Contact: Phineas_Redux@yahoo.com
—OOO—
Summary:— Xena and Gabrielle chase a renegade Amazon through the depths of a northern Greek forest. Many dangers are encountered on the way, and eventually Xena finds herself making a pact with the Amazon. This story is as much about the forest, as the three women.
Notes:— 1. The characters are on foot instead of horseback as this is required because of the terrain, and for plot purposes. 2. Kerkini is still, today, a real municipality of Northern Greece; though my geographical descriptions may not reflect present day conditions.
Disclaimer:— MCA/Universal/RenPics own all copyrights to everything related to ‘ Xena: Warrior Princess ' and I have no rights to them.
Measurements of distance— 1 parasang = 3 miles approx. (4.827 km) : 10 stadia = 1 mile approx. (1.609 km).
—O—
Chapter 1
When the sun had gone down on the Kerkini Woods the previous evening Otrera had taken comfort from the fact she was still at least a day's travel ahead of her pursuers. The dim light had gradually become lost in the unfathomable depths of the countless tree-lined glades. The interlacing trunks and thick canopy above had seemed to slowly fade into a weird twilight in which the innumerable trees had, one by one, disappeared into obscure darkness. As Otrera trod noiselessly over the bark-strewn ground no sound, but a curiously fragrant dust, rose around her boots. She was alone in a vast echoless waste of trees; surrounded by an impenetrable shade; and an even more mysterious silence.
But Otrera had smiled quietly to herself amidst this wilderness of interlaced tree-trunks and dim vault of over-reaching canopy. She was in her element here, and knew the meaning of every last flicker of movement, quivering shadow, or breath of mingled scents which came gently wafted on the almost visibly motionless air amongst the towering columns which stood all round her, and receded for miles in every direction. She was an Amazon tracker with years of experience and somewhere, less than a day's travel behind, there were others on her trail with menace in their hearts. Otrera smiled again and swiftly, with the grace of a young deer and the silence of a passing shadow, vanished amongst the trees; leaving as much trace as might a flickering zephyr gently disturbing a leaf.
Now, with the onset of the earliest light of the new morning came those few, infrequent, almost careful noises which spoke of the awakening life of the forest. A few birds, braver than most, sang in the blue sky as they sailed over the sea of rolling tree-tops spread below their wings, like an everlasting ocean of green. In the high canopy itself, darting from branch to branch, or twig to twig, a variety of creatures searched for their first meal of the day. On the soft bark-laden ground below a few wild pigs, or even rarer boars, snuffled in the rich scented moist earth. In the thickest of the glades; in the most out-of-the-way gullies or copses, a bear might be seen as it raised its snout in the soft air searching for any clue to the life about it. At the side of an old tree, fallen to earth long ago and now virtually hidden by creeping weeds and bushes, a low flowering bush shivered faintly for an instant, then was pushed quietly aside as Otrera slid out from the little cavern-like space below the curving trunk which had given her safety during the night.
She was dressed in buckskin jerkin and leggings and had at her side a small shoulder pack in which she kept her most needed essentials. She had no horse, but was travelling by foot through this trackless forested wasteland of high ridges and deep river gorges. It was a country admirably suited to only the most determined and capable of explorers; but with her years of knowledge and experience, though she was still only in her mid twenties, Otrera felt completely at home in a situation she understood absolutely.
She was not so stupid as to light a fire for a cooked breakfast. Nothing would be surer to pinpoint her position to those who trekked in her rear. A small trickle over on her left, barely able to call itself a stream, gave her fresh water. With this and a few roots and vegetables she had garnered in her march through the never-ending forest she managed to make a fair meal. Then she buried all trace of her activities and covered over the spot with mould, fallen twigs, and scattered debris till it looked as if no living thing had passed that way in centuries. Throwing her pack over her shoulder and slipping the light bow she carried on the other shoulder Otrera gazed around for a moment; took a quick glance above at the now sunlit canopy, and the ground around; which now seemed almost alive with the flickering sunlight and shadows dancing over its surface. Drawing a deep breath of the richly scented air the Amazon girl turned and set off in a Northerly direction. She knew where she was going.
