Marrid Warren #47
02/24/98

If Looks Could Kill

Koda took her time going over the patients medical charts after arriving at
the med center. She was in no hurry to don the leather flying jacket flung
over the back of the couch just to the right of her office door.

If she was late for wing practice and Trak said anything to her at all about
it she'd... she'd....

Damn the man. 

Being upset at her for not going along and following his orders, when she
had felt she had good reason not to, was one thing. But to flaunt his
authority the way he was with forcing her to forgo her own duties as a
healer to get back at her was beyond being petty.

She was reminded of the life she had left behind. The reason's she had left,
because there to was someone who tried to interfere with her doing her job.
But this was worst because he was keeping her away from the people who
needed her help.

If anything happened because she wasn't there to prevent it... and Koda
meant *Anything*... then she swore she would made Trak's rue the day he ever
came up with this plan.

-----------   

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO GET A NEW SADDLE!!"
Koda was doing her best later to keep her temper in cheek when Trak had come
over and started in on her. But this was going a little to far.
 

"The saddle you have may work fine for your medical duties, but it won't be
any good in a fight."

"Well that's just fine with me because I draw the line at fighting," she
snapped. "You may have been able to talk Waylene into ordering me to go
along with this stupid idea of yours to have me train with a wing. But there
is no way either of you can force me into actually fighting in one. That
I_WILL_NOT_DO no matter what you say or who orders me to do so."

"And another thing *Rider* Lakoda..." The acting Wingleader went on as if
she hadn't just told him off. 
"You'll need to see the quarter master about arranging some time for some
weapons training."

"NO WAY!!" Koda stated firmly. "I draw the line there Trak and nothing you
or Waylene will make me change my mind. I'm a healer, sworn to heal the
injured. I WIL NOT learn how to use a weapon to cause the injuries. NO WAY!!"

"And what will you do when you find yourself confronted by someone with a
weapon pointed at you intending to use it to cause you harm?" he asked,
scowling deeply. He didn't like her arguing with everything he said.

Her smile changed to one of evilness as she moved without giving him a hint
of what she was about to do. Seconds later Trak found himself flat out on
his wide back looking up at the body of the tiny healer holding a small
knife at his throat. His own knife he noticed.

Her knee was pressing down heavily in the middle of his chest preventing him
from getting any type of leverage to try to throw her off. His hand was
still bend in an odd angle, tendons stretched tight so the arm would break
if he tried to use to much force to escape the hold she had on him.

"That is called an act of surprise!" she informed him, moving her hand just
a little to cause him what she decided was a little well deserved pain.
"It's a good weapon to use on a patient who doesn't want to be treated. My
father made sure a long time ago that I was fully trained in the art of hand
to hand combat and I've sworn a oath to use it ONLY when nothing else will
work."

She hid a smile as his face went from shocked surprise to anger. She knew he
already thinking of ways to pay her back for the little show she'd just put
on. Well let him! But she felt she had gotten her message across.

"I will NOT learn how to use a weapon meant for killing people. You can
forget that right now! Cause it ain't gonna happen!"

She moved then, just as quickly as she had before and was several feet away
before he could think to try anything.

"Now. Since I'm being force to go along with this little ego trip of yours,
lets get on with it so I can get back to my Med Center where I belong!" she
snapped and then walked away.

As her back was turned, she didn't see the smile that began to form on the
Wingleaders face. A mixture of some sort of respect and something that
warned of a hard days training to come. He wondered if she was up to it!






Koda wondered back over towards Ribbon after leaving Trak and picked up the
heavy leather flight jacket she'd had few opportunities to wear before.
She'd had some Wing training in Falagand after she and Ribbon had joined,
and they had been good at the lessons they'd had to go through, until it had
come time to train for fighting. 

She's put her foot down then, opting out and reminding T'rell the Beta
Wingleader that she was a healer and unlike him, though she didn't blame
him... and she made sure he knew that... She was a healer. That was all
she'd ever wanted to do.

