Peter's return first retrun post: 
Kat archive this post....


[DL-D] Strangers in the Night
-----------------------------

D'Altar was used to travelling at night; in fact he preferred it. There were 
less people to ask silly questions about his comings and goings. When Raven 
flew at night, only someone very close would see him and at the height they 
were flying, no one would be close enough.

The weather was good at the moment. They had been flying for a long time, 
around 12 hours now without rest, but Raven didn't complain. He knew where 
they were going or at least, where they *thought* they were going. After 
travelling the wilds together, D'Altar had at last given in to the feeling 
that had been gnawing him. They both needed company and they both had a lot 
to give. They were warriors, though their fighting had been against the wild 
beasts and half-men beyond civilised knowledge. But that was going to 
change...

D'Altar had been living a covert existence since they came out of the wilds. 
Most of the Landbound did not see dragons often and it was not safe for him 
to travel into the villages with Raven. They always arrived at night, with 
little fuss, and Raven left immediately for the surrounding countryside. 
D'Altar kept a token luggage with him, as a traveller with none would have 
been too suspicious. He had to leave his sword with Raven, much to his 
anguish. It caused too many questions and he wanted answers, not to give 
them to others. His travels had brought him far from his origins and he did 
not know the geography. He had to ask many questions subtly. Gradually, he 
had come nearer and nearer until he started getting definite news.

Now he had located a Warren. Daere. He wasn't sure if it would be guarded, 
but he was sure they could get close enough to scout it out without being 
seen or detected. He was not going to just turn up in the middle of the 
night. A fast way to get killed. Raven was noticeably excited.

<Stay calm, Raven,> he cautioned.

<<I'm alright. I wonder if the dragons there are as big and strong as me?>>

D'Altar laughed. Just like Raven, to think about his pride. They had never 
seen a wild dragon larger than he was.

<Perhaps only dwarf dragons were driven to the wilds,> he mused.

<<DWARF! I bet even in the great Daere Warren I'm no dwarf!>>

D'Altar didn't think so either. He stroked the neck of this huge beast who 
counted him as a friend - his only friend. They had lived such a solitary 
existence, both living off the wild lands. It had been dangerous and the 
years had seemed much longer because of it.

They were closing in on the Warren. Despite already being high, they flew 
higher and flew a wide circle around the Warren. It looked peaceful enough. 
Many buildings and caves could be seen, very small from that height. They 
couldn't see any living things - they were too high. D'Altar decided to 
venture down for a closer look.

They came down in a long spiral, gradually getting lower, making out more. 
They could see some shapes now. Dragons! Raven noted that none looked as big 
as him. He gave a dragon version of a scoff.

<Five small dragons are better than one big one,> D'Altar reminded him.

A sudden feeling of loneliness descended on them both. Here were others - 
lots of them - who were like them. D'Altar decided in that instant that he 
would not sneak away again. He would go to the Warren now, whatever came 
about.

They descended. Soon, Raven did not feel alone anymore.

<<Someone is asking who I am. They can feel me, but I'm not familiar to 
them.>>

<Tell them we are travellers with a message for the WarrenLady.>

<<They want to know why they can't see us.>>

<Let's show them...>

So, they spiralled downwards once more, the circles tighter, until they 
could clearly see the dragons and their riders now coming out of a large 
building, looking up, but not yet seeing.

As they came in to land, there were some cries of surprise. Raven's 
camouflage was working well against the night sky. As D'Altar dismounted, a 
young man, his match in height, came forward to meet the strange pair.

"I do not recognise you. Where have you come from?"

"I have been travelling for a long time to find you," D'Altar replied. "I 
wish to speak to the WarrenLady."

"You have not told me where you are from?" The man looked unhappy.

"I am not from another Warren and my story is a long one. I would rather 
tell it once. Will you not bring me before the Lady?"

Three others stepped forward from the crowd.

"We shall take you to the WarrenLady, stranger. I warn you, though, that she 
does not like sudden appearances."

So as Raven stood proudly under the gaze of the dragons and riders alike, 
they went to see the WarrenLady. Some people in the crowd had said a name. 
Jayleigh. Pretty name. Hopefully, the woman behind it would be pretty too, 
though he guessed she must be old and stern to rule such a place.

Stopping only briefly to knock, they stepped in to the office. Behind a desk 
was a very beautiful young woman. D'Altar was stunned; not what he expected 
at all.

