[Day one, evening]

<Zena and her rider are back,> Koroth informed him.

Trey heaved a sigh of relief.  <Are they letting Zena land in the warren?>

<No,> Roth answered.

Trey hadn't figured they would, though likely it would do little good.
Most plagues had an incubation period, and it was quite likely Zena was
already exposed days ago.  He headed back to the area where he'd left the
girls in charge of T'lkein and his sister.

"Where is Trey?" he heard Diana demanding.

"Right here.  How was your--"

"How dare you bring them into a plague area!" Diana screamed, as she
turned on him, the girls immediately wailing.  "They could even now be
sick!"

"It's a dragon plague, Diana."

"We don't know that for sure!  It could effect both, just take longer for
humans.  They are just babies!"  Diana tried to juggle the screaming
babies, bouncing them, trying to quiet them, but her anger was making them
tense.

Trey stood, mystified by her behaviour.  Surely she knew there had never
been a recorded case of a plague affecting both humans and dragons in the
whole history of the DragonLands?  "Diana--" he started, but Diana just
brushed past him.

"I am going to get the girls home safe."  He watched her start to storm
off, then stop, and turn back to him.  "Zena is outside the warren plague
area.  Could you please ask Koroth to give us a ride home?"

That was it.

"Like hell I will."

Her eyes widened in shock.  Her mouth started to form the word "what?" but
he cut her off before she could even begin. 

"First, there has never, *never* been a recorded case of a plague
affecting humans and dragons both and we don't need your hysteria.  But,
since you seem insistent on giving in to hysteria, I'll have you know that
Koroth's just spent the last few days with the hatchlings who have all
fallen ill.  If there's a dragon here who's guaranteed to have been
exposed, it's Roth.  So, I hope you can sprout wings and fly, because
Koroth isn't taking you!  And I hope you can manage the twins by yourself,
since *I've* certainly been exposed."

He started to turn and walk off himself, then changed his mind and rounded
on her.  "And thank you *so* much for your concern for me, by the way. 
Yes, Koroth's feeling fine so far," he continued, answering imaginary
questions.  "Oh, me?  I'm feeling a little tired and drained, having dealt
with one nearly hysterical newly-joined and two others that were in need
of some attention.  Oh, no, I haven't had dinner yet.  I haven't had time. 
Yes, I know I really shouldn't skip meals with my condition, but it
couldn't be helped.  Thank you *so* *much* for caring!"

He spun away from her and tromped off toward the dining hall.

******

Trey angrily punched the strange pillow, trying to knock out imaginary
lumps.

<Why don't we go back to the apartment?>

<No!  She treats me like a negligent father, she can apologise.>

<She was worried for the hatchlings.>

<She's being unreasonable.>

<And you're not?> the dragon asked.

<Oh, shut up.  Did they get up to the apartment okay?>

<Yes.  Not that you were any help in the matter.>

<And did Zena ask you to take them after I mentioned you'd been exposed?>
Trey asked.

Koroth sighed.  <No...>

<I rest my case.  She probably wouldn't let me in the apartment if we went
there anyway.>

He fluffed the pillow in the bed of the strange apartment again and curled
up, trying to sleep without the comforting warmth of Diana next to him.

******

[Day Two]

He was still running classes with the newest-joined, despite their lack of
dragon partners.  He was discussing tactics and history with both groups--
something that didn't need dragons.  He had noted a few absences in the
newly-joined ranks.  Two of the older set of hatchlings had fallen ill. 
And Aillil had gone off on some fool errand with the warrenless instead of
attending to her studies.  The girl was flighty.

"Tr'etram," Marrid's wingleader called.

"Good morning, Z'lec," Trey responded, turning from studying M'karl's
diagram of the H'kire formation.

"I'm sorry we couldn't go out searching last night."

"Me too," Trey agreed.  Searching would have been much preferable to what
he had dealt with last night. "When do you think we can go?"

Z'lec shrugged.  "I'd like to try for tonight, depending on how the
dragons are doing.  Ray's shown no signs of the illness.  How's Koroth?"

"Fine, so far, but I doubt he's out of the incubation period for the
disease."

Z'lec nodded.  "Given that they've both been exposed, I suppose there's
nothing against us both taking ours, assuming neither gets sick by
tonight."

"Sounds good.  I'll be done here in the late afternoon.  We can get dinner
wherever we're Searching?"

Z'lec nodded.  "How are the trainee's coming?"

"Good.  Though I'm concerned that you let Ailill go into the wastes with
Kendal.  She still has training--"

"What?!" Z'lec said sharply, his eyes narrowing.

"Ailill and Storm went with Kendal to look for that dragonhealer."  Trey
frowned.  "I take it she didn't have your permission?"

"Absolutely not!" Z'lec steamed.

"I don't envy you leading that one," Trey admitted.  "Her mind's never
where it ought to be.  If she doesn't get serious, her first combat may be
her last."

Z'lec nodded grimly.

"I'll try to talk to her," Trey said.  "Maybe I can talk some sense into
her before you get her."

******

The rest of the day passed uneventfully enough.  Diana never showed.
Doubtless she was avoiding him and his disease-infested dragon.

He met Z'lec and the two left, heading for an inn-tavern that Z'lec had
found to be useful for Searching.

The tavern was bustling.  Z'lec pointed out a couple older customers, past
the age of joining, who had mild affinity.  He worked, getting Trey to see
what he saw.  Trey was a fast learner and seemed to have a natural gift
for this.

Then they spent the evening without spotting a single likely person.

The food was good, the daughter of the innkeeper had an excellent voice,
and the innkeeper himself was a wonderful storyteller.

"Well, this has been a total washout," Trey said, thinking that it was
still better than sitting in that immense, empty apartment by himself.

Z'lec downed the last of his ale and stood.  "Let's go home."

They headed for the door.  Trey reached to push it open when the door
opened of its own accord.  He met the odd grey-silver eyes of a girl and
he saw it.

"Excuse me," she said.

He stepped back and glanced at Z'lec, who nodded.

"Pardon me," Trey said.  "Could I speak to you for a moment?"

The girl looked at him suspiciously.  "What about?"

"My name is Tr'etram, rider of Koroth, of Marrid Warren.  I'm the Searcher
there.  What do you think of dragons?"

[NRPG: As the saying goes, "Tag, Sian."]

******

[Day 3]

Trey sat up in the cold bed and almost immediately laid back down.  His
stomach roiled dangerously.  Koroth's stomach.

<Roth...>

<I'm sorry, Trey, I'm trying not to project it.>

<It's okay.>

He stood and walked out onto the ledge where the navy blue, dulled by
fever, lay miserably.  Trey sat next to his dragon and stroked his hide,
comfortingly.

"There's only one problem," he said, aloud.

<What's that?> Roth asked, trying to summon up the energy to care.

"How to get you down from here."

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Tr'etram and Koroth

NRPG: Well, this doesn't quite get me caught up, but at least I'm on the
same day.  Sian, I'll leave it to you to get back to the warren.  It's
VERY late when they meet and get to the warren.  If you need me to
backpost conversation or whatever, feel free, but I can't guarantee I'll
get to it real soon.  I've gotten behind everywhere because of computer
problems and morning sickness.

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 * Lynette R. F. Cowper       *     Official INWO NetRep & Goddess    *
 * lcowper@io.com             *        Circle of Janus Secretary      *
 * lcowper@indy.net           *   VP of P.U.R.P.L.E. (People United   *
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