Day 10
Very Early Evening
Ka'Laren

Ka'Laren sent the other Dark Riders to their different lairs. He had 
learned from his previous mistakes. He had decided to keep his riders 
spread across the lands in different hideaways. Now, no one would know the 
true numbers of his legions. He smiled to himself in the darkness until he 
noticed that it wasn't really dark.

He zipped off the little path he had worn into the bushes and secretly 
spied the clearing where moments before, his Dark Riders had gathered. A 
small campfire crackled and burned, but noone was around. Ka'Laren quickly 
circled around the edge of the clearing.

He sniffed at some broken twigs he had found on the ground. A Dragon!

<Nostradus!> He called to the giant black dragon.

<<What do you want?>> Came the snarling reply.

<There is a dragon and probably a rider nearby. Can you see them?>

<<No. Not from here. Shall I come to you?>> The Black's voice seemed to 
grate like a blade against a stone in the demented rider's mind.

Ka'Laren released the vicious knife from his belt and slowly continued into 
the bush. <No. Wait until I call.>

As one of the most skilled hunters in the dragon lands, very few could 
detect his presence unless he wanted them to. Right now, he moved like a 
silent shadow. Carefully ducking under the nearest branch, Ka'Laren saw the 
object of his hunt. A young woman clad in tight fitting clothes and a young 
green dragon. They playfully hunted some of the smaller animals in the 
darkness.

He wouldn't kill them yet, he decided finally and decided that dinner was 
in fact a good idea.

Moments later, Ka'Laren emerged into the circle of golden light around the 
small campfire, the slaughtered carcass of a small wild pig slung over his 
shoulder. His hands still dripped blood.

Nostradus touched down behind him as he rigged a spit over the fire. 
<<Ka'Laren, they are returning. Shall I stay?>>

<Mmm, yes. But stay outside the firelight. No sense alarming them... at 
least too much.> Ka'Laren waved to the edge of the forest. He sat down and 
carefully watched the bubbling, roasting pig.

Finally, the young woman he had seen earlier burst into the clearing.

<snip>

"Who are you?" Jasmine demanded.
The man turned to look at her a sly grin on his face, "Actually since
this is my place, the question is who are you?"

...

The man grinned in evil delight at the young woman's outburst. Questioning 
her further he realized she had no idea who he was. Cutting off some more 
meat he handed it to Jasmine and said in a comforting
tone, "That sounds just terrible. Listen little one, you came sit by the 
fire and tell Ka'Laren all about it."

<end snip>

The young rider moved over and sat down beside the painted rider. "You're 
painted, too." he observed.

"Painted?" He asked as he leaned over and sliced a hunk of meat off the 
side of the pig. He handed it to the girl along with a dried piece of 
bread. She took them both, eagerly biting into the hot, juicy meat. It 
proved a little too hot for the tender inside of her mouth. She quickly 
grabbed the wineflask that sat by Ka'Laren's booted foot and downed a mouthful.

Ka'Laren laughed, the top knot on his head bouncing lightly. Jasmine wiped 
her mouth with the back of her hand and handed the wineskin to Ka'Laren. He 
smiled broadly at the girl and laughed shortly once before throwing the 
wineskin back against his own lips.

With a satisfied sigh, he smiled at the naive young woman. "What did you 
mean when you said painted, Jasmine."

"On your skin. You're painted like Landon and K'Tarr." She chewed 
thoughtfully for a moment, "More like K'Tarr's markings though. All over." 
She said between bites.

"Really?" Ka'Laren leaned forward. "Tell me about K'Tarr, Jasmine."

[Tag Tree]

***

Day 10

Very Late Evening

The market had just closed and the last of the artisans and dealers of 
wares were shuffling to the food hall for a late night snack or to their 
quarters for a well earned sleep. But some of it's inhabitants were still 
awake, some were just getting down to business.

Within one of the shrouded tents of the traders, carpets lay rolled and 
laid out in a store room. Except for one, which was carefully laid out in 
the middle of the floor. It's intricate pattern was both beautiful and 
technically superior to most carpets. And slowly a perfect square began to 
form in the center of the pattern and lifted on a hinge.

A puff of bluish gray smoke exploded from the cracks of the trapdoor and 
the wide brimmed, weathered hat of the scoundrel, Marssell, was clearly 
visible in the dim moonlight. He stepped quickly from the hidden tunnel and 
lowered the perfectly crafted trapdoor. It silently fit back into place, 
once again completing the intricate pattern woven into the concealing carpet.

