ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. FOREST - MORNING

Xena is moving through the forest rapidly but carefully, still searching for any sign of Gabrielle but having no luck at all. She stops in the middle of a small clearing and turns in small circles, looking for anything that will lead her to Gabrielle. She stops as something unseen catches her senses and she draws her sword and points in the direction of the perceived threat.

XENA

(cont’d)

Show yourself!

She waits patiently as two small figures in hooded cloaks step from the shadows. She is tense and watching them with a very wary eye as very small, strong hands reach up and lower the hoods. The figures under the hoods resemble humans, but their faces are more angular. Somehow Xena gets the impression that no matter how odd they may look, they are very wise creatures. They are about four feet tall, with a bluish gray hue to their skin, eyes that seem to be almost golden and ears that are small and come to a point. A small crop of dark hair rests on the head. They look at Xena but make no effort to advance. Finally one seems to smile, as it holds up a hand in a calming gesture.

CREATURE

Fear not, warrior. I am Tril and this

is Kal. We mean you no harm.

We are of the Forest Clan.

We heard your cries and came

to see if we could help you.

Xena slowly lowers her sword as she sizes them up and decides they are not a threat to her.

XENA

My companion is missing.

KAL

The little blonde warrior?

XENA

Yes? Do you know where she is?

Tril and Kal look between each other. Tril finally nods and looks to Xena.

TRIL

We fear that the Mountain Clan

may have taken your companion.

Xena’s brow goes up and her grip tightens on her sword.

XENA

Where are these people?

TRIL

High in the mountains. It is

a treacherous place and

wrought with danger.

XENA

I don’t care. I need

to find Gabrielle.

KAL

Warrior, we have great knowledge

of the Mountain Clan. Perhaps you

will come back to our village

and we can help you prepare.

XENA

I don’t have time for this.

TRIL

You must make time. If you try to

reach her unprepared, then you will

surely condemn you both to death.

KAL

I swear to you on the spirits of our

ancestors that we only wish to help

you in your quest to retrieve your

friend. The Mountain Clan is war-like

and very dangerous. You need to

better understand them before

you can safely encounter them.

XENA

Why would they take Gabrielle?

TRIL

Orcin, our wisest priest can

tell you more, warrior. Please?

They both turn and gesture towards a path that leads deeper into the forest.

KAL

For your friend?

Kal gestures again. Xena puts her sword away and gestures for then to go first. They put their hoods back up and begin shuffling down the path with Xena right behind them.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDCHAMBER - SAME TIME

Two hooded figures very much like the ones Xena encountered in the forest stand over a large ornate bed, watching an unconscious Gabrielle.

FIGURE 1

Finally, we have found the one.

FIGURE 2

She will certainly be able to

help us attain our objective.

FIGURE 1

Do you think she will help us?

FIGURE 2

I am certain of it. Come.

Let’s leave this warrior to rest.

CUT TO:

EXT. VILLAGE - DAY

Xena enters the village and is surrounded by curious onlookers. She notices that the apparent difference between the men and the women in this village is that the men all wear hooded robes. The women wear robes without hoods and they all seem to have the same long golden hair with ornaments of various kinds hanging from them. It doesn’t take Xena long to figure out this is how they mark the class system in this village and the women with more ornate decorations are considered a higher class.

The one thing that strikes her immediately is that there don’t appear to be any children in this village.

XENA

Where are your children?

KAL

Children? That is not a

word we are familiar with.

XENA

Babies?

Kal and Tril look at each other and can only shrug, clearly not comprehending what she is asking.

XENA

Offspring? You know, like....

She looks around and sees a goat tied to a post, munching some hay. At her teat is a newborn kid. Xena walks over and pets the baby, indicating to it.

XENA

Babies.

KAL

Ah, yes. You mean kinder.

The little ones.

XENA

Yes, Kinder.  Where I come

from they are called children.

TRIL

Chil-dren

He tries the word out as if testing if he likes it or not. He smiles and nods his approval

TRIL

Children is a good word.

XENA

So, where are they?

KAL

We have no children. We

are the last of our people.

TRIL

Fortunately, our kind is very

long lived and the need

for kinder is not urgent.

This gets a raised brow as well, but she has far more important concerns than finding out the answer to that comment.

XENA

All right, where is this priest?

KAL

Orcin will rise in the evening.

You may talk to him then.

TRIL

Until then, please allow us to

honor you buy providing

food and a place to rest.

KAL

I am afraid that our dwellings are

too small for you to use, but you may

make camp anywhere inside the village.

TRIL

Make sure that your camp is well inside

the village. There are many dangers

outside the protection of this circle.

XENA

(muttering)

Apparently.

(to Kal)

Listen, I really need to talk to....

KAL

Warrior, Orcin is in a deep trance.

He will not emerge until evening.

TRIL

You may speak with him then.

A WOMAN from the clan comes to Xena and offers a warm loaf of sweat bread. Xena smiles at the gesture and takes the bread.

XENA

Thank you.

KAL

She can’t understand you warrior. Only

Tril and I speak your language. One of

us would be happy to translate for you.

XENA

Thanks.  Just tell her

I said thank you.

Kal turns to her and points to Xena.

KAL

Orei beva riits forna.

The woman smiles at Xena and backs away, bowing and smiling.

