Life's Little Reminders

Kanler
*******

"Your transport will be ready whenever you are my Lady. Sariss and I offer
our services."

"We can't ask that of you, Kanler .." Racine said.

"You didn't. I offered." He reminded her.

Racine considered .. then she nodded, "Fine, then can we leave tonight."

"Of course."

"I'll start packing." Racine told him.

He nodded, "Then I'll be down to pick you and children up after dinner?"

"Thank you, Kanler," Racine nodded.

He left feeling that there was something more he should have been able to do
for her. She was a good woman. A good mother. To good a person to have been
saddled with K'leev for as long as she had. 

They should have had a good life. They deserved it. She deserved it. And he
was going to make sure from now on she got it.

He'd make sure she was safe. Her and her kids so that that bastard would
never be able to hurt them ever again. 

This was a vow he made to himself.

.....

"You got to come quick Kanler...We've just got word from N'lin and Foil
about a meeting going down tonight and they want to start planing what we're
going to do." Katla told her mate as soon as he'd walked in from leaving Racine.

Derry was there waiting for them when they arrived. J'red entered soon
afterwards and they all took their seats. 

"Okay this is what we know so far," Derry started the planning secession
telling them all what he had learned. 

"According to N'lin they're going to be meeting in hunting lodge somewhere
outside of town, in a secluded spot where passers by won't bother them.. or
witness who's coming and going."

"Do we know where this place is yet?" Kanler asked.

"Not yet but we've pair out looking for likely spots. Places that are owned
by the people we think are involved in this. They'll let us know what they
find if we don't hear back from N'lin first."

"Did he say how Raine was doing?" Katla asked and they all knew she was
concerned and worried about her friend. 

"Just that she's still alive," he told her, but didn't add the fact that
Foil had told them to hurry for they feared the girls safety if it went on
much longer. 

"Okay so how many riders do you think we should take with us?" Katla asked
to those in the room. "And how much help will be able to get from the Lords
we know are true?"

"My father had offered any help he can give," Kanler told them. "We've only
to let him know and he'll have men and supplies ready to go at a moments
notice."

"The same with our father and Lord Flower," Derry said and nodded his head
towards J'red who had been sitting there quietly. 

"Something else you should know..." J'red spoke for the first time.
"Jason... my brother is there with them."

Derry nodded. "I know and I'm sorry. If you want out of this then just say
the word and we won't hold it against you for backing out."

"No way!" J'red's voice rose. "I'm in this with the rest of you until it's
over, and we have them all! Brother or not, he's just as guilty as the rest
and he will pay for his crimes just as the rest of them will."

"Just as Kel will," Katla muttered softly beside her mate, who reached under
the table and took her hand in his. 

Kanler looked around the room, and felt the sadness of his friends. Derry
and Katla with Kel to worry about, and J'red with his brother Jason. He
wondered how he would feel.. how he would react it his own brother had been
involved in the cults activities. And decided he didn't want to think about it.

Thank the Gods it wasn't something he needed to be worried about. 

"Okay so as soon as we get the word from N'lin, Katla and Kanler will take
their riders to his fathers estate and gather the men Lord Kanen will have
ready. J'red.. you'll see to you own group at the Flower estates and I'll
take the Vaddon estate. When we all are ready we'll form up again just out
side of the area where the hunting lodge is to be found and quietly make our
way up to surround it."

"We may want to send in a small group first to check out the area and make
sure they don't have look outs posted..." Kanler commented.

"Good idea....." Derry started to agree when the dragons started the most
heart wrenching cries out side that it silenced everyone in the room. 

Then they saw the blood drain from Derry's face just as they found out what
had happened and, Kanler knew he would never forget the anguish in the mans
tone when he screamed out the name of the woman he loved before bolting out
of the room.

"Oh Gods!" Katla collapse against Kanler who wasn't in that much better
state. "Not Trinale.... Please Gods.. Not Trinale!"

Kanler held onto her as if she was the only thing keeping him from falling
totally apart. His heart was breaking from the lost but he knew Katla needed
for him to be strong just then so he pushed his own anguish to the back of
his mind. But couldn't stop the tears that spilled down over his high cheeks. 

"Katla, love... We need to go find Derry," he said softly as he held her.
"He'll need you now more then at any other time in his life."

"Yes.. got to find Derry," she murmured as she brushed her tears away. But
more just fell in their place. "Got to help him. Oh Kanler... "

.......

Later after they'd each shared their grief over the lost of Trinale and her
family it was remembered that there was something they had to do. 

Merissa has stepped in and challenged them all to complete what they were
doing, in memory of the young Warrenlady, who had lost her family because of
the direct results of the cults activities. 

