Cali and Lute reached the Green just as the sun was edging it's way above
the horizon in a burst of crimson and gold.  But early as they were, their
new partners were earlier still.


"Good morning!  Cali called cheerfully as she approached the young woman.
"A fine morning for our first patrol together. Trinale's says you know a lot
about the Wastes?"


"I've spent some time there... yes"  Titania said, her tone full of laughter
for the understatement  "Trinale felt I might be of help in finding out why
certain plants and creatures are no longer present."


"Good!"  Cali nodded quickly  "It's been causing some concern recently.
Some of the medicinal plants needed by the other Warrens only grow...
grew.."  Cali corrected herself  "..grew here in the South.  I've been
keeping an eye on things for a while now... and it hasn't happened
overnight.  It's been a gradual thing which is why it's only now beginning
to affect things in the Warren.  I know Trinale has tried to grow some of
the needed plants in her garden, but they don't do well in the conditions here!"


"Well we shall see what we can find."  Titania climbed onto Bishlea's back
"I'm ready whenever you are..."


"OK..."  Cali scrambled hastily onto Lute  "I usually start  from Killaglen
and fly a search pattern out from there.  You cover a lot of ground that
way.  But this morning we'll head straight out to the Wastes if that's
alright with you... I've got someone covering the normal sweeps for me."


"That's fine with me."  Titania told her "We won't have time to overfly all
the Wastes though.  They're vast!"


"Yes, I know."  Cali said  "We'll be starting from the place the normal
patrols stop.  I'll have Lute give Bishlea the image to 'port to in a second."


*Lute.  I need you to give the image of Foster's Point to Bishlea.  She's
never been there before.* 


*****

*See here!  This is where we're going."  Lute told Bishlea  "Near the Dragon
River as it enter The Cleft.  There's a lone black spire called Foster's
Point.  There's where we're aiming for."  Lute sent a vivid picture of the
place they had to go to as she gave the description in words.


*I see it.  Why is it called Foster's Point?"  Bishlea asked curiously  *Who
is Foster?*


*I'm not sure who Foster was.*  Lute replied  *Not really anyway.  He's
mentioned in some if the songs the human's sing, and he was a hero.*


*What's a 'hero'?*


*Don't know... but they make for good songs!  Now if you've got that image
we can go*


*****

The two dragons finished conversing, leapt high into the air, and vanished....


<..>


Scene:  In The Cleft


They'd been flying straight for an hour, the ground speeding by under the
dragon's wings when Lute suddenly said;


*There's something down there.  Close in by the walls.  I'm not sure what it
is because we're too high.  Bishlea sees it too!*


*Well we're go lower for you to have a better look.*  


Cali leaned over slightly to see if she could catch a glimpse of whatever it
was, but they were far too high for human sight.  She looked towards
Bishlea, and saw Titania pointed downwards, just as Lute told her that her
partner agreed they should go lower.


As they circled lower, Cali stained her eyes to see what the shapes were,
but the sun was in the wrong place to make seeing easy, and it wasn't until
they were almost on top of the shapeless mounds half lying in shadow that
she realised they were human figures.


*Land Lute.  Quickly.  And tell Bishlea to do the same.*  Cali sent urgently
*We might be able to do something for them.....*


*They don't look alive to me.*  Lute told her  *But I've told Bishlea, and
her rider agrees with you.*  She backwinged neatly, landing bare feet away
from the bodies, and flipped her wings closed to allow room for Bishlea's
descent.


The sight that met Cali and Titania's eyes was horrific.  The man was badly
Wraith burned, and his clothes were ragged and eaten away, probably from the
attack that had left him injured.  As they came closer she realised that he
was missing the lower part of the left arm, and the stump was still charred
and smoking.  Fighting sickness Cali stooped down next to him, sure that he
must be beyond any help that she could give him....


"He's still alive!"  she called in astonishment  


"And so is this little one.  Although by all rights she should have died
long since.  He... no she... looks half starved as well.  I wonder what
happened here."  Titania called back


Cali tugged at the man, trying to turn him so she could see his face, see if
she could place where he came from.  When she finally got him onto his back
she was none the wiser however, his features were unfamiliar, alien to any
she'd seen before in the Lands.


"Whatever happened to these didn't happen here."  Titania said as she came
to stand by Cali   "The Wraith burns are many days old, and the child's legs
were full of infection.... I can see why he felt he had to amputate."


"He cut one of her legs off?"  Cali asked, looking towards the small figure


"Both."  Titania replied  "The stumps are blackened, and there is no
bleeding.  Whatever he used cauterised as it cut.  I'm not so sure that was
a blessing though.  The child is near to death from her wounds."


"We should get them back to the Healers as quickly as we can."  Cali decided
"If you'll help me get him up on Lute, you can take the little girl."


She looked towards the man's severed fore arm, reluctant to just leave it
for the scavengers, but knowing she wouldn't be able to bring herself to
touch it.  And there was the little girl's amputated legs too.....


*Lute would you mind digging a hole for me?*  Cali asked apologetically
*I'm sorry to ask, but.....*


*I think I understand.*  Lute was sympathetic  *Does it need to be very
deep?  The ground here is very hard.  I won't be able to dig it big enough
to hold the dead animal though.*  


*Anything will do sweet.  Just so long as scavengers can't get at them.  We
can make a cairn too.  That'll make it harder for anything to dig it up
again.  And thanks, love.  I couldn't manage without you.*


*I know!*  Lute's tone was smug as she went to start the digging.


"What's she doing?"  Titania asked as she lifted the small child into her
saddle and strapped the poor little thing securely to the harness


"Grave for the severed limbs."  Cali replied  "I couldn't just leave the
here.  As soon as she's finished we can get the man on her back and head
back to the Warren with them.  If you will give me a hand collecting rocks
for a cairn...."


<..>


Cali climbed up behind the man securely strapped into her saddle and held
him close to her to steady him as they took off.  She looked again at the
strangely glowing scimitar they'd been unable to pry from his grasp.
Whatever it was the mystery would have to wait, the two needed attention now....


*Ready?*  Cali thought at Lute  *Then take us back to Whiteriver!*


The two dragons rose rapidly, teleporting back to the Warren before they
were a safe margin from the ground....


<..>


They burst into the air above the Green, and Lute and Bishlea began bugling
for attention, so that when they landed with their burdens the Healers were
already waiting for them.....


Submitted by


Caliban & Lute


NRPG

Gwen/Adam ... I've taken outrageous liberties with your characters.  Please
forgive me if I've got them wrong.

Kat/Lyn... Sorry it took so long.  I hope to be able to keep up a little
better from now on ;p
-- 
Les

the voice and soul of

Timi Caplain  CMO    USS Javelin        T'beth  Counsellor     USS Magellan 
Lillith the Mage         Broken Lands      Minty, Kirimith's rider  Dragon Lands
                          Caliban, Lute's human,  Dragon Lands
Naomi, QueenRider to Amethyst, Norwall's WarrenLady,  Dragon Lands

Come and visit me at  http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5902