Reflecting over the past week and a half, Lyonnia couldn't believe all that
had gone on in her life.  One moment, she had been a simple landborn girl,
too shy to make friends.  Then she had met Tera and Kay, two very
interesting and fun people.  Then, suddenly, she had been immersed in the
warren world, hearing all the current and past gossip, meeting everyone
around the warren (most whose names she still couldn't remember!).  

And only a few days ago, she had "graduated" from her "school" and had
become part of the Beta wing, along with Kay, a close friend of hers.  She
had been learning sign language from both Kay and Tera for the past 10 days,
and they had told her that she was coming along beautifully.  Lyonnia didn't
think so though; she had only learned the rudiments of the hand language,
and knew that she probably wouldn't be nearly as good as Tera was anytime
soon.  She had also learned, just after her first lunch with Tera and Kay
that Kay could read lips, and that she didn't have to write down everything
she said but be sure that her face was turned to him when she addressed him
so he could understand her.

*It's gone by pretty quick, hasn't it?* she thought to her dragon while she
was walking down to the Dining Hall.

<That it has, my dearest, that it has.>

*Didn't I ask you to please not call me those names?* she asked her dragon,
blushing.  *It makes me feel....I don't know, stupid.*

<Well, if you think THAT's embarrassing, you should hear what the other
dragons are calling their riders.  For instance, Sundellath calls Kay-->

*I don't really want to know.  That's private to me.*

<But it's funny what he calls Kay.>

*I told you, I don't want to hear it.*

Lyonnia heard her dragon's grumble <Spoil sport> in her head and smiled.
She could never understand her dragon fully.  Whatever Lyonnia thought of as
sacred, like a secret, Dianthus was eager to tell everyone whatever it was.
Or if someone was trying to be discreet, about anything whatsoever, and
Dianthus got wind of it, she would spread it on the wind, and within
minutes, everyone in the warren, dragons and dragonriders alike would know
what had happened.

<Lyon, you know that every dragon does that here.  I'm not the only one.>

*Sure you're not.  I'll bet that almost every rumor that has ever been
spread here at Telnor has been spread by you.*

<Well, what about the rumors started before I even hatched?> Dianthus asked,
eager to stump her rider.

*I've heard that some dragons can communicate mentally even before they
leave the egg.*

<Well, what about before I was even conceived?> Dianthus asked, feeling
triumph that she had won.

Before Lyonnia could even begin to answer, though, Dianthus informed her
<H'nry is looking for you and Kay.  He asked me to tell you to meet him at
Ophelia's office.  Something about an assignment.>

Her hunger forgotten, Lyonnia raced towards the office, almost skipping with
joy.  An assignment already?, she thought excitedly.  Wow!
****************************************


She and Kay got to the office at the same time as each other.  Both were out
of breath and paused outside the door to catch their breath.  Lyonnia
glanced up at Kay and when she saw he was looking, smiled and signed (You
run too?)

Kay smiled and nodded, his breathing slowly getting steadier.  Finally, both
were ready to go in and walked in together.  In the office, they didn't see
Ophelia anywhere, just H'nry.  As the two young people walked in, H'nry
raised to his feet from the chair he had been sitting in and offered his
hand to each of the two in turn.  "Glad you could come so quickly," he said
as he finished shaking Lyonnia's hand.  "I know you've just been raised, but
I believe that it's time you two should go on a mission.

"As you well know, now is the time when the surrounding countryside comes to
bring its tithes to the warrens.  And, as you probably know, or have heard,
now is also about the time that the number of raiders double.  One needn't
wonder why this is; it's just a fact of life.

"I've assigned you two to come along with Danielle and I as we go patrolling
the tithe caravans tomorrow.  This is a fairly commonplace assignment, and
is mainly to give you two experience in the field."  Finishing his speech,
he glanced at the two young people standing in front of him, drinking in his
every word.  Satisfied that he had their full attention, he continued.
"We're going to be leaving early tomorrow morning.  And," he said, shaking
his finger at them, "early.  So get a good nights sleep; it's hard work
patrolling.  You'll learn about that tomorrow though," he said with a grin.
With that, he waved his hand, dismissing them.

Lyonnia followed Kay out the door and a little way down the corridor.  Then,
excitedly, she tapped Kay on the shoulder and, when he was facing her, said,
"Oooh!  I'm so happy! We're finally truly dragonriders!"

