Uber Warning: This story is an uber. The two characters are based off of the leading ladies of XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS.

Author's Notes: This story takes place directly after The Hunt Part 1. Please read Part 1 before continuing. All POSITIVE comments are welcome. Negatives I will simply ignore. Send your thoughts to startrek@ellijay.com.

"You must think I'm some kind of idiot."

"I do not. May, what made you even say that?"

"I was scared." She smiled down at me.

"I kind of figured that out, but there's nothing wrong with that....."

"Yes, there is. I wanted to see it. A twig moves and I want to run home." She sighed and took a seat on the floor in front of me.

"May, if you weren't scared, I would have been worried. This isn't some treasure hunt. This is the real deal out here. Dangerous animals live out here. You have to be careful. If your afraid, you're not arrogant. You can live in the woods with dangerous animals and be okay as long as you have one thing."

"A gun?"

"No, May. Respect. You have to respect nature or it will get you......Understand?"

"I understand."

"Now come on. We've got some shopping to do."

Jody and I piled into her jeep. The single lane 'driveway' was long. There was a very heavy metal gate almost at the end of it. She had to get out, unlock it, and shove it open. Jody locked it behind us. Another mile brought us to the paved road, Burly Road. I immediately recognized it as she headed towards town. I had passed the driveway before the man pitched me out that night. I was silent until we arrived in town.

Jody left it up to me to choose what she was buying for me. After a thirty minute argument, I agreed to let her buy me the clothes I know I needed. Jody took the opportunity to stock up on some of my favorite foods. By the time the day was over, I was beside myself wondering why Jody was being so nice to me.

The trip from start to finish took five hours. I was glad to get back to the cabin and the peace and quiet of the woods. I can understand why she loves it here. I still felt like I let her down with our first 'hunt'. I was in the middle of that thought as I was looking at myself in the full length mirror. I was also startled out of that thought by two hands wrapping around my waist. I didn't turn around. I watched her reflection as she tenderly pulled me into her arms. "You look gorgeous." She whispers into my ear.

"Its just a pair of jeans." I comment.

"You still look gorgeous.......What's wrong?"

"I want to go out again."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I want to do this."

"I thought you were scared."

"I was, but I want to do this." I felt her arms tighten.

"How about we go out and try and get a deer this time?"

"Deer? Can we make jerky?"

"We can. How about I grab my double seated tree stand and we make a day of it?"

"Cool."

Jody showed me her locked gun cabinets. I was very impressed with her collection of firearms. I picked up her 30.30 rifle. It was almost as big as me. "That's a little too big for you, Sweetheart." I chuckled, wordlessly agreeing with her.

"Can I use your 410?" I ask. "My dad taught me."

"Sure. Let's go do a little target practicing."

Behind the house, Jody had a target range set up. Loading the shell into the shotgun, brought back a lot of memories of hunting with my dad. I was almost too shaken to fire it, but I did. I hit my target on the first try. "Wow. Nice shot."

"Thanks."

"We'll head out first thing in the morning. That okay?"

"Yeah." I smile, the previous disappointment forgotten.

We headed out at first light. This time we went in the opposite direction and this time I drove her other snowmobile. I was feeling good about this hunt. I was starting to remember the excitement of the hunt. Finding a nice spot, waiting for your target to come to you. Jody stopped in front of me. I pulled up beside her machine. "How about there?" she pointed. I turned and saw the ideal tree for our stand.

"Great."

"All right." We parked the snowmobiles a short distance away. After unpacking our gear, Jody pulled out a large, white tarp and covered up the machines.

"You go all out huh?"

"No use hunting if your not." We both chuckled.

We carried the gear to the base of the tree. "This is a different design." I commented as she began to assemble the stand.

"Yeah, I redesigned it where you can sit back-to-back or side-by-side. Which one?"

"Side-by-side." I said without thinking very long.

"Okay we have to climb in unison. You take the left. I'll take the right." I nodded, listening to her directions. "Strap your gun across your back." I did as she asked. Jody did the same. "Got your ammo?"

