From: "Vasaris, the Fuzzy Dragon" <vasaris@az.com>

[Talitha]

< No! >

'Lith's head jerked up, nearly bumping into Trey's nose as they went
over
some of the maneuvers he was writing up, debating changes and
differences in
style.  Prisma's abrupt exclamation and sudden sadness washed through
her,
and 'Lith frowned slightly.

"Sorry, Trey," she said a bit distractedly to the man across the table
they'd been leaning over.  << What is it? >>

< Rainy's gone, > her dragon told her sadly.  < They say D'zall killed
himself. >

'Lith blinked, eyes suddenly unfocusing.  "Why would he do that?"

The question came out aloud, and she could see in Trey's eyes that
Koroth
had told him as well.

< I don't know. > Prisma paused.  < Traknor asks if we will help take
Ribbon's rider out to the scene. >

'Lith snorted lightly.  Koda was a lot of things, but she was more
than
capable of taking care of herself, even in her condition.  << Tell
them that
I'm on my way. >>

Sighing, she stood up.  "Sorry, duty calls.  Escorts for Koda to see
the
body."

Trey looked at her, eyes seeming to note the involuntary tension that
embraced her.  "You have a theory?"

'Lith shook her head.  "Not exactly.  If I were... in Xylian, I'd have
a
guess, but...  Here, I don't know what would cause this."


[... at the scene ...]

< I do not like it here. > Prisma said calmly in the instant they
appeared
over the bodies of D'zall and Rainy.  < It is not safe. >

'Lith froze for an instant and then relaxed as Prisma landed.  << Are
you
sure? >>

< You think I am becoming foolish in our old age? >

'Lith wanted to laugh, but could not.  << No.  I believe you.  And
we're not
old, silly dragon. >>

They all landed, and she watched Kendall and T'rend help the healer
off of
her dragon.  Koda went to stand by D'zall, and 'Lith reviewed her
options
rather dismally.  That Prisma felt it was not safe here meant little
of
itself, but could mean a lot in terms of what had happened to D'zall
and
Rainy...

Unconsciously, her eyes tracked the pregnant healer, and noted when
the
other woman suddenly swayed.

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" Koda was flinching against something, and
suddenly
'Lith knew what it was.  Take the healer with you T'rend and get her
back to
the warren NOW !!!"

"What about her Dragon?" Kendal shouted even as he moved to help
T'rend half
carry the healer towards Grall. "You can't mean to leave Ribbon here!"

She shook her head, vaulting into the saddle.  "Of course not you
idiot!
I'll make sure she gets back to Marrid."

<< Tell Ribbon she has to go back to Marrid. >>

< Ribbon is unhappy with this, her rider is in a great deal of pain. >

<< It's only natural, Prisma, Koda's gone into labor, that's all.  It
hurts,
yes, but it shouldn't kill her. >>  'Lith spoke the lie without qualm.
Ribbon had to get into the air.  Koda was in danger, or so she was
given to
understand, but C'tain and Sina would do everything in their combined
power
to keep it from becoming a tragedy.  Slowly, Ribbon stood and managed
to
launch herself into the air.  'Lith and Prisma returned with the
purple to
the Warren, before blinking back to the site of D'zall's death.

Kendal, Ranon, and Ailill arrived soon after, and the young
healer-in-training set to work as Kendal and Ranon began scouting.

<< Tell them not to go far. >>

< They do not like this place either, my rider, but they do not see
why you
should demand this of them.  I am not sure they believe me when I say
it is
dangerous. >

'Lith fumed silently, but didn't reply.  She didn't have any authority
over
them, as she was 'merely' an escort.  The boys had been warned,
however, and
if they died, it was not on her head.  Without speaking to the healer
examining the bodies, 'Lith began exploring the area nearer to hand,
and for
the first time realized something that should have bothered her
before.

The flora and fauna -- what there was of it -- was entirely too
familiar.
It was something she hadn't mentioned, even to Trey, despite their
long
discussions about the differences between Xylian and Marrid, but much
like
the clothing styles that weren't -- quite -- right, or the combat
maneuvers
that were slightly off, much of the plant life wasn't... well, wasn't
exactly what she was used to.  It was close enough, and it generally
didn't
bother her.  The changes didn't affect large plants, like trees or
bushes...
it was mostly ground cover that seemed to be... different.

