There are 6 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. USS Oberon: Stop Bugging me
From: Josh Turnof <josh@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
2. [USS Oberon] USS Oberon: Stop Bugging me
From: Josh Turnof <josh@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
3. [DL-W] Flooded Feelings and Flight.
From: "Arlene" <wondermom@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
4. Norwall Ghoast Story
From: Max Loga III <m_logaiii@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
5. Norwall Ghoast Story
From: Max Loga III <m_logaiii@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
6. [DL-C] On Grandma's Knee (JP)
From: John Pepper <trissana@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 10:47:03 -0400
From: Josh Turnof <josh@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: USS Oberon: Stop Bugging me
=B3You know, I=B9ve been meaning to ask you two things,=B2 Query asked
from a seat beside Lt. Anton. =B3One, would you be Starsky or Hutch?
And two, if Ochari can trans****t there, nearly instantaneously, why
can=B9t you?=B2
=B3Mr. Neile, the complexity of what I can and cannot do would stagger a
team of your race=B9s best scientists.=B2
=B3Right, and next, I suppose you=B9re going to tell me that you could
make a gourmet meal out of dried shoe leather?=B2
=B3Its hard to believe he hasn=B9t just blown you to smithereens,
Query.=B2 Lia commented, making slight course corrections with each
second that passed by. Bolsand snickered as he sat, belted in behind
her.
****
Meanwhile, on board the Oberon...
=B3She was asleep!=B2 Alex said, pacing. =B3How could she possibly be
asleep?=B2
=B3People deal with danger in different ways, Alex.=B2 Jon said.
=B3Yeah, but, sleeping?!?=B2
Jon turned to F=B9Tok and smiled. =B3He=B9s a little bit wound up.
Apparently he deals with danger by making people crazy.=B2
=B3I prefer oreos.=B2 F=B9Tok said tonelessly, tapping a few buttons on
his panel.
=B3Boy, I=B9d hate to be there when your metabolism slows down.=B2 Shea
said, walking past. He was running point on this group. They never
ran more than 5 minutes without doing a power diagnostic. Sherry was
terrified that the engines would just die on them, Eoin was just
terrified of dying. =B3You know, Alex, you=B9re much too laid back. You
know what they say about what people do in times of stress? In times
of war?=B2
=B3No, what do they do?=B2 Alex asked, taking the bait that Shea wasn=B9t
even remotely interested in hiding on him.
=B3They sleep together.=B2
=B3They sleep together?=B2
=B3Yup.=B2
=B3That=B9s just mean, Shea!=B2 Eoin said, walking by, slapping his
brother palm to palm.
Alex shook his head, walking over to his panel to do his diagnostic,
not quite sure if it was meant that they were picking on him or mean
that he still didn=B9t get it.
=B3Its just too easy when some people are wired.=B2
=B3What are you doing?=B2 Sherry said angrily walking out of the Chief
Engineer=B9s office. Quickly, the younger members of the team ran to
test their systems.
=B3Alex and I were having a stress relieving discussion.=B2 Shea said,
smiling.
=B3Well, don=B9t do that. Monitor your stations, and make sure that the
unit is operating at full capacity.=B2
=B3Sherry, everything is fine. Power fluctuations are well within normal
parameters. The engine buffers are handling the stress with room to
spare, and the ****elds are deflecting all unnecessary particles aft.
We=B9re fine.=B2 Shea said, attempting to defuse her nervousness.
=B3I don=B9t care. Keep your stations manned. I am getting some
coffee...=B2
=B3Uh, sherry, are you sure caffeine is...=B2 Eoin started, before Shea
smacked him across the back of his head to shut him up.
=B3I am getting coffee, and if I hear even one word out of you, I
promise you, you will be running diagnostics on ever nut and bolt on
this ****p until the end of time. Are we clear?!=B2
=B3Yes.=B2 Eoin said, sheepishly.
=B3Good!=B2 She said, whipping her hair around to walk towards the
replicator.
=B3Ah, and there goes another one of our staff who deals well with
stress.=B2 Shea said, tapping a few lights on the sensor pad. =B3You got
yourself a winner there, Jon.=B2
=B3Don=B9t I know it.=B2 Jon said, fini****ng some more calculations on
his PADD.
