**Aeryin**

Aeryin watched Katla walk off on her crutches, her dragon quickly 
following, with her mouth hanging open in utter shock.  Before the woman 
was out of sight, the gape had turned into a grin and as soon as she was 
out of ear shot, Aeryin started to chuckle.

Now there was someone she could respect!  Finally, she'd met someone who 
would say what was on their mind.  Maybe she'd even like Katla 
eventually, though it would probably be rather one sided judging by what 
the lady had just said to her.

After she had herself under control, Aeryin levered herself up from the 
ground, brushed off her hands, and started to walk towards the  hatching 
barraks.  The dragon followed of its own accord.

Her dressing down from Katla had restored her humor enough so that she 
didn't start barging into rooms.  Well at least she didn't wake anybody 
up until she found an empty room, Arhotarkhe still dogging her heels.

She plopped down on the bed, took of her boots, and crawled under the 
covers.  Everything else could wait til morning.
**************
*Next Morning*
**N'lin**

"Hey, N'lin!"  Katla grinned at her partner as she entered the dining 
hall.  "Ready for patrol?"

He grimaced unconsciously at the though; going out in the sun was 
decidedly unappealing.

She frowned.  "Something wrong?"

"No...  Just a headache."

"N'lin, you've been saying that for days.  Have you gone to the healers 
about it?"

"No."  

"Then let's go."

"What?" he managed, surprised.

"N'lin, you're my partner and like a baby brother to me..."

It was all he could do to hide his wince.  Didn't she have any idea how 
much that hurt, being her "baby brother?"

"Darned if I'm going to let you abuse yourself..."  Katla continued and 
suddenly grinned.  "Don't tell Derry I said that, or he'll think I have 
to obey him when he's doing this..."

He managed to force a chuckle, though his eyes didn't echo is humor.  "I 
should just so he might win once in a while," he teased with a smile and 
let her lead him to the Med Center.

They walked into the Med Center and Katla pointed imperiously to a 
chair, though her eyes were sparkling merrily, and he sat, grateful to.  
She went to find a healer, leaving him to nurse the stabbing pain behind 
his eyes.  

A few moments later, Katla returned with Clarissa.  He pulled a sheepish 
grin out of his bag of tricks and stuck it on his face in reply to the 
healer's raised eyebrow.  

"She's mothering me."  He gestured towards Katla.  "Or she's sick of 
hearing me whine," he added, figuring they'd think he was better if he 
at least tried to keep a sense of humor.

Katla blinked and frowned slightly at his last comment.  Clarissa merely 
snorted derisively and grinned.  "I doubt that, you're more of the 
suffer-foolishly-in-silence type, a typical man."  She held out her 
hand.  "Come on lets go to a room so I can have a look at you."

N'lin took it and let her pull him to his feet, only to plop ungracfully 
back into the chair as his vision turned black around the edges.  It 
took him a bit to register that Clarissa and Katla were peering worridly 
into his face, the healer softly calling his name.

"Sorry, must have gotten up to fast," he mumbled.

"Perhaps," was all Clarissa said.

He shrugged and levered himself carefully to his feet.  He motioned for 
the healer to lead the way and they walked into an room, Katla closing 
the door behind them.

"Sit," Clarisaa said, motioning toward the bed and he complied, suddenly 
too tired to care.

She started examining him, asking him questions that he answered 
listlessly, shrug was no, nod was yes and let Katla add anything else.

"Have you been sleeping well?"  Shrug.

"How's your appetite?" Shurg. Nod.

"How long have you had these headaches?"

"He's had them for a couple days that I've known about, probably 
longer."

And so the examination went, and when the healer was done, she went 
outside of the room with Katla.  He was a little peeved at that, he 
might be young, but he wasn't a little kid, he didn't need to be 
mothered by his partner more then she usually did.

Clarissa was the only one that came back in and he recognized the 
determined expression on her face.

"I want you to stay here for today and rest," she said firmly, probably 
expecting him to resist.

"Fine," he said placidly.

She looked at him a moment and shurgged almost invisibly.  "I'll be 
right back with something to help you sleep."

"Great.  I'll be here," he said, even managing a smile that turned into 
a jaw cracking yawn.

