Two disclaimers are needed for this story. Firstly, Xena, Gabrielle and a few other characters (who shall remain nameless so as not to ruin the story,) belong to MCA Universal, and any other parties who have a share in ownership of Xena: Warrior Princess. No copyright infringement is intended.

Secondly, some of the story, (again I won't mention which bits here so as not to ruin the fun,) is directly influenced by the great bard of the Xenaverse, Merwolf.

To both parties I owe a debt of thanks, without their vision and talent I would not have been inspired to write the story below, one that I enjoyed immensely. For more specific details on what belongs to who, please e-mail me using the link below and I will be happy to give you the full details.

Violence:

There are some scenes of violence in the story. If you are reading Xena fan fiction I am sure you will know roughly what to expect. If you are likely to be offended by this perhaps you should look for Teletubby fan fiction instead.

Subtext:

This piece of work was written by an author who believes in soulmates, a wondrous union that is a gift given without thought to gender. If you are likely to be offended by the idea of people of the same sex being in love I suggest that you find something else to read. Equally, if you are looking for some sort of lusty romp then reading this will disappoint you, however there are plenty of other pieces of work that specialise in that.

Finally:

Enough with the disclaimers, I hope you enjoy reading my work as much as I enjoyed creating it. It is my first venture into the world of writing so any comments will be gratefully received and can be sent using the link below. Happy reading!

Lannilvr

Part 1

It was the tall dark-haired woman that broke the silence. "It is getting late, we should camp here tonight." The comment was directed at her shorter, fair-haired companion who had been trailing slightly behind her and carried a quill and unmarked parchment.

The younger woman looked up and briefly viewed the clearing. "It's nice," she began in a rather unfocused manner. Her eyebrows knitted together as she took a deep breath and continued, "Would you like me to prepare a fire while you catch some dinner?"

The dark-haired woman nodded in response, setting down her luggage and producing her bow. Within moments she had melted into the surrounding woods as quiet and unobtrusive as any creature that would naturally be found there.

The shorter woman looked round the clearing with a manner of one experienced in the outdoor life. Having moved their travel bags to a dry patch of springy moss, stripped the horse and set it to graze, she began to systematically locate stones to build a fire ring. In a short time she had cleared a small area, lined it with the rocks and found enough dry wood to begin a neat fire. In fact, as she soon realised, she had collected rather a lot of wood, more than they would need to keep the fire burning throughout the night. As she slumped down on a nearby rock she ran her hand through her hair, pulling it away from her eyes and sighed.

"Look Gabrielle, just because Xena is a little quiet today, it does not mean that you have to start worrying to this extent," she told herself firmly. Xena had been quiet for more than just today, her brain reminded her, and preoccupied would be a better word to use than simply quiet. Gabrielle considered this, Xena was more than just quiet, and she did seem extremely preoccupied. Everyone was allowed a little distance Gabrielle reminded herself but it was far more disturbing when it was the usually attentive and observant Xena. They had become a lot closer in the time they had been travelling together and had gradually learnt to share all their problems. Gabrielle had to acknowledge the progress they had made in this even if it did take losing it to make her see it so clearly. "That progress took a lot of work," she thought "and I am not about to let it slip away that easily, think practically Gabrielle. When was the last time she was normal and what has changed since then?" Of course, the most drastic recent event was the friend's 'deaths'. Obviously, the situation had taken it's toll on both of the friends but Gabrielle realised that things had worked out fine and the fact that they were together, both healthy and off on their travels again should outweigh the pain caused. "No," Gabrielle persisted, "there is more to this than I know about." She stood up purposely and retrieved her flints from her saddlebag, "Well, in that case I am just going to have to ask," she decided with a relieved sense of satisfaction at having established a plan of action.

Xena moved stealthily towards their camp and squatted as she placed the two limp rabbits down by her side. Through the foliage of the shrubbery she could see Gabrielle putting down yet another load of firewood on to an already generous pile. Xena continued to observe the scene, watching as the preoccupied look briefly left her friend's face as she surveyed the pile of firewood. As Xena watched, she thought for the hundredth time how Gabrielle's face would so easily mirror the thoughts behind it. Although Gabrielle was a very open person, Xena knew that it was their close relationship that enabled her to interpret the expressions so easily. That created a warm feeling inside her and an unconscious smile crossed her face. However, the smile soon faded as she watched the emotions her friend was expressing, frustration followed by concern. Something was bothering her friend deeply; the furrowed eyebrows and slightly inturned lower lip were a testament to that.

Just as Xena was trying to mentally run through the potential causes, she saw Gabrielle's eyes move unseeing to the warrior's sword. It was her. Xena waited in her green sanctuary, unwilling to disturb Gabrielle in her musings. Xena knew that she had not been as communicative with her young friend as normal, another unconscious smile passed her lips at her use of the word 'normal', although she did have her reasons. "You need to either talk to Gabrielle about it or keep it buried deeper," she chastised herself, "it is not fair to worry her like this, she has hardly said three words all day and her scroll was as empty when we arrived here as it was when we set out this morning." The sounds of movement roused Xena out of her musings and she saw Gabrielle lighting the fire. The tilt of her friend's chin confirmed that the look of concern had been replaced with one of determination. Mentally, Xena sighed theatrically because she knew her friend had devised a plan, however, it was a tender feeling towards her the blonde woman that spread through her as she emerged from the trees.

"Dinner." Xena reported as she held up the rabbits.

Gabrielle smiled and decided not to comment on the fact that there were two as she saw her friend's eyes track to and away from the large pile of firewood. "Great," she responded, "Would you like some stew to go with the fresh bread we picked up this morning?"

"Only if we can take a bath while it is cooking." Xena answered, the thought of soaking off the days grime suddenly seeming very appealing.

"It's a deal," smiled Gabrielle and they began working in a contented silence as Gabrielle prepared the vegetables and Xena skinned and diced the meat.

It was not long before their chores had been completed and they were stripping off and heading into the clear, inviting pool. The cool water was very refreshing and they each began to feel happier and more relaxed. They both laughed as they issued simultaneous sighs of contentment.

"This feels so good," remarked Gabrielle, "it is a pity we can't always find camps as nice as this."

Xena considered this. It was true, although they both enjoyed their travelling lifestyle, after a long day of dusty tracks and hot sun it felt a necessity to be able to take a bath. "Would you like me to wash your hair for you?" she inquired. It wasn't really necessary as they had stayed at an inn last night with a good bathing room which they had been able to take advantage of before they had set out this morning, however, it was one of those things Xena enjoyed doing and tried not to think too deeply about the reasoning behind it.

"Do you expect me to decline an offer like that?" Gabrielle grinned and floated over to her friend turning her back and allowing the warrior to reach more easily. She loved it when Xena washed her hair, it was something that would always make her feel special that someone whose hands could and had been so brutal and powerful could perform the most gentle and tender of actions when applied to her.

Gabrielle allowed her body to relax completely, floating gently in the soothing water. Her awareness of the outside world seemed to drop away, leaving her mesmerised by the magic the warrior's long fingers wrought on her scalp.

"All done." Xena reported some moments later as she ran her hands down the long golden strands, teasing out the knots. When Gabrielle didn't move straight away, Xena's hands eased across to the bard's shoulders, her thumbs gently kneading out the knots she found there. "Feels like you have been carrying the weight of the world on these today," she remarked. "Here." Xena took her friend's hand and led her over to the small waterfall, manoeuvring Gabrielle so that the rushing water was gently pounding her shoulders.

"Now that really does feel good," smiled Gabrielle as she tilted her head back and felt the flow run over her scalp and down her back. "Mmmm," she murmured in appreciation. Xena just smiled.

The warrior broke the silence a few moments later. "Well, I can leave you there while I have some food," she offered, her twinkling eyes betraying the seriousness in her voice.

"Food? I'm there!" Gabrielle responded quickly, smiling at the familiarity of their long-standing joke at the expense of her appetite. Xena seems better now, she thought to herself as she turned to study her friend. It was true; there had been more conversation between them since Xena had returned from hunting than there had been all day. There were more frequent smiles on both of their faces than there had been for some time too. Gabrielle moved away from the cascading water and towards her friend. Their eyes met and locked for a brief moment. Xena had smiled but Gabrielle saw that those beautiful blue eyes were not smiling too, realising sadly that whatever was bothering Xena was still there; she was just making more of an effort to hide it. "Race you!" Gabrielle challenged, endeavouring to keep the mood light and they both sprang towards the bank.

It was not long before the friends had eaten their fill, drying themselves by the warm fire at the same time. The pair rose, moving around the camp to complete the final chores of the evening. Gabrielle began to wash the dishes in the stream, pleased as she found the mini waterfall made short work of the task. Xena was grooming Argo with steady strokes along the mare's golden coat. Darkness had settled and the horse's mane seemed to glow with life in the flickering firelight. Xena began to think deeply as she often did while performing the methodical task of grooming Argo. She and Gabrielle were back together after a time she thought she may never see Gabrielle again. Xena shuddered involuntarily as she relived the feelings that thought had induced and pushed them deeper down inside herself. Subconsciously, her eyes were drawn to the form of her friend, her heart directing the thoughts of her mind.

Gabrielle was her source, as she had told her before. However, that did not even come close to explaining the bond she felt between them. In a world that was capable of such hardship and cruelty, a world that sometimes seemed little more than a plaything for the gods, a world where she had learnt not to love because to love was to risk pain, there was Gabrielle. Gabrielle was her constant, the one thing she could always turn to for guidance, a spiritual North Star who continually guided her towards goodness and provided her with hope. Gabrielle had taught her that she was naïve to believe that she could choose to avoid love but who had also taught her that although to love is to risk pain, love could bring unimaginable rewards she had never experienced before.

"Enough of that," Xena told herself sternly. She already knew how important Gabrielle had become to her, she had grudgingly accepted that fact a long time ago. However, she was the only person that would ever know about it and daydreaming about it served no useful purpose. Back in her safe haven of practicality Xena inspected Argo's coat. The dull amber glow reminded her of molten bronze, testifying to a thorough grooming which had cleared the mare's coat of the dust and grime accrued over a long days travelling. Xena looked towards the heart of the camp, at the fire and the bard crouched beside it. Gabrielle held a worn, leather-bound volume open on her lap. To Xena's relief the page bore writing, a reflection of a happier Gabrielle than the one who had travelled the same roads as her through the day. At that moment the bard looked up, a little furrow along her brow reflecting the creativity that was taking place within. Xena smiled at the familiarity of the expression and giving Argo a final pat moved towards the fire.

