Scene: Day of the attack, Med Center

Ailill squeezed Kendal's hand.  She laughed softly.  "You know, I'm 
beginning to think that you and I should take up residence in the med 
center."  She wanted to change the subject.  She didn't like thinking 
about the danger he had been in.  And how it was unlikely that this 
would be the last time one of them was in a dangerous situation.

He grinned.  "I don't know how the healers would take that?  They like 
their space."

"True,"  She smiled, shifting her gaze to the door.  "Besides it's a bit 
crowded in here."

Kendal frowned, a look of worry crossing his face.  I should go Ailill, 
they need the room."  He struggled to sit up.  

Ailil took hold of his shoulders gently.  Easing him back down on the 
bed, rising from her seat so she stood over him.  She slid her hands off 
his shoulders and down onto the bed beside him.  Leaning closer she 
demanded his attention.  Her aubern hair, which had long since escaped 
it's braid, fell in a frame around her face.  Cascading onto his chest.  
"You are hurt.  If you move you will injure yourself further, and that 
is not the way to make friends right now.  The healers are too busy to 
piece you back together _again_.  Once a day is your limit."  

"I'll stay, if you'll stay with me..."  He smiled up at her.

"I..."  She was about to tell him that wild dragons could not pull her 
away, when Storm reluctantly interupted her.  

<<You are needed on the green, my love.>>  She projected her regret 
along with her message.  <<Mayhem's rider wants us to help transport 
supplies to the injured outside the warren.  We are one of the only 
pairs that is not otherwise occupied.  If your up to it?>>  She was 
still concerned about Ailill's condition.  Suprisingly Ailill felt fine.  
Dragonriders had a habit of healing quickly... ;)

She sighed.  <I'll be there in a minute, love.>   She smiled sadly.  
"I've got to go, duty calls."  She kissed him on the forehead.  "But 
when I get back I want to find you in this room, resting.  Is that 
understood?"

"Honestly, I don't think I could go anywhere if I wanted to."

"Good, then you just stay here."  She studied his face for a few more 
moments, the pain, and wearyness that wsa etched ther concerned her more 
than she wanted to let on.  At least he is still alive, she told 
herself.  Thank the gods that he is still here.  If something had 
happened to him... She traced his cheek with her hand, unwanted tears 
filling her eyes.  She whispered softly.  "If you ever do that to me 
again..."  She trailed off.  

She couldn't ask him not to do his job.  Just as he would not ask her to 
be lax in her duties.   The warren came first, everything was second to 
the stafty of their home.  To the responsibility that came with bonding 
a dragon.  How could she let herself love this man, who on any given day 
could be snatched from her.  She shook away the tears angrily.  She 
would live each day as it came, and never think of what might happen.  
There was no better time to start than right now.  She leaned down, 
pressing her lips tenatively aginst his.  What started out heistant grew 
stronger as the relief that he was really safe flooded over her.  He 
wasn't going to leave her.  Not today, not ever if she got her way.  She 
pulled away relectantly as Storm prodded her.  

"Gotta fly.  No moving!"  With that she turned and dashed out of the med 
center.  Head towards the green were her already packed dragon waited 
for her.  She climbed on and got the image of the camp for one of the 
other riders.  Once they arrived it took several hours to get everything 
off of the dragons and set up at the temporary camp, Ailill was so 
exahusted by the time they were finished she just crashed there.  
Grabbing a blanket and a corner of earth next to her dragon for a *nap*.  
A nap that turned into a whole nights sleep.

~*~*~The next morning.~*~*~

Ailill rolled out of *bed* regreting the day her mother let her father 
steal that first kiss.  She ached so bad from sleeping on the rocky 
ground that she was sure she was near death.  Storm chuckled in her 
head.  <<Wake up, and get up.  The others will be here soon.  Since we 
are already here I volunteered us to help transport wounded.  Hope you 
don't mind...>>

<Not at all.>  She grumbled.  It would be better to get her shift done 
as quickly as possible.  That way she would be able to visit Kendal this 
afternoon.   She pulled her self together and got Storm saddled.  Just 
as she tightened the last strap half the wing appeared in the sky above 
her.  She climbed on Storm and joined the rest of them.  Trak had them 
split up into groups of three, and it was just Ailill's luck to get 
paired up with the wingleader.  He glanced at her but said nothing, 
instead he busied himself with helping an injured rider onto his dragon.  

The first half of the morning was uneventful.  They were on their way 
back to the camp for the last trip when they were interupted by a streak 
of green plumeting out of the sky.  Storm pulled up and twisted right to 
avoid plowing into the green dragon.  The green flared her wings and 
pulled alongside the warren dragons.  Ailill manuvered Storm back into 
position at Trak's wing.

<Who is that love and what does she want?>  Ailill was a little 
irritated by the interuption.  

<<The dragon is Shella, she and her rider seem to be lost.>>  There was 
a long pause as Storm listened to the conversation Shella and Mayhem 
shared.  <<Mayhem's rider wants us to escort Shella and her rider back 
to the warren.  He says he want's us to keep an eye on her.  He thinks 
she is odd.>>

Curiosity welled up in Ailill, what could this new rider have said that 
was so odd.  She wanted to ask, but comunucating through the dragons was 
slow and frustrating, so she decided to wait.  <Tell her dragon to 
follow us.>  Storm banked to the right gently, the large green followed 
them staying just behind them.  The trip directly to the waren took 
about two hours.  Ailill didn't want to risk porting their when she was 
tired, and she was unsure of the new riders condition.

