Shard stood in front of a cadre of riders, all of whom he trusted and knew from experience were good at their jobs. Their dragons waited nearby, a field of them - more dragons together than many people had seen at the Isle in many years.

"There is good reason for our neighbors to be worried," Shard said, "because the Warren is under attack, and we might need to help them out."

"The warren?" Someone asked, unaware of the Nexus locale.

"The Warren is one of our many contacts," Shard said, "my ... brothers... have bonded there." Shard listened to the many sounds of disbelief. Yes, he had brothers. Why weren't they here?

"It doesn't much matter where they are," Shard replied to the invisible folk and their murmured queries. "They have made me aware of a problem. Baeris of the Healing Den and I are going to embark on a diplomatic journey, and we will try to keep the peace. But... Honestly," he said again examining the group he'd assembled, "there may be need for warriors such as yourselves. Your dragons are experienced in the fighting, but not like the Warren's dragons are. They fight Hydra, and other creatures who are not friendly to dragon kind."

Again, the muttering started, and was ceased by Shard holding up his hands at them. "Hydra, yes, the multiple headed creatures. But there are also winged versions, and those dragons who have allied themselves against our friends. Mystic is an experienced mage, but she needs help in terms of numbers. So... We are numerous - we don't have magic. That is the only weakness I can see here."

"But magic... not like the Grypons, right? Like," someone else said, a girl who rode green, "magic - poof, things happen and fireballs and stuff?"

"Yes." Shard said.

Some of the elder riders rolled their eyes, this couldn't be happening, could it? But... Hollis was there and he seemed to be deferring to the blue man. That meant he was serious. Very much so.

"I want our old wings reorganized," Shard said. "Kevin, as you know, is back briefly from Aneris and will be representing both our Protectorate as well as Aneris. But," Shard looked at the blond haired Bronze rider, "you'll be in charge of reassigning the fighting wings."

Kevin nodded. "I understand sir," he said. Here was a weyrleader in his own right deferring to a blue rider? Some of the younger riders didn't quite understand why this was happening.

"I want all the fertile females out of this," Shard added to Hollis. "None of the riders with family still being raised. Anyone with ties that should not be broken." Hollis then nodded, but he had narrowed his eyes.

"And what about me? And Korea?"

"You both have that clutch on the sands, Hollis, and I won't risk both our current queen and our main dragon healer to this war. It isn't your problem. It's ours." Shard said. "This belongs to the warriors and you're not a warrior."

Hollis and his huge bronze, not warriors!? That provoked a number of young riders to start talking. But Hollis held his pale hands up and silenced them himself.

"He is right - while it's true that I did ride Synesth into threadfall on the old world when I was just about ten years old," he heard the gasps and oohs and aahs, but said nothing to them, "it has been a very long time since we've been anything more than diplomats and administrators. I did want Korea to be there, her skills are valuable."

"But her dragon must remain on the sands, and without that queen we might be left ... without new life." Shard said. Everyone sobered. This was serious. This Warren was a place where some of them might lose their lives. They'd all had a bit of training, and many had combat experience here on Alskyr at least. But only a scant handful of those riders actually had been in Thread fall on the old world, only a few had really been in combat of other sorts with riders upon dragons.

"Kevin, I need you to find the old wings, the Cherry Bombers and your old Stone Fury guys. I've got an idea to arrange the riders again, the wings will be a bit bigger than they used to - in most cases." Shard announced. The bronze rider began walking toward the gathering, and started picking out people from the crowd.

"Jade," Shard said, "you'll be in charge of the secondary pack. The Hunters, and the Sea Blessed wings will be able to refresh the bronzes and browns, so there won't be a lack of any constant fighters out there."

Jade nodded, her black hair tied back and her silver-white outfit still fitting quite nicely. She began looking for the old Hunters immediately.

"Pat," Shard said, and the elderly bronze rider jerked his head up from talking to one of the younger green riders. "I need you to find the Old Guard. I know you're scattered to the winds, but you and the others will be needed. But don't try taking anyone who doesn't want to come along."

Shard turned to Rue, who stood smugly next to him. "Rue, you and Beirissath will be going home with Hollis."

The woman's eyes grew wide, angry. But Shard put his long finger over her lips. "Hush. Don't argue. I want you and that green home and safe."

You cannot order me around! Beirissath bellowed.

"Oh I can, and I just did," Shard said, with a depth to his voice that commanded the green standing nearby to lower her head. "You can yell at me as much as you like, once we're home. But you do not come along on this trip."

Rue ground her jaw around, but said nothing. He was right of course, Beirissath and Jeremoth had been quite friendly with one another for many years and she was convinced that the green was soon going to rise. Without Jeremoth there, she wasn't sure what would happen. But it would have to be after they got back. Rue insisted.

"Sky," Shard continued, looking for the brown rider who was his head of tactics, "You're going to be in charge of the same old guys. Go get them."

Sky grinned, his white hair and pale skin a mirror of Hollis', "Shadow wing doesn't exist. It never did."

