The storm was intense and it was increasing in force with the passage of every hour. With his wings fully extended, flight feathers quivering, constantly adjusting to each subtle change in the direction and strength of the wind, the large bird cruised about a thousand cubits above the ground. Navigating his way through this mountain pass was something of a challenge; actually a little more than he cared for.

     The up and down drafts along the faces of the cliffs were becoming worse and the bases of the clouds were lowering with a corresponding decrease in visibility. He was aware there were an increasing number of very large rocks in those clouds.

     Though he looked like one, and flew like one, he was no goose. He was known as "Gander" by the very few friends he had. All others usually referred to him as "Two Staffs" and he was a Wizard possessed of far more than average talent and power. At the moment, though, he was occupied in trying to prove, to himself if no one else, that he was also possessed of enough common sense to come in out of the rain.

     And people use phrases like, 'silly goose,' he thought to himself. What arrogance. We humans are the silly ones in this world. Any self respecting goose would have long since landed in a grain field, had supper, and stayed put until this miserable weather had passed.

     Starting a slow decent he began looking for a likely place to land and take shelter. He could have continued on. He certainly had the power to sense objects and people over considerable distances. But he was tired, hungry, and he was getting cold. So far as he was concerned it was time to call it a day. Finding the two people he was looking for would just have to wait till morning; or longer if the weather didn't improve by then. The latest information he had said they were traveling in this direction.

     He'd been hearing a great deal about two, unique, young women for quite some time. They were, in fact, legendary. He'd also heard their individual personalities were somewhat opposite yet they were the closest of friends. All in all the two of them, Xena and Gabrielle were their names, interested him greatly and, as was his nature, he wanted to learn more about them. Besides, he couldn't remember the last time he'd sought the company of comparatively normal people.

     There was just something about him and what he chose to refer to as his 'Dubious Gift' which tended to make folks more than a little nervous. Wizards and ordinary people just didn't mix too well; sort of like oil and water. So generally Gander tended to keep his distance and lead a mostly solitary existence. However, their 'Dubious Gift' not withstanding, Wizards were also quite human.

     This being the case Gander would, on fairly rare occasions, seek the company of others while exercising great care in choosing those with whom he wanted to associate. If only half of what he'd heard about Xena and her friend Gabrielle were true they might make better than average candidates for his companionship: If they'd have him that is.

     A league or so further along and only about five hundred cubits from the ground he caught sight of what he was looking for. A small meadow and a copse of stunted trees and shrubs, hard by the cliff face, partially concealing a good sized outcropping of rock.

     Now Gander hadn't attained the mature age, ( for a Wizard ), of a hundred and fifty or so years by taking precipitous action or lacking a healthy regard for caution. Extending his senses he began a search of the area immediately below him looking for animal, or human, occupation.

     On the one hand anything or anyone seeking to make a meal of him would quickly find they'd really bitten off more than they could chew. On the other hand he was entirely too cold, wet, tired, and hungry to deal, amicably, with any such nonsense. "Avoid unnecessary problems" was his motto and it had served him very well for a century and a half.

     In the grass and scattered bushes of the meadow he could detect a number of small warm blooded creatures but there were no serious predators lurking there. A check of the cracks and crags of the surrounding cliffs showed a number of birds nesting but, happily, there were no pesky hawks about.

     But the copse was a different matter. There was a human presence there; beneath the overhanging rock. Two of them. And there was a horse with them as well.

     Remaining about two hundred cubits off the ground he began to slowly circle above the copse and the rock outcropping it partially shielded. Who ever they were they weren't moving about. Evidently they'd had the same idea as he had; only they'd gotten there first. With it raining the way it was they would likely remain under the shelter of the rock. What Gander wanted was at least a quick look at who was there.

     He decided he would try to draw at least one of them out into the open. If he didn't like their looks he'd just move on and seek shelter elsewhere. Besides there was always the million to one chance these two were the one's he was looking for. Passing over a tiny clearing, fronting the rock outcropping, he began uttering a series of loud 'honks.'