Whiteriver Warren # 79
04/10/98

Worried Moments

Still smiling after the morning break with Saul, She was thinking over the
events of the night before. 

When had she become so bold? She didn't know... or really care. Saul had
brought it out in her and she was glad now they had worked through their
problems and came out closer then ever. Last night and this morning had
proven that. Gwyna was in the past and Saul had promised to stay away from
her. Not that it would be easy in a Warren this small... but he loved her
enough to try.

Shawnee was in the middle of getting breakfast ready when she hear someone
calling out her name from the dragon's ledge. 

She called out a welcome and wasn't at all surprised to see Trinale walk
into the room.

"I guess you were expecting me," the red head said as she entered and saw
Shawnee standing there cooking breakfast.

"Well I figured you'd be around pretty soon to talk about Ojean and his new
hatchling," Shawnee agreed and offered her a cup of coffee which she
accepted. "I was some shock when he joined."

"I'll bet," Trinale smiled warmly then asked, "Where's Saul?" 

Shawnee blushed as she answered. "He's in the shower."

She couldn't help but be glad the woman hadn't showed up half an hour
earlier or she might have found out eating wasn't the only thing the kitchen
table had been used for.

Trinale smiled, glad to see the two of them were doing well together.

At that moment, the man they were talking about walked in.

"Er .. Hi Trinale." He said, surprised to see her.  He covered and smiled
handsomely, "You're looking beautiful this morning, little flower."

"Thank you. And I'm glad you're finally done," the red-head grinned,

"So what brings you here so early."

"Well, it's not exactly early .. It'll be lunch time soon."

Saul shrugged and grinned, "Again, I say, what brings you here so early?"

She chuckled, "I've come to talk to you about Ojean." She looked at Shawnee,
"I'm sure you understand how young he is to have joined with a dragon .."

Saul and Shawnee both nodded.

"Look, what I am trying to say is one of you is going to have to talk to him
about such things as mating flights and such. I can arrange a non combat
position until he gets older, but the other ramifications of being
a dragonrider I can't control." Trinale looked worried as she said this.

Shawnee looked at Saul, her face very white. "I never thought about that.
What are we going to do?"

"Hush love.. Fayloth has be talking to Teewith and the little guy seems to
have a mind of his own," Saul grinned with a soft chuckle. "He says he's
just the right size and will know when it's time to grow."

"Time to grow?" Shawnee looked at him with a question in her eyes that was
matched by the one in Trinale's.

Saul shrugged. "That's what Fayloth said Tee told him. I guess we'll just
have to wait to find out what it means."

"But Saul... Ojee is to young for ... well... mating flights," she said
after a brief hesitation. "What are we... no ... what are you going to tell
him about those?"

"Me?" he looked back at her, his grin fading. "Why does it have to be me who
tells him?"

"Because you're a man," Shawnee smiled sweetly back at him. "And because
you're his hero and he looks up to you."

They both heard Trinale snickering in the back ground and Saul turned to
give her a slightly dirty look. 

"Oh I agree with Shawnee," the young red-headed Warrenlady remarked with a
nod of her head. "I think you're perfect for telling Ojean about mating
flights. He has to learn from someone.. so why not you Saul?"

"You're no help," he glared at her, and when he still got no help, he gave
in and agreed. "All right I'll do it... but I have no idea what to say to an
eleven year old boy."

"Twelve," his mate reminded him, as if that might help. "Today's his birthday."

Saul's only replay was to roll his eyes, which caused Shawnee and Trinale to
laugh at him. 

"Oh love," Shawnee moved to wrap her arms around his waist. "It has to be
you... could you see *me* trying to explain to my little brother about what
happens during a mating flight? Besides which I have to finish icing the
cake that just came out of the oven since I got a little side tracked
earlier for making it."

She gave him a wink, only he saw and he bent so his lips were near her ear.
"But you enjoyed every minute of it."

Her smile and blush was her only answer as their guest cleared her throat
behind them. 

"Well I guess I can leave Ojean in your hands," she told them. "But I would
like to have a look at his new little friend sometime soon."

