K'leev
***

K'leev sneered as the boy ran from the room. Leave it Thorin to find new
and challenging ways to embarrass him. Surely Trinale could see the use of
getting rid of him! He'd never amount to anything. Certainly never be a
dragonrider as he should have been. Must have been bad blood on him
mother's side.

There was a brief instant of gentleness on his face as he thought of
Heline, Thorin's mother .. but that was pushed aside when Trinale exploded.

>"How dare you! How dare you try to run your sons life for him! We need him
here, his talent with patients and herbs in stronger than almost any healer
we have." 

K'leev glared at the whelp of a girl in front of him, wondering where she
got the gall to speak to him like that!

>Trinale paused and tried to get her anger under control, then said sweetly
"now if you would like to help the new warren so much, perhaps we can
arrange to have you transferred there... after all, they will need
experienced dragonriders very badly."

>K'leev paled at this suggestion, but before he could answer, Trinale
strode away calling back over her shoulder "Please come see me this
afternoon and let me know your decision, K'leev"

K'leev was left glowering at his dismissal. There was nothing left for him
to do but to sit through the meeting. Imagine the though of *him* leaving
Whiteriver. He'd been a dragonrider here for 25 years! And his father
before him, and his father before him .. and probably his father before
him. Going too much further back gave K'leev a headache, but surely as long
as Whiteriver had been around, there was some ancestor of K'leev's riding a
dragon! That is until Thorin ..

Thorin
***

Thorin gasped for breath from his run. Hot tears ran down his cheeks. He
couldn't believe he'd just bolted out of there. He dropped his head in his
hands hating himself for being so insecure. Well, he couldn't go back to
Whiteriver now .. maybe he'd find a cave and live out here away from
everyone, particularly his father!

He stood and looked around at the desolate rocky terrain. He knew he was
being stupid. He had to go back and face the consequences. Even if it meant
being sent to Cleft. Maybe he could do this one thing right for a change.
He would do it right. He'd tell Trinale, that he would go to Cleft .. a sob
caught in his throat at the thought.

It was then he noticed a commotion a short distance away. He moved
cautiously toward where two small feline creatures were chasing each other
around the entrance of a cave. He would have continued on had he not
noticed the mottled green egg which the two cats were rolling around as
they played.

They were going to kill whatever was inside there. He instantly ran toward
them flailing his arms. The two cats hissed and ran off. Thorin moved to
the egg, which was only about half as big as the smallest dragon egg, and
touched it gently. The shell was still soft. It was possible that whatever
was inside of it was already dead from the play of the cats. Though it
still felt warm which gave the young healer hope.

He wasn't sure what kind of an egg it was. It was too small to be a dragon
egg, though the resemblance was unmistakable. He rolled the egg gently into
the cave and was please to not an area where the sand was quite warm. He
gently pushed the egg into the warm sand then left it there.

Before leaving he covered the entrance of the cave to camouflage it, hoping
to give the egg as much chance as possible of surviving. "I wish I could
check on you, little egg and make sure you make it. But I'm afraid, I'll be
leaving here." He sighed unhappily and continued he trek back to Whiteriver
to do what had to be done.

Saul
***

>"Come in. Come in...." Trinale said "Now, would someone please care to
explain to me what is going on?"

"Lady Trinale," Saul said, "I would like to introduce you to Terau and his
son, Telaran." Said Saul.

<<NRPG: Mia, I'll allow Terau to speak for himself :}>>

***

Suddenly there was a disturbance from outside as a female dragon roared in
challenge. <Who is it, Fayloth?>

<It's the new queen, my rider .. I shall win her!>

Saul felt his dragon's heat as Trinale rushed by him. He followed her as
well as the others out of her office and toward the green. 

Once on the green Saul was only vaguely aware of the presence of anyone
other then the petite form of the queenrider, as Fayloth gave chase to her
lavender dragon. The queen taunted and teased the males following roaring
as she went.

Thorin
***

As he entered Whiteriver and headed toward the Warrenlady's office he heard
the roar of a mating female. He almost ignored it, as he wanted to get this
over and done with, but felt his usual sense of curiosity get the better of
him, as he turned to look up into the sky, to see which female it was today.

He's heart dropped as he saw the flash of metallic hide soaring, followed
by the spectrum of males. He quickly searched the crowd looking for her
rider. His eyes fell on the group of males. He knew that's where she was,
her small form hidden by the numerous men surrounding her.

He wanted to break away and look anywhere else, but he couldn't, he had to
see who would win her. Who would be the lucky man to find himself wrapped
in her arms.

The crowd thinned as one by one males dropped out exhausted. When all had
cleared, he saw her locked in an embrace with his father! K'leev had won!
Once again his father had managed to come out on top!

K'leev
***

K'leev chortled in triumph as Bruteth swept down on the dragon snagging her
for his own. He turned to see the petite young woman moving toward him. He
gladly took her in his arms, kissing her waiting lips.

He picked her up and carried her away from the crowds, to a place where
they could be alone and undisturbed so their passion could be played out
and ultimately satisfied. He was not aware of the fact that his only son
stood watching them, heartbroken. Of course had he been aware he would have
thought only that it served him right for thinking above his station.

Thorin
***

Thorin watched his father carry Merissa away and his head dropped as he
fought back the tears. He knew this would happen. Dragon's mated, and their
riders along with them .. but his father! It was too much for him to take.
Perhaps his father was right again.