—O—
The morning was still only an hour old when Xena glanced at her companion as they moved softly through the all-encompassing trees. Gabrielle smiled back as she paused to shift the bow strung over her shoulder, then took a few steps to catch up with her friend.
“Another bright day. How far behind d'you think we are?”
“Not so far. We're doin' well.” Xena smiled at the slim blonde-haired woman as they set off together along a faint trail that seemed to lead in the right direction, though the constantly moving shadows made it difficult to see very far in any direction.
“ Gods , I didn't think the trees could be so thick.” Gabrielle took up the burden of a conversation she had started the day before. “I hardly know which direction we're going in, even now. How'd you do it?”
“ Oh , just experience.” Xena pointed at a nearby tree on their left. “See the moss there? It grows most strongly on the North-facing side of the trunk. Gives ya an idea of direction, even at night. And there are other things, too.”
“Glad I'm with you, and not against you.” Gabrielle was impressed. “How's our quarry doin', d'you think?”
“She's good.” Xena nodded her head as they walked through the shade and over the crackling leaves and mould which paved the floor of the forest all around. “Managed to stay well ahead for the last three days; and nary a sight of campfire smoke. Yeah, she ain't playin'; she knows what she's doin'.”
“I'm amazed how far she's gone in just a few days.” Gabrielle brushed a hand over her forehead. Even though the sun was high in the morning sky, there was still deep shade at ground level and they had to constantly change direction round trees and spreading roots. Gabrielle had early found that keeping a sharp eye on the forest-floor immediately ahead of her was indispensable, if a broken ankle was to be avoided. And it was all hot work.
A few minutes later the trees thinned out to be replaced by waist-high bushes close-set with prickly leaves and twigs which caught on their clothing. On Xena's advice both women had changed their usual short skirts and tops for more body-covering clothes. Buckskin shirts, loose jerkins and long leggings over thick boots. Gabrielle had complained at the unaccustomed restriction to start with, but a day's struggle through the heavy undergrowth and towering trees had soon made her realise the benefit of scratch-proof clothing on her legs and body.
“There's a stream over there, Xena.” She was gasping for breath after the last stretch of terrain with its uneven ground. And tied over her shoulder was the carcass of a rabbit she had caught the night before, which didn't ease her movements any. “I could do with a drink. Maybe we could cook this rabbit. It's starting to feel heavy, y'know.”
“Drink, yeah.” Her companion looked around the open glade. It was about thirty yards wide, encircled by tall heavy-branched trees which soared about 40 feet above their heads. They appeared to be standing in a well of light, surrounded by a wall of deepest darkness. “But no cooking. We can't risk the smoke being seen. You'll hav'ta wait till dark for the rabbit stew.”
“So it's roots and cornbread, then?”
“ 'fraid so. Here, lem'me help.”
A few minutes later they crouched beside a moss grown boulder, munching cold rations and slaking their thirst with equally cold stream water. As the bare meal finished Gabrielle paused to wipe her brow once more.
“Can we catch up with her today, d'you think?”
“Nah.” Xena shook her head, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder. “Too far ahead yet. But tomorrow the rising ground, going up to the foothills, will be in front of her. It ain't steep, but there are plenty of river ravines and rocky slopes. She'll definitely be slowed down there.”
“And we'll catch up over the low ground we'll still be on.” Gabrielle nodded. “I like it. So by tomorrow afternoon we might be within sight of her?”
“Not quite that.” Xena mused, stroking her chin with a long finger. “Certainly within a parasang, maybe less, for sure.”
Gabrielle rose and began packing their few utensils back in the small shoulder pouch she carried. Xena took the rabbit and threw it across her own shoulder, tied round her sword sheath; alongside her own shoulder pack. This terrain was far too difficult for horses and so both hunted and hunters were restricted to tramping through the heavily wooded wilderness. Within a few minutes they were ready to continue their journey.
