Morning, Day 7, at the new warren)

>>She nodded to them both, but before leaving, she leaned forward and 
wrapped her free arm around Martyn's waist."I'd give you a kiss on the 
cheek in thanks for bring her back to me but you're just to darn tall 
for me to reach."

>>"Well never let it be said that I was anything but helpful," the rider 
grinned and leaned down to aid her quest. But his cheek was not where 
Koda's kiss landed. 

>>The kiss lasted slightly longer then intended. But when she finally pulled
back, she had to bite her lips so the *wow* she was feeling didn't get 
uttered. 

>>"Umm.. I'll see you both later. Again thank you.. Both of you," she
stammered quickly and left before she made a fool of herself.

     Martyn found himself taking a step in her direction to follow her, but 
then checked himself.  Koda needed some time alone with her daughter, and he 
was too much of a gentleman to intrude on such a private time.  He'd see her 
later...he hoped.

     Instead, he sat down in the seat she'd just vacated.  Arkt'han, 
meanwhile, returned to his own seat across the table.  "I'm glad you found 
her," the other rider said.  "She was very worried about her daughter."

     Martyn nodded.  "Yes," he replied.  "Quite frankly, I got lucky.  
Despite my motto that 'Martyn always gets his man,' this business of scouring 
the countryside looking for whole groups of missing persons isn't quite what 
what I'm accustomed to.  Very different from tracking a cutpurse through the 
alleyways of Ralengarde."

     Arkt'han raised an eyebrow.  "You seem to have unusual duties, for a 
dragonrider."

     Martyn sighed.  "Well, the truth be told, I haven't been a dragonrider 
all that long.  I used to be what you might call a 'private investigator.'  
He saw that Koda had left an almost-full cup of coffee behind, and decided 
not to let it go to waste.  He took a sip of it and then continued.  "Solving 
crimes was my business...worked for all sorts of people, from merchants and 
farmers up to lords.  Even did a special job once for the King."

     Arkt'han smiled.  "And yet you gave all that up to join a warren," he 
observed.

     Martyn laughed softly.  "Not voluntarily," he said.  "Y'see, I had 
travelled to Daere Warren with the idea of offering my services to the 
Warrenlady there...nasty business about an assault on the junior queenrider 
that sounded right up my alley to solve.  I arrived in the middle of a 
hatching, though, and this one little dragon suddednly decided that I was 
just what he'd been waiting for all of his short life."

     Arkt'han laughed also.  "Yes, it happens that way sometimes, doesn't 
it?" he asked.

    "Yes, it does," Martyn agreed.  "But at least, I've managed to put my 
skills to some use here."  He sipped his coffee again.  "Still, I need to 
return to my own warren for at least awhile...probably get an awful chewing 
out from T'rell for not reporting in sooner, and an even bigger one if 
they've sent out searchers to try and find me.  But what about you, my 
friend?  What are your plans?"

(Tag Dave)

* * * * * * * *

     "I've managed to find a few of your lost riders, like our dear Koda, 
scattered about the countryside," Martyn told Carrie, as they walked along a 
bare patch of ground that looked like it might be intended as the green for 
the new warren, "and a few of the unjoined warrenfolk such as the group that 
had her child with them.  But from what you've told me, there are still quite 
a number missing.   I've overflown the whole area surrounding this place, 
going all the way back to the old warren...or as close as I could get to it, 
you understand...and had Havelok broadcasting our presence to any dragons who 
might be about.  And for the last several hours before I happened upon that 
group with the wagon, there's been no response."

     Carrie nodded slowly.  "So, that brings up the question...where are 
they?"

     "Exactly,"  Martyn told her.   "I wonder...I've been doing all my 
searching to the south and east, particularly between here and the original 
warren.  What if they went west...to the wastes?"

     Carrie shook her head.  "I hope they didn't," she said.  "The wastes are 
extremely dangerous.  There are many places within them where there isn't 
enough magic to sustain the bond between riders and dragons...as happened at 
Marrid itself."

     "I know that," Martyn said grimly.  "I've...experienced...it myself.  
But there *are* areas within them where a dragon and rider might have 
teleported?"

     "Yes, it's possible," Carrie said guardedly.  "But the magical areas 
within the wastes shift suddenly and without warning.  An area that seems 
safe at one moment may become deadly the next.  If any of our riders did end 
up there..."

     "Then it seems to me that a search should be mounted," he replied.  
"Perhaps a group of landbound searchers..."

     "Much too dangerous," said Carrie.  "There are wraiths in the wastes, 
and wild dragons.  Without the support of dragons and riders, landbound 
cannot defend themselves against such menaces."

     Martyn pondered her words.  "Still, it seems to me that there must be a 
way," he said.  "Carrie, I must return to Daere.  My mission was simply to 
make contact with Marrid Warren and offer Daere's support, and then to report 
back.  I think that they must be wondering what became of me by now...and if 
I don't go back, other riders will inevitably be sent.  They may not be as 
lucky as I was."

     "Very well," Carrie told him.  "Martyn, you have our thanks.  You've 
been of great assistance."

     Martyn bowed.  "My pleasure," he said, then hesitated.  "I think you 
still need all the help you can get, though," he told her.  "And, if you can 
still use an extra dragon and rider, I will return.  If Warrenlady Jayleigh 
approves, of course."  

     He hoped she would, and would argue the point if she didn't.  At the 
very least, he meant to return to see a certain healer.

* * * * * * * *
(Shortly afterward, near the new warren)

     Although Martyn needed to get back to Daere soon, he decided to make one 
last sweep of the area around the new warren to see if any of the unjoined 
warrenfolk from Marrid had made their way into the area, and to render any 
assistance that he could.

     [Are we going to be in trouble when we get back?]  Havelok asked, as 
they glided through the air, just a short ways above treetop level.

     *Hm, well, I doubt that you will be,* Martyn told the dragon.  *As for 
me...well, we'll just have to see.*  If he got off with nothing more than a 
good chewing out, he'd consider himself lucky.

     [Well, at least there's one person who won't be mad at you,] Havelok 
said helpfully.

     *Oh?  Who is that?* Martyn asked.

     [Me, of course!] the dragon replied, rolling his eyes at his rider's 
slowness.

     Martyn chuckled.  *Well, that does mean a lot to me, you know,* he said. 
 Hopefully T'rell wouldn't be *too* mad...it would be difficult, he 
reflected, for Martyn to solve his own murder...

     [Humans below!] Havelok reported, pulling himself into a turn that took 
his rider by surprise.

     *Where?* Martyn demanded.  *Oh, yes, there...I see them now!  Get us 
closer!*

     [That's what I was doing,] Havelok said, rolling his eyes again.

     Martyn leaned over to look downward as they swept over the small group 
of humans.  There were only a few of them, he saw, and they weren't heading 
toward the new warren.  Instead, they seemed to have stopped to make camp, as 
the small shelter they were erecting testified.  This puzzled him...didn't 
they know how close they were to their goal?

     *They're probably lost,* he told Havelok.  *Take us down.*

     As Havelok dropped lightly to the ground, Martyn saw two men out in 
front of the shelter.  Both of them were wearing chain-mail armor.

     Very curious, he thought.

     "Hello!"  he shouted.

(Tag James - I didn't want to take this any farther, because I wasn't sure 
how Sir Galloway and Tristan would react to the sight of a dragon landing 
right in front of them.)


Submitted by:

John

Martyn & Havelok
Marrid Warren

Trevor & Trissana, Cleft Warren
T'rell & Flerrion, Daere Warren
Warrenlady Tara & Varaenna, Jasra Warren