Saul
***

Saul was in a good mood after having talked to Thorin. Not that it had done
a lot of good, but at least the lad was staying. It would talk probably
more then just a pep talk from him to bring the quiet healer around.
Perhaps that little queen rider would be just the one he needed to bring
him out of his shell.

But Saul's good mood had little to do with Thorin, though more to do with
the recent mating flight. Despite his disappointment in losing, he knew
that this meant there would soon be a hatching, and that meant he could
spend more time in the small town searching out possible candidates, which
meant playing a few hands of cards and probably sweeping a few women off
their feet. He grinned, this was his favorite part of his job as head
searcher for Whiteriver.

He grabbed his lucky bag of gold coins which he took with him on all of his
gambling excursions. Not that it was always lucky, but most of the time it
was. He climbed on Fayloths's back and the two headed out to hit the first
of the small inns that were his goal for the night.

***

It was the third inn he had visited that evening when it happened. He'd
been fairly lucky that night and was rewarding himself with a drink at the
bar, when a young woman stumbled into him. The first thing he was drawn to
was her eyes. A beautiful aqua color that caught his gaze as she apologized
and then ran off. The second thing he noticed was that he should have
stopped her and asked if she was interested in becoming a searchling
candidate as she definitely had the affinity.

The third thing he realized was that his lucky bag was gone. "Hey!" Toby,
the barkeep walked back in to the bar and looked over to see the
dragonrider scowling, "My money's gone!"

Toby growled, "It's that little blonde thief, I'll bet ya .."

"Who?" Saul asked, then his eyes widened in realization, "Not the pretty
one with the eyes .."

"Leave it to you to notice her eyes whiles she's lifting your purse,"
laughed Toby.

"Where can I find her?" Saul growled, not amused.

Toby continued to chuckle merrily at his expense as he told the dragonrider
where to find her. Saul jumped up and went off after the girl.

He barged in through the door where Toby had told him he could find her,
his eyes blazing. Nobody touched his lucky bag!

<<insert Barb's post>>

>"Whiteriver Warren," the man replied, "I, Saul, rider of Fayloth, do so
promise you, Shawnee, that the bad times are behind you now. At Whiteriver
you and you siblings can start over, and no one will care who your parents
are."

Saul could see the disbelief in the young woman's aqua eyes, but before she
could express it the little boy's eyes widened and he asked in awe, "Where
the dragon's live?"

Saul grinned at the boy. "Yes. Lots of dragon's. In fact I know a beautiful
dark blue dragon who is just dying to give you a ride to the Warren."

"Really!" the boy said, delighted at the idea. "We're really going to go?"
He asked turning to face his older sister. 

She frowned, "I don't .."

Saul interrupted her, his blue eyes dancing. "There will be plenty of work.
Good honest work, so you won't have to go around pinching my lucky bag!"

She suddenly looked very guilty.

"Listen, I just want to help the children. If you get there and truly hate
it you can always come back. What do you have to lose?"

"Nothing .." she whispered.

"That's right, and you have the health of your brother and sister to gain."

He knew the young woman was reluctant to come, but he also knew she had
little choice. She wouldn't endanger her siblings. He was right. She
grudgingly gave her consent and Saul headed out to the darkening night
toward his dark blue dragon.

"Will we all fit?" she asked a little nervous.

Saul grinned. "Of course, but you'd better hang on tight." He climbed up on
the dragon's back. Fayloth turned his head back staring at the three
strangers with his bright red eyes. As Saul settled the two little ones
securely in front of him, Fayloth rippled his muscles, attempting to make
himself look even more imposing. 

<Stop it, you show-off.> grinned Saul, <Do you want to scare the children.>

<No, but perhaps I can make the older one hang on even tighter.>

Saul had to bite his tongue to keep himself from laughing out loud as he
turned to the woman with the entrancing aqua eyes and held out his arm.
"Need a lift?" he said with a dashing smile.

She took his hand and he pulled her up behind him pulling the saddle belt
around her and strapping her in. Then her took her arms and wrapped them
around his waist. "Hold on tight," he reminded her with a grin.

As Fayloth jumped into the sky with his powerful rear legs, Saul felt her
arms tighten around him and he grabbed one hand squeezing it reassuringly
as he grinned.

<Home, Fayloth.> he sent to his dragon. Together they pictured Whiteriver
and were instantly teleported there.

<Where's Trinale?>

<Cricket says she's having dinner with Reekor's rider.>

<Reekor?>

<The new wilder.>

Saul frowned slightly, then shrugged, he was sure the girl could take care
of herself .. couldn't she? He sighed deciding he'd have to take the new
guests to see her in the morning.

Fayloth landed and Saul helped the three guests down. "Let's get the little
girl to the medical center." Shawnee didn't fight as Saul picked up the
little girl and headed off with her, the others following closely.

Saul stepped into the Medical center, "Thorin?" he called. One of the
junior staff members popped out of a door, "Where's Thorin?"

"It's his day off today."

Saul frowned, "So who's here?"

"I am," said a female voice behind him. He turned to see Clarissa standing
there.

He smiled, "Ah, Clarissa love, could you take a look at this young girl.
She's burning up."

Clarissa moved instantly to get the girl into a room and begin examining her.

Regards,
Saul & Fayloth
***
NRPG: Well, Barb, welcome to Whiteriver :} Clarissa is an NPC of Kat's. I
know her descriptions in the NPC file. Have fun :} Feel free to have some
fun with Saul if you'd like as well. I'm sure he'd be more then willing to
take Shawnee to dinner ..

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