NPRG: Warning, this post is a monster.  

RPG:
	Alanth swooped low over the Warren green to land dramatically 
just a little too close to the Keldarra Dining Hall.  M'ressan swung down 
from the dragon's shoulder and patted his red hide affectionately.  
<Always the performer, aren't you?> he thought.

	<It's more fun that way,> Alanth agreed amiably.  <I'm hungry.  
You eat; I will hunt.>

	<Certainly.  I can smell Sheltie's cooking from here,> M'ressan 
replied.  

	Alanth swung his head low in playful exasperation.  <I will never 
understand why Humans want their food burned over a fire first....  The 
herd is getting low.  The cattle left are old and not very tasty.  Will 
there be new food coming soon?>

	<There's a tithe train due in from Ralengarde today, actually,> 
M'ressan answered, ignoring the jibe against Human food.  <Don't worry  
your `little' head.  We'll take care of you.> 

	<Good, or else I'll be forced to eat you.> 

	Alanth butted his Human ever so gently with the end of his nose... 
it was enough to nearly send M'ressan sprawling.  Rumbling with 
amusement, the crimson dragon spread his wings and launched himself into 
the air.  M'ressan watched him go, laughing in spite of himself.

	Still chuckling, he headed into the Dining Hall.  The smell of 
Sheltie's cooking was indeed wafting out the doors, and M'ressan's 
stomach was rumbling embarassingly.  He looked around and spied 
Christalla sitting at the end of one of the tables, deep in an animated 
conversation with her new apprentice Evelle.  He strode over to them.

	"Christalla, my DragonLady," he said, offering a bow.  "And 
Evelle, how wonderful to lay eyes on you this bright morning."

	Evelle grinned.  "And good to see you too, M'ressan."

	M'ressan swung into a set beside Evelle.  "What has Sheltie put 
together for us this morning?" he asked.  "It smells wonderful."

	At that moment, the head Warren cook appeared from her kitchen 
with another large dish to place on their table.  Morning, midday, and 
evening meals were a huge production at the Warren.  It was possible for 
dragonriders to store food and eat in their apartments, but they seldom 
did.  The good, hot food was to be found in the Dining Hall.

	M'ressan grabbed the dish before anyone else could touch it and 
opened the lid, breathing deeply.  "It smells almost as delicious as you 
look this morning," he declared with mock reverence, offering a wink to 
the attractive older cook.

	Sheltie laughed.  "Always the charmer, M'ressan!  Enjoy."  
Smiling to herself, she turned back toward her kitchen.

	"Always!" M'ressan called after her, heaping a huge helping onto 
his plate.

	"The Council meeting is tomorrow," Evelle said, her voice filled 
with quiet excitement.  "Christalla has been giving me advice on what to 
do." 

	M'ressan grinned around a mouthful, chewed a bit, and swallowed 
dramatically.  "Evelle," he said, "I was WarrenLord for six years.  Let 
me tell you what's best to do."  He leaned toward Evelle and murmured  
conspiratorially, "No matter what they do, just smile and nod.  It 
served me for six years.  Trust me."

	Evelle couldn't help but giggle.

	"Your sister is coming," Christalla said, a little nervously.  
M'ressan's face became serious, and he turned around quickly to look.  
The fierce, red-headed woman was walking slowly toward their table, 
offering occassional support to a bandaged man beside her.

	"I haven't seen her since the banquet," M'ressan said in a low 
voice... words meant for Christalla's ears, though Evelle could hear them.  
"She hasn't left M'tan's side.  I hadn't realized he was up and about."

	They reached the table, and Aleta pulled out a chair for M'tan and 
grabbed his shoulder as if to support him.  He waved her off gently and 
sat down himself, saying "It's just my face and my hands, dear.  There's 
nothing wrong with my legs."

	Evelle turned to look at M'tan and stifled a gasp.

	M'tan was a sight.  Most of the right side of his head was 
covered with bandages, including his right eye, and his hands were 
wrapped and splinted so as to be almost unusable.  The breakfast table 
fell into an uncomfortable silence, with everyone trying to pretend not  
to be watching M'tan.  Aleta subbornly ignored it all and began to serve 
plates for both of them.

