Merissa helped her passenger down from Chrysthal after they landed near
the hatchling barracks.  This odd woman, Xanthia, seemed to walk in a fog,
and even while Merissa and Trinale took extra time introducing her to the
new searchlings, she seemed distant, and perhaps disinterested.

Chrysthal assured Merissa that Xanthia did infact have an affinity, a very
strong affinity, having already been able to communicate with her and the
other dragons.  Merissa shook her head, as she left, wondering how Xanthia
would fair, but leaving her with the promise that if she needed anyone,
that she should contact her immediately -- even through Chrysthal if that
were necessary.

Merissa tiredly returned to her own apartments.  A hot bath was forefront
in her mind.  And Th'rin still owed her from this morning, a smile
crept across her tired face as she envisioned a hot bath *with* Th'rin.

However, she was startled to be greeted instead with a loud wailing.

"Oh, great you're home!!"  came Th'rin's excited cry as Merissa came into
the kitchen.  He stood over a pot of boiling milk with a redfaced Oberon
clutched in one arm.  "How do you know when the milk is ready?"

Merissa stared open mouthed.  "Ready?  ready for what? and what is *he*
doing here?  Shouldn't he be in the med center?"

Th'rin gleefully responded, "Oh, no, B'rill and Clarrissa both agreed that
he could come home today -- isn't that fantastic?  But he's hungry..."

"I can *hear* that!"  Merissa was almost shouting to be heard above
Oberon's pitiful wails.  "I think you only need to warm it, not boil it!"
Merissa found herself taking the pot off the stove.  "Th'rin, I think we
need some help!"

"Yes, perhaps you're right... I'll go find Racine!"  Th'rin deposited the
sobbing Oberon in Merissa's arms and dashed out of the apartment in search
of his step-mother.

Oberon hiccupped, suddenly gone quiet.  Merissa stared down into his eyes,
so wise for one so little.  He was studying her, she felt.  "Poor baby,"
She found herself humming, her beautiful voice soothing the baby.

She cradled him in her left arm -- it seemed ... natural -- she noticed
the container of baby milk that Clarissa had obviously labeled when she
sent it with Oberon.  She laughed softly at Th'rin's ability to be so
"scientific" about somethings, like medicine, but miss something so
obvious as a label that gave directions on how to feed an infant!

Merissa poured out a small amount of the baby's milk into a bottle and
warmed it gently under warm running water.  Oberon's hiccups had lessened,
and they were interspersed with small wimpers by the time the bottle was
warmed.

By the time Th'rin had returned with Racine, Merissa and Oberon were fast
asleep curled up together on the bed -- the crib in the "nursery" 
forgotten.

*****
The morning came too early.  Oberon had slept well for 4 hours, and awoken
hungry.  Th'rin, used to night shifts, immediately took charge, with
enough noise to wake the dead.  Merissa sat up in bed and groaned.

"Love, I think it would be great if you would just bring him a
bottle....and we could all get back to sleep.  His diaper's fine, he
doesn't need stimulation, he just needs feeding...."  She sighed.

Lights blazing, Th'rin bounded out of the room to fetch the required
item, while Oberon's pitiful wails echoed again through her apartments.
But by the time Th'rin returned, Oberon was wide awake, and there was no
more sleep to be had.

Happily, Th'rin oo'ed and ah'ed over his little charge.  "Look Merissa, I
think he is smiling at me!"

Merissa groaned again, "No, it's gas."

"No, Merissa, he's smiling... he's... Ewwww"  Th'rin looked perplexed as
half of the baby's milk came back out of that smiling face, all over
Th'rin's torso and the sheets.

Merissa laughed, "Yes, I can see that smile!"  And she laughed more, when
the smile turned into a scrunched up, red-faced grunting, that resulted in
liquidy brown poop coming from the other end, all over Th'rin's legs and
the sheets.

"Don't worry, I'll clean it!"  Th'rin called as Merissa, laughing
hysterically (also from lack of sleep), walked out of the room.

*****
"Amazing the resemblance!"  Merissa agreed.

"Yes, they have to be sisters!"  Trinale afirmed, as they sat in Trinale's
office discussing the new searchling candidates, and Xanthia in
particular.  "It is so uncanny, the hair, the size -- only the eyes..."

"And the personality.  She is odd.  The villagers were right on that one."
Merissa noted.  "But I think it is amazing how she can communicate so
clearly with Chrysthal."

"And me," Trinale nodded a bit flustered.  "She spoke right into my mind
as if she were a dragon and not a human."

"I have Aradia's posessions...  Th'rin thought we should keep them for
Oberon, for when he is older and asks about his family, his birth
parents... Do you think I should share them with Xanthia?  I mean, she has
so little..."

"I think that is a great idea!" Trinale enthused.  "Oh, but speaking of
family...  that brings to mind the next candidate, a girl named Ashelle.
She has to meet your mother..."

Merissa felt her blood pressure rise a bit with the mention of *her*
mother.  "And why would you want to subject this poor girl with such a
meeting?"  Merissa tried to smile.

Trinale laughed, knowing her friend was only slightly joking.  "She sings,
and she has requested that she be allowed to sing for the Warren.  Since
your mother is the resident Bard, I thought it only right..."  She smiled
at Merissa.

"Okay, I'll make the arangements, but I warn you, Mother has no patience
for amateurs -- unless they are very, very good."

They spoke some more about a few of the candidates and their chances of
joining and being productive members of the warren, breaking when word
came that the search party had returned, once again with little news of
the lost children.

*****
NRPG: I'm skipping a bit, as none of my characters were involved in the
"rescue".  Just assume they were about :).   Morgie, please feel free to
write Merissa showing Xanthia about, and perhaps Aradia's belongings.
Kris, I don't know where you want to go with Oberon, but Merissa is
warming :) if reluctant.
*****

J'red was surprised to get "watch" duty again.  His luck of the draw, he
suposed, with his partner off rescuing the kids...  Well, he couldn't have
been much help there anyway...

<Feeling sorry for yourself, again?> Firefly's thoughts interrupted
J'red's contemplations.  <And isn't being on watch an important job?  Just
think of those rogues that stole Chrysthal's eggs!  If *I* had been the
watch dragon, they wouldn't have gotten within miles of those eggs>

J'red found himself smiling.  <No, I am just thinking!> But the truth was
he had been feeling down, but the playfulness of his dragon made him
realize how foolish he was. 

Suddenly a black dragon appeared above the warren.  Firefly lifted
immediately off his perch, challenging.  <Bruteth!>

J'red's blood ran cold.  This man had dared to come back after what he had
done to those children!

J'red found his own voice and yelled at the man -- but the wind whipped it
away, making it ineffectual.

<*We need Help*> Bruteth called to Firefly

<We cannot help you, you have been banned from Whiteriver!  Take your
rider and go!>  Firefly responded.

<@Firefly, my rider requests that you allow Bruteth to land. He needs to
speak with him about the hatchlings@> Came a sudden request from Fayloth.

The red dragon circled the black angrily, <Well, they've had a change of
heart ... you *can* land ... but I and my rider will be with you!> Firefly
promised menacingly.

They landed on the green, the red dragon right beside the big black.
J'red dismounted quickly, his curiosity, as well as his duty compelling
him.

When K'leve tried to rush the med center -- and Saul -- J'red jumped in
and along with two others, held the big man back.

The man's former mate came out of the med center.  The normally quiet and
unassuming Racine surprised them all.  J'red was amazed at how strongly
she spoke.  But K'leve became a wild thing, and it took all of J'red's
concentration to keep the animal from breaking free.  He felt Firefly's
aggitation, as well.

<If he were not a joined rider, I'd flame him!>  Firefly grunted in the
direction of Bruteth, who also did not miss the intent.

Trinale came at a run with J'red's partner Derry, along with other
dragonriders, drawn by the disturbance.

*****
Merissa and Th'rin had finally taken a break, leaving a sleeping Oberon in
the capable hands of Mara, Th'rin's younger half-sister, when Chrysthal
and Areena informed them of Bruteth and K'leve's return.

They weren't far, and instead of heading to the dining hall as they
intended, they went quickly towards the med center, arriving just in time
to see Racine exit the building and step bravely between the advancing
(though restrained K'leve) and Saul.

"Racine!"  Th'rin called, though his voice could not carry above the din.

However, all went suddenly silent as Racine lambasted her former mate.
Her eyes raised once from their duel with K'leve's to meet, and smile at,
Th'rin's.

Though K'leve sputtered, he was obviously deflated, as Racine, with new
found courage turned her back on the man that had once been her sole
reason for life, and entered the medical center.

Merissa, grinning, squeezed Th'rin's hand.  Yes, K'leve had been foolish
to return, but it sure was great to see him finally getting his.

****
NRPG: Sorry it has taken so long to get this post finished!  Started it a
few weeks ago.  Life, however, intervened, with a short trip to S.
Carolina, and then returning with awful colds -- and Jessica has the
croup!  But, no excuses.  I should have sent the first half as it was.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
   /^\      /^\              \^=^/            Submitted  By
  /  `._   /  `._            | `,O'--^-^:     Arlene Jacobs
 ( : :  `.(  : : `.         /|'.^.)___.''     -=-=-=-=-=-=-     
 | : :`. `:_ : : `|_       /`. '.)               Merissa
  \/^|._ _. \_  ._ _\_   /`. '.')'             Junior-Queen
     \/. :-._`|  .: |_\/`.'_.-.).\     __       Rider  of
        \/. ..,`.\__/.,'^\...'-)  )__/^;;)     Chrysthal of
          ^\/ ._,_... |   \.,--)______/     Whiteriver Warren
            <> \/ | .. (   \._)___ __       -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
                __| ., '\________(,;;)           Andahar
                |. /^\')______)                  Rider of
            __/. / . \)______)\                  Bohoc of
 _/\_/\__/\/..  ( ... )______)_)___           Cleft Warren
<__|__|__|__|___(__|____;;; ____;;;) aej     -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Arlene E. Jacobs" <jacobs@wsnet.com>
Visit my Home Page: http://www.neosoft.com/~acoustic/arlenejhp.html