T'rell
* * * * * * * *
(Med center, following Jadain's awakening)

     T'rell moved over to stand next to the Warrenlady as she looked down at
the sleeping boy.  "I think he's going to be all right," he told her.  "But I
wasn't kidding about accelerating his training.  He's got a LOT of power for
someone his age, but as long as he can't properly control it, he's going to be
vulnerable to something like this every time he experiences any sort of
trauma...or anytime you lose a dragon here at Daere."

     Jayleigh nodded.  "I completely agree," she said.  "Can you start with
him tomorrow?"

     "Yes, I can," he told her.  "But...not unless I take on somebody to
assist with training.  I was thinking of something along those lines
anyway...at Falagand, we had trainers assigned to each combat wing.  Gives the
younger riders somebody to take their problems to, you know, other than their
wingleaders.  I mentioned that to Jer'lin yesterday, and he's all for it.  He
said he'd brought it up to Velara while she was Warrenlady, but she vetoed
it."

     "Well, Velara was a great one for centralization," Jayleigh observed.
"Now that you mention it, Jer'lin did say something about that to me awhile
back.  There just hasn't been time for us to put it in practice.  Draw up a
plan for doing that, if you wish, and I'll look it over.  But for now, go
ahead and have one of the other riders help you.  I'll see that any necessary
paperwork gets done."

     "Thanks, Warrenlady," said T'rell, looking back at the sleeping Jadain.
"If he needs anything, you'll have Troy call me?"

     "I'll do that," Jayleigh told him.  "And thank you, T'rell."

     T'rell bowed to her, and headed for the door.  "And thank you as well,
Fah'ree," he said.  "I couldn't have done it without you."

     Fah'ree nodded wearily.  "That was...interesting!" she observed.  "I must
have you show me some of your techniques one of these days.  And, of course,
to listen to the dragons as you showed Jadain!"

     "It's a deal," he said, as he opened the door and walked out into the
hallway.  Several people were there; he quickly recognized them as Jer'lin,
Noni, Ja'ks, Ar'Aman, and Kayla.  

     "How is he?" Jer'lin asked anxiously.

     "He's asleep for the moment, but he's going to be all right," T'rell told
him.  "I'm going to start his training as soon as he's up and moving around
again, so this type of thing can't happen again."

     "That's good," Jer'lin said, nodding.

     "Just be sure you remember he's only a little boy and that I can't rub a
linament into his head as I can a sore leg," Noni quipped sarcastically.

     T'rell bit back a comment about having had to pull the healers' bacon out
of the fire on this one, but held it back.  He was too tired to have any
desire to get into a fight with the formidable Noni this evening, and besides
he had no need to.  Kayla immediately jumped in to his defense, and it took
him a moment to find an opening.   "Healer Noni...you do me wrong," he said,
grinning broadly.  Fighting was one thing, but having a chance to bait her a
bit was another.

     Noni narrowed her eyes as she regarded him.  "Oh, I've got your number
all right, *coffee man!*"  she said.  T'rell winced, wondering if he was ever
going to live down his dragon's stupid stories about how he had escaped
Falagand by dumping coffee onto B'nair.

     After Noni had finished with giving him her dire warnings, the group
split up.  Ja'ks went to speak with his father, and Kayla went in to see
Jadain while Ar'Aman waited outside the door.  T'rell decided it was time to
take his leave, and strode out into the cool evening air.  The two dragons who
were cuddled together outside swiveled their necks around to regard him.

     <Well done, my rider!> Flerrion said proudly.  

     <Thank you, T'rell,> Troy said softly, leaning down to touch the tip of
her nose on his chest.

     T'rell gave her nose a pat and grinned.  *I couldn't have done it without
your help, Viktroy,* he told her solemnly.  *Now, if you can spare him, I need
to borrow Flerrion back for a bit.*

     <Well, if I must,> Flerrion said reluctantly.

     *You must,* T'rell assured him.

     Disengaging himself from the queen, Flerrion crouched for his rider to
mount.  A few moments later, they were landing on the ledge of their new
apartment.  Flerrion hadn't done *too* bad a job of picking a place, T'rell
decided, except that as he had feared it was closer to the feeding grounds
than he would have liked.  He suspected that its real attraction for the
crimson dragon was that the dragon's room was a bit larger than normal.
Clearly, Flerrion expected to have company frequently.  

     Tired as he was, he looked forward to nothing more tonight than a hot cup
of coffee and a warm bed.  But just as he was beginning to remove Flerrion's
saddle, he heard Sparroe address him.  <T'rell, Flerrion, my rider wishes me
to pass some information along to you.>

     *What is it, Sparroe?*

     <My rider asked me to tell you that today is Ammie's rider's birthday,>
the brown dragon replied.  <He is taking her into town for dinner, but there
will be a party afterward in the dining hall.  She knows nothing of this.>

     T'rell chuckled.  *Ah, a surprise party!  Those are always fun!  I don't
know, though...I'm not sure Noni would be particularly glad to see me there.*

     <Troy also asked me to tell you that her rider will allow her hatchling
to go, and would appreciate your being there,>  Sparroe said.