	"How are he trainees?" she asked M'ressan politely.

	"They're going along beautifully," M'ressan replied quickly.  
"I'm introducing them to flying today.  They're great students."

	"I have a drill planned for Alpha Wing this afternoon," Aleta 
added.  "There have been some reports of some wraith attacks in the other 
Warren domains.  No telling when we'll be called to action again, and I 
will NOT have the casualties we suffered from the last one."

	"Not a bad point," M'ressan mused.  "I'll have to talk to Beta 
Wing about stepping up their drill schedule."

	The conversation continued in the same somewhat strained 
fashion.  Aleta painstakingly cut up M'tan's food and insisted on feeding 
most of it to him, despite his weak protests.  M'ressan kept a keen eye 
on M'tan.  The Alpha Wingsecond, as mate of headstrong woman, 
had always come off a bit henpecked.  Now he acquiesced to Aleta's 
demands with the same quiet humoring they all knew well.  <That's a GOOD 
sign,> M'ressan thought.  <A very good sign that he's not falling into 
dispair, especially since last I heard Zareth might not fly again.>

	The Dining Hall doors opened, and Hedda and several trainees 
filtered in, looking well rested.  Aleta looked up and spied Hedda and 
flagged the entire group over.  "Hedda, if yu have a moment, I'd like to 
talk to you later," she said simply, and turned her attention back to 
M'tan.  Hedda shook her head in mild confusion and sat down to grab 
breakfast. 

[NRPG: Long scene, yes... Feel free to write yourselves in.  You've 
probably heard how bad the Alpha Wingsecond was injured in the wraith 
attack.  Good chance for character interaction :).]

**********

	M'ressan called the trainees to training not long after 
breakfast.  Hedda got ready to go join them, and found Aleta pulling her 
aside.  "I said I wanted to talk to you," she pointed out.

	"Well, yes you did," Hedda agreed.  <This woman is a weird one,> 
she thought, <but I guess she's been through a lot lately.>

	"I suppose I should give you the short version," Aleta began, 
looking uncomfortable.  "I have lost my wingsecond for an indeterminate 
amount of time, and I have found myself with no one in my wing I would 
like to elevate to that position at this time.  M'ressan has spoken 
volumes about you."  She hesitated for a moment.

	"Would you have any interest in becoming Alpha Wingsecond?"

**********

	Hedda did not arrive at training that day.  M'ressan was there 
with Alanth, grinning widely.  

	"Well, I guess you might have noticed something different about 
your dragons this morning," he pointed out grinning.  "Today we get to 
start the fun stuff, flying!"  There was a bit of laughing and cheers 
from the trainees.

	"The first thing we're going to do is hunt," he said.  "You'll 
have noticed that it was pretty damn difficult to get a large enough 
bucket of meat for your dragons last night.  Well, that's what we keep 
the herd for.  I'm sure all of you dragons will be glad to have your food 
fresh."  He sent the message telepathically as well and grinned at the 
rumbles of assent from the young dragons.

	"Remember that dragons know how to fly.  That's not what we need 
to teach them.  What we need to do is learn to RIDE, as well as teach 
them some fine control.  To give you an idea of what we're gearing for, 
THAT is what I will begin teaching you tomorrow."  He pointed up to the 
sky behind them.  Wondering, the trainees turned to look.

	The sky above Keldarra Warren was filled with brightly colored 
dragons flying in intricate patterns.  Points of flame lit up like the 
flickers of stars, but no dragon seemed ever to be hurt.  It was an 
aweing, beautiful sight.  "That's the Alpha Wing drill, and that's where 
I believe Hedda has gone off to," M'ressan explained.  "Those are the 
kind of techniques we will need to learn for wraith combat.

	"But, at the moment, lets get our dragons to eat."

	The trainees walked down the hill to the grassy area that was 
the herd's grazing grounds, while the young dragons spread their newly 
functional wings and flew the short distance.  M'ressan winced a bit to 
see that Alanth WAS right... the herd was beginning to get low.  There 
was enough to feed the Warren for a few days, but after that there would 
be problems.  The tithe shipment from Ralengarde would be well timed.  

