"Then you know what's wrong with me?" she asked, wanting to find out that
she had been right and it was nothing to worry about.

"Oh yes," the healer's smile grew wider as he delivered the happy news.
"You're pregnant!"

The news couldn't have shocked her any more that if Saul had suddenly
declared his love for her.

Pregnant!!

She was going to have a baby!!

Saul's baby!!

<We're going to have a hatchling!!> Doshayne's excited mental tone filled
her mind. <Oh boy just wait until Fayloth hears about this! He'll be...."

<<NO!!!>> Shawnee all but showed in her mind. <<You mustn't tell him!! You
mustn't tell anyone!!!>

She just had to keep the dragon from saying anything about their news. <<You
can't tell anyone Doshy.>>

<But why not?> the teal asked, clearly puzzled by her riders request. <Maybe
if Fayloth's rider knows about his hatchling it will make this thing between
you right!>

<<No it won't my heart,>> she cried softly in her mind. <<It'll only make
thing worse. His rider doesn't want a baby. He's told me so many times. So
promise me you won't tell!!>>

<But my rider..>

>>No buts Doshy! Promise me!!>> The girl asked again, and the dragon young
as she was couldn't help but hear the near panic in her riders tone.

<I promise.> the dragon finally said, even if she didn't understand why her
rider was so upset by the news about the hatchling.

"Shawnee are you all right?" the healer's question brought her mind back to
where she was. She looked up and could see the concern etched in the lines
of his face.

It took an effort, but she was able to paste a weak smile on her face.
"I...was...ah... You're sure?" she finally asked. "I mean there's no mistake
this time?"

"Nope!" he smiled, knowing how much she had wanted a baby. "No mistakes. I
ran two different test to be sure and they both confirmed that you are
indeed going to have a baby."

She just sat there staring at him until he became worried. 

"Do you want me to sent someone for Saul?" he asked.

"No... " she said a little to quickly and he thought he knew why. 

"Shawnee if you would like for me to tell him...." he offered.

"No...I want to tell him myself," she lied. "When the time is right."

"Well don't worry so much about it my dear girl," B'ril gave a short knowing
laugh. "He may be a little shocked himself at first but I'm sure he'll come
around. Now...I'm going to go get you some vitamins that I want you to take,
and then set up a time for you to come in and get the whole work up."

As he left the room her hand moved down to cover her stomach. A baby. Saul's
baby. No matter where she went, she would always have a part of him to love.

Suddenly she was full of questions. Did dragon flight effected the unborn
child? Could it be harmed during a teleport? What about her diet? Shawnee
had always tried to eat good meals....

When B'ril came back into the room, she couldn't wait until he sat down
before she began firing off her question at him. He answered each with an
assurance and them thought up a few himself. By the time she left his
office, Shawnee was more determined to leave here than ever before.

She didn't want Saul coming to her in a misplace dense of duty because of
the baby. He couldn't bring himself to give himself to her before and she
didn't want him if he was only with her for the baby's sake.

No the best thing to do was finish making her plans to leave just as she had
started to do. Then there would be no doubts in her mind. 

As she walked back towards the hatchling barracks, her mind was moving a
mile a minute making plans and trying to remember what she had to do before
she could leave. She would have to tell the Warrenlady, to ask for her
permission to leave here now that she was a dragonrider.... didn't she?

Maybe that was the first place she would need to go.

Turning her steps in the other direction she started the walk that would
lead her to the Warrenlady's office. She did have another reason for going
there. She wanted to know what Trinale had decided to do about her siblings.
Surely she had had enough time to come up with an answer.

 If the news was good then Shawnee would ask about the transfer to another
Warren .... if not she would begin to make plans to sneak away when no one
was watching. Either way, Owlean was not going to get the kids. Shawnee
would go back to being homeless before that would happen..

As she drew near, she saw the door to the outer office open and stepped back
behind the corner of the building just in time to see Saul strolling off in
the opposite direction.

Wondering why he had been there, she frowned. Had he come to terms with his
feelings for the young Warrenlady and decided to peruse her too now or was
it something entirely different. No matter, she had to see the woman now.
This was to important to wait.

After waiting until the bearded man was out of sight, she took a deep breath
and finished her walk towards the door leading inside. When she heard a
greeting at her knock on the door she pushed it opened and slowly advanced
inside.

"M'lady, I hope I'm not bothering you?" Shawnee sad slowly for the woman
looked as if she was getting ready to leave for the night.

"No Shawnee please come on in," Trinale smiled warmly. "I take it you're
here to find out what I've decided about your mothers claim to your siblings?"

