"So Noni," Ja'ks said after a minute, "I'm afraid I really don't 
know all that much about you." 

"Nor I about you," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "I've tried to keep
from being a celebrity about the warren." She paused. "I... kind of grew up
on my own."

"I see," Ja'ks said. "Where did you grow up?"

"I grew up around Triylar. I just moved into the Warren two years ago, right
after I joined with Amethyst."

"How have you been adjusting to Warren life? Most landbound find it to be
quite a change."

Noni nodded gravely. "It sure is a change, and it isn't an easy one to which
to adapt. Landbound life is deadly strict compared to the lifestyle around
here." Noni gave a slight shudder. "Less inhibitions held in a Warren." She
stopped short, as if she was exclaiming some indiscretion. Ja'ks looked at
her with a mischievious glint in his eye.

"Well, the people aren't the ones in charge of the change in lifestyle. We
dragonriders are slaves to our mounts' moods. Don't worry, Noni. You're not
the first to make that observation and certainly not the last." Ja'ks had to
stifle a chuckle when the girl slumped in her chair, visibly relieved to be
absolved of her errant remark.

"Good," she said. "I would hate to stand out from the crowd in that respect."
She looked up from her dinner. "So... What about you? Warren native, right?"
This Ja'ks was not a bad looking fellow at all. Noni heard Ammie's croon of
delight in her head. She swore that the two-year-old dragon was already
looking for Sprarroe so she could say hello in her own way.

"Yes ma'am. Born and raised right here at Daere. I've been with Sprarroe
since I was fifteen." 

"Were both your father and your mother dragonriders, then?"

"No. Just my father. My sister and I were the only others in the immediate
family with dragons."

"Oh? Who's your sister?" Perhaps Noni had heard of her somewhere...?

Ja'ks had a twinkle in his eye. "Jayleigh."

Yep. She heard, all right. "The Warrenlady...?" Noni's eyes widened with
surprise. 

He laughed out loud at her expression. "Uh-huh. The Warrenlady. You know," he
said in a lightly teasing manner, "you recognize a lot of people's names for
someone who prefers to stay hidden in the Warren!"

Noni blushed. "Yeah," she said with a smile. "I guess I do."

[NRPG: Barb, I'll hand this off to you now if you want to take the
conversation further. :) You probably have a better idea of Ja'ks' agenda
than I do, and I'm not sure exactly how long he's staying with Noni. He said
that he had maybe two hours' worth of free time, so I'm continuing the post
with events three hours later, just in case. :}]

*****************
[Three hours later]

Noni rose from her desk to walk around her office. She needed a stretch after
how long she sat in that desk, reading her book. She remembered the day's
earlier conversation. She liked Ja'ks. 

Noni soon remembered her patient. She quietly tiptoed into his room.

Zert was sleeping peacefully. (That's a blessing,) she thought. She was even
more thankful after she felt his abnormally hot forehead. She sighed. His
teleportation sickness had become much worse. Noni quietly went to the basin
next to the bed and prepared a cold compress. She carefully settled it onto
her patient's forehead. Zert stirred for a few moments and then went back
into his deep sleep.

On her way out of Zert's room, Noni picked up his chart and scribbled a few
lines. "Teleporting sickness worsened. Stay lengthened until condition
improves. Herbal treatment prescribed. Noni." With that, she left to blend
some herbs.

----------------
NRPG:

I figured that Zert would become worse after teleporting with that burn. I'm
using an outside source to describe the course and treatment of his sickness.
Bonus points go out to anyone who can name the exact source and situation to
which I am referring. (No, Mike, not the ER CD... ;)

Clear Skies and Seas,
Paula

Voice of -- 
Noni & Amethyst (Ammie) [DAERE]
Domaia [NORWALL]