	However, the young dragons and most of the trainees weren't 
aware that this was anything different than usual.   Each of the dragons 
caught itself a beast and feasted happily.  The remains were stored for 
the Warren staff to dispose of later.  Afterward, the riders rubbed the 
growing creatures with oil to help their growing hide while the dragons' 
stomachs settled.  Then M'ressan called a break for lunch.

	Afterward, he introduced them all to the special leather saddles 
and how to fasten them to the dragon's shoulders and neck.  The trainees 
practised mounting and dismounting.  And for an hour in the afternoon, 
everyone was flying... most of the riders were in the air for the first 
time. 

**********

	"Well, that's about all I can brief you on," Christalla said with 
a sigh, sitting back in her large DragonLady's seat.  "It's been a few 
years since the last Council of Warrens.  There's not much point in 
telling you about the WarrenLadies I knew then.  Many have changed 
since.  But you're an apt student.  I think you'll do fine."

	Evelle smiled.  "You've done a thourough job," she admitted.  "I 
feel ready to handle almost anything."
	
	"Oh, they'll find SOMETHING to throw at you, trust me," 
Christalla said ruefully.  She rolled her eyes, and Evelle giggled.

	There was a knock at the office door, and Christalla sat up more 
firmly and called "Enter."  The door was pushed open, and Christalla 
could see the profile of a handsome, exotic young man dressed in 
fancy leather turning to thank one of the Warren staff as she left.

	<I've never seen a man like him!> she thought curiously.  <I 
wonder what kind of Human he is?>

	Then he turned to enter the office, and Christalla was startled 
to see the right half of his face badly scarred.  It looked almost as if 
a huge claw had raked his face from cheekbone into the scalp.  
Christalla's first thought was the Wastes.  

   "Dragonlady, I need to discuss permission of selling my ware.  I am 
leatherworker.  I apologise for interrupting.  I can come back..." his 
words drifted off as he surveyed the two women.  His accent was strange.  
Christalla listened curiously, still wondering where he could be from.

   "No, no, come in," invited Christalla.  "I am Christalla the DragonLady 
and this is Evelle, the Senior Queenrider of Keldarra."

   "I am Almiron," he said, stepping into the office and sliding his pack 
off.  

	Christalla almost gasped as he drew closer.  The aura!  She 
hadn't seen many auras of dragon affinity stronger than his, and his 
contained something exotic she hadn't seen before.  <This young man is a 
wanderer who has been in the Wastes, I'm sure,> she thought.  <Somehow, 
we have to come up with a way to get him to stay here until dragons 
hatch...> 

	Almiron glanced briefly at the two and then reached into his pack, 
drawing  out a richly tooled orange and gold belt with a copper buckle 
and an equally detailed sky-blue belt matching Christalla's eyes.  "This 
is what I make.  I would like to sell this here.  May I have your 
permission, DragonLady?"

	Christalla stepped over from behind her desk and looked at the 
wares appraisingly.  "This is fine work," she admitted.  "Dragonriders 
use a lot of leather, and we have many resident leatherworers, but none 
do anything like this."  She fingered the sky-blue belt.  She noticed 
with amusement Evelle's struggle to divide attention between the strange 
traveler and his beautiful wares.  "I'm certain we can provide you quite 
a bit of business."

	Almiron smiled.  "Then I take it I have your permission."

	"Most certainly," Christalla replied.  "However, I would like to 
make sure you understand that the Warren does not use much currency 
within its boarders.  If you insist on gold and silver, I can make 
arrangements, but I'd like to make a barter arrangement with you if I 
could." 

	"Barter would be quite acceptible," Almiron replied.  "Depending, 
of course, on what item Warren offers in exchange."

	Christalla smiled at him.  Shrewd.  "Well, we'll arrange you a 
place to stay with the unjoined dragonfolk, and you're invited to eat 
with us in the Warren Dining Hall as long as you stay.  We'll discuss 
what else you might like in exchange after your work here is underway."

