nrpg: Lyn would you post this to the ng for me. MY server hasn't 
got the ng's set up yet.....it might be a coulpe days more.


All hell was breaking loose.

As Ga'brin stood next to his mate, his eyes shifting back and forth 
between the two men Tera had told him about, he suddenly saw H'nry 
throw his arms around Nia and the older man the pair had been 
talking to, just as an arrow sailed over their heads. If it wasn't 
for the quick reflexes of Dalanth's rider, the weapon would have 
surely hit one of the dragon riders.

As if the arrow shot from a bow was a signal, small scrimmages 
began all over the village between the villager's and the dragon 
riders. When a group of angry people turned towards the riders 
nearest where Tera and Ga'brin stood, he sent a quick message to 
Preston, telling the big blue to have the other dragon's form up 
around them. He wanted to remind the villagers that if they chose 
to fight, they had more than the human riders to go against.

It was then he heard the angry screams of a dragon. His first 
thought was that a rider had died. 

<It's Sabbith!> Preston's thoughts cried out in his head. <He 
protected his rider from a man who tried to kill him. Sabbith 
flamed him, the man is dead.> There was a sadness in the dragon's 
tone as he relayed the message. He knew it wasn't a good thing. 
Dragon's were supposed to protect human's. 

<<Sabbith did what he had to do to save his rider.>> Ga'brin 
tried to reassure his blue and at the same time reassure himself. 
There would be trouble over what Sabbith had done, but to do 
nothing would have meant the death of both rider and dragon. 

Just then the other villagers began to scatter, disappearing  
around the few buildings that offered any kind of protection from 
the mad dragon's flaming breath. Few stayed behind to fight, or 
were to scared to move. Ga'brin's black eyes scanned the area, 
looking for the two men Danielle and Tera had recognized form the 
Blue Dragon Inn. He could at least make sure they were brought back 
to the Warren to face a trial, for what they had planed to do to 
his mate.

The short fat man was pushing others out of his way as he ran away 
from the fight. The other man, the blond one, was no where to be 
seen. 

<<Preston, have Golissbyth's rider stop that bold headed man.>> 
Ga'brin sent the order to his dragon, when he had seen one of the 
men from his flightwing close to the area the bold man was running 
away from. <<Tell him the man wanted to harm my mate, Sundellath's 
rider, and I want him taken back to the Warren and held.>>

He turned then to check on Tera and his heart nearly stopped when 
his eyes didn't see her. Sundellath suddenly gave a angry roar and 
started off towards the edge of the green to where the tree line 
started.

Ga'brin felt his chest tighten up, fear as deep as the night Tera 
had been attacked, came back to haunt him. 

<<Preston,>> he shouted both in his mind and out loud as he began 
to race after the midnight blue dragon of his mate. <<Where's Tera? 
What does Sundellath see?>>

He could hear her screams of terror now as she came to the out 
crop of trees, trying to wedge her large bulk through the 
timberland only to find the trees were to many and to thick. 
Wildly the blue was trying to rip the tall trees out of the 
ground with her front claws, and teeth, to make a path wide 
enough for her to get to her rider.

<Sundee said a blond man grabbed her from behind when she tried 
to get to Sabbith's rider. He has a knife at her throat and said 
he will kill her if she calls for her dragon. He's taking her 
somewhere in the trees where Sundellath can't follow. She said 
for you to help her rider.>>

Panic filled every part of him. A black haze threatened to over 
come him as he heard the words his dragon spoke. Not again. 
It was just as Ga'brin feared. He never should have let Tera come 
along on the raid, but how could he, in all fairness have stopped 
her. He knew if it had been his brother Ben'sar, no one would have 
been able to stop him from going along.

Even as the thoughts went through his mind, he forced his way 
through the thick vegetation and low laying limbs of the trees, 
Preston giving him what direction's he could get out of 
Sundellath in her panic. He kept praying he wouldn't be to late. 
This time there would be no F'gon to save her.

***
(Tera)   
<It's Sabbith!> Sundellath thoughts to her rider echoed those of 
Preston to Ga'brin. <He protected his rider from a man who tried 
to kill him. Sabbith flamed him, the man is dead. You must go to 
Kay, he needs help!> The midnight blue dragon was wanting to go 
to her clutch mate to offer what comfort she could, but Tera held 
her back, seeing the two heads of Sunburst and Eclipse already 
there holding the dark red body of Sabbith between them.

<<Stay here Sundee, I'm going to see if I can help Danielle with 
Kay.>> Tera called out as she took off in their direction. Her 
one mistake was in not telling Ga'brin where she was heading or 
even that she was going at all.

She got as far as the cabin next to the one they were in front of 
when she felt something around her neck pulling her between the two 
cabins. She tried to fight back, tried to remember what F'gon had 
told her to do in instances like this, but nothing worked. The man 
was too strong for her to break his hold. When she opened her mouth 
to call out she saw the steel gray of a knife flash before her eyes 
and heard a gruff male voice telling her to keep her mouth shut.

