It was a calm, sunny day. Gabrielle walked through thetrees, feeling the warmth of a spring breeze against her face as she peeredthrough the branches. Dinner wasbubbling, and Xena was nowhere to be found, though she’d left some time ago to‘wash up.’
Gabrielle could, she knew, just start calling her nameout, but somehow the thought of that on this nice, peaceful day didn’t appealto her. So she wandered down through the trees, out of the forest and into thesunlit meadow that sloped down towards the river.
Halfway down, she spotted Xena. The warrior was sprawledin the grass, head pillowed on a tussock, boots off, in just her leathers.
Snoozing in the sun.
Gabrielle stopped in her tracks, blinking, unable tobelieve her eyes for a long moment. Was her partner sick? She hadn’t seemed that way, but they had stoppedvery early, and maybe.. Gabriellefelt a touch anxious, unsure in their newly intimate relationship of how sheshould act. Should she leave Xena alone?
Go and fuss over her?
What was Xena expecting her to do? Their relationship upto now had been so defined, even with the changes in it, and now.. noweverything was different again. New. Strange.
A little scary.
Then one of Xena’s hands lifted and made a come ahead gesturein her direction, and Gabrielle started walking again, ending up next to wherethe warrior was lying. “Hi.” She greeted the supine woman. “There you are.”
“Hi.” Xena murmured. “Something wrong?”
Gabrielle sat down, wrapping her arms around her knees. “No.I was just looking for you, for dinner.” She paused. “Um.. I meant to eatdinner. For us to eat dinner.” She let the words trail off, feeling the blushwarm her skin. “You know what I mean.”
Xena chuckled softly, one blue eye opening and peering atGabrielle. “Uh huh?” She glanced lazily at Gabrielle. “Hungry?”
“Mmhm.” Gabrielle nodded. She sighed, as the lateafternoon sun bathed her face. “Boy, it’s a nice day, isn’t it?” She added,feeling a little awkward. “Pretty clouds.”
Xena reached out and circled her wrist with long, warmfingers. “C’mere.”
“Where?”
“Here.” Xena patted her stomach. “Lay down.”
Willingly, Gabrielle did, feeling the leather warm on hercheek as she settled into the thick river grass next to Xena, and the warrior’sarm draped itself over her midriff with casual familiarity.
“There. Now it’s a perfect day.” Xena closed her eye andexhaled, her fingertips lightly brushing across Gabrielle’s skin.
Gabrielle reached up and folded her hand around Xena’s,accepting the vast change that had now taken over their lives, and believing,at last, in this new reality. This was her life now. This gentle, knowing touchthat made her breathing quicken, and her heart pound was real.
She and Xena, together, was real.
“Yeah.” Gabrielle agreed softly. “This is awesome.”
Awesome. Being in love was awesome. Having Xena be inlove with her was awesome.
Life, right now, really just rocked.
“Hey.” Xena patted Gabrielle’s cheek gently to wake her.“Gabrielle?”
The sea green eyes drifted open, regarding her sleepily.“Mm.”
“We gotta get out of here.” The warrior told her,regretfully. “Sorry.” She traced the line of one of the bard’s eyebrows.“Dreaming good dreams?”
“Dreaming of you.” Gabrielle answered, with a smile.“Dreaming of us.” She turned her head and kissed Xena’s hand. “I love lovingyou.” She added. “Did you know that?”
Xena looked at her for a long string of heartbeats, beforeshe smiled. “I knew that, yeah.” She answered. “I remember when we first gottogether, you’d sit across the fire and just look at me.” The warrior’s
“For me it was like Solistice every day.” Gabrielle agreed.“So I bet I did.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah.” The bard looked up at her. “Every time you kissedme, it was such a gift.”
Xena’s expression altered, to one of wistful sadness. “G..”She stopped, as her partner lifted her hand and pressed her fingers against herlips.
“Don’t say it.” Gabrielle whispered. “That gift is back andthat’s all I care about.”
Xena’s lips twitched, and she nodded.
They both were momentarily quiet, then Gabrielle sat up,rolling her head to loosen a crick in her neck before she got to her feet. Shewalked over to the entrance and looked out, seeing the sun nearing the rockwalls. “It’s late.”
Xena came up behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder.“We’ll risk moving after dark.” She said. “At this point, I’m more scared ofthose damn bastards than I am the cats.”
Gabrielle hesitated, then turned, looking up at her. “Areyou scared?”
The warrior’s brows knit slightly. “Of course I am.” Shesaid. “Gabrielle, you know better than to think I don’t know what being afraidis all about.” Her hand lifted andcupped the bard’s cheek. “You know me better than that.”
“I know.” Gabrielle put her hands on Xena’s stomach. “That’swhy I don’t think you’re afraid.” Her eyes searched her partner’s intently. “Ithink you’re worried. I think you’re aggravated.” She pushed gently. “I thinkyou’re frustrated.”
“Mm.” Xena didn’t deny any of it, finding a fascination inthe golden flecks in the depths of Gabrielle’s eyes.
“I don’t think you’re afraid. Because we’re here. We’retogether.”
And, Xena knew in her heart, that was the truth. She smiled,brushing her thumb against Gabrielle’s cheek. “Okay.” She conceded. “I’m moreconcerned about the hairy jerks than I am the cats. Better?”
Gabrielle really didn’t know why that mattered to her. Itseemed strange, but she brushed it off as just part of the stress they wereboth under. “Much.” She agreed. “So, we wait for dark?” She asked, giving thewarrior another little push. “You could have let me sleep longer.”
Xena chuckled. “I could have. But my leg was numb and Ifigured we’d better off if we get something to eat and untangle our brainsbefore we go off into the pitch black.”
“Bah.” Gabrielle exhaled. “Hoisted on my own grumblingstomach.” She leaned against Xena as the warrior put her arms around her,enfolding her in a warm hug that made her want to just snuggle up against herpartner’s body and go right back to sleep.
She was tired. Gabrielle admitted to herself. Her body wasgiving her warning signals that she knew she ignored at her own peril, andknowing she had to ignore them or face a larger peril didn’t change that fact.She wavered a second, but the grip tightened and she gave into it, relaxingagainst Xena’s tall form. “Don’t’ do that.” She warned. “Unless you want me tofall asleep on you again.”