****
Place: Captain=B9s yacht
=B3Alright, McGruff, we=B9re now sitting outside the impenetrable,
unnavigable rock formation. What would you have us do next? Blast
it?=B2
=B3Mr. Neile, do you know how hard it is to irritate me?=B2
=B3No, but that=B9s probably because I don=B9t care that much. I want to
get this guy, and get the hell out of here!=B2
=B3Not as much as I want you gone.=B2
=B3Then we finally agree on something.=B2
=B3Ms. Anton, please drive straight towards the Citadel.=B2
=B3WHAT?!=B2 Both of the Starfleet officers exclaimed.
=B3Please drive straight. I promise you nothing will happen.=B2
=B3Um, Dirty Harry, you know that=B9s solid rock, right?=B2 Query
posited.
=B3Nothing will happen.=B2 Bolsand reminded them.
=B3Alright, Lia,
Mr-can=B9t-trans****t-us-in-there-but-is-telling-us-to-drive-straight-into-s=
olid-rock
says lets go.=B2 Query said cynically.
=B3Query?=B2
=B3Remember that thing that annoyed Bolsand?=B2
=B3Yes.=B2
=B3Well, now its annoying me too.=B2
=B3Right. I=B9ll just sit here and shut up.=B2
=B3Probably for the best.=B2 Lia said, and for the first time, Bolsand
spoke unprompted.
=B3I agree.=B2
*******
Respectfully Submitted,
Lt. Commander Query Neile
Chief Engineer
USS Oberon (now the Captain=B9s Yacht)
NRPG < just a little something to keep us going...
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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 13:25:38 -0400
From: "Arlene" <wondermom@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-W] Flooded Feelings and Flight.
Day 18
Early Morning
Sheldon's Apartment
The voices were so loud. He shook his head, covering his ears. But
the voices were not something he heard with his ears... they were in
his head.
The confusion made him sway and he crumpled to the ground. Only... he
didn't hit the ground. He was falling through the air... falling
toward the lake. He felt the cold water swallow him up... gasping he
suddenly lurched awake.
"What the...!" Sheldon was still breathing hard, and the strange
whispering voices were still floating through his mind, but now he
could feel the voices were calling one name... Ari.
Sheldon found his pants and pulled them on, still dazed from the dream,
but with a strong urge to find Ari. He climbed down from his
apartment, taking the shortcut through the inner tunnels to the ground
level exit.
Concern, worry and then fear... Sheldon's feet began to hurry him
along. He barely noted that he wasn't heading toward the medical
center. He stopped wondering what he was doing out in front of an
unknown apartment. It wasn't Ari's or J'red's... yet he felt sure that
this was the place.
The call was so loud from the ledge above him that he fell to the
ground and coughed as the downbeat of the dragon's wings stirred up the
dust as the female rose into the air. He didn't have time to even
push himself up as a male dragon leapt off the ledge closely following
the rising female, voicing a challenge of his own.
"No...!" Sheldon cried. A mating flight! Panzeree rose to give chase
and Sheldon struggled with the rush of desire that flooded him.
The yellow and purple dragon raced after the blue female, already ahead
of many of the other males who were slower to become aware of the
mating flight, but not as quick as the one dragon who had followed her
into the air.
[SNIP]
Azhy roared the challenge as he took wing after the fleeing Wyndamenth.
Pure instinct took over and he reflected on the mating flights he had
witnessed in his youth. She was the object of his desire and none
would stand in his way.
As he gained altitude he roared and flamed one that came up on his
right and smacked him with his tail as he rolled and banked upward now
reaching the tops of the mountains that surrounded the Warren.
[END SNIP]
Panzeree screamed in surprise, pain and anger replacing the mating lust
that had only moments before been his only focus. He's been flamed?
"Panzer!" Sheldon cried out as he felt the pain flood him through
their link, his own desire quenched as the reality that Ari's dragon
had hurt his bondmate cut through the fog. "How could he... how could
she?"
Sheldon backed away from the door of Ash's apartment, for now he knew
that's where he was, and Ari and Ash were inside... together.
