Having trouble sending this...I'll try it again.

NRPG: the second part of this post will be written in Whiteriver. It really
doesn't affect anyone in Telnor, and to be honest all it does is build on
Ash's character a bit and allow me to express some more angst :)
I won't post the second one to Telnor, unless y'all want it. 

************************
"The effectiveness of our memory banks is determined not by the total 
number of facts we take in, but the number we wish to reject."
                                --Jon Wynne-Tyson

***Wyndamenth***

[[ Ash, wake up! ]] 

Wyndamenth was getting a little irritated. When she tried to wake L'vee 
up, after the hatching, it worked just fine, but *this* lazy one...Wyn 
allowed herself a mental chuckle. Ash was much different from L'vee,
indeed, but he understood her. They understood each other. She 
was lucky that he had stopped by when he did. Carefully, she slid her
tail behind him, gave a gentle shove. Well, maybe not so gentle; Ash flew
several feet, uttering a staratled "What?!" before he touched the sand.
Wyndamenth watched as he continued to roll towards his gear, drawing his
sword and standing in one smooth motion. Once he saw her tail, guiltily
positioned over his sleeping blanket, he stabbed the end of the sword into
the sand.

"Whattuheulllerryhudoing??" Wyn cocked her head slightly; it almost
made sense, for a moment...

Ash walked up to her, tapped on a sensitive part of her snout. Not enough 
to hurt, but certainly enough to get attention. ++What did you do that for?
It's not even light yet!++

[[ Well, I woke up, and you were still asleep, and I'm hungry. ]]

She could see his eyes widen a bit as he looked her over. He tapped,
++I'll say. You've grown at least another three feet, I'd judge. You'll need
that food. I'll have to go to the kitchens; they might have started the
cookfires and butchering by now.++ He looked around. ++Where is
Tahlaya? She was here when we went to sleep.++

[[ She is with Sunny and Ipsy, looking over Sabbith. She said that she
didn't want to disturb you. ]]

++Hmm, what disturbs me is that I didn't wake up. I seem to be losing the
ability to wake on a moment's notice. That won't do. Maybe I'm getting
old.++

[[ Or maybe it's because I'm here. I wouldn't let anything happen to you.
We're together now. ]]

++We are, are we?++

Wyndamenth's eyes rolled in near-panic. [[ You said so, too. Didn't you 
mean it? Aren't you going to stay with me?? ]]

++Relax, dear Wyndamenth. Of course I will. What I tapped out was a 
rhetorical question. I was merely amused that you would pledge 
yourself to me like that. It has been a long time since anyone has needed 
me with them, emotionally...and within a short span I find two that both 
want and need me. It's overwhelming.++

[[ I don't know about anyone else, but I think you're very caring. Maybe you 
didn't let anyone else want or need you. ]]

Ash cocked his head at her. "Smartaehssdureggon."

[[Smart what? ]]

"Huh?" He typed quickly. ++What? You caught that? Dragons can't 
understand speech!++

[[ I couldn't understand when L'vee talked...but I can understand a few
words that you say. ]]

++How?++

[[ Silly man. I understand, now, what you meant about thinking in 'sounds'.
I still wouldn't have been able to understand what L'vee said, but when 
you talk I hear the sounds that you taught me to understand. Some of 
them. ]]

++How much?++

[[ Not very many. Most is still gibberish. All the sounds run together. ]]

++Still...that's incredible.++

[[ No, you don't give me near enough credit. I'm very smart. Beautiful,
too. ]]

Ash chuckled. ++Yes, you are.++  He concentrated, then pursed his lips
and made the strange clicking noises again. ++Is this better?++

[[ I caught that. When did you practice? ]]

++Spent part of the night thinking about it. 
     Just needs some concentration.
     It is faster, though.++

[[ The part of the night you weren't mating, anyway. ]]

++You just don't worry about that.++

[[She makes you happy. I can feel it. I like Sunny and Ipsy, too. ]]

++You can...feel it?++

[[When I'm close to you I...I *feel* things! I know they're not my
emotions. ]]

++Oh, that. Yes, when I'm close by, you'll be able to feel what I'm 
feeling, and vice versa.++

[[So, you can feel how hungry I am? ]]

++ Yes, I can. I'll be right back.++

[[Ash- ]]

++Yes?++

[[ Will I be able to fly today? ]]

++You should. That last sleep did you a lot of good. I think I'll pick 
out a saddle from stores whilst I get your food.++

[[ It'll be fun for us to fly together. ]]

++First, you get to fly. I have to see how you handle it.++

[[ You will be riding today, won't you? ]]

++Yes, I will.++ Wyndamenth could tell something was wrong,
something didn't feel right.

