Day 40
Morning

Chrysthal was feeling anxious and it was rubbing off on her rider. Merissa
paced the floors of her apartment, fretting over everything.

The last few weeks had seemed almost idyllic, but peace couldn't last, could
it? Nothing was wrong with the warren. The wings were patrolling and the
number of wraiths sighted in the Domain had remained fairly stable, which
was a relief. Few injuries to report, all of which the medical staff had
been able to handle.

The medical staff were worked just enough to keep them busy but not too much
to be stressed, which boded well for her family life. Th'rin, Xanthia and
Corra had been able to swap off childcare duties and hours at the center
much to all their satisfaction. There wasn't an hour that the children
didn't have one of them available to them. This morning Th'rin had kissed
them good-bye as he'd left and Xanthia had taken Oberon and Alina with her
to play in Trinale's Garden before she'd take them to Corra's for the
afternoon. It had been such a beautiful sight to witness.

Merissa continued to pace.

And that was the problem. Merissa was only an observer. Certainly Th'rin
had kissed her good-bye as well, and Oberon had wrapped his strong little
arms around her neck before he'd left with "Aunt Xan" and Xanthia herself
had embraced her warmly. But they had gone together -- the four of them.

Merissa walked out onto the dragon ledge and looked out across the green.
She felt restless and unhappy.

Then she smiled as she saw Chrysthal walk out onto the green from the
hatching cavern. She stretched her long neck and unfurled her wings,
flapping them a few times as if readying for flight.

"Ah, so that's why I'm feeling like this," Merissa murmured to herself.
The eggs were hardening nicely, and Chrysthal was getting restless after
having watched over them for so long, and this was affecting her, she
rationalized. Merissa sighed and headed over to her dragon.

The sun felt good on her shoulders. Chrysthal stretched again and raised
her head to the sky. She wanted to fly. She wanted to catch her own
dinner.

<*Soon love, soon. We'll fly together to the lake at the top of the
waterfall and you can splash and I can bathe and spend the whole day away
from here -- as soon as your eggs hatch.*>

But the feelings of restless remained.

***
Afternoon

Chrysthal and Daetyn hissed in warning at the small human.

{She could have damaged my egg!} Daetyn exclaimed nosing the egg gently.

<She didn't harm her,> Chrysthal reassured the other queen, though she
herself kept a close eye on the two humans as they exited the cavern, the
careless one crawling backward.

Merissa and A'Rillia came pelting out of the warren offices at the first
call of trouble from their queens. They rushed past the young girl who sat
on the ground outside the cavern without noticing. But when they found out
what had happened, they back-tracked to find her.

She was still there. Crying. Merissa and Arri watched as the girl hauled
herself up and ran back to the searchiling barracks. Merissa put a hand on
Arri's arm when the women made as if to follow the girl.

Arri stopped, "She does look rather shaken up. You don't think one of us
should go after her?"

"She's sorry enough. I doubt she'll do that again -- not after Daetyn and
Chrysthal's reaction. Let her get over her shock and I'll have Meredwyn go
talk to her tomorrow."

Arri nodded. The older trainer was a good choice. She was used to dealing
with landbound youngsters who came to Whiteriver to join. Chances are the
girl already knew Meredwyn, who was often hanging about the searchlings,
offering advice and patiently answering their myriad of questions.

"Any idea who that girl is?" Merissa asked, trying to place her.

"I think she's one of the Wood twins, if I'm not mistaken."

***
Evening
Tavern

"So... what happened this afternoon? I'd heard that you had a run in with
not one, but two queendragons. I guess I should be lucky to be having
dinner with you." J'red teased.

Rosie fumed. That foolish, clumsy Daisy! "It was an accident..." Rosie
blushed.

"Oh, I'm sure it was! No one would be foolish enough to do it on purpose,"
J'red laughed.

Rosie chuckled, "Yes, I suppose you are right." Still, Daisy had
embarrassed her, and possibly jeopardized her visits to the hatching sand...
she should do something to pay her back.

"Daisy? Really, I'm sure that the queens were only warning you." J'red
smiled. "If they'd wanted to roast you, you wouldn't be sitting here."

Rosie's eyes glinted. J'red was so cute when he smiled like that, teasing
her. But she had a role to play, and getting just the right amount of
pathetic into her voice was only part of it, "Oh, it was terrifying...
you've no idea! I thought they were going to kill me." She pretended a
sob, hanging her head. It wasn't hard to bring the tears to her eyes. All
she had to do was open up briefly to her foolish sister who was right that
minute in their room at the searchling dorm crying like a baby -- which only
made Rosie angrier at her sister for thinking only of herself and not the
unhatched dragon she could have harmed.

It got the effect she wanted. J'red immediately moved to her side, wrapping
his arm around her shoulder and giving her a reassuring hug, "I'm sorry. I
shouldn't have teased you. Yes, I'm sure it was terrifying."

He lifted her head with the tip of his finger on her chin and brushed away
the crocodile tears. "Daisy, I'm sure it will be okay. If you'd like, I'll
have a word with Merissa about it in the morning."

"The Warrenlady!? Oh..., J'red, I ... I couldn't ask you to!" Rosie
stammered.

He smiled at her. "It wouldn't be a problem. I talk with her every day as
it is."

Rosie threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Perhaps if you talked
to Merissa, then Chrysthal will let me come back to the hatching cavern!"

J'red nodded, "Yes, I can tell her how it was only an accident."

"OH! Thank you!" Rosie kissed him.

The kiss was unexpected and took J'red's breath away. He reeled back from
it and stared into the jade green eyes of the beautiful girl. He found
himself drawn forward and he returned the kiss, with no less passion, but
with a little more depth; their arms encircled each other.

"Maybe we should go...?" J'red offered.

Rosie didn't want to return to the dorm -- and have to see her sister -- so
she boldly exclaimed, "Yes, let's go... to your place."

***
Summary:

Day 40
Morning Chrysthal is feeling cooped up and Merissa is feeling
restless.

Afternoon Merissa and A'Rillia discuss what to do about Daisy's
accidental touching of an egg.

Evening J'red has dinner with Rosie, whom he still thinks is Daisy,
while the real Daisy cries herself to sleep. J'red teases 'Daisy' and Rosie
uses his compassion to possibly get herself a different room for the night.

***

Respectfully submitted by:
Arlene Jacobs
AKA
Merissa, Warrenlady, rider of Chrysthal,
and J'red, Beta Wingleader, rider of Firefly
of Whiteriver Warren