He raced to the green where Panzeree had landed, hanging his head from
the shame of losing, and the pain from the singeing he'd received from
Azhy. Sheldon examined his wound, and determined it was only minor;
nothing some wraith-salve wouldn't take care of. Thinking only of
taking care of Panzeree, Sheldon didn't have time to contemplate what
had just transpired.
[TAG: Morgie... will Xanthia react to the telepathic "flood" from Ash,
and will she come to help the injured Panzeree since Ari is "busy"?]
---
J'red's Apartment
The roar of challenge echoed through the warren, and J'red felt the
familiar rush of desire as Firefly gave chase, though it was only a
half hearted one, as it was obvious the female had pre-warned another
male who was close to winning her before the other males had even
launched.
But the rush of feelings left a nice warm sensation over J'red and he
rolled over reaching for the softness of Ari. Only, the bed beside him
was empty. He sat up and looked around, wondering where she'd gone.
Coming fully awake he heard Firefly returning to the ledge, having lost
the mating flight, and asked him if Azhy had taken Ari to the medical
center.
Firefly was reluctant to answer him right away, and J'red felt a cold
fear grip him.
<*Where are they?*>
<Azhy... won.>
"Oh!" J'red felt his lungs deflate as he thought of the implications.
He wondered who the female was and who Ari would find herself with.
Did she even know what to do with another woman?
<It was Wyndamenth>
"What?" J'red bolted out the door and stared at the crimson dragon,
<*Wyn? But.. but... she's sick!*>
<Never-the-less, she rose and... Azhy won.> Firefly hung his head,
feeling J'red's strong emotions wash over him, <I'm very sorry, my
rider.>
<*No, it's... okay.*> J'red tried to convince himself, but it wasn't.
Ari and he'd only just gotten back together, and now... this! Why
Wyndamenth? Why Azhy? He shuddered as he thought of Ari in Ash's arms
and what they'd be doing. And then he thought... <*Where?*>
Firefly understood the question and supplied the answer, <Ari was in
Ash's apartment when the flight started....>
Ari was in Ash's apartment... ? J'red felt stunned. She had been
there before the mating flight had begun? Why had she left his bed,
obviously carefully so as not to wake him, and snuck off to Ash's
apartment?
J'red felt as if he'd go crazy thinking about these things. Best to
carry on as if nothing had happened, he reasoned. After all, it was a
mating flight, and obviously with her being joined to a male dragon,
his dragon would never be the one that Azhy would mate with... it was
bound to happen.
He went back inside and began to dress, but each article of clothing
took him a very long time to put on. Finally, dressed, he headed to
the ledge where Firefly still patiently waited. The dragon had wanted
to go hunting, but he wouldn't leave his rider in his time of need.
Firefly asked if J'red wanted to be taken to the dining hall, but he
wasn't hungry, so instead they went straight to the warren offices. It
was still early enough that the warren seemed deserted, and other than
those few who had early morning patrols the green was pretty empty.
Most people had probably rolled over and gone back to sleep, having
been up pretty late the night before at the first night of the
carnival.
J'red couldn't help but smile as he thought of Ari's face as she
experienced her first carnival. Her eyes had been alight with wonder
and the only time the smile left her face was when it was replaced by a
look of utter amazement. Ari... J'red frowned as he thought that the
mating must be over by now. Would she come to find him? Or... would
she linger in Ash's arms?
J'red had wondered if there was something between them, when he'd
caught them exchanging glances several times over the past few weeks.
Now he wondered even more, when Ari didn't come looking for him. But
perhaps she was embarrassed, or... afraid? J'red vowed to himself that
no matter what, he was not going to be the first to mention the mating
flight. If she wanted to talk to him about it, he'd listen, but if she
didn't... well, then she didn't.
He couldn't concentrate. He smacked his hand on the desk. Where was
she? It had been... hours. Certainly they were finished doing
whatever they were doing! Maybe they fell asleep. That was it. J'red
tried so hard not to think of them sleeping, curled together, as he
often curled around Ari.
Then he heard the sound of the queen trumpeting.
<My rider, the eggs are hatching!> Firefly told J'red, though it
wasn't necessary. J'red knew Chrysthal's call. Even though the eggs
were not her own, she had mothered them and was proud that they were
finally matured enough to hatch.