Had trained for it from the first time she'd picked up one of her parents
medical books and began to read them.

T'rell had been full of understanding, though he had hated to lose a good
wing member. It was he who helped her design the saddle she now used on Ribbon.

T'rell had supported her choice when B'nair had caused a scene when she had
heard about it. Ja'rak's also had agreed that she should follow her own heart.

With the two of them in her corner, she had ignored B'nair's protests and
went back to being a healer. She'd never once regretted her decision. 

But now she was having to go thought it all over again...

		
"Hey Lakoda." She heard someone calling out her name, and turned to see
Kendal coming towards her. the man looked a whole lot better today then he
had when he'd first arrived back in Marrid.

"Do you need any help."

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him what he could do with his offer
of help.... but she bit it to keep from uttering the words aloud. Why should
she unload on him when he wasn't the jerk that got her into this mess.

No if she was going to fray someone, she'd save it for the one man who was
deserving of it.

"No..." she finally said after counting to ten. "Thanks for the offer, but
I'm afraid his majesty will have something to say if he sees you giving me
any help. Why get him on your back too. Besides... I've been dressing myself
for years now all by myself. Unless of course you know of a way to make him
disappear?" 

Kendal grinned. "It's like that is it?"

The tiny healer let out a deep grrrr..."Let's just say he had better hope he
doesn't injure himself anytime soon and expect me to tend to him. He may not
like my bedside manners."

"Remind me not to get you angry at me anytime soon," his face took on a look
of innocence that made her smile.

A small smile... but none the less a smile.

"So I heard you're to be training with a fighting wing?" his eyes filled
with questions. "I didn't think healers did that kind of thing."

"Only when the *acting* Wingleader has an ego the size of the whole entire
area of the Dragonlands and uses his power in a unprofessional way out of
spite to get back at someone for not agreeing with him!"

Kendal nodded his head. 

"I heard what happened."

She looked at him closely, unable to decide who's side he was on in the matter.

"We just had a difference of opinion," she told him.. "But I still feel I
had a valid reason for doing what I did, and would do it again if I had to.
Did you go by and see Ailill this morning?" 

The young man's face clouded over.

"She doesn't blame you Kendal," Koda assured him. 

"But she'd never have been hurt if she hadn't of followed after me."

"She's a big girl now. she made her own choice to help a friend in trouble,"
the healer reached out to touch his arm. "She cares about you Kendal. Anyone
who has ever seen the two of you together can see that. That's why she came
after you."

Before Kendal could reply they both heard the sounds of a dragon landing
near by, and turned to see David quickly dismounted and walked over to where
they were standing next to the Purple Ribbon.


"I thought ye were t'e'healer?" He asked.

Koda glared at him. He would have to remind her.

<Mayhem said his rider said it's time for you to quit talking and mount me
so we can began class.> Ribbon's thoughts entered her mind causing her scowl
to deepen. 

"Ok?" David said, and turned to Kendal. "Sorry I be late.  I was talking
with S'an, getting some information on exactly what happened with the
baronet.  I suggest we try talking with Lord Reignald..."

"Good luck!" Koda snorted as she turned to mount her dragon. "The man's a jerk."

Both men turned to look at her.

"And what'ca mean by t'at Healer," David asked eyeing her strangely.

"Oh I'm sure you'll find out when you get there... If he'll see you," she
said not elaborating overly much. "Just be warned not to agree with any
deals he may put on the table without telling him that you'll need to speak
to Waylene about them first....and always LISTEN to how he phrases the
wording of his offers...You two have fun today."

She turned back to mount again when a thought struck her.
Trak she knew had not been happy with her little show back there, and would
be trying to find a way to pay her back.... and it had been a while since
she's worked out with anyone so her skills were just a little rusty...

"David?" she called out his name, stopping him when the other two had turned
away. 

"Healer?" 

