° Shane and Lori: Ryslen °

stories of the Taratus Clan by Neishai

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"D'run, there were others…" His words echoed in Lori's mind. And the Bluerider's reply, the man who had saved them explaining that they were "on Search," had said something similar. "There were other searchers that day. I will look, but your friends may have been taken elsewhere."

And they may have been taken…

There was a lump in her throat, as her mind filled her with feelings of helplessness and grief. There were so many they had left behind, not out of choice, but out of their need to survive.

Loriat leaned against her Alpha, Shainon, as he held her tight at his side. They both currently appeared human, a dark man and a pale woman, but Lori couldn't be further from it. Deep down, she had the mind of a bird with an overwhelming desire to flee, and in the clutches of her strong leader, she only eventually calmed down. She had to remind herself that with Shane, she was utterly safe. Shane can do anything. Shane saved me.

Without him, I am nothing.

She took a final deep breath, wearing a passive expression on her face. He squeezed her arm and she looked up at him. He was smiling reassuringly; she could read the utter sadness and bitter resolve in his eyes, but as always, she knew he would make the most of their situation. They were survivors.

D'run was a kind man. He promised to look for more of the Taratus, as they called themselves, once he had gotten Shane and Lori situated. "I'll arrange some temporary lodgings for you, adjoining rooms--"

"No!" Lori shook her head, body shivering with fright.

"Please, D'run. If possible, we'd like to share a room, at least until we are more used to our surroundings." Shane swept his arm around the massive structure of Ryslen. It resembled a hollowed-out volcano, or perhaps a massive castle, complete with cliffs, caves, and it's own lake. It was, in fact, both as they would see later. He was fascinated, but standing here in the middle of the Bowl as they were, he also felt vulnerable and isolated. He was at the mercy of this middle-aged man and his dragon; and while there were no guns or weaponry in evidence, their background forced Shane to view everyone as an enemy until he knew he could trust them.

D'run wore a small smile filled with sympathy. "All right. I think we can come up with something. Once we find you some lodgings, I'll set you up with some food in the dining hall. You must be famished." He received subtle displays of affirmation. He nodded. "And while you're eating, I'll go look for your friends. How many are there?"

The shifters shook their heads. "Many," Shane said huskily.

"I see. While I'm gone, think about what you want to do. Ryslen is always happy to house new arrivals. If you decide to stay for any length of time, you will of course need to pull your own weight."

Shainon nodded. "Of course." He wasn't about to leave Ryslen without repaying D'run for saving them.

"You might consider becoming Candidates to bond your own dragon hatchlings." D'run gestured to his Blue, Okserth and the pair before him looked dubious. "They will be your staunchest ally, and it sounds like you will need some help. Think about it, but keep in mind that depending on your individual dragon, he or she will require anywhere between two and four years to mature."

Shane hissed. Unacceptable! They had to gather their forces and leave as soon as possible.

D'run noted the reaction and said, "Perhaps now is not the time to discuss such things. You're tired and your blood is racing. All I ask is that later on, do think about it."

Shane nodded, jaw set and frowning.

"Now, if you'll follow me, I'll show you the way."

As they turned to meet the rest of Ryslen, Lori glanced back at Okserth. Looking at him filled her with a creeping sense of hope. There was strength and a certain freshness to his whole being, even though she sensed that he was probably working on his third decade of life. She had no idea how long dragons might live; crows like her original self would be elderly, if not dead already. He showed little sign of advanced age.

Suddenly she realized that he was also looking back at her, knowing that her thoughts were about him. He rumbled encouragingly, a sound made faint by their retreat. She felt waves of strength flow over her like waves of cool, refreshing water. As she disappeared inside, she smiled at the Blue, knowing that he saw it.

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