*Day 35*

Dejected and confused, Tarv'renon left the med center and headed back for 
his apartment. It was clear to him that as much as he wanted to lend 
support, his presence was not desired by the handsome new blonde mind 
healer, who he regarded with suspicion. Too good looking, he decided, 
shaking his head.

As he dismounted and unsaddled the brown, he didn't notice a familiar 
visitor. He gave Murkash a friendly pat as he turned and headed into the 
apartment proper. It was then a familiar scent greeted his nose. He 
stopped  a moment in the doorway, sweet relief washing over him as he 
regarded the female third of their precious trio.

"Merissa?  Oh, I knew you'd come!" Tarv'renon rushed to her, hugging her to 
him. He drank in her sweet perfume and relished the comfort of her soft 
arms about him. A lump grew in his throat as he held on to her for dear 
life, knowing that at any moment all that the two held dear could come to 
an abrupt end. He squeezed his eyes against the tears which bit their way 
cruelly to the surface.

Tears came unbidden to her eyes yet again.  "Oh, Tarv!  What are we going to
do?  Oh...."  She found herself melting into his warm, protective embrace.

Tarv'renon swallowed hard, trying to still his own insecurities for the 
sake of his beloved Merissa. "I don't know..." he admitted sadly, his voice 
rasping as he fought to still his onslaught of emotions.

"I feel so out of control..."

"And out of the loop," Tarv'renon finished, echoing his own torment.

"Yes," Merissa looked up into his eyes as he stroked her hair, "You know me 
so well."

"I know your heart as I know my own, my lady," he tipped her head back and 
kissed her deeply. He sighed deeply as they parted lips, holding her tightly.

"Hold me," Merissa begged.

"I am holding you," Tarv'renon reassured, kissing the top of her head. 
"I'll hold you as long as you like."

*****

*Day 36, early*

Tarv'renon quickly woke to the call... <WRAITHS!!!> The dragons sounded off 
in alarm even as they contacted their riders and awakened them.

He wasted no time and slid into the clothes he'd cast aside the night 
before rather than searching out clean ones. He quickly mounted up and 
joined the rest of the wing.

***

He did his best to keep his mind in focus as he darted this way and that, 
directing Murkash to flame the foul wraiths which threatened Windtide. 
Still, his thoughts kept drifting back to the troubles at home. Still his 
future with Th'rin hung in the balance. {What does she want from him?} he 
wondered. Immediately answering himself with that one thing he knew, {What 
any woman wants of the father of her child, you dolt.} But, he realized in 
the next moment, Xanthia was not just any woman. This only confounded the 
situation more.

He screamed aloud as his body was suddenly enflamed with pain, his thoughts 
coming back to the present danger. His eyes grew wide as he realized he was 
surrounded by the creatures. He'd never seen wraiths like this before.

<Port home!> He commanded to the valiant Murkash, who was flaming them the 
best he could despite one damaged wing.  Obediently Murkash changed 
direction, disappearing from the skies over Windtide with a *pop*.

Murkash knew the gravity of the situation as he teleported back  to 
WhiteRiver. He keened in desperation as he glided down directly in front of 
the Med. Center.

Tarv heard anxious voices about him as he was taken out of the saddle and 
strapped to a stretcher. "Can you hear me?" they cried.

"Everywhere! Everywhere!" he raved in terror.

"Do you know where you are?"

With great effort he opened his eyes. He searched the crowd of people 
hovering over him for a familiar face. A pixie-like face framed with red 
hair was the first he saw. "Xanthia," he mouthed  in recognition through 
burned lips. Tears stung his eyes as the sight which brought a pain to him 
far greater than that of any of the burns which had ravaged his body and he 
turned his head away.

"Lie still now," she ordered, shaking her head in desperation.

As Tarv turned his head he finally laid eyes on the head healer. "Th'rin," 
he weakly rasped, stretching a burned hand in his direction, "I love you."

*****

NRPG: Tag Kris and anyone else present at the med center who might be 
around. Tarv got the worst of it, though Murkash has a mildly burned wing. 
Tarv's pretty badly hurt, though. He may rave a bit more about the wraiths, 
too. He's pretty shook up over the change in the wraith behavior.

Respectively submitted by,

Morgan
The heart and soul of
Xanthia & Maxima, Tarv'renon & Murkash, Latnem, and Corra



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