"I have a small favor to ask.. one you can say no to if you don't have
time.. or would rather not do.. but I need to find someone to... ah... work
out with to refresh my hand to hand skills and was wondering if maybe...."

[A small tag Justin ;) ]

Training had been hard. 

By the time it was over Koda was ready to kill Trak. He's picked on
everything she and Ribbon had done, even though she knew they had done a
good job and were going things right. T'rell had made bloody sure his wing
members knew what they were doing.

But she bit her tongue every time he had Mayhem relay something to her and
just got on with the days work. It had to end *sometime* she kept telling
herself.

By the time the first days lessons were over, she was ready to kill him.
Instead she just had Ribbon take them back to the med center without a word
to him, and all but stumbled to the door leading inside. 

It had been sometime ago since she'd had to spend to long in the saddle and
her legs were protesting the abuse they'd had to go through.

Once inside her temper swelled beyond any know range she'd ever experienced
before when the duty nurse, upon seeing her come in had joyfully told her
that Z'lec was awake.

Her temper grew as the woman told her about how he had almost died and how
thought the efforts of Sina, had been revived and while not in the best of
moods... but then after all that had happened with him losing his dragon and
all who could blame him... was doing fine.

Koda tuned from her without a word, and started with firm determined steps
down the hallway to Z'lec's room.  

How DARE they!!! She fumed silently as her steps brought her closer to his
room. 

HOW DARE THEY KEEP THIS FROM HER!!!

She should have been called back to the hall at once at the first sign of
his coming too... and Ailill...what the hell was she doing out of her
room... and TALKING when Koda had told her not to!! Didn't the girl know the
kind of damage she could cause herself if she tried to rush it!!

Ailill was the only one in the room when she arrived. The girl took one look
at the tiny healer and knew she was in for it.

"Where's Waylene?" Koda asked in a tight voice.

"Talking to Sina..." the girl rasped out, and then started to say something
else.

"NO! Don't talk," Koda hissed quietly. "Have your dragon relay your answers
thought Ribbon. I can already tell you've been using your voice too much
already today after I TOLD you not to! Are you *trying* to ruin whatever
chance you have of getting your voice back!!"

<Storm said her rider is upset. Do you really need to yell at her?>

<<If it's the only way to make her see how much her talking is going to hurt
her recovery in the long run, then yes!! You tell Storm that I am only
concerned with her rider getting well again but she can't do that if she
keeps using her voice to talk with!!>>

<Storm said she didn't realize this and will try to remind her rider not to
talk.> Ribbon said a few seconds later. 

Koda moved closer to the man on the bed and noticed his coloring looked a
little better. Not much.. but a little.

"So tell me... thought Storm... what happened here?"

[Tag Kate...]

Later after finding out what had happened from the girl, Koda left Z'lec's
room after assuring herself the man's vital signs were within expectable
limits, and wonder down the hall to Sina's office and pushed the door open
without knocking.

"I thought we had a deal Warrenlady Waylene," she started in a very formal
tone. "I thought it was understood that I was to suffer through Trak's
ordered training as long as there were no medical emergencies here in the
hall! That I was to be excused from said training if something happened.
So... WHY in the hell wasn't I informed of what happened here earlier with
Z'lec? Or did his almost dying not count as and emergency?"

[Tag Kris... you have one PO'ed healer on your hands....]

Later upon arriving home, Koda had to work hard at keeping her anger and
resentment at bay, when she came inside and found Yasi and her new friends
seated at the kitchen table laughing over something someone had said.

She reminded herself that it was good to see the girl relaxing and enjoying
herself. Maybe meeting someone in her own age group and station in life had
been just the thing the girl had needed.

"I hope you don't mind that I invited them over here Koda?" the girl looked
so worried that Koda has to stifle a laugh.

"Not at all Yasi," Koda assured her with a wave of her hand. "You live here
too, so you can invite your friends here if you want."

She saw the girls face change to a look of relief.