"Anytime you want too," Shawnee assured her. "Just let us know when and
we'll have Ojean bring him to see you."

"Maybe in a day or so," the woman replied with a nod of thanks. "I'll give
them some time first to get to know eachother."

She turned to go and Shawnee called out.

"Oh ... we're having a sort of party for Ojean tonight up here for his
birthday," she said. "We'd love for you and Derry to come if you have the time."

[Tag Kat and Jill ;) ]

"So what are you going to do this afternoon," she asked Saul after Trinale
had left.

His deep blue eyes smiled wickedly as he came towards her.

"None of that right now love," she chuckled and moved out of his reach. "I
have to finish getting things ready for the party... but... if you're real
good.. I'll ask you very nicely to start this up again after our guest leave
tonight."

"Well if I must wait," he signed and she thought he had given in to easily.
Only to find out how right she was, when he lunged for her after she had let
her guard down. 

His arms came around her and pulled her against his body, his lips came down
to seal off any half-hearted protest she would have made, and then by the
time he released her, her head was swimming and all she wanted to do was
race him into the bedroom. 

"That's just to remind you of what you have coming after our guest leave,"
his eyes twinkled as he saw her draw in a deep breath. He knew exactly how
she was feeling. It was all he could do not to pick her up right then and
there and carry her to bed.

But he needed to go if he was going to make it to pick up Byrin for the party.

"Just remember where we left off," he told her then turned to go. "I'm going
into Ralengarde to pick up Byrin for the party tonight. You wouldn't mind if
I ask him to stay a few days would you?"

"Not at all," she assured him. "It'll be a good chance for him to spend
sometime with you and meet Lynnie. Besides I know Fawna and Ojean will love
having him here."

"Thanks. I'll see you later love," he grinned as he turned away and went out
to Fayloth.

"Yea... Later," she mussed, then hoped their guest wouldn't want to stay to
long. After he was gone, she turned back to the cake sitting on the cabinet
and got out the fixings for the icing.

Next she set out to fix the main meal so that all she would have to do was
put it in the oven to bake later and still have sometime to go and look
through the stores for a present for her brother. 

The Warren stores failed to have anything that caught her eye, so she
wondered over to the dining hall with her daughter and decided to get
something to eat.

Inside she caught sight of Clarissa and when the healer waved her over,
Shawnee first dropped off Lynnie with the healer so she'd have two hands to
dish up some food.

"She's looking fine," Clarissa told her when she made it back to the table.
"I'll bet she's gained several pounds in the last week alone."

Shawnee laughed as she spooned up a bit of what was on her plate. "With the
way she's been eating I would hope she doesn't blow up soon. She's almost
worse then a new hatchling, and just as loud when she lets you know she
wants to be fed."

"Where's Saul?" the healer asked and took a quick look around. She didn't
bother to mention to the girl sitting across from her of the dirty looks she
was getting from a female rider across the room. She grinned back at her
with a smile that let the woman know that she knew what was on her mind.

"Oh he's gone into Ralengarde to pick up his son for Ojean's party tonight,"
Shawnee told her. "You'll come won't you. It's his twelfth birthday."

"I'd be honored to," Clarissa grinned as she accepted the invitation. "What
did you get him?"

Shawnee sighed. "I haven't found anything for him yet and I'm starting to
get a little worried I won't have anything for him in time."

Well why don't we go into Killaglen and have a look at the stores there,"
the healer suggested. "Maybe we can find something there that you'll like."

"Oh that's sounds like fun," the blonde smiled happily. "I haven't been out
of the Warren since I came here. Maybe a trip outside of it will be fun."

---------  

The woman spotted the rider with the white blond hair as soon as she and the
other female rider turned the corner after coming out of the leather shop. 

The beautiful smile and the bright aqua in her eyes let the woman know at
once who the girl was.... and she wanted to meet the woman who finally put
an end to Saul of Whiteriver's wondering ways. The girl must be pretty special.

Her eyes widen just a bit when she saw the girl turn and look into a window.
That's when she saw the tiny dark haired little one strapped to a carryall
on the girls back.