Storm backpedaled hard, easing herself onto the green.  Shella landed 
next to her, tearing up the ground with her claws.  Ailill slid off of 
Storm and walked over to the new rider.  

"Welcome to Marrid, It's a bit of a mess right now but we're fixing 
that."

The red haired woman examined the blackened earth and charred buildings.  
"It looks like a war zone."  She smiled.  "They even managed to capture 
the burnt smell.  Nice touch."  

Ailill raised her eyebrows.  "Umm, yes, well maybe you should meet 
Waylene now.  She'll want to talk to you."  She was starting to see what 
Trak had though odd about the woman.  "By the way, I'm Ailill rider of 
Storm.  You are?"

"Tina, and that's Shella."  

Ailill led Tina to Waylene's office.  She knocked on the door quietly.  

"Come in..."

She pushed the door open.  "Lady Waylene, this is Tina.  She, um, she 
and her dragon sort of ran into us while we were transporting the 
wounded.  She's a bit lost."

Ailill took a seat in the corner of the office while Tina and Waylene 
spoke.  She was shocked and confused by the story that Tina spilled out.  
The tossed a few questions back and forth, their conversation dragged on 
and Ailill found herself falling asleep.  She didn't even 
notice when Waylene directed her to help Tina.

"That's an... interesting story Tina.  Your free to stay here until you 
decide what you would like to do, but in the mean time perhaps you would 
like to get cleaned up.  I would also like you tostop by the Medical 
Center.  It sounds like you've had a rough trip.  Ailill can help you.  
Ailill?"

Her eyes snapped open.  "Yes mi'lady?"  She blushed, ashamed at being 
caught alseep on her feet.

"Tina needs somewhere to get cleaned up.  I'd like you to show her to 
the med center."

"Of course.  Just follow me Tina, I know them med center well.  Too 
well."

Ailill's stomach rumbled the time had flown by, it was almost dinner and 
she hadn't eaten yet.  The sooner she could get the new girl settled in 
the med center the sooner she could get some food.  

Ailill led Tina acroos the heat blasted green and through the 
overcrowded halls of the med center.  "What happened here?"  Tina asked 
as she slid through the wounded.  "Did the Dark Hordes do this?"

"Dark Hordes?"  Ailill gave Tina a questioning look.  "No, the riders 
were injured in a wraith attack.  The soldier were injured when they 
tried to attack us."

"Wraiths?"

"Nasty creatures, They live only to destroy.  Fortunatly they can't 
survive dragonfire."  

Tina nodded, but it was obvious she still didn't know what Ailill was 
talking about.  Finally they reached the shower room.  Ailill handed the 
girl several towels and a med center gown.  "Sorry I can't get you 
anything more flattering to wear, but we're a bit short on everything 
right now.  You can shower in there.  While your at it I'll try an hunt 
down an empty room." 

Ailill left Tina preparing to shower and went of to find someplace for 
her to wait.  It took a while to find an empty examination room, and the 
one she found wasn't great.  It was being used to store supplies, but 
she got it cleared out in short order.  Once that was finished she 
headed back to get Tina.

The girl was threading her hands through her dripping hair.  Ailill 
frowned.  "There should be a brush `round here somewhere?"  She started 
to search.

"It's okay."  Tina twisted her hair up and out of her way.  "So did you 
find me a room?"

"Well sort of, it's not great ut it will do.  Would you like me to wait 
with you."  Ailill asked as she led Tina from the shower room.  

"No that's okay..."  She trailed off. 

"What is it?"

"Well to be honest, I'm starved."  

Ailill grinned.  "I am too, I was just about to head to the dining hall.  
Would you like me to bring you something?"

"If it's not to much trouble?"  

"Not at all!"  Ailill and Tina reached the small exam room.  "Just wait 
here and Lakoda will show up soon."

Once she was sure Tina would be fine she half ran to the dining hall.  
Her hunger the only thing keeping her going.

NRPG:  I was a bit worried (and confused) about the timeline. (Hope I 
didn't crosspost anyone!)  But I tried to make it work.  This finishes 
up in the evening of the day after the attack.  Ailill will be hanging 
out in the dining hall.  Waiting for what new surprise Kris has in store 
for us.  ;)


                             *)*)(*    Ailill and Storm     
Katherine Heath               \(*/      Marrid Warren
                               *)    J'res and Tleilaxu
     Domani@hotmail.com        /\       Xylian Warren
                              {**}     Liam and Lasher
           The Voice of...     ^^       Geode Warren
                               ;}      
~_------------------@__        :}         __@-----------------_~
  \__             /    `-_     /}\    _-`    \             __/
     \___        /        `'-.) }(.-'`        \        ___/
         \___   /            (  } )            \   ___/
             \_/~,_,_,_,_,.-(   }  )-.,_,_,_,_,~\_/
              *             (   }  )             *
                            0\  } /0
                            * \ }/ *
~May Dragons Fly Ever In~      :}: 
                              ;};
     ~Your Dreams...        ;};    ...Soaring On The Wings Of~
                           ;;
                          ;;             ~Imagination~
                          ; 
                           '*

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