Day Nine, Early Afternoon *******  

Vasra neatly backwinged to a stop near Trinale's office and Moira 
climbed down regretfully. She found herself wishing the Warren 
were bigger so they could fly longer.  *Maybe after you talk to 
Cricket's rider you and I could fly for a bit?* Vasra asked wistfully. 
Moira felt the weight of obligations heavy on her shoulders, but then 
remembered Truan's saying that she tried to take care of everyone. 
Well, she needed to take care of her and Vasra too. With a smile 
and "we'll try dear!" Moira started for the staircase, only to see 
Xanthia come dashing down and dart towards Maxima, whom Moira 
had not noticed sitting nearby.  

"Where are you off to?" Moira asked, meaning to see how Xanthia 
was doing after the mating flight the previous day. Xanthia babbled 
something incoherently, something about she couldn't talk, it wasn't 
right, Cora had told her and jumped onto Maxima and flew away. 
Moira sighed, feeling her forehead furrow with a frown. Should she 
follow Xanthia or should she talk to Trinale? Her gaze dropped to the 
ground where swirls of dust still danced from Maxima's take off. A 
gleaming black stone lay there, looking like a drop of liquid metal. 
Bending over, she picked up the odd stone, surprised to find it was 
warm.  

Suddenly emotion slammed through her..confusion, a sense of 
betrayal, despair. Moira gasped and swayed on her feet, her hand 
involuntarily tightening on the stone. She felt Vasra's strong mental 
presence, steadying her both in her own mind and on her feet, 
helping to seperate her from the charged stone. Blinking, Moira 
gazed at the stone resting in the palm of her hand. She recognized 
Xanthia's personality, who was Xanthia in such a dither over? 
Concentrating on NOT reading the stone, simply holding it, she 
asked *Vasra, who won Maxima's mating flight?*  

*Fayloth, the big blue* Vasra replied, with a tinge of amusement. 
*Why are humans so emotional about mating?* Vasra asked back.  

*I really don't know how to answer that dear, I've never..um...mated 
before. I guess I'll know when I've done it.* Moira replied, half 
listening. Fayloth. Was Xanthia so upset because Saul 's dragon 
had won Maxima? Yet, the feeling of betrayal that had been so 
strong was more that Xanthia had been betrayed, not that she had 
betrayed someone or thought that someone else had betrayed 
someone.  Shaking her head, Moira tucked the stone into a pocket 
of her trousers. She would find Xanthia and return the stone later 
that evening, it was a pretty thing and she figured Xanthia would like 
to have it back. That would be a good time to sound out Xanthia on 
what was going on. One thing at a time, she reminded herself, and 
squared her shoulders and marched towards the warrenlady's 
offices.  

A quick look around showed the place empty. Moira blew her breath 
out, fanning the stray hairs trailing in front of her face to the side. 
She made her way out to the green below and sat down with Vasra. 
"Guess I'll have to give this a shot alone dear. Can you help me with 
it?" Moira asked suddenly. "Like you helped when I was holding 
Xanthia's stone?"  

*Yes. I will always help you my rider!* Vasra replied, seeming 
surprised by the question. Moira smiled, then reached her hand into 
the small bag of coal. The first piece of coal was nothing, it had 
been mined by a simple miner, packed up and sent to the warren. 
Moira detected no emtional investment at all. What she was looking 
for was a sense of apprehension, or anger...something..she wasn't 
sure. The second piece of coal was as unassuming as the first, as 
was the third and fourth. Moira was beginning to wonder if by some 
bizarre twist of fate she had managed to get nothing but "safe" coal 
for this test. The six piece of coal jerked her upright and drew a 
gasp from her.  

She looked down at the piece of coal she held, but it was not her 
hands. Heavy waterproofed gloves covered the hands, they were 
larger and stronger than hers. The piece of coal was lowered into a 
bucket and held there for several minutes, saturating it, then it was 
dumped into pile sitting nearby. Moira strained to see the reflection 
of the person in the bucket they were dipping the coal into, it was 
blurry and rippled from the movement of the liquid in the bucket, but 
Moira caught long blondish hair held back with a tie, a grim face 
with strong cheekbones, and cold blue eyes.  There was a seething 
anger and hatred linked to the coal, but oddly removed. Because the 
poisoner wore gloves, or was it Vasra's doing? Moira didn't mind, 
this reading was much easier than she had  expected, so far.  She 
tried to concentrate harder, to get more on who the man was. His 
name, where he was....elusive.  She couldn't grasp it, and her head 
was beginning to pound in that horrible rhythm, like her skull would 
burst apart.  She dropped the coal and leaned back against Vasra.  

