Saul
***

>"It's for Katla," she said slowly wondering if he was going to get upset
>with her... not that she didn't deserve it....

"Shawnee.." he groaned, not wanting to have to do this until the baby was
born. She had to curb these tendencies for rebellion!

"I know, Saul. I know you're angry with me. But .." She said pleading with
him, "I had to have something to do until the baby comes. I've got
everything I need now .. I won't have to leave the apartment at all from
now on."

"But you could have waiting, and I would have gotten them for you."

She shook her head, "You wouldn't have known what I wanted. I had to do it
myself. I promise, Saul, I promise this is the last time. I won't leave the
apartment again."

"Promise."

She nodded, and he of course, forgave her. How could he not forgive that
beautiful pouting face ..

T'jellan
***

>"Don't touch me. Don't ever touch me."

T'jellan stood with his hand hanging in space as she backed painfully away.
He watched her in shock. God's had it been that horrible?? Damn! He
couldn't remember .. all he could remember was his dreams of Shawnee ..

>"Wha--?"

>"Go away!" Katla's voice rose in a kind of hysteria. "Leave me alone! Find
>someone *else* to replace Shawnee in your bed!" Her knees crumpled and the
>tears were back, and the blackness filled her as her voice broke into a
>hoarse whisper. "I'm not Shawnee, I'm me..."

T'jellan was too shocked to say anything .. What the hell was going on! Not
Shawnee ..  his face paled at the realization. Had he thought she was
Shawnee the whole time .. how could she know .. had he called out Shawnee's
name??

He barely registered the young man pushing past him until the lad turned on
him. "What did you do to her?"

>T'jellan just look at him and sobbing Katla with a helpless expression.

>N'lin, disgusted, ignored the man and gently picked Katla up, setting her
>on the bed just as Th'rin burst into the room.

Th'rin
***

The young man's shift was just coming to an end and he was filling in B'ril
when he heard the screaming coming from Katla's room. He pushed the clip
board he'd been using into Clarissa's hands and tore off down the hall.

The sight that met his eyes contained a frozen and totally horrified
looking T'jellan standing nearest the door, a sobbing Katla, being held by
a red-faced, angry young N'lin. "What in the lands is going on here!"

"Ask him!" N'lin spat, "He was attacking Katla!"

"I .. I never .." T'jellan found the presense to speak. "I only came to see
how she was .." his words faded away weakly. He looked back at Th'rin. "I
.. I don't know what happened .."

Th'rin nodded and moved to pull on his arm, "Go on, T'jellan. I need to
talk to Katla for a bit."

The large wingleader nodded and turned heading out of the room.  Th'rin
watched him go, then turned and approached the sobbing rider. "Chance .."
he said gently, "What happened?"

She continued to cry as she shook her head, not saying anything. Th'rin
frowned, "I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened."

"He attacked her! She was sprawled on the ground with him looming over her
when I walked in! It's clear."

Th'rin looked at the lad, "Maybe you should go, and let me talk to Katla
along for a bit."

"NO! I don't want to leave her along!"

"N'lin, I need to find out what happened. And I need to find out from
Katla. Just wait outside the door, when I'm done you can come back in."

The boy frowned, "I'll be right outside .. in case you need me." Then he
stomped out..

Th'rin turned to the girl, still softly crying, "Did he attack you?"

She shook her head.

"So what happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it .." she said finally.

Th'rin sighed, " I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

Still she remained silent.

Finally Th'rin shrugged, "What about Clarissa .. will you talk to her?"

<<As the weeks pass ..>>

T'jellan
***

The red-head felt that his integrity had been damaged. There were rumors
everywhere.  There were thosewho believed that he had indeed hurt her.
Though most knew he wouldn't have .. In any case, his own obsession with
Shawnee was now common knowledge. Everyone knew he was in love with her ..
and they all pitied him for it.

He didn't want their pity! He just wanted things to be the way they were ..
before he had bothched things so badly with young Katla.

The wingleader had never been a very approachable man, and he was even less
so now.  Even those who were his friends gave him extra space. Wing
manuevers became a chore ..  He wasn't happy anymore .. and it was clear to
everyone around him. Something was going to have to change .. But no one
knew what .. not even the wingleader himself.

Saul
***

Morning came to shine on the couple as they lay in their own bed, laying
together sleeping peacefully.

Saul snuggled up to the woman, breathing in her sweet fragrence, feeling
her soft skin. He moved closer nuzzling her neck, feeling the stirrings of
desire as he ran his hand over her rounded hip and then over her very
rounded belly ..

Suddenly his eyes shot open and he jumped out of bed, berating himself. He
had to get through until the baby was born before they could .. He groaned
running into the bathroom and turning on the shower.

He ducked his body under the ice cold water streaming from the shower ..

.. it had happened so frequently over the last few weeks, it was nearly
habit.  It was getting to the point that cold shoulders weren't helping
much. His body burned for her .. with little to no relief available.

Sure there were other forms of intamacy .. some even leading to orgasm, for
him .. but none of them soothed the ache he had to make love to her. None
of them brought with it the closeness he felt as the two of them pleasured
each other ..