J'red was relieved to leave his unfinished paperwork behind and have
the distraction of young dragons. Knowing that their parents had been
wilders, J'red wondered if they would be as likely to join with humans
as warren bred hatchlings. He was sure it would break Ari's heard if
those babies left the warren.
Or... maybe not. She'd grown up around wild dragons all her life.
Perhaps she'd be just as happy to see them go wild?
He hurried to the hatching sands and looked about for her, but she
wasn't there, or at least not yet. He didn't know why, but he'd
expected her to be one of the first ones there.
The first egg was already cracking when he finally did see her
arrive...with Ash. Ash's hand was on her elbow as he escorted her
through the crush of people eager to witness the hatching of the wilder
eggs, and to see if the hatchlings would join.
She didn't even look for him, J'red thought, as he saw her focused on
the eggs as she hurried down to the edge of the hatching sands.
As he watched her, she passed Sheldon and J'red saw the look that
crossed Sheldon's face as he, too, was watching Ari. J'red inhaled
sharply as he saw Sheldon's hurt and confusion written on his face.
So... was Sheldon also in love with Ari?
J'red's chest ached. Yesterday had been like a dream come true, but
this morning he'd woken to a nightmare.
---
SUMMARY:
Day 18
Early Morning
Sheldon awakens from a nightmare triggered by the telepathic flood from
Ash. In a daze, he becomes aware that Ari needs him -- though he still
doesn't really recognize their connection -- and goes to find her. As
he reaches Ash's apartment, Wyndamenth rises to mate, chased closely by
Azhy and then Panzeree. Azhy fights off Panzeree and the yellow dragon
is slightly injured.
J'red awakens to the mild feelings of dragon-lust as Firefly gives a
half-hearted chase. He reaches for Ari, and finds her place in bed is
empty. Firefly informs him that Azhy has won the flight and that Ari
is with Wyndamenth's rider, Ash. J'red tries to come to terms with
this, but has he doubts, especially when he sees Ari come to the
hatching cavern with Ash, and sees Sheldon watching Ari, as well.
---
Respectfully submitted by
Arlene Jacobs
AKA
Sheldon & Panzeree
and
J'red & Firefly
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 15:53:16 -0700 (PDT)
From: Max Loga III <m_logaiii@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: Norwall Ghoast Story
Day 9 Noon
*Dizzi*
Dizzi was wondering around while every one was working to repair the
damage caused by the quake. Many of them where so busy that they didn't
even notice Dizzi walking buy. So Dizzi wandered around. Watching what
every one was doing. Later on the young girl stumbled on a cave that
she never seen before. She usually knows where all the little cracks
and hole in Norwall are and where they go, but she never seen this one
before.
"Do you think we should check it out?" Dizzi asked her stuffed dragon
snow. She looked in to his Button eyes and took it as a yes.
She entered it 'cave' and noticed that it was big enough for most of
the grown ups to go through. At least the ones not as tall as her uncle
Link and only wide enough for one person to go through at a time. It
was dark and deep, Dizzi did not have a torch. Well no grown up would
ever give a young child a touch any ways. But the determined young girl
dissides to explore it any ways.
"Here we go." She told her stuffed companion.
The child entered the tunnel and kept going deeper and deeper. She was
completely engulfed in darkness but pressed on deeper and deeper. Soon
she heard foot steps behind her as if some one was fallowing her. She
stopped and turned round to she if some one was there. The young girl
called out but got no response. Feeling a little scared she pressed on
deeper.
The footsteps started again this time accompanied by whispers. Dizzi
getting ever more scared started to run. The footsteps seemed to move
faster and finally there was a blood starling scream. Dizzi completely
terrified dropped Snow, turned and ran out of the tunnel screaming at
the top of her lungs.
The young girl was running and screaming until she bumped into Breezy,
Her Uncle Link and her Aunt Amy who where searching frantically for
her.
[Tag Tree. I'll leave the calming of the frighten child to you. I hate
to restrict you but I'll have Breezy and Amy go and explore this tunnel
themselves. And we can have something fun to play with here.]
The four found themselves standing in front of the tunnel that Dizzi
said was haunted. Link was holding David as he was too tall to fit.
Breezy and Amy with touches lit where trying to dis side who is going
to go first.