"Yes Ma'am," she answered, and noticed the easy smile on the other woman's
face. Surely she wouldn't be smiling if she was going to let Owlean take
them... would she?

"Well I don't want you to worry about it anymore," the red-head behind the
desk told her, and then went on to tell her what had happened when her
mother came into see her. 

Shawnee actually let out a laugh when Trinale got to the part about "finding
something to suit her ...skills."

"Somehow I don't see my mother scrubbing floors or cleaning dishes," the
blond chucked and then became somber as she remembered the reason she had
come here to see this woman.

"M'lady I have something else to ask you," she didn't quite know how to
start and then just blurted it out.

"So you see I can't stay here, not without falling apart everytime I see him
with a different woman. It just won't be any good for me or my sibling if
I'm forever depressed. I feel the only way to get over Saul and move on with
my life is to go somewhere else. To another Warren. Anywhere where I won't
have to run into him."
The last sentence was drawn out reflecting some of her pain.

"Shawnee you can't do this just because of Saul," Trinale tried to reason
with her. She knew the two of them belonged together and if Shawnee were to
leave there would be no chance for either of them to work things out. Saul
was being stubborn, but he would soon realize what he had. But not if she
was allowed to leave.

"Think about all the friends you and the kids have made here in Whiteriver?"
she argued. "Of how well the kids have settled in and are finally opening up
to others. Can you really take them away from all of this. Would it be fair
to them?"

"I'm sorry M'lady. I truly am. But I feel it would be better for all of us
to go somewhere else." Shawnee said sadly. 

And the sooner the better, she thought to herself. Before anyone could learn
about the baby she was carrying. Namely Saul. She knew that sooner or later
B'ril or someone else would say something and Saul would figure it out. She
hoped to be gone before then. 

"No I'm sorry Shawnee," Trinale replied looking just as sad. "But there's no
way I can allow your request......

(Tag: Kat......when you have the time... :)

-----------------------------------

NO!!

It couldn't be. This couldn't be happening to her. There had to be some
mistake. Trinale couldn't really have meant the things she had said... could
she?

She was stunned by the Warrenlady's words as she walked out into the fading
day light. Stunned that the woman hadn't understood nor tried to see things
from her point of view.

What was she to do now? she wondered as she made her way back to the
hatchling barracks. If she was forced to stay here at Whiteriver, then
sooner or later Saul would find out about the baby. She didn't want that.
She didn't want him thinking he had to come back to her because he was the
father of the baby. For sooner or later he would grow to hate her. 

And then where would she be?

No... she'd have to move now to finalize the plans she had started to make
earlier for leaving here. Even if the other Warrens would be closed to her
she had to leave here. They would find somewhere to go. Somewhere where they
would be safe and no one could find them. This was a big world, surely there
was a place for them out there.

She couldn't tell the kids they were leaving until she had them ready to go.
It was best that they didn't know her plans and accidentally mentioned them
to someone who would try to stop her.

Ojean she knew would be heartbroken, and little Fawna would surely miss the
man she had begun to call Papo. Barry. How could she just up and leave the
man who had given her a chance and then had become apart of their family?

She would miss the older man as much as the kids would, but maybe someday
she would be able to come back here and see him. To try to explain to him
why she had to do things this way...

And pray he could forgive her.

She was inside the barracks and entering her room when she noticed her teal
dragon wasn't there. That was strange for she had left Doshy there to sleep
off her last meal and the excitement of her first flight. Where could the
little one be?

<<Doshy?>> she called out in her mind.

<Yes my rider?> the teal was quick in answering her.

<<Where did you get to my beautiful one?>> Shawnee asked.

<I'm by the waterfall swimming.> the teal replied, her mental tone
unconcerned by her riders questions. <but I was just about to call you... I
have a very itchy spot on my back that I can not get to...>

<<Well why don't you come on back and then I'll oil it for you.>> Shawnee
offered, never once twigging to the fact that she herself felt no such
irritation as she might have if the dragon really was being bothered by said
itch. 

<Oh do come out here,> Doshayne pleaded. <It's such a nice night and I don't
want to come inside just yet...please?>

Shawnee couldn't help smile. The hatchling had used just the right note in
her voice to sound like the little Angel whenever Fawna wanted something.

<<Oh all right,>> she agreed, though she really needed to get started
packing while everyone else was away from here. She didn't want anyone else
to know what she was planning. <<I'll be there in a few minutes... do you
think you can stand the itch that long?>>

<Oh yes my rider,> the beasts tone sounded a little strange to her rider but
Shawnee put that down to her own fears of being caught. Then picking up the
bottle of oil, the blond began her walk towards the place the teal had
pictured for her.