Saul... a father?

Who'd of ever figured that would happen?

Now more then ever she wanted to meet her... Saul's Shawnee.

She didn't have long to wait as the two women seemed to be heading her way.
She stepped back inside the Pig-n-whistle (I hope I got the name right Kris)
and moved back behind the bar to speak to the bar keep. 

"You'll never guess who's on her way inside?" 

"Well some sweet charming man from the looks of that smile on your face," he
replied. "I've heard there are going to be eggs in Whiteriver soon... so I
guess Saul's here to pay a few hands of cards."

"Nope..." Celia shook her head grinning. "Not Saul... his lady and ... their
baby."

"Baby!!" the man nearly choked on the ale he had just taken a sip of.
"Saul!!! A father!!"

"Looks that way."

The door opened then and the two from Whiteriver entered. Found a table, and
Celia, who couldn't pass up the opportunity went to ask what they'd like to
drink.

"Just a glass of your coldest tea," Shawnee replied, smiling up at the kind
woman. She didn't see the look Clarissa had on her face, or might have
wondered about it.

"Hello Clarissa," Celia greeted the healer. "Been a long time since you've
been around. Not since Jorge and his woman had their baby wasn't it?"

"Been a little busy. I'll have a glass of tea also, if you don't mind Celia."

Celia called the order back over her shoulder and then turned back to them.
Her eyes settling on Shawnee and her lips turned up in a warm grin.

"She's an adorable baby. what's her name?"

Lynnie who was now sitting in her mothers lap, must have known she was being
talked about, because the next thing Shawnee knew, her daughter's arms were
reaching for the lady with the kind sounding voice and made sure her mommy
knew she wanted to go to her.

"Oh may I hold her?" the woman asked, daring to hope, but knowing how some
new mothers were.

Shawnee took a liking to the woman at once. That Clarissa seemed to know her
and treated her question without malic seemed to Shawnee to mean she liked
the girl. So she handed Lynnie up to her and grinned when the babe started
to giggle when the woman cooed at her and tickled her belly.

"Ummm... Healer ... I hate to bother you right now," came the voice of the
barkeeper. "But my cook just cut his hand pretty bad and I was wondering...
if...you wouldn't mind..."

Clarissa was up out of her seat like a shot. The healer in her already
thinking of what needed to be gone for the man. 

"Just show me where he is," she turned then and looked from Shawnee to the
woman holding Saul's baby. She knew about Saul's friendship with the
woman... but was a little worried about leaving Shawnee behind with her. Not
that she thought Celia would hurt her ... but well.. After their near break
up over the Gwyna thing... she was worried how Shawnee would take meeting
another one of Saul's old flames.

"Go on healer," Celia smiled warmly and a message past between them. "Saul's
woman will be find staying here with me."

------------
 
"How did you know I was ...Saul's woman..." Shawnee asked after the healer
had followed the barkeep into the back room of the Inn. 

"Because you look just exactly how he said you would. And he was right, you
are a thing of beauty."

"You ...know Saul?" she asked with a slight frown, wondering who this woman
was and just how well she did know her mate.

"I want you to understand about me and Saul," Celia started to say while
Lynnie settled in her lap. "I won't lie to you and tell you that we never
slept together.. but that ended the day he came here and told me about this
new searchling he'd found. A beautiful young woman with the prettiest aqua
eyes and white hair. An angel... That's what he said she was... and I could
tell that what ever we had going... which really wasn't anything more than a
god friendship... was at an end."

"How well do you.. know Saul?" Shawnee asked, feeling this woman wouldn't
mind the personal question. 

"I would say we're very close. Oh I might have dreamed about meaning more to
him the just as his friend... but I knew while he enjoyed spending time with
me that I could never hold his heart. He and I have shared a lot in the
pasted. But as soon as he started talking about you, I knew he'd finally
lost his heart and knew you had to be someone pretty special to win his
love. That's why I wanted to meet you."

Shawnee stared back at the woman dumbfounded. 

"You wanted to *meet* me?" she asked.