“I was surprised ya decided to chase her, Gabrielle.” Xena spoke quietly as they passed on beneath the dark limbs inter-weaving far above their heads. “Would've thought, as an Amazon, you'da felt she was, well, sort'a safe—inviolate.”
“She murdered another Amazon, supposedly. One of her sisters—she must be brought to justice. Amazon justice.” Gabrielle sounded far from happy, but there was a determined note in her voice which sounded strangely in Xena's ears. “It shouldn't take long to find her in this wilderness. Then we can bring her back to face the consequences of her act. Just as well Queen Thalestris of the Northern Tribe saw her do it. That's what decided me.”
“Well, come tomorrow we'll be closer, much closer.” Xena gazed ahead through the long aisles of trees. “Then we can start to think about capturing the mean little bitch. I've got an idea or two about that.”
—O—
As the morning drew on towards noon Otrera kept walking steadily with the sun on her left. The trees never gave any sign of thinning though they did vary from mere copse to thicker groves and, in some parts, became almost impenetrable. She found herself having to wend her way more and more around areas which were simply impassable. This slower advance was also aggravated by a series of streams that were now beginning to make their presence felt.
The first of these had been nothing more than the merest of trickles which she had hopped across without hardly noticing; but then had come a respectable stream that had made her pause for thought before wading ankle deep to the opposite side. Now, just before noon, she stood on the bank of the first true river she had yet met with in this barren landscape; and it worried her.
A good point was that she could at least get a fair view of the sky and, through a rift in the trees behind her, a lengthy vista into the far distance over which she had come in the last two days. The downside was there was no sign; even to the small patch of far horizon, of tendrils of smoke or dust from anyone following, though she knew well enough they were there. The more immediate concern was right in front of her, though. This river was about twenty-five feet wide, and deep; probably up to her waist if she tried a crossing at this point.
Downstream was clearly no better, but a glance upstream showed a series of rocks and boulders forming a small barrier which seemed to stretch across the full width some fifty yards away. On reaching this Otrera soon discovered it was a natural line of water-driven rocks which had, fortunately for her, descended from higher parts to create an uneven row across the river just there. They weren't by any means perfectly placed, being of differing sizes with some well above the surface while others were just on or below the swirling water. But, after careful investigation, she decided they formed a passable crossing.
There was no impatience visible in her movements as she paused to take stock. Running a hand through her short brown hair she glanced all round; at the banks on either side; the trees along the thin pebbly shore on which she stood; and the line of blue sky above, with its faint tracery of clouds. Now, in the middle of the day, the heat was building. Standing amongst the close-set trees of this vast forest, Otrera could feel the waves of heat, beneath the ranks of heavily branched trunks, like living caresses washing over her face and causing rivulets of sweat to run down her back. The scent of pine, oak, fallen leaves, and old dry bark crushed beneath her feet was almost overwhelming.
She was further hampered by the leather satchel, quiver, and bow all strung over her shoulders and restricting her movements. Stepping gingerly out on the first, mainly flat, rock she darted forward onto the next. This was more of a boulder with a rounded surface, mostly above the water and dry. Another small jump took her to a series of smaller rocks all of which were of a size and shape to cause no real worry. But then she found herself out in the middle of the stream, and here there was an appreciable gap between the rock she stood on and the next boulder across the fast flowing water. The distance was about 4 feet, but the rock was rounded on the surface facing her and also had a curved top. It was going to be a difficult business just reaching it, never mind finding a steady foothold. It was quite obvious she would need to jump up as well as over in order to reach the top of the stone.
Knowing that hesitation would probably lead to failure she took a deep breath; gauged the distance with her eye then, bending low, took a wide-legged jumping stride. There was a moment when she felt sure she had misjudged the distance, then her boot came down hard and fast on the dry top of the granite boulder and after a few seconds scrambling she steadied herself with a firm foothold on the rock.
From there, she was relieved to note, it was only a case of stepping across a few more reasonably flat and easy-spaced stones to the other shore. When she set foot on the opposite side, and glanced back at the waters she had crossed she heaved a deep sigh of relief. This was the kind of obstacle that might not only have held her up, but could have resulted in serious injury; which in her present circumstances would have been fatal.
