"Look are you gonna do anything' to this street rat... I'm telling you it
was him that did it to me!!" Jerram broke in and pulled his arm away from
Saul, but made no other move towards the boy. 

"Now Jerram.. I know it's a party but are you sure you didn't just have to
much to drink and imagine the whole thing." Tara asked.

    "Of *course* I didn't imagine it, Tara!" Jerram protested.  "Would I make 
something like that up?"

     "Well, not if you were *sober,* Tara said, giving him a critical look.

     "I AM sober!" Jerram declared, making a wild gesture and in the process 
unbalancing himself.  He fell heavily into a chair that was, fortunately, 
right behind him.  Tara sighed. Gus barely managed to restrain a snicker.  
Damn straight he had too much to drink. 

     "Okay, this should be easy enough to settle," she decided, casting a 
suspicious glance at Gus.  "Someone can go to that room you mentioned and see 
if there's any evidence."

     "I'll go!" Jerram volunteered, trying to lever himself up out of the 
chair.

     "I don't think he'd better go alone," said Darlea.  "Maybe I should 
help..."

     "I'll go too," Lesta said quickly.  Between them, they got Jerram up out 
of the chair.  

     Tara watched the three of them leave, and then turned to Gus.  "And now, 
young man, I think I'd like to hear *your* side of this business!"
  
ãUm, just what is it he said I done?ä

ãHe says that you locked him in a room made up to look like it was filled 
with wraiths.ä

Gus allowed one carefully timed grin.  ãOnly wish Iâd thought of it.ä
Tara sat watching - she was going to have to be careful here - clearly this 
warrenlady had some brains.  ãI come in here earlier and had some punch, but 
I donât know nobody here and I was worrying about Loki so I snuck out and 
went to look in on him.  Thats where the kid found me.ä

The warrenlady sat, saying nothing, only watching them.  Gus silently admired 
her technique.  She met Taraâs eyes calmly and noted her relax slightly in 
response.  Good, she thought, almost clear.

A side glance at the kid showed he was a bit nervous.  Sheâd have to wrap 
this up and get him out of here before he cracked.  Amateurs!

Jerram returned, supported by the other two riders, looking even more furious 
than when he left.

ãThere was nothing in the room, Tara,ä one of them reported.

ãHe must have cleaned it up!  Canât you see heâs scamming you all?ä  Jerram 
nearly knocked himself over with a wild gesture at Gus.  She decided the time 
had come to take the offensive.

ãI donât gotta take this from him!  I tell you I did nothing and the kid 
here,ä she jerked her head in his direction, ãtold you where I was and Jerram 
still aint gonna believe nothing from a street rat!  But I aint a street rat 
no more - Iâm a dragonrider now!ä  Gus carefully let her voice rise in 
supposed indignation, surprised at the feeling of pride that last statement 
sent through her.  

ãEasy now,ä Shawnee murmured and stepped forward to make some comforting 
gesture.

Gus backed away sharply.  ãHands off!  Keep your hands to yourself or youâll 
pay!ä  She looked up and caught Jerramâs eye, clearly transmitting her 
message.

She turned toward the Warrenlady.  It was past time to wrap this up and get 
out.  ãLady, I give you my word I done nothing to harm him.ä  She shrugged 
one shoulder at Jerram. 

<My rider, what is wrong?>  Lokiâs voice was still fuzzed with sleep.

<Go back to sleep, little one.  Weâll play quieter.>

In response, there was a soft snoring sound as the dragon sank back into 
slumber.

ãI can feel him going back to sleep,ä  Gus murmured in awe.  For a brief 
moment her scowling face was transformed and then she glared again at Jerram. 
 ãCan I go check on him?ä

When Tara nodded, Gus grabbed the kidâs arm and dragged him out of the hall 
with her.  She didnât slow down until they were well out of earshot and then 
she collapsed against a nearby wall, laughing.

ãI like your ideas, kid.  But you gotta stop looking so guilty.  Howâd you 
ever get away with it before?ä

ãIâve never lied to my sister before.ä

ãNever lied to -?  Oh come on!ä  Gus stared at the boy.  Clearly, he was 
serious.  Then all of what heâd said sunk in.  ãYour sister?  Shawnee is your 
sister?ä  

When he nodded, Gus turned away.  Great.  Now I owe the kid, how long before 
he expects payment?  Better to get it over with fast.

