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Day 1

<SNIP from Michael's Post>
"Well, let's get going then," Jason suggested. The others nodded and
walked
over to their dragons.

"We did pretty good then," Sharees remarked. "All that training was worth
something after all."

"That is was," Jason replied, "although sometimes it was hard to
believe."
He smiled at Sharees, then as she moved slightly he froze.

"Jason, what's wrong?" She turned in the direction of his stare and
stifled
a small scream.

* Star, tell Flerrion and every other dragon at the warren to get here
^right^ now! We have a very big problem! *

Rising out of the nearby trees was another cloud of wraiths.  Only this
time, there were a lot of them. A very large number of them.

“Move it!” D’Altar shouted.“ Get airborne as
quick as you can. You’re a
harder target on your dragon and the wings will be here in no
time.”
<END SNIP>

Sharees rushed to Chamelle's side, and heaving herself onto her dragon,
she
told her to launch into the air even before her riding straps were
fastened.
But she was amazed that the wraiths didn't attack the three riders. 
Instead
they seemed indecisive.

Gamma wing chose to make their entrance onto the scene, the almost
perfect
formation marred by the conspicuous absence of two dragons.

<* Flerrion says we should take our position,*>  Chamelle commented.
Starfire had obviously gotten the same message and the two younger
dragons
joined their wing.

Sharees had an odd feeling of detachment wash over her.  They had
practiced
this so many times that it almost didn't feel real.  Gamma and Beta wings
were decimating the wraiths so easily that she began to get a false sense
of
security.

<*PAIN, PAIN!*>  Sharees gasped as the mental cry came from her dragon...
but Chamelle was not hurt!  <*Star!  It's Star!*>

Sharees turned in her saddle to see Starfire and Jason twisting in the
air
in a most precarious way... then Star flamed Jason's hand!

"Aaiii!"  Sharees cried in horror.  "Jason!"

<Chamelle!  Tell Starfire to teleport with us!  We're going straight to
the
green in front of the med center -- keep Star's mind locked with yours!>

****
"Marialla"

Mari had waited for the wing to land.  She wanted to talk to Jason as
soon
as she could get to him.  She just had to tell him, "Friendship is more
important than anything in a relationship!"  She saw T'rell approach him
and
could tell by the look on T'rell's face it wasn't the right time to
interrupt.  And there was also Sharees by his side, and she didn't know
if
that was the right time either. She wanted to get him alone, but it
didn't
look like it was going to happen.  Then she saw him slump and T'rell and
Sharees both reached for him to stop him from falling.

"Oh Gods, please, no..." she whispered under her breath.  "I begged you
to
return him safely."  She felt anger build in her towards the Gods.  She
only
wanted him home, safe.


****
Sharees gasped as Jason became a dead-weight in her arms.  Her stomach
clenched with fear as he started to slip.  She looked up at T'rell, who
had
frozen momentarily.  Then he was there, strong and sure, slipping an arm
around Jason's shoulder and easing him down, being careful of Jason's
ruined
arm.

The medical team was already racing across the green with a stretcher
when
Sharees looked up and saw the junior queenrider.


Mari approached where they were, nearly running.  She had to see how
Jason
was.  As she reached the group, the medics arrived with a stretcher and
took
Jason towards the med center.  Mari knew that she shouldn't but she
couldn't
control herself.  "Wait," she called after the medic but was halted in
her
pursuit by her wrist being yanked back.

"Oh no you don't!"  Sharees shouted as she pulled Mari around to face
her.
"The last thing Jason needs right now is your moping.  Let the healers do
their jobs!"

"But..?" Mari stammered in shock.

"But? nothing!  Can't you see you're doing him more harm than good?"
Sharees snapped.  "Go find someone else to suffocate!"

"But...He needs me!"  Mari shouted back at the woman as tears formed in
her
eyes.

"No he doesn't.  You need him.  It's always about what Mari needs!"
Sharees
taunted.  Her emotions riding high off the adrenaline surge left over
from
the encounter with the wraiths.

Mari's arm went back to strike the rider but was stopped by the roar of
her
queen.  She looked to see Regenta with her wings spread, keeping the
healers
away from Starfire.

*Reggie, what are you doing?  Let the healers see Star.*  Mari sent to
her
dragon.

<NO!> she shouted to her rider.  <I'm going to take care of him.  He
needs
me, just like his rider needs you.>

This shocked Mari.  She suddenly knew that Sharees had been right and
that
she had to let the healers do their jobs.  Now to convince her queen of
this.

*Reggie,  you can take care of Star but let the healers do their job
first.
Then you can make sure that nothing bothers him while he heals.  He'll
need
you more in dealing with his rider's injuries than in his physical
injury.
Please, let the healers help him.  Then it will be your turn.*

Reggie looked at Mari.  There was a pleading in her thoughts but also a
feeling of her being lost, alone.  However, she backed down and let the
healers through, but making sure she kept a close eye on everything they
did.

Chamelle sidled up next to Regenta, <*He'll be okay.  My rider says that
they know what they're doing and have healed lots of wraith-scorched
dragons.*>  She nuzzled her clutchmate.  Reggie snuffled and then sighed;
her eyes never leaving Starfire.

Mari slowly walked to the Med center.  She had to at least know how Jason
was doing.  She sat and watched healers and medics go in and out of one
of
the rooms down the hall.  It must be where Jason was being cared for. 
She
watched as the hall cleared and it seemed as if everyone had left the
area.
She walked down the hallway and peaked into the room.  She hadn't
realized
that she was being watched.  She snuck into the room and gasped at the
sight
of her injured lover.

****
Sharees was removing Chamelle's saddle and straps when she noticed Mari
sneaking into the medical center.

<I'll be back in a moment, love,> she told her dragon, patting her on the
snout, and rubbing away a soot stain.

Surreptitiously she followed Mari, knowing that the junior queenrider
could
not leave that poor man alone.  Sharees felt disgusted by that woman's
obsession when it came to her men.  First T'rell and now Jason!

Sharees watched as Mari slipped into Jason's room.  Then she went to find
Heron.

****
Jason was asleep.  She wasn't sure if it was due to medication but
thought
that with the extent of the injuries it probably was the only way he
could
sleep.  Tears filled her eyes as she bent over him and kissed him gently
on
the cheek.

"I so wanted to talk with you."  she whispered as a tear rolled down her
cheek and landed on Jason's.  "Please, hurry and get well so we can talk.
Please..."

Heron entered the room and took Mari by the arm.  "No visitors Mari.  He
needs his rest."

"But I won't bother him, I promise.  Please, just let me sit in here with
him."  she pleaded with the healer.

"No, Mari.  It's best for him.  You know I wouldn't make you leave if I
didn't believe this."

Mari reluctantly left with the healer, tears streaming down her face. 
She
knew that sitting in the med center would only make her want to be in
with
Jason.  She decided to see how Reggie was doing with her care of
Starfire.
At least she wouldn't have too many people trying to argue with her about
watching after Star...they wouldn't dare.

Mari leaned up against Reggie, as she watched over Starfire.  She felt
alone, and scared.  She knew that with the injuries that Jason had
received
he would be changed forever.


*********
 
A JP Respectfully Submitted by:
 
Marialla and Regenta
and
Sharees and Chamelle