[Tair'n, day after the hatching]

He led the Nomads into the Medical Center, Qedhar carrying his daughter
one-armed.  Tair'n marveled at the strength of the man.  Akil's eyes were
watchful and wary. 

"What's wrong with him?" he asked Qedhar.

Qedhar shrugged as best he could.  "He was one of Nomad taken by Khazeem,
whom you call Da'ntray.  He joined to Reyhan in Jhezrael.  There is no
telling what he has seen of Dragonraidah." 

"I see.  So, do we know whose clutch Reyhan's egg was stolen from?"

Qedhar's eyes went distant, but before he could speak, Amadith spoke in
Tair'n's head, <Kalindeth.  Reyhan was upset to learn she was gone, but
glad to know his sire was still alive.>

"Ah, Kalindeth's..." Tair'n said quietly.

Qedhar nodded.  "Your Amadith is sire, yes?"

"Yes."  Tair'n's mind was filled with the memories of that day... his loss
of control and the utter animal passion that had passed between Danika and
himself.  Gods, how could she be gone?

"I am sorry," Qedhar said, sensing his mood.

Tair'n stopped.  "He's in here.  The... smell is pretty bad."

Qedhar turned and spoke to Akil.  The boy nodded and spoke back.

"He says he is used to smell of sick-tent.  It will not bother him."

"And you?" Tair'n asked.

"Smell of death is familiar to me," Qedhar answered with a shrug as he set
Omana down.  He spoke softly to his daughter who nodded and crutched her
way over to a nearby bench.

Tair'n opened the door and stepped back to allow the others through.  He
watched as Akil caught the first whiff and was surprised to see his face
turn not to one of disgust or nausea but to concern.  Qedhar's face barely
registered a reaction.

Tair'n followed them in, but stopped in the doorway, his stomach lurching,
glad he hadn't eaten this morning.  "I'll... wait right here," he said and
leaned against the doorframe.

Qedhar gave him a disgusted look, then led Akil to the bedside.  "If I
call for you to help me, you must come into room and help me to pull Akil
away from injured man.  Otherwise, he could kill himself."

Tair'n nodded, then realising Qedhar was facing away from him said, "I
will."

Qedhar spoke to the boy, who nodded.  Akil pulled the sheets down till
some bare, unbandaged skin was showing.  He touched it lightly, wincing,
then laid his hands fully on W'roan's chest.  The Nomad boy gasped in
pain.  His breath rasped out of him, labored and interspersed with
near-sobs. 

Tair'n stood up and took a tentative step into the room.  "Is he okay?"

"He is feeling injured man's pain.  Zashi is kind to allow sleep in great
pain, but dain Hehran must experience his subject's suffering in order to
heal.  So, many dain Hehran suffer more pain than him who is healed." 

Akil's knees buckled and Qedhar grabbed out with his one arm.  "Help."

Tair'n dashed to Akil's side and gently pulled the boy away from W'roan.
Akil's head lolled back and blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
Between them they got him laid down.

"Gods, I didn't realise what I was asking him to do," Tair'n said as he
wiped the blood from Akil's mouth.

"Being touched of Hehran is great blessing and great curse," Qedhar
answered.  "You ask nothing more than Hehran herself asks of him."

The door flew open and Calette stepped into the room.  "What the hell is
going on in here?"

Tair'n started guiltily, realising that in his rush he had forgotten to
inform the staff of his intentions.

Calette took in the unconscious form of the Nomad boy on the floor and the
scarred, one-armed Nomad who knelt next to him and her eyes narrowed.

"I thought you were going to get W'roan's family so they could say their
goodbyes, Tair'n.  Not a couple of--"

"Calette!" Tair'n interrupted, leaping to his feet and dragging her out of
the room before she could insult the Nomads.  "Listen to me.  The one on
the floor is what they call a dain Hehran-- someone touched by the Nomad
goddess of healing.  He--" 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded.  "Can't you let
him die in peace instead of bringing a couple of... of... savages into his
room to perform gods know what sort of barbaric ritual?  Gods, Tair'n, I
can't believe you!"