"They've taken to much from us already," she told them when they were all
back in her office... For she couldn't bring herself to enter the office
that had been Trinale's just yet. "We have to stop them before more loved
ones are killed and more innocent people lose their lives. We can't allow
then to take from us anymore without paying for the damage they've caused
already...."

Everyone nodded. Derry's face was a mask of hate and anger, but he kept
himself from allowing it to take over and control him. He was quiet. 

To Quiet and that scared Kanler more then anything, as his mate was nearly
as quiet as her brother. 

"It might be a good idea if we all go ahead and head out to each of the
estates we are to acquire men from and then leave from there when the word
comes in from N'lin," Kanler spoke up more to give them something to do and
feel useful then to sit around here feeling sorry for themselves. 

Not that he blamed Derry. If anything happened to Katla now that she was
his... He knew he could gladly kill to avenge her. 

"No one escapes," Derry said to no one in particular. "WE make damn sure
that we get everyone involved in the damn cult. 

Kanler knew who he meant and again was thankful his own family was for the
Warren...

"Derry... you gave J'red the option earlier to pull out of this because
Jason was involved.... I feel it only right to give you and Katla... the
same choice. No one will blame you because of what Kel had done..." he knew
they would both refuse, but felt he had to ask. To give them the choice.

"After tonight that murderer and his friend are something we won't ever have
to worry about," Derry turned towards him, but his words were for everyone
in the room. "Because after tonight.."

Silence greeted his words. No one challenged him or asked him to explain.
They all knew how he felt.

Plans were talked over and it was decided to follow Kanler's advice about
each team meeting up with the Landbound men going with them. 

"Would you feel better if you went with Derry love?" he asked Katla when
they were forming with up with those going in their team.

He wasn't sure if it was such a good idea or not. It might make things
worse, but if there was even the slightest chance Katla could control the
recklessness he had sensed in her brother, then he felt she should be with him. 

{tag Jill let's get this party started.....}

[The next morning early]

He hadn't slept much after the events of the night before. Events that he
now pushed from his mind as he left his sleeping mate and headed out for
Racine's home. 

He had a trip to take this morning and didn't want to have thoughts of the
night before invading his mind when he needed to concentrate on the
trickiness of the teleport that laid ahead. 

They were all up and waiting for him when he arrived. Racine looked at him,
concern in her eyes as she took in the dark circles under his blue eyes. 

"Kanler if you're to..." she started to say but his sad smile cut her off.

"No I'm fine. I promised you I would see your family to a safe place and I
honor my promises," he told her picking up a bag sitting in the front room
and carrying it back out to hook onto the saddle harness. 

When he came back she dared to ask about the young woman, Lady Raine. 

"Merissa is having her taken care of right now. She suffered a lot at their
hands but we hope ..." He didn't want to tell her how badly the girl had
been abused or the state she had been in when they had found her. She didn't
need to know.

"Merissa will see that she's taken care of and no more harm comes to her."

"I do believe she will. They were good friends growing up and Merissa was
really worried about her. Katla's helping keep an eye on her to. I'm glad
for all concerned that the girl was found." He didn't mention that her
father who had been seen in the hunting lodge before the dragonriders
arrived, had been no where to be found when everyone had been gathered up. 

Raine was not totally out of danger yet. Not as long as that sick man was
still out there.

Two more trips and they were ready. He came back into the apartment for the
last time and took the baby from his mother. 

"Have you checked to make sure you have everything you need?"

"Everything we want," she said, and he noticed a few things had been left
behind. Then he wondered if maybe those were things K'leev had given her,
but thought it better not to ask. "Are you sure Shawnee and Saul won't mind
us coming... I mean..."

Kanler moved forward and placed his hands on her shoulders for comfort. "I
know they won't mind. You've never done anything that would upset them and
they care about you. I know they'll be only to happy to know that you
thought of them first when you were looking for a way to keep your family safe."

"It was your idea to go to Jasra," she reminded him with a grin. 

"That'll be our little secret," he winked. "Don't worry. They'll be glad to
have you all there. I swear. Where's Mara? Shouldn't she be here ready to go?"

"She's staying here in Whiteriver," Cill told him. "With Th'rin and Merissa.
Mama said she could cause she was old enough to chose... But I don't want to
stay."

He looked quickly at Racine who just nodded. 

"Okay then here's what we're going to do," he told them as they walk away
from the family's home for the last time and went towards Sariss who was
waiting near by. 

"I'm going to help first you Racine up onto Sar's back then Cill who will
sit in front of you... And I think it would be better if I have the baby
strapped to my back so you can have your hands free to help Cill.... Not
that I think she'll need it because she's a season rider by now," he smiled
warmly at the girl and gave her a (mothers! What can you do with them?) look
when Racine had turned to look up at how high it was to Sariss's back.

The young girl smiled back.

