>She was talking about the mating flight the girl had had where Trap's Diemis
>had won, and hoped there had been no problems because of it. 
>
>"Well things are looking up. May I?" she asked and them motioned towards
>Treb, who Tera handed over for the few minutes it took to gather the rest of
>the stuff she was taking over to her father-in-law in a little while. 

The child felt good to hold on to. Kattibrie kissed the boy on top on his
head, and paused as she inhaled the babe's sweet fragrance. She'd always
heard that babies heads smelled good, but thought it was an old wives' tale. 

>The older man was going to watch the boy until his father, Ga'brin returned
>from his own patrol. After settling her bags over her shoulder she took the
>baby back and heard the girl saying something about going to meet Kay in the
>dining hall.

Kattibrie was hesitant to give the child back to his mother. It felt too
good to hold him. She tried to console herself with the thought that she
could at least babysit from time to time.

>"Oh is that where he is?" she asked brightly. "I've been meaning to have
>Sundee ask Sabbith where he is. I have a favor to ask of him."
>
>"Then why don't you join us for a little while if you have time?" 
>
>"If you don't mind I think I will."
>
>The two women went on inside and walked to where the men sat, "Kay, I ran
>into Tera on the way over here and I asked her to join us. Is that all
right?"
>
>Kay nodded and smiled at Tera, he gave a quick smile to the babe, and then
>looked away. It didn't go unnoticed by the others.

Kattibrie cringed inwardly as she saw Kay avoid looking at Treb. It hurt to
realize that his fear was that deep.

Kattibrie put her energies toward playing with and cooing at the baby while
Tera and Kay talked, not really paying attention to the conversation. She
tried to fill her mind with happy thoughts and just enjoy the child rather
than focus on her own heartache. It would do no good to fret over it, Kay's
mind was made up.

>"It won't help," H'nry grinned from across the table.

Kattibrie looked up, wondering what H'nry was referring to.

>"What won't help?" Tera looked at him confused as he held his arms up for
>the baby and took him from his mother when she lifted him into the rider's
arms.
>
>"He's still going to keep growing, despite what the old poem says," he
>answered as his thick figure was captured by the tiny hand of the babe in
>his arms. 

Kattibrie looked at the others, confused at the reference. She'd no idea
what H'nry was talking about.

>Tera broke out laughing as she remembered the poem H'nry spoke of. It had
>been one of her favorites as a child. 
>
>"No I guess you're right," she chuckled and then saw that both of the others
>were confused by the reference and explained it to them.
>
>"There's and old wives tale that used to talk about a woman who thought that
>if she had her child painted then the child's soul would be in the picture
>and the child would never be able to grow any bigger unless the picture was
>destroyed."
>
>"I never heard that one," Kitty smiled slightly when the blonde had
finished. 
>
>"Of course the mother learned of her mistake after the food bill increased,"
>H'nry laughed. His eyes twinkling as he looked up at the young Queenrider,
>who grinned back. She was finally relaxing and it made her look so lovely.
>
>*I remember that one,* Kay signed, his eyes held a look of sadness. *My
>mother used to tell me it at bed time before...*

Kattibrie's heart went out to Kay, understanding the feeling of loss
herself. Quietly she clasped Kay's hand in hers and smiled at him with
warm, tender understanding.

>"Well I need to be getting this big guy over to his grandfather, and then
>finding my partner for our patrol," she stood up and came around the table
>to take Treb back from the bearded dragonrider. 
>
>Then she turned back to Kay and told him she would get together with him
>later and set up a time that would be good for him to start working on the
>painting.
>
>"But I will insisted that you let me repay you with making you something to
>wear," she told him and continued before he could tell her again it wasn't
>needed. "Please Kay. I want to."
>
>*All right,* he finally gave in. *Maybe a nice new shirt would be good."
>
>"Fine," she smiled as she wrapped the baby's blanket around him for the trip
>outside. "A nice new shirt it will be."
>
>Then she made her good-byes to all sitting there and left the hall.

Kattibrie's looked after Tera as she juggled child and bags. "I think I'm
going to help her," Kattibrie said, kissing Kay softly, "I'll be back in a
bit."

***

Kattibrie caught up with Tera and offered to help. "I'll carry Treb, if it
helps."

"Sure," Tera said, and handed the child to the queenrider.

Kattibrie held the child fondly as they walked to Tera's in-law's house.
Tera couldn't help but notice the longing in the queenrider's eyes.

"You and Kay seem happy together," Tera said.

"Yes, we are," Kattibrie said quietly. There was a hint of sadness in her
eyes.

"Then, what's wrong, Kitty?"

"Everyone's calling me that now," Kattibrie chuckled.

"Well, the dragon's like it, and it suits you," Tera shrugged. "So what's
wrong?"

"Its... babies," Kattibrie sighed.

"Oh?"

"I want to have Kay's baby so bad.... but he's afraid -- no, terrified --
that it will be born deaf like him," Kattibrie confessed.

******

NRPG: Tag Barb!


                \=/,         _-===-_-====-_-===-_-==========-_-====-_
                |  @___oo   (    Submitted by:                        )
      /\  /\   / (___,,,}_--=    Jacqueline "Morgan" Allgood          )
     ) /^\) ^\/ _)        =__                                          )
     )   /^\/   _)          (_                                         )
     )   _ /  / _)            (      Danika/Kalindeth of Daere        )
 /\  )/\/ ||  | )_)            (_    Xanthia of Whiteriver            )
<  >      |(,,) )__)             (   Kattibrie/Calishandra of Telnor )
 ||      /    \)___)\             (_ Yasmine/Starlin of Marrid       )
 | \____(      )___) )___           -==-_____-=====-_____-=====-___==
  \______(_______;;; __;;;