"They aren't savages and it's not some sort of barbaric ritual.  All he
did was lay his hands on W'roan."

"And how did he end up on he floor, unconscious, with blood running out of
his mouth?"

"He passed out from W'roan's pain," he snapped back.  "I don't know about
the mouth bleed.  I think he must take some injury himself when he heals
people.  I didn't know about that part."

She looked at him askance.  "I didn't think you were the religious sort."

He laughed then.  "You know, I didn't either.  But when Cal'an was laying
in here not expected to recover, I had Osdin come and pray with me.  And
he recovered.  When I fully expected to be banished for m-murdering my
mother and her dragon, I prayed to every god I could think of.  And I
wasn't banished. And I've talked to people who've been healed by these
dain Hehran people. So, yeah, when my back's against the wall, you're damn
straight I'm a religious sort."

"And you really believe some god or goddess cares one whit about whether
W'roan lives or dies?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly.  "But *I* care."

She looked at him with pity in her eyes.  "Okay.  Let me go see what this
dain Hehran kid has done to himself."

"Lette... could you check... could you see if he's done any good?"

She sighed and shrugged.  "Sure.  What the hell.  He needs his dressings
replaced sometime soon anyway." 

"Thank you," he said, but she was already stepping into the room.

Tair'n turned and followed her in.

In the hallway, Omana sat watching his departing back and wondering what,
exactly, savages and barbaric rituals were.  She would have to ask her
father later. 

Akil was on his feet when they came into the room, though looking rather
weak.

"All right, buddy, have a seat.  I want to see what's up with you,"
Calette said to the Nomad boy.

Akil turned to Qedhar and Qedhar translated.  Qedhar pointed to a chair
and Akil gingerly sat.

Tair'n leaned against the doorframe and watched her examine his face, then
move down to his torso.

"Gods!  He's got bruises all over.  What in the hell is this?"

"It sometime happens when dain Hehran heals someone that he takes injury
by bruising," Qedhar explained.

"Yeah, right..." she muttered.

Qedhar turned to Tair'n, his face quizzical, but Tair'n shrugged.

"Tell him to drop his pants," Calette told Qedhar.

Qedhar translated and Akil's eyes went wide, his hands going to cover up
the fastenings for his pants.  He said something to Qedhar.

"He says he doesn't want to," Qedhar translated.

"Tell him I can't find out what injuries he's sustained without being able
to examine him."

Qedhar shrugged and translated with Akil replying.

"He says he is fine and Hehran will heal him of any injury."

She let out an exasperated sigh.  "Okay, fine.  But if I catch you laying
a hand on him, I'll take this to the warrenlady."

Qedhar looked at her in confusion.  "I don't understand."

"These bruises.  Someone beat him up.  I don't think it was Tair'n, so
I'm figuring it was you.  So, I'm warning you-- don't do it again.  I
don't care if you think beating him up is going to help W'roan in some
twisted fashion."

"Lette, that's not--"

"Stay out of this, Tair'n.  I still can't believe you permitted this in my
Medical Center.  Now, the three of you get out.  I need to examine
W'roan."

******

"I'm sorry about Calette," Tair'n offered.

Qedhar shrugged.  "I am used to such thing from dragonraidah.  My people
is looked on with scorn by yours, with some exception.  Your people does
not want explanation.  It doesn't want to understand."

Akil spoke up then.

"He says Reyhan is hungry and he must feed him."

"There's food in the store room outside the hatchling barracks.  You'll
want to get him settled there anyway.  I take it this will take several
days?"

Qedhar nodded.

"Hm.  Then we'll want to get him into training here... though I'm not sure
how..."

"I can translate.  I have been assisting hatchling trainer at Cleft, since
many Nomad have joined who does not speak dragonraidah tongue."