"Yup.. just to see for myself the woman who finally won his heart and to
wish you all the luck and happiness in the world. He's a pretty special man,
he deserves someone who'll love him without question and be there for him."

"You really mean that...don't you?" Shawnee was finally coming to realize
this woman wasn't anything like that... that... that hussy back at the
Warren who wouldn't take no for an answer. 

Celia nodded her head.

"I do love him... he's everything to me," Shawnee told her, her voice full
of emotion. "Saul and our daughter. Her names Shaulyn... but we call her
Lynnie."

"And such a sweet little thing she is too. I can see she has her father's
hair and coloring, but her mothers eyes," she looked up and grinned. "I'll
bet Saul was pleased with that?"

"You could say that," Shawnee chuckled. "But then he didn't have much of a
choice. All the women in my line are born with aqua colored eyes. No exception."

"No.. You're right there," a male voice said from behind them. "Even you're
mother, Owlean had them. Didn't she."

Shawnee cringed at the sound of the woman's name. 

"I always knew you would turn out to be nothing like her," the barkeep said
as he joined them and pulled up a chair. "You always were a little mother to
the other two. Anyone with half an eye knew you'd be someone, one day and
but who'd have believed you'd become a dragonrider?"

She looked at the man and studied him face, trying to remember if and where
she might of known him from. But nothing came to mind. 

"Do I know you?" she finally asked. "Have we met before?"

"Not really," he shrugged. "But I remember seeing you around when your
parents were here before. I think your sister was about a year old then. But
some of us around here tried to make sure you and them kids had plenty to
eat, and kept an eye out for you so none of the ruffian's around her would
bother you. You was a looker even back then girl."

"I never knew," she replied warmly, somewhat shocked that someone had gone
to the trouble.

"Yeah well.. we never did much care for your mama," he told her. "Now your
pa was another story.. he tried. The Gods know he did.. but that mama of
yours was just to much for him to handle. Can't say I blamed him much when
I'd heard he'd left her... but couldn't fathom him leaving you'll behind. He
used to talk about you all the time."

He stood up then and stretched his powerful arms over his head. "Well I'll
leave you two to get aquatinted. I'm gonna go check on how the healers
coming with my cook."

After he left Shawnee just sat there sipping on her glass of tea. 

"I never knew," she mused, but somehow knew the man spoke the truth. 

"You've had more people looking out for you then you thought Shawnee," Celia
said and reach out an took her arm. "it's because you're easy to like and
because you really care about people even after all you've been
through...and no.. I didn't hear about it from Saul.. well maybe a little,
but I do remember you're mother... and can't say I liked her being around
the few times she was passing by town."

"On that we both agree," Shawnee's face turned up in a smile. "But soon I
won't ever have to worry about her again....Tell me..." Her eyes suddenly
took on a daring grin. "What's Saul like when he's trying to take everyone's
money playing in one of those games he seems to enjoy so much?"

the two of them talked and Celia had Shawnee laughing for the next half an
hour until Clarissa came back and found them acting like the best of friends. 

Somehow she had thought the two would get along if they ever met, and now
she knew he'd been right. She wondered what Saul would say if he found out
about the two women meeting and comparing notes about him... and decided not
to ask.

"Shawnee I think we'd better start back for Whiteriver soon," the healer
told her when she came to stand next to the table. "We need to get back
for... B'ril's service."

The thought sobered her up fast. She had a flash back of the sounds of the
healer screaming as the wraiths swarmed around him and what happened next.

She pushed the troubling thoughts from her mind as she stood up and
collected her daughter from where she'd fallen asleep in Celia's lap. 

"I must say... I never thought I'd enjoy meeting one of Saul's women
friends," a half smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "But meeting you
has been a real treat. I've enjoyed out talk and hope to see you again to
talk some more another time."

"Think Saul could stand the stress of seeing us together?" Celia laughed as
she walked the two riders outside. 

"Well we've got a hatching coming up sometime soon. Why don't you make plans
to come stay a few days then. You can be my guest."