She threw her pack and weapons down on the pebbles of the riverbank and knelt to take handfuls of water and splash them over her face. Gasping with the chill of the cold water she shook her head, then sat back to review her position. The river would be a considerable hindrance to those following her trail. She was not quite sure how many there were but was working on the notion there were two. Even so she realised that these kinds of impediments in her course would soon end in those behind catching up with her. But she could do nothing about this. The thought crossed her mind of moving some of the stones in the river to make it harder still for those others to cross; but a moment's consideration showed this to be impossible. The rocks in the river were far too heavy, even the smaller ones, for her to have any hope of shifting. All she could do was pass on and trust to better options further ahead. But her hopes were not high.
Having filled her water-bottle and walked on a score of yards into the shadow of the overhanging trees Otrera sat beneath a spreading pine and opened her pack to take out the cold remnants of a small rabbit she had killed and had for supper yesterday. This, along with the refreshing water from the river, gave her heart and renewed confidence. Half an hour later her lithe form sped on through the thick undergrowth and endless trees, heading slightly East of North, her one purpose to outrun those on her trail. She moved with a smooth ground-covering step, breathing lightly and easily in a situation for which she had spent all her adult life training. She was an Amazon warrior, and this was her kind of country and way of life. Otrera grinned broadly as she darted on under the flickering shade of the majestic trees all around and above her. She felt safe and, as yet, still secure.
—O—
Gabrielle stared up into the blue high above. The sun was scorching and almost directly overhead, although it was only visible as scattered fragments of light sparkling through the high canopy. Where they now stood a gigantic tree had fallen to the ground in recent times tearing a jagged path between its neighbours, which had resulted in a relatively open patch of ground. This was now thickly covered in encroaching fern, bracken and small bushes; all fighting for their segment of the newly available light. But, at least, it also provided the travellers with a scrap of open sky.
“Noon, Xena.”
“Yup.”
“I can see a lighter green shining through the trees.” Gabrielle pointed to her left, as she tightened the leather strap of her shoulder pouch. “Over there, Xena, see? A big clearing.”
“You're right. Come on.”
As the two women passed through the waist high undergrowth they came out into a more open and level piece of land where streamers of bright light gleamed on the open grass of a wide glade. A brilliant luminosity shone through the upper branches of the trees with golden scintillations that almost blinded the eye. Amongst the thick greenery all around a sudden distant blaze of deep crimson heralded the presence of a wide-spreading beech, making itself felt amongst the myriads of elms and oaks.
Towards one side of this clearing the grass was shorter and smoother, almost certainly the result of rabbit burrows hidden in the vicinity. But now it gave a delightful place to lie and rest. One of the surrounding trees also lent its shade to cool them where they dumped their heavy loads and sat close together.
“How're ya doin', Gabrielle?”
“Parasangs in me yet, Xena.” Gabrielle grinned at her dark friend as they both took long swigs from their water-bottles. “I've been on longer, tougher treks training with my Amazon sisters. I can do this.”
“I know.” Xena nodded quietly, staring at Gabrielle with a sparkle in her blue eye. “You'll still be driving on when I'm gasping for a break. Ya seem to be really at home in this kind'a country.”
“Being with the Amazons for those months a while ago when you were in Attica helped me, Xena.” Gabrielle looked directly and confidently into her partner's face. “I learnt a lot. Yeah, I understand the woods and what goes on in them far better now. I know what I'm doing.”
Xena nodded and then glanced around the nearby open ground, bordered on all sides by the dim recesses of the thick woods. She had taken a close look at the area where they now sat, as well as examining the bracken and bushes nearby.
“What're you looking for, Xena?” Gabrielle stared into her friend's face. “D'you think we're following right on her trail? I mean, in her footsteps.”
“I was hoping.” Xena's eyes swept over the terrain once more. “But, no. We're following, but not on the same exact line. Her trail may be some ways to the North of our own route.”
“Can we find her trail?”
