"Meena, I'd like you to meet my brother, Lonnie. Lonnie this is Meena."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the young man said with sparkling eyes. "She
is beautiful," he added, turning to grin at his brother. Meena blushed at
the compliment.

Farr'in thought the rosy color in her cheeks was becoming on her, and she
was very beautiful. It was to bad he mused... but some things were just not
meant to be.

Someday some man was going to be very lucky to win her heart. 

"Mama, Unc' Farr'in wants ta take us to Cleff."

".. oh .." she said turning her gaze to Farr'in.

"My parents joining day is coming up, and Lonnie here, came to remind me."

"My brother never did have a good memory." Lonnie said.

"Well .. when, I mean we have a funeral .."

"Has a time been set for that yet?" Farr'in asked.

Meena shook her head sadly, "T'grat doesn't want to discuss anything. But
it's going to have to be sometime today .."

Farr'in nodded. Dead bodies couldn't keep forever.

"I've already set Jahn to get the pyre built. Now it's just a matter of
getting T'grat to release her .."

"It's not easy to let go .. is it, my brother," Lonnie asked pointedly at
his brother.

Farr'in frowned at him then turned idly to where Demee was tapping out a
drum beat on his empty plate. "Are you done, Demee."

The stocky rider wasn't yet ready to talk about My'kel with his brother, but
knew soon he'd have to deal with it. Just like he'd have to deal with seeing
Cynthia again when he arrived back in the Cleft.

That meeting also he didn't want to think about right now. Though he'd come
to some inter peace over his nephews death since coming here, he didn't know
if he was ready yet to forgive the woman who had caused it.

One step at a time.

The boy nodded and looked up at the man with a bright red smile, "More?"

"I don't think so," Meena chuckled. "It's a bit early for pie anyway."

Farr'in shrugged, "We've been caught, Demee."

He shot a quick glance at the beautiful woman standing beside them to make
sure she wasn't upset with him allowing the boy a treat so early, and was
relieved to see her smiling warmly down at the boys face as she moved to
clean the evidence away with a napkin.

The boy giggled and jumped off the bench. "Then let's show Lonnie .." The
boy grabbed the hand of Farr'in's brother and began to pull.

"We're going to give my brother a tour of the Warren, would you care to join
us."

Meena nodded, "I would."

His own mood felt lighter at her acceptance, but then he remembered this
wasn't about him. It was about her and what she was going though at the moment.

"Being good with children seems to run in your family," she commented with a
teasing grin as they got up to follow after her son and his brother. "I take
it Lonnie doesn't have any of his own either?"

"Lonnie? With kids.." Farr'in chuckled at the thought. "No... he's to busy
right now playing the field to settle down with one woman. But he does love
kids."

"I can tell," she replied. "Demee seems to like him too."

"Well I hope that doesn't mean I'm losing my little friend to my younger
brother," Farr'in pretended to frown and Meena laughed.

"I don't think that will ever happen," she told him looping her arm in his
as they followed after the others.
"He thinks you're wonderful."

"I would hope so! I'd hate to think I could be thrown over for someone else
so quickly."

Up ahead, Lonnie was listening intently to the little boys who's hand was in
his, as the youngster began to tell him how much he wished Unc' Farr'in
would come to live with them and couldn't he ask Unc' Farr'in to!

"Well I don't know," Lonnie told the boy, not wanting to come out and give
reason's why. "Maybe you should just let them decide. Sometimes it takes
grown ups longer to see what's right before their eyes. We're silly that way
sometimes."

"But mama likes Unc' Farr'in a lot. I can tell. And I know he likes her....
I just wish..." Demee trailed off sadly. 

Lonnie happened to look back just then and witnessed the woman slipping her
arm around his brothers and saw them laughing over something. Then wondered
how the man could be so blind.

Just friends! Right, thought Lonnie. Just friends.

His lips curved up into a grin that he was smart enough to hide when his
brother looked up. He never thought of his brother as a stupid man before...
but there was always a first time.

He wondered just how long it would take the man to notice what a catch this
beautiful woman was. Why he'd make a play for her himself if he didn't
realize his brother was interested in her. 

Even if he didn't as of yet know it himself.

"So do you have any kids Lonnie?" the little one beside him asked as they
came to the green where Meritanth was laying beside Tergath and an albino
dragon he took for the girls.

<Vonn is a very nice dragon,> Meri told him as they past on by and proceeded
on into the inner workings of the Warren. 

<<I'm sure she is,>> he remarked. 

<But she's paying more attention to Tergath then me right now.> the dragon
complained just a bit. 

<<We maybe it's because she's enamorous of him after their mating flight. I
won't worry about it buddy, you have plenty of females who like to cuddle
with you back at Cleft.>>

<Yes.. I do, don't I!> Meri's sprits picked up just then. <I'll bet they're
wondering where I am right now too.>

<<Of course they are and will be wanting you to tell them all about your
trip when you get home.>> 

"Kids..?" Lonnie turned back to answer the little boys question. "No I don't
have any of my own, but I think I'd like one if they were as nice as you."