Kay smiled at that and nodded, then began to sign.  Lyonnia tried to keep up
with him, but lost him after less than a couple seconds.  "Kay, I don't know
enough sign language to talk to you easily," she said, staring at him.  He
sighed, then began to sign slowly, so Lyonnia could easily make out his hand
motions.  Even then, though, he sometimes used phrases she had yet to learn.
(Something something something happy something you are coming.)

Although she had missed most of the message, she smiled at the part that she
had gotten and hugged Kay.  "I'm happy you're coming too," she said, her
face just inches from his.

Suddenly, she realized her position on him, with her arms around his neck
and her face only inches from his, and she stepped away quickly.  "I'll see
you tomorrow," she murmured, not caring whether or not Kay heard, and she
fled back to the barracks, to her room to get ready for the next day.
***************************************


(Next morning: early)

*Wake up sleepyhead!  Time to rise and shine!*

Dianthus groaned and rolled over in her sleep.  <Let me sleep> she muttered.

*No!  I've been waiting for today FOREVER, and I'll be....darned....if a
lazy dragon is going to make me lose this day!*

<Well, lazy or not, I don't think H'nry said THIS early.  I mean, it's not
even dawn yet!>

*Well, he said early, and I think he meant early.  So get your blue carcass
out of your bed and wake up!*

<Your will is my command master> came the sarcastic reply as Dianthus rolled
over in her sleep.

*Dianthus!* came the exasperated reply.  There was a pause, then Dianthus
heard Lyonnia's laugh through her link.  <Hey!  Who are you laughing at> she
asked, not wanting to be laughed at.

*I'm laughing at us.  Does this scene remind you of another time not too
long ago, except the roles were reversed?*  Dianthus could hear her rider
chuckling through the bond.

Dianthus thought back as best as she could, but couldn't think of a time
when she had ever been....wait a moment.  <You mean the morning I was going
to fly for the first time?>

*That's the one sweeting* came the amused reply.

<But that was important.  And you wouldn't wake up; I had to...>

*Yes, now do you see why it reminds me of now?*

Dianthus thought for a second then, groaning mentally and audibly, she
rolled over and stood up, telling her rider <Okay, I'm up now.>  She
stretched her body, from her wings to her tail and asked <Where do I meet you?>

*Meet me at the Dining Hall entrance in two minutes.*

<Yes, my dearest, my loveslave> Dianthus goaded her rider.

*Yes, my little bluebird* came the sickening sweet reply.

Dianthus snorted, wishing she wouldn't use that hated nickname.  She got
teased enough by the dragons about it; she didn't want her rider picking up
on it too.
********************************


"I must thank you for showing up so early," H'nry told the small group
standing in front of him:Lyonnia, Kay, and Danielle.  "And a special thanks
to Lyonnia, whose exuberance brought her here at 4 am this morning.  A full
2 hours before we were going to begin."  He began to clap, and Lyonnia, not
knowing whether the praise was sarcastic or genuine, decided to think it was
the latter and bowed theatrically.

<Told you so> Dianthus thought sourly.

*Oh, shut up you lazy beast* Lyonnia thought mock angrily; she couldn't get
mad at her dragon today.  It was too special.

"Okay.  Now, I want you to follow the pattern you have learned for
patrolling.  Remember the one?"  At the nods, he continued.  "Danielle will
be helping out today.  You should all know her by now.  She will be
following behind you; I will be leading.  The patrol will be an all day job
and is relatively simple.  You are probably familiar with the tithe
caravan's that come to the warren each year.  We will be
patrolling/escorting the caravan to the warren, guarding against wraiths and
raiders.  Any questions?"

No one raised their hand, and after a moment, H'nry nodded.  "Well then.
Let's mount up and get moving."

The group disbanded then, each heading towards its respective dragon.  They
all mounted and, after the order from H'nry, they all lifted off and headed
towards the caravan, forming the flight formation as they went.


TAG! Kay, H'nry, or Danielle.

Respectfully submitted

Sarah


NRPG:  This post is, roughly, 1 1/2 weeks after the time of my last post.
I've glossed over a LOT to keep up with Lynette's timeline, and I'll (most
likely) be backposting a lot later.  This story was a lot vaguer in the
beginning than most of mine, but, as I said, I'll explain the beginning in
later backposts.

I've taken a lot of liberties with both H'nry and Kay, and I hope I got them
right. 

Sarah
Lyonnia/Dianthus (Telnor)