[ The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set. ]

    [ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set.  ]

    [ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ]

<snip from Dave's post - Fabrice and L'talin>

Consciousness fading, she dimly heard him say, "...remember, you are
mine.  Should you forget that, *she* will be the one to pay the price,
and *you* will live on in madness and sorrow without her...."

It was fully dark when she awakened again, her limbs numb from lying
so long against the cold stone.  Alone, and left behind.

<end snip>

At first, her head still muzzy from pain and fatigue, Fabrice couldn't
remember where she was. Then she remembered, and wished she hadn't.
She looked around ... No, he'd gone. She was really alone.

It was late, it was cold, but her mind was whirling. Fabrice couldn't
think what to do, so she simply pulled her cloak more tightly
around her and stared into the darkness.

Suddenly, a voice cut into her numbed mind.

<<Fabrice-friend>> called Lazara. <<What has happened?>>

Muzzily Fabrice shook her head.

<<Why did you shut me out?>> asked the dragon.

<Oh, Zara I'm sorry> said Fabrice. <Please understand - I *had* to>

<<You need me. Wait there.>>

Fabrice didn't argue. Simply drew her cloak even tighter around her
and waited for her dragon to arrive.

********

<<He *hurt* you again, didn't he>> said Lazara in an anguished voice.

Fabrice said nothing, and simply climbed onto Lazara's back.

<<Don't shut me out, Fabrice-friend. Why did you come *back*?>>

<Zara - I wish you could understand...>

<<Then *tell* me!>>

<Zara. All I can say is that you must *never* tell anyone that I was
here. Or about *any* of this. *Never*. If anyone knew, about this, or
about what you say you saw back at the gorge, we would both be in
great danger. Do you understand, Lazara?>

<<He killed that girl, and if you tell, he'll kill you too>>   It
wasn't a question from Lazara, it was a statement; and this time
Fabrice didn't argue with the accusation that L'talin had killed Maya.
Or that he was capable of killing again.

<<Fabrice-friend, you must never come back here. He *scares* me>> said
Lazara.

<He scares me too> said Fabrice softly.

<<Then *why*?>>

<Don't try to understand, Zara, just take me home>


Respectfully submitted
Carina Norris
carina@norris25.freeserve.co.uk
Fabrice <& Lazara> - Keldarra
Cat and Mr Purr - Norwall