[NRPG: Anyone who's followed Almiron at Keldarra might recognise the 
reference to him here.]

The two dragons broke out over the skies of the southern region of Gossimor 
demesne.  Tair'n pointed to a field and both dragons set down.  W'roan 
looked even more nervous as they slid off their dragons.  The field still 
held stubble from the harvest of the previous fall.  The furroughs held a 
light dusting of snow.

There were small houses scattered about and pens with sheep, cows, and 
goats.  A few chickens wandered around, scratching at the frozen ground.  
The cold seemed to be keeping most of the populace indoors.

It seemed a terribly lifeless, colourless scene to Tair'n after the 
brilliant colours of the dragons and constant activity at the warren.

"Which one is your parents' house?"

W'roan pointed to a whitewashed house with a slate roof on the outskirts, 
like so many other houses.  "That's it."

Tair'n turned and headed away from it.  "We'll ask our questions on the 
other side of the settlement, then."

The first door Tair'n knocked on was answered by an elderly lady.  W'roan, 
he noted, stood to the side, nearly out of view of the woman, with his face 
turned away.

"Yes?"  The woman frowned, looking at Tair'n's bruised and bandaged face.

"Good morning, ma'am, we're from Daere Warren, here--"

"Ah!  You're from that warren what took our local boy Wyroan and turned him 
all unnatural."

Tair'n paused.  He realised that the frightened boy he'd met after the 
hatching had filled out considerably since then.  That, combined with the 
much-longer hair would make W'roan difficult to recognise by anyone who 
hadn't seen him since he left the village.  He could see the red rising on 
W'roan's neck and ears and his fists clench.  <Damned landboud!  We're 
doing them a favour and look how we get treated.>  He leaned forward, 
smiling.  "Why, yes, I am.  In fact, I was the one who finally convinced 
Wyroan that he couldn't be a true dragonrider if he couldn't take it up the--"

"Tair'n!"  W'roan's hand shot out and spun him around to face him.  For the 
first time, W'roan's face came into view of the woman and she gasped.  
Flustered, she slammed the door.

"What the hell was that all about?" the younger man demanded angrily.

"Hey, if she's going to bring up sex and expect me to be apologetic about 
it, she's got another think coming."

"I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my sex life out of this little 
investigation.  Thank you very much."

"What do you care what they think?  They've already rejected you, now 
haven't they?" Tair'n countered.

W'roan's voice dropped.  "This town isn't exactly pleasant to homosexuals.  
Two or three years ago, we had a traveling leathercrafter come through, who 
got the shit beat out of him for 'seducing' the innkeeper's son.  It was a 
miracle he wasn't killed.  Matter of fact, I'm not sure but what he died of 
his wounds and was dragged off by wild animals or something.  Now, I 
realise we've got dragons to prevent that from happening to us, but if you 
want that nose of yours to heal straight, I'd suggest you make nice."

Tair'n sighed.  "I'm sorry.  My life has been hell lately and I just have 
no tolerance for idiots right now."

"I know, but you've got to find some or I'm going to be carrying you back 
to Daere.  You're supposed to be the older one here, so act like it."

******

It took little time for Tair'n to get thoroughly fed up with landbound and 
their ways.  When W'roan was recognised, most of the people avoided him.  
The worst were the ones who cast him an apologetic look before they avoided 
him.  Hypocrits!  It would have taken little time for news to reach 
W'roan's parents that he was in town, but they didn't come out to see him.

"Their only child, and they reject you," Tair'n commented when the had 
stopped for lunch.

"Did your father do you any better?"

Tair'n sighed.  His father hadn't even acknowledged his existence, save for 
a few brief months after his mother died and before he and Calette got 
involved.  "No, I guess not."

"For that matter, have you done your son any better?"

Tair'n flinched.  "I don't know he's my son."

"You know the odds are pretty damned good."

"I don't want to talk about this, Ro."

The younger dragonrider shrugged.  "You never do.  But the point I'm making 
is, this isn't a landbound thing.  It's just human nature, I guess."

Tair'n eyes strayed to the aforementioned innkeeper's son, who looked 
almost as battered as he did, as the young man headed to their table to 
collect their plates.  "I guess I don't think much of human nature, then."  
His hand snagged the young man's arm and for the first time, the man's eyes 
met Tair'n's.  "Do you want to get out of here?" Tair'n asked, quietly.

"What?"

"I can Search you and get you out of this hellhole."

"Do I have the aura?"  His eyes lit up at the thought.

"I have absolutely no clue, but neither does anyone else here, so it 
doesn't matter.  I'm just offering you a way out."

The young man considered.  "Can I think about it and tell you later?"

"Sure.  We'll come back here for dinner or before we leave if we leave 
before then."

******

All they could learn was that the disappearances always happened at night.  
They had started right before harvest time.  Until the harvest was over, 
the 'ghosts' had taken mostly crops with an occasional animal gone missing, 
including pet dogs and cats.  After harvest, the incidence of animal theft 
had gone up, though the winter cabbages left in the fields were still still 
being depleted as well.

