Saul
***

Saul watched as the lovely Shawnee headed out of  the room to find B'ril.
He drew in a deep breath  and whistled softly, "Oh woman, what you do to me
.." He lay his head down on his pillow and grinned, happily.

It wasn't long before she returned with Clarissa. Saul looked up and
frowned at the two women. "Where's B'ril?"

"He's not coming in till later. He was in late last night," Clarissa
grinned, "So you've got me."

Saul turned his head to Shawnee, "On second thought, let's wait until B'ril
comes in. After all he's the one who's been keeping my records .." He saw
the look on Shawnee's face. She was trying to figure out why he was being
sexist. He groaned, "Nevermind." And buried his head in his pillow.

Clarissa chuckled, and leaned down to whisper in his ear, in a teasing
impersonation of the dragonrider, "It's nothing I haven't seen before,
Sweet Saul."

He looked up at her then toward Shawnee and groaned again, "You two are
loving my discomfort!"

They chuckled and Clarissa began to pull back the blanket's covering. Saul
grabbed at them quickly. "Both of you?"

"Saul, stop being so silly. Someone is going to have to keep an eye on your
.. injury. You certainly can't do it yourself." Clarissa scolded him.
"Unless you want to have to come to the med center regularly to have me
check on it. I just thought it would be easier for Shawnee to do it."

"I just don't like being gawked at," he said.

Clarissa shook her head, "I know better then that! You love female
attention so stop pretending you don't."

Saul reluctantly released the blankets, burying his head in the pillow as
he let Clarissa uncover him, and begin to release the dressing on his ..
injury.  Shawnee tried not to wince at the wraith scared flesh. Clarissa
however, took note of it. "It's actually looking very good, Shawnee. It
barely got through the skin in most places."

"I'll be scarred for life," Saul groaned into the pillow.

"Knowing you, Saul it'll probably heal up into a cute scar that will drive
woman wild."

Shawnee chuckled as Clarissa showed her how to care for the wound and watch
for signs of infection. "You shouldn't have any problem," she said handing
Shawnee a jar of cream. "This heals these burns very quickly. Which is why
it looks as good as it does now. It also will kept the area slightly numb,
so he won't be in much pain. Put it on liberally several times a day until
it's completely healed."

She gently patted Saul's back, "I'm sure you'll have no problem allowing
that." Then with a last chuckled she headed out of the room.

Saul looked up at Shawnee, "I really hate healers .." he groaned.

Shawnee caressed his face gently, "Ah but you can go home now .." she
paused and grinned at him. "Whose home shall we go to .."

Thorin
***

Thorin had fed Areena and gently caresses her back and neck until she feel
asleep. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was .. or how lucky he was.
He couldn't believe it had actually happened. He'd actually joined to a
dragon! And what a remarkable dragon she was. He wished Merissa were here ..

Perhaps he should go find her. She probably didn't even know yet! Yes he
would definitely have to go find her. Giving one last look at the lovely
opalescent dragon laying on the cot, he left the room and headed out to
find Merissa.

He hadn't gone far when the keening began. A tortured, unhappy sound.
<Thorin!> came a cry from Areena, <Thorin .. a dragon has died! My heart
feels so sad!>

<I'm coming, Areena!> He spun around to head to comfort his dragon. 

It was then that a grief-stricken human voice screamed, "PA'GAN!"

For a split second Thorin was torn. His healer instincts called him to
answer the human cry for help .. but Areena.

<I'll be all right until you can come to me, my Thorin.> Areena said. And
while still sad, her voice was supportive, encouraging the young healer to
do his duty as a healer.

He ran toward the voice. As he rounded the corner and headed into a supply
room, his eyes widened with horror. It was Aradia, with a scalpel in hand
digging at her wrist. The dark red blood was already puddleing on the floor
around her.

"No!" he screamed as her ran and grabbed the scalpel from her. Her eyes
stared at him hatefully as she made a grab for the instrument he'd snatched
from her. She caught his arm and began pulling on it to bring the scalpel
within her reach. 