After her chores Gabrielle had settled down to update her diary. It was a task that she found immensely comforting, both in its familiarity and as an opportunity to clear her mind of the day's stresses and worries. She knew that Xena felt the same way about grooming Argo. With Xena it had to be something practical, however, the ethos was the same. Tonight, Xena had been deep in thought, her brushstrokes had almost been hypnotic in their regularity and the usually animated horse had simply stood quietly while Xena completed her task. Gabrielle too had simply sat quietly. She had often found Xena to be a great inspiration and had composed some of her favourite pieces of work based on the warrior. Tonight, Gabrielle had let herself drift mentally, enchanted by her friend. There was so much about Xena that inspired her, the sultry confidence, the keen intelligence, the beauty that was evident in everything about her, from the tiniest muscle movements under the tanned skin to the deep blue eyes that she could never look at for too long. Those eyes were mesmerising, they conveyed to Gabrielle a great deal of Xena's communication with an intensity the bard wasn't sure even Xena was aware of. Sometimes she would just see those eyes and know everything would be alright. That would be when she had to look away.

"Hey."

Gabrielle started as a voice anchored her back into the present. She looked down at her diary and was surprised to see a page of writing, she shut the volume abruptly, both unsure and dubious of the content given where her thoughts had been for the last candlemark. She struggled to find a topic of conversation, not usually a problem for her but one that seemed to be happening more frequently, around Xena at least. Perhaps it was herself she should be worrying about rather than her friend.

"Argo looks shiny," she remarked. Argo looks shiny??? Gabrielle, you are supposed to be a bard, conversation and wit being your trademark skills. Argo looks shiny. Definitely top material there. Yeah.

Xena smiled, the horse certainly was gleaming. "How about a little sparring practice?" she offered, the prospect of a physical challenge most likely to concentrate her mind on more practical matters.

Gabrielle considered the offer. Sparring with Xena was something she had learnt to enjoy. At first it had been a chore, hard work to hone survival techniques. However, as time had passed Gabrielle had begun to improve and she realised that gaining the skills was similar to gaining freedom. The greater her skill level, the more use she could be in a situation that required action rather than conversation. She had also begun to enjoy the independence and self-sufficiency of being able to defend herself and not make Xena have to look out for both of them all of the time. Not that Xena had stopped looking out for her but Gabrielle could recognise Xena's growing respect for her friend's ability and that was the greatest reward of all. Anyhow, the more she improved the closer she came to her goal of dumping her tall friend on her backside in the mud. Gabrielle grinned at the thought, "You're on!"

The moon was full and bright in a sky littered with stars. In the clearing the silvery light shone down on two figures and their staffs. The pair had loosened up as they circled each other, watching for hints of movement. Gabrielle was planning an attack, Xena merely watched as she let her instincts take over, trusting her finely honed reactions. Sure enough Gabrielle's first strike met with wood. Xena took the advantage and swung her staff down for a gentle tap behind the knees. Gabrielle was improving though and she reversed her staff countering Xena's attack. The pair circled again, the opening bout complete. Xena made the first move this time, a swing aimed at the bard's shoulder combined with a follow through at knee level. The bard countered both moves, the concentration evident on her face. She ducked down with a decoy attack to Xena's thigh but once close enough rose to attack her upper body. The blow never connected but Gabrielle knew that she was getting closer. She had realised some time ago that her more compact form gave her manoeuvring advantages over her taller friend and all she had to do was discover the best way to exploit these advantages. She didn't have time to launch a second attempt because Xena lunged forward and engaged her in a rapid set of attacks and counters that soon had them both sweating freely.

Time and time again wood met with wood, only the occasional attack getting through either friend's defences. Gabrielle knew Xena was going easy on her, recognising that the warrior was holding back. Although that always frustrated her in one way, in another it only made her respect Xena even more, Xena's fighting skills were legendary but what people didn't see was the self-control she displayed too, if she didn't have such mental strength Gabrielle knew she would have been seriously injured a long time ago. Xena watched as the bard began to tire, the furrows in her forehead were deeper and her moves becoming less frequent and less precise.

Suddenly Xena stopped all movement and tilted her head as though listening. Gabrielle looked puzzled but followed suit aware of her friend's sensitive hearing, a talent that had so many times given them a much needed advantage over surprise attackers. Xena made no sound as she quietly began to walk towards the pool, her eyes tracking the surrounding trees. She crouched as she reached a large boulder by the water's edge, maintaining a constant vigil in the direction of the forest. Gabrielle crept silently towards her unable to sense the intrusion that Xena seemed to be preoccupied with. Then she realised too late that there was no intrusion, she merely saw a blur of action as Xena twirled around from the water, sending what seemed like half of the pool all over the bard.

"Xena!" Gabrielle cried indignantly "What did you do that for?"

"You looked like you needed a little cooling down," replied the warrior, her eyes dancing in amusement and her mouth trying to repress a grin.

"You, you?" Gabrielle could not think of a suitable insult so instead she charged towards the chuckling warrior, using body weight and momentum to propel the pair of them into the pool.

"Oh, that was mature!" Xena taunted when they both surfaced.

"Hey, I am not the one that started this you know!" responded the bard, pleased with the effectiveness of her attack. Although she had landed in the pool too she had been pretty wet to begin with and, oh dear, leathers did take so much longer to dry out than linen!

Xena put a reconciliatory look on her face and swam over to the smug looking bard. At the last minute she did a sudden surface dive, locating her friend's knees and pulling them out from under her. She then raced to the shore and grabbing a piece of linen to dry herself off, dived down on to the sleeping fur closest to the fire, leaving a spluttering bard in her wake.

"I'll get you for that, you know that don't you," Gabrielle warned as she emerged from the pool and flopped down next to the warrior.

"I am counting on it," replied Xena, passing another piece of linen to the sopping bard. "It is a good thing the weather is so good, such recklessness could have got us both a fever," she continued in a mock chiding manner.

Gabrielle just looked at her friend and started to giggle as she took a swipe at the wet leather-clad stomach by her side. The pair lay back on the furs as the warmth of the well-stocked fire began to dry them. The stars really were beautiful; it was one of the things Gabrielle most liked about their outdoor life.

Xena pointed upwards, "That looks like a horse."

Gabrielle grinned as she tilted her head to each side, "funny looking horse," she responded, "could be a whip though, you see, all curled out there," she concluded gesticulating.

Xena shook her head, "Well, you bards are supposed to have good imaginations" she replied. The warrior's face assumed a more serious expression as her natural practicality re-surfaced. "We ought to get some rest now, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Gabrielle sighed. "Yes, you're right, goodnight Xena."

"Goodnight Gabrielle," the warrior answered as she closed her eyes. She felt a sense of inner peace that had eluded her for some time. Since the visions had started in fact. But here and now everything was just right and if she waited just a little while longer?

Gabrielle's breathing began to become slower and more even, reflecting the sleep she had rapidly succumbed to. Soon, in her sleeping state, she edged over to the warrior, draping an arm across the leather-clad stomach and nestling her head against her friend's powerful shoulder. In the darkness a flash of white teeth and the glint of two very blue eyes could be seen.

The early morning sun shone down on two very awake companions. Xena had taken advantage of the nearby pool to take a brisk, icy dip. She had then launched herself into a set of warm up sword drills, partly to dry herself off and partly to warm up muscles she never knew when she would need to call upon. Gabrielle had enjoyed a more sedate start to her day. She had packed up their camp into neat travelling bundles and loaded up the waiting Argo. She had also done her best to ignore the scantily clad, toned warrior doing her early morning drills. Despite the droplets of water glistening on the tanned skin? and despite the sleek muscle movements extenuated by the damp linen clinging to the warrior's body.

"It's going to be a hot one," remarked Xena as she studied the almost cloudless blue sky, her eyes squinting against an already bright sun.

"Yes," the bard answered in reflex, slightly distracted. She shook her head, forcing her thoughts back to the less personal. "A perfect opportunity to work on my tan then," she continued, responding to her friend's comment for the first time. Gabrielle was in a much more relaxed mood following the playfulness of the night before, she hummed quietly to herself to fill the silence that followed.

Xena smiled as she led Argo out of the clearing and towards the small track. They travelled on in silence for a while, each busy with their separate thoughts.

Gabrielle broke the silence. "Where exactly are we going Xena?" she asked suddenly. Usually she knew all about the mission, who was in trouble, why, who the bad guys were and so on. She had suddenly realised that nobody had really asked for help recently but still they were definitely travelling with a purpose.

Xena had been waiting for her blonde friend to ask this question as it saved her having to venture information unnecessarily. However, now that she had, Xena wasn't sure exactly what she could say. "We are going to see Elkton," she answered in a matter of fact way.

There was a little pause as Gabrielle tried to place the name. She was great with faces, she could always place them but names always got a little confusing. After all, they did meet a lot of people in their line of work. Finally, the look of concentration lifted off her brow and she responded, "oh yes, the priest of Morpheus, I remember." She stated and continued, "the one who helped you to enter the dream passage to come and rescue me." Gabrielle winced at her own words, how often Xena had had to come and rescue her in the early days, sometimes she had wondered what the warrior would have done all day if she had never met this human trouble-magnet. "Is he in trouble?" She asked, "Did he send for us?"

Xena sighed mentally, she knew that she could never really have expected Gabrielle not to ask questions, this was Gabrielle after all. However, she had still hoped that she might be able to get away with it. "No," she responded, "I need to see him, I need his advice."

Gabrielle realised too late that this was one mission Xena hadn't volunteered information about. Perhaps it was better that she just left it at that and waited till they got there to see what it was all about. On the other hand, Xena had been distracted recently and to have to be asking advice from someone meant she had a problem that must be pretty difficult. Well, two heads were better than one, perhaps she could help. She tried to think of a question that would get a lot of useful information, she had learnt long ago not to bombard the warrior with numerous, frivolous questions. Ask few but make them count she reminded herself. "Why Elkton?" she finally asked.