Tair'n nodded.  "That'll work."  He paused, looking at the still-exhausted
Akil.  "How... how soon can he... try again?"

Another round of translation.  "Probably tomorrow, around this time."

"Okay.  I'll see you then."

Qedhar collected his daughter and the Nomads left.  Tair'n took Omana's
place on the bench, waiting for word from Calette.

"Please, gods... Hehran, whoever you are... let it be true."

******

The door to W'roan's room opened and Calette stepped out, looking
thoughtful.  Tair'n stood, his eyes anxious.

"Well?"

"Well..." she said, "I don't know...  His breathing is easier and it looks
like the edges of his burns have moved in... but it could just be wishful
thinking."

"It's working?"

"Tair'n, I don't know!  And if it involves beating up some poor
innocent--"

"Calette, I swear to you, neither Qedhar nor I touched him, other than to
pull him back when it got to be too much for him."

"You're sure?"

"I was in there the whole time.  I'm sure."

She studied him.  "Okay.  I want to be present if he decides to pull this
again.  I want to see what he does."

Tair'n shrugged.  "Sure.  I can't see any problem with that."

******

[The next morning, after the announcement about Geode]

Tair'n ran his hand through his hair and made another note.  With all of
Gamma going to Geode and Ja'ks with them, he was left with a patrol
schedule that was a mess and him the only wingleader to figure it all out.

He looked up at the knock on his door.  "Come in."

R'ven walked in, looking sexy as usual in his all-black riding leathers.

"Ven, what's up?"

"I'm going to Geode."

Tair'n felt the blood drain from his face as he rose in shock.  "What?!
Ven, you can't volunteer for that.  You know how you are with wraiths."

"Leigh asked me to go check on C'nis.  I'm not going to be in the battle."

"Like hell you won't!  When those wraiths hit, they'll need every rider
and you know it."

R'ven sighed.  "I know.  Maybe I'll get lucky and C'nis'll be ready to
come home as soon as I get there and we can just leave."

"Gods, I hope so.  But the report from that girl about him didn't sound
that promising."  Tair'n came around his desk and stood just drinking in
the sight of his mate.

"Don't look so much like you're memorising me in case I don't come back,"
R'ven chided.

"I don't want you to go.  When you're in Alpha, it's one thing.  But this
is a ragtag wing joining a bunch of wings from other warrens who have no
business fighting together.  And wraiths!  Gods, why did it have to be
wraiths?"

"I'll be okay."

Tair'n pulled R'ven into his arms, his mouth seeking his mate's.  As the
kiss lengthened, Tair'n's hands trailed down to his lover's pants fly.

"We don't have time," R'ven objected.

"I'll make it quick.  I don't want you forgetting what you have to come
home to and doing something stupid, after all," Tair'n said with a smile,
as he dropped to his knees.

R'ven let out a moan as Tair'n's mouth went to work.  "I don't think
there's any risk of that..."

******

W'roan's room smelled better today.  The pall of death didn't seem to hang
over it quite so much.

Akil, looking much better this morning than he had yesterday, and Qedhar
sat waiting for Calette to show up.  When she did, Tair'n couldn't help
but notice the angry look that crossed Qedhar's face.

"Can we do it now?" Qedhar asked.

Calette nodded.

The healing was very much a repeat of the previous day, though it was
longer before Akil passed out.  He gave Calette a triumphant 'see, I told
you so' look.

She examined Akil, shaking her head in amazement, then turned to W'roan
and began undoing the dressings on one hand.

This time, the healing was obvious.  New pink skin covered half of the
burned area on W'roan's hand.

"Well... what do you know...  I guess it does pay to be a religious sort,
once in a while," Calette said.

******

As the hours passed, Tair'n grew more restless.  R'ven hadn't made it
back.  That meant he was there at Geode... with wraiths on the way.

