***
>Saul turned to see Pa'gan laughing jovially as Trinale ran out of 
the room. His eyes darkened and he moved to stand, his hands drawn 
into fists. "Saul, no!" Shawnee said, as the music started up again.

>Saul continued to stand and Shawnee moved quickly in front of him, 
"Stop it!"

>"Shawnee," he said through gritted teeth, "You saw what that animal 
did to her!"

She had to stop him, knowing he'd have no chance if he went up 
against the tall warrior. Besides out weighing him, the man was 
drunk and would be in no shape to be reasoned with. He would kill 
Saul. 

>"She just a little girl .."

Shawnee rolled her eyes, "You know better then that. No please, 
love, please. Sit down and lets have dinner." Her aqua eyes were 
pleading with him to see reason. To just let it go. She knew he 
cared about Trinale very deeply, but had to make him see it would 
do no good to start a fight.

"I'm sorry," he said to the two across the table from them. His son 
and the boys mother.

Shawnee was relieved when he finally sat back down on the bench next 
to her, though she knew him well enough by now to know he was still 
angry. She could still see his muscles, taunt with adrenaline, and 
his eyes still fighting back the anger. She took his hand in hers 
and gently held it, hoping to help him calm down faster.

The only other time she had seen this kind of anger coming from him 
was the night he'd learned of the trouble she'd had with the drunken K'leev.
He'd been angry with her that night too for not telling him 
about it herself.

"She'll be okay love," Shawnee said softly not noticing the woman 
watching her from where she sat across the table. Nor the pitying 
look on her face. For a moment all that was in her mind was Saul. 

"Would you really have hit him?" She heard Byrin ask, and remembered 
where they where.

Shawnee watched as Saul lifted his eyes and suddenly looked guilty. 
"I .. I got carried away. I apologize."

"You must have had a good reason," the boy said.

"No... there's rarely a good reason to get into a fight," Saul told 
Byrin. He was about to add something when they heard Shawnee's brother
Ojean's excited voice calling out to then as the kids and Barry drew 
near.

"So how did you like your first hatching?" the younger boy asked 
when he saw Byrin seated with Saul and his sister. "Did you get to 
see Shawnee join with her dragon? Wasn't it cool?"

"Yeah it was pretty neat," the boy said, answering Ojean's question 
then turned slowly towards Shawnee and asked, "what's her name?"

"Doshayne. And she's a vain little thing."

She got him to laugh as she told them all the story about the little
hatchling asking the Warrenlady if she thought she was beautiful.

When she mentioned Trinale's name she could feel Saul's body tense 
next to hers and was glad when Fawna chose that moment to climb up 
into his lap.

Shawnee watched the woman sitting acrossed the table form them and 
saw as her eyes narrowed and her lips frown for a brief second as 
she watched the little girl happily making herself comfortable.

Byrin was also watching them and the light in his eyes faded a little 
as he watched the dragonriders arm move to slip around the little 
blondes waist to keep her steady and safe.

It was the kind of thing a father would do.

"Byrin," Shawnee began suddenly, hating to see him so sad when moments
before he'd seem happy. "I believe you met my brother Ojean and sister Fawna
when you and your mother arrived at the Warren?"

"He's nice Shawnee!" the little girl spoke up and turned her smile 
on the boy who couldn't help but smile back. No one could resist the 
little Angle for long.

"Theses children are your... brother and sister?" Merybelle asked her.

"They are and Shawnee takes excellent care of them," Saul answered 
for her.

"So do you! "Fawna turned her sweet little angelic smile on her 
favorite friend. "See the pretty doll he gave me? He said she was 
special and gave her to me because I was special too. Right?"

"Right you are Angle," he agreed readily." And beautiful too."

At that Fawna giggled and Shawnee was relieved that the little girl 
didn't add her usual "Just like Shawnee", but Saul's hand squeezed 
her to let her know he was thinking about it too.

The thought warmed her.