Xena had taken advantage of Gabrielle's momentary silence to organise her thoughts. She knew the next question would be one that she could not avoid and would require a more detailed explanation. Gabrielle never asked pointless questions. "Ever since I we? died? I have been having visions, they were rare to start with but they have been getting more frequent?" she explained.

Gabrielle knew that, the vision where they both died on a snowy mountaintop. It was something that she tried hard not to think about. However, she let Xena continue, if she wanted to find out more and to understand she knew better than to interrupt unnecessarily.

"You know about the mountain one," Xena continued, having searched for an easier way to make reference to that particular vision, "that one I had while fighting Atli. The others are different." The warrior paused with a distracted look on her face.

"There are others?" Gabrielle probed gently.

"Yes? they are not about us dying," Xena sought to reassure her friend, "they are about us but in places that are very bizarre. I have been having them since we were in Rome that time. I see these things both in visions during the day and in dreams at night. That is why I thought Elkton could help."

"As he is a priest of Morpheus, I understand," Gabrielle confirmed. However, there were a few things she didn't understand. It was clear to her now from her friend's body language and tone of voice that this is what had been causing the change in the warrior that she had noticed. She was glad because she finally knew what it was and could try and do something about it. However, all Xena was saying is that she had been having dreams about them. That was not surprising, they were travelling companions and spent all their time together. However, the warrior hadn't sought out Elkton about the mountain vision and that was a dire one that had disturbed both of them. What was in these other dreams that bothered Xena so much that she had to seek advice? There was something that Xena wasn't telling her. Well, there was only one way to find out. "So what are these other dreams about?" she inquired.

Xena considered the question, on the surface the answer was very simple, the two of them in strange surroundings. There was no sense of danger, often they were just together with nothing really happening. It was the tone of the visions that really bothered her, raising questions that Xena was afraid to find the answers to. After the first she had hoped it was just a one-off but the visions had kept coming, insinuating situations that Xena found terrified her in a way a battalion of armed minotaurs could not have. As any good warrior she had found comfort in action, the practicality of seeking out Elkton easing her nerves. Xena knew she risked too much by explaining to Gabrielle her reactions to the details of the dreams so she just decided on the simplest response. "Nothing in particular, just you and I in very strange surroundings." Xena replied, she continued on to give Gabrielle an answer to the question she was trying not to ask. "I want to see Elkton to see if there is anyway of stopping the daytime visions, if they start in the middle of a fight it may put us both in danger."

Gabrielle considered this. It was typical warrior reasoning. It was practical and sensible. However, she doubted it was the main reason for Xena seeking out Elkton and it also did nothing to explain her friend's preoccupation recently. Gabrielle eyed the tall woman striding by her side. The forceful step and slightly jutting jaw told the bard that Xena was on the defensive, expecting and prepared for further questioning. Gabrielle knew her friend well and as much as she wanted to help she knew that Xena had said all she was going to on the matter, for the time being at least. "I understand," the bard said as she slipped her arm round a surprised Xena's waist.

"So, who am I?" Gabrielle asked, starting up a familiar game of theirs.

It was more feelings that tangible events. She could feel Gabrielle's presence very close to her. It was a world that was alien, full of strange noises and little open space. This time the surroundings seemed to sharpen, the murmurings evolved into voices, shapes took human form. Xena realised she was fighting. It was an odd sensation; the fighting was different to what she was used to. There was the normal anticipation and energy and the sheer enjoyment, they were all as familiar to her as old friends. However, this time competition replaced fear on both sides, she could see that in her opponent's eyes. There were no weapons and people all around her were dressed in white costumes. The vision cleared further and her eyes confirmed what her gut instinct had already told her, Gabrielle was there, away from the fight, just watching. She was dressed even more strangely than Xena but there was no mistaking those green eyes. As the images started to cloud Xena found her attention drawn to a corner of the building where a shadowed figure lurked, a man. Xena knew the man, she cared for him and somehow realised that it was important to her that he was there. As she concentrated harder, squinting to get a clearer image, the surroundings began to fall away, replaced with a more normal environment and a familiar voice calling her name. However, it had not been before she had seen the man's scarred face.

"Xena?" Gabrielle called again, concerned by the distant look in her friend's vacant eyes.

"Sorry," Xena murmured, looking her companion in the eye and seeing the relief there.

"Another vision?" Gabrielle asked patiently.

"Yes," Xena replied. She paused for a moment before continuing. "It is as though there is something important, some kind of message that someone is trying to show me but as soon as I start to see anything the vision begins to fade."

Gabrielle recognised the frustration in her friend's voice but decided to try and keep the conversation light, after all, Xena had not openly made any indication of how much these visions were bothering her. "Maybe it is that you should get more sleep," the bard joked. Xena smiled, trying to push away the feelings the visions always awoke.

The pair were sat in the shade of a large tree just off the side of the track enjoying a lunch of soft cheese and sun warmed bread. The dappled sunlight painted green twinges over their outstretched legs and the gentle noises of wildlife society dampened the silence. It had turned out to be a very pleasant day that encouraged a feeling of well being in anyone lucky enough to be outside to enjoy it. Xena eased back into the springy bracken behind her. Gabrielle followed suit, looking up at the brilliant blue sky and the occasional fluffy white puffs that crossed it.

A smile crossed Xena's face and she moved her hand until she found a small rock that she threw directly upwards. Gabrielle jumped slightly at the sudden noise as the rock hit a branch and then watched intrigued as two objects tumbled back down to earth, lazily swiped out of mid air by a pair of tanned hands. Gabrielle rolled onto her side and raised an eyebrow at the smug looking warrior.

"Pick a hand," Xena instructed.

"That one," Gabrielle answered as she pointed. The warrior's hand opened to reveal the small rock that she had originally thrown. "Ok," Gabrielle said, "the other one." Xena grinned as she opened her hand and passed a perfectly ripe peach to her friend.

"Ooh, of your many skills, I think I like that one the best!" the bard announced as she bit into the sweet fruit. Xena took the rock and threw again, this time capturing a peach for herself.

"So," Gabrielle began, "How long will it take us to get there?"

Xena paused, mentally travelling the route she had planned. "About two more days," she answered. "We will be travelling through Amazon territory for a while so we will have to be ready for anything."

"I never realised we were that close to home," Gabrielle commented as she tried to calculate the distances and directions they had travelled in the last few weeks.

"We aren't." Xena confirmed, "We are further East than that. It is another tribe of forest Amazons. I haven't had that much contact with them."

"An unknown quantity in Amazon form." Gabrielle summarised, "I can understand the need for caution. Well at least we know the principles of their society, if we do get into difficulties we know how best to approach them."

Xena looked unconvinced, "I still think total avoidance will be the best tactic."

Gabrielle had to admit that she was slightly disappointed. She found the Amazons she had met fascinating, their feminist culture being so different to anything else she had encountered. Plus they did have some interesting traditions. It would have been intriguing to meet another tribe, to see how the two differed and what similarities there were. Gabrielle reminded herself of why they were even in this area at all and decided that meeting Elkton should be the first priority. Maybe on the way back?

By the late afternoon the companions had found themselves leaving the leafy forest behind them and had watched as the surroundings they passed though had gradually morphed into rich farmland. Civilisation in the form of a small town had loomed on the horizon, offering the opportunity to get fresh supplies and indulge in a warm bath. Neither friend had needed much persuasion and by the early evening their chores had been taken care of and Gabrielle had even arranged to do some storytelling at the inn where they were staying.

The inn was fairly large, one of only a few in the large town. It housed about fifty tables and offered a wide selection of both food and drink. The innkeeper and his wife were friendly, down to earth people, their high standards and reasonable prices accounting for both their popularity and the success of their enterprise.

Xena had settled into a chair in a secluded corner, near a window that looked out into the courtyard outside the inn. Gabrielle was at the front of the inn, near the serving area, perched on a stool preparing to launch into a story. Xena smiled as she recognised the slightly nervous air about her friend. Despite the numerous times the bard had performed and all the totally positive reactions she had always received, the challenge of standing up in front of a room full of people and endeavouring to entertain them was something even Xena knew she would find secretly daunting. When you were fighting people and you were as skilled a warrior as Xena, the other combatant had no choice, all it took was time before you had them exactly where you wanted them. When you were trying to entertain though, now that was a totally different scenario. It was something you could not control, the crowd chose whether or not to be entertained and there was not a lot you could do about it. However, Xena had total confidence in her bardic friend and recognised that she had already undeniably won over the toughest audience she could ever face. Not that she would ever let Gabrielle know that.

Gabrielle had decided upon a well-known story to start off with. It was a good plan of attack, you proved to your audience exactly what you could do with a story they already knew and then when you did the same for one they didn't know you could have them eating out of your hand. As Gabrielle launched into the tale of Odysseus and the Sirens she began to relax more. Her mind took over automatically and described the pictures she was seeing in clear language using voice control and facial expressions to add the excitement. The crowd was a mixed one, quite a few farmers, some travelling merchants and the usual local tradesmen. The town seemed peaceful and Xena allowed herself to relax, lulled by her friend's voice and the inn's very acceptable ale.

After some time Xena's wandering thoughts were interrupted by the appreciative noises of the crowd. Gabrielle had finished her third and final story and was basking in the positive attention she was receiving from her audience. Xena watched as her friend gradually made progress over to the table she was sitting at, all the time answering questions, returning greetings and smiling in sheer reflex.

However, before Gabrielle could even reach the table Xena's attention was diverted as her acute senses warned her of nearby danger. She quickly located the source of the alarm and studied the five heavily armed men approaching the entrance of the inn. They were obviously trained warriors, their armour and weapons were well kept and their attitude seemed focused. Xena rose smoothly and slipped outside to meet them.

Despite their purposeful attitude as soon as they saw the warrior heading towards them it was clear the men were looking for a fight. Xena sighed inwardly, a nice peaceful evening at an inn was all she had been wanting, why was it that trouble always seemed to find them?

The leader of the group spoke, "Xena." He stated.

"That's right." She replied coolly, gauging the men as she waited for a reaction.

