Though the nap seemed to be what she had been needing, Shawnee still felt
tired. What was it about having babies that did this to a woman? 

She laughed softly and rolled her eyes remembering the energy she'd had to
put out during her daughters birth... And the thought that she would never
be born.... It was no wonder men didn't have babies... they'd never be able
to handle it.

She looked up as the door to their room was pushed open and saw her mate
walk in with their daughter. The look in his deep blue eyes spoke volumes. 

>He cooed at the baby as he headed into the bedroom to pass her off to her
mother. "I think maybe she's hungry." He told her.

Shawnee reached for the baby, "Come here, sweetie. Are you hungry?" She
fawned over the infant as she undid her buttons and led the baby to her
breast. Immediately the baby began to feed, and her crying stopped.

Shawnee smiled down at the now quiet baby in her arms, and though of how
much she looked like her father with his dark hair... but her families aqua
eyes.

Saul grinned, "See. Now I've gotta run for a bit. But I'll be back as soon
as I can."

"Where are you going?" Shawnee asked a small pout on her lips.

"I'm gonna get us something for dinner. Our cupboards are nearly bare. And
I'm not quite ready to let you out of bed yet."

She couldn't help but notice the sparkle light up in his deep blue eyes or
the smile that crossed his lips, and felt her cheeks turning red... it made
her wonder what he would feel about seeing her with her once flat stomach
still rounder after child birth... would he still find her body as exciting
as before? Then she called herself silly for even thinking that his love for
her could be so shallow. 

"Well hurry back." She said, not mining a little cuddling with her mate to
end the day... that is if she could stay awake long enough for him to get
back...

"I will," he grinned and bent down to give each of his women a kiss.
Shawnee's more of a promise of things to come....

After he left she sat there watching her daughter. She still couldn't
believe that this miracle child was really here. A gift from the Gods for
sure. A small part of both of them to show how strong their love for
eachother was.

Shaulyn began to fuss a bit and Shawnee moved her to take up the other teat,
soon the baby began to settle again and then soon after drift off back to
sleep. 

Was that all she was going to do for the next months... eat and sleep? She
couldn't remember how long Clarissa said this was going to last.. but she
did remember that the healer had told her to get as much sleep as she could
when the baby was sleeping...

Carefully, as to not wake Lynnie, Shawnee carried her back to her crib and
then stood there for a while just looking down at the dark headed child and
watched her sleeping. 

A yawn slipped from her lips and she decided to go on back to her own bed
and wait for her mate to come home... suddenly she was hungry.

Just a little nap... just a few minutes she though as her eyes became heavy.
That was all... then she'd be awake when he got back.....

----------  

Saul wa already up by the time she awoke the next morning. She got up and
walked down the short hall to the girls room to find him in the rocking
chair Barry had given them with his daughter in his arms. 

So intensely was he looking at her that he didn't hear 
Shawnee come into the room until she called his name softly.

Then he looked up and quickly back at is daughter.

"You didn't wake me when you came home last night love," she said and came
to kneel beside the two she loved. "I didn't plan on falling asleep, but I
guess I did."

"You did. So I didn't want to wake you up," he said and she saw him move his
hand up, finger reaching slowly to touch his daughters hand. "She's so small."

"Baby's are like that," she grinned. "But they grow up so fast that tomorrow
it'll seem like she's years older."

He didn't say anything, and she suddenly felt something was wrong. Fawna...
Ojean... Had something happened to one of them that he didn't want to tell
her? It would be just like him not wanting to worry her.

"Is something wrong Saul? She asked.

Still he didn't look at her, and it was a minute before he spoke. 

"My mother and her husband arrived at the Warren yesterday," he told her and
then went on to tell her about Ojean asking Doshayne to call him last night
and then he told her about meeting his...*sister* and having to deal with
his mother and her husband. 

"Your mother is here....? And you have a sister... well that's wonderful!
Isn't it?" she asked when she saw the frown cross over his face.

"Well it might be... I've always wondered what it would have been like to
have a sibling... sort of like you and the kids... but... I really didn't
need to see my mother again after all theses years," he told her. "The woman
still hasn't changed. And that man she was with was even worse...."

Shawnee knew the meeting of the two couldn't have been pleasant for him. He
told her about his mother and father and why his father had left her. He'd
also told her of how he had also left soon after that to follow his father
who the younger Saul had worshipped and how he had watched as his father
died and how that led him to be in the Warren. 

"I take it your meeting didn't go very well?"

"That's an understatement," his frown deepened..."But she won't be able to
do to the girl what she did to me or my father now that she has joined with
a hatchling. Might be the best thing to happen to her... I can't believe it
though..."

"What can't you believe my love?" she asked and reached up to place her hand
on his arm. Was it only her imagination ...or did he flinch when she touch him?

Again he waited a minute before answering... then he started to say
something and she felt he changed what he was about to say.

"She came here looking for me. To meet the brother they never told her
about," he said through gritted teeth. 

Something of his anger must have disturbed the baby sleeping in his arms for
she began to fuss a bit until he cooed er back to sleep.

"You're so good with her already," Shawnee told him grinning. "See you
calmed her quick enough."