"Whatever you think is best Kanler," the mother agreed and then proved that
she didn't need all that much help making her way into the double saddle
Kanler had borrowed for the trip.

Soon they were all mounted. Merissa was there with Mara and the little bear
to say good-bye as were others who had grown to care about the kind woman. 

Then he gave Sariss the order to fly and they were on their way. 

Jasra Warren
************

The morning skies above the Warren showed no signs of the storm that had
blown through the day before. The water that had been threatening the Warren
proper had receded back out and nothing was left to indicate that they had
any troubles was the debris that dotted small parts of the white sandy beaches.

As they circled down to the green, Kanler was thinking how would be the best
way to tell Saul and Shawnee about Trinale's death.. and that of her
parents. Her father had been Saul's best friend and patrol partner for more
years then Kanler and Sariss had been joined. 

He knew the bearded rider was going to take the news hard, and wasn't
looking forward to being the one to tell him.
<<Sariss.. see if you can find Fayloth or Doshy around here somewhere.>> he
sent the request to his dragon as they landed.

His reply came quickly telling his rider that both dragons had told him
their riders were on the way to meet them. 

After landing, Kanler reached back and took Cill's arm, gently lowering her
to the ground before slipping over the side himself, making sure not to
juggle the sleeping bay strapped to his back. Then he carefully took the
baby's carrying bag off and handed him to Cill before turning back to help
Racine down.

"Sar said they will be here soon," he told her when he saw her worried
expression. "Don't worry. Nothing is going to hurt you here."

"KANLER you old dog," Saul's voice boomed as he and Shawnee drew near. "What
are you doing here is Jasra...." 

It was then their eyes caught sight of the others with him for their dragons
had failed to mention he had guest with him. 

"Racine...Cill!" Shawnee's voice was warm as she approached them and gave
each of them a big hug. "Oh Ojean is going to be so sorry he wasn't here
when you arrived young lady... He's been mopping around since we got here
worried about you and missing you. you're being here is going to make him
feel so much better."

"He missed me? For real?"

"I'll say," Shawnee laughed. "Everytime he finds something new the first
thing he mentions is about being able to show it to you when you come for a
visit....SO? How long are you staying?"

[tag Kris.....]

While the women got to know eachother all over again, Kanler motioned for
Saul to step away from them for a moment. 

"I've some news that I know will upset you but I figured I'd better be the
one...."

"If it's about... Trinale and her family... we all ready know," Saul told
him and it was then Kanler noticed the dark circles under the eyes of both
riders from Jasra."

"We've talked about it and have decided we're going back for a few days for
the... service. Shawnee and I. The kids except for Aarin will be staying
here with her family. 


"Good.. There are those in Whiteriver who'll be happy to see you both. Even
at a time like this. I know Merissa has missed Shawnee a lot, and so has the
Vaddon Family."

"Saul... I need to tell you what happened... We won't have to worry any
longer about the cult... There was a raid last night and....."

He briefly outlined what had taken place, knowing right now was not the time
to go into details as the women move to rejoin them. 

"I'm going to take Racine up to see Tara and help her find a place to stay,"
Shawnee told them and Kanler couldn't help but grin when he noticed Shawnee
had her arm wrapped around Racine's own. 

"You see," he said softly. "I told you, you had nothing to worry about."

Shawnee began leading them back into the Warren proper, then she went off in
the direction of Tara's office while Saul stayed to help off load their
belonging. 

"What happened?" He asked Kanler when Cill's attentions were diverted by
Fawna and Sammy who had arrived. 

"K'leev. He came back and tried to take the boy." Kanler saw the hate come
into the bearded riders face at the mention of the banished rider. That one
had caused his family to much trouble already. 

"Racine didn't feel safe any longer in Whiteriver so I offered to bring her
here. Didn't think you or Shawnee would mind."

[what's Saul's thought's on the matter Kris?]

"We've a few things to pass on ourselves," Saul grinned knowing he was going
to surprise the man with what he had to say next. 

"You're looking at the mate of the Wingleader here in Jasra."

"Wingleader?? Shawnee???" Kanler was surprised. "Now that's a story to good
to pass up. Katla will kill me if I don't get the whole story on how that
happened."

========================== 

Okay... Have fun with the battle.... or raid ... one thing... Please.. I
don't want Raine's father caught in the mess that happens next... he escaped.

Kanler will be back in WR sometime late in the afternoon.....He'll be
staying for a visit to catch up on things with Saul and Shawnee.... Katla
can kick him later for not telling her where he was going.....

Ojean will be very surprised and very happy when he finds out Cill is
there.... that post is in the works for Jasra....

*****Submitted by: ******

Kanler & Sariss = Whiteriver Warren

Shawnee & Doshayne = Jasra Warren

aka 
Barbara