Xena's lightening speed reflexes almost surprised even herself as her right hand suddenly swiped at the air in front of her chest and captured an arrow. Her eyes narrowed. The men hesitated for the briefest moment which Xena took advantage of as she drew her sword.

The first two men ran at her with their swords drawn, she dodged them then whirled round sending one to the dirt with a kick to his back. The other man turned and charged again, this time engaging the warrior in a set of skilled parries. Xena's senses alerted her to another threat and she drew her chakram as she saw the archer load his bow for the second time. The disc flew through the air bouncing off a nearby barrel and splitting the arrow in two. Xena caught the returning weapon between sword thrusts as the first man rose and approached her again. Xena's sword moved faster and faster as her mind emptied and she acted on instinct. A gap in her opponent's defences allowed her to wound his sword arm and fell him with a roundhouse kick.

As the man approaching from behind was almost upon her, Xena spun round and slammed an elbow thrust to his throat, he collapsed back to the ground on his knees as he clutched his neck. The other three men all moved toward the warrior at once, Xena somersaulted in the air and temporarily felled the archer with a hard kick to his chest. One of the other men fell as a rush of blonde swiped his legs from under him with a staff swung at his knees. Xena was now left facing the leader and the archer who had recovered his feet. The leader was the greater threat because his sword skills were practised and moved with almost the same level of fluidity as hers. All these men were focused and they were proving to be a refreshing challenge.

Suddenly both men facing Xena changed direction and headed straight for Gabrielle and her now recovered original opponent. Xena knew Gabrielle was certainly very capable of defending herself but not against three trained warriors who seemed intent on doing serious harm without an obvious motive. Another summersault placed Xena at Gabrielle's side, just in time to slip her sword into the archer approaching Gabrielle with a drawn dagger. The man slumped to the ground bonelessly.

Gabrielle was holding her own against her attacker, moving her staff rapidly in an impressive selection of both attacking and defensive manoeuvres. Xena concentrated on the leader, luring him into an imposing match of swordplay. The man sidestepped her thrust and returned one of his own aimed at her midsection. She smiled as she parried him, the enjoyment of the challenging competition evident in her eyes. He was a highly skilled swordsman and the pair fought with fluid momentum, each looking for a break in the other's defences.

Another staff swing at her opponent's knee's felled Gabrielle's attacker and this time when he got up he stumbled off as fast as he could. She prepared for further confrontation as two more of the fallen men rose but they simply chased after their companion. The bard then watched as her friend fought the leader. Xena attacked with a thrust to the man's midsection then swung a roundhouse kick to his chest as he defended against her first move. He fell to the ground from the force of the impact and Xena pounced on him, jabbing his neck in three swift movements.

"I have just cut off the flow of blood to your brain." The warrior informed him as she regarded the wide-eyed man in front of her. "You have thirty seconds to tell me who you are and what you want."

A small trickle of blood ran from the man's nose as he contemplated his situation. Gabrielle walked over to join the warrior. "Twenty seconds." She announced, receiving a subtly amused look from her friend.

"I came to kill her." The fallen man spluttered as he stared at the bard.

Gabrielle felt a chill travel up her spine. Xena's eyes narrowed and bore into him like two ice chips. "Why? Who sent you?" She demanded.

"The Master?" the man spluttered, "the Master sent me."

Xena's voice dropped an octave. "Who is the Master?"

The man's eyes were bulging and he was struggling to breathe. He gasped for air, "The Master? is?" the man was stopped from completing his sentence as two arrows embedded themselves in his throat, sending a spurt of blood down his neck and taking his life with it. Xena spun round to see the archer she had felled earlier collapse. By the time she had arrived by his side he was already dead.

The candlelight that flickered across the simple inn room illuminated the two inhabitants, painting them in dancing stripes of orange and red. However, even the softness of the glow could not lessen the hardened features of the warrior, her hands violently striping a piece of wood with her hunting knife, her eyes cold and remote. The bard was sitting on one of the two small pallet beds, her hands clutching a cold mug of tea. A tense silence hung over the room as each woman thought of the earlier attackers.

After the fight Xena had been left with two dead bodies and too many questions. The town's law enforcement workers had arrived and both friends had had to answer numerous questions about the men and the fight. The moon had been high in the sky and the streets of the town deserted before they were allowed to return to the inn. However, once there, neither had made any pretence at needing to sleep and they had sat down in the positions they still held now.

Xena had been thinking about the warriors and the fight. It was something she usually did to analyse any falters in her defences or particularly effective attack moves that her opponent had made that she could use herself. However, this was more than just her usual post fight analysis, it was personal. The men had been challenging opponents, they were all skilled fighters and their level of focus was rare. Xena had admitted to herself that it had been one of the most challenging battles she had fought in sometime. She had admitted too that she was afraid. It would not have been the same if the warriors had been seeking her out, however, the bard had a hidden enemy, one powerful enough to send out quality warriors to kill her. Warriors that were so well trained that one would use his last moments of life killing his comrade to protect a secret. Who was the enemy? Why Gabrielle of all people? Xena's mind was a minefield of crucial questions.

The tall warrior looked over at her friend sitting in silence on the nearby pallet. Gabrielle looked so pale and drawn, her eyebrows knitted together in worry and total silence replacing her usual cheery chatter. Xena realised that however much she may be worried Gabrielle would see that and right now her friend needed her strength and support more than ever.

"Gabrielle?" The warrior's low voice broke the silence in the room. However, there was no response from the bard, her eyes not loosing the faraway gaze they held for one moment. Xena rose and heated some water, she always felt better when she took action. She mixed up some tea and poured the hot water over it, adding a generous amount of honey to complete the concoction. She moved across the small room and seated herself next to her friend, holding out the offering.

Gradually the bard returned to her surroundings and looked up at Xena. "Oh, thank you, I guess this one is a bit cold now." She gazed into the existing cup before taking the replacement from her friend. "Xena, who have I hurt to earn this?" she questioned, her eyes searching the blue ones opposite her.

That was so typical of Gabrielle, the warrior thought, she has a bunch of half-crazed warriors sent to kill her and instead of thinking about herself she is wondering about how she may have caused pain to someone else. The warrior's hand lifted to the bard's chin, holding it firmly and forcing continued eye contact. "Now, you listen to me Gabrielle," Xena commanded, "every person you have come into contact with in your life has gained only warmth and happiness from knowing you." She paused for the words to sink in, letting the depth of her own feelings for the bard shine in her eyes. "I do not know who these men are working for but I know the attack was tactical, not personal." The bard's eyes searched her friend's with a deploring hope for the statement to be true. "Gabrielle," the warrior purred, "I will never let any harm come to you, I would die before I would let that happen, you know that." Xena urged earnestly. Her response was a fierce hug that secretly gave the warrior as much comfort as it did her companion.

Two very bright blue eyes greeted the grey, pre-dawn light. Although the warrior had tried to rest, her mind had been doggedly trying to unravel the puzzles of the previous evening and combined with the fact that her senses had been on overdrive since the attack, Xena had not slept at all. However, the time she had spent thinking had relaxed the warrior a little. Well, either that or the night spent with a bard wrapped round her, Xena both sighed and smiled in a moment of self-knowledge. Gabrielle chose that moment to move even closer although Xena would not have thought it possible. Again, she smiled and this time closed her eyes, allowing herself to rest a little longer, lulled by the steady breathing of her companion.

Until her senses cleared, all she could see was blue. Eventually, the fogginess dissipated and shapes began to form. Xena realised she was under water. As she sought and located Gabrielle she realised that although they were both underwater, she could breath as though on land and Gabrielle seemed the same. There was a heavy weight on her back and she was wearing odd clothes which included some kind of mask over her eyes.

Gabrielle had swum over to her and was pointing at a passing fish. It was bright yellow with vivid blue markings, one she had not seen before. Gabrielle had held up a black box she was wearing round her neck towards the fish for a brief moment, then she had turned and smiled at Xena with a look of pure happiness and? something else that Xena couldn't name. However, it was a something else that sent Xena's stomach somersaulting and prickles travelling up her spine.

Xena opened her eyes, her senses quickly reconciling her to being back in the inn room with solid sunlight pouring through the open window. A subtle check confirmed that Gabrielle was still asleep, her limbs securing her companion to the bed and her blonde head tucked into the warrior's shoulder as usual. Xena smiled and leant back, her mind tracking back to her recent vision. The visions were strange, different to dreams because the images were clearer and when she awoke she could remember each detail perfectly. It was more like a memory but the environments were always so alien and she knew that she had never experienced them. Also, she didn't have to be asleep to see the visions, that was one of the reasons behind a little nagging voice that told her the trip to see Elkton would not give her the answers she sought. However, it was a starting point and she would rather take action than sit around and wait for a possible answer.

Xena's ponderings were halted as Gabrielle began to stir and two sleepy eyes peeped out at her. "Morning" she smiled, watching as her friend realised where she was and what she was hugging so tightly. However, this morning, unlike normal mornings, Gabrielle didn't spring away and make mumbled excuses, she just lay where she was and greeted the warrior in return.

"Good Morning," the bard smiled back. Gabrielle had contemplated moving but had decided that her human pillow was far too comfortable. She realised how much better she felt after a good rest and recognised that a lot of that was down to Xena and the security she felt being so close to her. Mentally she thanked Xena for her tolerance, she usually seemed to end up lolling all over her friend at night but last night she knew that it was something she had really needed. The bard rolled over and peered out of the window, her eyes squinting against the bright light. "Looks like it is going to be another hot day today," she announced.

Xena considered the prospect, it mean that hopefully any potential attackers would leave an attempt till it was cooler and they didn't have the disadvantage of the heat to contend with as well as her. The warrior had grimly reconciled herself to the fact that there would almost certainly be another attack but had decided that it may well give her the chance to discover more about their hidden enemy, an opportunity which was crucial to removing the threat all together. She had decided to keep her concerns to herself though and try to play down the situation to Gabrielle as much as possible. Keep it light and relaxed, the voice in the back of her head told her.

Xena stretched out her long fingers and tickled the bard's ribs, "Well, it won't make any difference if you don't get up!" she joked.