"Must be something I picked up from dealing with Fawna," he replied and then
lapsed back into silence.

Something was bothering him. Something besides meeting up with his mother
again, but she knew him well enough by now to know he wouldn't tell her if
he though it would upset her. But what could it be?

"Are you hungry?" she asked, knowing it would do no good to probe. "We could
go down to the dining hall for breakfast and show off our wonderful little
girl."

"I hit him."

"Hit who....oh... her new husband," she said. "Well I'm sure he must have
deserved it."

"He did... I'm only sorry I only hit him once before getting out of there."

Shawnee grinned, knowing he couldn't see her reaction. 

"Well I hope you didn't hurt you hand," was all she had to say on the matter.

He didn't laugh or even smile... yes there was something wrong....

"Well do you want to chance it and go to the dining hall and give everyone a
chance to tell us that we have the most beautiful baby in the Warren?"

"Sure," now he did grin. "I'll be the envy of every male in the place with
the two most beautiful women in the Warren."

Lynnie came awake just then and rather loudly demanded to be fed. Saul
looked up finally and let her take their daughter when she reached for her.

"Why don't you get ready to go while I feed her, then you can hold her for a
minute while I get dressed."

"Okay... But I think I'll try to find...my sister... while we're down
there... just to see if she's all right." 

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

L'rian and his mate Caitlin were some of the first people to see them when
they finally made it down to the dining hall, but not the only ones to come
see their daughter.

Saul's partner came towards them and led them over to the table where he'd
been sitting.

"It's only right that you best friend should get to be one of the first to
hold her," the older man was saying as he reached for and took the girl from
her mothers arms.

Shawnee felt the pull that all first time mothers felt when someone else was
holding their child, but she reminded herself that the man had helped raise
two daughters of his own.

As word spread that Saul and Shawnee were there with their newborn daughter,
several people came by to take a look at her and tease Saul about finally
becoming a father.

--------  

One man stood across the room.... wishing he could be there... but he knew
it was impossible. Just then someone tapped him on the shoulder and called
his attention's back to where he needed to be. The young healer was still
missing and they were about to start searching apartments for her... he took
one last look across the dining hall at the aqua eye woman who owned his
heart.. then turned  
to follow the other one out of the hall.

---------  

"So Grandpa L'rian.... isn't she just the most beautiful baby?" Shawnee
teased when the man began making faces at Lynnie..

"Grandpa huh?" he tilted his head up just enough to look at her... "Well I
think I like the sound of that. What do you think Grandma?" he asked looking
at his mate who was leaning over his shoulder to get a better look at the baby.

"I could live with that...." Caitlin agreed with a warm smile on her face.

"Does that mean you two will be offering to watch Lynnie on occasion?" Saul
asked hopefully. Only to be rewarded by a slap on his arm from his own mate.

"I don't mean today or any time soon... " he said quickly and then turned
when he heard Barry call out their names.

"Speaking of Grandpa's ...Barry! Come to see our beautiful daughter for
yourself?"

"As if I would turn down the chance," the older man laughed along with the
others. "But I also came barring a gift," He said and held out a very neatly
wrapped package. 

"Oh you shouldn't have," Shawnee exclaimed even as she was reaching for it
and began to unwrap it. As she began to pull the paper from what was inside
it, her eyes happen to glance up and notice the woman sitting with a few
others across the room. 

Gwyna ...

Shawnee frowned as the woman noticed her looking and her lips curved up in a
strange sort of smile, then shifted to look at Saul sitting beside her
before moving back to look at her. 

Shawnee saw the lust in the woman's eyes and it upset her. While she could
understand that the woman found Saul attractive.. What woman wouldn't... but
darn it!! He had a mate and a child now. Why couldn't the hussy go find
herself another man to lust after... Saul was taken!!

Dragging her eyes away from the other woman, Shawnee turned back to see what
her hands had unwrapped and froze...

"Shawnee...What is it love?" Saul asked seeing the expression on her face. 

"Where did you get this Barry?" she asked her eyes never leaving the baby
carrier in her hands. She recognized the work. She'd know his work anywhere.
"Where??"

"From Dontey the leather worker," the older man told her frowning. "It's
from him and his family for the baby."

Dontey.... By the gods....

"Shawnee what is it love?" Now Saul too was worried.

"Where is he?"

"In his shop right now I think," Barry told her. "It's right next store to
mine. He asked me this morning to give this too you when I saw you again."

Without saying a word to anyone she got up and headed out of the hall. Saul
got up and followed her, hesitating only briefly when he saw he was being
watched by someone from across the room....

"Shawnee!?!" he called after her and then caught up with her outside.

"I have to see if it's really him," she told him and kept walking. "I have
to know."

"Who love? Know who, who is?" 

They arrived at the leather goods store just then and she pushed the door
open. Inside she saw a handsome woman standing behind the counter and walked
up to her.

"Where is he?" she demanded. "I want to see him right now!!"

The woman looked at the young blond standing before her. So this was
Shawnee. Her head tilted towards the back room and before she could stop
her, Shawnee was moving past her.