After an hour of investigation after lunch, Tair'n turned to W'roan.  
"Looks like we need to come back after dark.  I can't see staying here till 
then.  But I'd guess whoever or whatever it is, it isn't rogue riders.  No 
person who grew up in 'civilisation' ats pets."

Ro nodded.  "To the inn, then?"

"Yup, then back to the warren for a few hours, then back here at dusk."

******

The two dragons broke the skies at Daere and landed on the green.  Tair'n 
helped his passenger down, then slipped off himself.  He pointed.  
"Warrenlady's office.  I'll get my ass chewed off for this, but what the hell."

He led his Searchling to the office door, knocked, and entered at the 
invitation.

"Warrenlady Jayleigh, I'd like you to meet Salas Taverner.  He was in a bad 
situation, so I sort of... Searched him."

Jayleigh's eyebrows shot up.  "I see.  It's good to meet you, Salas.  What 
kind of work do you do?"

"I can cook, bake and do a bit of butchering and gardening-- my da always 
said you should be able to do a meal from start to finish.  Brewing, 
laundry work, cleaning..."  The young man shrugged.

"Hmmm...  Okay.  Why don't you go to the kitchens and tell Realee to try 
you there as staff.  W'roan can show you where and Realee or one of her 
staff can get you set as far as apartments go and such."

He nodded.  "Thank you, Lady Jayleigh.  I really appreciate it."

They watched the young man walk out, then Tair'n turned to Jayleigh.  "I 
know what you're going to say, but I am the Alpha Wingleader, and he was 
being knocked about something fierce by his father and uncle because of a 
little... incident a couple years back with a traveling crafter with a 
penchant for young men.  I just couldn't stand to see him suffer."

[NRPG: Tag, Barb!  Unless someone wants to come in and rescue him... (Of 
course, Jayleigh may be really impressed that he did something in his life 
for someone else that was of no possible benefit to himself.  Tair'n THINKS 
he knows what she will say, but she could surprise him).]

******

[Dusk]

The dragons appeared in the skies above the village.

<Amadith, tell Sinia that we are going to stay in the air and see if you 
dragons-- >

< --can spot anything with our better vision.  Good idea.>

Tair'n sighed.  How did the dragon *do* that?  <Thanks.>

It was not long before W'roan pointed to a sheep pen on the far outreaches 
of the town.

<Sinia says she sees two humans there...  Oh, I see them, too.>

<How are they dressed, can you see?>

<Ummm... looks like some kind of animal skins.>

<Leather?  Fur?>

<Yes, but not like yours.  Very rough.>

<Interesting.  Well, it doesn't sound like rogue riders at least.  Or 
wraiths.  But, I suppose since we've come this far, we might as well see 
what they're about.  Tell Sinia-- >

The other dragon began landing and Tair'n knew that Amadith had already 
told Sinia to land.

They landed in a field, slid off their dragons and slowly approached the 
pair on foot.  The two mystery figures glanced their way, scampered back 
over the wooden fence and crouched behind it.

"We've been spotted," Tair'n said quietly.

"Well, we've got nothing to lose by going on, now do we?"

Tair'n shrugged, climbed the low fence around the pen and moved forward.  
The pair started to draw back, then paused, gazing as Amadith and Sinia 
nearby.  Good perhaps they would stay long enough to find out what was 
going on.

Their movements were very animal-like, but they were, indeed, human.  He 
saw they were clad only in rough furs.  A male and a female.

"Okay, stay calm.  We're not going to hurt you," he assured them as the man 
looked about ready to bolt.

The man drew a dagger and pointed it at Tair'n.

<Great, just what I need.  Velara's dead.  I got the shit beaten out of me 
by an asshole at Marrid.  I've got a broken nose.  The warrenlady is trying 
to replace me.  And now some wild man is going to carve my kidneys out with 
his knife!>

The man looked to his companion, but she was completely enthralled in 
watching the dragons.

"Give my regrets to R'ven if he spears me," Tair'n whispered to W'roan. 
"You're going to keep going?"

Tair'n shrugged.  "At this point, I'm damned if I do and damned if I 
don't."  Jayleigh would just use his failure here to remove him from the 
Alpha Wingleader position.  What was death to that?

Tair'n moved a little closer very slowly.  He stretched out his empty hands 
and spoke in a soft voice.  "Come on, put the knife down.  I just want to 
talk to you, friend."

The man stretched out his empty hand, as Tair'n had done, then stretched 
out the one with the dagger in it.  Tair'n stopped.

"Come on.  Let's talk.  Put down the knife... put it down...  I won't hurt 
you.  W'roan, I don't think they understand," he commented in the same 
calming tone of voice.  "Come on.  I'm your friend.  Do you understand 
friend?  He seems to be calming down, Ro.  And she seems to like our 
dragons.  Come on, put the knife down, please..."