Gabrielle shrieked at the tickle-attack and squirmed to try and get free. "Xena, stop it!" she begged between giggles, "it is too early for tickling!"

"It is never too early for tickling," Xena responded, "that is warrior rule number 487."

Gabrielle responded with the tools of her own trade. "Well, how am I supposed to get out of bed if you keep tickling me?" She gasped, impressed with herself for producing such a valid, logical argument while she was so distracted.

"Fair point," grinned the warrior as she released the bard and watched as she scrambled to her feet, giving her taller friend a dire look.

The two traded companionable banter as they washed and dressed. They were just packing up the last of their belongings and making the final preparations for the day's travelling when a soft knock came at the door. Gabrielle froze and Xena's hand went automatically to the chakram at her side. "Yes?" She called out.

The door was pushed open slowly and a short, grey-haired man poked his head round. Both friends relaxed as they recognised him as one of the law officers they had talked to the night before.

"Morning ladies." The man greeted them, getting a raised eyebrow in response from the taller of the two. He continued hurriedly, "I am sorry to call in on you so early but I wanted to catch you before you left."

"No problem," Gabrielle responded, "how can we help you?"

The man smiled at her, she was less daunting than her friend and seem to have a lot better developed social skills. "Actually, it was something I thought might help you." He answered and opened his hand to reveal a small object as he continued, "we found one of these on each of the bodies and one in the dust. Looks like it was torn off in the fight." His gaze turned to Xena and he shifted a little.

Both the friend's moved closer to the man and his outstretched palm. The item was a small vial with a long strip of leather attached to it, confirming that it would have been worn around the neck. Xena retrieved the vial and unstoppered it revealing traces of a red liquid inside. She lifted the container to her nose and sniffed but even in her wide experience with herbs from many different lands, the mixture in the vial had contained ingredients that even she did not recognise.

"What is it?" Gabrielle asked.

"Some kind of red potion." Xena responded, "it has been taken but there is a small residue around the inside of the vial. I don't recognise any of the ingredients."

The man nodded in conformation. "That is the same conclusion we reached," he explained. "We just thought it was a little odd that they all had the same thing." He paused, scratching his jaw in thought. " I suppose it might give a motive for the attack though, if they had unusual herbs in their bloodstream's who knows what might have been going on in their heads."

Xena didn't particularly agree with this reasoning but decided to keep this to herself as the last thing she wanted was to have to stay in the town and discuss possible motives. "Thank you for letting us know." The warrior said in a matter of fact tone. Gabrielle softened this with a smile and the man bade his farewells and left them in peace.

The bard seemed fairly contented with the possible explanation the man had given them and Xena decided not to ruin this until she had any other possible explanation to offer in its place. "Time to collect Argo and hit the road," the warrior said gathering her equipment and holding the door open for the bard to pass through.

The peaceful little glade, usually so full of chattering birds and scuffling wildlife was now gripped in an eerie silence. Only one creature inhabited the clearing, it prowled over to the serene pool nearby and peered into the water. A beast glared back, similar to a large wolf in appearance with a black shaggy coat, although it walked on all fours it would still have been hip height to an average man. The beast issued a throaty growl, it's cruel, elongated muzzle displaying savage white teeth. It moved away from the pool and stalked around the glade, hungrily chasing the residual scent of the quarry it was pursuing. It's eyes held a red tinge to them as it calculated it's prey's movements around the ground. The scent was particularly strong on the flattened area of grass near the remains of a fire. Satisfied it was drawing closer to it's quarry the creature prowled out of the clearing and towards the nearby track, the smell of it's soon-to-be victims lingering in it's nostrils?

The friends had made good progress that morning, quiet roads and good travelling conditions allowing them to cover a greater than average distance. Xena had ridden Argo, the additional height giving her a better vantage point to detect potential danger sooner. Gabrielle had walked by the tall horse's side, a little quieter than usual but more positive than Xena thought she may have been.

The pair had settled down for lunch by the side of a small brook in the shade of several large trees. As usual, Argo had been allowed to wander freely and had found a patch of luscious grass in the shade. The road had reached the top of a small slope, allowing the pair to see quite a distance away.

"The roads are quiet today," remarked Gabrielle as she broke off a chunk of bread. "Probably because of the heat," she reasoned.

"Yes," Xena responded as she located an apple from their travel packs.

After several moments of contented silence as the pair ate, Gabrielle looked over at her friend, "Xena?"

"Yes?" the tall warrior replied.

"Do you remember when we went to India and had to use the Mendi to stop Alti?" The bard asked.

Xena thought back, their travels in India had been an important part of the healing process after some difficult times they had both been through, times that had threatened the very fabric of their friendship. She shuddered briefly as she thought back to that period of their lives and all they had come so close to loosing. "Yes," she replied simply.

Gabrielle continued, "do you remember how the personification of the Mendi explained that our souls would go on and on into the future even though we would leave our bodies behind?" She paused slightly before she continued, "remember, you marked your foot so that I could recognise you?" Gabrielle had smiled at the memory, a simple action that had proved to her how Xena had felt about her and their friendship.

Xena smiled too, the thought of their bond surviving time even when their bodies did not gave her a reassurance which she had clung to in many a dark moment. It had also given her the courage to continue fighting when both women were put in life-threatening situations so often in their travels. It was ironic really, before it had been a lack of interest in her future that let her face death fearlessly, now it was a belief in a greater future. "I remember," she confirmed.

The bard's brows furrowed in thought. "Well how can that happen when we know the Elysian Fields and Tartarus exist, we have experienced them first hand after all, that is where people go isn't it?" she asked.

Xena pondered this question, her friend had a very valid point. "I don't know," the warrior answered honestly. She rummaged in the travel bag and retrieved her sharpening stone, de-sheathed her dagger and set to work, her eyes distant and brow furrowed with concentration.

Gabrielle leant back and surveyed the landscape, she knew her friend well enough to know that Xena was pondering the question and in time would respond further. The little brook determinedly burbled past her and in the distance she could she a glinting of the river it was rushing to join. Suddenly, she remembered the page of writing that had suddenly appeared in her diary whilst she was watching the warrior groom Argo the night before. She fished in her travel bag, her hand easily locating the small, leather bound book. She opened the pages to the most recent entry, reading the neat words written in her own hand.

The Flame

It started as just a flicker,

Growing to a small flame,

Buffeted by the winds of life,

We sheltered it with our hands,

Our eyes meeting, reflecting

The flame dancing at our union.

Rains fell, heavy, threatening drops,

The light spluttered, erratic in the peril.

Our hands stumbled,

The flame guttered,

Only the tip held the hint of a glow,

But our souls still believed.

Gently we blew,

Nurturing the pin prick of light.

Our fingers intertwined gently,

The flame recovering,

Growing steadily in the cold darkness surrounding it,

Bringing renewed hope in its life.

Now the flame burns strongly,

It's life no longer to be threatened.

Once again, the light dances in our eyes,

This time it cannot be extinguished.

The flame is eternal,

Unbounded by the constraints of time.

The bard smiled, reflecting that she seemed to write some of her favourite pieces of work when she was not concentrating on the specific words. It tied in nicely with the conversation they were having at the moment too. Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard her friend take a breath, ready to break the recent silence.

"Perhaps," Xena began, "the afterlife is a place for souls to go to recover for a while before they become mortal again." She paused and looked into the distance. "Or maybe people have a role to fulfil in the world and they are reincarnated until they fulfil that role, then they retire to the next world."

The bard considered this, both were plausible explanations, integrating both spiritual futures they had experienced in their travels. "It was just curiosity, I know that whatever really happens, you and I will always be together, it is just the way it is, my gut instinct tells me, just like it told me to follow you in the first place." Gabrielle paused and then reddened a little, although it was true and something she had known for a long time she hadn't really meant to say it out loud. She stole a subtle look at her friend and bit her lip in anticipation of the reaction her words would get.

Xena's mind seemed to be fuzzy, it was taking a long time to process the words her friend had spoken. Her stomach had jumped instantaneously and a warmth had crept up and covered her whole skin. She looked over at the bard and nearly laughed out loud at the barely concealed anxiety her friend was exuding. Then suddenly it wasn't funny, it was invigorating and awesome and joyous, a solid conviction in a companionship that would outlast their physical capabilities. It was an articulation of the desire that had sometime become the most important to her but that she had held for as long as she could remember.

Xena moved over and sat by her friend, gently resting her arm over the bard's shoulders. Gabrielle quickly responded and wound her arm around the warrior's waist and for some time they just sat in silence, looking over the suddenly beautiful landscape in front of them, together.

The girl leant over and gazed at her reflection in the water. A large bruise was starting to form over her right eye and blood was flowing freely from her lower lip. She pressed some cloth against it and sat back in the long grass. A large black and white dog came and sat down beside her, it's pink tongue hanging out as it panted in the hot weather.

"Hey Moss," the girl said as she reached out her free hand to stroke the dog's large head.

The dog licked her arm and raised it's big brown eyes to look forlornly into hers. He panted at her.

The girl smiled at him. "No, it is ok, I have had worse, at least I have learned to run now!"

The girl moved slightly and gasped as she did so. She bent over a little and peered at her bare midriff where a large bruise mottled the skin covering her lower ribs. Gently, she lay back in the long green grass and stared at the sky. It was deep blue, only the occasional fluffy puffs of white traversing it.

Moss moved to lie down using her thigh as a pillow. The girl patted him again, reassured by his familiar presence. He was the one thing that made her happy, his loyalty, unconditional love and stability providing her with a reason to get out of bed in the morning and reminding her why she should get up every time she was knocked down. She often wished that it were just him and her in the world.

He had arrived a few summers ago, as her dream had foretold. She had dreamt that she was hunting in the forests that surrounded her home. She had been tracking a large white deer. It was a magnificent animal, almost as large as a small pony. It's pristine white coat had seemed to shine in the dappled sunlight of the forest. The deer had stopped by a small cave and just looked at her. Then, out of nowhere, large angry wolves had appeared and formed a ring around her. She had been terrified but as they began to close in on her a large black and white dog had run out of the cave. It had fought the wolves and sent them fleeing back into the sanctuary of the forest. The white deer had almost seemed to nod before it disappeared and she woke up. Later that day Moss had arrived out of nowhere and had not left her side since.

