Strength From Within

Wraiths!

Dear gods no... 

Shawnee hoisted the eye glass back up and took a second, then a third look
but the scene didn't change. 

There were wraiths flying around the ships being stormed tossed out at sea.
But how could that be?

"I thought wraiths couldn't survive in water," Shawnee said uncertainly.
"What are they doing here?"

"Water can kill them if you immerse them in it," agreed Liseth. "But wraiths
can eat right through wooden hulls or canvas sails, anything above the
waterline.  To them, a ship filled with sailors is like a...a box-lunch!"

Shawnee turned to look up at Tara, awaiting the order she knew was to come.
It had to! There were people out there who needed to be saved. But Tara just
stood frozen in a moment of indecision. 

"I...I can't..." she whispered.  "Vignette should make a decision like
this...I don't have the authority...."

"Tara, Vignette's not here!" Saul told her.  "But the wraiths are, and so
are the ships!  You have to make the call!"

Again they all waited for the Acting Warrenlady to come to a decision. Any
decision, the finally just when Shawnee was about to burst from the wait,
Tara whirled around, placing her hands on Liseth's shoulders. 

"You're acting Wingleader," she told the Jasra Wingsecond. "Take the wing
and help those ships!"

"Yes ma'am!" the new Wingleader smiled as he began to take charge. "You, you
and you... get with your partners you're coming with me to act as the
advance scouts. We'll try and hold them off long enough for the rest stock
up on coal and to get there then we'll head back in and stock up ourselves
when they arrive."

He didn't wait to see if they followed his orders, but turned back to the
others. Shawnee noticed the man turn to Saul, say something then the bearded
rider nodded and off with the others. She had Doshy relay a message through
Fayloth telling him to be careful.

Next Liseth turned back to where the rest of the riders had gathered. "Make
haste to the coal buns and fill up with as much coal as you can," he shouted
to be heard above the wind. "We've people to save as well as this Warren,
but be safe and no heroics! Now to you dragons and may you all flight and
fight well!"

Shawnee stood there for a few extra seconds. It wasn't so much out of fright
over what they were about to attempt. But because she hadn't yet been
assigned a partner and wasn't sure where to go. 

<We're to pair up with the Red dragon and her rider,> Doshy told her seconds
later. <I reminded them we had no partner and since Fiery's rider doesn't
either.. we're to go with them.>

<<Fine with me my love... let's get to the coal bins and stock up before
they leave us behind.>> The two of them joined the others in line and soon
had their fill of the coal then as others moved to take their place Shawnee
looked around. 

Her eyes caught sight of the big fire red dragon land beside them and saw
the small blond woman sitting astride her. Such a big dragon for such a
small woman, she thought, but somehow they *fit* together. For a fleeting
moment she thought about what Saul had told her about the woman then focused
her attentions back on what they were about to do. Saul had to be wrong.

She saw the blondes head swing around and knew she too was being watched.
The saw Lesta lift her arms in a shrug as if to say *What now*? 

<Now we go help our friends flame wraiths!!> Doshy told her, getting more
excited by the moment. 

<<Okay who's flight leader?>> Shawnee asked her looking around hoping to see
someone willing to come forward and take the role. 

<We don't have one here?> Doshy told her a minute later.

<<But someone needs to get these rider pairs organized, so we can join the
others!>> she insisted, then was amazed when other began forming up behind
her and the red dragon. <<What's going on my love?>> She asked suddenly.

<Well you said someone needed to take charge so I told them all to form up
behind us and get ready to go fight,> the teal told her, and Shawnee could
feel the smugness in her dragons tone.

<<You *WHAT*!!>> 

<Well you said someone had too and you've been through the drills before so
lets go! Everyone is ready now!>

<<But ... I can't! I don't know how to lead a Wing!!>>

<Guess you're about to learn.. we both are... I have told Fiery that she is
to stay to our left and keep watch on the dragons on that side and we will
keep watch of the right...Now let's get going Our friends are almost out of
flame and want to know where we are.>

What did she know about leading a wing! Hell she'd only been in one fight
before... even if she had been training with a wing from the time Doshayne
had been able to fly. 

Shawnee took a deep breath, knowing she had to decide quickly. Others were
depending on the Wing for support and the longer she waited the better
chance they would be over taken by the damn wraiths they were fighting to
kill off.