*Gods ..* he thought, as the ice cold water dripped down his face, forming
droplets of water at on the end of his nose, and over his beard. It
wouldn't be long now though. Clarissa promised that the baby was strong,
and that she could arrive anytime now. He just had to be a little stronger
..

Th'rin
***

Life was settling in nicely for Th'rin and his family. Oberon had taken to
sleeping through the night, must to the delight of his mother, who needed
the rest, now that she had to get up with him while Th'rin was at the Med
center.

Merissa was turning out to be an excellent mother, and Th'rin found he
wasn't doing to badly himself. His heart melted whenever the infant smiled.
He'd never thought he'd love anyone as he did Merissa, but he'd found he
was wrong, for he loved the little bear just as desperately.

Even the baby's aunt seemed to be coming around. She still didn't like to
spend a lot of time with him. But Th'rin was sure she was softening. And
that made him happy.

What didn't make him happy was the way Xanthia continued to rearrange his
work area! She said she was helping, but it only served to confuse him. He
tried telling her that he had his own way of doing things and he'd be
damned if he was going to let her come in and change all that around ..

Gods what would his father say to that! The young man still thought of his
father, though it no longer struck the dread in him that it used to. If
there was one thing he'd learned, it was that K'leev, despite his flaws,
had indeed had something to teach his eldest. He'd taught him to stand up
for his own.

He spent more time with his step mother and his half-sisters now. Mara
loved to babysit Oberon and she did well at it. Cill had recovered quite
well from her ordeal, though she was still a little hellion! Racine was
blossoming. Not only in her pregnancy, which was coming along nicely, but
also in everything else. Now that she was out from under K'leev's thumb,
she smiled, and had friends ..

***

Th'rin was in the med center as was usual this time of night when the
roaring dragons, and Areena's excited cry sounded. <The eggs are hatching!
The eggs are hatching!>

He frowned, <Figures it happens, while I'm stuck in here!>

<Don't worry, Th'rin, my sweet!  I'll show you everylast crack!>

Saul
***

<The eggs are hatching, Saul!> Fayloth cried, <Wake up! It's time!>

 He sat straight as a bolt in bed, <It's time ..!?>

He turned to Shawnee, who was stretching a bit, with a quiet yawn. She
didn't look like she was in any pain. Wasn't there pain in childbirth??

<Not your hatching you dolt!> Fayloth cried, <MINE!!!>

<What?> Saul tried to focus his mind, <Oh the eggs .. I see..>

He watched in surprise as Shawnee crawled out of bed. "Where are you going?"

"To the hatching."

"You are on bedrest!"

"Saul, you can't deny me a hatching," her voice pleaded, "Come on, love.
Clarissa said the baby's ready anyway .. please,  I promise I'll come right
back to bed afterwards."

Saul frowned. A hatching was an exciting affair .. "All right, but back to
bed afterwards."

She smiled, "Thank you."

The two hurried to get dressed. Saul threw on  a shirt and pulled on his
pants as he ran out of the bedroom toward the dragon chamber. <Fayloth tell
Doshayne that we are taking Shawnee with us. But she's got to keep a close
eye on her rider .. any pain .. anything .. she's to let you know. And then
you let me know.>

<Sure, of course .. now come on.. I want to see my hatchlings!>

Saul moved and was settling Shawnee's saddle on her dragon's back as he
heard Shawnee pad lightly out to the room. He turned and was surprised to
see her only half dressed. "I thought you wanted to go.. come one let's get
moving."

"It's time Saul .."

"I know, that's what I said! Get dressed or we'll miss it."

"I mean .. it's time!"

He turned to look at her as shebegan to clutch her stomach, "Shawnee ..??"

"I'm .. having a .. contraction!" she said through gritted teeth.

His eyes widened in understanding, "N.. now!"

"Yes! NOW!!" she screamed and he noticed there was  a clear, odorless fluid
running down her leg, quickly soaking the floor and the rug. She screamed
and started to fall as she tried to reach for a chair.

"B .. but .. the hatching..." Saul was suddenly very frightened.

"Saul!" she cried.

The sound of her voice got him moving and he rushed to her side, offering
her support.

Regards,
Saul & Fayloth
T'jellan & Grunth
Th'rin & Areena
***
NRPG: No turning back this time, Barb :)

Kris

*********************************************************************
  |\  /^~~^\  /|
 -qqQ-\O||O/-Qpp------------------------------------------------------
       \oo/     Kristen Gant
        ~~      (AKA: Darlea & Makayla, Keldarra Warren, Courier
                      Waylene & Aura, Marrid Warren, Warrenlady
                      Meena & Vonn, Norwall Warren, Wingleader
                      Kalewyn & Sabbith, Telnor Warren, Dragonrider
                      Saul & Fayloth, Whiteriver Warren, Searcher
                      Merybelle Barmen, City of Ralengarde, Innkeeper
                      Ce'lot & Britche, Xylain Warren, Wingleader
                http://homepage.interaccess.com/~sgant/Kris/kris.htm
 --d----------b-------------------------------------------------------
        ()
       \()/
        \/