

Dan'yar listened intently as Trevor related what had happened out in the
Nomadlands, or at least what he'd been able to piece together from what his
dragon had told him.

At first he was angered by what he had heard. How dare they risk themselves
in this manor, but he kept his anger in check as Trevor went on. Dan'yar
could see how much his dragon's actions had scared the man. 

That's where they were now, as he listen to the rest of the story.

"...and that's pretty much it," he concluded.  "She's about as fast as any
other dragon I've seen, and isn't afraid to fight...but her marksmanship is
awful!  If that last wraith had come up underneath her instead of trying to
get away, she'd have...well, she could have ended up like Kracken did.  
She can't hit them unless they're right in front of her nose."

Dan'yar drummed his fingers on the table. "Has she had any training at all
in wraith-fighting?" the Wingleader asked.  "Or, for that matter, have
either of you?"

Trevor shook his head. "None at all," he said.  "We went through Qedhar's
basic training course...how to fly, flame, and teleport, basically. But when
Reain and the others went on to the more advanced stuff they teach the
wingriders, J'errid took us out."

"Why?" Dan'yar asked. This was something he hadn't known before, and now
wanted to know the reason behind it. He'd always figured it was Trevor
himself who had refused more training so that he could get on with what he'd
come here for. To map out the Nomad lands.

"He felt it would interfere with our other duties," Trevor said. "I really
thought we could do both...the mapping flights and the regular patrols...but
J'errid didn't agree with me."

"Did you talk to Cynthia about it?" Dan'yar asked. "She could have overruled
J'errid, you know. Assuming she agreed with you, of course."

Trevor shook his head. "No...I didn't do that because I didn't want everyone
in the warren thinking I'd 'pulled strings' to get my way.  And, frankly, I
couldn't think of a real reason to fight him over it...at that time, at
least.  Today I learned differently.  If Trissana and I are going to 
do the job we came here to do, she...and I, I suppose...need to have some
idea of what to do if we run into wraiths and wilders.  Look...the dragons
and riders of Syren's last clutch are ready to start wing training.  I'd
like to put in a request...that Triss and I be allowed to join them."

"I think that's a very good idea," Dan'yar agreed. He was also thinking that
it would be good for the twins also. "I'll have a word with the trainer and
let him know that you will be joining the class... But..." he said and saw
Trevor flinch.

"You and Triss will start training with a wing once training is over, but I
want you to know that your main job will be the one that sent you here in
the first place. Mapping the lands around us."

"But Dan'yar," Trevor frowned. "How will that help..."

"You will also be assigned to a seasoned patrol team a few times a week to
keep the skills you will learn sharp. I can't assign you a partner without
talking it over with Meena and Cynthia first, but I will allow you to train
with a fighting wing. That is something I can and will do. I will not allow
any dragon/rider pair here in Cleft to go out there unprepared as you were
today. That isn't something acceptable to me or any other Wingleader worth
his or her salt."

Not only was he thinking about what Trevor and Triss has been through...
though he would talk to the man about his dragons going off on her own...
His thoughts were of his daughters... what would have happened if it had
been them out there today when the wraiths had appeared.

The thought scared the hell out of him.

"Fair enough," Trevor was saying and reached his hand out to cement the
deal. "Thank you for understanding."

Dan'yar laughed, a slight bitter sound to it. "You may not thank me for it
later Lad..." he said getting up. "But you will be prepared if anything like
today happens again."

[Tag John.....]

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

Dan'yar & Shinner, Alpha Wingleader
Cleft Warren

Aka
Barbara