Xena rubbed her back. “There’s a runoff just outside therocks there. Let’s get some water on our faces.” She bumped Gabrielle towardsthe opening, and the bard reluctantly turned and trudged in that direction.They ducked outside the cleft and looked around, seeing little but the lateafternoon sun and a breeze that moved tenacious tufts of grass in the rock asthey passed them.
It was quiet otherwise, high up on the rocks here. Xenastudied the landscape as they traveled over it, and regretted the fact the rockescarpment was isolated from the valley wall. It sloped down on the far side tothe thickly overgrown bottom, and disappeared into a dark forest that clusteredall around it’s base.
It was an island of sorts, and Xena knew well thatdescending from it would put them both into danger again.
“Xe?”
“Mm?” Xena turned towards the bard, who was now leaningagainst the rock with one hand. “What?”
“We forgot our deer skull.” Gabrielle managed a wry grin. “Ithink we’re both still a little out of it. I’ll go get it.” She turned andheaded back for the cleft, leaving Xena to shake her head and continue on overto the mossy crack in the rocks that promised water.
It was a shallow basin, at best, but it was enough for herto cup her hands into and she did, bringing them up to her face and sniffingthe water before she splashed it briskly over herself.
She licked her lips, and tasted the hints of moss in thewater, tickling her tongue as she swallowed. “That’s a waker upper, for damnsure.” She cupped up another handful and drank it slowly, feeling the icyliquid roll all the way down intoher stomach and settle there.
“Got it.” Gabrielle came up with the skull. “Water okay?”
“Cold.” Xena warned as the bard stuck her hand in it. “Butnot bad.”
“Yow.” Gabrielle removed her hand and shook it rapidly.“Where in the heck’s the glacier?”
Xena looked up in reflex, but the top of the escarpment wasonly a few bodylengths above their heads, and was snow free. She shrugged andtook another double handful, stepping back to allow Gabrielle to fill the skullas she sipped the water, her eyes traveling over the forest beneath them.
Gabrielle set the skull down and dipped her hands in,copying Xena’s scooping motion and bringing her hands to her lips. She tastedthe water first, cocking her head a little bit. “Mm.” She murmured thoughtfully.“That reminds me of those caves we found, up in the north?”
“Uh huh.” Xena slowly nodded. “I remember.”
The bard shook her hands out lightly and stepped closer,leaning up to kiss Xena on the lips. She felt Xena’s arms drop, and the briefsting of the cold water as the remains of it hit her knees. Then the warrioreased closer and returned the kiss, a sudden surge of passion taking both ofthem somewhat by surprise.
Gabrielle wrapped both arms around her partner’s neck andlet the emotion sweep through her, washing aside the weariness and setting herskin to tingling. “Ungh.”
“Does, doesn’t it?” Xena pulled her closer. “Still feel likesleeping?”
“Anything but.” The bard admitted, her heart pounding, asshe felt Xena’s hands slide up her sides. “Whew.” She intended on backing off,but her body didn’t budge, pressing itself against the warrior’s as she feltXena’s breathing match hers.
It banished the chill, and she could feel a warm flush spreadthrough her, pleasantly erotic and welcome. This was, Gabrielle well knew, neither the time nor theplace for what they were doing, but she found herself not really caring andapparently Xena didn’t either.
Maybe they were both going crazy. Gabrielle took a ragged breath and let her forehead restagainst the warrior’s collarbone. “Oohh… Xena.”
Xena chuckled softly. “Now maybe you get an idea of howfrustrating it was for me before.” She nibbled the bard’s earlobe. “Let’s getwashed up.”
“Wash this.” Gabrielle nipped her in a very sensitive spot.
“Yowp.” Xena returned the favor. “All we’ve got is rocksaround here, kiddo. Don’t get me started.” She warned. “Or we’re both gonna bebruised.”
The bard laughed, an oddly light sound that echoed throughthe rocks. “Well, Hades.” She slid an arm around Xena’s waist and picked up theskull with her free hand. “At least it woke me up.”
“Yeah.” The warrior agreed, in a wry tone. “Me too.”
A soft rattle of rocks made them both stop in their tracks.Gabrielle released her hold on Xena. “What was that?”
Xena stiffened immediately, judging the distance to the cavewhich held their meager weapons with her eyes. “Damn it.” She started for it,then stopped as a dark figure appeared between them, and the entrance.
Without waiting for it to move closer, Xena bounded intoaction, heading for the creature with both arms outstretched and a wild yellechoing across the canyon below.
**
Ephiny emerged from the council chamber and strolled acrossthe central square of the village, heading for the children’s playground.
She stopped, and blinked. “Solari?”
The hapless looking Amazon looked up at her from her seat inthe mud. “Yes, your Majesty?”
Ephiny observed the gaggle of children, all watching withinnocent faces, the small pod of puppies nearby with wagging tails, and oneconspicuously stretched out full grown wolf near Solari’s feet. “What’s goingon?”
“Eff!” Dori trotted towards her. “Funny!” She pointed atSolari. “She fell over Guff!”
“Uh huh.” Ephiny put her hands on her hips. “That whathappened?” She asked her fallen warrior.
Solari shook the mud off one hand as she rolled over and gotto her feet. “Damned if I know.. one minute I’m headed to the kitchen, nextthink I know I’m in the dirt.” She glared at the children. “And it ain’t funny,you pipsqueaks!”
“Funny.” Dori objected. “Guff lay down dere, you watch thebirdie, no see him. Go boom.”
Ephiny shifted her eyes to Solari. “Well?”
“You gonna believe her?” Solari put her hands on her hips.
“Well.” The regent perched on a fence rail that ringedplayground. “Either I doubt Gabrielle’s truthfulness, or Xena’s powers ofobservation. Hm. Let me see.”
Solari scowled. “She’s just a kid!”
“C’mere, Dori.” Ephiny held her hands out. “C’mon over toyour auntie Eff.”
Obligingly, Dori ambled over to her, climbing up onto therailing and into Ephiny’s arms with a lithe agility stunning in it’s offhandedness.