     T'rell sighed.  Well, for Jadain he would do it, of course.  *Tell your
rider that I'll be there,* he said.  Then he had a wicked thought...might as
well take advantage of this to revive an old tradition that seemed
particularly appropriate right now.  *Sparroe, tell your rider that I'd like
to do something...*

     He quickly outlined his plan, while Flerrion and Sparroe listened.  By
the time he was done, both dragons were chuckling merrily.  <My rider says
that he will be delighted to go along with this!> Sparroe laughed.  <He says
that you need only tell him when you are ready.  And he says this also...that
you should make a big...production?...out of it!>

     *Tell Ja'ks not to worry, everything is in hand,* T'rell assured him.
While his coffee was heating up on the grate, he began looking through the
pile of his belongings that he had brought here.  He needed a certain item for
the party, and hoped he hadn't left it back at Falagand.

     <You have a truly devious mind, my rider!> Flerrion said appreciatively,
looking in through the door to the outer room.  <I am only sorry that I cannot
fit through the door of the med center, so I will be unable to visit you in
your bed there tomorrow...>

     *Funny,* said T'rell.  *Ah! Here it is!!*  He held up the object he had
searched for, and then quickly looked for something to wrap it in.

* * * * * * * *
(Later, outside the dining hall)

     *Go on back to our apartment,* T'rell told the crimson dragon, as he
dismounted.  *I'll see you later.*

     <Hmmph!  I somehow got the impression that I *I* was invited to this,
too!>

     *If Noni saw half the dragons of Daere loitering outside the dining hall
when Ammie brings her back, she'd be sure to know something's up.  Maybe you
dragons can have your own party somewhere else...somewhere out of sight!*

     Grumbling, Flerrion took off.  The lights of the dining hall were on, but
there was no one visible inside.  He walked in, and immediately saw that his
first impression had been wrong.  The place was full, but no one was talking -
and they had all taken up positions where they wouldn't be visible from
outside.  He saw Jadain grinning impishly at him, with Jayleigh standing next
to the boy.  Kayla and Ar'aman stood nearby.  T'rell hurried over to join the
group.

     "You're just in time," Jayleigh whispered.  "Troy said that Sparroe and
Ammie are just coming in to land."  She looked suspiciously at the two wrapped
bundles that the blond rider was carrying.  "So you found it, I see."

     "Aw, you heard?" he asked, then reached down to ruffle Jadain's hair as
the boy giggled at the joke.  

     "Sparroe told Troy what you and my brother are planning," she said,
smiling.  "All I can say, is that you two will probably have to share a room
at the med center when Noni finishes with you."

     "I seem to be hearing that a lot tonight," he remarked.  Suddenly the
door opened, and he joined everyone else in yelling "SURPRISE!!!"

* * * * * * * * * *
(T'rell's apartment)

     Flerrion had been back only a short time when he heard the sound of a
dragon backwinging in to land on his ledge.  Raising his head, he peered out
into the darkness and saw that it was his friend Zenith.

     <You're back,> Flerrion said unnecessarily.

     <We just returned,> Zenith said, folding his wings and settling himself
down near Flerrion.  <Your rider is not here?>

     <No,> Flerrion answered.  <He is at the party for Ammie's rider.>

     <Oh, good...> said Zenith, looking somewhat relieved though Flerrion
could not imagine why.  <I heard that your rider healed the little human
hatchling.>

     <Yes, he did!> said Flerrion, his chest swelling with pride.

     <Hmmm...and I am sure that Troy was very grateful for that,> said the
black dragon, and for just a moment the corners of his mouth curled down in
what looked like a scowl.  It vanished as quickly as it had appeared, but
Zenith seemed to be deep in thought for a few moments.  Then he smiled, and
looked over at the crimson dragon.  <I know that she is quite attached to the
little hatchling,> he said.  <I would imagine that she could not have gotten
through this crisis without you.>

     Flerrion blinked.  <Well, I don't know...I never really thought about
that...it was just that she seemed so alone, waiting there outside the med
center...>

     <Well, no one should be alone at a time like that,> Zenith observed.
<And  since both Sparroe and I were absent, you were the only one who could
have done this for her, no?  So it's only fair to say she couldn't have made
it without you?>

     <I suppose...> Flerrion said, somewhat confused about the whole thing.

     <Dragons have been known to lose all control in times of great stress,>
Zenith continued.  <I wonder if that could have happened to her had you not
been there?>

     <I don't know about that...> Flerrion said doubtfully.  