"Yep."

"Okay. I've got the binoculars." she said as she checked the gear. "I've got the backpack."

"Okay." We set up the stand and got into position to climb.

"When I say lift, you move the top up a notch. When I say base, you move the bottom until we've scaled the tree. Got it?"

"Yep." The self climbing tree stand made it easy to shimmy up the trunk of the tree. It took less than a minute to climb to the height Jody wanted. With no leaves on the trees, we had to rely on height to hide us from the deer.

Jody sat on my left and placed her gun in its holder. She chose her 30.06 for this trip instead of her 30.30. I placed my gun on the other side of me in its holder. Now all there was for us to do was wait. "Do you want a safety belt?" she asked.

"Nah. I'm okay." She began to scan the horizon, looking for signs of any wildlife.

"Might see a few squirrel." she commented.

I don't know how long we sat there. We talked about some of her other hunts as we drank hot chocolate out of her thermos. With Jody so close and the hot beverage, I didn't notice the temperature anymore. "Jody?"

"Huh?"

"Are you planning to live here the rest of your life?"

"Yes. I love it here.....Why?"

"Just asking."

"You don't like it here?"

"No, I love it." She turned and looked at me.

"Does that mean you'll stay for awhile?"

"I want to stay with you......for as long as you'll have me." I said.

"Then you'll be here for quite a long time."

"How long?" I smile. She leans in close to me.

"Forever." she whispered into my ear. I kissed her, hard, almost taking her totally by surprise. The crispness of the air and the texture of her lips reminded me we were still

outdoors, but that did not stop me. I dragged my tongue eagerly across her lips. "Damn, May." she groaned as our kiss intensified. With no apparent reason, Jody broke off the kiss.

"What is...."

"Shhh." Her head remained where it was, her lips now near my shoulder. "Over your shoulder." she whispered. "There's something moving this way." She slowly moved back. I turned slowly towards the direction of where she was looking. I saw it too. It was too far away for us to determine what it was, but it was definitely moving this way. How Jody heard it that far away, I'll never know. I turned to her and saw Jody raise the binoculars to her eyes.

"What is it?" I whispered. I saw a smile spread across her face under the binoculars.

"10 pointer." I left a slow sigh of relief that isn't wasn't anything else. "You take it,

Baby." I pulled my gun out of the holder and took the safety off. With this single shot 410, I had to make it count. The deer was now in full view and still heading directly for us. I brought the shotgun up and took aim. "Through the neck, May." Her mouth was near my ear. I waited patiently for the perfect opportunity. I brought my finger to the trigger. I squeezed the trigger. The boom rang in my ears as I felt my weapon lightly kick back on my shoulder. We watched as it staggered approximately thirty feet before falling and expiring. "All right! Nice shot, Sweetheart. You'll get that venison you wanted now." Jody attached the portable ladder and tossed it down.

"Thanks." I was happy with the clean shot. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it.

"Come on. Let's go get your buck." Jody strapped her gun across her back and started to climb down as I opened the chamber and removed the used shell, replacing it with a new one. Putting the safety on, I strapped it on and climbed down. Jody was waiting for me at the bottom. We reached for each other, giving a congratulatory hug.

We walked the distance to my kill hand-in-hand. I haven't felt this happy in years. I was doing what I loved to do and I was doing with someone I loved very much. We kneeled on one knee to examine the wounds I left. "Right in the neck. Beautiful shot, Hon."

"Thanks, Jody." Having a seasoned hunter like Jody tell me I did a good job, was an awesome feeling.

"Well, better drag it back to the snowmobiles." I grabbed one side of the antlers, Jody grabbed the other. Between the two of us, he still felt heavy. He was a beautiful animal. Jody looked over at me. "Did I tell you, you look hot in my camo?" I laughed.

"No, you didn't. You don't look so bad yourself, Babe." She winked at me. I couldn't wait to get back to the house. The look in her eye was making me feel very warm, even in the single digit temperature.

