"Don't you dare belittle Harpers, Wasp. It's your nature, sure, but I won't stand it. Anything else is cool, but the Harpers are above you. You have no craft - you're just the Wasp. And the Reptiles are gone - all of them. There are none to be found. So you can just shut up." It was Naziah that stepped it, wrenching Jaalif away from Naja, Caywiel scolding them both.

"You can shut up, both of you. I won't stand it here, here in _my_ gang. We're above that. If you want to bicker, go to the Birds. Not that they won't eat you alive," she spat out, brown eyes sharp and dangerous. "We're all on edge - someone's picking off the gangs, person by person, but that does not mean we're going to fall apart without their help. Do you understand me?" When neither Naja or Jaalif answered, the Spider's voice lowered dangerously. "I said do you understand me?"

"Yes, Spider," Jaalif bit out, Naja a second or two behind.

"But Aida's gone somewhere," Naja whined as Haliyah and Quilah ducked in through the opening. The Damselfly and the Firefly - inseperable, they were, both golden-haired and petite - turned to go right back out, seeing Naziah's mood, but a glare from the Spider made them both sink down into chairs.

"You can listen as well. Since people seem to be going missing, you four are going out to _look_ for them." Naziah's voice dripped with sarcasm. "It made be a tough job for you and Jaalif, Naja. Actually being smart and paying attention, but that's why Damsel and Fire are going with you." Quilah was elder than Naziah by about a turn, and the Spider never sassed her; everyone was somewhat cautious about the Firefly, however pretty she may be.

"Of course, Nazzy," Quilah murmured; she was the only one who called Naziah "Nazzy," but she _had_ raised the Gangleader.

"And you'll look," Naziah continued, shooting Quilah a glance, "at any Weyr, Caer, dragonry, whatever you can find." Chaos broke out.

"Why there?!" Haliyah burst out, tugging on a blonde curl. "They'll come back, Spider, I know they will. Just wait, please. We don't need to go - they'll punish us.. or something! And who is to take us there?" The Spider merely smirked.

"That's your job, isn't it? There's four of you - I'm sure you can figure it out. More are going out to look." Naziah stroked gold Caywiel. "You all blather on about fire lizard, don't you? Think of this as a chance to go and find one. You know how to blend into crowds. You should, at least. I don't want all my hard work going to waste."

"Of course, Spider," Naja and Haliyah murmured, Jaalif and Quilah merely sitting, impassive.

"Do we get any sort of direction?" grunted Jaalif. "Besides the fact that we're to look in dragon homes?"

"How quaint.. expecting help.. the last time I heard that was.."

"We'll do it on our own," Naja ground out, glaring at Jaalif. "Don't bother, Spider." Naziah smirked; Haliyah and Quilah exchanged glances; Jaalif and Naja glared at each other.

"Maps are -"

"That's odd, isn't it, Quilah? Men asking for directions," commented Haliyah over the arguement progressing between Naja and Jaalif. Quilah nodded thoughtfully.

"You're quite right, Damsel. Perhaps we should leave on our own.. it would be much easier, Spider, without them." Quilah gave Naziah a look. "Can't we? And why the Weyrs?" Naziah shrugged.

"Where else, Quilah? They wouldn't desert - my theory is that they're being Searched. Anyway, if we manage to Impress before ev'ryone else, we'd be unstoppable, Qui'. And you four.. I think you'd make a lovely quartet, all on the same color.. or almost. So you're going out together." Naziah laughed at Quilah's face; the noise alone caused everyone to stop and stare. "Brilliant, aren't I?" said Naziah smugly, stroking Caywiel. "Aren't you four gone yet?" she added pointedly, and the four quickly deserted the headquarters.

"Why did Spider laugh?" Jaalif asked Haliyah when they were browsing through Kelvar proper, Quilah and Naja behind them. "What was she saying?" Haliyah shrugged, pausing to examine a damselfly charm that a metalworker was peddling.

"Jaalif.. pretend you're going to buy it for her," Quilah murmured. "Lean over and 'discuss' it with her.. Naja and I are going to look for 'riders." Jaalif bent over obediantly.

"It is nice, isn't it?" Haliyah gazed wistfully at the charm as the peddler rattled off prices. "No, no thank you," she said firmly, cutting off the peddler. "Not today." Grabbing Jaalif's hand, she dragged him through the Hold, falling into the act of lovers easily. "Look more relaxed, Jaal," she advised, blue eyes scanning the crowd for Quilah.