*Remind me not to do two readings back to back like that.* She 
mentally murmured to Vasra. She sat quietly until the thundering in 
her head had calmed down, then wiped the sweat from her brow and 
stood. Carefully retrieving the coal she made her was to the 
staircase back up to Trinale's office. Perhaps someone had come 
back in the time she had been sitting on the green. ***** Moira 
knocked on the now closed door and heard a male voice summon 
"come in."  

Moira entered to find Derry, Trinale's mate standing in the office. 
"Can I talk to you, Wingleader?" She asked him, deciding that 
perhaps he would like to know this information as well, and would 
have more chance of catching Trinale than she would.  

He smiled at her.  "I don't know, can you?"  

Moira paused, wondering what he meant, then grinned a bit and 
glanced at the ceiling to gather her composure. "May I speak to 
you?" She rephrased her question.  

"Of course.  What's on your mind, Moira?"  

As best as she could Moira explained what she'd gathered from the 
bag of poisoned coal she held in her hands. As she spoke she took 
a pen from Trinale's desk and wrote "WARNING: Poisoned, for 
evidence only." so no one would mistake the coal. She hadn't 
destroyed it yet, not knowing if someone would want her to try again 
later. After she had explained what she'd gathered from her reading, 
she listened as Derry told her that had been trying to figure out 
where it had come from by the horses  


So you know that they come from the Calarais stables?" Moira 
asked, and Derry nodded.  

"Yes, Chance is an excellent judge of horses.  The problem is, we 
don't know who... Would you be able to identify the guilty party ifyou 
saw him?" Derry asked her intently.  

Moira thought about the image she had seen. It had been 
blurry....but she had a good idea of what the man looked like. "I 
think so.....I could probably tell you with all certainty if you were to 
hand me something he'd been handling recently. Something 
personal, like jewelry or a knife." She answered.  

"Good." Derry told her, musing for a moment. "I'll let the others 
know. In the meantime young lady, I think you have been far to 
busy. As a newly joined you and that dragon out there need to 
practice flying." Derry smiled. "Now that you are joined we can find 
you if we need you. Go do a bit of flying around the Warren, just be 
careful not to go outside sight of the Warren, or take a friend with 
you if you do."  

Moira grinned. "Vasra had already been after me to go flying this 
afternoon. I have a couple places I'd like to visit."  

"Then shoo!" Derry waved her out of the office with a laugh.  

****
It had taken very little hunting to track down Truan and Draken. They 
had been hanging around Meredywn asking questions. "Meredwyn, 
would it be all right for us to fly to Killaglen? I would like to return to 
the Weaver's Guild, so that they know I'm doing well. I think Truan 
would go with me?" Moira added with a questioning glance to Truan. 
 

"See where you grew up? Sure!" Traun replied. Moira and 
Meredwyn grinned at his enthusiasm.  

"It's a bit far, but you have healthy young dragons. You have to stop 
over a bit while you're there and let them rest for a few minutes, but  
I don't think it will be a problem. Just stay alert and in well populated 
areas, so you don't run afoul of...well...troublemakers." Meredwyn 
added with a frown.  

"The Guild is full of people who are loyal to the idea of the 
dragonriders, we won't venture elsewhere. " Moira promised.  

"Then go on then, be back before dark! You still have apartments to 
pick out!" Meredwyn told them.  

Moira caught Truan's hand and they headed towards thier bunks. 
"Lets do the apartment's first then, before all the good ones are 
taken." Moira told him quickly. It didn't take long to bundle up their 
possessions and go searching. Moira found two side by side fairly 
high up on the cliff. They dropped off thier bundles and hung the 
small "occupied" signs on the doors and then mounted up for thier 
trip to Killaglen. Moira had chosen her clothing carefully and tended 
to her appearance. She felt so different from the girl who had snuck 
away from the Weaver guild, she wondered if it showed. It had been 
such a short time, and yet had seemed forever.  

