H'nry sat atop Dalanth on the heights of the warren.  They were alone except
for the warch dragon sitting several hundred feet away.  The afternoon sun
shone brightly through the clear calm air.  It was hot on the heights, but not
uncomfortably so.  Autumn was on it's way, though summer hadn't loosened its
grip much.

>From their vantage point the two could see for miles around.  The jagged
mountains to the west, their slopes green with pine forests.  To the east lay
the vast plains of the Landbound nations.  The Tenlor River wound it's way
southward, a blue ribbon stretching to the horizon.

H'nry sat there conversing with Dalanth.  <Why are we doing this Dalanth?>

<Because your pride was nearly mortally wounded and you desire revenge against
the Shadow.>

<Must you be so honest?>

<One of us has to be forthright about your intentions,> Dalanth replied wryly.

<Thank you so much,> H'nry thought sarcasticly, <I'm not positive that Evart
will have any useful information to provide about the Shadow, but I have to
try.>

<Yes, you do.  So what are we waiting for?>

H'nry sighed, <For me to convince myself that this is a good thing to be
doing.  Well, I'm done now.  Let Dianthus know where we are.>

<They'll be here in a moment.>

> <Lyonnia, H'nry said it's almost time to go.  Can we go now?>  Dianthus'
> voice was tinged with anticipation, making Lyonnia smile.  *Yes, bluebird,
> we can go.*
>
> <Didn't I ask you not to call me that?> Dianthus asked, her voice somewhat
> irritated.
>
> Dumping her leftover food in the garbage, Lyonnia answered *I think it's a
> beautiful nickname.*
>
> Lyonnia heard a mental snort, but also felt the satisfaction trickling
> through the link. Smiling, she put her plate in with the others and headed
> out to see her dragon.

Lyonnia mounted Dianthus out on the green and looked around, <Where are they,
love?>

<Up there someplace, Dalanth said he'll guide me in.>

Lyonnia shrugged, then held on as Dianthus rocked back on her hind legs and
lept into the air.  They crested the peak of the Warren before they saw H'nry
and Dalanth.  Dianthus executed a graceful turn before landing on the heights
next to Dalanth.

Lyonnia looked around in wonder.

"Ever been up here before?" H'nry asked.

"No, it's beautiful."

"On a day like this you can see for miles.  It's also a good place to come on
clear nights to look at the stars.  You can see hundreds from up here."

"You'll have to bring me sometime."

"I will indeed.  Come on."

Dalanth lept off the heights a couple of heart beats before Dianthus.  He dove
for a few seconds, gaining speed, and then leveled himself with a couple of
powerful wing strokes.  A few minutes later they had left the warren far
behind.

<Dalanth, relay to Lyonnia that we're going to teleport to where the road to
the Warren meets the main road.  I can give her an image to focus on if she
needs it through you.>

Lyonnia did, having never seen the intersection of the two roads from the air
before.  A moment later, the pair appeared above the intersection of the
roads.  The caravan was stopped below them, attempting to organize itself.
 The caravan from the northern cities of Rasic and Corry having just met the
caravans from the southern towns of Qinar and Glasby.  The men with the
caravan were so occupied with sorting out who would proceed down the road
first, that few saw the pair of dragons circling overhead.

Dalanth spotted the wagon carrying Evart first and Dalanth led Dianthus to a
clearing just off the road near the wagon.  Evart looked surprised when the
dragons settled on the ground about 100 feet from him.

H'nry dismounted and strode toward Evart.  Lyonnia also dismounted and began
to follow a few feet behind.  H'nry looked over his shoulder at her.  She just
smiled at him and continued walking.

"Good afternoon Evart," H'nry said, "since you're not doing anything right now
I was wondering if I might ask you some questions."  H'nry stopped a few feet
from the wagon.

"Well, I'm a little busy right now since I have to get my sheep sorted out,"
he turned from H'nry and began shouting orders, "Titus,  get those animals out
of the grass and back onto the road.  We'll..."

Evart was cut off by H'nry stepping forward, grabbing his shirt and pulling
him from the wagon's seat.  Evart landed on his hands and knees on the hard
packed dirt road.  H'nry pulled Evart to his feet, his years of training as a
smith showing in his upper body strength.

"I think the boy can figure it out on his own Evart.  I'd like for you to tell
me what happened the other day."

Evart looked from H'nry to Lyonnia, and seeing no sympathy there, back to
H'nry.  "We were bringing a herd of sheep to tithe and a group of men came
pounding down the road in the other direction on horses.  The sheep scattered,
and many of them ran into the woods.  One of the horsemen stopped, and offered
to help us recover our sheep.  That's when you showed up, and he turned out to
be the Shadow."  A bead of sweat was running down Evart's face.

"I don't believe you," H'nry stated flatly, "I think the Shadow knew where
you'd be ahead of time."

"How?"

"Yes, how.  How many horsemen rode through your flock when they were
scattered?"

Evart thought fast, "About 10."

"I counted at least 20 bowmen in the woods when the Shadow and I were
chatting.  Since I didn't hear the beat of hooves before they appeared, they
were moving on foot through the woods.  They had to have known where you'd be
and the only way they'd have know that is if they were told in advance.  By
you," H'nry accused.

"But we have no proof it was him," Lyonnia put in.

H'nry smiled inwardly.  This girl is good, he thought.

Evart saw a chance to move suspicion away from himself.  "It wasn't me, but it
might have been one of the others.  Maybe Titus.  He's been mad at his father
lately over having to work so hard."

Ah, thought H'nry, now the rats would fall upon one another.  The truth was
close, he just needed time to reach it.

NRPG:

Sarah, shall we question Titus.  I took some liberties with Lyonnia, I hope
you don't mind.
Kris, if you'd prefer you can write a Titus questioning post from his
perspective (interesting twist, eh?).
Barbra, Does the Shadow see this?  Is he watching at the moment?  Does he
care?

I like running the iterative grid generation program.  It gives me time for
long posts.

                            Respectfully submitted,
                                H'nry - Dalanth
                                 Telnor Warren
                                  Alton Reich

-- 
                                Alton J. Reich
                                areich@gdeb.com

		   "I may walk slowly, but I never walk back"
			       --Abraham Lincoln