[[ Did I do something wrong? ]]

++Of course not. It's going to be...strange...to ride again. To actually
be in the saddle, alone with a dragon, I mean. I'll get your food, all this
hunger you're feeling is starting to make me hungry, too.++

[[ If you say so. You need to eat, too, you're too thin. ]]

++Yes, mother.++

****************

***Ash***

Ash knelt, examined the bottom strap. It was a strange fit, but it 
would work; Wyndamenth was thinner and longer than average, 
almost snake-like. He pursed his lips, coded: ++It'll fit. You need to 
gain weight, too. You might, after you start hunting for yourself.++

[[ When will that be? ]]

++As soon as you're able to take off and land without crashing.++

[[ Ooo, humor! I love it! You need to do more of that. ]]

++I don't normally lend myself to jokes. Sol...used to do that.++

[[ Sorry. Ash, I want to do something. ]]

++What's that?++

[[ Can we go out and fly now? ]]

++The other new riders will be flying later today, probably this 
afternoon. Why not wait till then?++

[[ Because I can't wait! And because you're not a new rider, you know
what to do. And, because I'd feel, well, strange.. flying with my 
hatchmates. ]]

++I think we can wait...++

[[ And because I want it to just be us out there, flying. Us and no one
else. You're going to be nervous, too, aren't you? Would you rather 
look uncomfortable in front of all those other riders? ]]

++You're too smart for your own good, you know that?++

[[ And beautiful, too, don't forget that. ]]

**********

(outside, close to the green, dawn)

++It's still pretty dark out...are you sure you want to do this? Can you even
see the ground?++

[[ You had me stare at this incline all the way up. I've got it memorized
already. ]]

++I don't want you breaking a leg. I can't believe we're doing this. Sandor
will not be pleased.++

[[ Sandor is not my rider, you are. ]]

Ash sighed. ++All right, extend your wings...feel the breeze against them?
That's right, move the backs more toward the ground, you'll have more lift.
Now just run down the slope, don't worry about flying. You can fly on the
next run; just feel the air against your wings, position them so that you get
the greatest resistance. If you leave the ground, that's okay, too. Just don't
follow it.++

After a couple of runs down the slope (difficult because of Wyndamenth's 
shorter legs and longer body), she ran, flapped, caught the breeze...

...and was flying. Ash squinted, seeing her silhouette against the rising 
sun, feeling the joy in the dragon even tens of feet away. She was 
beautiful...and his.

His dragon. Somehow, fate had conspired to knock his off his feet again.
After everything was taken away, suddenly he had it all back. What a sad
thing, though, that his happiness came on the misfortune of another.

Wyndamenth swooped, dived, went through a few wobbly turns, clicking
her delight. 

[[ I'm flying! Flying!! ]]

Not for the first time, Ash regretted not having a mental rapport with her.
Did she have to be so loud? She was going to wake the whole warren!
At least dragons that were already up and about weren't rushing to 
investigate.

Wyndamenth dived again, coming in slowly, and landed with scarcely
a trip on the green. [[ That was fantastic!! I want to do it again.]]

++Wait...let me show you something. You can take off from a standing
start. And this time, please, not so loud.++

[[ I wasn't loud. Everything seems louder to you since you don't want to 
get caught. ]]

"Smart ass dragon."

[[ I caught that. So, are you going to ride me now, or not? ]]

++Let's show you a standing take-off, first...++

It was incredible, like he had never left. He was in the air, and Sol
was turning, and the wind was flying past his hair...

No, it was Wyndamenth. Ash felt a flash of guilt. This was her
moment, too, and he was being selfish. Wyndamenth was his 
dragon now.

He patted the back of her neck, indicating directional turns to try.
They had worked this out in advance, and he was able to commun-
icate a lot with a minimum of effort. Wyndamenth was joyful; through
their contact he could feel the happiness that she radiated. Oh, the
joy of riding again. He missed it.

All too soon, the flight was over. They landed, almost perfectly, on 
the green. Ash wasn't suprised to see Laya standing there, waiting 
on them.

She was smiling. "Couldn't wait, could you?"

"I could, Wyndamenth couldn't." Ash slid off the neck-saddle, taking 
his new mate into his arms. 

[[ Ohh is that what my name sounds like? That's wonderful. ]]

"Looks like you two have no problems up there. She looked like she
had been flying forever."

