Ojean
******

Rocking...why did he feel like he was being rocked? Was he sick? Shawnee
always rocked him when he was sick. Said it helped to make him sleep easier. 

Ojean tried to turn around to ask her but he couldn't move. His blue eyes
worked hard to open to see were she was, but they felt heavy. He must be
very sick. But why couldn't he move his arms?

Finally he was able to open his eye lids but wished that he hadn't a second
later when the sight that greeted him brought back memories of what was
going on.

His mother was responsible for this. 

Gods how he hated that women!! 

He heard a man speaking and moved his half opened eyes in the direction of
the voice. It was all he could do not to cry out when he saw Cill bound and
gagged with a filthy scrap of cloth laying a bit away from him. A man was
talking to her, telling her what was going to happen to them when they got
to where they were going.

And there was nothing he could do to protect her. Not with his hands bound
the same as her. For he knew now why he couldn't move. He wasn't sick. He'd
been drugged. His mother had drugged them. She was responsible for them
being here and he swore he would somehow make sure she paid for it if they
got out of this alive.

His head ached. His mouth was dry. Suddenly it was to hard to even think
much less keep his eyes open. His last thought before slipping back down
into blackness was that she would pay.

He didn't know how much time had gone by before he felt someone roughly
shacking his shoulder trying to wake him up. He heard a man's voice telling
him that they were here and it was time he got up.

"I ain't gonna carry you inside so you better be awake enough to walk brat,
or you can crawl inside," rank breath filled his senses as the man leaned
over him and spoke. 

"He coming to?" another voice asked, and Ojean saw him pulling Cill out of
the back of the wagon they had traveled in.

"Yea the brats awake but I think he'll need help walking inside," the man
holding him said and yanked him out of the wagon. 

A knife appeared in the mans hand and for a minute Ojean thought he was
going to use it on his, but then the man spun him around and cut the rope
binding his hands behind him. Then the ropes tying his feet together were
severed and he was pushed ahead of the man.

He would have fallen if the man hadn't of reached out and caught the back of
his shirt. Then he felt someone bump into his and looked to the side and saw
Cill standing there.

"Move you two," a rough voice ordered then gave an evil laugh as he pushed
them on. "Your new owners are inside waiting for you."

"Ojee?" he heard Cill's quiet scared voice beside him.

"No talking!" the man behind them said when they came to a door. "Behave
yourselves inside and it'll go better for you.

Ojean wanted to do something to help her. To help them both, but his mind
was still hazy from the drugs they'd been given. He knew something was wrong
when they entered the room but his mind wouldn't put the pictures together.
Someone, a woman came and was pulling him and Cill back outside to where
dragons were waiting.

Dragons!!

<Doshy!!!> he called out but heard another voice in his head telling him
they were safe now. 

Safe! They were safe! His eyes closed in relief. Tears slid down his cheeks.
Safe. 

Ojean opened his blue eyes looking around him. He spotted the bearded rider
as Saul turned toward him, "Saul?"

Saul grinned and held out his arms. Ojean didn't need to be asked twice. He
didn't know how his friend had found them and didn't care. All that mattered
was that he was here.

"Saul .." he said beginning to sob. He didn't care if people saw him crying.
He was just so glad that it was all over and now he was going home. Yes home.

>Saul hugged him close "Jean-o," his voice whispered, as his own tears
flowed. Finally releasing the boy, he grinned with glistening eyes, "Gods...
Let's go home... There are so many people who will want to see you!"

The boy went willing with the bearded rider and remembered to greet the blue
dragon before being helped to mount. In the next second they were in the air
and a minute later they were flying over the familiar area of Whiteriver Warren.

<OJEE!!!> Doshayne's excited voice filled the young boys mind the second
they appeared. <Oh I knew they would find you!!!! Fayloth was a very clever
dragon!>

<<There were others,>> the boy giggled in his mind as he reminded the little
teal of the others who had been there.