     <It has happened before,> Zenith assured him, though he did not offer to
give any examples.  <And, queen or no, Troy is still a dragon.  So without you
to comfort her through this trial, she might have lost all control and done
who-knows-what!>

     Flerrion shook his head, trying to follow this somewhat convoluted logic.
<If you say so,> he finally said, deciding not to argue the point.

     Zenith chuckled.  <Of course, you must *never* tell her that I said this
to you,> he continued.  <She has been through so much already!>

     <Of course,> Flerrion agreed.

     <Tell me, how did my ideas of how to please her work for you?> the black
dragon inquired.

     <Well, I think she liked the bucks,> Flerrion told him.  <I'm not sure
about the mud, though.  She seemed to be having fun at the time, but later she
wouldn't even talk about it!>

     Zenith waved a claw dismissively.  <It's like I told you, she'll never
admit to having fun.  She's far too conscious of her position here, and thinks
she has to act prim and proper all the time.  But you can tell when she's
really pleased, because she acts like she isn't.>  He cocked his head
thoughtfully, and chuckled softly to himself.  <For instance, you should try
nibbling her toes sometime and see how she acts...she *loves* that, but you
wouldn't believe the fuss she makes about it!>

     Flerrion nodded.  <Still, I don't think she enjoyed being yelled at by
her rider for getting muddy.  I know I didn't...>

     Zenith snorted.  <Riders! Hmmph!  What do *they* know?  Look at mine!!>

     <I heard you weren't speaking to him,> Flerrion said tentatively.  <That
must be really hard, Zen...>

     The black dragon shrugged.  <Riders must be reminded of their place,> he
told the younger dragon.  <I can give you all sorts of useful pointers in that
regard...by the way, nice apartment you have here...>

(Tag Barb - I think Flen's just unsuspectingly gotten himself into trouble,
and is probably about to get himself into yet more...)

* * * * * * * *
T'rell
(At Noni's birthday party)

    The party was going well, T'rell decided.  Noni had been properly
surprised by the whole thing, and seemed genuinely pleased.  She had loved the
present that Jadain had given her, and the boy was absolutely beaming as he
sat at a table with T'rell and his mother.   She'd even loved the present
T'rell had given her...a pound of expensive gourmet coffee, which he'd told
her would come in handy on those nights when she had to put in long hours at
the med center!

     The wine and ale were making the rounds, of course, to help the
partygoers wash down the delicious cake that Realee had baked.  T'rell had
helped himself to three mugs of ale, but for him that wasn't too much...just
enough to leave him with a pleasant feeling inside.
  
     Jadain was looking tired, though, and T'rell knew he'd have to leave
soon.  Jayleigh seemed to realize this as well, and tapped her son on the
shoulder.  "I think it's time we went back home," she said.

     Jadain looked disappointed.  "Aw, this is fun. Do I have to?"

     "Listen to your mother," T'rell told him, with mock severity.  "Those are
your healer''s orders as well!"

     Jayleigh shepherded her son ahead of her, but bent down to whisper to
T'rell as she passed by.  "Besides, I think I'd better be officially somewhere
else when what I think is about to happen...happens!" 

     He watched the two of them leave, then looked around for J'aks...The Beta
Wingleader had excused himself earlier, but now T'rell saw that he had
returned.  
The party had been going on for some time, and showed signs of winding down
now.  He decided that it was time, and made eye contact with Ja'ks, who was
standing on the other side of the room, and saw the rider nod his head and
grin hugely.  T'rell stood up and grabbed the other bundle he'd brought, then
made his way up to the front of the dining hall where the guest of honor was.
Ja'ks did likewise, and the two of them converged on where Noni was standing.

     T'rell raised his arms to get everyone's attention, still clutching the
mysterious bundle in one hand.  "Can I have your attention, PLEASE?!" he
called out, in the voice he normally used to call the trainees.  When
everyone's attention was on the front of the room, he went on.

     "When I was a youngster, I was indoctrinated into an old landbound
tradition," he said, "one which may or may not be known to those of you here
at Daere Warren."

     From the corner of his eye, he saw Noni looking on curiously.  Ja'ks,
standing behind her, was hiding his mouth behind his hand to hide the fact
that he was laughing.
 
     "This old tradition, which I propose to re-introduce here tonight, is
reputed to ensure that the lucky birthday-person will enjoy both health and
prosperity throughout the coming year."  With great ceremony, he unwrapped the
bundle and held up the big wooden paddle for everyone to see.  "And I am sure
that all of you will agree that no one deserves this more than our esteemed
Healer Noni!!"

     He turned and formally presented the paddle to Ja'ks.  "Customarily, the
birthday-person gets one swat per year," he told the wingleader, then peered
over Ja'ks shoulder so that he could see the astonished look on Noni's face.
"Um, just how old are you again?"

     And so, having accomplished his mission, T'rell quickly slipped himself
back into the crowd to watch the show."

(Paula...TAG!!  Hehe...how will Noni get out of this one?)

Submitted by:

John

T'rell & Flerrion
Daere Warren