Greta
***

Greta heard the trumpeting and turned to see the dark green and black form
which had been sitting just outside her door leap into the air. She rushed
to the window to try and see what was going on. She found that the
trumpeting of dragons usually meant something bad had happened and so
instantly she was on edge.

The rush of colorful dragon taking to air was a sight to behold. The
riderless dragons giving chase to the bright metallic red dragon. She knew
instantly it was a mating flight and watched with wide eyes as the familiar
form of T'grat's dragon grabbed the large red queen from behind.

"No .." she gasped.

She watched as the other dragons fell away and the winner and his prize
flew beyond the peaks of the Warren until they were out of sight. She
turned away from the window not wanting to think about what was going on
between T'grat and the queen's rider.

She headed into the room where her children were playing and sat down
quietly on one of the small beds.

"Look mommy," said the soft voice of Alyne, "I made a castle."

Greta looked at the blocks the little girl had carefully stacked and
arranged. "It's very good, sweetie," she said, only partially paying
attention.

"Yes, and we are going to live there. Just you and me and Lars and T'grat
and not ol' Harkon! And not ugly Megandra!"

"Grampa Harkon can live with us, Alyne. He's nice. But not Megandra!" Lars
protested.

"I don't like him, Lars and it's my castle so I say who gets to live there!"

"Well, if you won't let Grampa Harkon live there, then I won't live there
either!"

"No he can't! And if you ..."

"Stop it!" Greta said irritably. The two children looked up at her in
surprise, and Greta instantly felt guilty. "I'm sorry, mommy's just tired.
Please let's not argue."

There was a knock at the door, causing Greta to jump. She moved slowly
toward the door and whoever was on the other side knocked again. "Who is it?"

"It's L'gan, I'm on of T'grat's wing. He's a little busy right now, so I'm
here to watch you."

Greta's eyes widened at the name. She recognized the name instantly. He was
the one Megandra was paying off.

"Greta are you okay?"

"I .. I'm fine. You don't have to stay. I'm just fine." She looked around
the room, her heart pounding so loud, she was sure the man on the other
side of the door could hear it.

"T'grat wants me to take you and your kids somewhere safe," he called
though the door.

"No .. no .. that won't be necessary," she said as she grabbed a wood poker
from the kitchen.

"Aww, shit!" she heard a second voice grumble. Then the door cracked as it
was kicked in. Greta's eyes widened in terror as she ran into the
children's bedroom.

"Run!" she hissed the  children, "Out the window. Find Rybeth or your Aunt
Meena .. Go!!"

"What are you doing!" L'gan voice hissed from the main room. 

"I'm tired of this. Let's just get this over with!" the second voice said.

Greta's voice shook as she repeated, "Out the window .. and run .. Go! I'll
find you later .. Go!!"

Alyne started crying as Lars, seeing the fear in his mothers eyes grabbed
his sister's hand and scrambled up on the bed, "Come on, Alyne!"

Greta quickly closed the door and headed back to the main room holding the
poker ready.

"Where is she?" said the second voice. Peering around the corner she saw
the young dragonrider with one of Megandra's guards. She tried to calm her
breathing.

"I'm sure you scared her away kicking the door in like that, you imbecile!" 

Megandra's guard, Timone, backhanded the young man, sending him to the
ground, "Don't call me that!"

L'gan picked himself up, carefully wiping away the slight trickle of blood
running from the side of his mouth.  He glared at the big man, but kept
silent.

Greta pulled back slightly, waiting .. hoping to catch the big man off
guard. She listened carefully and when she was sure he was close enough she
swung the poker with all her might. 

Her eyes widened and her jaw fell as a large hand caught the poker. Then
the man's face came out form behind the corner and grinned at her. "Good
try, bitch!" he said as his free hand formed into a fist and swung causing
everything to go black.

Lars
***

"Stop crying, Alyne. Momma'll be all right. We just have to find Aunt
Meena!" The two children and ducked into a seldom used hallway leading to
the inner corridors of the high peaks of the warren.

The little girl sobbed as the boy pulled her though the tunnels trying to
find someone to help them. "I'm scared .." the girl moaned.

"I know, me too. But it'll be okay." He put a brave smile on his small face
and Alyne nodded.

The two children continued to run, ducking from all unfamiliar eyes. Just
then they heard a quiet whistling coming towards them down the hall. Lars
stopped and pulled the tiny girl into a dark room. Alyne moaned, "No ..
it's dark .."

Lars clapped his hand over her mouth, "Shh .. I'm here. No boogies." He
picked out in to the corridor to see who it was that was coming. As the
whistling grew louder a lone figure stepped into the light.

Lars breathed a sigh of relief and pushed out into the corridor, "Uncle!!"

Regards,
Greta & her brave little munchkins
***
NRPG: Well, if Mal is going to go win a flight and leave Greta unprotected,
something bad had to happen :}:}

Poor T'grat! Do you think he'll have a little guilt :}

Les, Do you think you could write up a brief timeline so we know exactly
when everything is happening ..  Like when in relation to this do we need
to send scouts to find Rain. Depending on when it is I could have Jahn and
Meena go on patrol. Meena isn't going to neglect her duty to the warren,
dispite everything :}

Kristen
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       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Darlea & Makayla, Keldarra Warren, Courier
                      Waylene & Aura, Marrid Warren, Warrenlady
                      Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Dragonrider
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Telnor Warren, Dragonrider
                      Saul & Fayloth, Whiteriver Warren, Searcher
                      Merybelle Barmen, City of Ralengarde, Innkeeper
                http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm
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