<Oh I know and I will thank them all when they return. It's just that I'm so
glad you're back,> Doshy told him. <I have told Fayloth to bring you right
home. My rider is very excited that you have been found and is going crazy
with the need to see for herself that you are all right!>

Ojean's mind was filled with lots of dragon voices. Each one trying to tell
him of the joy they felt with his safe return, but there was also something
else exciting them. He caught the word egg somewhere in the talk and didn't
understand so he turned to Saul and asked him about it.

"But how can a dragon who not a Queen lay an egg?" he asked when his friend
had explained what the dragons were talking about. Then thought it funny
that he could *hear* the other dragons. Up until now Doshayne had been the
only dragon he could hear and talk to. He'd have to ask Saul about this
later. Right now he couldn't get off the blue and go to his sisters' fast
enough as they landed on the ledge where they were waiting.

Shawnee
*********

Joyous cries of the dragons woke her from a deep sleep. Her first thoughts
were for her brother. Had they found him? Were the dragon's happy to have
him home?

<<Doshy?>> with her mind she sought her dragon to ask, but was told about
the egg that had been laid. 

<We are all happy with the birth of a new dragon!> Doshayne told her. <Isn't
that good?>

<<Of course it is my love,>> Shawnee replied, though disappointed that
hadn't been news of er brother and Cill. her hand moving to rub over her
stomach thinking about new lives and the joys they brought. <<But how? None
of the Queens were carrying eggs.>>

<No one knows but she did.>

Minutes later the dragonic sounds became louder. Happier
even, she thought as she got up out of the bed she shared with her mate. She
couldn't believe it but her stomach was at it again. 

"By the time this baby is born I'll be as big as a house," she complained as
she made her way out into the kitchen. There had to be something left over
from dinner that would make the baby happy and send her back to sleep.

She was just reaching for a covered plate when Doshy's excited cries filled
her mind, nearly making her drop the plate.

<THEY'RE HOME!!!> 

<Who love?>> dare she hope? But why else would the teal sound so excited?
<<Ojean??>>

It had to be. She couldn't take much more of this waiting. 

<Fayloth is here! He and his rider have our hatchling with them!!!!>

Ojean home. Safe. Oh thank the gods.....

<<Tell Fayloth to come home now!!!>> she cried and ran down the hall to her
little sisters room.

"Fawna....sweetie... you have to wake up!" Shawnee gently shook the little
girls shoulder until her aqua eyes opened and she looked up. 

"Whada you want..." her sleepily little voice asked.

"Saul is bring Ojean home Fawna," she told her. "He's safe and coming home
now. We need to go meet him sweetie."

"Ojean!?! He's okay Shawnee? He's really okay!?!" the little girl cried as
didn't fight her sister when she pulled er out of the bed and carried her
down the hall and on out to the dragons ledge to wait beside the little teal
dragon.

They didn't have long to wait before the blue landed and Saul undid Ojean's
strap and helped him down and into the
arms of his waiting sisters.

"Oh Ojean!!" Shawnee cried as she knelt down before him and pulled her
brother into her arms. Her tears fell, mingling with his as he broke down
and sobbed in her arms.

"I was so scared Shawnee. Why would mother do this to us? Did she hate us
that much?" he told her then collapse in her arms. 

"Ojean!!" she cried in fight when he didn't revive. Her eyes went to her
mates for answers. "Saul what's wrong with him?"

"It's okay Shawnee. He's all right," he assured her moving to pick up the
boy and carry him inside. 

"He and Cill were given a sleeping drug to keep them quiet," he told her
hoping that was all. "But maybe we better have Clarissa or B'ril come up an
look him over just in case."

"Sweet Fawna don't worry," Saul's voice was soft and gentle as he moved to
pick the little girl up. It was then that Shawnee turned from where she was
kneeling on the floor beside her brother, to see the frighten look on the
girls face. 

"Ojee's just sleeping," Saul assured the little blonde. "All the excitement
of the last few days made him sleepy. Why I bet that he'll wake up in a
little while and want you to go get him something to eat."

"You really think so Saul?" she asked him but her eyes never left her
brothers face.

"I sure do," he replied just as they heard sounds coming from the dragon's
ledge outside, followed seconds later by the female healer carrying her
medical bag.

