They sat chatting with Cali for a bit while they ate until the young 
woman stood and excused herself, leaving Saul and Shawnee alone again.

"She's very nice," said Shawnee.

"Umm hmm," Saul agreed taking another bite of his dinner. Then he 
spotted another familiar face across the dining hall. "Ah ha. I have someone
to introduce you to. And this one doesn't necessarily agree 
with your brother about me."

"What?" Shawnee teased, "Someone who isn't fond of you, Saul?" She found
that hard to believe after all he had already done for herself and the kids.

"You'd be surprised how many people are not fond of me, Sweet Shawnee." 
He grinned.

"Because you take their money playing cards?"

Saul grinned slyly, "Among other things." He said cryptically.

Shawnee wondered what he had meant by *other things* , there was so much
about him that she didn't know. But before she could ask him to explain 
his remark, he led her over to a table where a tall, pale young woman 
sat. "Good evening, Sweet Kalyth."

She nodded at him and the young woman with him. "I'd like to introduce 
you to Shawnee. She's only just arrived in the Warren."

"Did he drag you here, too?" She said with a wry lift to her lips.

"He dragged you here?" she asked looked at Saul whose eyes were still smiling. 

Kalyth raised an eyebrow at Whiteriver's searcher. "I wasn't very 
happy about it then .. but now .. I guess it wasn't such a bad thing."

Shawnee looked a little confused, but Saul quickly intervened, "I 
brought Shawnee here so that her little brother and sister could get 
the care they needed. And now thanks to B'ril, they are."

"Your brother and sister are sick?" Kalyth asked.

"They were," Shawnee told her, "But now that they've had the healer's
looking after them, Ojean and Fawna are so much better. 

"Fawna is such a pretty name," Kalyth  told her. "How old is she?

"She's six years old, and she's as pretty as her name sounds," the 
girl's face softened as she spoke about the little angle in the med 
center. "I don't know what I would have done if I had lost her, but 
thanks to Saul for bringing her here, I don't have to think about it."

"Tell me," the light-haired girl leaned closer, a mischievous glint 
colored her blue eyes. "Did he ask you if you wanted to come here, or 
did he just take over and tell you, you were coming with him?"

Shawnee's cheeks colored as her mind recalled the events that had 
taken place that night. Her eyes caught Saul's, a smug little smile lingered
on his lips as he too waited for her to answer.

"With my sister Fawna so sick at the time, I really didn't have much 
of a choice. Getting her the help she needed was all that was important 
to me at the time." 

Kalyth let out a hardy laugh, "Which is just a polite way of saying 
that he didn't give you a choice in the matter."

"Would you have me leaving two gravely ill children to the mercy's of 
their own fate?" Saul looked hurt at the girl's teasing. "Why even you 
know I'm not that heartless."

"No Saul, you're not," Kalyth grinned. "But I'll bet it didn't hurt 
that they had a pretty sister who was just the right age now did it."

The right age for *what* Shawnee wondered, but before she could voice 
the question, the man beside her spoke. 

"I'll have you know that Shawnee has a job with Barry over at the tailor
shop," Saul told the other rider. "She's quite good with a needle and thread
too. Maybe you should go by sometime and see what she could make 
up for you. Something in a softer tone Sweet Kalyth might look good on you."

"I just might do that," She said as she got up to say her good-byes. 
"It was nice meeting you Shawnee, I hope to see you around again soon 
and that your brother and sister get better quickly."

"Thank you," Shawnee smiled in return, "It was nice meeting you too. 
Maybe one day you could tell me the story of how you came to the 
Warren." 

"Maybe one day I will," Kalyth flashed a brief smile Saul's way when 
she heard him groan. "Maybe I will. Night all"

"Night," the other two said.
***
The dining hall was almost empty when Saul finally rose and offered 
her his hand. "It's late Sweet Shawnee, why don't I walk you on home."

She stood slowly, sad that the evening was coming to an end. She'd 
been having such fun. The people she had met tonight had been so nice, 
and they had accepted her for herself. She hadn't been the *whores* daughter
to them when they had included her in their jokes and stories. 
She was just, Shawnee, a girl new to the warren with a younger brother 
and sister. Sighing she placed her hand on Saul's arm. It was beginning 
to feel at home there she thought as they began to walk.
****

"So Sweet Shawnee," Saul said quietly as he escorted her home, "Do you think
you're going to like the warren?"

"The people are very nice." She said.

"Yes they are. We have a few, you'll want to avoid as much as possible, 
but on the whole most good people." They were interrupted by a loud 
singing coming from a nearby apartment. A large man swaggered out 
holding a mug high over his head as he sang. A small, mousy woman was
pulling on his arm trying to get him to reenter the apartment.

"Leave me alone, woman," the man said loudly as he shook her off.

"I take it he's one to avoid," Shawnee whispered to Saul.