"You can go first after all Dizzi tells me Snow likes you better." Amy
offered.
"Ha ha." Breezy replied sarcastically," She your niece. You go."
Amy though for a minute." How about Rock, Paper, Scissors. Lose goes
first."
Amy and Breezy went one round and Amy's rock beat Breezy's scissors so
Breezy went first. The two cautiously went deeper and deeper. They did
not hear anything. Breezy's foot soon kicked some thing soft. The
redhead looked down and saw it was snow.
She bent down and picked the toy up."Well Look at what I found." the
wingleader said as she held the toy." Now Amy lets get out of here."
As the redhead turn she saw that her blond friend was looking at some
thing on the wall. Her face looked very pale. Breezy then allowed Amy's
gaze and saw something written on the wall that looked like it was
written in blood.
"Please get me out of here. Please get me out of here. Please get me
out of here." is what it said over and over again.
[Tag Tree]
NRPG: Ok this is a Halloween treat to those that celebrate it and for
those that don't some thing to have fun with. I tried to make it as
creepy as I can I hope you like it.
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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 21:48:10 -0700 (PDT)
From: John Pepper <trissana@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-C] On Grandma's Knee (JP)
Morning, day 6
Trissana coughed, the droplets that spewed from her mouth an alarming
red color. <I think I'm going to die,> she groaned.
Trevor stuck his finger experimentally into the wheelbarrow-full of
thick, red liquid and touched it to his tongue. It was more bitter and
foul tasting than anything he'd tried, and he screwed up his face
before spitting it out. *Well, it's no wonder!* he told her. *Next
time, ASK before you stick your tongue into something when you don't
know what it is!*
<Sorry,> she said, hanging her head and coughing again. Bohoc spread
his wing across her back, snuggling up closer to her to try and
reassure her.
*This is the stuff that Lenna told me to mix up for you to get rid of
whatever's in your lungs,* he explained to her. *It's not for
drinking...it needs to be heated, and then you need to breathe in the
steam.*
<Oh,> she said, then coughed again. All this coughing made her feel
lightheaded, so she lowered her head and rested it on her forepaws
again.
*Could you ask Bohoc if I can get a light from him?* Trevor asked,
stacking the last piece of firewood under the wheelbarrow.
Triss explained what her rider wanted, and Bohoc nodded but then looked
quizzically at the wheelbarrow.
Triss opened her eyes a bit and blinked them blearily. <Um...he wants
to know why you need all the wood under there, he could just heat it
directly.>
*Because this will burn on its own for hours once he lights it,* Trevor
reminded her.
<Okay,> Triss said, closing her eyes again. She'd had a hard time
keeping her mind focused on things since she'd been sick. But she did
manage to convey her rider's words to Bohoc, who nodded and lowered his
head. He breathed out a small plume of fire that quickly ignited the
wood. Trevor used a fireplace poker to arrange the wood so it wouldn't
burn too hot. Rather, he wanted it to burn for a long time and slowly
heat the mixture until it began to steam.
He walked over and ran his hand over her nose, and felt that it was
still distressingly warm. He also didn't like this cough she'd
developed. He hoped that this cure of Lenna's worked - though Lenna
herself had warned him that he'd have to pretty much force her to keep
her nose in the steam at first, because it would initially make her
caught worse. But, hopefully it would break up the congestion in her
lungs that was making her cough in the first place. Otherwise, Lenna
had warned, the only thing that would help was complete rest until the
sickness abated.
*Cupcake, I need to go and check on Cynthia and the babies for a bit,*
he told her. *Will you be okay?*
<Of course,> she told him. <Bohoc is here, and I can just call you if
I need you.> She opened her eyes a bit wider. <My rider...> she began
hesitantly. <I...I am sorry to be such a bother to you.>
*Trissana, you are NEVER a bother!* Trevor told her firmly, rubbing her
nose. *Now, listen...if that liquid should start to steam before I get
back, you need to put your nose over the wheelbarrow and breathe in the
steam. You won't like it, and it may make you cough more, but it will
make you feel better. Okay?*
<Okay,> she said in a very small voice. She watched him go, and found
herself beginning to drift off again when Bohoc ****ged her. <That
stuff is steaming,> he told her. <It smells really bad, so it must be
good for you!>
She raised her head and saw the reddish steam rising from the thick
liquid. Gingerly she extended her head forward and breathed in the
steam. At once a fit of coughing seized her, and Bohoc had to put a
wing around her to hold her steady.
