Early morning day 10

<Wake Up!>  Fluffy tried for the second time to wake Allora.

<Go away, I am trying to sleep.>

<We have to leave soon.>

<Just 5 more minutes.>

<NO.>

Fluffy had Shadow jump up onto her bed.  Shadow liked this game.  He
sniffed at Allora's ear, and when he got no reaction, he licked it.

"WAAHH!"  Allora cried sitting up in bed, trying to wipe her ear.
Shadow took that oppertunity to flop onto her pillow and half her bed.
It was time for his nap.

<Good, you are up.  You need to get ready.>

<Don't tell me Jason is already on the green waiting for me.>

<No.  I am about to wake Star now.  His rider is still sleep too.>

<Thornguard, you are the limit sometimes.>  she couldn't fault him.  He was 
doing what needed to be done.

She was on the green for about ten minutes before Starfire landed. She had 
had a lot of practice concealing knives about her person, and
trying
not to stand out in a crowd.  A woman alone in a city was fair game to
some, and she was not considered ugly, so that made her a bigger
target.

She wore some of her older work pants a homespun shirt and a leather
vest, she also wore an older pair of boots.  She would pass for one of
the working class of landbound.

<Snip>

"You ready?" Jason asked. Allora nodded. "Good. We^�ll land a short way
out of town and make our way in on foot.
Stick close and stay quiet until we get somewhere that^�s safe to stay
for any length of time and we^�ll talk then."
The riders re-mounted and launched into the air, gaining height before
both winking out of sight.
Allora insisted they check out the bars for any tips.  She had a
feeling
they might get a break.

  "Keep your hood up and just follow me," Jason murmured to Allora. "We
don^�t want one of the inhabitants taking a
fancy for a young woman and making trouble we don^�t need."

"I^�d like to see them try," Allora replied hotly. Jason groaned
inwardly.

"I^�m sure you would, but we don^�t need the attention, so keep the fact
that you^�re female to yourself, okay? I know
a few of the proprietors around here, so we should be okay."

The harsh light in the tavern was in stark contrast to the dark night,
lanterns casting their light on the drunkards,
off-duty guards and the general mix of thugs and troublemakers that
frequented this type of establishment.

They made their way to the back and took an unoccupied table, ignored
for the most part by those around them.
As they had previously agreed, Jason and Allora engaged in bland
conversation while simultaneously scanning
both sides of the room, trying to pick up snippets of conversation.

As dawn approached, the two of them repeated this process at other
taverns around the area. In fact, they had
about covered every place that Jason could think of and he was ready to
give up this method of looking.

However, one group of people caught his ear and eye for long enough to
warrant a closer look. They seemed innocent enough, but the mix of the
group and the bits and pieces he had
heard made them stand out more than
any others.

"I^�m going to go listen in on them," Jason told Allora in a low voice.
"I need you to watch my back. If anyone gets
to interested in me, have Fluffy warn Starfire right away and be ready
to move." Allora nodded, her face impassive
as Jason rose from his seat.

<end snip>

Allora kept her ears open for anything that might be of help.  But all
she was able to get was rumors.  One stuck out in particular- there was
a group of male riders that had broken off from a warren. They had a
problem with being ruled by a woman.

What the land bound didn't come up with about the Warren folk.  It was
too silly to be for real.  She chuckled and continued to listen, but
everything else was either about local politics, or who was seem with
whom.


<Star says his rider wants you to get ready to go.>  there was a pause,
<your thoughts are hurt you, why?>

<Not now, but I will tell when this is over.  I promise.>

<I love you.>  he said fiecely, aiding to the stagger in her step.

<I love you too, I will be careful.>  she said wondering where that 
fierceness had come from.  She could sense him in the back of her mind, 
listening, but not interfering in her thoughts.

They tracked the group, splitting of to follow the woman, that chick was 
armed to the teeth.  Allora glad she was with Jason- he seemed to be 
familiar with this type of person, and how to get around without being seen.

There was alot of questions she would like to ask him some day.  It
would be interesting if he answered any of them.