"Don't even think about calling that dragon of yours," he hissed 
pulling her still farther away from the others, towards the trees 
that surrounded the village. "I'll slice your throat before I let 
that dragon near me." To prove his point, she felt the tip of his 
blade nick the tender skin just under her chin, and felt something 
warm and moist trailing down the smooth skin of her neck.

Knowing she had to stall for time, Tera let the man believe that he 
had her scared. She didn't have to pretend, she was scared. But she 
was also good and mad. Her anger helped her to stay focused, so she 
was able to keep Sundellath informed of her whereabouts this time. 
Tera wasn't going to give in without a fight this time.

"I knew if I kept an eye on you," the blond man was saying, "that 
sooner or later I would get you. You caused me a lot trouble when 
the Shadow found out Klause and me tried to have you killed. If you 
hadn't been at the bar that night asking questions about him, none 
of this would have happened." he spit out as they reached the 
trees. If he had seen the large midnight blue dragon half gliding, 
half running towards them he didn't say anything.

"I don't know who you're talking about," Tera said trying to keep 
the man calm. Something about the way he was acting made her think 
that he was over the edge, half crazy, and she had the baby growing 
inside her, to think about. If she could keep his mind off of the 
knife pressing into her throat, maybe she and the little one, had 
a chance. She had to do anything she could to keep the baby safe.

"I swear I don't know anyone called Shadow. I was in the bar that 
night looking for my brother Traplin. He left home sometime ago 
and I've been trying to find him every since." She let a quiver of 
fear be heard in her voice, as she let herself stumble over the 
uneven ground.

He just held her tighter, letting his left arm slid down over her 
breast, to grip her harder around the waist, so that he half 
carried, half dragged her along after him.

"Do you think I'm stupid," he hissed. "I was there that night. I 
heard you telling that stupid severing girl who you were looking 
for. I've worked for the man long enough not to know when 
someone's asking about him."

He left the dim trail they were following and headed in a different
direction. Tera quickly sent a message to Sundellath letting her 
know about the change.

The blue was upset, Tera could hear the fear in her dragon's voice 
as she answered. Wanting only to help her rider just as Sabbith 
helped his. Tera knew how she felt.

<Your mate isn't far behind you now. Preston said is rider is 
crazy with worry that he won't get to you and the hatchling in 
time.> Sundee informed her. <I want to be there to flame him 
until he's ashes upon the wind, because he's hurting you.>

<<I know silly, I wish you were here too.>> Tera thought back, 
she tone barely above a whisper, as tears began to form in her 
green eyes, thinking about what would happen to her dragon if 
anything should happen to her. She had to make sure that, 
didn't happen.

"It's all your fault," the man mumbled, not really talking to her 
anymore. "If only that girl rider hadn't of been there that night 
to take you away, I would have had you, and Shadow never would 
have known about it."

"That's where you're wrong Daon, Nothing goes on around me that 
I don't know. She didn't start you troubles, you brought it all 
on your own when you tried to take over the leadership of the 
raiders from me. Now you die for your sins."

The blond man, Daon, turned towards the sound of the deep male 
voice, pulling the girl around in front of him. He knew instantly 
who it was, and knew he was as good as dead.

The tall blond leader of the raiders, known as the Shadow, was 
standing about ten feet in front of them on the same path Daon 
had been heading. As the man took in a good look at the man 
who had been his boss, he came close to wetting his pants. 

Long legs spread shoulder with apart, the right leg slightly 
behind the left in a stance Daon knew from his fighting lessons. 
Shadow's right arm was cocked back, the palm of his hand was 
gripping the handle of the sword he sometimes wore out on raids. 
One look at the man's face and Daon suddenly he was in deep 
trouble.

"Shadow, I was only trying to protect you that night," he said 
quickly, hoping somehow to talk his way out of what ever the 
tall blond headed man had planed. "You weren't there you don't 
know how she tried to get people to tell her who you were and 
where you could be found. She's a dragon rider, Shadow. Think 
about it. Who better could the Warren send to try to find you, 
than a pretty girl no one would suspect? I had to try taking her 
out that night or someone would have put it all together and 
recognized you."

An evil grin spread across Trap's face, as he casually pulled 
the long sword out of it's holder. Tera could feel the fear in 
the man escalating as he too saw the silvery glint of light a 
stray ray of sunshine throw off the blade.

<Tera,> she suddenly heard Sundellath though in her mind. <Your 
mate wants you to know he's behind a large tree four feet to your 
left. When I tell you to, he wants you to drop to the ground and 
roll out of the way. Do you understand?> her dragon asked.

It was all she could do from giving herself away. With the man 
known a Daon's attention fixed on Trap, it might work. She thought 
she knew what Ga'brin was going to do. She just wanted to make 
sure he knew that the other man was Trap, her brother.

<He knows,> Sundee replied, <His dragon Diemis was the one who 
told us where you were. Now get ready.>

For the first time Tera looked up and took a good look at her 
brother. If she hadn't known him as well as she did, she might 
have missed the slight nod of his head telling her he knew what 
was about to happen.

"Daon, before I send you to hell, I just want you to know where 
you screwed up," Trap said icily. His deep green eyes so much 
like his sister's were sending out angry sparks and they focused 
solely on the younger raiders flushed face. "When you tried to 
overstep your bounds and started making decisions that you knew 
I would never approve of. Like killings. Did you ever wonder why 
I never allowed anyone of you to harm or kill one of our marks?"