Saul simply nodded the smile vanished from his face. Unfortunately the large
man spotted Saul and headed towards him, "Saul! Saul, my friend!"

Saul reluctantly turned to face the approaching man, plastering a smile 
on his face. "Good evening K'leev." He turned to the small woman who 
hung off to the side, out of the way, "Good evening to you as well, Racine."

"Thank you, Saul," she said weakly.

"Did you hear, Saul! Did you see! Bruteth triumphed! He's the winner!" 
Saul and Shawnee both grimaced at the man's breath. "And that wimpy boy 
of mine .. he didn't stand a chance!"

"K'leev .." begged Racine, "Please come inside .."

"I'm talking to Saul!" he roared at her.

Saul smiled tightly. "You know I would love to sit and chat with you K'leev.
But I have to walk the lady home .."

Shawnee knew the moment the drunken man's eye's turned to look her 
over. Something in his narrow eyed glance reminded her of how the men around
the town had looked at her. As if they were undressing her with their eyes
in anticipation of what they hoped was to come. Several of 
the men hadn't been very kind with her when she had turned them down. 
One or two had even tried to force themselves on her. She had learned 
to avoid those men whenever she could. She always knew that the next 
time, it might not be so easy for her to get away. 

This man K'leev, was just such a man. He scared her, he would be the 
type who didn't take being told no, very well. She shrunk back behind 
Saul under the large man's scrutiny. "A pretty one, eh, Saul. Aye, to 
be you tonight, huh!" The man slapped Saul on the back as he guffawed loudly.

Saul simply nodded, "Good night, K'leev."  He took Shawnee's hand and pulled
her along as quickly as he could. She came along gladly. 

He hugged her tight, "I'm sorry about that, Sweet Shawnee. I only 
wanted you to see the good side of the warren for now."

"Every place has it's dark side." She said shivering as she leaned 
close to the dragonrider. Glad that he had been there tonight. Memories 
of another time when no one had been there to help her filled her mind. 
If she hadn't of been able to find the rock when she had... things might
have ended differently. "I'll try to avoid him in the future."

Saul looked at her and smiled, "I don't think K'leev would actually 
ever hurt anyone physically .. but he does get loud." 

Shawnee stifled a yawn that overtook her.  She looked up and saw the
handsome dragonrider grinning at her. "I'm sorry," she said with a 
blush.

Saul smiled warmly. "I've kept you up very late haven't I, Sweet 
Shawnee?"

"I don't mind."

"Between moving to a new place, getting a new job, and watching after 
your brother and sister, I can imagine you are very exhausted. I should have
been much more understanding. I've been very selfish." He kissed 
her lightly on the forehead, "Let's get you home, so you can rest."

"It's all been so wonderful tonight," she told him as they walked. 
"I've never had a happier time in my life."

His smile warmed her as he looked down at her, "It's only the 
beginning Sweet Shawnee,"

She nodded, "A new start, a new life and an honest job," she teased. 
"Do you know I almost didn't take your money that night?"

"Really?" he asked. 

"Uh huh, I noticed right away that you were different that any other 
man in that town. For one thing, even your eyes lit up when you 
laughed. I thought you were most handsome, and I started feeling 
guilty about what I was planning on doing to you."

"Not guilty enough," he teased.

"No, not guilty enough," she admitted, bowing her head so he couldn't 
see her expression. "I still had Ojean and Fawna to consider. The 
money I'd already stolen wouldn't have gone very far and when I saw 
how full your bag was... " 

He stopped her as they reached her door. His hand came up under her 
chin and tilled it so that she was forced to look at him. "In the 
future I want you to promise that if you or the children need 
something, you won't be afraid to ask." he told her, "The people 
here will always help when they are able. It's the way we do things Shawnee.
The Warren is like one big family."

"I don't think I'd like to have that man we just met as part of my 
family. There's something about him, I just don't like. He scares me 
Saul." she said in a quiet voice.

"Do I," Saul asked and Shawnee's aqua colored eyes met his. 

"Oh no," she replied quickly. "You're too nice a man."

"I hope you always have cause to believe that, Sweet Shawnee." He 
hugged her close again and gave her one more of those chaise kisses 
on her forehead before turning her around and giving her a gently 
push towards her door. "Sweet dreams, Shawnee girl." 

He waited long enough for her to close the door behind her then she 
heard his footsteps fade as he walked away. He was gone before she 
could remember to ask him about going to see the Warrenlady. Oh well, 
she sighed happily as she moved away from the door. At least I'll be 
easy to find in the morning should anyone come looking for me... 
------------------------------------------
I didn't take this much farther since Shawnee still hasn't met the
Warrenlady so her :) I didn't want to get her another day ahead *grin*

******Submitted by: *******************
Barbara (aka)
Shawnee and her Siblings
Whiteriver Warren