<But I do not like this place,> Blanchie told her rider as they once again
made the trip out in the mountains to the east of the Cleft. <You are always
afraid when we come here and more so when you come out of there and why will
you not let me know what goes on while you are inside?>

<<It's safer for you not to know,>> was the riders only answer.  She knew
not the answers to the questions the beast asked, only knowing the words
were spoken in truth. Something.. inside her mind blocked the paths she
needed to travel to get to the answers. She dare not try to go around the
blocks for she knew something terrible would happen if she stepped over the
lines.  Something so horrific that she felt her heart would stop if she even
allowed herself to contemplate the reasons why. No, better to just do as the
voice inside her ordered and ... And what? She didn't know. <<Now do not ask
again. It will all be over soon,>> there was a wishfulness in her tone as
she stood next to the dragon staring off in the direction of the setting sun. 

<What will be over?> the purple dragon pushed. <I don't understand!>

<<Neither do I but it has to be done.. Will be done..>> the ride said and
pushed herself away from the warmth of the beast. The she took a deep breath
and slowly let it out before her right foot took the first step towards the
cave and what beckoned from inside.

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

"... so I thought I had better come here and tell you what all has been
happening," Said Xaxan, who's human host was bowling deeply before his
queen. She, bring the human would remember nothing of this meeting when they
left here to go back to the Warren. "The only problem I see is from the
human they call Trevor. He has proven to have a extra sense that enables him
to sense something is wrong.. Twice now he has defeated the suggestions Amar
has planted within his mind."

"This human then.. could pose as a problem to us then?" The Queen asked deep
in troubled though over what she had been told.

"Yes my queen.. I do believe he could," Xaxan sighed sadly, but inside he
was feeling a bit smug. He himself had had no problem controlling the
thoughts of the human female, who's body he possessed. She followed every
suggestion he made to her, except for those rare times she had tried to
fight it, before the programming had worn her down. She would be ready when
it came time for the humans to die.

"There is more my Queen....." Xaxan dared to speak before a question was
asked, but the Queen's mind was still worrying over the threat of the human
male.

She wasn't happy with most of the report. But started to perk up when Xaxan
went on to tell her about the Nomad male who Amar was using to stir up
trouble with the Nomad tribes.

"Nothing must go wrong. The Nomads will rid us of the dragonriding scum and
their beasts, who have infested our feeding grounds and once they are gone
my wraiths will take care of whatever humans are left. Go back and make sure
the female you inhabit is in the right place should Amar's plan fail.
Cynthia must die!"

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

Lenna was more tired then normal when Blanchie dropped her off on the ledge
of their apartment. That Blanchie didn't say anything to her after they'd
come back to the apartment didn't even register in her mind. But as she walk
past the boxes B`rand had packed up, the figure of the man making himself at
home on her couch caused her to blink. All she could see was his outline,
and something inside lit up when she called out a name.

"B`rand?"

A light flared and the identity of the man was reviled to her.

"No Lenna... Sorry," Trevor shrugged. "He's still in Telnor with your
Parents... But if you want I can ask someone to go for them?"

"No..." she sighed, not even bothering to hide the hurt she was feeling.
"It's over between us anyway so why should I have to face it sooner then
later." She took off her riding jacket and threw it over the back of an over
stuffed chair before collapsing down into the soft cushions. "What are you
doing here? Last night Lonnie and now you. I'm beginning to feel like you
all think I need a babysitter. I don't. I'm fine."

Trevor wasn't put off by her anger. One hand moved and he held up a bottle
of a very familiar looking amber liquid. Then the other lifted to show two
nice size glasses. "I thought maybe you could use a friend to talk too."

"What are you gonna do?" she laughed bitterly but with some humor. "Get me
drunk and hope I'll confess all my childhood sins?"

Trevor gave a derisive snort. "Lady there isn't enough booze in the whole
darn warren to get you that drunk... But seriously... I could use a friend
to talk to even if you don't feel like sharing all your earlier crimes."

He held the glasses up again and mimic pouring.

"Sure why not. But if you wouldn't mind, I have some of the red in the
cooler I'd rather have. That rotgut stuff you got there always gives me a
headache," she said.

He got up, "Sure why not, even though you don't know what you're missing.
But to show you what a sweetheart I am I'll even get up and go get the
bottle and bring it back in here with me." He offered then turned away so
she wouldn't see the slow grin that crept over his lips. He'd known she
wouldn't go for the bottle he'd brought along. He'd planned it that way so
they'd both be drinking out of different bottles. 

Moments later he was back and stopped long enough to pick up one of the
glasses he'd set down moments before and filled her glass up to the brim.

"You really are trying to get me drunk," she accused and gave him a
suspicious look, which he defused with a laugh.

"You need it," he told her and picked his own glass up as he retook his seat.

<*> Yes yes! Take the drink!!.. Go on take it... Then he will. This is going
to work out wonderfully. Yes... see him drink.. see him stumble...  See him
fall right off the ledge... <*>

Somewhere deep inside her a voice was shouting out in glee. It had needed to
come up with a plan to deal with this human male, and things couldn't have
worked out better if Xaxan had planned it himself.