"The same thing happened to Cill when she was reunited with her mother,"
Clarissa told them when she began to check the boy over. "B'ril's with her
right now. They should be fine with a good nights sleep followed by a good
breakfast in the morning. But I'll run a few test just in case. We don't
know what drug they were given."

"If my mother had anything to do with it, they were given Tylenis," Shawnee
spoke up. Her tone cold and harsh as she spoke of the woman she hated. "She
used to use it on marks to put them to sleep so she could rob them."

"Okay that'll give me a place to start," the healer told them after taking a
blood sample and putting the veil back into her bag. "Now what I need for
you to do is get him to wake up and get some food into him. It'll help
absorb the drug a little faster. That's probably why it's still effecting
him, I don't know when he ate last."

It wasn't easy, but they got the boy to stay awake just long enough to get
some milk soaked bread into him and then Clarissa told them to keep an eye
on him during the night.

"By morning he should be okay physically," she assured them. "But it might
take a bit longer for him to get over the rest of what he's been through.
Just give him time and a lot of loving support. But don't pressure him about
it unless he wants to talk about it. But at the same time, don't act like it
didn't happen either."

"How?" she asked her mate when they were finally alone. 

"It was Katla," he told her then filled her in on all that had happened. "So
we got lucky because she knew who to contact."

"Yes and I have a lot to thank her and the others for but why didn't you
tell me when you found out?" she asked watching his face. "He's my brother.
You knew I've been so worried about him."

"That's why I didn't tell you love," he said calmly pulling her into his
arms. "I knew how worried you've been and how much this has been taking out
of you. I just couldn't take the chance on what would happen to you or our
baby if it turned out not to be Ojean and Cill. I knew you might not be able
to stand the pain."

"Oh Saul, You still should have told me."

"I was thinking of you when I made the decision," he repeated. "I didn't
want you to be upset if it wasn't them."

"Well all that maters is that they are both home and safe," she sighed. "And
now the Warren is alert so I doubt she'll try coming back here anytime soon."

Morning came an just as Saul told her he would, Ojean was playing up to his
little sister.

"Ah come on Fawna... I am a little hungry. Maybe you could get me something
to eat before we have to go to school."

"Well maybe a little something cause we're going down to the dining hall to
eat this morning," she told him as she left the room in search of a roll or
something. With it she stopped by her room and picked out one of the treats
Byrin had given her and took them both back into her brothers room.

A little while later Shawnee looked in on them. She'd taken turns with her
mate the night before with trips into look at him, but was relieved to see
him looking more alert and grinning this morning.

"Good morning," she grinned at the two of them from the door way. "I can see
you've been awake for a little while."

Ojean's cheeks turned red as he looked from the plate on his lap back to his
sister. 

"I...ah... was hungry when I woke up and Fawna.... well she was up and..."

"And very kindly offered to get you something to eat. Right?" Shawnee had to
stop herself from laughing as she watched the guilty look come over her
brothers face. "Well I'm sure that tiny little roll wasn't enough to fill
you up, so as soon as you two take a shower and get dressed we'll be heading
down to the dining hall to meet Barry and Byrin who have been waiting to see
you."

"Byrin's still here?" Ojean asked thinking the older boy would have gone on
home by now.

"He ws as concerned about you as the rest of us and didn't want to leave
until you were home," Shawnee told him. "So we don't want to keep him
waiting much longer now do we?"

"I get the bathroom first!!" the boy cried as he flung the covers aside and
got out of bed.

"No fair!!" Fawna cried and ran after him, but Ojean was to fast and had the
door closed before she could get there. "Not fair!" she repeated to no one
as she wondered back down the hall way to her room.

Shawnee stood there trying not to laugh as she watched them. It was so good
to have them both safe and back under the same roof.

She felt arms slip around her and felt Saul's lips on her neck. "Happy now?"

She turned in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck. "Yes...Thanks to
you and the others. They never gave up looking. Oh Saul I owe them so much!"

"And me," his deep blue eyes held a knowing twinkle.

"You my handsome dragonrider will get my proper thanks tonight when the kids
are asleep," her arms pulled him down until their lips could meet. "Or maybe
after they go on to school. Ojean asked to go back today, so the apartment
will be empty then..."