He threw himself into his work, and when that ran out, he returned to his
apartment and began a cleaning spree.  Cal'an sat and watched in
bemusement.

"What are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing?"

"But why clean up the apartment now?  You could wait till Uncle Ven's
back, then he could help."

"I want it to be clean for him when he comes back," Tair'n answered.

"Are you worried about him?"

Tair'n sighed.  "I've never been more worried in my life."

"How can you have him in your wing, then?  Wouldn't that make it hard for
you to lead?"

"You'd think so, but it doesn't work that way.  I know my wing.  And I
know they'd do anything physically possible to keep everyone in it alive.
But this...  I feel so helpless..."

"I know what you mean," Cal'an said quietly.

"You do?" Tair'n asked, looking up from scrubbing the floor.

Cal'an nodded.  "Ja'dain's still missing.  And then there was when my da
went off after Da'ntray... And he didn't make it."

Tair'n shivered.  "Your Uncle Ven'll be back.  And we'll find Ja'dain."

Cal'an nodded, slipping off the couch and grabbing his jacket.  "I'm going
to go see Osdin."

"Okay.  Oh, and, Cal'an," Tair'n paused as his son turned to look at him,
"put in a prayer for me, too."

"I will."

******

The next day was pure agony.  He kept waiting for a dragon to appear in
their skies with the bad news of the loss of some of their numbers... for
the keening to start...  Please, gods, don't let Zenith be one of the
lost...

W'roan was progressing, but still not conscious.  Calette said she thought
it would be sometime that day.  She also stated her conclusion that Akil
couldn't restore Ro's lost eyes.

He returned to his apartment early and sat curled up next to Amadith,
watching the snow fall on the steps outside their apartment and melt under
the heat of Amadith's breath.

Amadith stirred.  <I'm going to go hunt and then visit Sinia.>

<Okay,> Tair'n answered, standing up.  <I guess I'll reheat the stew from
last night's dinner for Lan and I for lunch.>

<You should eat.  You hardly touched breakfast.  You're acting like
Viktroy's rider.>

<Oh?  Why isn't Leigh...  Oh.  Never mind.>

Gods!  He still needed to tell Lan that he was going to have a new sibling
soon.  He wondered if he could wait for them to find and return Ja'dain...
He should do see Jayleigh.

"After lunch," he said to himself, and headed into the kitchen.

******

"Last one down is a rotten egg!" Cal'an called as he pulled his coat on
and headed toward the stairs. 

"Won't be me!" Tair'n answered, making a dash for it and getting face full
of snow for his trouble.  He looked up to see a laughing Cal'an.  "Why,
you little..."

"I gotcha that time, Dad!  Nyah-nyaaeee!"  His taunt ended in a shriek as
he slipped on the ice beneath the snow and landed on his rear end.

"Lan!  Are you okay?" Tair'n asked as he ran to his son's side.

"I'm fine," the boy answered, then seeing the look on his father's face
laughed and shook his head.  "Really.  My coat goes all the way down."

"Okay," his father answered, helping him up.  "Let's get you off these
stairs.  They're pure ice from where they melted under Amadith's breath
and refro--"  And at that moment, his feet went out from under him.  His
first thought was for Cal'an.  He fought the instinct to grab out for
something to balance himself and let go of his son, lest he injure him. 
He stumbled down two steps at once, then lost his footing completely, and
slid down three steps before going over the edge. 

He could hear Cal'an screaming and hoped to the gods the boy hadn't
slipped behind him.  Then he thought of the jagged, rocky ground beneath
their stairs and how much it was going to hurt when he hit.

Then all was red and seering and then blackness.

At the top of their icy stairs, Cal'an was screaming, frozen to the spot,
knowing he couldn't go to his father down the hazardous steps.  He watched
as the snow turned red around his father's crumpled form and screamed
again.

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

---

 Lynette R. F. Cowper <lcowper@indy.net>, INWO Line Editor