'Lith frowned, staring at the ground around the watering hole as Ranon
and
Kendal landed and Ailill spoke up.

"I don't understand it!"  the young woman groaned in frustration.
"There
are no wounds, no signs of trauma.  It could be illness, but it
doesn't look
right.  He looks like a perfectly healthy dragon, except he's dead!"

"I'm finished, there's nothing more I can do."  She hated failing, and
it
came through in her voice.  "Unless you have any ideas·."

"Internal injuries," suggested Ranon softly.  "An aneurysm, or
something
like that?"

Ailill turned to look at him, and Talitha followed her gaze.  The
healer
might have said something, but 'Lith's voice cut across any potential
conversation.

"Ranon!" she said sharply.  "I want you to move slowly -- very
slowly -- to
your left."

"What?"

The young man was standing beside a small patch of bloodbrambles,
which
seemed to have awakened to his presence.  Tendrils were moving slowly
toward
him, but the damn things reacted to movement, and any sudden one would
trigger it to spit poisoned thorns.  She'd read somewhere that someone
had
theorized that the hideous things were mutations of common berry
bushes that
had experienced "Flux" -- a surge of whatever it was that made the
Wastes
and then a surge back.  It was unfortunate, but the nasty things
thrived
anywhere they could get access to water... and this place was perfect,
a
watering hole for caravans and travelers.

"Ranon, please don't argue with me, there isn't time."  Adrenaline
surged,
leaving her white and trembling.  "You are in danger.  Please move
slowly to
your left."

He looked at her, somewhat askance, but obeyed.  Behind him, there was
a
high-pitched scream, and Ranon whirled in time to see the brambles
attack a
small furred creature reminiscent -- almost -- of a rabbit.

They all saw it.

< My rider... > Prisma's voice rose with sudden fear and 'Lith obeyed
the
warning without thought.  She could feel it herself, the delicate
fraying
along the edges of her bond to Prisma.  "Everyone, back to the Warren,
NOW!"

*This* time, Ranon, Kendal, and Ailill all obeyed without question,
and in a
distant, rueful part of her mind, she recognized the effects of a
'command
voice' that had once been cultivated but had since been abandoned.

Then they were in the air, blinking out even as she could feel the her
bond
strain almost to the breaking point...

And then they were in the Warren, landing haphazardly and trembling
uncontrollably from the shock.  'Lith practically fell off Prisma as
the
dragon curled around her protectively, literally snarling at anyone
coming
near.  So close, so close...

< We are together.  We are safe. >

<< Barely. >>

She was crying, curled almost fetal into the curve of Prisma's neck,
with
Prisma almost chanting reassurance into her mind.  So very close...

Bloodbrambles...  If those were here, what else was there, what other
*things* were there?  She'd come to get away from these things...

< We are safe, my human.  We are safe... >

[Tag for a generally chaotic scene, anyone who wants it... ;)]


----
NRPG --
Okay, I tried to get Barb's, Kate's, and Norman's posts to converge.
I
don't know how everyone else is reacting to the near-miss, but Prisma
*will*
tell them what was going on if they ask.  'Lith isn't currently in a
condition to.  If anyone can get past Prisma, 'Lith should probably be
sedated and/or taken somewhere where she might feel safe.  Prisma will
violently object to the med-center.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jill E. Flansburg
Talitha and Prisma
Marrid Warren
DragonLands
             X-FILES                         DRAGONLANDS
Director, X-Files Division           Rhiannon, WarrenLady  *Xylian*
Sterling Kincaid, TL, ECHO           Elswyth and Aedra   *Keldarra*
Damien Cunningham, Forensics         Katla and Satinka *Whiteriver*
Xan X. Xavier, Trainer               Zera and Mazel       *Norwall*

                        Visit the XFRPG Web Site:
                http://www.steele.ml.org/~wiggly/xfiles/

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                         Vasaris, the Fuzzy Dragon
   Jill E. Flansburg                |              vasaris@az.com
   CS HMC 1994                      |  jflansbu@muddcs.cs.hmc.edu
   History, WWU 199?                |  vasaris@divcom.umop-ap.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=





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