“If—I mean, when—we come to a river—then we'll probably have to cross at the same place she picked.” Xena nodded decisively. “That should put us right on her track.”
“Tomorrow then, Xena?”
“Yup, looks that way.”
Normally at this time of day any travellers would have been driven by the heat to seek shelter, or stop and rest, in the early afternoon. But in these Northern climes; and with the high tree-canopy acting as a cover over their heads, the two women would find it easy to keep moving. They didn't have the reassurance and speed of horses; but this was true of their quarry also. Horses, in this rough forested terrain; with rocky gorges, and steep-sided rivers and streams to cross continuously, would have been impossible to handle. Therefore they had no choice but to rely on their own physical strength and efforts. Their only consolation lay in knowing the girl ahead of them was in the same predicament.
This clearing also gave them the chance to study the sky and clouds. To try and gauge the wind-speed and its direction. To judge the weather outlook; and what it told the two skilled travellers was not encouraging. Xena let her companion speak first, after a detailed consideration of the panorama of blue, faintly washed with white, which was visible.
“I don't think it's looking good, Xena.” Gabrielle shook her head, white locks shimmering in the strong light. “That pale sheet of thin cloud ain't good. And the wind has changed direction since we set out this morning.”
“And grown a little stronger.”
“Yeah, that too.” The Amazon eased her shoulders gently as she gazed across the clearing to where a dark-leaved tree stood on the far side. “See that beech? The dull red tone of its colour; and the listless way the leaves are hanging, with dark shadows all through it?”
“What does that tell ya, Gabrielle?”
“That there's a storm coming.” She gave a quick look to her taller companion. “Not yet. Not right now. But maybe tomorrow. Wish I could see the horizon; t'see if there's a cloud-bank forming.”
“There will be, I bet.” Xena nodded in her turn. She didn't congratulate Gabrielle outright on her weather-reading skill; but the very fact she accepted Gabrielle's words without demur showed her trust. “Something in the air. I can't describe it. Something tells me it may well be a real terrible affair, too.”
“This isn't cave country, Xena.” Ever aware of safety, Gabrielle thought first about the best shelter from any storm. “We may need to find some really close-growing oaks or cedars. Somewhere with some protection from the elements.”
“You're right.” Xena nodded as they munched on some floury cakes that Gabrielle had unwrapped from her satchel. Now a couple of days old they were beginning to dry and become hard, though still edible. “If we find something like that then I can build a good cover with branches and undergrowth. We should be alright.”
“And the girl?”
“Figure she'll be as competent in scouting skills as we are.” Xena mused on this idea for a moment. “And, of course, she'll be further ahead—higher on the ridges. Amongst the rocky terrain. She may find a cave for herself.”
“ Huh .” Gabrielle's tone said everything necessary about her thoughts on this. “So, which way now, then?”
“Your choice, Gabrielle.” Xena spoke without sarcasm or humour. Just like another Amazon looking to her companion to lead the way.
“Got everything, Xena?” The white-haired Amazon glanced at her friend's preparations to leave the temporary camp. “OK. I figure over this way. We go between these oaks—see the sort of trail leading along through the woods? Like a deer-run. That'll take us in the direction we need—and cut out fighting through heavy undergrowth for a while.”
“OK. I'm behind ya.”
—O—
The afternoon had worn on over several hours; hours during which Otrera had made good progress. She stayed on her adopted course mainly by assessing various natural details on the ground around her and in the surrounding landscape; as much of the latter as was visible at any one moment, anyway. This, along with a clear understanding of the Sun's position, satisfied the young Amazon she was still heading in the right direction.
But now she had come to a halt as she paused to consider the obstacle that had suddenly shown itself immediately ahead on her chosen route, and spreading wide on either hand.
The thick pines had abruptly thinned out and more or less stopped, revealing a rocky ridge maybe 70 feet high and extending into the distance in both directions. The summit; creating an uneven and broken skyline, appeared to be just higher than the thick forest behind her. So her first thought was that, if she made her way to the top, the distant horizon would be opened up to view. She might have a good chance of seeing some faint traces of her pursuers; but this was off-set by the possibility that they might be close enough on her trail to actually see her climbing the barren ridge. She stood silently in thought.