It was the dreams that had caused her so many problems. She had always had dreams that had foretold important things, if her tribe were going to be attacked, if freak bad weather was going to spoil the crops, those sorts of things. The white deer was usually in the dreams. She used to tell the elders what she had seen. At first they had just said that she was a foolish child but as her prophecies had come true, usually with disastrous effects, they had accused her of causing it. Then they had punished her.

After one particularly bad attack where over half of the tribes best warrior's had been lost the elders had turned on her. They had needed someone to blame, it was ironic that they chose the one person that had warned them. They accused her of possessing evil powers and had beaten her until she could barely breathe. It had taken days before she could see out of either eye and she didn't honestly know how she lived though it. It had been just after that that Moss had befriended her.

Although she rarely mentioned her dreams now, people still got angry with her, most of the time she didn't even know why. It was easier with Moss though, he listened and never, ever hurt her. She laid an arm across the dog's back and closed her eyes, revelling in the peace and tranquillity of being on her own.

The afternoon's travelling had lasted well into the early evening because the friends had continued until they had found a suitable campsite. As they had journeyed, Xena had pointed out to Gabrielle the subtle signs that they were skirting the outside of the Amazon territory that they had discussed earlier. However, the afternoon had passed uneventfully, much to both friends relief.

The camp was in a fairly rare wooded area, an unusual change from the farmland they had passed through for the majority of the day. However, it had offered shelter, fuel and water, the basics they needed for a camp. They still had a few supplies from their recent stay at the inn and had been able to create a basic but filling meal with minimal effort. Now, after a contentedly quiet evening the pair had settled down on their sleeping furs near the cheerfully flickering campfire. The physical exertion of the day had left both friends feeling satisfyingly tired. Gabrielle had fallen asleep almost as soon as she lay down but beside her two deep blue eyes were gazing up at the generous array of stars watching over them.

Although the warrior was physically tired, her mind was overactive, preventing her from the gently peace that sleep brought. Xena's mind suddenly seemed to have been filled to bursting point with important issues that she randomly switched between with uncharacteristic distraction. There was the attempt on Gabrielle's life, with the 'master' still an unknown enemy. There were her visions, unusual in their presence but also raising issues within her that Xena had been trying hard to subdue for what seemed like an eternity. Linked into that was the conversation they had had by the brook earlier. It had threatened a delicate balance she had forged for herself. She knew that the reference had been purely platonic but it was still a shock to her to have heard the level of conviction Gabrielle's voice had held as she had spoken.

Eventually, Xena was relieved from her musings as she drifted off into a fitful sleep. Her dreams were vivid but meaningless and her always-alert senses were heightened following the earlier attack on her best friend. Her eyes moved rapidly underneath their closed lids, but finally she began to calm, sinking deeper into a restful sleep.

Gabrielle's eyes opened and peered into the starlit darkness around her. Her hearing confirmed Xena's sleeping state and Argo's quiet presence nearby. She studied the sky and gauged there to be still be some time before even pre-dawn. Quietly, she extracted herself from her furs, sparing a fond look at her friend before she crept away from the camp, picking up a water flask on the way. She moved stealthily through the nearby foliage to a fallen tree trunk where she sat down, uncorking the flask and taking a long swig.

The bard did not know what had woken her, she clutched the flask and tried to relax, tuning into her senses the way Xena had taught her. Nothing in her surroundings seemed odd, the only thing that was unusual was her sixth sense being more actively present that normal. She just had a sense that something important was gradually taking place, it was nothing she could put her finger on but things seemed to be more intense than usual and events somehow pre-determined. She tried to consider the facts to establish exactly what was bothering her. However, her mind had other plans and as she looked up at the carpet of stars she ended up just spending some moments idling gazing at them.

Again, her senses distracted her, this time however she had been disturbed by a stealthily approaching form. Although her mind began to prepare for danger and chastise itself for leaving her staff by her furs, at the same time she felt there was no danger and was unsurprised when the figure morphed into her tall friend. That had been happening more too recently, Gabrielle realised. She had been able to locate her friend without looking, it was probably the amount of time they had spent together she reflected.

"Hey," Xena greeted her.

"Hey," the bard smiled back.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"No, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

Xena sat down on the trunk next to her friend and took the proffered water skin. "Feeling better now?" she asked after taking a swig.

"Yes, thank you," the bard confirmed.

"You should go back to sleep if you can, it is important when you exert yourself in the day to get a good night's sleep. Anyhow, the good news is we should reach Elkton's village by tomorrow evening if the weather holds."

"Great," Gabrielle responded, rising off the trunk and moving back towards the fire, followed by Xena.

As they settled back down, Gabrielle reflected that she did feel better. For the time being at least, her senses had calmed down and she felt a sense of inner peace settle over her like a warm blanket.

Xena watched as her friend relaxed and was soon captured by Morpheus' realm. She too shut her eyes although she knew that she would not sleep again that night, her panic at finding Gabrielle missing still churning her stomach.

This had to be the most bizarre yet, the room they were in was large and airy but full of alien objects and smells, overwhelming Xena's senses. Gabrielle seemed relaxed though, she was sitting on the floor, a large open chest open in front of her. She smiled as she saw Xena approach.

"Hey, I pulled out your Aunt's old chest again, it is strange, it always seems so familiar, even the first time we opened it." Gabrielle mused.

Xena sat down by her friend and peered into the trunk. It's contents filled her with so many emotions, battering her from all sides. It contained their belongings, but everything was dirty and some things damaged. She drew out her sword, it had not been maintained and needed both cleaning and repairing. Then she pulled out a small leather bound volume.

"Look, it is your diary, what happened to it?" She asked the blond woman at her side.

Gabrielle looked confused. "My diary? Are you feeling ok honey?"

Xena's mind was filled with so many questions, so many things that didn't make sense. She looked into those sea-green eyes and knew it was her Gabrielle, so why didn't she recognise her own diary? Why were all their belongings in this chest in this alien place, so dirty and uncared for?

Suddenly, the picture began to recede rapidly. "Gabrielle!" she called, "Gabrielle," but the blonde woman could not hear her.

Xena's eyes snapped open, her heart thumping in her chest as a feeling of total disorientation overwhelmed her. She concentrated her senses and realised that a creature was approaching the camp. It was too large to be an animal likely to be found in the woods. The threat helped her clear her mind, returning her to her present environment. The creature was in the dense ferns to the left of their camp, the side where Gabrielle was sleeping peacefully. The intruder was moving very stealthily, as though hunting prey. Xena's eyes narrowed as her hearing allowed her to track the creature in the darkness.

It was a man, its bipedal footsteps gave it away. He was close to the camp now, he would be able to see the two figures by the fire. Xena closed her eyes and took deep, even breathes, feigning sleep. The sound of quietly scraping metal told the warrior that the intruder was drawing a dagger and her senses heightened to this new, potentially deadly threat. The man had stepped out of the ferns and Xena could hear his footfalls on the leaf litter in the open area around the fire. The man was taking his time, his movements calculated and precise. Xena realised that she was dealing with an experienced assassin.

The warrior mentally thanked her highly tuned senses and self-control as the man halted his approach right next to the blissfully unaware sleeping bard. Xena felt the barely noticeable change in air movement as the man drew his arm back ready to strike. She remained still as the man thrust his arm down with the dagger aimed straight for her friend's heart. Then, as though uncoiling a highly-strung spring, her arm sprang out, gripping his wrist and snapping it sideways. The man cried out in pain and tried to free himself from this sudden attack but Xena thrust her hand back, pulling the man over both of their bodies and onto the ground the other side of her.

The warrior sprang up and landed on the assassin, pinning him to the earth with her knees. She sent three rapid jabs into his neck, relaxing slightly as the danger had been arrested, giving her control of the situation. Gabrielle had woken up and was staring at the man who had intended to take her life from her as she slept.

Xena reached around the man's neck and pulled at a piece of leather, exposing the small vial attached to it. Two chips of ice bore into the man's eyes. "Who sent you and why?" the warrior demanded.

The man returned her stare, making no move to speak. Xena moved her face closer to his, "You have no blood getting to your brain, if you do not tell me who you are working for, you will be dead in less than twenty seconds."

The man lay his head back on the ground and shut his eyes. Moments later his breathing stopped. Xena jabbed his neck to release the pressure points but the man had no pulse. The warrior looked over at Gabrielle, "He is dead."

Gabrielle looked shocked. "I don't understand, I thought you said he had another twenty seconds?"

Xena looked at the body. "He did, at least." She confirmed. She leant closer to the man's face, catching a bitter scent that was totally out of place. She opened his mouth and removed the remnants of some leaves.

Gabrielle just sat and looked at her friend, it was all so bizarre, her mind could not make any semblance of sense of the recent events. "What is that?" she asked.

Xena's face was taut and still. "Poison." She responded simply, looking over at her friend. Gabrielle looked totally nonplussed. "It is a deadly herb," she elaborated, "he must have had it in his mouth before he attacked. When I caught him he chewed it and it would have killed him almost instantaneously."

"Oh." The bard was still bewildered. "Why?"

"Probably to make sure he would not get taken alive and be able to divulge information." Xena studied her friend. The growing grey light of the pre-dawn allowed the warrior to see the pallor of Gabrielle's face, she was shaking slightly, obviously shocked by the attack. Xena stood and moved to her friend's side, gently wrapping her long arms around the bard.

Gabrielle clung to her friend as large tears rolled down her cheeks. This was the second attempt on her life in as many days and they still had no idea who was behind the attacks or why. The attackers had chosen to die to protect their master's identity. Perhaps they would never find out who was behind it and the attacks would keep happening until Xena was just not fast enough or they were outnumbered or? Gabrielle's body was racked with violent shakes as her body reacted to the shock and her sudden fear.

Xena stroked her friend's hair, "Shhh, it's ok, it is all ok now, you are safe" she soothed.

"What would have happened if you weren't there tonight Xena?" Gabrielle asked, the answer clear to both of them.

"It's ok Gabrielle," Xena soothed, "I was there and you are fine. We will stop these people, I promise you. We can ask around at the town tomorrow, see if anyone knows anything that might help us. It will be fine." She repeated, holding Gabrielle till her sobs subsided.