[[ What is she saying? ]]

++That you fly well. I think so, too.++

[[ Is that all you can say? We did it! So, when can we teleport? ]]

++You're a bossy thing, aren't you?++  Ash shook his head. "She's 
wanting to teleport already."

"Why not? You've got her halfway there."

"Maybe later... I've got to explain to Sandor why we're not going to 
be there today."

"Oh, I doubt that he'll be too miffed."

"We'll see, won't we?"

**************
(Sandor's office, early morning)
 
"Come in."

Ash'chenon walked in, saw that Sandor was sitting at his desk, poring
over forms. 

"Paperwork never stops, does it?"

Sandor looked up. "For every form I fill out, it seems two more take its
place. Please, have a seat."

Ash sat. "I wanted to talk to you about Wyndamenth."

Sandor grunted. "Sorry about that. You just caught me by suprise, that's
all. So, how is it with her?"

"I think she'll stay. She wants me to be her rider. Actually..."

"Actually, you already are. Dinnan told me." He looked at Ash 
meaningfully. "At the crack of dawn, yet."

"I know, we should have waited. I...felt the need to do it, though. It
was a bonding, sort of, flying together. We needed to be alone."

"If you were a new rider, I'd have your ears nailed on that wall over there."
Sandor sighed. "But, it appears that you have ridden before. And, that
you know what you're doing. I would appreciate it, in the future, that you
let me know before you do things like that. I had a bad moment, waking
up to the news."

"Agreed. We have to work out how to do teleports...I can't send her an
image. Thankfully, once she sees anything, she can remember it. We'll
be there for the formation flying."

"All right, I'll expect you then."

Ash stood, crossed to the door. "Sandor..."

"Yes?"

"I...think we got started off on the wrong foot, somehow. I don't want
to escalate it, especially if we have to work together. I'd rather not have
this kind of tension that's in the air at the moment, it puts me on edge. 
If I offended you, somehow, I apologize." Bowing his head, he left the 
room.

******************

(the green, noon)

++Okay...you remember the image of the top spire when we flew over it?++

[[ Of course I do. I'm ready. ]]

++Think hard...hold the image...++   Ash took a deep breath.  ++Now!++

There was a fleeting second of nothing, then they were in the air over the
spire. Ash let out his breath. 

++Perfect.++

[[ That was so easy!! I was worried over nothing. ]]

++You should be. We're limited. Traditionally, the new riders go some-
where, now that they can teleport. I can't send you images, so we don't
have anywhere to go.++

[[ Yes we do.  I got an image from Sunny and Ipsy last night. ]]

++Where?++

[[ Whiteriver. I want to see where you come from. I want to see Solaris,
too. ]]

++Whiteriver?? I don't think so.++

[[ Why not? ]]

++I don't think I could handle it. There are too many memories there.++

[[ Ash, I could feel your excitement before you hid it. You want to go.
Now that we're together, you don't have to hide from them any more. ]]

++Oh, is that what I'm doing?++

[[ I think so. And if you go, you'll get to not be so haunted by what
happened...I don't know the word for it, but you won't have to dwell on 
it so much. ]]

++It's called closure. And I think you really are too smart for your own
good.++

[[ It just seems right to me. ]]

******************

"You want to do what?"

"Go to Whiteriver. Exorcise some of these memories. Look at where
Sol is...and see how things have changed. Now, do you want to go 
with me? We should only be gone a day or so..."

"Oh, love, I can't. The girls won't want to leave Sabbith, and I don't want
to leave the girls. Besides," she said, moving close to him, "I need to look
at an apartment."

"Won't the one I have do? I'll stay,then."

"No, you don't." She kissed him. "This is your moment. Yours and 
Wyndamenth's. I want you to go, if you think it will help you. Just
come back to me."

Ash chuckled. "Of course I will. I'm not leaving you, you're far too precious
to me."

"Mmmm....and don't let all those women turn your head, either."

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy, there?"

"Absolutely, love." 

"Not to worry, I am well spoken for. Promise."

"When are you going?"

"Probably late this afternoon."

"So late? What are you going to do until then?"

"Practice flying and teleports for one, for another..." Ash picked Laya up
and carried her into the bedroom.

"Do you really think you need practice with *that*?"

************** 

++Are you really sure you want to do this?++

[[ It will be good for us, I think. And I really want to see your home.
I'm ready. ]]

++All right then...let's go.++  Rider and dragon swept up into the
air, Wyndamenth's blue blending with the blue of the sky before
they vanished.
__________________

Allen Veazey
Ash'chenon and Wyndamenth and Solaris (sorta)