“Hi.” Ephiny cradled her, letting her legs dangle down.“What kind of birdie was old Solari looking at, honey?”
“Hey!” Solari protested. “I wasn’t!”
“Dat one.” Dori pointed. “Black one, red wings with thewhite tail fevver.”
“Uh hum. You know what that’s called?” Ephiny asked,seriously.
“Boo says dat’s a dam bird.” Dori informed her earnestly.“Too loud in the morning.”
Ephiny started laughing. “She does, huh?”
“Sure.” Dori nodded. “Mama tells Boo make birdie go shhh.”
The regent cocked her head and looked at Solari.
Solari sighed. “Hades.” She brushed more mud off herself.“Freaking kids.”
Ephiny patted Dori on the side. “Careful.” She warnedSolari. “This freaking kid’s gonna rule this tribe one day, and if she’s gothalf what I think she does, she’s also got a very, very long memory.”
Solari studied Dori. “Ya think?”
Ephiny nodded, a serious expression on her face. “I dothink.” She said. “I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with her the last coupleof days and you know, she’s not really the terror we thought she was.”
Solari gave Dori a skeptical look. “Uh huh.” She glancedpointedly at Ares, who lolled his big, pink tongue out at her in return.“Whatever you say, Ep.”
“Watch where you’re going next time.”
Dori squiggled loose, then got up on the top rail of the fence,walking along it back towards the other children. She got to the end of the fence and jumped off, landing onthe grass and running back towards the waiting girls. “Go play hide?” Shecalled out.
The children all scattered, running in a half dozen directions,their footsteps stirring a cloud of butterflies into the air.
One flew past her, and she stuck her hand out, interceptingit’s movement. It landed on her hand and sat there, fanning it’s wings as shepeered at it in delighted fascination. “Look!” She called out to Ephiny. “Pretty!”
“Love it!” Ephiny waved a hand at her. “Don’t eat it.” Sheadded, under her breath as she shook her head a little, turning to see Solariwatching the child with now serious eyes. “See what I mean?”
Dori reached out and gently touched the wings of thebutterfly with one finger, pulling it back when the panels flexed up and downas her eyes widened. “Ooh!”
Solari leaned on the post. “Not sure what I see.” Shereplied forthrightly. “Cept a mix up of both those two.”
“Exactly.” The regent said. “Sol, I love Gabrielle and you know it, but she can’t everbe our queen.”
Solari looked at her in surprise. “What?” She said. “Eph,she is our queen. You forget that?”
“In name, sure. “ The blond woman agreed softly. “But inreality, she’s focused on one thing, and one thing only and that ain’t us.”Ephiny explained. “That’s never, ever gonna change.”
“Huh.”
Epiny looked down at her hands. “And I don’t want that toever change.” She paused. “Xena’s never gonna be an Amazon.”
Solari half shrugged. “She’s allright.” She said. “Trust hermore than some others round here.” Her eyes flicked around the village, thenwent back to Ephiny. “Y’know?”
“Yeah, I know.” Ephiny nodded. “Me too, but that doesn’tchange the fact that she’s focused on only one thing too.” She said. “Thatain’t us either, and I don’t want that changing ever again.”
“Mm”
Ephiny leaned on the fence and watched the kids play. Dorihad released her colorful friend, and was now hunting for the other girls, hernascent tracking skills already apparent. “But this kid… yeah. If she ends upwith Xena’s brawn, and Gabrielle’s heart… I’d swear fealty to her.”
Solari picked a bit of loose wood off the fence. “Long timebefore that.” She commented. “Anyway.”
“True.” The regent said. “But I’m glad I’ve gotten a chanceto take care of her. Made me think about things a lot.”
“Uh huh.”Solari leaned next to her. “What if they don’t comeback?” She asked suddenly, staring ahead as Ephiny gave her a swift, startledlook. “C’mon, don’t tell me you didn’t think about that.”
The regent looked away, and didn’t answer.
**
“Okay.” Pony sat down on a half submerged log, resting herelbows on her knees. “Here’s the deal.”
Granella took a seat next to her. “Here’s the deal. This sucks.” She removed a splinter from her thumb. “Next time I get thebright idea to try adventuring, smack me.”
“You smack me first.” Pony gave her a wry look.
Her companion studied the flowing stream, and then sheturned around and reviewed the scrubby, harsh surroundings. “Fine by me.” Sheagreed. “Let’s chew something, then get going. Might as well dry out a little.”
“Good idea.” Pony went over to the now very securely tiedcanoe and removed their packs, bringing them back over to the log. She handedGranella hers, then set her own down on the ground and started rooting a packof trail rations out of it.
Granella took her leather cup from her pack and walked overto another log, half suspended in the water. She leaned on it and dipped thecup into the water, then stopped as she spotted something.
“Yeah?”
She turned and held the fabric up. “Found something!”
Pony got up and ambled over to her, peering at the fabric.“Okay.” She drew the word out. “And this.. means something to us?”
Granella fingered the bit of green wool. “It’s the samecolor as the shirt Xena was wearing.” She said.
“Yeah?” The weapons master took the piece from her andlooked at it, rubbing her thumb over the weave. She closed her eyes, and tried toremember the neatly folded piles of shirts she’d seen in Xena and Gabrielle’scabin, some new, some much mended. Was it the same? “I dunno.” She finallyshook her head. “Could be.. but it could be anyone elses down there. Let’s seeif we can find anything else.”
“Right.” Granella tossed the cup of water out and tucked thefolding cup in her belt, then started searching. They fanned out, scanning theground around the log with intent eyes, moving the leaf litter asidecautiously.
To one side, a large, dead tree had fallen over, one sidesuspended over the ground forming a slight overhang. Pony walked over to it and knelt down, studying the groundinside. She put her hands on the earth, finding it damp, but not soaking.Underneath, the leaves had been stirred and shoved aside, and the earthcompacted, as though something had lain underneath.
Something? The weapons master scanned the depression withskill, running her thumb over a dip that might have held an elbow. Slowly, shelowered herself to the earth and looked underneath, drawing in a breath whenher eyes found what she hadn’t really thought she was going to find.