ãGuess I owe you for the clothes.ä

The boy shrugged.  ãThey donât fit me any more anyway.ä  He grinned and 
patted his stomach.  ãHavenât missed a meal since we came to the Warren.ä

ãWhat do you want for them?ä

ãHuh? No, you needed them and I didnât.  You can have them.ä

ãI donât take charity!ä

ãItâs not charity.  Just a favor for a friend.ä

Friend?  Gus stared at the boy in amazement.  Was he joking? She hadnât had a 
friend since Maeli -  No! she wouldnât think of that.  She eyed the boy.  He 
was young - too young to want any of that.  It was stupid to even consider 
this - trusting only got you hurt.  Still, she didnât have to trust him too 
far - and itâd be good to have someone around who knew how things worked.

She grinned.  ãIf weâre gonna be friends, shouldnât you tell me your name?ä

******  
{Later}

ãHey, whereâs this lead?ä

Gus gestured at the crack in the wall.  Ojean had taken her on a tour of the 
warren, since she would have little enough time with training starting 
tomorrow.  He turned and looked at the crack.  About 5 feet high, it was no 
more than a foot wide.

ãI donât know.ä

Gus grinned at him.  ãThen we gotta find out!ä

She slipped easily through the crack sideways and continued down the narrow 
passage it led into.  Perhaps 50 feet along it seemed to dead end in a rough 
wall.  Gus glanced upward.  The first bit of the passage was enclosed under a 
ceiling, but she could see a hint of sky over the wall at the end.  A quick 
examination of the wall suggested it could be easily climbed.

ãOjean, aint you coming?ä

He stepped up to her, breathing hard.  ãSorry, couldnât get through.  Iâm 
wider than you are.ä  He grinned and Gus couldnât help but grin back.  He was 
a nice kid.  Sheâd have to be careful not to ruin him.

Climbing up the wall wasnât too difficult.  It was a helluva lot easier than 
most of the buildings sheâd climbed into.  She pulled herself over the top 
and found herself standing on a small ledge between the tops of two smaller 
cave structures.  She moved forward to give Ojean room to climb up and looked 
around.  It was by no means the highest point in the warren, but it was high 
enough and aimed at a small break in the cave ridge so there was a clear view 
all the way to Cabral.  Gus gazed briefly at the harbor lights and turned 
away.

ãHey,ä Ojean sounded excited, ãYou can see Cabral from here!  What are those 
bobbing red lights?ä

ãHarbor lanterns,ä Gus replied shortly.  

ãWow.  Itâs some view, huh?ä

ãI guess.ä  From the other side away from Cabral, Gus could see little other 
than more walls.

ãWhy arenât you looking?ä

Gus shrugged, ãSeen Cabral.  Wondered if there was anything to see over here.ä

Reluctantly, Gus turned to watch the bobbing of the harbor lights.  So near 
still.  If the warrenlady caught on about what sheâd done to Jerram would she 
sent her back?  She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat.  She 
wasnât going back.

ãYou didnât like it there?ä

The question was so softly asked, she wasnât entirely sure sheâd heard it.  
Ojean was watching her closely now.  Choosing her words and her tone 
carefully, Gus shrugged.

ãIts just time to see something else.  Until today, I never been anywhere 
else - never been outside the city.  Gotta move on.ä

Ojean let the subject drop, but Gus had a sudden strange feeling that he 
hadnât bought her line at all.  Damn, was she getting soft?

They leaned back and watched the stars, chatting about unimportant matters 
until Gus noticed Ojean stifle a yawn.

ãWell, best call it a night.  I gotta get up early to make training.ä  

Gus slipped back down the wall and out through the crack, Ojean following 
behind.  He did have to struggle a bit to slip through.  With a wave, Gus 
slipped off to the barracks and slid, still clothed into her bed. 

Hmm, she thought, something else to work out.  What do I wear for 
nightclothes?  

The answer eluded her for the moment as she slipped quietly into sleep.

__________________________________________________________
Katrina

Ok, John - you wanna handle training in the morning? hehe