** Answers in a Bottle **

((this post somehow got written with the help of John, Kate, Kris and
Dana... we all did out little parts ... and had fun doing so ;))

<nrpg: this happens after Shawnee and Ed'wen get back to Jasra and talk to
Ghost and Mc'key about the new Queenrider...just before dinner time, Day 10 >

**********************************************


Shawnee was deep in thought as they left the young riders at their table.
She didn't know what it was that she had expected from them when she'd
decided to ask them about the new Queenrider, but it had most certainly not
been what she had learned. 

The attack on a Warrenlady was a serious offence. And to have had it done by
another Queenrider... Well that was unthinkable. But Mc'key had backed up
his mates story. Maybe not to vocally but.

"There's one more person we should go see before we head back Shawnee,"
Ed'wen spoke up bring her out of her musing to look at him questionably.

"Devon," he reminded her. "He has to answer to the charges about being drunk
while on duty."

"Oh yes," she let her words end in a long drawn out sigh. "There's no time
like the present. Shall we?"

They walked in just in time to hear Devon replying to something the person
with him had said. That person turned out to be Tara.

"I can stop drinking anytime I want to!"

"Sure you can!" Shawnee snapped walking into the room followed by Ed'wen.
"I've heard that before and know it's a bunch of crap... "

Tara tilted her head and regarded him levelly.  "Can you?" she asked.  "I
wonder?" She turned to the Wingleader. "Shawnee, he's your rider.  What do
you think?" 

Devon looked at the new Wingleader in surprise. "I could if I wanted!" He
turned around shrugging at the two women, obviously challenging him.

"If you wanted to, you would have," Ed'wen ground out, "So you wouldn't be
drinking on duty - and nearly getting my sister killed in the process!" 

"I didn't get nobody killed! I was ATTACKED! Don't you people understand."
His eyes flared, "No one else could have done any different. The fact that
I'd had a little bit to drink isn't important!

Shawnee turned to stare at him. Her aqua eyes open wide in shock.

"You were attacked by alcohol fumes!" Ed'wen retorted. 

"They were real! They attacked me!" Devon raged

"It does matter that you had a *Little bit to drink* ??" she asked quietly.
"Wrong! It matters a hell of a lot. Did you ever stop to think of what MIGHT
have happened while you were.. enjoying your little drink?"

"Yeah! I got attacked and no one believes me .." he frowned unhappily
"They came up from behind .. they were everywhere ..."

Tara bit off a retort.  Devon was a rider in Shawnee's wing...he was 
her responsibility to discipline...and Tara's only if things went beyond
such discipline. 

"Tara.. did the other riders see this Attack?" the Wingleader turned to the
Warrenlady just to set things straight

Tara shook her head frowning at Devon.  "No, neither Jerram nor Elly did, at
least.  I haven't spoken to the others yet."

"Oh I see" Devon bristled upon seeing her frown. "Just cause no one else saw
it, it never happened? Well it did! It did! There musta been about 20 of em!"

She turned to Ed'wen. "Were you the first to find him?  She asked. 

"So far as I know. He was out cold when I got to him." He glared back at
Devon again. 

"I was alive only cause Xanith scared 'em off. Otherwise you'd be looking at
a corpse right now!

"So you didn't happen to see say twenty or so men standing around looking
like they'd just attacked a Jasra rider huh?" Shawnee looked back at Ed'wen,
and without waiting for him to answer turned back to Devon..

Ed'wen snorted. "Hardly. And you still might end up a corpse," he added half
under his breath. 

"For all I know, Xanith ate 'em!" Devon stuck to his guns, "I don't know
where then went, but they were there!

"I don't believe you were attacked," she told him point blank. "I've seen
the way you've been acting around here lately and believe the reports of
your being drunk while on duty. So until I can trust you to do the work you
are here to do, you are grounded from the flight wing and will report each
and every day for additional training or until I can trust you to quit
drinking."

"But .. but you'll let me out of here .. right?" he asked.
Right now, nothing was as important to him as getting out of this horrible
room and back to his own bed. He would sleep for days ..

"Why so you can head back to your apartment and get a drink?" Shawnee asked.
"Not hardly."

