Meena
***

Meena took her group of trainee's Teleporting to the opposite side of the
fire as Naomi's group.  As they flew it became obvious that it would make
sense to split their group up. So she formed a few partners and ordered
everyone to stay with their partner. <Tell the dragon's we will meet in the
Warren in an hour.>

<They said they will all be there.> Vonn told her.

<Excellent, then lets begin the search.>

Meena and Vonn searched until they heard from Amethyst that Hered had been
found and was being taken to the Medical Center.

<Oh, thank goodness. Call in the others, Vonn. We'll meet on the green in
10 minutes.>

***

Meena spotted the two young dragons settling on the green and headed over
to where they landed. "Aleipha, where have you been? You were supposed to
come back to the green to meet."

The girl lowered her eyes slightly as her cheeks began to redden. Piper
spoke up, "It's my fault." Meena noticed the two look at each other, as
Piper continued. "I saw her heading in and had Bishvilea call her to help
me. My strap on my saddle had come loose and I needed some help."

Meena nodded, "I see. I was just really worried. With everything that's
happened today I didn't want to loose anymore."

"I'm alright, Meena. I'm sorry. I'll remember to have Penthos tell someone
next time."

Meena smiled lightly, "That's a good idea."

Meena nodded her good-byes to the two and headed to the Medical Center to
check once again on Demee and Hered. Demee seemed to be no worse for his
experience, but Hered was in bad shape. Lilliana said he would survive but
it would be a long road back to recovery.

***
(Late that night)

Meena felt an arm shaking her, and a voice whispering her name, "Meena?
Meena?" She looked up and saw Lilliana, "Why don't you go get something to
eat. I'll sit here with him."

It took the young woman a moment to reorient herself to the darkness of the
room inside the medical center, "No, I'm alright." Meena was reluctant to
leave the boys side.

"Listen, he's going home tomorrow, you're going to need your strength. Go
get something to eat. That's an order."

Meena looked at the tiny boy sleeping peacefully. Then she nodded to
Lillian and stood, stretching her stiff limbs. "How's Hered?"

"Pretty good considering everything he's been through. I'm going to have to
keep him for a while though."

Meena nodded as she threw one last look at her baby before heading out of
the medical center. 

***
(The next morning)

Meena had reluctantly left Demee in Rybeth's care to attend practice. With
the losses from the previous day she really couldn't let T'grat down by
missing it. It didn't seem to bother Demee at all. He quickly joined the
other children laughing and playing .. as if nothing had happened the day
before.

So she went to practice and stayed for the talk Naomi gave on the new
Warren. Not that Meena would have thought about leaving Norwall. She
couldn't leave .. it was her home .. the one place she had Devon had been
welcomed together, even if it was for such a short time ..

***
(flashback - hey it's been awhile:})

"Does this look like it will be suitable," asked the woman as they entered
one of the small apartments for the unjoined.

"For which of us?" Asked Devon hesitantly, as Meena stood at his side.

"Can we have apartments that are at least close?" she asked.

The older woman chuckled a bit, as she glanced down at Meena's gravid
belly, "Well, actually I was thinking the both of you could stay here." She
smiled warmly at the young couple, "Believe me it's much easier raising
youngsters when the parents live together."

Devon and Meena both grinned happily at the thought of actually being able
to live in the same rooms, seeing each other day and night. It would be
like being in heaven. Meena frowned slightly as a thought crossed her mind.
"You do know that we are not married, don't you?"

The woman chuckled merrily once again, "My dear, I doubt that you would
find very many of the couples living here in the warren that are actually
married. Mostly just the older couples who have moved into the warren after
they were married by the landborn. Here, you are mates, with or without any
silly landborn document. And you can remain that way for as long as you
want. Though if you prefer separate rooms, I'm sure that can be arranged."

Devon grinned, wrapping an arm around the woman at his side. Meena
reciprocated as Devon spoke clearly, "I think one will be enough."
****

"Meena..."  the voice said drawing her out of her memories. She turned to
see Naomi motioning her to the side.

