Carie had been wandering when Almiron had found her, looking for Anyone 
who could give her more info on what had happened to Michel.  She didn't 
want to even imagine what was happening.  Fortunately, when the 
Leathercrafter spoke to her, and comforted her, she had started calming 
down, and thinking clearer.

  "Thank you," she had replied.  "I've only been here less than a day, 
and still don't know what's going on.  Michel's been the only person I 
could ever count on.  Since mom and dad died when I was little, he's 
always been looking out for me.  He didn't even think he would be chosen 
when he decided to come here for the Hatching.  Knowing him, he probably 
could have made off with half of what's considered valuable here.  He has 
to be all right."

  "There, " Almiron replied, moving to comfort her again.  "Am sure he 
will be fine.."

  As soon as Almiron's hands touched Carie, her eyes went blank, and her 
body went rigid, and she saw...

**************************************************************************
 
    Almiron screamed in pain as the claw opened his scalp and raked downward, 
 tearing the flesh at his temple and opening the cheek.  His mouth filled 
 with blood.
 
    He backed off from the beast.  To his left, Jehahn's body lay broken, 
 nearly torn in half by the fury of the beast.  Silarin's was somewhere 
 beneath it.  Altrar beat senselessly against its side while Aljirat held the 
 dying Sagir.  Hamar's body hung limply in a nearby dead tree.  Several 
 horses' bodies lay torn apart.  Almiron had lost track of Rumalin, but hoped 
 he had escaped.  Their only hope was Jehahn's sword, buried in the beast's 
 throat all the way to the hilt.
 
    Its forefoot descended again and the four forward claws caught him in the 
 chest, raking downward, burying themselves deep in his gut.  Almiron tried 
 to step back, away from the horrible pain, as the claws opened four parallel 
 gashes in his hip and kept going down his leg.  He stepped on something soft 
 and fell, landing on a horse's body behind him.  The claws dug into his knee 
 and then the full weight of the dragon landed on his leg.  As the bone 
 shattered, Almiron blacked out momentarily.
 
    He awoke to silence.  The dragon lay, its breathing stopped.  He opened 
 his eyes to Altrar's face, inches from his own, eyes staring unseeing.  He 
 pulled himself up with his left hand, while his right held his abdomen, 
 blood and Hehrahn knew what else seeping out around his fingers.  Aljirat's 
 lower body jutted out from under the dragon.
 
    Beyond pain or rational thought, Almiron began crawling with his good leg 
 and the hand that wasn't occupied holding his gut together, seeking Rumalin. 
  <Rumalin, I would die in your arms, at least,> he thought.
 
    Much later, he felt sand under his hand.  He lay down on it, feeling its 
 warmth seep through his body as he gave himself over to darkness.
 
*****************************************************************************

   Carie staggered under the power of the psychic vision.  Looking over 
at Almiron she could tell that he had relived and felt all that she had 
as well.

  As Carie stared at the man, she could only wonder what had just 
happened....


Carie Lighthand
  AKA Chris Canary

NRPG:  Just a little side post for Carie and ALmiron..hope you enjoy..*Grin*