<Starlin said her rider was a little worried but that the other human girl
liked our home and felt more comfortable here then in the dining hall talking.>

<<Well you tell Star that her rider can invite anyone she wants here at any
time. This is her home too.>>

<Oh Good!!> Ribbon's excited thought came a minute later. <Taxus and his
rider are back!! Can we invite them over?>

<<Sure why not," Koda chuckled. <<You're just happy to have one of your
favorite cuddle mates back aren't you love?>>

<Well he does know how to cuddle!> 

"Yasi my friend Ja'rak's is coming over in a little while for dinner," she
informed the girl and saw a slight fading of color from the girls face.

She expected it had to do with he talk they had had the day before about
what happened with mating flights. Koda just prayed Starlin would be able to
hold off until her rider was ready to deal with the effects of one.

<Star will know when her rider is ready,> Ribbon told her. <She will not do
anything to harm her rider.>

<<I know dear heart.>>

"So..." she continued when she saw Yasi about to suggest that her and the
others go somewhere else. "Why don't you give me a little time to change out
of this outfit and catch a quick shower, then I'll start dinner for us all."

"Is this Ja'rak's your mate healer Koda?" Serraphine asked.

Koda smiled, remembering the past when her and Ja'rak's had briefly lived
together... before deciding they made better friends then mates.

"No.. he's just a very good friend. We knew eachother when we both lived in
Falagand Warren before coming here."

"He just transferred here to Marrid," Yasi told everyone as if her roommates
relationship with the man hadn't bothered her. "If you're sure you don't
mind us eating with you both Koda?"

"You mean you're going to cook our meal Healer Koda?" Serraphine asked and
Koda saw the smirk that came over S'an face before the older rider could
hide it. "Don't you just send someone to the dining hall to get something
for you?"

"Well I could," Koda grinned and looked pointedly at S'an. "But I find I
like to cook my own meals. It relaxes me after a hard day."

S'an started choking when he heard her say that. His dragon had been talking
to Ribbon, catching up on the gossip of the day, so he had heard all about
her day.

"Excuse me," he got out when all eyes had turned to him. "Something went
down wrong."

"Well I hope you won't have that same problem when we eat?" Koda grinned
knowingly at him as he left the room.

"Maybe we should go," the healer heard Serraphine saying before she got out
of eat shot.

"No it's okay," Yasi answered. "It's okay. Koda wouldn't have offered to
make us dinner if she wanted us to leave. And her cooking is something no
one in their right mind would say no too."

"She can really cook?"

"Oh you bet..." Yasi giggled, and Koda was happy to hear that sound coming
from her charge. "Why do you think I've stayed here for so long instead of
finding a place of my own. Why I'd have to learn to cook for myself if I
moved out. Or eat at the dining hall for every meal!"

Koda knew the girl was joking, but it was good to hear her able to do so.
She went on back to her own room knowing the girl would be fine.

She didn't stay there long. Hurrying thought her shower and picking out a
pair of lose pants to wear accompanied by a shirt that was way to big for
her small frame, but one she liked to wear, then hurried back to the others.

Being alone gave her to much time to think about what went on earlier that day.

Ja'rak's upon learning they weren't going to be eating alone, had stopped
off and got three bottles of wine to go with the dinner Koda was making.

He was introduced to the Serraphine and S'an when he arrived and had S'an
come out into the kitchen with him to get glasses to put the wine in.

"Oh this is good," Serraphine was delighted with the smooth sweet flavor of
the amber liquid in her glass after she had taken a sip. 

"Koda had downed hers and had Ja'rak's refill it before moving back into the
kitchen to check on the food.

"Bad day?" he asked following her.

"You could say that," she told him as she reached to open the oven to check
on the chicken baking there. 

"Want to tell me about it?"

"You mean to tell me Taxus hasn't already gotten it out of Ribbon?" she
turned her head to the side to look at him.

"A little," he admitted sheepishly. "But I wanted to hear it from you on how
your first day of Wing practice went."

