<Minty>


"Are you sure you don't mind?"  Diana asked again as she handed the
wriggling Dareeni to Minty and then lifted Treanya from the carrier and
into the nest of cushions they'd fashioned on the bed.  "I'd leave them
with Trey but...."


"It's OK Diana."  Minty smiled as she watched her partner fussing over the
twins  "I told you, I need the practice.  As long as you don't mind the
girls being my guinea pigs I don't mind watching them for you!"


"Have you told David yet?"  Diana asked  "About the baby I mean?"


"I thought I'd wait until he got back and give him the good news myself.
I've planned a celebration meal for when he comes back from Seign."  Minty
blushed lightly  "I didn't want him finding out from Kaylin or Kirimith
while he was still miles away and couldn't get back home because of other
commitments."


"Seign?  I thought he'd been visiting at Keldarra."  


Diana kissed the gurgling baby kicking happily on the bed and looked up at
Minty. 


"Sword Guild business."  Minty shrugged


She lay Dareeni next to her sister, then  led Diana back into the main room.  


"Something to so with some kind of ritual that has to be performed every
few years.  Kiri got confused when David tried to explain it to her, so he
told her he'd tell me all about it when he got back..... this evening!"


Diana smiled fondly at Minty's excitement as she handed over the list of
things Minty should do for the twins.


"If they get fussy check their diapers."  Diana told her anxiously
"There's some soothing lotion in the bag of things I'm leaving you.  And
I've made up two bottles just in case we're longer than expected.  If they
feel chilly put a light blanket over them but make sure they don't get too
hot.  Anything you can't handle get Kiri to tell Zena and I'll be right
back....."


"I can manage."   Minty told her laughingly, urging her towards the door of
the groundlevel apartment that Minty was reluctantly using while Kirimith
was staying outside the Warren.  "Be careful in that cave... there were a
couple of places where the roof didn't look too secure."


Diana nodded then hurried across to where Lakoda and Ribbon were waiting.
Minty watched them until they were airborne and then one of the girls
started crying.  She walked through to the bedroom and picked up the tiny
girl carefully.  The baby immediately gave her a sleepy grin then closed
her bright eyes.


<..>


*I don't understand why I have to stay out here on my own, away from all my
friends.*  Kiri said grumpily  


*Zena's there too.*  Minty pointed out  *Is she complaining?  No... she's
waiting patiently until Diana says she can come home.*


*Then why can't you come and keep me company?  We could go swimming and
then you could oil me*  Kirimith wheedled  *My hide is getting really itchy
and I'm sure there's a flaky patch on my back...*


*I told you... I'm watching Diana's babies.*  Minty sighed  *Besides I
oiled you yesterday... you couldn't possibly have any patchy hide left!*


*I'm lonely for you Minty.*  Kiri told her mournfully  *I miss my sandy bed
and I miss you and I want to come home.*


*I know love... I know.*  Minty soothed the dragon  *It's just for a while
longer.  As soon as Lakoda and Diana bring those samples back from the cave
things will start happening.  Arri will find out what it is that's causing
this plague and they'll be able to come up with a cure and you'll be able
to come home.*


Kirimith huffed grumpily, still not satisfied with the answers that Minty
was offering her.  She  felt well and couldn't see what Minty was so afraid
of!  And she wasn't convinced that the cave was to blame either.... Ribbon
had been there too and she hadn't contracted the plague either!


*So did you ask David what time he's likely to be home this evening?*
Minty returned to the question she'd asked Kirimith before the dragon had
started fretting to be allowed to come home.


*I couldn't reach him.*  Kirimith said off-handedly  *And I can't hear
Kaylin'sha either.  Perhaps they're too far away?  I heard David only
faintly when I spoke to him at Keldarra, and he did say that they were
going to Seign and that's further away.*


Minty sighed with disappointment.  She'd been hoping for some definite time
to look forward to... now she'd just have to wait and see.


*Perhaps you should have some of the patience you urged on me!*  Kiri said
snippily


<..>


She'd fed them and changed them, and now they were wide awake and ready to
play.  Minty searched through the bag Diana had left for something to
occupy the girls attention, but they ignored the assortment of rattles and
mirrors she showed them, fussing each time she moved out of sight.  In the
end she decided to take them outside for some fresh air... in the hope that
the constant activity around the green would capture their attention and
calm them a little.


<..>


Gods!  She hadn't realised just how heavy two tiny, wriggling bodies could
be!  With a sigh of relief she spread the blanket she'd brought with her in
the shade of a tree, and deposited the squirming infants on the blanket,
before sinking down beside them with a grateful sigh.


******************************************************
<NRPG  Anyone want to come talk with her?>
*******************************************************


The twins were sound asleep when Ribbon landed at the far end of the green
and Lakoda and Diana slid to the ground.  Diana caught sight of Minty under
the tree, made a quick detour to let Minty know she'd be as quick as
possible, then she and the healer hurried in the direction of the med centre.


<..>


Minty had her hands full with two crying babies when Diana came back full
of apologies.


"I'm sorry I took longer than I said."  she said as she took one of the
baby girls and soothed her gently  "I was careful while I was that cave but
I still didn't want to chance the girls getting sick..... so I stopped off
for a shower on my way back."


Minty assured Diana that she didn't mind the delay, and that  "yes, the
babies have behaved beautifully."


"Although I think there must be some trick you didn't tell me about that
makes it easy to juggle one feeding baby while you soothe the crying of the
other."  Minty told her with a laugh  "I think I'll be quite happy to have
just the one when the time comes!"


Diana quickly gathered the twins scattered possessions together and thanked
Minty again, before going to meet Trey for the trip back to their apartment.



<Sometime shy of midnight>



*Are you sure that David said he'd be back tonight Kiri?*  Minty asked for
the sixth time  *You sure he didn't mean tomorrow? Maybe he's been hurt?
Have you tried to reach Kaylin'sha again?*


*I still can't hear Kaylin or David.  But perhaps this thing he needed to
do went on for longer than he thought it would.  He'll be back tomorrow for
sure and he'll be fine.*  Kiri sent comforting thoughts


*I hope so Kiri.*


Minty scraped the ruined meal into the trash and turned off the kitchen light.


*I hope he'll be back tomorrow.*   A tear trickled on Minty's cheek as she
undressed slowly and got into her lonely bed  *I really miss him.....*


Submitted by

Araminta & Kirimith




-- 
Mint,  the voice and soul of

Timi Caplain  FO  USS Javelin      Caliban, Lute's human  Dragon Lands  
Lillith the Mage    Broken Lands    Minty, Kirimith's rider    Dragon Lands
                 
Naomi, QueenRider to Amethyst, Norwall's WarrenLady,  Dragon Lands

http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5902
http://www.dragonfire.net/~Mint/