[G'far's apartment]

Sparkling clean.  You could eat dinner off of this floor, it was so clean.
Every dish was washed and in the cabinet.  Every article of clothing was
laundered and hung up neatly in the closets.  In short, it hadn't been this
clean since before G'far had moved in.

Which meant that D'neor was incredibly tired.  But at least it had stopped
snowing.  So maybe he could get on with his duties tomorrow--duties.  What
an awful word.  But still, he'd have to do *something* about this whole
ransacking-and-stabbing-people deal.  He just didn't know quite what yet.

Even so.  Time enough for that in the morning, and morning was altogether
too close.

*****
[Day 4 after the attack on Michel.]

D'neor woke to an insistent rumbling in his stomach and an equally
insistent grumbling in his mind.  Shatavari, she 'told' him in no uncertaim
terms, was going to go make the rest of the dragons leave her nice fat
bucks alone.  And then she was going to swim in the lake while the other
hatchlings started clearing the snowdrifts away from the important parts of
the Warren.

Peevishly, D'neor didn't bother to think at her that the lake was probably
frozen.  Let her find out for herself.


After much grunting and grumbling and a generally difficult walk, D'neor
finally made it to the dining hall.  And found that breakfast had been
cleared over four hours ago.  Fortunately, the kitchen staff was in the
middle of setting lunch out on the boards.  So he grabbed a little
something and found a table.

"D'neor."  Evelle sat down beside him.  "I'm glad I could find you."

He shrugged.  "I haven't exactly been anywhere.  What do you need?"

"Well, we need you to start taking on some duties, Christalla and I.  I
know it's a bit early, but they say that you learn best when you actually
do things.  And we do need some help--this whole mess is a bit too much for
us to handle."

D'neor nodded.  "Okay.  What do you want me to do?  Snow crew?"

She shook her head.  "Nothing so simple, I'm afraid.  I need you to start
investigating things.  These room-wreckings, to start with, and if you can
manage it, the attack on Michel too.  Christalla and I are dealing with
M'tan, and in part Michel's attackers, but I don't think we can spare the
energy or time to deal with the vandalism.

"I have a feeling that they're all connected in some way, but I'm really
not sure.  Can you do this?"

"Guess so," he shrugged.  "Doesn't seem too hard."

"Good."  Evelle smiled.  "Oh, one more thing: S'brogh asked if he could
help with the investigation too.  Do you mind him?"

D'neor shook his head.  "Nope.  Do I have time to go see M'tan before I start?"

"Go right ahead, and spend as much time with him as you want.  Or as much
as Mila and Kyven will let you."  She smiled.  "But please try and get
answers quickly.  I don't want this hanging around for too long."

"No problem.  See you."  D'neor picked up his plate and carried it away
towards the washers before dissappearing into the inner reaches of the
Warren.

Evelle lifted an eyebrow as he walked away.  Shaking her head, she turned
to the young rider across the table.  "H'let...?"

He looked up attentively.  "Ayup?"

"Is D'neor sick?  He's not normally so...compliant."

"Dunno, sorry."  H'let shrugged and went back to his meal.

Evelle sighed.  "Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't go away."

*****
Mila turned him away, not ungently, at the door to the Med Center.  M'tan,
she said, still needed to rest quietly, even though he was no longer in
danger.  No, not even family can come in--it just isn't a very good time
right now to visit.

And someone still had to tell Mama--and with M'tan being the injured one
this time it was of course D'neor's job.  So off it was to Mama's house, to
comfort Mama and Suayla and maybe dig out an old toy for Al'tan, and then
the duties had to start.

And the duties, he decided, would start with Shaelesta.

*****
NRPG: Not a big one because I'm tired. :)  Barb, I'll write another
confront post (like no one expects 'Nor to be confrontational :) tomorrow
morning when I'm freshly caffinated.

I'm also kind of confused: June, is Ceth still active?  I remember
something about you not being able to write anymore, but I'm not sure if
that was all DL or just one char.  I just need to know if 'Nor can question
her or not.

--mia

-- 
**************************************
198,000 miles per second.
It's not just the law, it's a good idea.

seraph@wam.umd.edu
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~seraph/alt_real.html
-- end of forwarded message --

-- 

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 * Lynette R. F. Cowper       *     Official INWO NetRep & Goddess    *
 * lcowper@io.com             *        Circle of Janus Secretary      *
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 *     The INWO rulings I make are official.  All other opinions,     *
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