Disclaimer: I don't own the World of Two Moons. I do, however own a few of the characters in this story.

Chapter Twelve: Common Knowledge, Now

Under her stony gaze Bretch shifted, and Windkin tightened his hold on the humans' shirt sleeve. Each elf there turned to look at him as Dewshine's story unfolded bitterly. After she told of his second attempt at her Scouter and Tyleet came and crouched next to her, each putting an arm around her shoulders. Tyleet leaned her head on the older olfrider's back.

The tale was told without emotion, as if Dewshine was not connected to it in any way, but the tears tan down her face. She sat with her legs curled up under her, and one arm, again, encircling her waist, while her Lifemate held her other wrist in his hand.

She finally told them how Aroree, Rayek, Redlance and her son Windkin rescue her. Leetah looked at her, and the younger elf looked back, then at her Lifemates. She had not told the tribe of the cub, and they would not betray her trust.

Suddenly, Treestump leapt off his wolf, where he had been sitting the whole time, and dashed at Bretch, axe raised. "Stop!" cried Dewshine, and her father slowed, axe raised. He had disbelief in his eyes.

"After all he's put you through you still intend him to live?" asked the Wolfrider elder, plainly shocked. "Why?"

Dewshine shook her head and pressed her hand all the tighter on her stomach, the other squeezing Scouters' harder, and she lowered her head as she let her eyes stream. "Dewshine?" asked Leetah, coming to kneel before her. The healer stretched out her hand and took the Wolfrider's shoulder. "I believe it is time for you to tell them." She whispered to her.

At last, the lately-freed elf nodded. She looked up at her father, blue eyes haunted. Bretch had not moved, and she looked at him next. She reached out and held out her hand to him, and he took it, looking at her with apology in his own gray eyes now.

He had never meant to hurt her. He loved her, and wanted her to be happy with him, no one else. Dewshine nodded.

"Because I bear his child," she said, not taking her eyes from his face.

000

A murmur swept through the assembled. "How?" asked Treestump bleakly, axe falling to his side. "How could you, Dewshine?" he cried, and this was echoed by many others.

"I had not choice in the matter. He gave me none," she said bitterly, taking her hand out of his and replacing it on her belly.

"As a healer, I can prevent her from having the child," added Leetah. "But only if that is what you decide, Dewshine. In three-fourths of a year, it will be too late to reverse this without causing you harm." She told the younger elf.

"We can talk of this later, Lifemate," whispered Scouter, glaring at Bretch. "What do we do with him?" he spat out.

"He can be left in the See-tah-del. He cannot harm any of us now." replied Dewshine evenly. "You must stay away, Bretch. I shall be on my guard, and you will not get to me again." she warned.

"I understand," he told her in her own language, looking into her eyes. Bretch reached out slowly, and brushed a bit of hair away from her face. She warned him away with her eyes.

000

Dewshine rode behind her father on ht way back, to the Holt. There she, Tyleet and Scouter sat in silence in the tree-hollow shared by the three, Clearbrook and Treestump ; they also came in, a few minutes later. She no longer hurt, for Leetah had healed her after they returned home.

It was hard for Dewshine to believe, after being a prisoner for so long, it seemed to her, that she was free now. She thought long and hard about Bretch's child, and finally came to Leetah with her decision the next day, for she, Ember and the rest of their part of the Wolfriders would be moving on in three says. It would have been awkward to have to ask Mender to do what Leetah did.

Two days later, Dewshine, Scouter, Tyleet, Darkpool, Ember and all the rest of their company rode out from the Holt, waving goodbyes to their kinsfolk, as they returned the salute.

Only Dewshine noticed a tall figure, to tall to be an elf, yet to short for either Aroree or Savah, waving goodbye to her alone from the shadow of a tree. Tears ran down Bretch's face, but he made no attempt to stop her.

Every Wolfrider present stood, tilted back their heads and gave a long howl of triumph. No one noticed it, or if they did, no one mentioned it, when Dewshine's eyes ran and her song was more sorrowful than any of the others.

Neither did anyone notice when an untrained, not quite elven voice rang out quietly, as Bretch bid farfel to his love.