The flight had been uneventful, though the touchdown of two young 
dragons in the Guild's courtyard had created quite a stir. Moira 
dismounted and stepped in front of Vasra, placing one hand on the 
deep blue dragon's jaw seeking comfort. She had been uncertain in 
doing this, but knew it needed done. She needed to settle her doubts 
once and for all.   

"Moira?" A young girl stepped forward, a smile crossing her face. 
"Moira!" she squealed and charged forward. Moira laughed and 
caught up Annara, the dyemaster's daughter. An illness from birth 
had affected her mind, making it so that she would forever be a 
child, but Moira loved her all the more for that. She had missed the 
little girl.  

"OOooo....Dragon blue, blue dragon! Moira's dragon?" Annara 
clapped her hands in Vasra's direction.  

"Her name is Vasra, and yes, she is my dragon and I'm her rider." 
Moira explained, holding the little girl up so that she could pet the 
soft deep blue hide.  Annara pointed to Draken sitting on the other 
side of Vasra. "Black dragon, dragon black, Moira's dragon?" She 
chanted. Moira chuckled. "No, that's Draken, and he and my friend 
Truan are bonded. Truan, this is Annara, the dyemaster's daughter. 
Annara, this is Truan, he is a very good friend of mine, like a 
brother." Moira set the little girl down and watched as she toddled 
past Truan to pet the soft black hide of Draken.  

Moira turned to meet the gaze of various members of the guild who 
had gathered round. She held her head high, looking them in the 
eyes. She wasn't afraid anymore. There was nothing wrong with 
her, she could be herself. It was time they really met HER, not know 
her as the person they tried to make of her.  

"So you really did it. You ran off to the dragonriders and joined with 
a dragon. " Guras glanced up at her and then to Vasra, who stared 
back at him nonchalantly. "Ran off to be with your father, 
abandoning your duties here. And what does he think of you?"  

Anger flared in Moira. How dare this little wizened man with his ink 
stained fingers and miserly ways pass judgement on her actions? 
Why had she ever feared him, she wondered.Coldly, she stared him 
directly in the eyes, something she knew he hated. "My father was 
killed years ago, on a dragonrider patrol. That's why he stopped 
visiting my mother and I ." Her voice was strong, ringing loudly in 
the small crowded courtyard. "I paid off my debt here many times 
over, and will undoubtedly continue to pay it when I help defend 
Killaglen from Wraiths. "   

Truan stepped forward, leading Annara by her hand. "Moira has 
been very helpful at the Warren. " He ventured. "There has been a 
lot going on there and they've really need her."  

Guras harrumphed loudly and pointedly turned his back on Moira, 
stomping off into the guildbuilding. Tessa sidled up next to Moira and 
took her arm. "Pay him no mind Moira, he's put out because you did 
twice the work of anyone here and now he can't make a fortune off 
you and pay you a pittance. Gods but you look grand! I can tell you 
are so much happier at the Warren. Have you found a young man 
yet?" Tessa added teasingly.  

Moira shook her head, letting herself relax and smile a bit. Some 
things never changed. Tessa was quite giddy over young men, and 
a terrible flirt. "No, just a little brother." Moira smiled at Truan.  

Several of the guildfolk gathered around, asking questions about the 
latest news, and to hear of Moira's adventures. She and Truan spent 
nearly an hour there, then realized they must leave to make it back 
to the Warren by dark.  

"Moira come back? Bring blue and black dragons?" Annara asked 
wistfully.  

"Yes little one, I'll come and visit you, don't worry." Moira gave the 
little girl a quick hug and a kiss and then climbed up on Vasra. 
Waving, she and Truan and the dragons took off for the Warren. 

**** 

They arrived back a bit before dark, and with directions from 
Meredwyn went and requisitioned some furnishings for thier 
apartments. Moira found a lovely wing back chair with deep blue 
upholstrey that reminded her of the one her mother used to sit in 
and sew. She found some frames for her paintings, and plenty of 
linens for her bedding. Night had fallen by the time she and Truan 
were done decorating thier respective apartments. Truan headed off 
for dinner, while Moira paused to  look over her quarters. She felt so 
oddly at peace, the trip to Killaglen, confrontational as it had been 
with Guras, had been a good one. It had settled all doubts in her 
mind that she longer belonged with the weavers, but was now home 
with the riders. Sticking her hands in her pockets, she turned to 
mount Vasra to fly on to meet Truan for dinner,  and found the stone 
Xanthia had dropped.  Sighing softly, she asked Vasra to tell Truan 
she would have to get dinner later, she needed to speak with Xanthia 
first. A quick inquiry to Maxima found Xanthia at the med center. 
"Where else?" Moira murmered as she mounted Vasra.   

