Darlea
***

>"Dar!!" Shae laughed as she looked at her friend.

>"Well she asked for it!" was the girls reply, grinning innocently. "At
>least now she really does know it's not a dream."

Darlea felt great. Better then she'd felt since arriving. She was still
pretty purple, but at least the bruises didn't hurt, and Lesta had done
wonders with her hair and clothes to cover the worst of everything. She
didn't know what she'd have done without her new friend.

And hatchings always made her feel better .. well at least she seemed to
remember that they did. In any event this one was! She only wished she
could remember her own joining.

{I remember ..} Makayla crooned; the dragon feeling the rush of elation
from the hatching just as much as her rider was.

{Show me, Makayla ..} Darlea begged, {I want to remember too.}

{Okay ..} Makayla told her. After all it was just their joining ..

***
It was warm and cozy .. silky in it's comfort. The tiny dragon didn't want
to wake up, even though she felt the rising of her clutch mates around her.
When another egg rocked into hers she protested .. but felt the gentle
voice of the Empress urging her to wake with her siblings.

Makayla was about to disregard her mother's prodding's and go back to sleep
when a sudden sense of urgency came over her. Someone was coming .. someone
very important. Suddenly all she could think about was getting out of this
tiny cramped space.

Even as she clawed at the inside of her shell, shredding the silky inner
liner, she knew exactly who was coming. It was the other part of her. The
other half that would make her life complete. She could hear the young
girl's excited thoughts as she ran closer ..

*Darlea!* Makayla cried, not wanting her soul mate to miss her ..
***

{How could I have?} Darlea interrupted the flow of images and feelings
coming from the dragon.

{I had to be sure,} Makayla grinned.

"Dar?" Lesta asked the girl, "Are you coming?"

"In a moment .." Darlea told her and moved to sit down.

Lesta smiled knowingly. It wasn't uncommon for dragonriders to
re-experience their own joinings at hatchings.

***
*Makayla?* the sweetest voice she's ever heard called to her. Makayla's
heart nearly leapt from her chest in joy, even as the first claw broke
through the hardened shell which had been her home for so long.

As the cool air washed over her now exposed, and still damp hide, the
dragonet searched through the confusing mass of images she was taking in
for the first time with her very own eyes. Not fully understand the things
she was seeing the dragonet found herself collapsing in a heap onto the hot
sands of the hatching cavern.

She struggled to push herself up as she continued to search for the face
she had never seen before, yet already knew. Her limbs didn't seem to work
as they should and her wings seemed only to get in the way, but still she
struggled to find her Darlea.

The sand and grit worked it's way into her damp hide and began to itch
miserable. She keened softly, *Darlea, I need a scratch!*

A blur of blonde caught the dragon's eye and she creeled loudly, *Darlea!*

Blue eyes turned to see the emerald green dragon and the two moved toward
each other. The much more nimble 15 year old reached the dragonet's side at
a quick pace. And she dropped down to wrap her arms around Makayla.

The joy and happiness was so complete that for a moment, the itching no
longer bothered her. Her rider spoke aloud and the words, meaning nothing
to the newly hatched dragonet were like music, and her fingers, which began
to work their way to the exact most itchy spots, sent the dragon into
complete bliss.
***

{It's beautiful, Makayla .. I remember.}

{You do?} Makayla asked, suddenly nervous that she'd revealed to much.

{I remember becoming complete with you, deary. I remember how it felt to
see you for the first time ..} she sighed, {Now if only I could remember
more ..}

{No, Darlea-pet. You don't want to remember more. Only remember the good
things ..}

Darlea sighed, {I just ..} Then she stopped. She knew her dragon was only
watching out for her .. but sometimes she wished she knew what it was she
shouldn't know ..

Devon
***

The young rider tumbled from his dragon's back onto the sand, lifting his
head and cocking it toward the sound of music .. happy music. Who had the
right to be happy? No one in this warren! Not with Piper gone! He pushed
himself to his feet and stumbled to catch his balance.

{Perhaps you should not have had so much to drink, human.}

{Who are you to talk!} Devon hissed back.

{I think you should go to the med center .. have them check you over,}

{I don't need no checking over!} the young man said indignantly. But found
himself leaning against the olive green dragon's hide as the ground spun.

{That landbound sailor could have killed you.} Xanith reminded his rider.
Though to be honest, he wasn't sure his rider even remembered the sailor
who blackened his eye and bloodied his nose.

{So what!} Devon pushed away from the dragon. {Boy they have some nerve!
Playing music. Piper plays music!}

{The eggs hatched, human, and you made me miss it.}

{Shuddup, dragon! You're worsen my mother!} he paused scrunching up his
face, as he thought about it, trying to remember his mother. {.. I think ..}

For some reason he couldn't really remember ..