*******

<What's wrong with your rider Fayloth? Doesn't he like my  rider anymore?>
The teal asked the brilliant blue male dragon she was cuddling up against.

[[Who can understand humans, Doshayne .. ]] Fayloth answered. [[Not I. The
thing is, he does like her. He's very lonely without her.]]

<Then why does he stay away from her?> Doshayne asked still confused. <Why
doesn't he want to mate with her anymore. I know my rider misses him a lot.

[[I wish I knew. If he were as smart as a dragon..]] the blues tone was
slightly amused. [[He would still be her mate.]]


< Is there anyway we might make them do what they both know they want to
do?> the teal went on as she cuddled closer to the blues warmth.

[[You are a very smart Dragon, beautiful Doshayne .. I 
think there might be...]]

<What will we need to do? I'm sure a handsome strong dragon like you could
come up with something my Fayloth.>

[[Well, I think there is a scaly patch on your lovely hide...]] Fayloth all
but purred as he came up with a plan. [[Doshayne.. don't you need your rider
to oil you..

<Oho!! That sounds like a wonderful idea.. I think I will do just that and
right now...it is very itchy.>

It took less than a minute for the beautiful teal hatchling to get her rider
to agree to come to the water to oil her. And while she waited, Doshayne
turned back to the handsome blue dragon she was with and asked. <Okay now
that my rider is on her way... how will we get your rider to come here too?>

[[Don't worry my pretty one,]] the blues tone held a spark of laughter, as
his nose reach out to rub hers. [[For I have a plan for that too!!]]
It was late by the time Shawnee finally caught up with the little   teal
dragon. Had she know the beast was down near the waterfall she might have
been tempted to tell her to fly home if she wanted to be oiled....

As she drew near she noticed the blue bulk of Fayloth cuddling up 
close to her dragon and wondered if Saul was any where around.

<<Doshy is Fayloth's rider with you?>> she asked ready to turn and walk away
if he was. Doshayne would just have to fly home if she did want to be oiled.

<Oh no my wonderful rider.... his human is not here...> the teal told her
rider.  <Not yet the dragon added but only so that the blue could hear her.>

<<Okay you beautiful beast. Where is it that you are itching?>> the girl
asked dumping a little of the oil into her hand, and then began to smooth
the oil into the spot where Doshayne directed her to.

As her attentions were on what she was doing she didn't notice the 
arrival of the blues rider until she hear him softly speak her name.
Her heart stopped. She didn't want to turn around, but her body had other
ideas. Slowly as if in a dream she turned and found him standing there
watching her.   "What are you doing here?"

"I .. Fayloth said that .. You look beautiful.."

"Saul...please...don't..." she whispered as he began to move slowly towards
her as if drawn by invisible strings. She could feel them pulling her
towards him. It was as if strange forces where trying to bring them
together. Forces she was doing her best to fight, but by the Gods she didn't
want to . She wanted to go to him. to be held and loved by this man. Only
this man.

She also knew she couldn't let that happen. It would make leaving him all
that much harder to do a second time. And she did mean to leave, so she
fought against the feeling turning inside her.

<<Doshy did you know he was coming here?>> she sent the hurried thought not
wanting to believe her own dragon had lied to her.

<No my rider...> the teal lied.

"I didn't know you'd be here .." he began to say, but she cut him off.

"I have to be going." she said and tried to brush by him, but he stopped her
by placing his hand on her arm. When she didn't fight him or try to leave
again, he slowly turned her so that she was facing him. Their eyes met and
held and at that moment she knew she wanted him.

May the Gods help her, she prayed as his lips came down to cover hers.
Kissing like a man who had been starving to long.

"Gods Shawnee..." he groaned and would have said more but she placed her
hands over his lips to stop his flow of words.

"No my love... don't say anything," she told him as her aqua eyes met and
held his. "Just take me to your apartment and make love to me....."

Even as she spoke the words she knew she was letting herself in for another
heartache. But somehow, right now, at this moment in time she didn't care.
All she knew was that she wanted to know his touch one last time. Then he
was kissing her again and all rational thought left her mind....

Tomorrow would be soon enough to worry about the consequences.

----------------------------------

Kat: I left Trinale's news for you to tell as I wasn't really sure how she
would impart with it.....

Kris:) hehe!.... It was the beard that finally did it....Just don't think
Saul will get his way in the end.... Shawnee has a surprise left yet :)

*****Submitted by:********

Barbara (a.k.a.

Shawnee & the beautiful "Doshayne"
Whiteriver Warren......