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into," she responded and turned
stood up to reach for the bowl of veggies to get them ready to add to the
chicken when it was almost finished.

"I'll take my chances."

"Not right now," she told him knowing he'd understand. "I just want to
forget all about it right now and have a little fun with Yasi and her
friends. Maybe after they leave if you're still awake by then."

"Hey...who fell asleep before who the other night?"

"It wasn't me," she grinned. "I was awake enough to make it back to my bed
after leaving you covered on the couch."

Ja'rak's held up the bottle he still carried and offered her another glass
when he noticed her second one was empty.

"No.. As much as I'd like to be able to get drunk tonight and forget able
things for a while, I'd better not," she told him refusing the refill. "A
hang over is the last thing I'll be needing in the morning when I have to
report back to training with that slave driver."

"Koda, need any help?" Yasi appeared in the door way, and Koda couldn't help
but notice the color blossoming in her checks.

"No dear," she shook her head. "It's almost finished, Uh you could set the
table if you would?"

"Sure." Yasi agreed and then popped back into the other room do so.

"I heard about your man Z'lec coming too today," the rider leaning against
the counter said softly. "Is he going to be okay?"

"As well as a rider who's lost his lifemate can be," she said sadly. "I
check him over while I was still there and physically he seems fine, if a
little warn out. Emotionally however... it's gonna take some time for him to
come to terms with his loss." 

"It's never easy."

"No my friend. It never is."

He went to her then and pulled her into his arms. 

"You can't change the past Koda," he said soothingly. "There was nothing you
could have done for her then. She made up her own mind and you couldn't have
known she would suicide when he died."

"Knowing that still doesn't make the guilt any easier to deal with." She
cried softly. "If only I had listened to Sergant, she may still be alive."

"No Koda.. it wouldn't have made any difference. She had already made up her
mind even before he got hurt. That's how deeply they loved each other."

She let herself feel the comfort his arms offered for a few brief moments
then pushed away, and rubbed at the wetness in her eyes.

"Talking about it's not going to get dinner fixed," she said and reached up
to get a serving platter from the top shelve, only to find it was out of her
reach.

When she started to get the step stool she had for just this occasion,
Ja'rak's reached over her, and got it down for her.

"You'd be handy to have around," she quipped taking the platter from him.

"Are you and your healer friend talking yet," he asked not wanting to talk
over their past. The friendship was fine as it was for the both of them.

"No.. But then I haven't seen him since we were in the dining hall for
breakfast." She told him, while remembering the way C'tain had turned his
back on her when he had seen who she was eating with.

"I don't think he likes me very much right now."

"Just give him time Koda.. you can't force him feel what's he's not ready to
feel just yet. You have to let him work things out on his own... and I don't
think you spending much time with me is helping any."

"But you're just my friend...."

"But he doesn't know that, and every time he sees you with me it gets a
little worse for your case."

"So what am I suppose to do... ignore that you're here in Marrid now and
pretend that I don't know you?"

"I'm not saying that....Look things will work out. You just need to give it
a little time."

'If we don't end up killing each other first,' she thought, but didn't say
aloud.

Ja'rak helped her bring the platters of food into the dining area when they
were ready, and Koda called to the others that dinner was ready.

As they sat down and began to eat she started getting a funny feeling. The
sly smiles coming from the older rider sitting across from her did little to
relieve her fears.

When Yasi and Serraphine began to giggle at everything being said, she knew.

Her eyes went searching around the room until they found the two extra
bottle of wine Ja'rak had brought with him... both were empty.

"You didn't!?!" Koda asked S'an who's grin grew wider.

"Thought they could both use some loosening up," he chuckled, confirming her
fears.

"Oh wonderful... they're both drunk!"

"Aye!" 

[wonder how Yasi and Serraphine will be feeling in the morning.....Tag all ;) ]

****Submitted by: *******

Barbara (a.k.a.

Lakoda & Ribbon
Head Healer Marrid Warren