He quickly threw it across the room and then grabbed her as she lunged for
it. "No!" he cried again. "I won't let you do it!"

"I will," she cried, a sob choking in her throat. But he could feel her
giving in, even as the blood loss weakened her to a point she could barely
put up a struggle. As she collapsed in his arms, the sobs gave way and
tears began to flow from her eyes.

Thorin held her, letting her cry even as his eyes searched the room for the
things he would need to bandage her arm.

"Thorin?" he heard a soft voice say. He turned his head to see the young
Warrenlady standing in the doorway.

"Lady Trinale," he said, "Help me."

Trinale's eyes had taken in the sight of the blood puddled on the floor and
smeared on his clothes as well as Aradia's, "What can I do?" she asked her
eyes wide.

"Hold her, while I get her bandaged." 

Trinale nodded and moved to take the tiny Aradia from his arms. "Aradia?"
Trinale said as she began to try and comfort the still sobbing form.

Thorin worked quickly checking the wound on her arm as he applied pressure
and tightly bandaged her wrist. The young woman had almost completely lost
consciousness by time Thorin had finished. He took her from Trinale and
picked her up, carrying her carefully out of the room. 

Without thinking he headed to the room where Areena lay, and gently laid
the woman on the cot he had almost fallen out of earlier that morning.
Areena looked up when he entered and her eyes sparkled, <Thorin.> she said.
<You saved her life.>

He looked at the tiny dragonet, <I hope so, Areena.>

Then the dragonet turned her silvery eyes on the young red-head standing in
the doorway looking confused, <Who are you?>

<You can talk to me like Thorin can.> Areena said matter-of-factly. 

Trinale looked at the young healer who was still busily fussing over
Aradia. <You can talk to Thorin?>

<He's my human. He saved my life. And he saved that woman's life.>

<Yes he did.> Trinale said, still in a bit of shock.

Saul
***

Saul and Shawnee had stepped out of the medical center, with Saul leaning
slightly on her for support. His legs were definitely a bit stiff. He
spotted Fayloth not to far from the medical center. A young child they both
recognized as Ojean, was sitting on one of his forearms talking to him as
the brilliant blue dragon eyed him.

Suddenly Fayloth looked to the sky and a loud sorrowful tone erupted from
the throat startling the boy. He jumped up and backed away from the dragon.
The sound the dragon made was being echoed from every corner of the warren
as all the dragons keened the lose of one of their own.

Shawnee pulled Saul along a little faster wanting to reach the scared
looking child.

<Fayloth?> Saul called to his dragon moving as quickly as his stiff legs
would allow.

<Reekor is no more, my rider. He and his rider are gone.>

Saul couldn't understand, <How?>

<They just left .. Reekor and his rider no longer wanted to be a part of
this world. Now they are gone to nothingness.>

Pa'gan had suicided with his dragon! Saul couldn't fathom why anyone would
want to no longer live. He felt bad for the young rider. He knew he had not
been very friendly and had in fact thought rather poorly of the rider. He
felt a bit guilty about that now.

Shawnee called out to the boy, "Ojean .." 

He turned and looked at his sister, his eyes full of concern. "I didn't
mean to do anything, honest. I was just talking." He looked up at Saul,
"I'm sorry."

"There is nothing to be sorry about, Jeano." The dragonrider told him. "You
didn't do anything." He frowned slightly. "That is the sound dragon's make
when one of their own dies."

Ojean's eyes looked sad, "A dragon died?"

Saul nodded solemnly, "Yes."

Regards,
Saul & Fayloth
Thorin & Areena
*********************************************************************
  |\  /^~~^\  /|
 -qqQ-\O||O/-Qpp------------------------------------------------------
       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Darlea & Makayla, Keldarra Warren, Courier
                      Waylene & Aura, Marrid Warren, Warrenlady
                      Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Dragonrider
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Telnor Warren, Dragonrider
                      Saul & Fayloth, Whiteriver Warren, Searcher
                      Merybelle Barmen, City of Ralengarde, Innkeeper
                http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm
 --d----------b-------------------------------------------------------
        ()
       \()/
        \/