He made his way to the canvas flap that served as a doorway in the tent of 
the carpet dealer, a willing accomplice of many unsavoury characters who 
sought entry to Norwall without raising any eyebrows. And of course, an 
associate of Marssell's.

His wrinkled, knobby hand reached out for the flap of canvas, a trail of 
smoke trickling out from the corners of his mouth.

Suddenly, the moonlight glinted off the blade of a knife. The attacker 
moved so swiftly, that it even took Marsell by surprise.He nearly dropped 
his most treasured possession, his pipe, as the knife that he had intended 
as bait for a treasure hunt was pressed eagerly against his throat.

"Ah-ah-ah! I wouldn't try anything fishy either, you stinky old man." 
Kaymann pushed the blade firmly against the chubby old man's grimy throat. 
"If my friend and I here kill you, they'd call us heroes, so it's no skin 
off my nose if you really want to piss me off."

Mentorn stepped out in front of the old man and leaned in close to his 
face. "Now, we've got some questions to ask you my friend. Care to be 
cooperative?"

[Tag Peter]

***

Day 10
Mid Evening
K'Tarr

Things were finally starting to settle back to normal again. At least, 
normal for Norwall Warren. K'Tarr smiled to himself as he rode along 
Qualis' shoulders. The big red dragon was humming to himself as he winged 
his way up to the riders' apartments. <That's something new, Qualis.>

<<Hmm, what do you mean, brother>> The dragon looked back slightly at his 
rider.

<You're humming.> K'Tarr thought back.

<<I hadn't noticed. After I drop you off, I'm going to see if there are any 
female dragons around who are interested in snuggling. There always seems 
to be a few.>>

<That's not surprising. It was either that or you were hungry.>

<<It's a good thing for you that you're carrying something fragile or I'd 
throw you off right here. Now, just do what I told you and you'll be fine.>>

K'Tarr laughed out loud, the sound barely raising over the fury of the wind 
rushing by.

<Pick her up and take her into the back room and take her. Sound advice. If 
my plan doesn't work, I'll use it as a plan B.>

<<Whatever, little brother. I still think that you humans spend too much 
time dancing around the real issue with fancy talk and posturing. I'll 
never understand your species, you know?>>

The big red dragon touched down on the ledge of Donjanth and Kalena's 
apartment. K'tarr leapt off of Qualis' back with a parcel in his hands. 
<<Best of luck, little brother.>>

<You too, big brother.> He waved as Qualis turned and leapt from the ledge 
he plummeted downwards at incredible speed. Qualis finally opened his wings 
at the last possible second, pulling out of the dive and sending a few 
passing humans scrambling for cover.

K'tarr barely noticed, he had already turned and knocked on the door. He 
waited for Kalena, patiently.

He raised his hand to knock again, but then he paused unsteadily. He held 
his hand inches above the door, poised to knock but hovering instead. He 
was about to take his hand away when Kalena opened the door.

"Oh!" He said quickly lowering his hand and blushing beneath the tattoos.

Kalena smiled. "Hello, K'Tarr."

"Hello Kalena." He held out his parcel to her. "I know that I haven't 
always been the best of companions. I can't always... share what I feel, 
but I want you to know that even when I can't say it, thoughts of you fill 
my heart. I want you to have this."

In awe, Kalena wordlessly took the carefully wrapped parcel from K'tarr's 
hands. "Open it." He urged softly. She carefully untied the leather thongs 
that held the soft hide over wrappings. Inside, was a carefully folded 
piece of white silk. She smiled with curiousity, looking up to K'tarr for a 
clue. He only smiled in response.

She gently lifted the corners of the silk cloth and revealed a sparkling 
gold dragon with dazzling purple gems studded along its wings. "Like 
Donjanth," He said as Kalena gasped in surprise. "Let me."

K'Tarr reached in and gently grasped the delicate gold chain that suspended 
the beautiful pendant. He lifted it from the wrapping and the moonlight lit 
each gem as if it were on fire. Kalena discarded the wrappings and pulled 
her hair back off of her shoulders. K'Tarr reached back and fastened the 
tiny, delicate clasp. He placed his hand softly on the back of Kalena's 
neck and drew her close.

He kissed her soft lips hoping she would respond.

[Tag Dianne]

[NRPG: Hey Norwall Gang! Sorry I've been a little absent lately, but I hope 
this post makes up for it. I'll tell you, I'm drained after writing it!]

Submitted By
WiL

for

K'Tarr - a hunter
Qualis - a big red dragon

Kaymann - a rider and an ex-rogue

Ka'Laren - a psychotic madman
Nostradus - an evil dragon 


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