"Oh will it now?" he grinned and pulled her down the hall to their room. His
lips found hers again, hands roaming over her body exciting her then stopped
as he stepped away grinning.

"I can't wait for school to start."

Her body still felt brimming with the anticipation of the morning with her
mate as the family mounted the two dragons for the short flight down to the
green in front of the dining hall some time later. 

"Ojean!!!" they all turned at the sound of someone calling out the boys name
to see Byrin running towards him. Not caring what others might think, the
older boy hugged his friend to him. 

"I'm so glad you're back!!" Byrin told him. "I was so worried!"

"Me too," Ojean told him. "I couldn't believe you were still here last night
when Saul told me."

"Well I wasn't about to leave until you came back," said Saul's son. "I had
to make sure you were okay and knew you'd be upset with me if I left without
saying good-bye."

"To right I would!" 

Barry joined them then and they went through  the hugs and fair wishes all
over again, then Shawnee ushered them all inside to eat.

Her body still felt charged up for Saul's  earlier teasing, and that only
intensified as he wrapped his arm around her waist and let her inside after
the others.

Shawnee put if off to her hormones changing when the feeling didn't go away.
She kept passing looks with her mate all thought the meal. Enjoying their
secret. If only the others knew what she was thinking.

Shawnee giggled and saw Saul's meet hers. His bearded face held a knowing
grin. He too was waiting for the meal to be over. This was one thank you he
was going to enjoy.

They finished eating and Barry got up and called the kids after him. Shawnee
reached out and caught her brothers hand.

"Are you sure you want to go to school this morning?" she asked. "Wouldn't
you rather wait until tomorrow and see how you feel then?"

"No I need to do this," he told her sounding very grown up. "If I wait then
I might be scared to try tomorrow. So it has to be today."

She was very proud of him for being so brave.

"Well all right if you're sure?"

"I'm sure," he said and then hugged her quickly before running after the others.

"He'll be all right," Saul told her, his eyes too were following the
youngsters as they left the hall. 

"I do believe he will," she turned and grinned. "It's because of the love
and attention they've received from the people who live here."

"Yes it is," he agreed and picked up her hand, bring it to his lips for a
slow kiss. "And speaking of love and attention. I think you were going to
thank me for something this morning."

Desire slammed into her body when their eyes met. She couldn't get out of
the hall quick enough. She wanted him now!!

They made it as far as the door way leading outside when a loud channeling
roar filled the air. Seconds later the little teal Doshayne took to the air.

"Saul!?!" she cried his name and turned to him but before he could reach for
her she danced out of his reach.

"Come get me!!" She laughed and started to run away from him ducking each
time a hand would reach for her.

Hands... many hands were reaching for her, but she evaded them all. Laughing
and taunting them to try harder. 

"Surely there's one of you worthy!!" she giggled and moved away from another
rider trying to incite her.

In the air above the teal dragon soared and dived away from the males
chasing after her. 

<To slow.... none of you are worthy enough for me!!> she roared and dove
away from the blue who nearly caught up with her. <Not fast enough.>

On the ground the woman moved in the circle of men wanting her favors. She
teased this one with a quick kiss and then moved on to draw her fingers over
the chest of another. 

The teal took off in a burst of speed leaving a wide colored steak behind
her as her challenges left them trying to catch up to her.

<Weak!! You're all weak and not worth having me!!> she called then felt
herself caught from above. <NO!!>

<*Submit to me! I have won you. You are mine!!*> the large black cried out
even as he tried to stop their downward motions. <*Mine!!*> 

<I submit!> Doshayne cried knowing this was what she had been wanting all
along. <Who are you who is worthy to have me?>

<*I am Grunth! And you are mine!*>

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

Well you all now how bad dragon's timing can be sometimes ;) Have fun!!

Kris: I'll get to the other part in my next post!

Morgie: Shawnee will see your girl then as well :)

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

Barbara (a.k.a.

Shawnee & Doshayne
Ojean 
Fawna 
Barry
Whiteriver Warren