Xanith thought about reminding him that in fact his mother had died when he
was quite young, but his rider was not in a very reasonable mood right now,
and there was little point in antagonizing him. Instead he helped push
Devon to his feet, steadying him until the man got in a forward rhythm
which propelled him toward the dining hall .. where the sound of joyous
music rang out.

Saul
***

"I see you are enjoying Marrid's best vintage," Saul said to the visiting
Dragonlady.

"Indeed!" Vignette grinned. "I really must visit the other Warrens .. and
Marrid in particular."

"You'll find a lot to offer in the Warrens to the Far East, m'lady," he
smiled at her charmingly, "None quite as exotic as Jasra, mind you, but
still some very interesting places."

"Are you trying to smooth talk me?" Vignette asked, a smile on her face
even as she chided him lightly. "Don't think I didn't notice the reference
.."

"I would never try to put one over on you, Lady Vignette. I was only
commented on this Warren as someone who is not from here."

"Yes, I was curious about that. Why bring your family all the way here. To
a place you've never even seen before."

"A fresh start .. a new adventure. A place to be needed."

"I still can't say I understand it .." Vignette said shaking her head.

Saul was prevented from saying anything else as a loud, and obviously
intoxicated voice rang out across the hall.

"How Could You!!"

"What in the name of .." Vignette breathed startled by the out burst.

"Oh gods, Devon .." Saul heard Tara breath as she recognized the drunk.

All eyes turned to look at the young dark-haired man moving toward the
middle of the hall. "How can you be enjoying yourselves!" he roared,
spinning as if trying to take in the whole room at once.

Saul, as well as several other moved cautiously toward the inebriated man.
He could see the man had been in some sort of scuffle. His eyes was blacked
and a trickle of dried blood stained the corner of his mouth. On top of
that there was a look of despair and near madness in the man's face.

"Calm down, friend," Saul said.

"I'm not your friend!" Devon spun on him. His face shattered. "You act as
though everything were fine! But it's not! It's not!"

"Devon .. please," Tara moved toward him.

"Oh Gods .." he moaned .. "You wouldn't let me believe that Piper would
come back .. but then you all go on as if nothing is wrong! But it is ..
Everything is wrong without her .." He dropped to the floor and covered his
face with his hands, "It's so wrong .. "

Regards,
Darlea & Makayla
Devon & Xanith
Saul & Fayloth
***
NRPG: Well guys feel free to dragon Devon out of the dining hall and put
him somewhere to sleep it off <G> I just wanted you all to know that he's
still alive and still more then a little confused .. and perhaps a bit mad
:)

Also, I've included at the end of this post the original joining post I
wrote for Darlea way back in February of 1996! It was only my second post
for DL! And yes! It is very very short :)

Kristen
***

Original Keldarra Post "Now meet Makayla: The green Hatchling"

Darlea and Salinda were ushered out onto the sand. Darlea didn't even
notice the heat of the sand, all she heard was her name being called.

*Darlea*

She searched around *Makalya* It was strange how she knew that name
though she had never heard it before.

"She's here, Salinda. I must find her!" She turned to see her new friend
with a strange smile on her face. Salinda nodded at Darlea and headed
off on her own search.

*Darlea, I need a scratch* Darlea turned. Off to her right, beyond
several other dragons, she saw her. The green dragonet was trying
desperately to work her way around the sand. Darlea couldn't stand to
watch her suffer. Makeing her way as quickly as she could without
stepping on anyone, she moved to Makalya.

"Oh, deary, I'm sorry it took so long." Darlea crooned, dropping to the
sand beside the infant. She looked into the multi-faceted eyes that
stared back at her. Emotions flooded through her. Love, joy, warmth, all
at the same time. She gently began rubbing the dargonet's head ridges
and the dragonet sank her head into the girls lap in bliss. They were
together finally.

*I am hungry, Darlea.* came a plaintive wail from the sweet green
dragon.

Darlea who had been enjoying the time simply spent with Makalya quickly
jumped into action.  "Food, I need food!  She's hungry! Makalya needs to
eat!" She saw the Warrenfold motioning to her.

"I see it. You rest here, deary. I'll bring you something wonderful."
she told the young dragonet.

*Hurry! Hurry!* Makalya wasn't very patient. The ache in her belly was
getting stronger. Even Darlea was beginning to get hungry, though she
had eaten more then her fill at the banquet. She realized that she would
get used to the link in no time and would be able to fulfill Makalya's
needs before she knew she had any.

------------------------------------
Kristen & Scott Gant
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/gant.htm