[NRPG: Feel free to conclude the conversation, Judi and Lyn.]

	Later, Christalla heard a knock at her office door, a bit 
tentative.  She'd released Evelle to enjoy herself for the afternoon, 
since there really was no more Christalla could teach her at the moment.  
She looked up from her paperwork and called, "Enter."

	In stepped Michel, the oldest of the new dragonriders.  
Christalla thought she remembered that Aleta had Searched this one.  His 
dragon Paranth had sent word that he wanted to speak with her.

"You wanted to speak with me." She said.

  "Yes, m'lady.  When I was brought here, I left my sister back in 
Ralengarde.  If possible, I would like to get her, and move her here to 
the Warren, as it looks as tho I'll be here a while, and she really has 
no one else to look after her.  I was curious what problems this 
presented, if any?"

	Christalla smiled, thinking of how M'ressan had brought his 
sister Aleta to the Warren when he was Searched, and what a boon tha that 
had been.  "Certainly.  You really needn't have waited so long to ask.  
Your sister is welcome here."

	"Well, I'll need to go fetch her," Michel poined out nervously.

	"Not a problem," Christalla replied.  "Your dragon Paranth isn't 
quite ready to fly to Ralengarde, much less teleport there, but I think I 
can make an arrangement, if you don't mind flying passenger with someone 
else's dragon."

	"I think I can manage," Michel said.

	"Well, then, I'm making arrangements for you to retrieve her 
tonight," Christalla added.

	<Kaeryth, call to R'mar's dragon Taylib,> she sent to the 
Empress, who was lounging in the sun near the herds. <I'd like to speak 
to R'mar in my office.>

	<Sure,> Kaeryth returned lazily.  <He seems upset about 
something.> 

	Within a few moments, R'mar's large frame barged in to 
Christalla's office.  He looked furious.

	"R'mar," Christalla began, "Michel needs help retreiving his 
sister from her Landbound home now that he has joined.  I was hoping 
you'd be willing to help him."

	R'mar forcibly gained control of himself and looked at her with 
burning eyes.  "I'd be glad to help the trainee," he said darkly.  "But 
there's something else you should know.  The conflict with King Jaldor of 
the Landbound appears to be worse than we thought.

	"The tithe shipment from Ralengard is not coming."


Respectfully Submitted,

Susan Rati
Administrator, DragonLands


NRPG: OK, I'm sorry that was so long.  I was out of commission most of 
this week because of a test, so I had to work in a whole BUNCH of 
threads. 

All: Feel free to use my long breakfast setup to add some interaction.  
There is, of course, a point to most of that.  I just get caught up 
describing it all :).

Nathan: So what do you think of the new offer?  <G>

Chris C: I moved the conversation about Carie to Christalla's office, 
which is where she would have conducted it.

Lyn: Welcome!  Your character is a fascinating one.

Judi: So what does Evelle think of Almiron and his work?  

Judi/Chris A/Justin: I'm loving the vying for Evelle's attention <G>.  
Keep up the good work!

Justin:  Yes, I know I overlooked your bit about M'ressan and David 
talking telepathically.  I'm going to release a small backpost about that 
hopefully tonight.  I was most of the way through before I realized, and 
I just couldn't figure out how to fit it in this.

Les: Your bit about Guy is fascinating, but I didn't want to assume the 
administration (Christalla and co.) knew about it unless you wrote it 
that way.

Everone Else: I haven't forgotten you!  If there are ANY threads I should 
have addresed, PLEASE let me know.

     __
    /__\
   (`__')  I am known by many names: Aiel, Arandolen, Echo, Grace, 
    \  /      Iona, Leia, Mala, Suzamni, Suzanne, Unole, Zack,
    /_/_   srati@ucs.indiana.edu, CS Student, SF Fan, Babylon(5)ian
   (____)   Visit me: http://ezinfo.ucs.indiana.edu/~srati/
  (______)   __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  __  ^
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   "Is there enough forgiveness in the world for what I've done?"
                              - Edward, "Passing through Gethsemane"