**Nalin**

Nalin fought the temptation to yawn, knowing it would give away that his 
interested face was a mask covering intense boredom.  Not to say that Cali 
wasn't a good teacher, but they had already gone over all of this this morning.  
He contented himself with mentally composing a lively little tune for his pipes.  
He caught a change in her tone and managed to gather his adrift wits quickly 
enough to catch most of what Cali said.

"...each of your here bright and early tomorrow morning,
ready and willing to learn as much as you can about these fascinating
creatures that now own you."

The trainees snickered at her feeble joke, but nodded their understanding
of her orders.

"And you can inform your errant bunkmates that I'm not at all pleased by
their absence this afternoon and that I expect them to drop everything else
they think might be important until they've finished their training.  OK
dismissed!"

Nalin sighed with relief and walked slowly back to the baracks, mindful to wait 
for his dragon.

<Well,> Trefoil started when they had reached their quarters.  <Are you going to 
go help search?>

*Search for what?* Nalin asked with out much curiousity.

<The missing hatchlings,> Trefoil supplied sleepily.

*What are you talking about?* Nalin asked in total confusion.

The green dragonet stretched and yawned.  <Three human hatchlings are missing 
*yawn* If you have nothing better to do you might go search for them...  Oh, 
don't forget your music lesson.>  Trefoil choose at that moment to fall asleep 
before Nalin could ask anything.


He threw the oblivious dragonet a glare full of loving exasperation.  Sighing, 
he grabbed his pipes and went to find Terau.

He found somebody else teaching the students instead.  A lovely blond, blue eyed 
woman was surrounded by the music students.

Nalin walked hesitatantly up to her.  She seemed rather..imposing for some 
reason.  He was about to ask her where Terau was when a silver dragon, Cricket 
he identified, shot into the air, roaring a challenge to those who dared pursue 
her.

He tracked the silver queen through the sky, totally forgetting about the woman 
he was unconsciously looming over, he wondered if there was some way he could 
reproduce that sound...without the dragon that is.  Some kind of brass horn...

The woman cleared her throat, and Nalin jumped and turned to face her. 

"Yes?" she said her tone dripping with disgust.  He was fairly sure it wasn't 
aimed at him, but he felt himself get defensive all the same.  It took an effort 
of will to force his posture back to something less defensive.

"I was wondering if you could tell me where Bard Terau is?" he said, making sure 
his tone was civil.  It took all of his self control not to cringe refexively as 
her blue eyes flashed furiously.


"I don't know where he is," she hissed.  Nalin took a step back, wishing Terau 
was there so he wouldn't have to be the victim of her anger.  "He should be here 
helping me with these musically hopeless warren brats."  She waved her hand 
disgustedly at the children, who thankfully were out of hearing range.   "He's 
probably off enjoying himself with some warren woman," she now waved her hands 
rather forcefully.  Nalin stepped back some more so he wouldn't get an arm in 
the gut.  "Leaving me to teach these..these hopeless incompetents."  Nalin 
decided he was better off searching through the warren for the missing children 
then having music lessons.

"I think I'll go find him.." Nalin said quickly, practically running to get away 
from her.

"If you find him send him here to do his job!" she shouted after him.  Nalin 
pretended he didn't hear and ducked into the dining hall out of her sight. 

He gaped as he watched Trinale tease the male rider's gathered around the table 
with her dancing.  Deciding he was better off outside, he inched his way 
outside.  Looking carefully at that woman, he ran off to see if he could find 
out more about the search for the children.
*************
**Next Morning**
***Trefoil***

Trefoil stared at his rider, vaguely worried, as Nalin sneezed again.  He'd been 
sneezing and coughing ever since he'd gotten back from his futile search for the 
girls.  At first it had been rather amusing...if only because Nalin was so 
annoyed by it.  But Trefoil's amusement had quickly faded when it didn't get any 
better.

<You should go to the Med Center, Nalin,> Trefoil asked, gently nudging his 
rider's leg.

*No reason to,* Nalin said, scratching along Trefoil's eye ridges.

<But your eyes itch and you keep sneezing,> Trefoil protested, looking up into 
Nalin's red rimmed, watery, violet eyes.

*Its nothing..now lets hurry up and get to training before Cali chews us out for 
being late.*

Trefoil snorted.  <Don't talk to me about being late.  I've been waiting for 
you.>

Nalin laughed and sneezed.  *Point taken, lets go.*

<The girls were found last night,> Trefoil said as they walked to where they 
were training.  He glanced slyly at Nalin looking for a reaction.  <Katla and 
Levka's rider found them.>

*That's nice,* Nalin said, his bland tone not fooling the green dragonet for a 
moment.

<Humph, you like her.>

Nalin sneezed and sniffed and sneezed again, but didn't answer.

They joined the rest of the hatchlings, almost on time.  Cali threw them a glare 
but Nalin missed it because he was too busy sneezing.

<I'm hungry you know,> Trefoil said, pointedly.

Sniffling, Nalin went and got some food, looking around.  Trefoil knew exactly 
who he was looking for too.   Katla.  Glancing around, he realized that the 
pretty girl was no where in sight.

<Satinka,> he asked.  <Where are you and Katla today?>

<Katla is at the Med Center because her legs hurt,> she replied, worried.

Trefoil sent her a feeling of reassurance and would have said more except he was 
distracted by breakfast.

When the bowl was empty, Nalin got out the jar of oil and attempted to oil the 
verdant dragonet.  He was sneezing so much that he wasn't getting anywhere.

<Nalin?> Trefoil asked, even more concerned then before.

*I'm all right ^Achoo^ 'Foil,* he managed to reply, just as he dropped the oil.

<Lute,> Foil asked, knowing Nalin was being foolishly stubborn.  <Could you have 
your rider come over here and send Nalin to the Med Center?  He's sneezing so 
much he's not getting anything done.>

<Of course,> Lute said helpfully. <Is he sick?>

<I think so...his eyes are all red and puffy and he hasn't stopped sneezing 
since last night.>

Caliban walked over then, concern written on her face.  "Nalin, why don't you go 
to the Med Center and see if they can help," she said kindly.

He shook his head.  "I'll be..*achoo*..*sniff*.. fine."

She sighed quietly.  "You are going to the Med Center right now, and that's an 
order," Cali said firmly.

"But.."

"Go," she said pointing.

He reluctantly got up and left the training area.  **I'll be right back, Foil," 
Nalin added before he disappeared.

<Thank you, Lute,> Trefoil said, quite pleased with himself.  Sighing, he made 
himself comfortable and went to sleep, thankful that he didn't itch as much 
today.
************
NRPG: Well, Nalin's at the Med Center now with a bad case of aleergies :)

Submitted by,
Bridget Olson
Nalin and Trefoil

Bridget Olson 
Dyanisa and Sienra *Daere*
Inagua and Myacura *Geode*
Nalin and Trefoil *Whiteriver*
N'dovra Leriamtiq *Ralengarde*
Ens. Sirosa Badei *USS FARADAY*

"Life is only as limited as your imagination."*



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