"Apparently, you have sneaked into the Warren and demanded to speak to me."

"Yes, my Lady, I wished to see you"

"I'm not *your* Lady. Who are you, and what business have you here?" She too 
looked suspicious of him.

"My name is D'Altar. The dragon I ride with is Raven. Had he been a lighter 
colour, we would not have sneaked in. No one saw him until we landed."

Jayleigh looked less than impressed.

"I am from a small holding far away. I had never heard of Daere until I came 
out of the wilds..."

"The wilds?!" one of his escort said.

"Yes. I have travelled there for many years. That is where I joined with 
Raven"

Jayleigh eyed him with suspicion, but also, perhaps, a little wonder.

"You certainly look well travelled, but no one can survive for long in the 
wilds," she said.

"Not many perhaps, and not for long. But I have. Joining with Raven, 
however, has given me a sense of, well, being responsible. For him, I mean. 
I don't want him to live out the solitary existence I had chosen. I have 
been seeking a Warren for a long time. Will you deny me?"

There was something about this young man. If he had been a renegade from 
another Warren, Jayleigh would have heard of it. I would not be easy to 
mistake his large black dragon, or even him. Could it *really* be true! It 
seemed incredible. And yet... this man did not seem like a liar. Her 
instincts believed his story, in spite of everything else.

"I don't know what to do with you," she sighed. "People can't just wander in 
and join a Warren."

"Is that not what happens in a searching?" he smiled.

"No. People are *invited* here because they have an affinity..."

"Do I not have this affinity?" he asked. And as he spoke, almost he seemed 
to grow taller, more proud. Being a searcher, Jayleigh could see the 
affinity in him. It was no wonder even a wild dragon would join with this 
man.

"Yes you do. We probably know as much of your history as we do of many 
others who are brought here. But the dragon is another matter."

"Because he is wild?" She nodded. "Raven is not a timid beast and he can 
anger as well as anyone. But he is quicker to laugh than to fight and loves 
the harp playing of his rider. We are bound together and he is a loyal 
friend."

"Whatever is decided will not be decided tonight. You must have a lodging 
for tonight at least..."

"Do not trouble yourself, WarrenLady. We have lodged in places far worse 
than the ground of Daere. We shall sleep in the open and be a burden to no 
one. If you decide to allow us to stay, perhaps we can discuss lodgings 
then."

D'Altar bowed low until kneeling on one knee, with his right hand clenched 
over his heart. He raised his head.

"All I will say tonight is that if you allow it, I will pledge myself to 
Daere Warren and all who live here and all she protects. I will pledge 
myself to you, WarrenLady."

He held her gaze for what seemed like forever. Then he stood up.

"With your leave, I will rejoin Raven and await the morning."

Jayleigh sent one of the three who brought D'Altar in to escort him back to 
his dragon.

"Well?" Jayleigh began. "What are we to make of this man?"

<Tag Barb!>

Raven was still standing tall when D'Altar arrived back.

<<How did it go?>> he asked.

<Well, we're staying tonight. In the morning, the WarrenLady will decide our 
fate.>

<<Is she nice?>>

<She is pretty. Younger than I expected, almost too young. I think she has 
wisdom beyond her years. This is a situation they do not encounter often, I 
think.>

The crowd had not yet dispersed fully, though they were going into a large 
building.

"Will you come in for something to eat? You must be hungry."

He turned to see a young woman, very beautiful. She was looking at him, a 
little unsure, but unafraid.

"Thank you, but I have all I need with me. Perhaps tomorrow we might share 
breakfast, if the WarrenLady decides I can stay here."

"Has she given you a lodging for tonight?"

"She has graciously offered one. But I will sleep in the open with Raven. We 
usually sleep this way and will be of no discomfort to us."

The young woman turned and entered the large building, presumably the dining 
hall, and turned to glance at him briefly before she was gone.

<Well! I hope everyone will be as accommodating.>

<<You mean every *female*>>

<You know me too well, my friend. Let's find a suitable clearing and set 
down for the night.>

NRPG:

Well, this is an attempt at an opening post. I hope it's not overlong. It's 
going to be good to be back!

The young lady can be anyone who fancies the job of sharing breakfast with a 
mysterious stranger.

Respectfully submitted,

Peter Shillan
ObjectWiz@hotmail.com

D'Altar and Raven,
Daere Warren (Maybe...)

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