Caught in the bark were hairs. She reached up and took holdof them, tugging them gently from their entrapment and drawing them out into thelight where she could see them better. “Gran.” She got to her feet and headed for where her companion waskneeling nearby. “Think you were right.”
Granella got up and came over, looking at what she held. Asmall tangle of dark and fair hair rested in Pony’s palm. She touched it withone finger, the dark strands fairly long, and the light ones shorter. “Ah.Yeah.”
“Okay.” Eponin exhaled. “Well, we know we’re going the rightway, at least.” She turned and looked around. “Boy, it must have sucked not tohave anything with them.”
“Yeah.” Granella nodded. “C’mon.. let’s get to the gettingand find em. Maybe this once we’ll be useful.. least we can lend em our gear.”
Pony put the entwined hairs into her pouch, then followedGranella back to where their packs were. “We can eat while we float.”
“Yeah.” Granella found herself wanting to get going, nowthat they had something to be going after again. “Let’s go.”
They threw their packs back into the canoe and Pony untiedit while Granella got into the back seat. She joined her, then used her paddleto push off from the shore and into the current.
**
The creature screamed, his eyes widening on seeing Xena’sform descending on top of him. He shifted to one side, and flattened himself tothe earth, covering his head with his arms.
Xena’s reflexes probably saved both of them. She recognizedthe change in posture in mid air and turned her leap into a sideways flipinstead, nearly catapulting herself off the escarpment. She caught the edge ofa rock and swung around, landing lightly to one side of the creature with adouble hopped bounce. “Damnn it!”
Gabrielle picked up a rock and stood ready, her eyesshifting between her partner and the hooter. The creature shifted, and she saw it’s face. “Xena!” Shecalled out. “It’s the one you saved!”
Xena edged closer, her body tensed as she watched thecreature’s every motion, anticipating an attack despite the bard’s words, andthe craven posture. “Gonna be short lived saving if he tries that again.” Shegrowled.
The bard slowly lowered her hand, letting the stone restagainst her thigh as she studied the prone figure. The creature, now that she was looking closer, didn’t seemto be much threat to them. His fur was matted and dull looking, and she couldsee blood on the rocks where his face had pressed against them.
After a moment’s silence, the creature curled onto his sideand looked around, spotting Xena and freezing again. “Ahge!” He uttered asound, raspy and unlike the barking they’d heard until then.
Xena kept her distance, dancing lightly across the rocks toput herself between the creature and Gabrielle before she relaxed a trifle.“Huh.”
Gabrielle nudged her to one side. “Honey, you’re
Xena looked plaintively at the sky, then shook her head andreached out to take a firm hold of the back of Gabrielle’s belt, stopping herfrom going any closer.
The creature looked apprehensively at both of them, then lethis eyes settle on Gabrielle. Thewound on his face was raw, and the stitches had split in two or three places,but the swelling had gone down and it only looked painful and distorted, ratherthan grotesque. He touched hisfingers to his face, then held his hand out to her.
Gabrielle looked into his eyes, then she reached behind herwith one hand, tugging at Xena’s fingers only to find the pressure relaxing asthe warrior took a step forward.
“G’wan.” Xena said. “But I’m yanking your blond butt out ofthere if he moves.”
With due deference to her skirt, Gabrielle slowly kneltdown, just out of reach of the creature. “Okay.” She told him. “Now.. I’m gonnabe nice, but do us both a favor, okay? You be nice too.”
There was no real comprehension in his eyes, just fear, andsome pain.
Gabrielle reached out and touched his hand with her own,folding her fingers around his stubby, powerful ones and gripping them lightly.She could feel strength in them, but they were trembling also, and she leaned alittle forward so he could rest his elbow on the ground.
He shifted, and for a moment, she thought they’d madeanother goof. She felt Xena’s hand tighten on her belt, and took a deep
But the creature only crawled a little bit towards her,still cringing, as he held on to her hand. “Agha!” He gurgled again. “Bah.”
“Xena.”
“Mm?” The warrior was now almost over her shoulder, peeringat the creature.
“Is he trying to talk to us?”
Judging there was relatively little danger, Xena knelt downnext to her partner and released her belt, bringing her arms around to rest onher knee. She stayed back though, when the creature tried to crawl away fromher, whimpering. “You, maybe.”
Gabrielle edged forward, towards him. “Take it easy.” Shetold him. “Xena won’t hurt you.”
“Long as he doesn’t try to hurt you.”
“Mm.” The bard sat down cross legged near the creature, whocurled up in a half ball, watching her intently. She squeezed his hand and waited, watching him right back.
Sometimes, she’d found, you really just had to give people alittle space and have some patience. A soft throat clearing nearby from someone who tended to have little ofone and need the most of the other almost made her smile, and she reached backto pat Xena’s foot with her free hand. “If you want to grab some dried rabbit,I think we’re okay here.”
Louder throat clearing.
“Okay, but could you sit down? I think he thinks you’regonna bite him.”
Xena muttered, but she complied, sitting down just behindGabrielle and picking up a small rock to study.
Gabrielle waited for silence to fall, then she returned herattention to their strange guest. “Okay.”
“Gurf.” The creature seemed to be having trouble opening hismouth, and she realized the swelling from his injury was causing him some
“Hm?”
“Can you do anything else for him, for that cut?”
“No.”
Gabrielle exhaled a bit, at the firm, definite tone. But shehad to admit the cut was actually healing, and maybe anything the warrior didwould make it worse.
So she settle down, and patted his hand with hers. “So.” Shewatched his face. “Why are you here?”
“Gurf.” The creature coughed.
“Did you come to us for help again?”
“Aguh.”
Gabrielle drew a circle in the dust covering the rock, andthe creature’s eyes widened. He covered them with his free hand and howled,cringing from her and trying to pull the hand she had hold of free. “Okay..okay.” The bard yelped, swipingthe circle away with her palm. “Relax, it’s gone!”
The creature’s head lifted, and he peered at the ground,then up at Gabrielle. “Gurf!”
Gabrielle released his hand and let hers drop to her knee.“Xena.” She sighed. “I’m notgetting this.”
