>One of the males flew a bit too close to her, and Lunath whipped her
>tail about, hissing a bit as she did so.  << You fly too close to me,   
back
>away! >>  Immediately after, she let out a soft crooning warble, and
>wriggled in place.

>  Lunath felt as if she was glowing...from the inside out, and her head
>whipped around, thoughts of her rider momentarily forgotten as she   
darted
>almost straight up, and hissed again.  She hit one of the males as she
>climbed, and took a snap at his tail as she passed him by.  << NOT good
>enough for me, out of my way!! >>

>  She twisted in the air, wings flapping hard as she rose above the   
entire
>mass of assembled dragons...and did a teasing roll in the air.  Bugling
>out a defiant challenge to the males in the group, who *were* rather
>spread out, and busy with their riders on their backs...she stopped,
>hovering as she gazed at them all.  NONE there were good enough...or   
were
>they?


[Sherri and Innel]
Sherri paused as she saw the red, riderless dragon which had been flying   
next to the queen of Xylian. Ah so this must be the dragon of Aelxirns   
daughter.
<You don't suppose......?> started Sherri.
<Yes, my love it seems that Sarilyns dragon, hmmm Lunyth, Lunith ahhh   
LUNATH that was it, has started a mating flight!> chortled Innel.   
Temporarily forgetting the 'threat' to her warren and her eggs.
<I don't see many male dragons in the Xylian wings....> said Innel.
<The irony lover, I have a warren full of male dragons!!!!> laughed   
Sherri <And only the one female!>


[Tem at the manor]
<Tem, Tem, there's a cute dragon up here!> said Quentil to Tem who still   
currently stood with Haedins knife at his throat in the manor house.
<So???!> asked Tem, <NO! You can't Haedin wants you to get him out of   
here.....>
<Delay him, go on. You should see her, she's really cute! You know we   
don't have any females in our warren.....>
<We, YOU have Innel!> argued Tem swet starting to gather on his brow.
<One mate????? That's just so unnatural, I'm a dragon not a human   
landbound buffoon! Even they have more than one mate, they just don't   
admit to it that's all! Tell Haedin that Sherri is in the air on Innel,   
she'll flame him before he gets to me!>


[Quentil]
Quentil started to flap his powerful deep blue wings. Great, he couldn't   
remember the last mating flight he'd been in!

Quentil roared a challenge to the dragons above and with powerful strokes   
started to chase after Lunath. The two male dragons of the Tellari warren   
parted making room for Quentil to pursue the fast little red.

He darted  across the sky with a dexterity that belied his great size.   
He's was going to catch this cure little dragon if it was the last thing   
he did!


[The Manor]
"Haedin, Sherri is in the air, on Innel." stammered Tem as the moved   
through the house.
"So?" snapped Lothar nervously glancing about.
"She'll flame you before you ever reach my dragon." said Tem.
"Us, us my dear dragon rider. I'm sure Sherri wouldn't harm her play   
thing." said Haedin not even pausing.

"I wouldn't be so sure, she downed two riders when she was driven out of   
Xylian and held a grudge for 12 years. She's not exactly known for her   
rational thinking!" said Tem, the swet now dripping down the side of his   
face. He wiped his hands on his breeches. Was it him or was it getting   
hot in here?
"I think Tem has a point." ventured Lothar, the prospect of being caught   
in a flaming inferno was very unappealing!

[Billy and M'yok]
"Hey M'yok whats Lunath up to?" asked Billy straining to see Lunath in   
the distance.
"I think she'd started a mating flight." replied M'tok noticing the   
restlessness which had taken control of most of the male dragons of   
Xylian, and the two dragons flying over the enemy warren "Hey look one of   
the other dragons has taken to the sky in pursuit!" said M'tok see the   
blue form of Quentil chase the red form of Lunath.
"Any from Xylian?" asked Billy "Look, that person down there looks   
familiar. Is that Sarilyn?"
"Where?" said M'tok having trouble keeping his dragon focused on the   
mission in hand.
"There, by the warren!"
"Yes, you're right!" exclaimed M'tok excitedly.
"Lets rescue her!" shouted Billy in glee.
"How?" asked M'tok still struggling with his dragon.
"Lets teleport!" suggested Billy.

A few seconds later Billy, M'tok and Auguenth appeared under the three   
Tellari dragons above, just next to Sarilyn, she was standing next to the   
wall to the cave, her hair was slightly damp and her breats were heaving   
with the deep breaths she was taking, her eyes were sparkling with an   
inner fire.

"Wow." said Billy under his breath.
"Go and get her Billy!" said M'tok "I don't know how much longer I can   
keep Auguenth under control, Lunath seems to be a fairly attractive   
dragon!"

Billy dismounted and ran the short distance over to Sarilyn, her head   
snapped round as she caught sight of Billy. One thought was clearly on   
her mind!
"Sarilyn it's me Billy!" said Billy touching Sarilyns arm. Sarilyn   
grabbed hold of Billy and dragged him to her, their lips met with a   
passionate kiss.

[Sherri and Innel]
Sherri started to fly towards who she presumed was in charge of the   
Xylian wing, when Innel reared up and roared, the other dragons of   
Tellari roared in unison, even Quentil paused in mid flight.
<My eggs, my eggs are hatching!> said Innel diving towards the warren.   
<You two keep watch, don't let any of the Xylian dragons near my babies!>   
ordered Innel.

(a short while later)

Sherri leaped of Innel who stood over her eggs protectively, the guards   
had already gathered the searchlings into the chamber.  Sherri was a   
mixture of emotions, her anger at Haedin and Xylian still swirled in a   
mix of bitterness and hatred while she was overwhelmed by the joy that   
Innel was experiencing at the closeness of her babies hatching.

Sherri saw Aelxirn  at one side, but where was her main hostage, Sarilyn,   
the reason why her hard work was falling around her ears?


[Tag: well tag pretty much everyone!]

Sorry about the multitude of little sections but I wanted to keep it in a   
chronological order, I'll sit back and let you lot take over!!!!! *grin*   
Sorry about the wait! (oh and the title!)

James
xxx

We shall not cease from exploration
And in the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
                                 -T.S. Eliot