I was so busy thinking along those lines, I didn't realize Jody was becoming a bit nervous. "What's wrong?"

"I hear something." Yet, she didn't stop. In fact, she began to pull faster. "Let's go." I didn't question her. I just began to speed up the process of dragging it to the machines. We were almost there when we both heard the sound of something heavy running through the snow. I turned and looked to my right.

I remember my jaw dropping. I remember my heart stopping as a huge, black mass ran towards me. "JODY!" I dropped the antlers and screamed again for Jody. My feet weren't moving. I felt a tear fall from my eye. I was frozen in fear. In the few seconds that this took place, Jody jumped over the carcass and was standing beside me. As it finally registered that I was finally seeing what I had always wanted to see, Jody stepped in front of me, raising her 30.06. The animal, or creature, moved very fast. It changed directions, taking itself out of her line of fire as if it knew what the weapon was. It ran around us instead of right for me. Jody turned the gun in a circle following it, keeping a bead on it. As she did a 360, I ducked to clear her line of fire if needed and I stepped around behind her. The creature disappeared into the trees.

Jody lowered her gun, shouldered it, and turned to me. I was standing with my mouth agape. My hands were slightly away from my sides. Tears were still streaming down my face. "Jody." I whispered hoarsely.

"Its okay. You're okay. You're safe, Honey." I didn't see her. My eyes were affixed on the spot where it disappeared into the trees. She touched my shoulder, bringing me out my trance. I pulled her to me as if my life depended on it. "Its okay."

"It came right at me." I said shakily.

"It wanted the deer, not you." I pulled away. She reached up and wiped my tears away.

"You sure?"

"I'm positive."

"You stepped in front of me."

"I wasn't going to let anything hurt you.....and I never will. Come on. Let's get home."

Jody spent the rest of the day out in her shed cleaning my deer. Right before she pulled it into the building, she insisted on the classic deer hunter pose holding the antlers of my 10 point buck. I changed out of her camo and into my jeans. I sat at the window seat, watching the new snowfall. Soon Jody emerged from her shed just before sunset. I watched her make her way back into the house. I smiled when she looked up and saw me. She waved and playfully winked at me.

It was shortly after when I heard the water running as she began her shower. Her presence in the house eased me. I smiled, remembering the way she had looked at me right before the creature showed up. The warmth in her eyes warmed my heart. "Hey." I jumped at the sound of her voice. "I'm sorry."

"That's okay." She repositioned me so she could slide in behind me. Together we watched the sunset.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." I sighed. "Just scared again."

"Don't be."

"Did it ever charge you, Jody?" I inquired. She fidgeted slightly.

"No. It always walked away from me or just paid no attention to me......It wanted the deer, May."

"I know. That's what I keep telling myself, but I was scared, Jody. It looked like it was gonna kill me." She kissed me on the temple gently, wrapping her arms tighter around me.

I felt the need to kiss her. I turned my head and pulled her face closer. I saw her smile just before our lips connected. The warmth spread throughout my body. It was a strange, but pleasant feeling. When the kiss became even more passionate, I knew what I wanted. I wanted her. I turned my body to pull her closer to me. Her hands were on either side of my face as she explored my mouth. I felt her moving away, but she pulled me along with her. She stood and pulled me towards the couch. My mouth moved to her delicious neck. She took the blanket off of the couch and dropped it on the floor in front of the fireplace. I was nervous, but I know Jody loves me and would never hurt me. "Mmmm." I moaned against her neck. "You smell good." I whispered. Her skin was warm from her shower. It was the scent of her body wash that was driving me to insanity. I heard the gasp from her as I sensually licked just below her ear.