They slowed down some to allow Farr'in and Meena to catch up to them, and as
they wondered around seeing what all there was to see of Norwall, Lonnie
couldn't help but store up information of Farr'in's actions to take home to
tell their mother who was still worried about her eldest son.

Danki, he thought would be pleased to learn that all her worries had been
for nothing.

They ended up back at the dining hall around mid-lunch time and Farr'in and
Meena both insisted that he stay long enough to eat a meal with them before
heading back to Cleft Warren.

While Farr'in with Demee's help went to fill their plates, Lonnie took the
opportunity to ask how his brother seemed to be getting along here.

"He's adjusting quite well," Meena told him, a little confused by the
question until he explained. 

"He told you why he asked for the transfer here?" he asked and she nodded
her head. 

"He told me he just couldn't be around there with everything reminding him
about your nephew and how he was killed."

"Then you know it was Cynthia the Warrenlady who did it?" 

Again she nodded her head. 

Lonnie went on to explain about how their family and the Warrenlady had been
family friends for years. 

"I think at one time Farr'in had hopes of them getting together as mates,
but it didn't work out," he told her. "Oh I know he's long over those
feeling for her," he was quick to inform her just in case she was wondering.
"But I think that's one of the reason's he took My'kel's death so hard. That
and he was really close to the boy."

He stopped talking for a minute to look over his shoulder to make sure
Farr'in was still occupied elsewhere before going on. 

"That's the other reason I came here today. To check up on him for our mom
who's been worried. She wanted to come herself, but our sisters dragon
decided to rise to mate this morning, and I didn't have time to collect
mother before getting Meri out of the Warren."

"Oh is this Lenna who I've been hearing so much about?" Meena grinned
mischievously at the mention of his twins name. 

"If he's been telling you about her... believe it's all true," he told her,
pretending to shake in fear. "She's a sweetheart unless you cross her.
Believe me I've been on the receiving end of her paybacks more times then I
care to admit."

"I've heard," she giggled, then sobered up. "But I don't think your mother
need worry so much about him. He's doing fine here. Seems to like it. And I
know Demee is glad he's here."

"I sort of got that idea... so... what's up between the two of you?" he
asked, then smiled innocently at her when her eyes met his.

They talked for a few minutes longer then stopped when Farr'in and Demee
rejoined them.

Others stopped by their table and Farr'in made the introductions. Some
stayed and spoke for a few minutes before moving off, then it was only the
four of them. 

[tags to anyone wanting to meet Lonnie...while he's still here:]

Thought out the rest of their meal, the two brothers filled them in on the
people they would be meeting on the trip to the Cleft, and had to remember
to keep the good parts out of the story with little ears listening in.

Then Lonnie made his good-byes, saying he really needed to get back, and
hoped to see them soon. He reached down and picked up Demee, threw him into
the air and caught him as the boy giggling came back down.

"You take care of your mama and Farr'in for me now you hear?"

"I promise Unc' Lonnie... I will!" 

Lonnie set him back down and reached his hand out to his brother, who shook
it and asked him to give his love to their family. 

"You'll be seeing them in a day or so, so I'll leave that to you," he told
Farr'in then turned and dared to give Meena a hug. 

"Take care of him," he said softly so only she could hear. "He's a good guy."

"I know," the woman replied before he release her. 

"See you all in a few days," he said one more time then turned to mount his
dragon and was gone.

"He seems nice," Meena said as they walked back towards the warren proper,
and her home. He followed as if he had every right when they entered and
helped himself to a drink, turning to offer her one too.

"Sounds good," she nodded noticing he'd picked tea to drink. "Just let me
get Demee down for a nap."

"But I'm not tired," the little boy yawned. "Wanna stay and talk to Unc'
Farr'in."

"Now Demee we want you to be well rested for our trip in the morning,"
Farr'in moved to kneel in front of him. He placed a gentle hand on the boys
shoulder and spoke to him. "You don't want to fall asleep once we get there
and not be able to play with Arly and Leyean do you?"

"Na.." he yawned again. 

"Then a sort nap now will help make sure you'll be wake tomorrow."

"Guess so..." he muttered and let his mother lead him to his room.

When Meena came back she was smiling. 

"He's asleep all ready," she told him.

"Somehow I thought he would be," Farr'in laughed and then patted the spot
next to him on the couch. 

Meena sat down and leaned against him. The feeling at once comfortable and
becoming more familiar each time she was with him. 

"Now why don't you tell me what happened earlier when you went to talk to
T'grat? And is there some way you think I could help?"

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

Barbara (a.k.a. 

Farr'in & Tergath 
Lonnie and Meritanth (borrowed from Cleft Warren)
Norwall Warren