*You are tired.* Vasra told Moira in a worried voice.  

"Yes dear I am, but it's a good tired. We've accomplished a lot 
today. I just need to tend to this and then we'll have a good nights 
sleep in our new quarters." Moira dismounted, leaving Vasra to chat 
with the dragons who were resting on the green waiting for riders. 
She made her way into the med center, where she found Xanthia.  

"Xanthia, do you have a few minutes? I wanted to ask you 
something." Moira asked as the healer was putting together a tray of 
medicines.  

"Not yet, soon maybe." Xanthia replied, pausing to push her hair 
from her face. "Here," she said, shoving a glass of water and a 
small cup containing a pill. "You take this to that room over there and 
have N'lin take it. He may not be awake right now but he'll wake up 
soon."  

"N'lin? Who is N'lin?" Moira asked.  

"Rides Trefoil. Been gone a while, but came back. Trefoil won 
Chrysthal. N'lin had a bad dream and tried to kill himself after the 
mating flight." Xanthia frowned. "So many things happening. 
Ashelle's seizures, Shawnee and Saul leaving..."  

"What???" Moira stared at Xanthia. " What are you talking about?"  

"Have Vasra find out from Maxima, gotta go!" Xanthia said as she 
grabbed up the tray of medicines and darted off down the hall.  

*Vasra? What on earth has been going on while we were gone?* 
Moira listened as Vasra relayed a quick update on all that had 
happened. Her mind reeled at the news.  She paused outside the 
door and peeked in, whoever N'lin was, looked like he was still 
sleeping. She stood and listened to Vasra until the news ran out, 
then shaking her head went into the room and sat next to the bed.  

Her first good look at him made her pause, and oddly enough she 
thought of Tessa. Tessa would have flirted with this one a plenty, he 
was very handsome.  With a shake of her head and mental note that 
she was obviously much more tired than she'd realized for her mind 
to wander to such silliness, she sat down and waited for the sleeping 
man to waken. A lovely woven bracelet around his wrist caught her 
eyes and she gently took his hand, turning it over to get a good look 
at the bracelet. It was obviously a favored piece of jewelry, 
somewhat worn but more fine for it. Then her eyes caught the scars 
under the bracelet and she looked back up at the sleeping man's 
face.  She wondered if anyone else knew he'd made previous 
attempts to kill himself, and wondered what had triggered them. In 
the weeks after her mother's death Moira had thought of it herself, 
but had never quite done it.  With a feeling of compassion for the 
young man she reached up and gently brushed a lock of hair from 
his face, then startled as he awoke and stared at her.  

"I'm Moira, newly joined rider of Vasra. I help out in the med center 
sometimes. How are you feeling? She asked, giving him a small 
smile. 
******
 Tag Bridgette!  
*****

Moira caught up to Xanthia a bit later, pulling the stone from her 
pocket. "Hold out your hand, I have something for you." Xanthia 
eyed her curiously but did as she asked. Moira dropped the stone 
into it.  

"My hematite! You found it!" Xanthia cried out, doing a little dance 
and holding the hematite close to her. "Where'd you find it and how 
did you know it was mine?"  

"You dropped it on the green when you left Trinale's office earlier 
today. I knew it was yours because when I picked it up it told me." 
Moira grinned, then became sober. "It also told me you're kind of 
upset about something, I didn't read to much because I didn't want 
to pry, but if you want to talk I'll be glad to listen."
 ***
Tag Morgie
 ******  

Sorry it took so long to write, I was writer blocked in the 
worst way. If someone would take a peek at my headers 
and make sure I'm emailing everyone I need to. I tried 
matching it up to the latest roster that went out, I think I got 
it right but would appreciate someone glancing it over. 

Rhiannon, writer of:
Moira, rider of Vasra