SCENE:  on the field, ready to fly.....

	David leaned against Kaylin as his giant wing gave shade against 
the suns bright rays.  The dragon had grown fast since the hatching, and 
was the largest so far, save to queen Alicynth.  Muscles rippled over his 
scaled black body, and flecks of grey caught the light, making it seem as 
if he glittered with fire.  David was proud of him, and he beamed his 
pride in the form of a huge smile.  It was the day that they would be 
able to fly, and David would not miss that for the world.  
	Echos from the thoughts of the other dragons and their riders 
passed through his mind, but he didn't pry.  He would not intrude on the 
sanctity of the bond.  He let their thoughts be, at least for the 
moment.  M'ressan had said that in the thick of battle, telepathy was a 
great help, and a way to get quick results if there was an emergency.  He 
had admitted that David was stronger, but M'ressan had more training.  It 
would be good to learn combat.  Hopefully in the next few days....

'Is everybody ready for riding?' An alien voice said in Davids head.  
Speaking of M'ressan....

'Aye, sir.  Kaylin and I be ready and willin.'  David thought back, and 
looked towards the sky.  Alanth circled overhead, the giant red dragon 
slowly decending towards the green, and M'ressan waving from the saddle.  
David waved back and shouted out....
"M'ressan's ere'!!!" 

	The new dragonriders looked towards the sky and waved at M'ressan as 
he landed.  Jumping down from Alanth, he strode over to the recruits and 
spoke up.... "Those who are from the warren know what a harness and strap 
looks like, but for those who are landbound, these are the real 
things..." He motioned to the contraption of leather strapped to Alanth's 
back.  "The harness is probably the most......"  M'ressan continued on 
throughout the afternoon. 
	David listened closely, memorizing every detail and motion put 
into strapping on and off the harness.  M'ressan demonstrated, and then 
had harnesses brought out and let the young riders take a gamble on 
putting them on.  David went through the motions, and quickly he had the 
harness ready on Kaylin'sha.  

*It feels strange.  Maybe like clothes to you.* He thought to David, and 
david chuckled to himself.  

'Aye.  It must be like that to ye.  But es it too tight?' David asked, 
concerned about his dragons comfort over anything else.  

*No.  Let us fly....* Kaylin grumbled in anticipation.  M'ressan heard 
the thought, and walked over to David.  

"It seems your Kaylin is eager to fly." He said, looking the young dragon 
over.  "He might actually have flown yesterday, but it wound not have 
been fair for the others."

	David nodded and checked the strapps again.  M'ressan looked in 
satisfaction at the harness.  "It looks about as good as I can do." He 
said matter of factly.  David grinned wider and shrugged, keeping his 
secret hidden for now.  M'ressan went over to the others and inspected 
their strapps also.  After making sure everything was ready, M'ressan 
mounted Alanth and gave the ok for everybody.  
	David mounted and latched himself into the saddle tightly, yet 
allowed a bit of frredom for movement and comfort.  Kaylin tested his 
wings and looked back at David, green eyes meeting green eyes.  Yes, he 
was alot like him after all.  

*Let's go!* Kaylin thought in excitement.  It was all David could do to 
keep the dragon settle as M'ressan demonstrated with Alanth on feeding 
their dragons with the cattle herd.  When he called for them to follow, 
David gave KAylin the release and he launched himself into the air.  

	Wind lashed against David's face and body, yet it felt 
exhilerating to be one with the sky.  As they soared higher and higher, 
David looked down upon the green.  Everything looked so small from the 
sky.  The people and cattle like small insects crawling on the ground.  
David picked out a large cow for Kaylin and pictured a dive in his mind.  
Kaylin roared in acceptance and went into a straight dive, heading for 
the green at incredible speed.  The force was great, pulling at David as 
if the air wanted to rip him from the dragons back.  He felt alive and 
free, and in his mind he focused on a wide loop in the vastness of the 
sky.  Kaylin nodded and pulled upwards, his wings shifting and straining 
against the downward pull, yet they flew a wide loop over the green, and 
Kaylin landed softly on the ground while scooping up a ripe calf.  

'Trying to show off, eh trainee?' M'ressan asked in his mind.  david 
mentally blushed and shook his head.

'No, sir.  I be not, it was just an expiriment.' David said 
apologetically.  He heard M'ressan laugh in his mind.  

'Dont apologise.  I was impressed at such a feat for one so young.  But 
dont push yourself too hard....'  Was his answer.  David agreed and gave 
Kaylin the ok to feast on his kill.

*It is not as much fun as real hunting would be.*  Kaylin said while 
ripping chunks of meat with his teeth.  *We should do that some day.*

'Aye, we shall me friend.  But not just yet, for ye need to grow some 
more first.' David said with a promise.  Kaylin nodded in satisfaction, 
and finished his meal.  