I was being lowered. I felt the softness of the blanket and the warmth of the fire. As her weight came down on top of me, I couldn't suppress the moan that escaped. I felt her hands reach under the edge of my shirt, rubbing my abdomen. Her hand didn't remain there. Jody moved further up, cupping my bare breast. Her other hand busied itself with the button on my waistband. I felt my jeans being opened. I was going to let her do whatever she wanted to. As my arms wrapped around her, I realized she was in her sweats. I knew with a good tug, they would be off of her hips. I slowly hooked my thumbs into her waistband. Getting no reaction, with the exception of her increased squirming, I removed her sweats. One of Jody's hands came down to help me remove them. She was wearing silk underneath, now I felt it. Sometime after, my shirt was removed. I was now in only my underwear. I felt scared, but I wanted this. I wanted Jody.

She felt the tension that came into my body at that moment. "Are you okay?" she breathed. I nodded. "You sure?"

"Yes." I whispered.

"If you want me to stop......"

"No. I want this, Jody.......I love you." I watched the smile spread across her beautiful face.

"Love you, too." She tenderly brushed the hair away from my face. She looked down at my almost bare body underneath. "Your gorgeous." she breathed as her lips descended to my nearest breast. I gasped as I felt her warm tongue caress my nipple. Feeling the pleasure of what she was doing to my breasts, I suddenly felt the need to see her body. She protested slightly when I forced her to stop suckling on my breast to remove her shirt. I more than made up for it by caressing her all ready erect nipples. My hand ventured over her hip, passing over her butt, grabbing a handful of flesh. With the tip of my finger, I traced the elastic at the top of her thigh. Then, bringing my hand back up, I slipped my entire hand underneath the material. Jody stopped her actions. I saw her eyes close as she groaned at the feel of a hand on her bare skin. Now I had started the fire. Her hands stopped caressing and went straight for my underwear. I lifted my hips and she quickly removed them. Now I wanted to feel every part of her. She read my mind as she removed her last garment just as quickly as she stripped me of mine.

I was now fully aroused. Jody's body was beautiful, very beautiful. Placing her weight back on top of me, I felt the wetness between us. We both made sounds of pleasure as she rotated her hips once. My hips rose from the blanket, wanting more. Without warning, I felt two fingers slide into my center. "Jody." I breathed as her thumb played with my clit. My eyes closed, savoring the sensation. I felt her lips go to my neck as her fingers began to move within me. She licked and nipped at my neck as she was bringing me to the edge. When she began to softly whisper passionately against my skin, I felt my orgasm rip through me. I tried to remain as quiet as possible, but failed miserably as Jody's name echoed through the large and otherwise quiet house.

I awoke feeling warm and cozy. I opened my eyes and saw that I was in Jody's bed. I had fallen asleep by the fire. Now I was in her bed. I felt her underneath me. I lifted my head and saw that my upper body was draped over her. I lowered my head and snuggled back in. My fear was gone. "Jody?" I whispered. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah." she yawns heavily.

"Jody? Can we go hunting?"

"Now?" she yawned. I shoved her.

"No, tomorrow. Can we go hunting again tomorrow?"

"Are you sure?"

"I need to do this."

"Sure, Baby." she yawned. "I'll go out as many times as you need to........Can I go back to sleep now?"

Even though the stand was set up at a completely different location once again, I was still thinking about the creature. "Jody, how do you keep coming into the woods and not think about it?"

"I just think of it as a part of nature just like the deer or the bear."

"I tried that. I'm still scared, Jody."

"Anyone would be scared about yesterday. I was. If your going to live here, you have to deal with it."

"Jody, how many times have you actually seen it?"

"Plenty." she said quietly.

"Why is it following me?"

"Following you?"

"I saw it the first night I was in these woods." She looked at me. "I didn't actually see it, but I knew something was following me."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought, at the time, that you wouldn't believe me.......Don't you find it odd that every

time you've come out here with me, we've seen in?"

"We didn't see it when I went to check the trap."

"I saw it in the trees." She turned her head and leaned back into her seat in thought. She chuckled. "What?"

"Maybe its a he and he has good taste." I couldn't help, but laugh. In fact, she made me temporarily forget my troubles.

