Sharees walked out of the meeting with Tair'n and R'ven along side the
surprisingly quiet Someynara.  Had the woman been uncomfortable talking to
the two men rather than the warrenlady?  She heard the girl's stomach
protest its emptiness, and commented conversationally:

"Haven't had breakfast?"

The one word answer seemed to come from far away, "No..."

Sharees again wondered if she were all right, though not letting on that she
had noticed anything unusual, she chatted on amicably, "T'rell warned us
that training might be a bit ... rough... today, so I ate a few hours ago,
myself, or I'd join you in a meal.  I've got a few things I need to deliver
before training -- and a gift for the warrenlady's new baby I need to
finish!  You don't mind if I go on to my shop...?"

Someynara glanced over at the dark-haired woman, "Fine... sure..., I'll see
you around."  She said in dismissal and turned to walk towards the dining
hall.

Sharees watched in amusement as the distracted young woman walked right into
an equally distracted M'naten.  What was going on at the warren?


****
The dragons had all been abuzz about the arrival of the warrenlady's baby,
and for the first time Sharees really appreciated being in on the news and
dragon gossip.  She had never realized just how much of the day to day
goings on at the warren had been hidden from her.  Chamelle was more than
happy to fill her in on all the details.

Gerard was gone, Mari had cut off her hair and been taken to the med center,
but was then released, and the arrival of Revena were the top news of the
day.  Sharees wondered idly why Mari would have been admitted to the med
center for cutting her hair...?  She hurried to her shop and quickly
finished up the "gift" she'd been making for the new baby.  It would have
been done on time if Revena hadn't decided to arrive early.

Smiling at the patterns and colors, she decided to let the dyes cure while
she participated in flight training.  She took down the saddle that she had
made for just such a day, and took it with her out on to the green.

The young dragons had grown tremendously over the past few days and had
reached close to their adult size.  Chamelle excitedly milled with the other
dragons, and showed off her new saddle.

T'rell checked the straps approvingly and moved on to the other dragons and
riders.

<Did he like it?  Did he notice my new saddle?>  Chamelle asked, snaking her
head around to watch as her rider mounted.

<I'm sure he noticed>  Sharees grinned.

>>      Târell looked appraisingly at his charges.  ãOkay!ä he said. ãYour
dragons have been busy learning combat maneuvers for coping with wraith
attacks, but until today, have never done it with any of you on-board.
Flerrion will be flying up too, and heâll do some fairly tight twists and
turns that youâll be expected to repeat.ä  He grinned wickedly at them  ãI
hope none of you had heavy breakfasts this morning, as I warned you not to
yesterday! Okay, which of you wants to get this over with first?ä

     Sharees raised her hand quickly.  ãIâll do it!ä she said excitedly.

     Târell nodded, stepping back from the row of dragons.  ãOkay, go to
 it!ä
he said, giving her and Chamelle the signal for takeoff. <<

The sapphire dragon jumped and with a mighty thrust of her wings soared into
the sky behind the crimson Flerrion.  She followed closely matching wing
beat for wing beat, until Flerrion did an unexpected twist and dive.

Sharees felt her stomach lurch as her dragon suddenly dropped beneath her.

<Hey!  Warn me when you're going to do something like that!>

<Where'd he go??>  Chamelle dove her head swinging from side to side to
catch sight of the crimson -- and almost missed his pulling up and banking
to the left.

She followed swiftly, and again Sharees left her stomach behind.  She felt
dizzy and a bit disoriented.

However, by the third move, a sharp twist and spiral, Sharees had somehow
managed to receive the appropriate messages from Chamelle before the turn
and anticipated it with much more ease.  She found her own existence fading,
as she focussed on that of her dragon.  Chamelle's consciousness replaced
her own, and the two flew as one.

It was exhilarating -- and over much too soon, for Sharees and Chamelle, as
Flerrion led them back in for a landing.

Flushed and jubilant, Sharees dismounted.  Her long braid had become
partially unbound, and her dark, wavy hair escaping to halo her face, as she
approached T'rell and M'naten, who must have joined him during her flight.

Her smile faltered as she saw their stern expressions.  "Did... we do
something wrong?"

Then T'rell grinned, unable to maintain his severe countenance.  "You did
everything right!  With a bit more training you and your dragon will make an
excellent combat team!  So... how does it feel to be a *real* dragonrider?"

Sharees returned the grin.  Yes, she was, wasn't she!  A real dragonrider,
and who would have imagined it after all these years?

(NRPG: Who is next?)

Sharees watched as one by one the other riders and their dragons took to the
sky.  After Mari was done with her flight, Sharees wandered over to the
young junior-queenrider.  She actually liked her hair short, but she had to
ask:

"Mari?  Are you okay?  If there is ever anything you need...?"  Sharees
asked leaving the question hanging.

Allora and Jason had also finished their turns and seemed to be watching
Mari -- concern clearly visible on their faces.

(Umm... tag?)

****
After cleaning up, and giving Chamelle a good oiling, Sharees returned to
her leather shop and carefully collected the gift she'd made for Jayleigh's
new baby.

<Chamelle?  Would you ask Troy if her rider would welcome a visitor?  I
wouldn't stay long, I just wanted to ... give her something.?>

Chamelle responded at once, <Troy says she'd welcome you, as the baby has
just finished nursing and has fallen asleep.>

Sharees smiled and her blue eyes sparkled with thoughts of the new baby.
She hurried over to the Queenrider's apartment, and before she could tap on
the door, it was opened by the warrenlady herself.

"Sharees," she said in welcome, gesturing her in and offering her a seat.

"I won't stay long, I know you have to rest... but, I made you and Revena
something."  Sharees said.

Jayleigh raised an eyebrow as she took the carefully wrapped gift. "It isn't
going to explode or something is it?"  She chuckled, knowing Sharees' love
for practical jokes.

Sharees laughed and shook her head, "If I'd had more time, perhaps... but
Revena seemed to have been in a bit of a rush to start her life."

Revena, almost on cue, let out a soft cry from the bedroom, and Jayleigh
left to tend to her.  She came out carrying the baby in her arms, and
Sharees found herself oo-ing and ah-ing and making silly baby-type noises to
the beautiful infant.

Picking up her gift again, Jayleigh carefully unwrapped the soft suade
sling.  "OH!  This baby carrier is just what I needed!"  Her eyes misted as
she held it, noticing the blue-green dragon etched into the soft hide.
"Viktroy?  You did a wonderful job with this...."

The leather-worker nodded and smiled. "I should be going... I don't want to
tire you."  Sharees said as she rose.

Jayleigh let her out, and she headed across the green.  It was getting near
to dinner time, and she turned to the dining hall, tired but satisfied.

(NRPG:  Anyone want to join Sharees for dinner?)

****
Respectfully submitted by:
Arlene Jacobs
AKA Sharees and Chamelle of Daere.