XENA

(quietly)

Oh boy. It’s going

to be a long day.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDCHAMBER - SAME TIME

Gabrielle comes to, waking slowly, rubbing first her eyes then her temples. She takes what appears to be a painful breath as she sits up, draping her legs over the side of the bed.

GABRIELLE

Oh man! I feel like I’ve

been hit by lightening.

Taking a deep breath she raises her head and looks around the room.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Where am I?

Standing on slightly shaky legs, she moves slowly around the room, looking at everything in it as she tries to work out where she is. She stops in front of a chest that has things piled on top of it that she vaguely recognizes as her own. Running her fingers over the cloak and the bag, she looks around the room, walking to and stopping before a polished metal plate used for casting a reflection.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Who am I?

FADE TO:

EXT. VILLAGE - LATE DAY

Xena is sitting next to a small fire with a cup between her hands. She is clearly enjoying whatever is in the mug.  The smile on her face as she swallows says it all. Kal, Tril and several others from the village sit with her.

XENA

Why aren’t their any kinder?

TRIL

There is a serious dilemma for my

people. While not an immediate

concern, the fact that there are

no kinder will be an issue eventually.

KAL

You see the two clans used to be

one. But many years ago, there

was a quarrel between members

of the clan and it was split in two. One

group left and moved to the mountains.

XENA

Becoming the Mountain Clan.

TRIL

Correct. You have noticed that our

eyes are different from yours. The

only way you can tell our people

apart is by eye color.

KAL

The Mountain Clan has silver eyes.

TRIL

And for there to be kinder, gold

and silver must come together.

XENA

Could make things difficult.

TRIL

Very.

XENA

So the Mountain Clan doesn’t

have any kinder either?

KAL

No.

XENA

Well, that’s good. I don’t have to

worry about children getting hurt.

From the back of a village a wise and aged voice reaches her ears.

ORCIN

No. You only have to be concerned

that the Mountain Clan won’t kill

your friend. Come, we need to talk.

Xena looks at the very old man in purple and gold robes. She notices he is the only one dressed in robes like that.

KAL

That is Orcin.

Please go with him.

She gets up and follows the old man as her eyes dart back and forth between him and the group she has just left.

CUT TO:

INT. CAVE - EVENING

Without a word to Xena, Orcin enters a cave and takes a seat on a fur-covered bench. Xena enters and ducks just slightly at the entrance, but once inside she finds she can stand to her full height, albeit a little cramped. She looks around and sees books and scrolls on shelves that line the walls of the cave. There is a table where vials of various colors bubble and smoke. A small tray of crystals hum and radiate colors of the rainbow.

XENA

Nice place.

ORCIN

This is something new

to you, Warrior?

XENA

No, I’ve been in worse.

A smile curls his lips, as if he is having a bittersweet memory.

ORCIN

I was not speaking of my place.

I was speaking of humor.

He stops and considers her, looking at her intently.  Their eyes meet while he learns of the warrior before him.

ORCIN

(cont’d)

You have a very old soul. You

have made many journeys and

will make many, many more.

XENA

I’m not surprised.  There’s

no rest for the wicked.

ORCIN

But it is good, these journeys. For

there is one that travels with you....

XENA

Gabrielle.

ORCIN

(nodding)

In this life, yes. Gabrielle.

Intertwined for eternity are you both.

XENA

Forever?

ORCIN

Yes.

XENA

Hope we have a little

easier time of it next time.

ORCIN

All will be different,

but will be same.

XENA

How can that be?

ORCIN

Different because who you

will be together, but same

because you are together.

XENA

Well, I’m not ready to give her

up in the here and now, so I need

to know how to get her out of there.

ORCIN

Patience, Warrior. Your partner is

safe for now. We must prepare.

The Mountain Clan people are very

powerful and they will be more

so now that they have your

companion to fight for them.

XENA

Fight? Fight who?

ORCIN

The Forest Clan.

CUT TO:

INT. DINING HALL - NIGHT

Gabrielle, dressed in fine robes of soft white flowing silk is seated at a large table laden with food and all there for her. The two creatures sitting at the table with her are watching her patiently as she reaches a tentative hand for a ripe fruit.

GABRIELLE

And what exactly happened again?

GHIN

There was a minor accident

the other day.  Your horse

stumbled and you hit your head.

GABRIELLE

Well that explains

that then. Amnesia.

She stops and thinks about it.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

How did I know that?

NHIF

That is the way these

injuries are, General.

Gabrielle nods and takes a bite from the fruit in her hand. Her eyes seem far off as she considers the conversation and trying to reconcile it with what few things she thinks she knows.

GABRIELLE

My horse?

GHIN

General, I’m afraid that

 she broke her leg and

we had to put her down.

A brief vision of Argo flashes through her mind and her eyes close as if they are trying to capture what her eyes are seeing.

GABRIELLE

Oh no. She’s going to

be heartbroken.

NHIF

She?

GABRIELLE

What?

GHIN

You said she.  

Who, General?

She sits back against her chair and thinks about it. She looks as if she’s going to say something, then she just turns to them and shrugs.

GABRIELLE

I don’t know.

GHIN

I’m sure it will

come back to you.

GABRIELLE

I hope so. I have a feeling

she is very important.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO