Dear Papa,

Well, I'm writing this letter from Keldarra Warren.  You remember I
explained about the queens and how the rider of the biggest queen is the
DragonLady?  Right now we're not sure whether that's Kaeryth or Tymor, but
even if it's still Kaeryth, it won't be forever.  So, Christalla wrote and
told me to come to Keldarra where she could train me.  So, I packed up my
bags and now Kyrran, Tymor and I are here.

Dan'yar stayed at Cleft with the girls.

I wish I could say I understood and I guess I sort of do, but not really. 
It hurts.  But I'm a big girl now.  After losing Kyrre, well, I guess I've
become stronger than I realised.

I suppose I should write to C'tain at Marrid and thank him.

Anyway.  I don't want to talk about Dan'yar.  Keldarra.  Well, I've been
here before, of course, after Kyrre died and I was looking for some new
warren to live.  But those memories all blur in my mind and I can't
remember which place was Keldarra and which was Norwall and which was
Daere... and, well, you get the picture. 

The WarrenLord is this guy named D'neor.  He seems pretty grumpy, but that
may be because his dragon is brooding right now.  It seems she's a pretty
strange queen.  Tymor says she doesn't talk.

There's a lot of stuff going on here that I don't understand.  They caught
some assassin the other day.  Just before I got here, there was some sort
of warrenwide meeting about it.  Supposedly, we have to have a champion
meet this assassin in combat, to the death.  If our champion wins, then
the assassin's contract is satisfied.  If the assassin wins, the guild can
send someone else, but not for a year.

Of course, I think someone can take out a new contract, so I'm not sure
what this gains us.

There's all sorts of accusations flying about people being in some sort of
anti-Landborn group that's done some pretty nasty stuff.  I guess the
Gamma Wingleader and his mate left the warren because of threats made
against them, or that's the rumour.

And I thought suicidal Nomad tribes was bad!

Oh, well, I have to end it here.  I have to be present for this combat
thing.  They're doing it in the hatching grounds, of all places.

I sure hope Shatavari doesn't decide to eat any of the combatants.  Though
I guess that might give the Assassins Guild pause.

Tell everyone I love them and said hi.

					Your daughter and 
					(gulp!) soon-to-be DragonLady,
					Brisse
					(and Kyrran)

PS: Do you still have the stuffed cat that Uncle Tatian got me for my 5th
birthday?  I'd like to have it for Kyrran.

---

 Lynette R. F. Cowper <lcowper@indy.net>, INWO Line Editor

Return to Cleft Posts for Jan 1999