He knew already from something Amar had told him about how strange these
human's acted after drinking the vile stuff the female had just taken a sip
of, but if he could control her, and not let her drink to much of the stuff,
then maybe they could get the human male *drunk*... yes that was the word...
get him drunk and then shove him over the edge of the ledge to his death.
The drink would be blamed for the human busybodies untimely.. or should I
say timely death, Xaxan thought.

"So what problems do you have that you want to talk to me about?" she
finally asked after taking a small sip and relaxing even deeper into the big
chair.

"Well you see it's like this..." he said and moved so that his legs were up
on the couch, getting comfortable as she seemed to be. "I've been thinking
about Jojo lately..."

"Jojo!!" she nearly spit up the sip of wine she had just taken, and had to
grip the glass a bit harder so as not to drop it. "As in your old horse!!?"

"Yup. One in the same," he confessed.

"Oh come on," Lenna snorted. "Don't tell me you're still holding that
against me after all this time!"

"Jojo was a good horse!"

"Jojo was a nag and you were well rid of it," Lenna threw back at him.
"Besides which I think Reain felt she got the best part of the deal."

"Well that's true," he admitted, then saw him frown for a second 
before he hide it. 

She wondered about the reason. Had something happened to Reain? Lenna had
been meaning to go by and see her since she got back, but never seemed to
find the time.

"But still, Jojo got me where I was going and you know I sort of miss him.
Been thinking about getting another one," Trevor continued, but only after
she saw him take a big sip from his glass and reach for the bottle to refill it.

"Now I know you're putting me on," Lenna laughed, she couldn't help herself.
                                  
"No, really," he said, leaning forward to refill her glass...and his own,
too, but his had only had a single drink taken from it, while hers had been
all but drained.  "I think everyone living in or near the Nomadlands should
have a horse, don't you?"  He pretended to take a very deep drink, while
actually taking only the smallest sip.

"You can't mean that?" she just stared at him thinking he'd lost his mind,
then absentmindedly took another large sip of the red. "Okay what's the
punch line? This is all a big joke right?"
                                  
"Um, yea, shur," Trevor mumbled, pretending to slur his words as he filled
the glasses yet again.  "A toast...to Jojo!! Bes' damn horse I e'r had..."
They drank that toast, and then he refilled the glasses yet again.

"You crazy man!" she giggled, but raised her own glass and down the wine.
"To Jojo!"
                                  
Xaxan was just starting to feel the effects of the drink, and tried harder
to stop the human from imbibing any more, but when he tried to work his will
into her mind, he found himself stumbling over what he was suppose to do.
                                   
He knew he had to do something... but what it was he couldn't remember...
Something about the human male..... and a ledge.... But how did they go
together? Why couldn't he remember? 

"Just out of curiosity," Trevor said slowly, "Where were you earlier. I came
looking for you last night and tonight last night? Triss said you and
Blanchie were gone most of both evening."

"Out!" she said. "Went on'na 'ride in the wild blue... No it's 'ight time
so's the sky can't be blue.....can it?" she asked and saw him shake his
head. "Okay in the wild black skies over the Cleft..."

"So'kay if you don't want to tell me...' Trevor told her. "I got secrets too..."

"You?" she leaned forward in her chair hoping to hear what they were. "Tell
me..."

"Nope..." he shook his head and made to raise his glass to his lips to take
another drink, but somehow managed to spill half the glass down the front of
him. That set Lenna to laughing.

"Gees Trev... you're drunk!!" she chortled. 

"Am not!" he said trying to sound very dignified, but his words were so
slurred that she set off giggling again. "Well maybe s'a little teeie bit."

"Maybe more," she said, holding out her empty glass for him to fill it again.

"We're friends right Lenna?" he asked suddenly.

"Friends..." she agreed. 

"So you can tell me where's you went 'night... Cause friends don' keep...
kept... keep secrets....."

The laughter faded from her eyes to be replaced by a look of total fear.
"Can't tell... bad things will happen."

"What bad things Lenna?" he asked, moving to sit on the edge of the couch
after noticing the drop of her eyes.

It was all she could do to set the glass down on the table in front of her
before dropping it as the glass became to heavy to hold. Suddenly her limbs
all seemed heavy and her mind begin to cloud over. She felt herself falling
back among the cushions of the big chair where she was sitting.

"Wha'z happenin'?" her words slurred as she tried to sit up, but felt her
body not responding to her thoughts. Then she felt herself being lifted up
and laid on the couch.

"Lenna.. tell me about the bad things that'll happen?" and insistent voice
murmured.

"Can't," she tried to shake her head but it wouldn't move. Nor could she
lift her hand up when she tried. "Can't protect 'em if I tell. He'll ge'um.
Can't stop'um.. tried.. to strong..."

"Who's to strong Lenna?" the voice persisted sounding like a gnat buzzing
inside her ear. 

[[[ Tag John..... what does he learn from her..... :) ]]]

===========  

Nrpg: Lenna will disappear after Trevor talks to her..... she's NOT to be
found for I have some EVIL plans for her....... I'll send you the post when
I get it worked out Alton.......

**** Submitted by; ****

Lenna & Blanchie
Cleft Warren

Aka
Barbara


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