<<We go.>> she said finally and taking another deep breath turned to face
those behind her. She lifted her hand up in the same gesture she had seen
her Wingleader in Whiteriver do so many times before, then brought it down
sharply with Doshy passing the order to the dragons to lift up. 

<<We go to fight wraiths,>> she said and then looked back over her shoulder
when they were all in the air, she gave to order to teleport out to where
the battle was taking place. 

When they arrived she took one second to notice that the *wing* had arrived
in the same positions that they had been in when they had teleported and
felt a briefs second of pride in them before they moved forward as one to do
battle with their life long enemy. 

<<Tell Liseth's dragon that we are here and will hold the fort until they
can return with fresh coal,>> she asked her dragon to pass along the message
just as a big patch of the wraiths, seeing new targets veered off and came
towards them. 

Seconds later she heard the sounds of what she thought was a human
screaming, but with the wind and the rain slamming against them, she
couldn't be sure. It was all Doshy could do, to keep herself from tumbling
down into the turbulent sea below them as she flamed a path through the gray
blobs floating in the air around them. 

< Liseth....> The teal informed her. <He was out of flame and before he
could teleport several of the wraiths got to him... his dragon has taken him
back to the Warren to be treated by the healers.>

Liseth hurt! He couldn't be hurt, she worked to keep the panic she was
feeling at the news from over coming her. They needed him to lead them!

<There are humans in the water!> Doshy told her seconds later, unaware of
her riders fears. 

<<Tell Brogaet's and his partner to go after which ever human they can get
to,>> Shawnee ordered without second thought, then felt the Teal swerve to
the right and had to duck to avoid the ash and smoke they past through.

Lightning flashed and for a brief second she could see what they were up
against. She saw a large group of the gray things separate from the mail
group and wondered who she could send after them. She hadn't yet been to the
near by town, but she thought it was in the same direction the wraiths were
headed and knew they needed to be headed off before they could descend on
the unsuspecting village. 

<<Doshy... Have Fiery's rider take a few...>> she started but the teal cut
her off. 

<The town will be safe...> Doshy told her and Shawnee couldn't help but
wonder at the confusion in her dragons tone, but couldn't think about it
long before they were flaming a group of the things in front of them.

<<How do you know they're safe!>>

<I've been told by.. Smoke... That he and his friends will protect the town.
They go now.>

<<His friends?>> it had taken her a minute to remember who this Smoke was..
then remembered the rider/trainer man Saul had introduced her to earlier in
the day.. 

<He is bringing wilders with him> she was told. <They will defend the town
so we can take care of what we are facing.>

Wilders helping the Warren protect humans.. She didn't have time to be
amazed as yet another group of wraiths presented themselves in front of the
Teal and the Red dragon to meet their deaths, then a thought came to her...
they been out here for so long that she knew several of the dragons would be
needing to restock. They couldn't afford to lose anyone now and would need
to find someway to send these wraiths to a watery grave quickly.

Then she caught sight of the wooden ships floundering in the sea below them.
An idea came to her... But would it work? It was a crazy idea but what
choice did she have left?

<<Doshy... order the third and forth flightwing to concentrate their flame
on the ships!>> she ordered. <<Tell them to wait until we bring the wraiths
to them and then as soon as they are near to set the ships ablaze.>>

Her hopes were that by setting the ships on fire..( well they were already
too storm damaged to do more then sink... which they were already starting
to do...) They could create a wall of flame and kill off the wraiths who had
followed them down. If it worked it would take out a big part of the enemies
army and make short work of killing off the rest of them.

She had Doshy pass the plan along to the others and saw/felt them all lining
up behind them. Then after giving the flame wings a chance to get into
position, she sent the Teal in a downward flight as low to the ships as they
could before pulling up and teleporting out of harms way when the flame
wings set the ships to burn.

Even over the roaring of the storm around them, no one could have missed the
excited cheers that came from the riders when they found that their plan had
worked. 

<<Okay now let's mop up the rest of them and go home,>> Shawnee allowed
herself a small grin of satisfaction then went back to the fight. Her first
run at playing Wingleader hadn't ended up with the deaths of half the
riders. She could feel relieved now as the last of the wraiths were either
flamed to hell and back, or had taken off, back from where they had come from.

The storm around them seemed to intensify, something she only noticed now as
her attentions came back to it. she had Doshy send out the order for the
wing to return, and a side note that they were to help where needed to
protect what they could when they got back. 