It was the forest again. She looked around but could only see dark trees, spreading their knarled limbs all around her. She began to walk forward, reassured by the familiar weight of her sword on her back. A glint of white caught her attention, barely seen in the outskirts of her peripheral vision. She turned, watching and waiting. There was a slight movement in the shrubbery between two nearby trees and as she watched, the large form of the white deer appeared. For a few moments it just stood and regarded her in the dim light of the forest. Then, it turned and began to move away. The girl followed, recognising the creature as her guide.

It was odd, she reflected, she always had trouble keeping up with the animal but whenever she thought that she had lost it, it's white form would somehow reappear and attract her attention and she would be able to continue again. This time the chase had led her along a heavily overgrown track, deep into the dark heart of the forest. The deer led her to a small glade, empty apart from a few large, moss-covered boulders. She looked around the glade, then realised that her guide had somehow disappeared again. She knew to wait, if she was supposed to continue, the deer would have led her. She moved to a darker area where the age-old trees had created an almost total cover to the sunlight above. Then she settled down to wait, slightly anxious about what, or whom, she was waiting for.

After a short while she could hear the approach of life. Moments later, two creatures entered into the glade, settling in the very centre. The first was a large, sleek black panther, its paws nearly as large as her own hands. It was a magnificent animal, powerful and lustrous giving her the image of cold, hard metal bound in velvet. The second creature was a fox. A lot smaller than the panther, it's coat held a red, gold tinge to it. It moved with determined motions and it's pricked ears told her of the intelligence and strong will at the centre of it's small yet sturdy frame.

A rare ray of sunshine battled its way through the thick canopy overhead, highlighting the faces of the two animals. She stared in wonder as she was able to see their eyes. The fox had bright sea-green eyes, with sparkles of gold that skipped and danced in the sunlight. The panther's eyes were a vivid blue, contrasting greatly with it's jet black coat. The pair lay down in the centre of the clearing, and the fox began to clean the panther's ears. The panther lay quietly but never for a moment did she doubt the alertness behind those clear blue eyes.

As she watched, she wondered who these creatures were. When she was in this forest she always saw people as animals, the way they were portrayed to her reflecting what was in their human souls. She knew that she did not know these people yet, although she looked forward to meeting them. Most noticeable to her was that even in their animal form she could see the bond between the two characters, it was extremely rare and she didn't think she had ever seen one as deep and true as this.

Suddenly, two more creatures entered the glade. Neither the panther nor the fox seemed able to see them despite the danger that they posed. A large snake, one she recognised as poisonous, slithered unseen over the ground towards the fox. At the same time, the other creature moved towards the panther. It was a large bear, considerably larger than the panther with a shaggy black coat and eyes that glinted red in the near darkness.

All of a sudden, the bear pounced on the startled panther, pinning it to the ground with it's greater body mass. Meanwhile, the snake struck the unsuspecting fox and as she watched she could see the small trickle of blood from the fox's neck as it dripped to the hard ground. The fox collapsed, the poison from the bite taking immediate effect on its small body.

Then as quickly as the two intruding creatures had appeared, they vanished back into the darkness of the surrounding forest. The panther leapt to its feet and to it's friend's side, poking the limp body gently with its muzzle. However, there was no response. The panther lay down, it's nose touching the foxes' and as she watched, that glossy black coat seemed to fade and the sleek presence of the creature was reduced to a heap of fur.

She awoke with a start, the dream had been particularly vivid and her heart was still thumping rapidly in her chest. Moss looked up at her, his soft brown eyes holding a gently quizzical gaze. She pulled the furs back and swung her feet over the edge of the bed, planting them firmly on the cold ground. The barely lit window testified to the early hour but she knew that it would be easier to slip away unseen in the pre-dawn. She moved around the small hut efficiently, changing from her nightwear into her most comfortable pair of leathers and boots. She grabbed a travel bag and packed it with essentials including her flints, sharpening stone, basic healers kit, repair kit, some bread and cheese, and a blanket. She filled a water flask, which she fastened at her hip and slung her bow and quiver over her right shoulder, having already strapped her sword to her left.

Whistling for Moss to follow her, she had left the hut within a candlemark of waking up. She slipped out of the camp silently, knowing to avoid the guard huts strategically placed around the perimeter of the village. She knew this quest was going to be difficult, after all she was setting out to find people she had never met and had no idea where they were. All she knew was that she had to find them and warn them, the rest she would just have to wing, relying on her gut instincts to lead her. Despite knowing the punishment for disappearing from the village without permission, she looked at Moss padding along happily by her side and felt that if she were successful, this quest would be worth any punishment.

The sheep roamed around their pen desperately seeking a way out, conscious of the red eyes watching them from the darkness. The baaing grew to a frenzy as the beast slunk towards the pen, stalking the frightened herd. In one fluid movement it vaulted over the tall fencing landing firmly inside the enclosure. The fiend charged at the largest animal, planting its vicious jaws around the helpless sheep's throat and tearing fleshing from bone effortlessly. It gripped the limp body in it's bloodied mouth and clearing the fence for the second time, escaped into the darkness to feast on it's latest prize?

The heat of the day before had dispersed over night, affording more comfortable travelling conditions. Warrior, bard and horse walked side by side along the dusty track that would eventually lead to Elkton's village. The surroundings had returned to natural woodland, which provided homes to a rich variety of native wildlife. Birdsong accompanied the travellers as they passed and small rodents scuttled out of the track ahead of them.

Gabrielle was feeling much happier than she had been in the early hours of the morning. Xena had made her a hot, sweet cup of tea that had calmed her heightened nerves whilst the warrior's constant presence had soothed her enough to look at the situation objectively. Now, in the daylight and without a rude awakening or shock to contend with, problems seemed a lot easier to conquer. Firstly, the attempted assassin only got as close to her as he did because Xena allowed it. The close proximity had not meant that the man was any closer to taking her life than he would have been from the outskirts of the clearing. Secondly, she had every faith in her friend's capabilities, it would take a whole army of men to outfight Xena and double that if she was protecting her friends. Gabrielle was sure that the warrior was good enough to hold off any more attacks that may be made until they were able to find out more information about who was targeting her and why. Then, when this was all over perhaps she could make a great story out of it.

"Are you feeling better now?" Xena had been keeping a close eye on her friend after the early morning's events. Gabrielle had been in shock to start with but after a little time she had begun to relax a little. Xena had urged them to get back on the road, hoping the routine of the travelling would also help soothe her friend's jangled nerves. Now the bard seemed happier, her cheeks held a pink tinge to them again and her eyes were beginning to recover a little of their usual sparkle.

Gabrielle turned and smiled at her tall friend, wondering at how Xena always seemed to know what she was thinking. Probably another side effect of spending so much time together she rationalised with a mental shrug. "Yes, thanks, I am sure the fresh air and exercise must really be helping!" she joked.

"Don't knock it." Xena told her, "it helps you grow tall and strong." She eyed her shorter friend exaggeratedly, "Well?!"

Gabrielle thumped the warrior's arm, "Hey, don't knock short people, we have advantages you tall people could only dream about?." She mock whispered as she continued, "someday, we will take over the world you know!"

Xena snorted, "What sort of advantages, being able to take a horses tack off by just walking under it?"

The bard laughed at the mental image. "One day my friend, one day!" she waggled her finger at the grinning warrior walking beside her. "So, how do you reckon Elkton is doing these days?"

Xena thought for a moment, "He is a good man, he will have been a good leader to both the temple and the village people." She responded.

"You know, I don't think I ever really thanked you for those tips on non-violent options, they saved my bacon back then." Gabrielle smiled and shook her head briefly as she remembered back to the naïve kid who had been so quick to pick up a sword. "It was a scary time but I certainly learnt a valuable lesson."

Xena considered this. "It is always better to try and resolve a situation non-violently, it is too easy to just pick up a weapon. I knew all the theories back then but really it was you who taught me how to put them into practice, you have taught me a lot too you know." Xena urged the bard.

Gabrielle smiled, "I think we make a great team." She paused and grinned at the warrior's genuine, rarely seen full smile, "and it all makes for good stories too!"

The conversation lulled as the companions navigated a fallen tree trunk that was barring the majority of the track.

Gabrielle regarded the trunk thoughtfully. "Do you ever get the feeling that someone is trying to stop us getting to Elkton's village?" She asked.

Xena looked at her, slightly surprised by the suggestion. "Why would they?" she asked simply.

"I don't know, it is just everything started happening since we decided to visit him." The bard mused.

"I can't see how the two situations are related." Xena replied honestly. "If you want we can turn around and head back?" she offered.

"No, even if they were trying to stop us we should carry on to find out why." Gabrielle reasoned, "Anyhow, are you still having the visions?"

Xena nodded, looking into the distance. "Yeah, I have had a couple since we last mentioned it."

"Are they still the same?" the bard probed gently, not really knowing what they were like before but wanting to show interest and offer help if possible.

Xena sighed, thinking back to the most recent ones. "The images are clearer, it is easier to make things out. Everything is still very strange though?" her sentence trailed off.

Gabrielle probed a bit further, "Do you see people in the visions or just things?" she asked.

"People," Xena started, quickly amending her sentence, "people I know and a few I don't." Well, Xena reflected, it was sort of true and saved awkward questions, however, it would have been more correct for her to say 'person I know and a few I don't.'

Gabrielle's mind was racing with possible contents of the visions, there was certainly something that her friend wasn't telling her but what was it and why? It took a severe amount of self-control to fight her natural bardic curiosity and not to just blurt out a string of questions. Xena was obviously bothered by something that she was seeing but was reticent about voicing it. Perhaps after they had seen Elkton they may have some answers, then hopefully Xena would elaborate further. "How much longer until we reach Elkton's village?" she asked instead, wondering if the events of the morning had delayed them at all.

Xena looked upwards. The weather was clear and dry and the sky suggested it would remain like that for some time, that was always a good thing. "Hopefully by nightfall." She answered.

