<THEY COME!!!! THEY'RE SAFE!!!!!>

Tera was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the dinner 
she planed to server that night when she got the excited call from her 
dragon, Sundellath. "Thank the Gods," she breathed a quiet sigh of 
relief, unaware of the tears flowing down her face until one landed 
on the back of her hand.

>HURRY UP!!!!> Sundee sounded excited. <I want to go down and see my 
friend>

>>I'm coming, I'm coming.<< A patient smile touched her lips as Tera 
took the time to saddle up.

<You don't need that, I won't let you fall,> Sundee sounded peevish. 
<Besides you're taking to long to put it on, and I want to hurry down 
there before everyone gets there first.>

>> I'm not afraid of you dropping me, Silly,"<< Tera told her as she 
tried for the second time to fasten the buckle of the flying straps.
 >>I'm shaking so much that I'm afraid I might not be able to 
stay on.<<

< And you call me Silly. >

By the time they landed on the green a crowd was already forming. 
Tera was sliding off Sundellath, the second the blues feet hit the 
ground.  She had to find her friend. To see for herself that the girl 
was alright.

Like a whirlwind she raced towards the last place Sundee had seen the 
girl from the air above. Pushing past anyone who wasn't quick enough 
to move out of her way.

"Let me through," she yelled at a tall dark haired rider  as she 
shouldered her way past him. Not even stopping to apologize for 
stepping on his toes in her haste.


She had to be sure the girl was alright. Tera knew how she would be 
feeling about now, and wanted to be there to help Lyonnia if she needed 
someone. It wasn't that long ago she'd had her own run in with the 
Shadows men. She'd been scared out of her wits that night. 

When word had come about the kidnapping and the raiders, Tera had been 
all for flying off to her friends aide. She had wanted to be in the 
rescue party, but Ga'brin had put a stop to her going.  
"I will not have you risking yourself and Sundellath because of this,"
He told her sharply. "You two are just barely out of the shell and while 
you're learning more everyday, you don't have the experience for this 
type of thing," he told her but his words fell on deaf ears. So he tried
something else

"Honey Love, I know you want to help. We all do," he assured her."
"But after what happened the other night when you were attacked yourself, 
you would hamper the search for Lyonnia more that help"

She had turned to him then, disbelief written on her face. "Oh yeah! and 
how would I hamper them?"

"Because the other riders would have half their minds set on trying to 
keep you save," he said softly. "Now would you want that, if it ment taking
their attentions away from finding your friend?"

She gave into his reasoning. 
***

By the time Tera had finally got close enough to the light blue dragon that 
was Lyonnia's, Tera was just in time to see H'nry leading her away. 

"Oh hell," she swore as she watched her friend  getting farther away.

<Dalanth's rider takes her to talk to Beryth's rider.> Sundellath informed 
her when she asked.  <If you had hurried like I wanted you to, we would 
have been here on time,> 

>>Oh hush you,<< Tera sent back.

<I'm going to stay her with Dianthus while her riders not here.> Sundellath
informed her, then added, "Unless you need me to take you home.....>

>>No Sundee, you stay.<< she agreed. >>I'm sure Dianthus will be glad for 
your company.<<
******
Ga'brin was just sitting down to eat a late lunch when he saw Lyonnia walk 
into the dining hall, look around and start walking in his direction.

"I need to ask you something," He heard her say as she came along sit his 
table. There was a worried look about her. 

"Yes?" he asked, motioning for her to take a seat. 

"Can you tell me about Tera?  Does she have any enemies or something like 
that?" the young girl blurted out.

Ga'brin was confused, but told her, "Well, I don't know about enemies, 
but she's looking for her brother.   He joined a dragon here at Telnor a 
while ago, but was killed some weeks later during a bad teleport."
 

Ga'brin could tell something was bothering her. She was leading up to 
something,  but what? 

"So, she has no enemies that you know about?"

"No, not that I know about.  Lyonnia, what's wrong?"  His face should 
his concern. "Why are you asking me these things?"

Lyonnia looked around and, seeing they were alone, said, "I didn't tell 
this to Ophelia. I wanted to talk to you first.  The Shadow asked about 
Tera. He wanted to know about her."

Ga'brin's face went red with anger at the sound of the man's name. 

 "I asked him about the attack a few days ago." Lyonnia told him," He seemed 
as surprised as I was, and a little angry as well.  I don't think he knew 
about it."

His face stayed angry but didn't get any worse.  "Thank you for telling me
this," he said.  "But you should have told Ophelia too.  She may have known
something."

Lyonnia blushed, embarrassed.  "I know, but at the time.....well," she said,
shrugging, "At the time, it seemed best to talk to you first."

"I appreciate that." He excused himself, saying, "I need to go see Tera."  
******
Acrossed the dining hall, Tera had been talking to Tahlaya about the patrol 
and everything that had gone on with Lyonnia being carried off,
when she happened to glance up and see the girl herself walking into the
hall. Nia seemed to be looking for someone. Tera watched as the girl finally
found whoever it was and made her way to a table. It was to Tera's shock
that her mate, Ga'brin was sitting there.

She saw Nia say something, and all the sudden Ga'brin's face took on a dark
angry frown. Even form this distance she could see his body tense. He looked
like he was ready to pounce on the younger girl across the table from him.
There had only been one other time that Tera could remember Ga'brin with
that expression on his face.... The night she herself had been attacked. She
wanted...no needed to know what Nia had told her mate to cause such a
reaction from him.

"Laya," she turned to her friend. "I see Lyonnia across the way sitting with
Ga'brin. I think I'll go over an see for myself that she's ok." 

"Sure no problem," Laya's face broke out into a smile. "Tell the kid I asked
about her, and I'm glad she's ok."

Tera turned then, taking her eyes of the two across the room, "I'll tell her."
When her turned back, she was in time to see Ga'brin get up from the table, 
and make his way out of the hall. The thunderous expression was still etch 
into his features.

Tera saw Nia still sitting at the table, and decided it would be a good time 
to talk to her. She wanted to make sure her friend was alright and find out 
what the heck had sent her mate out of the hall in such a hurry.


"Okay Lil Sis," Tera said as she can to stand beside the table. "Are you 
really doing okay, and what in the heck did you say to my mate to make him 
look as if he's about the spit nails?"

Lyonnia's head shot up at the sound of Tera's voice. Who wondered at the
shocked expression on her face.

"Well?"" 

****Submitted by:***************
Barbara
Voice's of:
Tera & Sundellath (Telnor)
Ga'brin & Preston (Telnor)
Dan'yar & Shinner (Soon of Cleft)
"The Shadow" ( parts unknown)
Dragonlands
___________
nrpg: I hate having your story somehow disappear off your screen and not 
being able to pull it back up and find it. This is not the first post I 
was about send when my 'puter did some strange things and ate my first 
copy. And since I didn't have it written down this time and had written 
it off the top of my head........I couldn't remember all of it.....

Sarah: Don't tell Tera what you think you know just yet........

Lea: you can write up a talk between Laya And Tera if you want.