The warrior clasped her shoulder. “Don’t look at me.” Sheadvised. “If you can’t talk to em, what chance do I have?” She studied thecreature. “Hey.”
Warily, he looked at her.
“What do you want?” Xena fixed him with a pale blue glare.
The creature pressed himself against the rocks, and loweredhis head, refusing to meet her eyes.
Gabrielle turned to Xena. The warrior shrugged, holding herhands out. “This is so frustrating.” The bard acknowledged the sentiment.“Xena, I just know he’s gotsomething to say to us, and we need to hear it.” She swiveled back towards thecreature and eyed him in silence for a little bit.
Xena also studied the huddled figure. He was smaller thanmost of the others, she realized, almost scrawny in comparison with the biggercreatures she’d been fighting. Standing, he’d barely top Gabrielle’s height,and his arms and legs were less hairy and straighter, more like their own.
“Gurf.” The creature reached timidly out again towardsGabrielle. “Anaa..”
He wasn’t wearing any skins, or bits of hide, and he gavethe distinct impression of youth, though Xena wasn’t sure if that was somethingreal, or just his size tricking her eyesight. It was hard to tell from his face, since his injurydistorted is features but there was something in his eyes…
Something in his eyes. Xena tilted her head to one side and then she leaned forward, catchinghim by the jaw before he could squirm away and turning his face to the fadinglight.
“Xe?”
“Sh.” Xenawatched the eyes widen in fear, but the creature remained still in hergrip. There was something…ah. “Gabrielle, look at hiseyes.” She urged. “See?”
Gabrielle leaned closer and peered at them. She glanced overat Xena in question, one blond eyebrow lifting slightly.
“The color.” The warrior said.
The bard studied them. “Okay..they’re gray.” She said,slowly. “Is there significance to that..oh, wait.” She gave her head a halfshake. “Hers were, too, right?”
“Right.” Xena released the creature. “The rest of themweren’t. They were all dark.”
“Really?”
The warrior nodded. “Yeah.” She rested her elbows on herknees and frowned. “So, that tells us…” She paused, letting the words driftoff.
“Tells us?” Gabrielle repeated. “Well, they could berelated, I guess.”
“Mm.”
They both fell silent as the creature squirmed and grunted.“But he’s sort of like the others.” Gabrielle continued. “So I guess…”
“Yeah.” Xena exhaled. “You think she was his mother?”
The creature looked up at her. “Anaa.” He gurgled, his eyessearching Gabrielle’s face. “Anaa..”
The sound suddenly rang a chord of familiarity with Gabrielle.
“Anaa!” Hereached out to her again.
Mama. It could be, Xena acknowledged silently. Given thedead woman’s condition, and her age, she really looked nothing like herpartner, but in contrast to all the other creatures around, she supposedGabrielle was the closest thing going.
“Oh boy.” Gabrielle sighed. “I’m not ready to be his mama,Xe.”
Xena laid a hand on her back. “Relax. At least I don’t thinkhe’s gonna hurt us.” She studied the huddled creature.
“Anaa?”
Gabrielle leaned towards him and touched gentle fingers tohis battered face, allowing the gentle compassion just under her skin toemerge, finding it in her to feel sorry for the young hooter, despite theirrecent past. “Hey.”
He seemed to melt at her touch, his look becoming almostchildlike.”Anaa.. gut.” Hisexpression, what there was of it, lost it’s tension and he simply lay there,his hands resting on the rock.
“Poor thing.” Gabrielle murmured. “He is trying to talk tous, isn’t he?”
“Mm.” Xena had her chin resting on Gabrielle’s shoulder.“For what it’s worth, yeah.”
The bard wondered about that, but had to admit she saw asmuch creature in his eyes as she did humanity, and suddenly she felt a chill,thinking of what it must be like stuck half one thing and half another likethat. “The others seemed to shun him.” She recalled. “He’s not quite like them,I guess.”
“No.”
“Not quite like her.”
“No.” Xena repeated. “Poor bastard.”
“Yeah.” Gabrielle said. “I can almost remember what thatfelt like.” She clasped oneof the creature’s hands in hers with more confidence. “I
Xena glanced sideways at her, but after a moment, kept hersilence.
**
Xena paused at the edge of the rocks, extending her sensesinto the darkness of the forest before she went any further.
Atop it, the young creature was still crouched, making softhoots every so often, but refusing to follow them.
“Y’know, Xena.” Gabrielle murmured. “Maybe he knowssomething we don’t.”
“We know what he knows.” The warrior replied, unperturbed.“It’s dangerous in the forest at night. You could get eaten.”
“Mm.” The bard turned her attention to the dark treetops.“So are we saying he’s smarter than we are for staying out of the forest atnight.”
Xena started down into the trees. “I never said we weresmart.” She replied. “You coming, or you staying with him?”
Gabrielle knew it wasn’t really a serious question, eventhough she heard the hint of an edge in her partner’s tone.
She wasn’t entirely unafraid of the way ahead of them, andshe didn’t deny the shiver of apprehension as the shadows closed over her andthe faint last light disappeared around her. Ahead of her, she could just barely make out Xena’s fur cladform and she wondered again just how smart this really was.
“Gabrielle.”
“Yes?”
Xena had paused just inside the forest, and now Gabriellejoined her and they stood side by side in the gloom. The trees whispered toeither side, and off in the distance an owl hooted. “I know you think this iscrazy.” The warrior said.
Gabrielle took her hand. “Actually, I don’t.” She replied.“Staying up there, isolated, where everyone could see us was crazy.” Herfingers tightened. “And in this place, everything’s dangerous. Even us.”
Off in the distance, they heard a rough barking. “Ah.” Xenaturned and peered back up the slope. “Look.”
Gabrielle did, spotting their young friend now standing up,half crouched, peering back the way he’d come originally. She could see theagitation in his stance. “Animal?”
Xena shook her head. “It’s them.” She started into the forest. “Let’s go.”
“But it’s night time.” Gabrielle glanced over her shoulderas she followed. “I thought they hid then.”
The warrior started to move faster. “Yeah, well…” She duckedpast an overhanging limb. “Told ya they learned fast.”