	M'ressan dismissed the class a while later in the afternoon while 
it was close to lunchtime.  Everybody was in light moods because of the 
first flights in the air, and smiles were spread about everywhere.  David 
looked back across the fields and wondered why there were so few cattle 
in such a large space.  Shrugging, he mounted Kaylin and took off towards 
the northern apartments.  It was time to find a new home.
	He had seen one earlier, up by the lake where he held his sword 
practise every night.  He would have to find out the name of it soon, but 
the view was spectacular in the evening when the lake turned to fire with 
the setting sun.  That part of the warren was new, and not fully 
populated yet.  But David didn't mind, preferring sinlence to noise.  As 
they flew into the ledge of the room, David dismounted and looked 
around.  
	There were few furnishings.  Only a few chairs and a table.  
Small kitchen with a rack and cabnet, and the bedroom contained a desk, 
dresser, and closet.  Perfect for the lone batchlor and his dragon.  He 
went out to the cave Kaylin was inspecting, and watched the dragon pace 
around, looking at the layout carefully.  Finally, he nodded and lay down 
with a sigh.  

*I like it here.  The ground is nice and cool, and it is cofortable.* He 
said, streaching his wings after the days activities.

'So do I, Kay.  Et will make a good home.' David answered.  'Now et es 
time fer me t' get some lunch.'

Kaylin got up and soon they were off towards the commons....

SCENE:  Before dinner with Almiron.....

	A small smile crept onto Almiron's lips.  "I humbly await your 
pleasure to fight." He said, raising his swords.
	David made a bow, crossing his swords at his chest, and took the 
stance of Tiger in the Brush.  "Let us spar."
	The two fighters paced around eachother, looking for an open spot 
to place a blow.  The strange leatherworker held his scimitars lightly, 
twirling them in a strange fashion, much like a windmill, but bobbing up 
and down.  David kept his swords outstreached, level yet ready like 
liquid lightning.  Suddenly Almiron opened with a cross slice, the curved 
swords arcing in a deadly light towards David.  David performed Flight of 
the Crane, and the swords clashed, their sound echoing through the 
canyon.  Sparcs flew everywhere as the two men danced, the swords moving 
faster than the eye could see unless one was trapped in the void.
	One minute quickly became ten, Almiron slowly giving in to 
David's onslaught of quick slashes and deadly footwork.  That was one 
thing the outlander had not counted on, yet the alien forms of the 
scimitar blades had left their mark on David also.  Blood trickled from a 
dozen light wounds, yet twice that on Almiron.  
	Finally, Almiron went up on the balls of his feet, useing the 
curved weight of the blades to form a powerful downthrust.  David crossed 
his swords in a scissor pattern and sidestepped, driving the scimitar 
blades into the ground, trapping them with his own swords.  Almiron's 
eyes grew wide as David swept his feet out from under him, forcing his 
grip off of his swords.
	Sheathing his own, David bowed to Almiron while holding out his 
hand to the fallen warrior.  He gladly took it and David helped him up, 
stedying him while his bad knee settled.  Almiron pulled his swords out 
of the ground and sheathed them.  David patted the man on the back.

"Ye be and excellent swordman, sir.  Ye almost had me there feer a 
second."  He said, while both walked over to the lakeside to nurse their 
wounds.  Almiron smiled and nodded.

"Yes, almost had you.  But feet got into way." He said, pointing to 
David's boots.  

"They come in handy, espessially when unarmed." David laughed, and they 
cleaned up while bathing in the luke warm pool.  A while later, the sun 
pushed the peaks of the western mountains and David's stomache growled 
loudly.  Almiron's echoed it almost note for note.  

"Am hungry.  We go get food, yes?"  He said.

"Aye, food it shall be.  Kay!" David shouted and the dragon awoke from 
his nap, yawned, and proceeded to scratch his neck.  'Are ye becomeing 
lazy?' David teased in thought.

*No.  But you are, me having to fly you eveywhere.*  Kaylin rebounded 
with a laugh.  

'Touche!' David thought, and all three made their way to the dining 
commons, Kaylin flying to the cattle fields after David had gone safely 
inside.  

	Almiron bid his good nights and the two slit up, Almiron hedding 
towards a table where Hedda sat, and David filling his plate and sitting 
at the trainees table.  Darlea and Araminta nodded to him and he nodded 
back, more interested in the food than conversation.  The sparring had 
really been a workout.  He noticed that Wynn and Evelle were gone.  
Probally off somewhere quiet.... David chuckled to himself.  Reading 
minds brought the strangest images.  Finishing his plate, David leaned 
back and looked around.  Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and 
why not.  It was a grand time to be alive.
	David looked back towards the two females at the table.  He had 
not spoken to them much, but meant to change that quickly.  He walked 
over to their side of the table and spoke up....

"Hi.....how es ye both doin' tonight?" David said happily.  "May I take 
this seat?"

**************************
NRPG: 
		Ok, so I thought I had more to write.  Well, I would 
have, but Im still not sure when this wraith attack is supposed to be 
going on.  But Ill find out tomorrow.  In the meantime, I hope this 
catches me up.  If I missed anything, please tell me, and Ill fix it.

				Thanks,
					Justin

      /\     /^---_---^\     /\       "I think, therefore I am.  Yet        
     /  \    > |_\ /_| <    /  \       when my characters think, are they 
    /    \   |         |   /    \      also?"  
   /      \   \  o o  /   /      \    "Dragons exist my friend, for the sheer
  /        \  |\_____/|  /        \    fact that in all cultures they are
 |          \ | \/ \/ | /          |   present, weather separated by land
     ----------       ----------       sea or air."----  Justin Almeida