"Please... he's changed... He only wants to make things up to you," Tahsa
told her. "He came here to ask for your forgiveness... won't you please
listen to him before you judge him to harshly. He regrets the past and how
he was, but he's a different man now...."

"I doubt that," Shawnee growled turning to face the woman. "And your a fool
for believing it."

"No Shawnee... I'm no fool... but you will be one if you don't give him a
chance to tell you how sorry he is."

"Sorry.... I don't think he knows what the word means!" she said in a cold
hard tone. "I grew up with the man. *I* know how he is... He didn't come
here to beg my forgiveness... he wants something and whatever it is... he
can just leave here now because he won't get anything from me!"

"No ..." Tahsa said softly and reached out to touch her arm. "He doesn't
want anything from you, and he knows it'll be hard for you to believe that
right now. He just wants to tell you that he knows he made a mistake... that
he was weak... but he's changed. I swear he has or I never would have let
him know about Sammy."

Sammy.... Fawna's new friend? 

Tahsa could see that the younger girl recognized the name. "Sammy is your
half sister. Dontey didn't know about her until recently... She loves him
and..."

"Momma?" a voice said from where the curtain separated the two rooms. "Mamma
is this my sister?"

Shawnee turned at the sound of the little girl's voice and for a moment she
believed she was seeing Fawna when the little girl came into view. 

"Yes Sammy..." Tahsa told her, moving towards her daughter and pulling her
over to where Shawnee stood.
"This is Shawnee... your sister."

Tahsa didn't know how her daughter had found out about her siblings... but
stood there praying the older girl wouldn't say or do anything to harm her.
Sammy was ... well.. surely...

"Hello Shawnee," the little white-haired blond said sweetly. "I'm ever so
happy to finally meet you. I've always wanted  to have a sister and Fawna
said you're the best and nicest sister there is."

Shawnee didn't know what to say, she just stared at the girl and then at her
mother who was standing behind her. She could see the woman's worried
expression and knew she couldn't at that moment say or do anything to hurt
the girl who so looked like Fawna.

"Hello Sammy," she said finally when she felt Saul come up behind her and
touch her arm. 

The door opened just then and a man stepped in. A man she hadn't seen in
several years now. 

"Hello father."

"Oh gods," she heard Saul mutter and turned to him. 

"Somehow love I don't think the Gods had anything to do with this... first
your mother and now my father...What else can go wrong."

She didn't see the look that came over her mates face just then as her eyes
were still on the man standing just inside the door.

"Shawnee... Gods I'm sorry," Dontey said and she could see the pain fill his
eyes. "I was hoping to see you... to talk to you before... "

"It's a little to late for that father," she told him. "You made your choice
the day you walked out on your family and left us with Owlean..."

"It wasn't like that," he told her. "I just couldn't take her any longer...
You don't know what it was like living with her..."

**I only stayed with your mother because she was pregnant with you.... if it
wasn't for you I could be free... then she had to go and have the other two
brats...**

"Don't I father?" she snapped. "Don't I?? Or did you forget that you left us
with her when you ran away. Just took off and didn't give a damn about us or
how we were going to get by?"

"Don't say those mean things to my daddy!!" the little girl cried. "If you
do he may leave me again and it'll be all your fault!!!"

"No Sammy, no," Dontey said and went to the little girl, bending down before
her and wrapping his arms around her to comfort her. "I swear child. I would
never leave you or your momma. I love you!"

"Promise Papa? Promise!?!" Kisama begged him to tell her.

"I promise with everything in me," he told her as Shawnee watched. "My world
wouldn't be worth living if I didn't have you and your mommy with me, but I
wasn't always a loving papa... I did things that I'm not proud of and I hurt
Shawnee and Fawna and Ojean and I won't blame them if they can't forgive me."

He hugged her again and then looked up at is mate.

"Tahsa please take her into the other room."

"No papa... please don't make me go...."

He didn't need to because Shawnee turned and walked out of the shop with
Saul following.

Inside Dontey stood looking after her. He wanted to follow her to beg her to
forgive him, but his feet refused to listen to his minds commands.

Tahsa moved to her mates side and wrapped her arms around him. "Just give
her time my love. She'll be back."

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

"Are you okay?" Saul, asked once they were away from the shop.

"Right now I'm not to sure," she admitted. She'd seen something in her
father today that she had never seen before. A side of him she had never
thought to ever see. It was as if he was a different man.

Was it some game he was playing? Or could she really believe what her eyes
had seen. There had been tears in the man's eyes. And pain... 

"I just want to get Lynnie and go home... I have to warn Fawna and Ojean
that he's here..." she told him and then stopped in her tracks. "Oh Gods...
how will they take it, knowing he's here after what Owlean did to them?"

He reached for her and hugged her. So she didn't see the look that came over
his face when his eyes caught sight of the woman just exiting the dining
hall, or the hungry look she threw his way...

She didn't know now that having her father show up in the Warren was only
the beginning of her troubles.....

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

Barbara (a.k.a.

Shawnee & Doshayne
Barry the tailor
Dontey the leather worker
Tahsa 
Kisama 
Whiteriver Warren