"It's a very pretty doll," Meri told Fawna. She too had fallen under
the little girls spell, but then her eyes met Saul's and her smile 
faltered a bit.

Saul turned to ask Byrin another question and soon the males at the 
table were off talking about  different things. About their likes 
and hopes for the future. Barry joined in, but kept shooting glances between
the dragonrider and the boy sitting acrossed from them. At one point his
eyes met Shawnee's asking a question and she knew he'd made 
the connection.

She wondered how many others would.

"Well maybe Byrin can help us oil Fayloth in the morning?" Ojean was saying.
"It'll give him something to tell his friends about when he 
goes home."

"Oh could I?" the boy asked eagerly looking up at Saul.

"Well...ah...sure," the rider replied. "I don't see any reason why 
you couldn't."

"Could I mom?" Byrin asked turning to face his mother. "Please!!"

"I guess it'll be all right as long as you aren't in your fa... 
Saul's way," she recovered quickly.

So they made plans to meet the next morning and then Merybelle said 
it was time for her and her son to find their beds.

Barry reached out just then to take a sleeping Fawna from Saul and 
with Ojean following him he too left saying that he knew the two 
could use some time alone.

Shawnee watched them go and then turned to face Saul. "How are you 
feeling my love?"

(Hi Kris :)

The band resumed playing and when they started in on a slow number 
Shawnee asked Saul if he would care to dance saying that she loved 
this song. He stood and offered her his hand and then led her out 
onto the dance floor.

Shawnee relaxed against his warmth and just let herself enjoy the 
feeling of being in his arms as they swayed to the music.

"Saul?"

"Yes Sweet Shawnee?" he answered brushing his full lips against her forehead.

"Tell me I'm not dreaming?" She asked in an awed tone of voice. 
"It really happened didn't it. My joining with Doshayne?"

"Yes you did," he laughed softly. 

"Ojean and Fawna took it fairly well, don't you think?" her eyes 
turned up to meet his. They lips met and she forgot the question 
she'd just asked.

When the music ended he led her over to where a group of his friends 
were standing. The tall redhead, T'jellan she already knew and smiled warmly
in welcome to him. Then thanked him when he congratulated her 
on her joining with the little teal.

Saul excused himself, saying he was going to get them something to 
drink and left her there with his friend.

Shawnee's eyes followed he lovers as he walked away so she had a 
clear view of the dark headed woman who slid up next to him at the
refreshment table. Her aqua eyes narrowed as she saw the woman 
raise her hand up to caress the beard that Shawnee loved so much 
and then move on downward over his back to come to rest on the 
seat of his pants. 

As she began to make her way towards them, she saw Saul step aside 
to dislodge the woman's hand and heard him saying, "I told you Timma 
that I was here with someone tonight."

The woman was persistent, but then so was Shawnee and this was her 
night. she didn't feel like sharing him with any other woman.

"No I have to be getting back or she'll wonder where I am," he was 
saying when Shawnee slipped into his arms.

"To late my love," she purred and flashed a beautiful smile at the 
other woman. "I was beginning to fell lonely over there waiting for 
you. So I thought I'd come see what was keeping you."

A strange light lit up in Saul's blue eyes briefly before he recovered.
"Sorry Timma but as you can see.... " he shrugged his shoulder as he wrapped
his arm around Shawnee's waist.

"Well I'm sure your little friend her wouldn't mine if you danced 
with an old friend," the woman said. "Would you dear."

Shawnee gave an exaggerated sigh, and smiled sweetly as she looked 
the other woman in the eye. "Oh but I'm afraid tonight I find I'm 
not willing to share my handsome dragonrider. Not even with and 
'old' friend. You see I find myself feeling rather selfish, after 
my good fortune today and you'll understand when I say that I want 
him all to myself... don't you dear."

------------------------------------------------------
(So Kris.....how do you think she'll take that?)

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

Barbara (a.k.a.

Shawnee & Doshayne
Fawna & Ojean
And Barry the tailor

Whiteriver Warren