Day 16...evening

L'rian sat by Caitlin's bed, holding her hand. He spent most of his time
here in the med center when he wasn't patrolling. Lorelei had been
spending a good deal of time with Trinale and Derry, who were trying to
keep her occupied, and keep her mind off of what had happened to her
mother.

L'rian sighed. Caitlin's eyes were vacant. She would follow simple
instructions to stand, lift an arm, or open her mouth for bites of food,
but it was though none of the world around her really registered. Trinale
would come in and beg her mother to talk to her, and leave in tears almost
every day. 

L'rian stroked the hair of the woman he loved so very much. He knew that
woman was still in there somewhere, if only she would come out again to be
with him. Suddenly, his breath caught in his throat. Were her bright green
eyes looking at him? Or was it just a trick of the light?

"Caitlin?" he whispered, his hand gone still in her hair.

"Let me go to her...." Caitlin's voice cracked with unuse.

"Go to her?" L'rian said, knowing he should rush and get a healer, but not
being able to leave her. "Trinale?"

"Ariel..." Caitlin's voice breathed her name.

Tears sprang to L'rian's eyes, knowing what she asked. "I can't,
Caitlin...I can't live without you."

She looked him straight in the eye. "If you love me..." her voice trailed
off as though she were too tired to continue.

L'rian looked at the woman he loved, a pale shadow of her former
self...and knew what he had to do.

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Trinale sat in her office, she shoved the papers away from her. She knew
it was time to go visit her mother, but she had been putting it off. It
was so hard to see her lying there, not speaking, not really alive. She
sighed. Maybe it was time to follow Th'rins advice and send her to
Tinobel. Trinale just couldn't bear for her to be so far away from those
who loved her. Maybe she could take a leave of absence and go with her,
leave Merissa in charge. She would go talk to Th'rin and her father about
it. She slid back her chair.

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(It's time, Dandy) L'rian said to his dragon, knowing this was going to be
hard, but it was the right thing to do, the only thing he could do.

Dandy landed outside the window of the med center. L'rian climbed out the
window, a pale dark haired figure in his arms, her arms around his neck.

He settled them on Dandy's back, and looked deep into Caitlin's eyes. "We
will all be with Ariel again soon, my love."

(Its time, Dandy, tell Trinale now)

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Trinale stepped outside her office, shutting the door, happy that she had
finally made a decision. She felt Dandy's mind touch hers.

(Trinale....your father says to tell you that he and your mother love you
and Lorelei, never to forget that. He is taking your mother to be with
Ariel. Take care of Lorelei.)

Trinale stopped in her tracks and screamed, both in her mind and outloud.
"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Cricket appeared in front of her rider at that moment, as a large red
dragon launched into the air, keening its goodbyes.

"No!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Trinale screamed again as she climbed on Cricket and
Cricket launched in the air in a vain attempt to stop the red dragon.

Just as Cricket attempted to teleport in front of the red, the red and its
riders disappeared from sight.

Dragons around the warren keened in despair as one of their own teleported
away into nothingness. There was a slight break in the keening for only a
second as they waited for Cricket and her rider to reappear, having failed
to stop Dandy. It was only a moment before the dragons realized that
Cricket was gone too. Their keening doubled in strength as they realized
that the young Queen and her rider were gone.

Sadly, but Respectfully, Submitted,
Trinale and Cricket
aka Kat Robertson

NRPG: Someone take care of Lorelei please.....

I am sad to go...this is a wonderful group, but I have to cut back. There
is too much in my life right now. I still would like to lurk on the list
please.

                         ("`-/")_.-'"``-._
                          . . `; -._    )-;-,_`)
                         (v_,)'  _  )`-.\  ``-'
                        _.- _..-_/ / ((.'    
                      ((,.-'   ((,/
                         
             To take a risk or play it safe...how precious
             the right to choose is. Because I've never been 
             one to play it safe, I choose to try.

                  Kat Robertson (katmandu@indy.net)
                    http://www.indy.net/~katmandu        
                            ICQ #6812944