>"I like to talk to you about Demee sometime.  It's not urgent, so any time
that will suit you... And I'd rather it was in a familiar place for Demee.
I don't want to frighten him...."

>"Is it really necessary Naomi?"  Meena asked anxiously  "He had quite a
fright yesterday and I don't want to upset him any further."

>"I just need to talk to him for a little while.  I'd like to find out how
strong his telepathy is... the scream he let out last night nearly took the
top of my head off!.... and he has to learn a trick or two about control.
If he doesn't I can see some very uncomfortable moments in the days ahead."
she patted Meena's hand "I won't push him Meena, I promise.  And I promise
that Harkon won't *ever* get his hands on him....."

Meena nodded, though even Naomi's assurances weren't enough to calm her
fears. It seemed she been hiding this for so long, bringing it out in the
open wasn't an easy thing to do. She meet Naomi's eyes and knew she really
had no choice.

>"Come and have dinner with us tonight."  Meena said, finally making up her
mind to accept the inevitable.

>"Thanks Meena."  Naomi smiled  "That will be the perfect opportunity. I'll
see you later."

Meena watched the Warrenlady go and sighed heavily. She was sure Naomi knew
what was best, as she was a telepath herself, but Meena had hoped for so
long that it would simply go away. Now she had to face the fact that it
wouldn't.

***

Meena visited Hered for a short time, though he was still unconscious.
Lilliana assured her that it was only a temporary thing and that she
shouldn't worry to much. Meena nodded and went to Rybeth's to pick up
Demee. Then they went home to prepare for dinner with Naomi.

Demee was in good spirits and Vonn said she could pick up nothing wrong
with him. It was as if the whole event hadn't happened. Until later in the
early evening, while they were waiting for Naomi to arrive.

Meena was in the kitchen finishing up preparations for dinner when she
heard Demee squeal in fright. She bolted out into the main room where she
had left Demee playing with Vonn. She knew Vonn wouldn't let the boy stray
too far. 

As she entered the main room, Demee came running at her clutching at her
legs. Meena scooped him up, "Shh, what's wrong, darling. Tell mommy what's
wrong?"

It was then that she noticed the dark dragon just outside the apartment.
Then M'lent headed in, "I'm sorry, Meena. I guess Ebony scared him."

The two dragonriders looked at each other. Demee had never before been
afraid of any dragon. Not from the largest, Amethyst to the meanest,
Orobos. And certainly not of Ebony, who was one of the most mild mannered
dragons at the Warren. Meena sighed, "I guess what happened yesterday
effected him more then he's let on." The tiny boys head was still buried in
his mothers neck as he continued to cry quiet sobs.

"I actually came to see how he was doing. I guess I shouldn't have."

Meena smiled kindly at the man before her. "It's okay M'lent, he's got to
get used to dragons coming up behind him. I appreciate you stopping by."

M'lent nodded, "I won't stay. I'm just glad he's okay."

As M'lent turned and headed out of the apartment, Meena took a seat pulling
the boy away from her, "Demee .. it's okay, it's just Ebony. Why are you
afraid?"

Demee stared at her with his big dark brown eyes, with the trail of tears
marking his face, "Jus' 'beny?"

"Yes, sweet boy, it was just Ebony, look."

Demee turned to look toward where M'lent was climbing on his dark dragon.
The little boy leaned back into his mother, wiping at his eyes. "Jus'
'beny.." he sighed.

It was just then the Naomi entered the apartment looking at the boy in
concern. So Meena explained what had happened. The Warrenlady nodded, it
might take some time for the boy to truly get over what had happened.

Regards,
Meena & Vonn
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Kristen Gant
(AKA: Darlea & Makayla,  Waylene & Aura, Meena & Vonn, 
Kalewyn & Sabbith, Saul & Fayloth)
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/kris.htm