“Yeah.” The bard gave the rocks one last look, as thecreature scuttled over them, and hesitated. “Xe.. I think..”
Xena turned and looked, watching the action. She saw theyoung creature apparently make up his mind and start shambling in theirdirection. “Great.” With a shake of her head, she sidestepped a boulder andbounced a few steps down. “Move.”
Gabrielle hopped after her, staying close as the darknessoverwhelmed the both of them and she was walking blind for a long minute untilher eyes adjusted and she could see faint outlines. “Xe?”
“Here.”
Warm and reassuring, the warrior’s hand latched onto herwrist. “Just follow me.” Xena added. “Walk in my steps.” She moved forwardconfidently, releasing Gabrielle’s arm when she felt the bard take hold of herbelt.
It was so dark, she could barely see Xena against the treesaround them. Gabrielle resisted the urge to simply close her eyes, andconcentrated on staying right behind her partner, stepping as much as she couldinto the same spaces.
She knew Xena could see where she was going, the warrior’seyesight was amazing, and she’d learned the hard way that just because shecouldn’t see what Xena was doing, the reverse wasn’t always true. “I think he’scoming after us.”
“Yeah.” Xena’s voice came out of the darkness ahead of her.“Just keep moving.”
The warrior could hear the damn creature, in fact, makingfar more noise than she and Gabrielle were. She looked around, the shades ofgray in the underbrush grudgingly giving up their details and the faint glitterof animal eyes peering at her from under leaves.
She could see a faint path, and she followed it, her ax gripped in one hand while the other held the knife.
Her head tipped up and she searched the branches, spottingthe owl as a faint outline in a tree nearby, seeing the motion as it turned itshead to keep ghostly sparkling eyes on her as they went past. She sucked in alungful of air, and tasted the light muskiness of it’s feathers on the back ofher throat, glad it was the most pungent thing she could smell around them.
No cat. No hooter. No odd but ultimately useful deerlikecreature. Just the owl, the earth,the trees, a few weasels, and them, for now. She caught Gabrielle’s distinctive scent as the fitfulbreeze changed direction, cloth and leather and warm skin, and the hide packshe carried on her back with their stuff in it.
Comfortingly familiar. Xena felt the ground slope under her feet and she slowed a bit, gazingwarily ahead of her to make sure they weren’t about to step
Gabrielle pressed her body up against Xena’s back. “What is it?”
“Pitch.” Xena started moving down sideways, tucking the knifeinto her belt and holding that hand out for balance. She could see boulderspoking their heads up from the earth and she eased between them, her ears nowpicking up again the sound of moving water. “Gods be damned.”
“Gush, gush gush.” Gabrielle muttered. “Go to fishes, Boo.”
“Fish this.” Xena sighed. “Hang on..” She spotted a shelfmoving at a more level route and stepped over onto it, putting one foot infront of the other. “Real narrow, Gab.”
“Feel it.” Gabrielle took a second to catch her balance, awareof the open space on her right hand side. “Hang on a minute.”
Xena paused, and waited as she shifted her staff to herright hand, and took hold of Xena’s belt with her left. “Okay, go.”
The warrior started moving again, a little more slowly asshe paced along the narrow shelf. To her right, the ground dropped rapidly, andas they worked their way forward in the dark, she could hear the sound of thewater increasing to a roar.
Not good. Shelooked ahead of her, hoping the shelf would open out a little. If they wereattacked from behind now.. Xena flexed her hands and swallowed against thesurge of anxiety that threatened to close her throat.
Could she backflip over Gabrielle’s head? As she steppedalong, Xena calculated the angles, and the risk if she missed and ended upplummeting off into the dark abyss.
Not good.
Resolutely, she faced forward and moved a little faster,seeing a bend in the path ahead and hoping there was better footing beyondit. She put a hand on the rock asshe got to the corner and looked past it, then cursed softly.
“What?”
A gap at least a bodylength in size broke the path, leavingnothing but sheer wall on one side, and dark gloom on the other. “There’s abreak here.” Xena said, carefully. “So, this is what we’re gonna do.”
Gabrielle remained silent, but her fingers clenched onXena’s belt and the warrior could feel that, and she heard the sound of thebard swallowing.
Xena measured the break. “I’m gonna jump over it.” She said,pausing to listen as she thought she heard motion behind them. “Then I’m gonnareach back and grab your hand, and you jump to me.”
It sounded so simple, really. Gabrielle felt her gutstighten. Except that Xena’s voice belied her calm instructions, and she couldfeel the racing pulse just under the skin where her hand was pressed againstXena’s back. “Okay.” She repliedsoftly. “I’m going to let you go now.”
She felt the warrior take a deep breath, and then the warmthof that contact was gone as she released her grip on the woven belt and stood waiting,the darkness seeming to close in around her. She could barely see Xena’soutline, and the path ahead of her was nothing but a faintly lighter shade ofgray against the blackness to her right and the darker gray of the stone wallat her left.
“Take a step back.” Xena said.
“Okay.” Gabrielle cautiously did so.
Straining her ears, she counted silently until she heard thesoft impact as Xena landed on the other side, a scuff of her rough bootsagainst stone, and the sound of her hand smacking against the rock wall.
Small gap? Gabrielle felt her throat go dry. Like Hades itwas.
“Okay.” The warrior called back to her. “Throw me yourstaff.”
Gabrielle closed her eyes. “Say that again?”
“Got it.” Xena said. “Okay.”
The bard felt her knees go weak. Gods, I can’t do this. Sheedged up to the end of the path, feeling the sharp slice in the stone with herboot. “Xena.”
“Take a step back from where you are, and then go for it.”Xena said. “Just jump as hard as you can. I’ll catch you.”
“Xena.”
“Gabrielle, trust me.” The warrior rasped, urgently.“They’re coming up after us. When we get past this, we’ve got some breathingroom.” She added. “Now.. jump!”
It wasn’treally a matter of trust. Gabrielle took an unsteady step back, and breathedout hard, then sucked in air as hard as she could. Or more precisely, she did trust Xena.
She just didn’t trust herself. “I don’t..”