The man seemed to be calming down, but his eyes were still darting about.  
The woman was still entranced with the dragons.  Tair'n took another step 
forward, till he was inches from the outstretched knife, pointing to his 
chest.  The wild man had only to lean forward slightly and was a goner.

"Let's sit and talk.  Come on.  Sit?"

There was a flurry of movement out of the corner of his eye.  The woman let 
out a cry and the man lunged forward in his panic.  Tair'n tried to dodge 
aside, but felt the hot pain in his side.

<Tair'n!>

Tair'n looked down to see the hilt of the knife sticking out of his side, a 
rent in his heavy leather jacket.  There was no blood.  Instinctively, he 
grabbed the knife.

Sinia, who had caused all the commotion, landed beside the wild woman.  The 
man was in a panic-- denied his knife, his companion (mate?) a mere arm's 
length from the huge flying beast.  Tair'n reached out and tripped the man 
as he started to run to where Sinia had landed.  Gods, he hurt.

Then the wild woman reached out and stroked the dragon's muzzle and Sinia 
crooned in pleasure.

"Sinia says she's talking to her," W'roan said.  "I didn't know she was 
going to come here, though.  Are you okay?"

"I'm fine.  Really."  Gods, it hurt.  "Why... why did she pull that stunt?"

"I guess the woman asked her to come, so she could get a closer look."

"Wait."  Something was finally getting through the pain.  "She's talking to 
Sinia?  She's telepathic?"

"It looks like it."

The wild man had stood and was looking lost and confused, staring at his 
companion.

"I wonder if we can get them to come to the warren..."

<Tair'n, please let me come now.>

<Not till I'm sure the wild man won't panic again.>

<But you're hurt.>

<It's... not... that bad.>

"Sinia's talking to them now."

"Good."

He wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to the goings-on around him.  His 
mind was focusing more and more on the pain in his side, and the wet, 
sticky something that was flowing inside his jacket.

He didn't know how many minutes went by when W'roan said, "They're coming.  
Can you take him on Amadith.  I think she's taken to Sinia."

"Fine."

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah."  <Amadith...?>

His dragon set down in front of him before he could finish the question.  
Tair'n scrambled up, then pulled the wild man up behind him.

<Home, now,> he ordered Amadith.

The dragon mounted to the air.  Tair'n looked down and saw he was still 
holding the dagger.  He turned slightly, and handed the knife to the wild 
man.  "Your knife."

The man looked down at the blood-slicked blade, then back at Tair'n, his 
eyes wondering.  The coldness of teleport hit them, then, and then the 
warren appeared in teh growing darkness.

They landed and W'roan came dashing over.  "Hey, Tair'n, why'd Amadith land 
by the Medical Center?  Tair'n?"

He slid off his dragon and stumbled.  Ro caught him, pushed him back 
against Amadith and opened his jacket.  "Gods, Tair'n, you were so hurt.  
Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Doesn't matter...  Jayleigh hates me anyway..."

"You're not making sense."

"She hates me...  Now she'll know how damned dedicated I am...  Hurts..."

"Come on, let's get you inside."

He let his ex-lover lead him into the Medical Center, listening to the 
confusing voices that errupted at their entrance.

"I've got a hurt dragonrider here.  Somebody help me, quick."

"What happened?"

"He was stabbed."

"Noni, help me out here."

"Let's get him to room 3."

"He's lost a lot of blood."

"Let's get his jacket and shirt off him."

Hands and fingers exploring him.  Pain.

"Tair'n... Tair'n... Stay with us.  Are you still here."

"Still here, yeah," he answered, distantly.

"Good.  You're okay.  It's a clean wound.  Doesn't look like it got any 
organs.  Tair'n?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, we're going to stitch you up now, okay?"

"Yeah.  Can I sl... sleep now?  I'm cold..."

"He's real shocky.  Hurry up with those blankets!"

"Tair'n... Tair'n... come on, stay with us..."

"Stay... cold..."

Sleep.

******

He woke up in a strange bed.  He hurt.  Everything was slightly foggy and 
surreal.

"Good morning, lover."

He looked over and saw R'ven sitting by his bedside.  "Where?"

"You're in the Medical Center," Jayleigh's voice said.

He looked up and saw her walking in the door to the room.  She was so 
beautiful.  Gods, he hated her.  Didn't he?  Why did he hate her?  
"Morning, beautiful..."  He sank back into the waters of oblivion.

******

He awoke again.  R'ven had been replaced by Jayleigh.  He tried to remember 
what he'd said before.  "Good morning?" he said uncertainly.

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Tair'n and Amadith

NRPG: Okay, well, that gets Keeper and Morgie's characters to the warren, 
get him into a weird situation with Jayleigh and pulls Noni in as one of 
the healers who's treating him.  Sounds about right... ;>

---
|   Lynette R. F. Cowper  *  Official INWO Rules NetRep & Goddess    |
| http://www.io.com/~lcowper  *  lcowper@io.com  *  lcowper@indy.net |
|  "If people never did silly things, nothing intelligent would ever |
|                   get done."  -- L. Wittgenstein                   |