<It smells...worse than...it tastes!> she gasped. At least it had
succeeded in bringing her fully awake.
<Well, you said your rider told you it would smell bad,> Bohoc said,
wrinkling his nose and moving a bit away from the steaming liquid.
<Try it again.>
Triss gritted her teeth and once again inhaled the rising va****s. This
time it was a bit easier to endure because she was more accustomed to
it, and she forced herself to continue breathing it while Bohoc
snuggled back up against her.
Just then, she felt Bohoc go rigid.
/snip/
As Cleft came into sight MoonDancer faltered. The lingering effects of
the drug and her fast flight along with her fears for Alania were to
much. She glided to land.
{Bohoc! Bohoc I need you and your rider. Alania! Alania is gone!!}
Bohoc had been sitting with a lamenting Trissana when he heard
MoonDancer's frantic call.
<Trissana, I'm sorry, but I must leave you. My rider and MoonDancer's
rider needs me!> Bohoc apologized to the sick female.
/end snip/
Bohoc launched himself off so quickly that it took Triss a moment to
realize what was happening. She blinked her eyes and let his words
sink in. Andahar and Alania needed him? She drew her head back from
the steam.
Well, she decided, if they were in such trouble that they needed both
dragons to rescue them, then they could certainly use a third! She
carefully blocked any of these thoughts from reaching her rider - as
far as Trevor knew, she was still half-drowsing while she took her
"cure." He would never allow her to do what she was intending, she
knew. She needed to catch up with Bohoc before he got out of the
warren. She had a couple of moments, because Bohoc had to pick up his
rider. But she certainly wouldn't have much more time than that,
because they were clearly in a tremendous hurry.
She raised herself up on her haunches and spread her wings for
flight...and was immediately seized by another fit of coughing that
racked her so hard that she lost her balance and fell back forward.
She hadn't been ready to catch herself, and her left front leg buckled
under her, spilling her over onto her side. She only just managed to
raise one the wing on that side to prevent herself from landing on it
and possibly damaging it.
With a groan, she turned herself over and lay back on her stomach. She
took a deep breath to steady herself, and then levered herself up onto
her front legs, once again spreading her wings to take off. But after
the first tentative flap the coughing hit her again, and she became so
lightheaded that she momentarily blacked out.
She opened her eyes to find herself once again lying on the rock. She
shook her head to try and clear it, and start to unfold her wings -
just as she saw Bohoc, with Andahar riding, swoop across the green
following MoonDancer. And then they were gone, having tele****ted away,
presumably to where Alania was.
Triss moaned softly, berating herself for having failed Bohoc.
Whenever she had needed him, he'd been there...and now, when he could
have used her aid, here she was too weak to even get off the ground.
She had never felt so miserable and useless in her life, and her first
instinct was to howl out her frustration. But she knew that would
alert others, and certainly bring her rider running to see what was
wrong. And she couldn't face him right now, she couldn't let him see
her like this. All she could do was bow her head and sob out her
frustration and shame at her own weakness.
Merilan was looking for Trevor, and assuming that he was with his
dragon, she came over to where Trissana lay, moaning. "Oh, you poor
dear!" She exclaimed as she saw the sorry looking dragon. Having been
around dragons for a very long time, she could easily tell that this
one was not feeling at all well. "Has your rider gone off and left you
all alone?"
Trissana snuffled forlornly.
"Well, I'm sure he'll be back soon, right? I was just looking for him
and." Merilan looked into the baby blue eyes and chuckled at herself,
"Well, will you just look at me. talking like this to you.. One might
almost believe you understood every word that I was saying. Now..."
The woman patted Trissana on her nose, noticing as she did so the
dangling bracelet on her wrist which held the birthstone of her new
great-grandbabies, and one dragon who considered her as her
grandmother.
"I guess I could wait here for Trevor just as well as I could in that
stuffy apartment, and you certainly look like you could use some
company."