Soon, my worries were lifted as Jody and I turned to other subjects. The shared interest of hunting was a natural subject to turn to. On this trip, Jody brought her muzzleloader. I never owned one as a kid. With it being a large gun, I never was able to fire it. After several hours of spotting nothing, I asked Jody if I could fire it. She agreed. Jody stood and moved into the small space between our seats, kneeling. I turned in the other direction, sitting sideways in my chair. That put Jody directly behind me. I raised the gun and took aim. She repositioned my hands. "How's that feel, Sweetheart?" I turned and looked at her. Her eyes, once again, gave me a warm feeling inside, reminding me of the wonderful night we spent.

"Great." I drawled.

"I meant the weight of the gun." she smiled, "but...." She kissed me softly, teasing me with her tongue. "Now, shoot." I returned my concentration to the gun. "Try and hit that knot in the tree." The target was about twenty feet away.

"It's not gonna hurt when it kicks back is it?" She looked at the position of the stock on my shoulder.

"Its perfect.....Now shoot." I took aim. I closed my eyes and tensed. "Relax." she whispers just before I pull the trigger. The gun pushes me back slightly. I opened my eyes

and saw billows of smoke coming from the gun. "How was it?" she smiled.

"Wow.....that was loud."

"Hey, you hit it, Baby......Look." She put the binoculars down in front of eyes. I looked through them at my target, which didn't exist anymore.

I felt a huge push. I tried to steady myself, but I was pushed out of my seat. I felt myself falling. I felt the metal of the platform. I grabbed for whatever I could. "MAY!!" Another huge push, this one I knew shook the entire tree. The platform shook with it. I saw Jody's muzzleloader fall from where I had dropped it. It fell past me and fell into the snow. Jody was struggling, as I was, to hold on. She was caught between the seats. She managed to grab my chair. Risking her life, she let go with her left hand and held it out to me. "May, come on, Baby. Grab my hand." Another push, testing the strength of her stand and the tree itself. What was happening? I was straining to hold on. My grip was slipping with each blow. I had no desire to fall to the ground.

"Jody, I'm going to fall."

"No, your not." She did the unthinkable and let go. She got onto her stomach and grabbed my arms with both hands. Another push. Jody came sliding towards me. Her body slid on top on my fingers. I screamed in pain as her body weight was being pushed onto my hands. "Hold on!" I bit my lip to try to bare her weight. It wasn't her fault. The platform had loosened and was now bending with my weight, pushing her directly on top of me. She struggled to move back, but gravity was against her. "Hang on, May. Don't let go." It was a long fall to the forest floor. She was able to slide over, relieving my aching hands. Jody carefully positioned herself to look under the platform. "The base bar is bent.......shit." After accessing the damage, she reached for me again.

"What was that?" I breathed, exhaustion setting in.

"I don't know." She began to haul me up. "I don't see anything." Another push. The entire platform threatened to fall. The force pushed Jody over the edge and pushed me back down.

"Jody!" Like me, she managed to grab the platform before her whole body went over and stopped her plummet to the ground. Now with both our weights, the stand was sure to collapse. Another push. Jody grabbed the support bar of one of seats and began to pull herself up. As soon as she was once again on the platform, she pulled a handgun from her waistband. I had no idea she had one. "Jody, what are........"

"Shhh." I watched her put the clip from her pocket into the gun. She moved to the edge. She extended her armed hand out, as she once again looked under the platform. Another push. She fired. Another push. This one forced my left hand to let go. Now I was literally dangling over the edge. Jody fired again. The sound echoed through the trees, then everything was silent. "Hold on, Baby."

"That's what I've been trying to do!" I yelled in frustration. We both smiled despite the situation. I saw Jody place her gun on the seat I had been sitting in and reach for me. Another push. I felt the platform fall slightly. It was enough to make my weakened grip release. I saw the platform move away from me as I was heading for the ground.

"MAY!!!"

To Be Continued..........