<snip>
(A little later, about the time the Elite Squad are approaching the
square)

"Damn!" Jason swore under his breath. "I lost her."

"No, there she is," Allora replied, taking the lead. "She^�s headed
around the back of that building."

"Let^�s go then," Jason said. The two of then scurried across the road
and down a side passage, arriving just in time
to see a door close above them.

"There," Allora whispered. "She^�s gone up the stairs. Umm^�are we close
to the bank at all?"

"Yes," Jason confirmed. "The other side of this building backs onto the
square. If she was going to^�"

"We better follow her then," Allora stated, taking Jason^�s arm and
pulling him towards the stairs. "We have to
check this out before the others get here."

They made their way up the stairs and paused at the door, Jason putting
a finger to his lips in a gesture for silence.
The two of them pulled out their crossbows, loaded them and taking a
deep breath, eased the door open.

Inside was still pitch black, the windows covered by thick drapes. Jason
and Allora moved slowly through the room,
scanning every which way. The bottom floor was deserted, causing Jason
to point towards the internal stairwell.
Allora nodded and took point, creeping up the stairs with Jason covering
her back from a few steps down.

Reaching the top landing, Allora spied a door open at the end of the
hall. She indicated Jason to go forward,
flattening herself against the wall as he trod lightly along the
carpeted floor.


<The others have landed.>  Thornguard informed her.

<Okay.>


Jason motioned for Allora to come up next to him. As she did, Jason very 
slowly moved his head out so he could
see around the door. As he did so, his eyes grew wide.

Time went into fast forward as Jason crashed into the room, his warning 
alerting Allora to do the same. There were
several sharp thuds of crossbows, grunts as flesh met flesh and finally a 
bellow of pain before time slowed back to
normal, allowing the rooms inhabitants to work out what had just happened.

Jason and Allora were sprawled on the ground panting, Jason sporting a nasty 
gash on his arm curtesy of a thrown
knife. He crawled over to the crumpled body near the window, noting that it 
was not dead quite yet.

"You!" the lady snarled, tensing as if to attack him despite the bolts 
lodged in her chest and arm. "I thought you
were dead, you little scumbag." She coughed, blood dripping out of her 
mouth. "I ought to^�"

"You won^�t be doing much any more," Jason said, standing up gingerly. "I 
don^�t suppose you^�d like to tell me who
kidnapped the Lord^�s daughter, would you?"

"Kidnapped?" she replied weakly, a puzzled look on her face. "He said that 
she was^�" Coughing racked the
woman^�s body, the life draining out of her until finally she fell back, eyes 
staring outwards in death.

"Damn," Allora said, using Jason^�s shoulder as support to get to her feet. 
"I thought she might have said
something."

"Well, at least we know this wasn^�t related," Jason replied, walking over to 
the window. "And we saved the Lord^�s
life. All in a day^�s work for the Elite Squad, huh?" Allora smirked 
painfully at him: the woman had kicked her solidly
in the ribs and perhaps had broken one or two.

"We better go tell T^�rell what happened. He^�ll probably be mad at us for 
killing someone without his permission."

"Somehow I think he^�ll understand," Jason replied. "For now, we better get 
down to the bank: something^�s going
down."

"Let^�s go."
<end snip>

Allora went around the front of the bank on the opposite side from Jason.  
That way they could cover more ground.  She was slipping through the milling 
crowd, when she saw one of the dead woman's companions go into an ally.  She 
followed, all the commotion in front of the bank was making it hard to get 
through.

<Hey cloud head.>

<Yes sleepyhead?>

<Ask T'rell what is the status of the mission.  Are they ready to go yet?>

<He says no, they are in the bank making a second withdrawl.  He says you 
should stay under cover, Jason is with them now.>

<Okay.  I think I will just wander in the direction of our friend, and see 
to it that he doesn't get any bright ideas.  Tell him I am in the alley on 
the across the street.>

There was a pause, and then, <Don't have those dark thoughts.>

She was so startled she almost gave herself away.  <What?  Did he say that?>

<No.  I am telling you that.  Your thoughts are going all dark and sharp.  
They hurt.>

<I am sorry!  I had no idea.>  She sent a wave a love to him.

