[Narrative]

One can fight without knowing how to.

But if one wants to fight effectively, they must learn.

Usually from mistakes.


[Day 5, afternoon - Demathrin's fencing class]

"And breathe in," Demathrin instructed, likewise taking a deep breath as
he took his 'class' through breathing exercises.  They were all knelt
forward, which wasn't the easiest position to breathe deeply in.

They'd been doing this for a few minutes or so now.

Demathrin knew from experience in combat that opportunities to take a
breather proper were rare.... this was an idea of how to bring that into
training.

It was also a way of pushing the 'accident' that Ce'lot had caught him
in with Belarade, into the farthest recesses of his mind.  He felt anger
at himself for letting it just *happen*.... but more anger was directed
towards the (B'Lin dubbed dubbed him 'Hero' which was about right) Alpha
Wingleader, who had pretty much caused the young woman's condition to
begin with.

"And.... breathe out."  He abruptly leapt to his feet and charged
through his startled class, making swishing noises and motions with his
hands as he passed.

The silence that followed was punctuated by the inquiry of a small girl
who had been to Deamthrin's class religiously.  "Dema, does this mean
we're all dead again?"

Demathrin smiled at her.  She was getting used to the format by now.
"Yes," he nodded.  "Yes," he said more loudly, to the class as a whole,
"and yet, there are so many of you, and only one of me.  I had the
element of surprise in my attack - what is the defence against surprise,
class?"

They chanted unevenly, "The defence against surprise is to be alert, to
be prepared, and to be observant."

He was pleased that they had remembered, even if the teaching had not
sunk in yet.  "Good.  Next time, you will try to stop me.  Think of me
as your opponent, and watch what I do - or what I may be about to do -
and prepare yourselves for action, to suit."

An echoing roar sounded; he caught sight of an emerald dragon soaring
into the skies.  "Class dismissed!" he commanded, perhaps a little
brusquely.

<It's a queen, Dema.  A real queen rising to mate in this warren!>
Pesamine informed him excitedly.  The small white dragon joined the pack
of males chasing the queen.... and the tall dark dragonrider on the
ground also made tracks - to where, he knew not.


[Dining hall, during the mating flight]

Ilara said thanks to Ry'mer (now also known as 'Mis-port Miracle') who
had helped her avoid a long-ish walk from the med-centre.  He turned and
realised with the noise of the rising queen, that his dragon was no
longer around.  He walked off entranced by dragonlust.

She shrugged and smiled, knowing what was about to happen.  She'd have
to ask someone who won.  That much she found mildly annoying.... now
that she was one of the unjoined again, there were certain things she
couldn't do anymore.

Like, run the warren.  Oh sure, she could help out in the office, as
much work as her pregnancy allowed, but other than that she was plain
and simple Ilara Stumnelm again.  That was one of the things that had
come out of her talk with Rhia and S'dan.

She didn't know why she was supposed to mourn Erkvinen.  You only
mourned the dead, and Ilara knew herself that although she didn't hear
Erkvinen anymore, the metallic red dragon was still with her.

She was led by her nose to pick up several small fingers of sweet
pastry, practically begging to be eaten.  And then, a bowl of some
delicious-smelling soup, which meant she needed a tray to carry her
food.

Ilara looked around for a place to sit - the well-lit areas of the
dining room were noisy and filled with people; the back was a little
more moody, which suited her right down to the ground.

She sat at a small table, hearing snatches of voices from the one
occupied table that was over on her right.  Ilara was more interested in
eating at the moment - she dunked the pastry deeply in the soup, leaning
over so she could eat it without splashing everywhere.

"Mmmm.  This is good," she thought aloud.

"....sometimes, having a person to hug and cuddle is what's needed...."

Ilara stopped in mid-dunk.  She knew that voice, but for the noise she
couldn't tell where it came from.  *Am I hearing things?* she wondered,
turning in her seat to cast her eyes about for one whom she'd missed so
much....

Just then, one of the girls at the table on her left, glanced out of the
dining hall, and Ilara's heart leapt.  It was Sarilyn!  Smiling warmly
she walked up to the table, behind the red-head, as the other girl
offered some advice, then put her hands in front of the red-head's eyes.

"Guess who?"

Respectfully,
Chris 'Nightfall' Clark
Ilara Stumnelm
Demathrin & Pesamine
Xylian Warren, DragonLands
Chris@positronix.demon.co.uk

<<NRPG>>

Jeanette, James: Hope this is okay :)

James: I think that's a tag, somewhere up there ;)  Sorry I didn't get
to the mating flight sooner :/

Kris: And that puts Demathrin and Ce'lot in the same place (well,
assuming neither of them wins *smirkle*....)

-- 
Nightfall <--- http://www.fortunecity.com/tatooine/excession/140

"The stars.  So many of them.... and most of them, we'll never visit.
It's one thing to cross the galaxy, but quite another to watch it go
by."

-- General Demathrin, "Plans, Surprises, Developments."