His factual expression never changed as he waited for the man's 
answer. When none was forthcoming, he went on.

"The Warren didn't need to sent anyone to ask question about me 
or the raiders," he sneered. "They already knew where I was. 
Every step of the way. I've been keeping them informed of every 
move I made, every raid we ever pulled for the last two years 
and just encase that pea brain of yours hasn't figured it out by 
now, the Warren didn't need to put a spy in with the raiders ....
*I* was already in." his voice raised slightly on the last 
sentence, at the same time Tera heard one word loud and clear 
in her head.

<NOW!!> Sundellath shouted into her mind as only a dragon could.

Taking advantage of the man's disbelief over what he had just 
heard, Tera pushed her body back against her assailant as hard 
as she could and then let her body weight carry her to the 
ground, where she rolled as quickly as she could away. Trap was 
by her side in seconds, helping her up and pulling her into his 
arms where she was safely out of the way as her Mate finished 
the raider off.

Ga'brin was on him before the man could make one move towards the 
girl. The fight didn't last very long, the dragon rider had over 
powered the smaller man with ease. No sword man at all. But as he 
once had held the shape knife to the throat of the sister of one 
man and the mate of the other, so now did he lay dying on the hard 
packed brown dirt of the forest. Taking the Shadows secret with 
him in death.

Tera pulled herself out of her brother's arms and into the strong 
solid and familiar arms of her mate. When his hand captured the 
back of her neck and pulled her up snug against his hard form, she 
made no protest over his rough treatment. She knew he needed to be 
able to touch her to be sure she was all right. 

She in turn sent a quick but loving message to her Dragon, letting 
the blue know she was all right and safe. 

<Hurry up and come out of those dang trees then! > Sundee's voice 
showed her worries.. <I won't be easy until I can see you for 
myself, and know our hatchling took no harm.>

<<Be easy my silly love, the hatchling is just fine.>> Tera sent 
back softly. <<We'll be out soon. We nee to talk to Diemis's rider 
first. And remember don't tell anyone he's here.>> Tera added, 
suddenly afraid of what would happen if H'nry found out his enemy 
was close by.

<Preston and I both promised we'd keep all that fun gossip to our 
selves. We remember.>> Tera could almost smile at the peevish tone 
in theblue's tone of voice.

Slowly she pulled slightly back away from Ga'brin. Turning her 
head she saw her brother standing a few feet away. Ga'brin released 
her to go to him.

"You need to get out of here Trap," she told him taking his hands 
in hers and giving them a squeeze. "H'nry is back there in the 
village and I don't want him to come looking for me and finding 
you here instead.

Trap pulled her into his arms and gave her a big brotherly hug. 
He didn't want to leave her, not like this, but he knew he had to. 
In a few more days hopefully he would be able to come to the 
warren openly and then nothing would make him leave her again.

He raised his head and peered over the top of her head to find 
Ga'brin black eyes meeting his. A nod pasted between them, saying 
all that they couldn't put into words. They both loved her, and 
wanted to keep her away from harm. There was an understanding 
between them. If only the woman filling his own heart would be 
as understanding. Seeing the love shining between his sister and 
her chosen mate, made him wish for things he had no right to wish 
for. Would she understand, was there any hope at all?

"Go ease and keep safe," Ga'brin told him as he took the hand 
Trap raised towards him. "May you finish your quest quickly and 
come home to your family unharmed. We'll be waiting."

Then Trap was gone. 
###

When they got back to the village, dragon's closely following 
behind them. They saw the fat bold man had not escaped. He 
was being held by two tall riders who were built like tree 
stumps. Unmoveable.

Tera walked right up to the man and let him take a good look at 
her. She knew the second recognition set in.

"Your friend is dead. Just like you had planed for me. Only I'm 
going to walk away and go on living my life. You should start 
worrying about what's going to happen to you when your trial's 
over. I hear the penalty for murder is to be left outside chained 
to a pole and left there for the wraiths to find." she began to 
turn away and then stopped and look back at him one more time, her 
green eyes as cold as ice. "I only wish I could be there to see 
them find you."

*****

H'nry who had witnessed the exchange suddenly felt as if a ghost 
had walked over his grave. In the last second there before the 
girl, Tera had walked away, a fleeting memory crossed his mind. 
It was something he should know, should remember. What was it 
about the tall blond headed girl, that should set off warning 
signals in his mind. He made a note to himself to look her up 
other time, after they got back to the Warren for a talk. Maybe 
then he could come up with some kind of answer.

******************
NRPG:

Alton: I hope you don't mind that but I gave you what could be 
the opening you might have needed to get near Tera.......You can 
use it or come up with one of your own :)









*****Submitted by:*********************
Barbara
Voices of:
Warrenlady Jayleigh & Viktory (Daere)
Tera & Sundellath (Telnor)
Ga'brin & Preston (Telnor
Dan'yar & Shinner (Soon of Cleft)
"The Shadow" (parts unknown)
Dragonlands

Fatala of Kindis Weyr