*Changes*

The winds of time
Are changing
The tides of life
Roll on
The seeds of thought
Are growing
And time keeps
Flowing on

Ideas we once thought
Etched in stone
Now crumble like 
The wind
They blow away
Forgotten
As if they've
Never been

The sun was slowly waking up as Tera and Sundellath made
their way to the small pond near the hatching barracks.
 
The midnight blue dragon seemed to share her humans 
habit of waking up early. She had found that by getting 
up before her hatch mates, she got first chance at the
morning meal. The best pieces of  the fresh cut offerings, 
without getting stepped on by the others.

Sometime later after seeing Sundee settled until their 
lesson later that morning, Tera made her way to the 
dining hall for her own breakfast. Tahlaya having 
promised to bring Dame Eliana along for their meeting 
with  Gazella later.

She was just a little disappointed that Ga'brin wouldn't 
be there this morning to sit with. He had informed her last 
night when he walked her back to her room, that he had an 
early morning patrol. Something about searching for raiders
who had been hitting with increasing frequency around the 
area.

Tera didn't see anyone she knew sitting at the tables when
she walked in, except for the Warrenlady Ophelia, so she
headed towards her. She had an apology to make for the way
she had behaved in Ophelia's office yesterday morning. The
Warrenlady had been kind and had tried to comfort her 
after telling her about Traplin's death.

"Lady Ophelia, may I have a word with you please? Tera
asked in an uncertain voice, unsure of how the Warrenlady
would receive her.

Ophelia's smile however was full of welcome and concern
when she invited Tera to have a seat.

"I wanted to apologize to you for the way I acted in your
office yesterday, I'm not usually so bad tempered," she 
said slowly.

"Please don't give it another thought. Ophelia assured 
her. "You had quite a shock. Believe me I know how that 
feels," There was a sadness in her eyes that Tera didn't 
understand. Nor did she feel it was her place to ask. She 
stood up from the table, not wanting to impose any longer 
and held out her hand.

"Well thank you for taking the time to listen to me," she
said.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, I hope you won't
hesitate to come see me. I'll always be available if you 
do." Ophelia's eyes were filled with kindness as she made 
her offer.

But Tera shook her head. "I thank you for your kind 
offer, Lady Ophelia, but I mourned for my brother 
yesterday. Today I start a new life. It's what Traplin 
would have wanted for me to do."  With that Tera bowed 
and took her leave. 
*********************************************

Tahlaya showed up with Dame Eliana about mid way
through Tera's meal. Tera noticed the red puffiness 
around the young girls eyes and felt considerable 
sympathy towards her.

In some ways they were a lot alike. Alone at the 
Warren, hardly knowing a soul. For Tera it wasn't so 
bad. She was beginning to make new friends. Good 
friends she hoped.   

But for the young child sitting across from her trying 
her darnest to act brave, this must all seam really 
different from anything she'd known before. Tera promised 
herself, she would have a talk with Tahlaya later when 
they were alone about the girl. About seeing what they 
could do to help the child get along.
*******************************************

They arrived a little early at the office they were 
supposed to meet  Rainbeth's rider, Gazella. Having 
some idea what the meeting would be about, Tera was 
worried how Dame Eliana would react. Sex was something 
the young girl shouldn't even have known about until 
ust before what would have been her wedding night. 
The door opened, and Tera smiled to the short stocky 
woman who entered. 

"Good morning ladies. I'm glad to see you all could 
make it," The older woman greeted them, a warm friendly 
smile on her face. "For those of you I haven't met yet, 
my name is Gazella, Rainbeth's rider and all around slave"  
Her quick humor and friendly attitude, putting the girls 
at ease, before going on. 

"The Warrenlady Ophelia has asked me to make myself 
available to any one of you who have questions you need 
to ask or just if you need someone to talk to." her eyes 
lingered on Tera for just a second before going on. 

Gazella sat there for about twenty minutes explaining 
the differences between life in the Landbound nations, 
and life in the Warren, answering any of the questions 
the three new riders brought up. Then finally she started 
to tell them about the mating flights, and what to expect 
when their dragons finally rose to mate. She warned them 
about the uncontrollable urges that came over them at 
that time. 

"It's like you are the dragon too. You feel the same urges 
that your dragon does. The hard part most landbound raised 
riders have to face is that your dragons may not be flow 
by the same dragon each time. In that case you'll have to 
learn to handle the fact that you might end up mating with 
a different rider each time." 

They all heard the tiny cry of fears that Dame Eliana 
tried to hide. The girl was terrified. She was still a 
baby, way to young to mate with a man. But she was a rider 
now, and sometime soon her child like innocence would be 
taken from her.

Gazella quickly went to the girl and wrapped her arms 
around her. She understood the child's fears. She herself 
had been only a year older the Dame Eliana when she had 
joined with Rainbeth. And even though she had been raised 
up in the warren she had still had her fears.

"It's all right Child," she said softly stroking the 
girls hair. "I know how you're feeling. Lost, lonely 
and a little scared."

"I'm not ready for all of this," Dame Eliana said in a 
quiet voice, as she held onto the older woman. "I 
thought riding a dragon would be fun and exciting. I 
never dreamed....I just want to go home. I miss my 
family." She said as the tears began to fall.

"Let me tell you something I never told another living 
soul. I to joined young. I grew up here and knew what 
to expect but I wasn't anymore ready  for it than you 
are," Dame Eliana raised her head to look at Gazella, 
the truth was in her eyes. "Somehow Rainbeth knew I 
wasn't ready and for some reason she never rose to mate 
until she knew I was ready. You see child, your dragon 
always knows."

After calming the distressed girl down, Gazella went on 
to talk about birth control, and the importance of taking 
the prescribed dosage every morning, without fail unless 
they were looking for a life long responsibility.

The meeting finally broke up with just enough time for 
he girls to get to their morning lesson. The thanked 
Gazella for taking the time to talk to them and promised 
to come see her if they had anymore questions.
******Submitted by:***************************
Barbara
Tera & Sundellath
Ga'brin & Preston
of Dragonlands

nrpg :) I wasn't really to sure what Gazella would have to 
say to them so I just sort of glossed over it. If anyone 
wants to add more to her (so called ) speech..go ahead, 
please.

Lea: I also didn't know how Tahlaya would react so I left 
her quiet. Add anything you want to if you want to :)
Also I hope the Girl Talk was ok..I know Tera enjoyed it:)