<<The only ones excused from this are the ones who have injuries,>> she
added, knowing how riders would feel about wanting to easy their dragons
pains, and vice versa. <<The rest are on sand detail until it's to unsafe to
be out doors any longer.>>

They arrived back and Shawnee searched out Tara to report on the outcome of
the battle.

"I'm afraid there might be a few angry sea captains when they find out what
happened to their ships.. but it really couldn't be helped," she told the
Warrenlady. "It was the only way I could think of with most of the dragons
down to their last breath of flame."

"No, no.. It was a wonderful idea, and it saved a lot of lives from what my
Queen has told me," Tara reassured her. "We'll deal with the captains later,
but for now go inside and get something to warm to eat. I know will be
wanting to check on your children."

How right she was, Shawnee grinned and headed off towards the cave Saul had
stowed them in earlier in the day. But she never reached her designation as
riders stopped her on the way asking her where they should go, and what they
could do to help.

Without second thoughts she began to give orders and got the riders helping
in areas that were in the most need. She assigned several pairs to act as
lookouts, and then wondered if she'd had the right. But now wasn't the time
to think about it. Later... right now there were to many things they needed
to be taken care of and no one told her to stop so.. She just did what was
needed to be done. It was late by the time she finally did get to see her
kids and in just enough time to feed her son. 

Though the excitement she hadn't noticed how full her breast had become, but
as soon as she caught sight of the little boy, she knew it needed to be
taken care of before something happened and her milk went bad.

"Boy am I glad to see you," Tahsa hugged her as she handed Aarin over to his
mother. "I didn't know what to do and he was past feeding time. I was going
to see if their was a wet nurse anywhere around, but your father told me
he'd already asked and no one else had had a baby lately.."

"I think in the future we'll have to come up with some kind of plan for
this," Shawnee placing her hand on her step mothers shoulder, told her.
"though I wasn't worried with them being here with you. I know you would
have found some way to get this boy of mine fed...."

She looked at her, her eyes asking a question she didn't want to put into
words. She wanted to cry when she saw Tahsa nod her head slowly. 

"Once.. a small attack, but your father remembered what he was suppose to do
and Aarin was fine after that. Sammy and Fawna have been great in looking
after Lynnie.. they are so good with her." 

Shawnee knew her step-mother was rambling. That she had been just as scared
over Aarin's attack as she herself had been, and loved the woman all the
more for caring. Then she thought about how different her life would have
been if this woman had been her own true mother.

Things would have been so different... and she might not have ever met Saul
or joined with Doshy... and the baby in her arms might never have been
born.. Nor the dark headed little girl rushing into the arms of the bearded
man entering the room. 

She hadn't realized until just then that she hadn't seen him out with the
others during the fight.. But he must have been. She just hadn't noticed...
Wasn't he? She'd ask him later.

"Daddy!!! Daddy!!! Save me, save me... wind monster outside gonna git me."
Lynnie squealed as she snuggled in her fathers arms. 

She laughed as she settled in a chair and opened her shirt wide enough for
Aarin to get to her teat. This was one drawl back she could see to being in
a wing. Having to stop and breast feed her child, but she wouldn't have it
any other way. 

"How's it look outside," Dontey asked coming to sit beside her, but noticed
his daughters eyes were focused on the man she loved. 

"It's gonna be bad Da," she said, not turning around to face him. Saul had
turned to look at her and she couldn't stop the warm feeling of love she
felt everytime she was with him. "They've done all they can to store up the
Warren but only time will tell if it's been enough."

Saul came over to join her. His daughter grinning happily now that he's
reassured her that the *wind monster* couldn't get her if she was inside,
and Shawnee lifted her lips up for a quick, but meaningful kiss before he
settled beside her. 

"So now all we have to do is wait," Dontey asked.

"Yup, not much else we can do in this wind," Saul told him, then saw the
frown that came over the older man's face. 

"Where's Ojean?" Dontey asked, looking around and noticing his son wasn't
among those waiting out the storm.

Messages were sent out via the dragons and it was learned that the boy and
his dragon had been sent off to the town to warn them about the storm. Doshy
had been able to contact Teewith, thought the link was weak, and assured her
rider that all was well with them. 

"Teewith told Doshy that they would stay in town until the winds died down
enough for him to fly them back here," Shawnee told her father and saw the
relief that crossed over the mans face. 

"Tee may be young and brave father.. But he's not stupid enough to try and
fly in wind like this." she assured him. Then she had Doshy tell Fayloth
about Smoke and the wilders that went to help out with the wraiths that had
headed for the town. 