"You better be," she said warningly and he smiled again as she walked 
out the door.
****************************
*Afternoon*
**Aeryin**

Of there own accord, her eyes once again met the dragon's liquid grey 
ones before they flicked away again.  Aeryin had fed the creature, if 
only because when he was hungry so was she, but otherwise, she'd ignored 
him in favor of her broken harp... well tried to ignore him anyway.

She'd had found her thing and hadn't left the room she'd made her own 
since except for food.  Instead she'd tried to fix her harp, which she'd 
known was unfixable the moment she'd opened the case.  But pointless 
labor was better then thinking about yesterday.

"Aeryin?"

She looked up, surprised that anyone would want her.  "Yes?" 

A pretty black haired, odd eyed girl was peeking in.

"The trainer wants to know where you are?"

"I'm right here, child," Aeryin said with a small smile.  "Where am I 
supposed to be?"

The girl blinked.  "A-at training, of course."

Aeryin smiled at the girl's surprise.  "Training for what?"

"Hatchling training," the girl said as if she couldn't believe Aeryin 
didn't know.

"Mmm hmm.  You can come in you know, Miss..?" Aeryin said, patting the 
ground beside her with her hand.

"Ashelle," the girl said as she walked in and sat down.  

"So Ashelle," Aeryin said, plucking one of the few harp strings that was 
in tune.  "What's this hatchling training and what have I missed?"
*************************
**N'lin**

He woke up from his nap like he always woke up these days; with a scream 
of horror, terror ready to leave his lips, and his head about to 
explode.  Somehow he managed to choke down the pain pills Clarissa has 
given him.  It took a while, but it was quicker then waiting the pain to 
fade naturally.  

<You all right now?> Trefoil asked with almost restless worry.

<*Getting there... What's bothering you, other than me?*> N'lin asked, 
laying back on the bed and closing his eyes tight, trying to ease the 
tension there.

<Cricket.>

<*Well what about Cricket?*>

<She can't hear her rider...>

<*What?!*>

<Trinale was dancing and she tripped and hit her head.  Now they can't 
hear each other.  Our lovely queen is crawling up the walls.>

<*I see,*> N'lin said sympathetically, and his sympathy just wasn't for 
the Queen.  <*Is Trinale all right?*>

<From what I've heard, she as well as can be expected.  I don't think 
she's unconscious anymore.>

<*Maybe she'd like some company and song or two...*> N'lin mused half to 
himself.

<You're supposed to be sleeping, N'lin,> Foil chided half heartedly.

<*Who's to know I'm not if you don't tell?  'Sides, the headache is not 
bad at all and Trinale can probably use all the distraction she can 
get.*>

<Oh fine, I'll be quiet, though it won't help if you're caught.>

<*And if I get caught, what are they going to do to me?  They're healers 
for Gods sake.  Don't worry about it.*>

<All right I won't.  Give Trinale Cricket's regards.>

<*Of course.*>

N'lin sat up and walked out the door.  He asked a nurse where Trinale's 
room was and followed her directions.  He knocked quietly on the door, 
when he recieved no answer, he opened it and peeked inside.

"Trinale?" he whispered.
*************************
NRPG: Tag Kat and Jeanette.. I think this all works in the timeline, if 
it doesn't I'm sorry, I'm kinda lost.

Submitted by,
Bridget Olson
N'lin and Trefoil
Aeryin and Arhotarkhe

                            .  ,   
                            . ,`o--Y  
    ____.....------.'      .,' ,,~''   `,------.....____   
''''`    `---.:: ,':       ; ,'         ;`. ;;.---'    '```` 
            `   `:__`-._   `.`.,    _,-'__;'   '         
                 `  `---`---'`'`---'---'  ' 
      ____________________ \`--'/`____________________
       Bridget Olson aka  ```  '''  badei@hotmail.com 
       Dyanisa & Sienra             Daere Warren
       Inagua & Myacura          "  Geode Warren
       N'lin &Trefoil           ''  Whiteriver Warren
       Chelea & Nebavri         ''  Xylian Warren
       N'dovra Leriamtiq       ' '  Ralengarde City
       Lt. <jg> Sirosa Badei   ' '  USS FARADAY
      __________________________' '____________________
                                 -
   "The limits of life are the limits of your imagination."
   
               I am the God of my own universe          
                     What is moral or not             
                           I decide                         
                     What is to be or not             
                           I decide                             
                       What was or not
                           I decide
                  Your are your own God too
                   Make your own descisions
                              -me


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