"Of course," Shard said with a grin. "But you bring along what healers we have, right? You can find a few."

"We'll need them," Sky said, as he headed off to locate members of a wing that didn't get much press beyond 'not existing'.

Shard stood and looked at the sky for a moment, and then seemed to concentrate his thoughts as though he were speaking to Jeremoth, his dragon. But it wasn't to the blue dragon behind him that he spoke. It was out - off the world - out of time, that he wanted to speak.

And soon enough, a pale brown colored dragon came swooping down into the mix. Etan and Utainth. While they were getting settled onto the ground, Shard said to the black haired young man next to him, "Nate, you and the old pair of wings you used to fly with are needed as a last ditch back up. You might have to find some people with the experience of these other wings, and it will be a small relief wing. Are you up for it?"

Nate bounced, his boyish glee at having been included at all was still with him after even 10 or more years at Shard's side. "I can find them. Uplift and Screw Loose wings will be at your service, sir!"

He bolted away to find the guys and gals who had any kind of fight in them, the big burly men and women of the Uplift wing would love this, while the wiley people of the Screw Loose wing had brains on their side.

Etan finally approached. "You have heard, then." He said. Shard nodded once. "Then we're ready to do whatever we can do. There are other... emergencies I must deal with here too, but this one is the important thing."

Shard obviously wanted to ask about those other things, but it was enough that Etan had come through space and time to heed his call at all. "You'll be in charge of the few people we have who are well known and good at Nexus flight. A couple of the Sky's Limit wing are at your call. One or two from the Currier wing as well, I think they've wound up there too."

"I understand. We will be your sneaky squadron," Etan maintained a bit of humor through this, somehow. It was unlike him, and Shard knew it was only because he was quite nervous.

"That leaves the Spines, and those are for me to pick out," Shard said. He turned to a couple people nearby. "Wick, Riel, Tandri," he said, and the last startled Etan to turning to see his son standing there proudly. "Khal and Sakti?" Shard asked the light brown Ryslen born and his irridescent green mate, who both stood at attention. Riderless, but functional eyes and ears. "I would want Rue here, but I've already determined it would not be the best idea. The leaders of these new wings will also be reporting to me. And, they - and all those who are in these wings - will be reporting directly if need be, to the riders and leadership of the Warren. We will be only a part of a fighting crew."

"The likes of which have never been seen," Mystic said, quietly. No one had seen her appear, but she was there indeed. "Thank you, the help is appreciated. But there are some things these wings will be needing to know before they head off into battle for me."

When the groups of people had been assembled properly, and the rest of the riders dismissed (how they wanted to hang around - but some were glad they weren't picked! Death? in some far off dimension? No way!), Mystic began to address the group.

"The main thing to remember about this fight is that the opponents have magic at their disposal. They will be able to hit you in ways that you've never been hit." She said. "So it is important that you get in and out as quickly as possible. Only engage an enemy that you know you can harm - and surprise is a good way of making sure that you get in at all. Take advantage of your teleporters," she said with emphasis on Etan's group, "because they will not be able to catch up with you quite as fast as they'd like to think."

"What are we to fight with?" Asked brown riding female T'ver, "our dragons have flame weapons, but what else? Your people will resort to using hand weaponry, won't they?"

"They will," Mystic replied to the dark skinned woman. "And if you wish we can supply you with some lances, swords or other weapons you might be familiar with. I don't know how well you know how to fight on dragon back."

"It won't matter," Luena said, the green rider wearing a big grin and a long sword. "We've got that covered. If people need quick help, we'll be there." She indicated a small number of people who had trained with her specifically.

Mystic nodded. "Well, until the battles, then, I hope and pray for a resolution to this matter. I hope that we do not have to see one another on the battlefield, Shard."

"I feel the same way, but don't worry." He looked over the group of more than one hundred riders and their dragons staggered off in groups beyond. "We're going to kick some ass, whether your enemies want us there or not."

The wing leaders have assembled their ranks as follows:

Shard's Spines

Etan - Sneaky Squadron

Sky - Hidden Helpers

Pat - Old Guard

Nate - Screwy Wabbits

Kevin - Hard Attack Wing

Kevin - Bronze Fortalezeth
Gareth - Bronze Seth
Gawain - Bronze Zenozath
Ep'son - White White Bronze Jaluth
Piper - Brown Griffith
T'ver - Brown Nukath
Cinio - Brown Irayth
Jemmi - Brown Niralapanth
W'kon - Brown Pravoth
Galiana - Brown Dagreth
Nai - Brown Mortath
Rama - Brown Lakshmanath
Stephon - Brown Fueroth
Rogue - Brown Rascalth
Baalthazar - Brown Zallath
Mallory - Blue Karth
Vallory - Blue Hiferth
Serra - Blue Mugdhath
Demona - Blue Cirnath
Lee - Blue Tekoath
Dancer - Light BLue Choreoth
Carnage - Blue Havocth

Jade - Steady Attack Wing