If Merilan didn't know better she could swear that the pearlescent
dragon nodded her head as if to agree with her. "Well, then. how
about a story?" Merilan suggested, and again, she the dragon nodded
her head, and this time she offered the old woman a front paw to rest
on, or at least that's what it looked like to Merilan. Hoping she
wasn't mistaken, she took the dragon up on the offer and settled
herself on the dragon's paw before launching into a tale.
Triss cocked her head as she watched her "grandmother" settle herself
down. She was still extremely distraught over being unable to help
Bohoc, but she did think of Merilan as "family," so she alternated her
gaze between Merilan and the sky where Bohoc had disappeared. Turning
back to Merilan, she nodded her head at the woman's words to show she
understood.
Merilan chuckled, thinking to herself that she was going daft. She
could have sworn the dragon had nodded! Well, if anything her voice
would be soothing and might make Trissana relax until Trevor came
back,so she began her story.
"Atop of the tallest mountain in the longest chain of mountains,
their lived a wise old dragon queen...." The story was quite involved
and before long Merilan could swear that the pearlescent dragon was
listening intently.
"Are you supposed to be breathing in that steam?" Merilan interrupted
the tale to look at the haze swirling from the wheelbarrow. The stench
was almost enough to drive her away.
Trissana listened intently to the story, at one point moving her head
down so that she was nearly resting her chin on Merilan's shoulder.
When Merilan mentioned the steam, however, she remembered that she was
supposed to be breathing it in. She turned and looked at the steaming
wheelbarrow-full of red liquid, and remembered Bohoc lighting it before
he left...and went where she couldn't go. She hung her head once
again, with a deep sigh. After a moment, she forced herself to raise
her head and inhale some of the steam, but it smelled so bad it made
her cough
again so that she found she couldn't keep her head up. She settled her
head down next to Merilan and gave her an apologetic look.
"Oh, you poor dear!" Merilan exclaimed as the dragon convulsed in
coughs. She looked so pathetic. "I wonder..." Merilan got up, "I'll
be right back. Promise." The elderly woman hurried back to the room
she was staying in. She took out a salve that she often used on her
joints when they were stiff -- which amazingly she hadn't had to use
since being there. The other common usage for the salve was to rub on
chests when one had a cold and congestion.
When she came back, it looked like Trissana was drowsing. She came
over to the dragon and ****ged her gently. "Triss, dear, are you awake?
I've got some medicine... you probably won't like the smell, though I
dear say it smells better than that concoction Trevor has boiling
there."
She held up the large jar of white paste for Trissana's inspection.
Triss sniffed at the jar, and had to agree that it smelt better. She
nodded her head to Merilan, then continued to watch her. <It is a shame
you cannot understand me,> she said to Merilan. <Especially since I
can understand you. But...I am very glad to have you here.> She
gently touched her nose against Merilan, then settled down with her
eyes fixed on the jar Merilan was carrying.
Merilan took out a big glob of the stuff and rubbed it under Trissana's
chin. It took quite a bit to spread it around. Then she took too
handfuls and rubbed that right under Trissana's nostrils, standing back
a bit fearfully as the dragon began to snuffle loudly.
"How's that? Is it helping to clear you up any better?" Merilan
looked into the baby-blue eyes.
<Well, it does smell better,> Triss admitted, sniffing experimentally.
She moved her head over to the rising steam again and found that the
good-smelling stuff on her nose made it easier to breathe in the
pungent steam. So she held her head there for a few moments while
Merilan looked on.
"Well, then!" Merilan smiled. "You know... This would make an
interesting painting. I'll be right back..." Merilan was gone again,
and when she returned she was carrying her easel and a small basket.
She set up the easel and opened the basket, removing little pots of
paint and a brush, then she sat back and surveyed the scene, noting the
contrasts and the shading of the rock formation, and the way the smoke
curled up from the logs and the steam from the contents of the
wheelbarrow, and of course the pearly dragon with the baby-blue eyes.
Triss didn't know anything about art, other than watching her rider
draw his maps. She supposed that was what her rider's grand-dam was
doing with the drawing implements she was holding. She started to turn
her head, moving her nose out of the steam as she did so.