<I know you did not do it on purpose.>

Allora took a a position at the head of the alley.  She leaned against the 
wall at an angle that would let her see the sneak from the corner of her 
eye, and look as if she was just watching all the comotion.

He walked right up next to her, she saw a flick of his wrist ,and a glint of 
metal.  She struck him on the side of the head, hard with the hilt of her 
belt knife, he staggered, and she snaked her leg out to trip him.

He was on the ground, trying to get up, when she kicked him in the ribs.

"I am so sorry, sir, I didn't see you on the ground, here let me help you 
up."  She managed to foil his first attempt to rise letting him up as she 
heard the flap of dragon wings.  They were away.  Good.

"Get away from me you fool"  he growled, shoving her heard in the ribs.

<T'rell asks if you will stay to spy on the approaching dragons, I will tell 
him you are hurt.>

<NO!  I am fine, I was just bruised.  I can stay to spy.  Who else is still 
here?>

<He has asked Allesha and her patrol to stay in the air.  We are the only 
ones on the ground.>  This last came out with some pride from Thornguard.  
Allora chuckled, then winced, she would have to remember laughing hurt.

<I am going to get some lunch in the open market, maybe I can catch sight of 
them.>

Allora had brought some small coin, enough to blend in with the rest of the 
people in the market, but not enough to be worth stelling from.  She 
purchased a meatroll and a skin of dilluted wine.  She needed her wits about 
her.

The men, when they arrived where not what she expected at all.  She was 
trying to figure out what was different about them without appeearing to be 
staring.

She over heard snatches of conversation, odd they seemed to be asking alot 
of questions about the local warren.  How big was it, did they have hatching 
very often, and strange questions.

She made a point of positioning herself so that she could see which warrens 
badge they were wearing.  It wasn't one that she recognized, and T'rell had 
made sure every trainee had memorized them.

Allora's ribs were starting to throb, she wouldn't be able to hide her pain 
from Thornguard for much longer.  She had just decided to head back to the 
warren when she thought she heard one of them say something like,..." they 
seem to have more than enough ... , they wouldn't miss a few...   I think we 
she try ... "

One of the other shoppers bumped into Allora about that time and she almost 
cried out from the pain.

<You are in pain!  Why did you hide it from me?!  We must go back now!>  
Thornguard flooded her mind with his concern.

<I am on my way.  Stay where you are.>

<But...>

<Stay there!  Tell Allesha's rider we are going back to report- they should 
go back to the warren.>

<I have told them.  Allesha and her rider will wait for us, we will go back 
together.>

<Fine.>  Allora was using all of her concentration to get to where 
Thornguard waited, she was getting deleirious from the pain.  Finally, after 
what seemed to be hours, but was only minutes, she made it to his side.

Mounting him, and strapping herself on was almost beyond her.  Her last 
thought was picturing the green for the teleport home.

She was passed out in the harness when they appeared above the warren, 
Thornguard bugled his alarm.  He was so concerned and distraut, he was 
almost incapable of telling T'rell what was wrong when he asked.

Reggie Flew down to the green where Her clutchmate was dancing from one foot 
to another and hissing at anyone who came near.

<Fluffy.>  She called.  He didn't answer.  <FLUFFY!>  he snaked his head 
around and glared at her, not truely knowing.  <Fluffy!  Let them get your 
rider off!  She needs help!>

He stopped moving but he kept hissing at anyone that came near.

Finally Reggie reared up to her full height, and hissed at him.

<FLUFFY!>  she roared.  <BE STILL!>

He froze.  Instinct of obeying his queen overriding his every move.  They 
were able to get her off with out further problem, rushing her to the med 
center.  Reggie went over to her friend, putting a wing over him to comfort 
him.

A smaller greyish female dragon snuggled up on his other side.  He would not 
be alone.


_______________

Submitted by:

Allora & Thornguard
(& Shadow)
Daere Warren

Joan T Fisher


Tag all!  Tree???

Allora will be deleirious for a few days, but she only has a few cracked 
ribs.


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