"You're going to keep me locked up here! That's not fair! I didn't do
anything wrong!"  Devon's protesting became whiney and desperate. He had to
get out of here ..

"Not fair?" Shawnee grinned in a way Saul would never have recognized as
coming from her. "Do you think it fair to put your fellow riders in danger
just so you could have a *little drink* or two?" 

She continued to stare at him, he wiped at the sweat wetting down his brown,
"Look, I'm sorry I was drinking on duty .. I promise it won't happen again.

She stared at him and noticed he did look sorry, but that wasn't a good way
of judging if he would do it again or not. A test was in order.. Maybe not a
fair thing to do to the man but the times seem to call for it. 

"I make a deal with you," she told him ignoring the others in the room.
"Ed'wen please go to the wine shop and bring me back a bottle of Chablis
Red.." she turned back to Devon then. "I'm going to leave you here for one
more day with the bottle of wine and if it's as you say.. That you can quit
anytime you want... if the bottle is still unopened and full when I return
tomorrow at this time then we'll forget about this little... problem for now."

Ed'wen grinned.  "Be glad to, Shawnee.  I can't wait to see how he 
looks tomorrow." 

"Another day .." he moaned. "I didn't do anything ..." Devon stepped toward
her, grabbing her arm, "I've been here for so long already .. and I haven't
had a drink .. com'on .. be fair..."

Shawnee bowed her head, eyes looking at the hand grasping her arm and then
up into Devon's wild eyes until finally he let her go. 

"24 hours Devon. The choice is yours."

"That's no choice." he spat. Then moved to the cot and dropped down onto it.
"You'll see .. " he murmured, "in 24 hours .. you'll see .."

"I hope I do see Devon. I really do. This Warren needs every man and women
who rides a dragon and it can not afford to have anyone who isn't up to his
or her full potential out there. I'd better see a change in you by tomorrow
or my order for your being grounded will go into effect until such time as
you can pull yourself together."

The three of them left Devon to the quiet of his room once Ed'win returned
with the bottle of wine which he placed on the table near by in plain sight
of the rider on the bed. Once outside Shawnee knew Tara would ask her about
why she did what she did.

"I think I understand what she was trying to do," Ed'wen spoke up before she
could. "She's trying to prove to Devon that he has a drinking problem. That
he *can't* just quit whenever he wants too. That he needs help."

"Right," Shawnee nodded when he'd finished. "A drunk is the last person to
admit that they have a problem and even this might not work. But it's a
start. You see we can all tell him that he has a problem, but until he can
admit it to himself all of our telling won't do him a bit of good. He's the
one who has to realize that he has a problem and even then admitting it to
himself might not help in the long run. He is going to have to WANT to quit
and he's the only one who can help himself do it."

"I'd have made him stay in there till he rots, but I suppose, since he's
bound to drink that bottle down in the next five minutes, that this little
test of Shawnee's just might have some merit." 

"So do you think this will cure him of the need to drink?" Tara asked and
Shawnee knew she had never had to deal with a drunken family member before. 

"It's a start," Shawnee answered. 

Eddy snorted.  "A start...or a finish." 

Shawnee was just turning to him with sharp words when suddenly a dragon
roared out a protest..... or was it. 

Heat filled her body and things around her began to spin out of control. She
fought to keep her mind focused but the heat only intensified and then as
her head came back up she was grinning and looking around at the men who
seemed to appear out of no where..... 

"Shawnee....." Tara started but was cut off as other dragons... Males
answered the females challenge. 

"None of you are worthy!" the Wingleader cried as she began to run away from
the men gathered around her. "None of you! 

The teal female had other plans. One was worthy, she thought... but he'd
have to prove it just like every other male who rose to give chase. 

It was time to prove. 

------------- 

Nrpg: Well Doshy had taken it into her mind that this would be a good time
for a little fun.........she knows who she wants to win... but is he *up*
for it??? 

Poor Devon... will he make it 24 hours Kris???

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

(and with lots and lots of help from others who joined in the writing of
this post to make sure it got written!!!: John, Kate, Dana and Kris) 

Shawnee & Doshayne, Wingleader
Jasra Warren

Aka
Barbara