He spotted Trinale talking with Saul and L'rian and a couple of strangers.
He didn't want to disturb them, but he had to get this over with.

"Trinale," he said quietly.  She had apparently not heard him the first
time, though Saul saw the young man and directed Trinale's attention to
him. The Warrenlady turned to look at Thorin.

"Thorin," she said gently, "I'm so sorry about what happened earlier .. I
just want you to know that you don't have to go to Cleft if you don't want."

"I think it would be best." He said not meeting her eyes, but looking
toward the directions K'leev had taken Merissa.

Trinale frowned and pulled him to the side, away from the others, "Thorin,
I won't make you stay if you don't want. But I want you to know that I
don't want you to go. And neither does B'ril. Whiteriver needs you."

Thorin looked up at her, "Even though I'm not a dragonrider." Trinale could
hear the self condemnation in his voice.

"Not everyone can be a dragonrider. And not everyone can be a healer. You
have a talent and a skill that very few people do.  Which is why you are so
important around here."

Thorin shook his head, "I'm not important. I just get in the way."

Trinale sighed, she didn't know how to get through to him. She felt a
strong hand on her arm and she looked up to see Saul. "Go on back to our
guests, little flower." He whispered quietly, "I'll speak to Thorin."

She looked at him gratefully and moved back to Terau and his son. Saul put
an arm around the young man, "Come with me, Thorin, we have a few things we
need to talk about."

Thorin didn't have the heart to protest. Saul was one of those who, like
B'ril and Clarissa, had always had faith in him. Yet he continued to let
him down. He followed the dragonrider into the dining hall and to a quiet
table in the back. He watched the smooth actions of Saul as he smiled and
bowed to the ladies as he went.  Saul definitely had a way with women,
something Thorin would never have.

Saul took a seat and motioned Thorin into one. "I think we are having a
miscommunication here."

Thorin looked at him confused. 

Saul continued, "You seem to think that because you haven't joined, you are
not important here."

Thorin nodded, "You should know, Saul. You're the one who recommended me as
a candidate, and I've failed you every time."

"You haven't failed me. Sure you may not have found a dragon, but that
doesn't mean you failed. Do you remember when Deanna was killed?"

"How could I forget, I failed then too."

Saul shook his head, "No you didn't. Deanna was dead before she was brought
in. There wasn't anything you could've done. But what about Rupert?  Or
Th'naya?  And especially young Reesy. She wouldn't be here if it weren't
for you."

Thorin met the dragonriders eyes, about to protest that he hadn't really
done anything special. But Saul wouldn't let him, "Do you think I could've
done that. Or your father?

Thorin shook his head at the thought. K'leev didn't even like to be around
people with colds, let alone injured people.

"You see, no one else could've done it."

"B'ril.. and Clarissa.."

"Sure, but they were both busy. Thorin, what if something like that happens
again, and you're not here. B'ril and Clarissa can't do it alone.
Whiteriver needs you."

Thorin nodded, but Saul could see there was still something bothering the
young man. "So what else is it?"

Thorin shook his head, "Nothing."

Saul frowned, "Perhaps I can help."

Thorin shook his head, "No, you would never have this problem, Saul."

"What problem is that?"

The young healer sighed, "Merissa."

Saul grinned, "The pretty little queenrider, Merissa?" Then her frowned
realizing what it was that was bothering him, "You mean because she and
your father .."

Thorin cringed, and Saul put a comforting hand on the lad's shoulder, "It's
a mating flight. There's little control in those."

"I know, but my father .. It only goes to prove he's right once again."

"K'leev? Right?" Saul laughed. "You know Thorin, I respect your father as a
dragonrider. He's an excellent ally in combat. But really he's a bastard
any other time. I don't agree with most of what he says, particularly when
it comes to you."

"You don't?"

"No," Saul said, "I don't. And I don't think you should either. Let Merissa
tell you herself how she feels, not what your father thinks she should feel."

Thorin nodded a bit doubtfully.

Saul grinned, "So your staying, right. No more talk about leaving all that
work to B'ril and Clarissa?"

Thorin nodded. "I'll stay. I really didn't want to go .. I just .."

"I know, Thorin .. I know."

K'leev
***

K'leev lay back, very satisfied with himself as he held the light weight of
the queenrider in his arms. The dark mysterious young woman was definitely
enchanting. He could see why Thorin would take an interest in her. However,
the boy needed to learn his place. 

<Good show, Bruteth!>

<Yes it was, wasn't it,> came the satisfied voice of his black dragon as he
lay curled up with the queen.

The woman snuggled into him and whispered, "Thorin," with a satisfied sigh.

K'leev laughed, "Hardly!" Merissa bolted up and looked at the older man in
surprise. K'leev gave a wry grin as he took in the sight of her unclothed
figure. "The father tops the son, wouldn't you say," he added, as he
reached for her.

Regards,
Saul & Fayloth, Thorin, K'leev & Bruteth
***
NRPG: *sigh* Well, that was kinda fun! :}:}

Kristen
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Kristen Gant
(AKA: Darlea & Makayla,  Waylene & Aura, Meena & Vonn, 
Kalewyn & Sabbith, Saul & Fayloth)
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/kris.htm