<He knows..> the teal told her seconds late and she turned to see her mate
smiling knowingly back at her. <Fayloth said they were with Smoke's rider at
the time and since the man couldn't help himself, he sent his dragon on to
help them there instead. After all one of his children's human was with
Teewith's rider at the time.. and Smoke couldn't sit back and allow anything
to happen to Loki's rider now could he?>

<<No silly he couldn't, but thank him for me anyway.>>

<I have.>

It was several hours later when the winds finally slowed, but not before the
hurricane hit the warren and did a lot of damage. Shawnee knew later after
looking over the Warren that it might have been worse if they hadn't of had
the forewarning from the weather watcher, but as it was, they would be some
time in cleaning up the place.

[[[the next morning after the storm]]]

Liseth, she had learn had been badly injured and would be out of action for
a good long time. Teewith showed up at first light and she saw him land, the
boys dismount and before she could say anything, Gus took off towards the
hatchling barracks and disappeared from sight.

"He's worried about Loki and went to check on him," Ojean told her and
allowed her to give him a hug before backing away. "I'm fine Shawnee," he
grinned. "Really.. We stayed inside a big stone warehouse they had near the
docks and Gus even got to play the hero."

"He what?" a new voice joined them and they turned to find Jerram, a small
with bandage covering his left cheek, standing there with Tara beside him. 

"He was a hero.." Ojean insisted looking the dragonrider in the eye. He
wasn't about to back down under the mans steely glance, because he too was a
dragonrider even if he and Teewith weren't in a wing. "He saved the port
master's granddaughters life..." then he went on to tell them what all had
taken place in town while they were there. 

"You should have seen them all arrive," he told those standing there. "I
couldn't believe it when I saw the wilders go after the wraiths.. the big
black one was Loki's father leading them. It was the lease he could do after
the Warren saved his children... But I'm not going to ever say that to him."

Tara chuckled. "No I don't think that would be a good idea, but I am glad
that they arrived and helped out."

"Gus was too," Ojean said cryptically, not mentioning his own attempts at
going out to meet the enemy. He knew Shawnee would be worried about him and
well.. he couldn't really blame her. 

"Well why don't you go take care of Teewith and see that he's fed," Shawnee
told him, still giving orders. Man it was becoming addictive, she thought
with a grin as he wondered off. Then she called after him. "Oh and tell Gus
that Sammy and Fawna made sure his Loki had something to eat this morning...
and got oiled."

"I'm sure he'll thank them for it later," Ojean shouted back then raced with
his dragon down towards the beach. 
The sight that greeted him made him want to cry. Flotsam from the storm had
come up and was covering the once clean beach and he'd had to be careful
about where they stepped. He saw several people already out trying to clean
it up and swore later after he saw Tee taken cared of he'd join them. But
for now he concentrated on his friend.

"I can't see Gus risking his life for anyone," Jerram was saying back up
where he stood with Tara and Shawnee. 

"Well Doshy got the story right from Teewith, so you be nice to the boy,"
Shawnee warned him. "That kids not to bad if you remember what his life has
been like. I know I lived that life before Saul found us and brought us to
Whiteriver." She remarked, but didn't add anything more though she knew the
man was wondering. 

"I'll bet the kid will be hard to live with once this gets out," Jerram
sighed and was rewarded by a shot in the stomach from Tara's elbow. 

"Behave yourself Jerram.. Gus is trying and the lease you can do is try too."

"That'll be the day," the hatchling trainer muttered as he wondered off.
"Got to go check on the *hero* and the other hatchlings... Just cause we got
rained on last night doesn't mean they can slack off now."

"Poor dear," Shawnee chuckled as they watched him walk away. 

"Poor dear my... " Tara grinned but didn't complete the sentence. "He'll get
over it I hope. But It's you I want to talk to at the moment."

"Me?" Shawnee asked in surprise.

"Yes about what happened yesterday during the fight." Tara told her, and
Shawnee couldn't read anything in her expression. "Why don't we go inside
and find a dry spot while we talk."

Shawnee too stunned to do anything else, followed behind her and wondered
what she had done to warrant this talk.

[Tag John...]

*****Submitted by: ******

Shawnee & Doshayne
Ojean & Teewith
Lesta & Fiery (aka Shaelesta & Kaaren)
Jasra Warren

aka
Barbara