Gus watched the three older riders turn and head for the Dining Hall.  Loki 
was still at her feet.  Having captured and subdued his bowl of meat, he was 
blissfully packing it away.  Her eyes narrowed as she watched Jerram.  Twice 
now he had laid hands on her, and now he tried to scam her again.  She 
couldnât just let this go.

<Iâm kinda sleepy.>

Gus looked down.  Loki was curling up around an empty bowl, his eyes already 
half-lidded.

<Well, you canât just sleep here.>  She nudged him with her foot.  <Wake up 
and Iâll find you a bed - or whatever it is dragons use.>

Loki stumbled to his feet and ambled after her, while Gus tried to figure out 
where she could find him a bed.  An older rider, seeing their search, 
gestured them toward a large cave near the Hatching Cavern.  

Gus peered into the cave.  It was a wide room with another cave opening off 
to one side.  Rows of beds lined the walls, each with a peculiar nest-like 
arrangement adjacent to it.  No one else was here yet.  Gus darted quickly to 
the opening in the end wall.  It led into two smaller caves - the one to the 
left was separated into cubicles and the one to the right was dominated by a 
central pillar with shower heads sprouting from it. Gus grimaced.  Was there 
no privacy here?  She heard the sounds of others entering the outer cave and 
darted back, claiming the bed nearest the bathroom door.  If she was going to 
keep this scam going, it was going to take some planning and work - and a 
lookout whenever she used the showers.

Loki settled into his nest with a blissful sigh and was immediately asleep.  
Gus looked at him with a fondness she was unused to and settled onto her own 
bed.  There was a small chest next to the bed, obviously for her extra 
clothes - if she had any.  She smothered a sigh, looking down at the ragged 
outfit she wore.  It was far too big - the better to hide her figure and it 
had never been the highest quality.  She dug in the pocket to get at her few 
treasures - her cards, the shells and the ball and a tiny locket with a 
broken chain.  Those and her money pouch were all she owned.  She carefully 
tucked them away in a corner of the chest and checked to see how much she had 
in the pouch.  She was trying to decide whether she had enough to buy new 
clothes or if there was a way to steal them when Shawnee wandered in.  She 
headed straight for Gus.

ãHere,ä she said, handing her a neatly folded pile of clothes, ãthe shops 
arenât open tonight, but youâll want something better for the party.  My 
brotherâs outgrown these anyway.ä

Gus eyed Shawnee, but she had carefully phrased everything, so it wasnât too 
obviously charity. Gus glowered at needing it, but sheâd have to have 
something better.  A glance at the clothing told her that these would come 
far too close to fitting for safety.  Another way to disguise herself was 
needed.  Shawnee was still standing there, watching her.

ãThanks,ä she muttered gruffly.  ãIâll put Îem on later.  Gotta go do 
something first.ä

The glimmering of an idea propelled Gus to her feet.  She headed out the door 
with Shawnee close behind.  

ãThe party will be in the Dining Hall.  Come as soon as you can.ä  Shawnee 
smiled, waved and headed off toward the party.

As soon as Shawnee left her, Gus slowly ambled toward what she thought was 
the Med Center.  Keeping to the shadows was easy enough, and no one was 
paying attention to anything but getting ready for the party.  Sure enough, 
this was the Med Center and a supply closet was close to hand.  Gus quickly 
grabbed a few rolls of bandages and then her eyes fell on something else.  
Something that had revenge written all over it.  She grinned and pocketed 
that too.  Without a sound, she slipped out of the Med Center and back toward 
the barracks.  

There were few others there - the clutch had been a small one.  Those few 
were showering and changing into their finery, while near each claimed bed, a 
newly hatched dragon was gently slumbering.  Gus waited until the shower room 
was empty and darted in, clothes and a towel kept near to hand.  She scrubbed 
fiercely, revelling briefly in the pleasure of actually being all the way 
clean.  Keeping an eye on the door, she worked fast and fairly darted into 
the new clothes.  The bandages flattened her well enough to pass, since the 
clothes were still a bit too loose.  Clearly, Shawneeâs brother ate more 
regularly than she did. 
Once togged out in her borrowed clothes, Gus headed off toward the Dining 
Hall, eyes alert.  She found what she was looking for not far off of the 
green.  The small room was little bigger than a closet and contained nothing 
but one bed.  Gus wondered idly what use it could possibly be, then shrugged 
and got to work.  Setting things up didnât take long.  She chuckled.  It was 
perfect, but some other precautions were gonna be needed.  Carefully locking 
the door from the inside, Gus pulled it to, leaving a small rock propping the 
door just slightly ajar.  

Once in the Dining Hall, Gus was nearly overwhelmed.  The place was filled 
with Warrenfolk and noise and color.  A cleared spot near the center of the 
room was filled with dancing people and a buffet had been set up along the 
far wall.  It was worse than the Harvest Festival, she thought and grinned.  
Making her way slowly through the crowd, she found a table in the corner that 
offered her the rest of her revenge.  Snagging a small flask, she slipped it 
unseen into her sleeve and moved over to where the punch was being served.  
She grabbed two cups and began heading toward the table where she saw Jerram 
sitting.  A slight shrug and her task was done.  She bit back on a grin - she 
must go carefully now or ruin the plan.

ãHere, I brung you some punch.ä

She set the cup in front of Jerram and forced a shy smile.  He eyed her 
suspiciously, but she sat down, feigning nervousness.

ãGuess I owe you, for bringing me here.  And I aint been...uh...nice to you, 
so...ä

Gus looked away, as if embarrassed, but covertly watched Jerram out of the 
corner of her eye.  He raised his glass and eyed hers askance.  Raising his, 
he gestured at her.

ãA toast to the hatching!ä

He was clearly waiting until she drank from hers.  Stifling a grin at his 
suspicions, she raised hers and drained it in one gulp.  It was good punch, 
she thought, fruity but not too sweet.  Jerram drained his in the same single 
gulp, his eyes crossing slightly as the alcohol she had added to his kicked 
in.  He sat, glassy-eyed for a moment and Gus stood up.

ãIm gonna get some more - you want any?ä

He nodded vaguely and she crossed the room to get refills, being careful to 
pass close by the table where the two Queenriders sat.  Another shrug and the 
last of her little flask went into Jerramâs drink.  Again he drained it in 
one gulp.  While he sat absorbing the alcohol, Gus carefully slid the flask 
under the table and out of her sleeve.  When the rider looked sufficiently 
bemused, she stood and held a hand out to him.

ãThe Lady has something she want you to do,ä she said, helping him stagger to 
his feet.

He peered at her.  ãWhy would she ask you?ä

Gus shrugged carefully.  ãMusta been handy.ä

After that he let her lead him carefully out of the Dining Hall.  GUs noted a 
few amused glances at Jerram being legless so early in the evening and tried 
to look somehow embarrassed for him.  Finally, she got them out of the Hall 
and crossed the green to the little room.

ãIn here,ä she muttered and pushed him through.  The small pots she had left 
would give enough light for him to see the wispy, white shapes, floating 
about the room.

Deftly she kicked away the rock and pulled the door shut.  In his present 
condition, it would take him several minutes at least to figure out the lock 
was on his side.  She heard his panicked gasp and then the knob rattled.

ãRemember Jerram - if they dissolve you, you flunk.ä

Chortling at his predicament, Gus leaned against the wall and smiled.  
Payback was a lovely, lovely thing.

__________________________________________________________
Katrina

Enjoy! 

Tag, whoever!