"The Damselfly. And the Ladybug." Jaalif and Haliyah both whirled around - who knew their names? The voice wasn't one of the gangmembers - or any of the others who were in any of Kelvar's gangs. Haliyah's eyes narrowed as she and Jaalif studied the man. He bore no gang insignia - their own was some sort of insect jewellry with a purple sash tied around the waist. Sometimes different shades of purple, and tied differently, but everyone knew about Kelvar's gangs anyway.

"Who," Jaalif asked, "are you?"

"Chavifuru."

"You're not," Haliyah grumbled. "You would be some dragonrider, making you Ch'vi or C'furu or something." The man quirked an eyebrow.

"What makes you certain I'm a rider?" he challenged.

"Naziah said so, and you've left your insignia on," Jaalif answered lazily. "A searchrider who rides brown, correct? Head, if I'm not mistaken. From.." This took thought.

"Enzan Shi," Haliyah supplied. "Which means.. Quilah and Naja.."

"Are not with me." Ch'vi scowled. "Since when are Pernese intelligent?"

"Since always. Anyway.. why are you talking to us?" Ch'vi shrugged as an answer to Haliyah's question.

"I was told to. Also to say that you're invited to come back to E.S., check out the Sands, watch a Hatching, find a bondmate, cruise back here to wreck havoc on the Hold." Jaalif and Haliyah exchanged glances; Haliyah started to inch behind the taller Jaalif.

"Erm.." Jaalif hesitated. "This would require us going to E.S., correct? Enzan Shi?" Ch'vi nodded slowy.

"Ye-es. Didn't you hear the 'invited to come back to E.S.' part?" he asked.

"We did," Jaalif said quickly. "So.. we'll come.. because Naziah says so.." At Haliyah's splutter, Jaalif jabbed her in the ribs. "Shush, Hally."

"It's _Haliyah_. Not Hally or Holly or anything else. Haliyah," she shot back. "Jally." Jaalif scowled.

"Just like Naja," he replied with a long-suffering sigh. "So take us, Ch'vi, wherever you will, before we're both dead." Ch'vi rolled his eyes.

"You're both nuts. Haeth'll take us back.. just follow me."

xXx

"So. We're supposed to go, find a dragonry, stand there, find others, come back?" Naja asked, paying for an apple. It would have been easier to steal the imported fruit, but they needed the support of the merchants in their turf. This marketplace was theirs.

"That's what it sounds like," Quilah answered indifferently, pointing at a another fruit further back in the stand. "Minus the impression bit, of course."

"But why? You ladies would make fine dragonriders!" the stallowner protested. He winked and leaned forward. "Honestly, having you Insects in charge here is a lot better than having the Fish or the Birds - we're really prospering this turn." Naja smiled, touching the wasp pin that dangled from her royal purple sash.

"We're not really supposed to let on that we're Insects," she whispered back, "but thanks!" Quilah gave him a smile.

"Thus if you see any dragonriders.. would be quite beneficial.." The stallmaster nodded, and peered around the people milling about. "I saw one, not too long ago. Bought some fruit," he mumbled as he searched. "Ah! There! See the woman? Identified herself as Trenda'." The stallmaster pointed into the crowd. "She's got the knots on. Hard to miss."

"Thank you once more." Quilah tossed the merchant another mark as she and Naja pushed through the crowd towards the woman he had identified as a dragonrider.

"Dragonrider Trenda'?"

"We're here.."

"..to go with you.."

"..to your home," Naja finished. Trenda' blinked.

"You are?" The Insects glanced at each other before nodding.

"Aye. Naja and I.. high recommendations.. standing.." Quilah spoke swiftly, moving in closer to Trenda'. "And we believe we have friends there, and we must see them. 'Tis urgent."

"I could take a message," Trenda' replied stubbornly. "Names?" Naja glanced at Quilah, eager to see how she responded.

"Ah.. it's secret. Business matters, you see? Ask your green, searchrider. We're to stand." Trenda' raised an eyebrow.

"Do you hear dragons?" she asked suspiciously; Quilah smiled smugly - her gamble had paid off.

"No ma'am, she's not," Naja answered. "She just has an extraordinary amount of luck at the gambling tables." Trenda' blinked.

"I don't want to know any more about that," she said firmly. "But Ria' says you're fit for Enzan Shi.." Trenda' surveyed them doubtfully. "Why do I get the impression that you _aren't_ two fine, upstanding citizens?" Naja and Quilah shrugged innocently.

"We have absolutely no clue, Searchrider," piped up Naja. "We wouldn't know."

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