The sound of pursuit was now evident. She could hear thehooters yelling behind them, and a thrashing, banging sound as they plowedthrough the forest evidently trying to scare anything that might want to eatthem away.
“Go!” Xena barked, making her nape hairs prickle.“Gabrielle, just do it!”
And then, sometimes you just had to do it.
Xena grabbed her out of mid air, and she was yanked forward,thumping against stone and Xena’s body with equal force.
“Gotcha.” The warrior whispered into her ear. “Piece ofbaklava.”
Sure. “Boy.” Gabrielle exhaled. “I think I’m ready toretire.”
“Now?”
“Right now.”
Xena gave her a long hug, then released her. “C’mon. Let’sget someplace we can talk about it.” She handed Gabrielle back her staff, and continued along the ridge, asthe sounds increased behind them. She only hoped what lay ahead wasn’tsomeplace worse.
**
They climbed another half candlemark, and then it startedraining. Xena felt the first drops of rain hit her head and she cursed, sincethe narrow ledge they were still threading was covered in moss. “Damn it.”
“Something coming?” Gabrielle was holding on to Xena’s beltwith one hand, and the wall with the other. She’d given over her staff for herpartner to probe the path with.
“Wet.” The warrior sighed. “This thing’s gonna be slickin…in…”
“Two shakes of a lamb’s tail?” Gabrielle wearily finishedfor her.
“Something like that, yeah.” The warrior agreed. “Let me seeif maybe we’ll get lucky this time and there’ll be some kind of overhang justup there. I think I see one.”
“You know when a lamb shakes it’s tail twice?” The bardcommented. “It’s been pooping.”
Xena stopped, and turned her head. “What?”
“Just thought I’d mention that.”
The rain came down harder, and Xena felt her boots begin toslip on the steep path. “Bacchae.” She lunged forward, throwing one hand out tocatch the edge of the rock. “Hang on!”
Gabrielle felt her start to slide and she stepped forward,her own boots still having a decent purchase on the ground. She caught Xena’sweight against her and held on to the rock wall, feeling the strain come on toher thighs and calves. She got hershoulder up against the warrior’s hip and leaned forward, doing the best shecould to push them both up the slope.
For a moment, she thought they were both going to slidebackwards, as the angle and Xena’s larger size threatened to unbalance her.Then the pressure relaxed, and shefelt her partner inch forward, her boots still scrabbling in the moss.
She staggered up behind her and pressed hard against thestone, as the rain suddenly drove into their face, removing what small amountof sight she had. “Xena!”
“HANG ON!” The warrior bellowed back. “Got shelter!”
Gabrielle was hanging on for dear life, in fact, and shealmost yelped when Xena abruptly disappeared in front of her. Her fingertipsgrasped frantically for the warrior, then she felt her hand grabbed, a shockingwarmth in the dark and the rain, and she was pulled forward in a smooth,powerful motion that brought her up several steps and around a rock corner toher left.
The rain stopped, and she wiped the moisture from her eyesas she pressed her body against Xena’s. “Whoa!”
“Okay?” Xena said. “This thing goes back a little. Ready?”
“Go.” Gabrielle felt herself being guided, and she moveddeeper into the darkness, already hearing echoes in front of her that made herunderstand the overhang was actually a cave. “How far?”
“Not far.” Xena pulled her a few more steps. “That’s as faras I can see a damn thing.. shelf here. Siddown.”
Gabrielle could see absolutely nothing, but she took it allon faith and sat down, finding a smooth rock surface under her, a little higherthan she expected, but welcome. She felt Xena sit down next to her, and the soft clatter as thewarrior put down her staff.
“Have no idea.” Xena said. “Don’t want to go and find out.Way our luck’s been going there’s a damn Minotaur in here with a hangover.”
Gabrielle glanced over her shoulder, but saw
“Can’t smell anything back there.” The warrior said. “Justrocks.”
“Oh.”
For a little while, they just sat there, listening to therain together. Facing forward, Gabrielle could now see gray shadows outside theentrance to the cavern, and if she turned her head, she could see, justfaintly, Xena’s profile.
The weather seemed to be getting colder again. The raindrove a chill wind into the cavern, and they both slid back to escape it,ducking behind the angled rockwall that ended the shelf they were seated on. “Wow.” Gabrielle whispered.“We’re just not getting a break this time, are we?”
Xena wiped the rain from her face and flicked it off herhands, then rested her elbows on her knees. “We sure aren’t.” She agreed, witha tired sigh. “This sucks.” Her head dropped and she cradled it against herfists. “Damn what I wouldn’t give to be sitting in my mother’s inn.”
“Me too.” Gabrielle pressed her knee against her partner’s.“Heck, I’d even go for sitting in mymother’s kitchen.”
“Me, too.” Xena replied, glumly.
They listened to the rain for a bit longer, then Gabriellestarted wringing out her skirt. “We done whining?”
“Yeah.” Xena got up and untied her belt, removing the catskin and starting to twist the hide in her hands to rid it of some water. “Onegood thing. This weather’ll keep them away from us at any rate.”
“Hope they decide to chance it.” Gabrielle remarked. “Andthey get to that stupid gap.” She knew Xena was looking at her, but her temperwas at it’s ragged edge. “Yeah, I know. I’m supposed to be the pacifist.”
“S’allright.” Xena ruffled her partner’s wet hair. “I’mright there with you. Hope every one of the bastards dropped right through itand ended up broken to bits.”
Gabrielle drew her knees up and circled them with both arms,hugging herself for warmth. “So, we’re safe here for now, right?”
“Yes.” Xena answered, in a positive tone. “They hadn’tgotten on that ridge before we jumped the gap. No way they can make it pastthere now. Not in this weather.”
“Good.”
Xena replaced the fur and tied it, then sat back down.“Yeah.” She sighed. “Except it’s dark in here, and we’re not gonna be able todo much about that.”
“Mm.”
“And it’s getting cold.” The warrior added. “Damn it.”
“Sure is.” Gabrielle agreed. “But if we get under that skinI’m carrying on my back, we should be okay, right?” She shrugged the pack offand untied it by feel, reaching inside to pull out the folded hide. “I’ve gotan apple or two here left.”