The gradually setting sun spread its amber rays over the dying activity of the small village. Burnished figures moved around the simple wooden buildings, clearing tools and tidying up after a long days work. The inn doors were open, embracing the finally cooling air and allowing the enticing smell of freshly cooked food to drift into the dusty village streets.

A few people stopped their activities and turned to look at the two women entering the village. Travellers were unusual in this area, it was deep in the rural countryside away from the busier routes to the large towns. This was a devout farming community, rarely even visited by the travelling merchants who roamed the country to sell their wares. These women held a commanding presence, one likely to attract attention even if they were to enter the very centre of Athens itself. Riding a golden warhorse was a tall, alert warrior whose beauty contrasted greatly with her obvious talent as an experienced fighter. Then there was her shorter, blonde companion whose stride was confident and determined, her keen intelligence obvious in her eyes. The eyes of the villagers tracked them until they disappeared from sight, one into the inn and the other into the inn's stables.

Xena walked Argo into the inn' stables. They were basic, a little in need of repair in a few places, but it was clean and contained all of the basic equipment she required. She led the tall warhorse over to the water trough and stood as the mare drank. She looked up as the stable door was pushed open, revealing the familiar form of her bardic friend approaching her.

"We have a room." Gabrielle announced, "I booked it for just one night but they aren't too busy at the moment so if we need to extend it we can."

Xena nodded and led Argo over to one of the several free bays. Gabrielle joined her and they both set to work at removing the tack and giving the horse a smart rubdown with some clean hay. Xena had used to do this all on her own but gradually, as Gabrielle and Argo had started to bond, the friends had begun to share the work. However, the bard was sensitive enough to realise when her friend needed to use the time as therapy and would then leave her in peace. Xena had to admit though, when all she wanted was to get in a bath and wash the day's grime away, two hands made faster work. Gabrielle was one of the few people she would have trusted to help deal with Argo's needs, she herself insisted on maintaining the best level of care as possible and the bard had always shared that standard, right from the start.

By the time the friends emerged from the stable, the sky was already beginning to fill with glittering stars. Argo had been fed, watered and groomed and a bed of fresh straw was laid out for her. The women entered the inn, their travel belongings slung over their shoulders. After a brief exchange with the innkeeper they climbed the wooden stairs, locating their assigned room and entering. Much like the stable, the room was basic, an empty fireplace with spare wood stacked on either side, two single pallets, a table and chair and a comfortable looking rocking chair placed by the fire. The room was brightened with colourful throws that coved the beds and a matching rug that covered some of the bare wood floor.

Gabrielle dumped her load and flopped down on the nearest bed with a contented sigh. "I love the excitement of the outdoor life but sometimes there is just no match for the creature comforts in life!"

Xena moved to her friend's side, and grinned. "Well," she prodded the bard's flat stomach, "with your appetite if you had creature comforts on tap you would be the size of a barn?" She agilely skipped to one side, just far enough to avoid the bards flailing arm.

"Hey, that wasn't nice," the bard complained, consciously pouting her lower lip and looking up at her tall friend between thick lashes. "Anyhow, I have a quandary, what to do first, eat or get clean?"

Xena's eyes filled with mischief, "I could always feed you dinner in the bath but I am afraid it may well threaten your modesty," the truth of the statement was immediately apparent as the bard turned an attractive shade of pink from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears. The warrior laughed out loud at the human lobster before her.

"Muhumm," the bard responded, trawling through her mind for a suitable change of subject. "So, when do you want to see Elkton, this evening or tomorrow?"

Xena smiled at the swift change of subject but humoured her still crimson friend. "I was hoping to see him tonight, that will give us more freedom in deciding what we want to do next."

Gabrielle nodded, the logic behind the statement concurrent with her own thoughts. "How about you find us some food while I go and wash?"

It was Xena's turn to nod. "Sure," she responded simply.

The bard hummed softly to herself as she padded along the wooden corridor between the bathing room and the room they had rented. Perhaps it was just natural human psychology but she always felt so much happier after a bath. Hopefully, if Xena had been successful she would have some dinner waiting too, her stomach rumbled in reaction to the thought. She pushed open the door to their room and found both some food but also a dripping warrior.

"Why are you wet?" Gabrielle asked, checking the window to make sure there hadn't been a freak rainstorm.

"I had a wash. One usually gets wet when one washes," the warrior answered pedantically.

The bard looked confused. "But I was in the bathroom all the time and you didn't come in?"

Xena face was serious. "Yes, you were actually in the bathroom for a whole day, it is really tomorrow now." Xena could not help but laugh out loud at her friend's momentarily wide-eyed expression. "Actually, I had eaten my supper and done my drills and you still weren't out of the bath so I made alternative washroom arrangements?"

Gabrielle scowled at the tall warrior. "I was not in the bath that long, anyhow, you should be glad you travel with someone who knows the virtues of being clean?" She eyed her friend critically, "so tell me Warrior, where exactly did you wash?"

Xena moved to the window and pointed, "there."

Gabrielle followed her gaze to a wooden horse trough just outside the stables. "You washed there?" The bard looked incredulous. "Naked?!"

The warrior smirked, "I couldn't wait till you had finished in the bathroom, I would have crusted over with the grime so much I wouldn't have been able to walk!"

Gabrielle couldn't help but laugh at the mental image her friend had presented. Unable to ignore her stomach any longer, she investigated the nice-smelling pots left on the table. "Mmm, what's this, it smells great!"

"Chicken and vegetable soup," the warrior answered, "with fresh crusty bread."

What seemed like moments later Xena spoke up again. "Well, you were certainly quicker with that than you were in the bathroom?"

Gabrielle flicked the warrior's thigh with the linen she had been using to dry her hair. "So, are we ready to go and see Elkton now?" she asked before her friend had time to counter attack.

The small hut was warm and inviting, a friendly fire crackled in the corner and liberally spread candles bathed the room with a gentle light. The friends were seated in simple but sturdy wooden chairs, taking in their surroundings with interest as Elkton made some tea. He had aged a little since they had last seen him, a few more sun carved lines showing on his weathered face and an extra peppering of grey in his short hair. However, his eyes were bright and almost danced with delight when he had opened the door of his small cabin to his surprise visitors.

He joined them near the fire, setting down a tray with three clay mugs and a large jug that was steaming promisingly. Pouring out the tea with a steady hand he passed around the beverages, serving himself last. Finally, he sat down in a large rocking chair, cradling his warm mug and beaming at his visitors. "So, how have you both been?" He asked.

Gabrielle and Xena exchanged glances, not really knowing how to reply. Their wandering lifestyle had taken them both on many adventures, some amusing and interesting, others brushing with the darkness of evil itself. "Busy!" The friends responded simultaneously.

The old man smiled knowingly. "You have both been through a lot, I know" he sympathised, "I always ask Morpheus to keep me updated with your well-being."

Gabrielle's eyes suddenly welled up with unshed tears and a hard lump formed in her throat. Perhaps it was the compassion in his voice or the unexpected conversation dredging up memories she tried to avoid thinking about.

Xena spoke up, "Yes, there were some challenging obstacles to overcome but we made it." She answered, unsure herself it she could continue to honestly say 'in one piece'. She looked over at her blonde companion, her heart clenching at the clearly marked pain on her friend's face. "We came to ask your advice actually." Xena decided to get straight to the point and stop the reminiscing that was causing Gabrielle so many difficulties.

Elkton looked at her, one eyebrow slightly raised. "Ask away," he offered.

The tall warrior took a deep breath and tried to decide how to state the problem without making herself appear mad or divulging too many details. She had hoped that she would be able to visit Elkton on her own so that she would not have to censor every sentence before she voiced it. However, when Gabrielle had stood in front of her and offered to let her go alone she found herself declining, somehow comforted by her friend's presence in such an alien situation. "I have been having visions," she stated simply.

Elkton's brows furrowed as he considered the statement. "Can you give me any more detail?" he probed.

Xena paused for a moment, trying to think of relevant facts related to such personal visions. "I have about two or three a week and have done for the last two months. They started as just noises and blurs but they have transformed into situations I can see clearly. The environments are totally alien, unlike anything I have seen anywhere in my travels. They do not last long but will happen both while I am asleep and as daydreams while I am awake."

The old man nodded his greying head methodically, slightly twisting his mug around in his worn hands. For a few moments the cabin was filled with silence bar the comforting crackle of the fire and the sound of a gentle breeze in the darkness outside. Gabrielle had recovered from her unexpected mood swing earlier and was gazing into the fire, listening to the conversation as unobtrusively as she could.

Finally, Elkton broke the silence. "Well," he began, his hand running over the rough stubble on his chin, "if you have these visions both in your sleep and while you are awake, it is unlikely to be something I can give you any answers to. If it had just been in your dreams then it would have been different but from what you have said it sounds like there is more to this than any of us are aware of."

Xena could not help but feel disappointed, she had found it hard to deal with the frustration her visions left her feeling and had been hoping, perhaps irrationally, that a solution would be forthcoming as soon as she could discuss the matter with Elkton. Well, she would just have to find another solution but first she needed some sort of hint as where to begin searching next. "Have you ever heard of something like this before?" she asked, hoping this would be a good starting point.

Elkton shook his head. "We all know there are gifted people in the world who turn their visions into prophecies. Those people are extremely rare though and every single one I have heard about has had the gift since childhood, that suggests to me that your 'gift' is something different." He paused, considering the problem. He desperately wanted to be of help both out of friendship but also because of a favour long due. "Let me ask for Morpheus' help, perhaps he can offer a clue that may be of assistance."

Xena was dubious about the likelihood of this, she had been the one to foil the god's attempt at recruiting the young Gabrielle as his bride, denying him the sacrifice of her blood innocence. However, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a bell ringing in the distance.

Elkton looked out of the window, noting the positions of the stars. "I am afraid I will have to leave you now, that is my cue for the midnight service." The friends drained their cups and rose to their feet. "I am sorry I could not have been of more help to you," he smiled regretfully at the tall warrior, "come and see me tomorrow though, if Morpheus has smiled upon me I may have something to offer you."

Gabrielle and Xena smiled at him, uttering thanks for both his attempts at help and his warm hospitality. Within a few moments there were outside in the crisp night air, returning to their simple inn room and their beds with tired anticipation.

Continued in Part 2...