Merilan glanced up from her work and noticed the blue eye peering down
at her, "No, no... you can see it when I'm done. And you should be
breathing in that steam." Merilan scolded and was mildly surprised
that the dragon immediately turned her head back into the steam. She
put the tip of the handle of her brush against her lip thoughtfully.
"You really are a pretty dragon," She complimented to see what the
dragon would do, she dded, "Could you bring your tail around so I can
draw it too?"
Triss sighed, and continued to breathe in the pungent steam. She did,
though, bring her tail around so that it was curled around her on the
side where Merilan was facing. But she continued to gaze off at the
spot where Bohoc had tele****ted away from the warren. Oh, how she
wished she had been able to go with him...she hated feeling that she
had let him down when he needed her! Her head hung down a bit farther
as though from the weight of her failure.
Merilan noticed the tail and was delighted that Triss must really be
understanding her spoken words. Then she noticed the dragon's
countenance seemed a bit more downcast than just that she wasn't
feeling well, but that something else appeared to be bothering her.
Merilan was at a loss as to what to do, and the tip of her brush again
found it's way to her lip and as she tapped it, the bracelet on her arm
jingled; the bracelet which Trevor had added the birthstones of the
twins, and one young dragon who considered her a grandma. How could
she not comfort that poor sick dragon?
"Come now Trissana, dear. It can't be all that bad, now can it?" Her
voice soothed. She put her brush down and looked into the baby-blue
eyes that regarded her sadly. "Now, now...there." Merilan came over
and rubbed her cheek.
Despite her sadness, Trissana found that Merilan's attentions were
soothing. She wished she could tell someone how she felt, and
why...but she could not tell her rider, of course. Merilan, however,
seemed to understand even though she had no way to make herself
understood. But...maybe that wasn't necessary. Her adopted grand-dam
clearly sensed her sadness, and wanted to help. She could ask for no
more. Gently, she moved her head over so that the side of her muzzle
was just touching Merilan and she could savor the feeling of contact
between them. Just knowing that someone other than her rider could
still care for her
despite her present low condition meant so much to her.
"There now, dear," Merilan stroked the dragon, sensing that her
presence was having the desired effect, but she couldn't' remain
standing for so
long, and was again surprised that Triss provided her foreleg for a
couch. She sat on Triss's paw, and Triss put her head partially into
her lap. Not knowing what else to do, Merilan started to sing a
lullaby. And this was how Trevor found them when he returned.
Trevor stopped in surprise when he saw the two of them there. He
wanted to ask what was going on, but as neither of them had noticed
him, he
decided to make the most of that. He silently knelt down and picked up
the brush and paper Merilan had laid down nearby, knowing that this
scene simply *had* to be preserved. Trevor let all his concentration
go into the brush, and found himself using greater care and skill than
he'd ever done with any map. Soon, the image of his grandmother
comforting the sick dragon took shape on the page. He found himself
wondering if she'd done that for his father K'rald at one time, and
knew that she surely must have. Soon the work was finished, and Trevor
came and sat down with the drawing on his lap, waiting for them to
notice him.
As Triss began to drowse and Merilan's voice began to fade away, she
looked up and was surprised to see her grandson smiling at her. She
noticed the painting and blinked in surprise. "Is that... me?"
Trevor nodded. "It is," he said. "I don't think I did it the justice
you would have if you'd been holding the brush, but when I saw you two
together there, I just couldn't resist trying to capture the image on
paper. Did I...do all right?"
Merilan felt tears coming into her eyes. Trevor was certainly a boy
after her own heart. "You have done... very well, and done this old
woman proud." Her eyes gleamed.
Trevor put an arm around his grandmother, and laid his other arm across
Trissana's muzzle. The only thing he could wish for now was that there
had been someone to draw all three of them. But even without that, the
happy feeling he had right now was enough that he would always remember
it.
Submitted by:
John (Trevor & Trissana)
&
Arlene (Merilan, Andahar & Bohoc)
Summary: Morning, Day 6 - Trevor leaves Triss with Lenna's steaming
cure, but Bohoc has to leave to help his rider rescue Alania. Triss
tries to follow but is too weak from coughing and collapses. Merilan
arrives, and comforts the sick and distraught dragon until Trevor
returns. Trevor takes a moment to sketch Merilan and Trissana
together.
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