Xena hesitated. “Well..”
“You’re not going to say something silly like you’re goingto pace around in the dark trying to stay awake, are you?” Gabrielle’s voicecame out of the darkness, with a touch of wry warmth in it. “Since I know youdon’t have any more of those herbs.”
The warrior exhaled audibly.
“C’mon, Xena. Don’t be silly.” Gabrielle sat back, reachingout to put a hand on her partner’s shoulder. “You said yourself we’re safe, fora while here.”
“It may stop raining.”
“It’s not going to dry out, or stop being dark withoutwarning.” The bard said. “Xena, come on.”
The warrior got up, even the sound displaying agitation. “Idon’t like taking any more chances than we have to, Gabrielle! We’re in a damnbad place here!”
Gabrielle counted under her breath until ten. “You said itwas safe.”
“I know.” Xena replied. “It’s just really hard for me totrust that.”
“So.. it’s okay for you to lie to me about it then?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“That’s what it sounded like. Just feed me some placatingstory and pat me on my head.”
Xena leaned against the wall. “Gabrielle.”
“Well, it did.”
The warrior didn’t reply to that. She remained quiet, justsitting in the dark, the only evidence of her the soft breathing Gabriellecould hear. “Are you pissed off?”She asked, after a while.
“Yeah.”
The bard felt her way along the shelf, and spread the skin overthe both of them, her hip coming into contact with the warrior’s.
If that made any sense.
“Want to do me a favor?” Xena suddenly asked.
“Sure.” Gabrielle was glad the silence hadn’t lasted long. “Anything.” Sheadded, then paused. “But if you ask me to leave, I’m going to burst out crying. Not sure how productivethat’s gonna be.”
“What????”
The bard shrugged a little. “You said you were pissed.” Evenwith the darkness, she knew Xena was looking right at her, and her mindpictured the warrior’s expression with little effort.
“Gabrielle.” Xena’s voice was equal parts exasperation andaffection. “Can the drama, wouldja?”
“Hey, I’m a bard.” Gabrielle stated. “If you wanted stolidpragmatism, you should have married an Amazon.” She paused. “Oh.. wait aminute…”
She felt the faint motion against her shoulder as Xenachuckled soundlessly, and she relaxed, kicking her bootheels against the rockas she squiggled her toes inside the soggy hide. “So what is it?” Gabrielleasked. “Now that we’ve stopped whining and pissing each other off?”
Xena put her arm around Gabrielle’s shoulders,
“You got it.” Gabrielle said. “Trade places with me, so youcan stretch out.” She got up and eased past Xena, then sat down again andscooted back until she could feel the stone wall against her shoulders.“Okay.” She sensed Xena in motionnext to her, then felt the damp weight as the warrior put her head down. “Set?”
“Ungh.”
Gabrielle stretched out the skin by feel, covering as muchof Xena’s length as she could, then she let her arm drape over her partner’sshoulders.
It felt good to be sitting still, with the expectation ofremaining that way for a little while. They had only been traveling a fewcandlemarks, and so – if the rain kept up, Gabrielle figured they’d be able tostay put at least until sunrise.
Good idea, since the chill in the air was becomingpronounced, and she was glad of both the hide, and Xena’s close proximity. Shesuspected the next day might bring new challenges if the temperature keptdropping as if they needed any more.
“Gab?”
“Hm?” Gabrielle glanced down, even though Xena wasn’t evenas much as a shadow in the darkness.
“You didn’t really think I’d ask you to leave, did you?”
Gabrielle chuckled softly. “No.” She said. “I’m justfrustrated, like you are, and taking nonsense.” She rubbed her thumb over the skin on Xena’s shoulder. “It’slike everything is so against us. I mean, sometimes we do have that happen, Xe,but not like this.”
“No.” The warrior agreed. “Not like this.”
Damn. Xena felt Gabrielle shift slightly, as their combinedbody heat made it a bit more comfortable, and the shivers abated.
“Very true.” Gabrielle reached into her sack and retrievedan apple, taking a bite of it. “Wanffm appf?”
“Nah.”
“Mofrme.” The bard chewed the fruit and swallowed. “Sowhat’s next?”
Xena sighed. “Beats me.” She admitted. “Honestly, Gabrielle,I’m out of ideas.” Her hand lifted and covered the bard’s. “Everything I tryjust isn’t working.”
“Well.” Gabrielle relaxed as best she could against the rockwall. “Nothing I tried worked either.”
The warrior lay there quietly for a while, her eyes closed,but not quite asleep. Then she moved, turning her head so her cheek was pressedagainst Gabrielle’s stomach. “Howabout this.” She said. “If the river’s gone down.. those falls will haveslowed. Maybe stopped.”
“Okay.”
“We go back there, see if we can climb up where we felldown.” Xena said. “Once we’re in the upper valley.. we find a way to climb upthat, and we’re home free.” She added. “We know that crevice isn’t far from thecabin.”
Gabrielle pondered the idea. “That’s a lot of climbing.” Shefinally said. “I’m not great at that.”
“I know.” Her partner said gently. “But I’m not seeing anyother way, sweetheart.”
The bard nodded, albeit invisibly. “Okay.” She answered. “Ifthat’s what we have to do, then that’s what we have to do.”
Xena already had her eyes closed, and she felt better, nowthat she’d broached the idea of climbing to Gabrielle. She had no illusionsthat it would be as easy as she’d made it sound, but at least it gave them agoal.
It was better than nothing. “If you hear anything..”
“Don’t worry. I will.” The bard pulled the skin a littlemore closely around them. “We’ll be fine, Xena. Just relax.”
“Mmph.”
“Shh.”
Gabrielle waited until she felt Xena’s shoulders relax underher arm, and heard the warrior’s breathing even out and deepen.
What she’d said to Xena was one thing. What she actuallycould go through with was another, and here in the privacy of the darkness, andthe thunder she could admit that to herself. Xena knew what she was asking of her.. but after all,Xena had stared down her own fears on more than one occasion and whileGabrielle knew her partner didn’t expect her to measure up that way, she
So, whatever it took, right?
Right.
**
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