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

Byrin gave her a big hug the moment Doshy deposited her on the dragon's
ledge of their apartment. The youth had been waiting there for her to come
home so he could finally get to meet his little sister.

"She's so small," his eyes wide in amazement, stared at the little one as
she sat there in his lap holding on to his fingers. 

"I'm sure someone made the same comment about you at that age," Saul
grinned. He was happy and contented to just sit there with his family and
enjoy knowing everything was right between them. "But look at how much
you've grown since then."

"I don't think Lynnie will ever get this big Dad," the boy chuckled and
leaned close to rub noses with the baby, and then laughed again when his
sister pulled on his hair. "Hey..!!"

"That'll teach you," Ojean grinned and Fawna giggled.

"She got us too before we knew better then to let her get to close," Fawna
told him. She'd barely let him out of her sight since he'd arrived. Not that
Byrin minded having the little girl following him around. 

He'd missed her and Ojean since he'd gone home. It was nice to know they had
missed him too.

Shawnee came out of the bedroom just then and nodded her head at Saul. 

"Are we all ready?" she asked and glanced around the room. To see the solemn
faces looking back at her knowing they had to go to the service to pay their
last respects to B'ril.. the man who'd been friends to then all.

---------   

Everyone was in the hall when they arrived. Shawnee saw Merissa standing
beside Th'rin and went willingly when Saul took her arm and led her over to
the young healer to offer their 

Merissa excused herself, and Shawnee watched as her friend  made her way to
the stage area where Analise, her mother, was busy with a few of her
students. She couldn't help but notice the hurt in the young woman's eyes as
she turned away from her mother and quickly walked away.

She wanted to go after her right then, but saw her stop to talk to one of
the biggest men she'd ever seen. In some ways the man reminded her of Pa'gan
and that got her thinking about Aradia and how much she still missed her friend.

She felt Saul's arm slip around her waist and saw the concern in his deep
blue eyes as they looked back into hers.

"I'm all right," she assured him. "Just sad."

A short while later, Trinale's vice could be heard above the din calling for
everyone's attentions.

"We are here to honor our fallen comrades, D'ni and his dragon Devonni who
gave their lives in the heroic rescue of T'jellan and Grunth, and B'ril a
talented healer who had served our Warren for more than 10 years..."

------  

She found Merissa sometime later and asked how she was doing. 

"Saw you talking to your.. a .. mother earlier and you didn't look to happy
when you walked away," she told her coming right to the point. "You know...
you've listened to me talk about my troubles more times then I could ever
repay. So if you would like to get together for lunch tomorrow, maybe we can
compare our mothers and their failings in life."

"Failings?" the Queenrider gave her a half grin. 

"Well it had to be their failings because you and I turned out all right,"
Shawnee countered, with a sly grin. "Haven't we?"

[Tag Arlene]

It was late.. but not to late by the time they arrived back at their
apartment to start Ojean's birthday party. 
Fawna could barely keep her eyes open, but fought to do so as she wanted to
see what presents her bother got.

With everything they had eaten at the party after the service, the dinner
she had made went into the frig. She could make it tomorrow night instead. 

She did set out some figure foods for those who wanted something, and then
after the gift's had been opened, she had Fawna and Byrin help her to bring
out the cake.

Everyone stood around the table as the candles were lit and Ojean made his
wish before blowing them out.

After everyone made their good-byes, Saul took the kids back down to Barry's
for the evening. It was decide they'd stay there since their three of them
wanted to be together and the Tailor had room enough for them all. Only
Lynnie stayed behind, she was still waking up wanting feedings at all hours
of the day and night. 

That night... as the one before, the darling little one slept thought the
night, much to her fathers relief as the man, once reminded of where they
had left off that morning... proved he knew just what to do to pick it up....

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

Nrpg: I don't think Shawnee will remember to tell Saul about meeting
Celia.... Hmmm must have ...slipped her mind ;)

Anyone who wants to come join in  on the birthday party is welcome.....

Jill... I'll get to poor misunderstood Kanler in the morning....

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

Barbara (a.k.a.

Shawnee & Doshayne
Barry (the Tailor) 
Ojean & Teewith