Once more she wasted no time but came to a decision and started forward. Within a few yards the trees had been left behind as the ground began to rise. She was quickly reduced to a walking pace; then had to take each step at a time on the loosely packed stones, pebbles and broken rocks beneath her feet. Although only some 70 feet in height it took the Amazon nearly an hour to reach the final few yards to stand on the summit of the winding ridge.
She had to sit on a rock and take a swig from her water-bottle and wipe the sweat from her forehead before she was able to take in her present situation. Raising her eyes she first saw the rolling sweep of the tree-tops as they swept away in an ocean-like series of rising and falling green billows in the direction from which she had come. The ridge plateau was indeed just high enough above this canopy to afford a view for many parasangs towards the distant horizon; a misty blue in the heat haze.
A minute's keen observation told her there was absolutely no sign of human activity in that direction. Although she was well aware there was someone following, they were good enough at their task not to show themselves. Realising there was nothing further to be gained from gazing at the panorama behind her Otrera rose and turned to face along the ridge. Glancing in both directions she quickly took stock of the lie of the land. To her left the ridge seemed to disappear into the distance, rising and falling slightly as it went, but never showing any sign of returning to ground level. On her right the same was true except that about a third of a parasang away it did seem to fall significantly lower; not rising into view again, she reckoned, for another 5 stadia or so. Probably a river cutting through the ridge. And if this was so it would almost certainly be a deep, rock-bound virtually impassable gorge. Much better to cross straight over the ridge where she was and descend the opposite side back into whatever forest awaited her there.
As she came to this decision there was a loud crack, followed by the sound of many loose rocks sliding down the incline near where she stood. Instantly dropping to the ground she lay inert and motionless for an appreciable time before even risking a cautious glance around. Very slowly she raised her head and quietly looked in every direction; not forgetting to examine the terrain immediately behind her, along the path she had climbed to this present eminence.
But nothing stirred. All was quiet and peaceful again. Her quick eye spotted a movement on a nearby boulder and she recognised, amidst the grey-green moss covering its surface, a long sinuous lizard going about its business unconcernedly. After another swift reconnaissance Otrera slowly rose and flexed her aching shoulders. Another, lesser, rattle of pebbles suddenly sounded; but she was ready this time and marked the path of a rising patch of dust some fifty yards away.
Making her way carefully over the uneven ground she finally came to the source of her alarm. Here the ground opened out into an almost smooth sheet of small loose pebbles forming a long scree that fell all the way down the side of the ridge at this point. Apparently a boulder, working loose near the ridge peak, had slid down creating a mini-landslide in its wake.
It was as she silently examined this that another, potentially more dangerous, problem presented itself. Something on the far distant horizon caught her attention and she raised a hand to shield her eyes while she focussed on this new difficulty: because it instantly registered with her as of major significance.
Instead of the line of the horizon, some 3 or more parasangs off, being clear-cut and even there was a curious ruffled look to it. Closer scrutiny revealed the awful truth: there was a long encroaching wall of thick dark cloud spreading out all along the distant edge of the forest. Clearly a storm, probably of immense proportions, was building itself up in the far distance. And as she gazed fixedly she realised it was indeed coming in her direction.
Otrera's close appraisal soon told her the threatening storm was certainly moving forward, but only slowly and was as yet a long way off. Probably it would not reach her position till the next morning. She had that amount of time to descend this ridge and hope to find shelter somewhere ahead in the encroaching forest and rocky hills now hindering her progress. Her only pleasure was in the fact that the storm would inevitably hit her pursuers first; and they would necessarily be much more exposed to its dangers. Grimacing with tight lips Otrera turned to continue her course over the plateau in order to reach the now comforting forest on the other side. She tugged at the leather strap of her back-pack; took a deep breath and, without casting another glance behind, set off across the loose stones rattling beneath her boots.
—O—
“Let's hope it doesn't rain in the night.” Gabrielle's voice was troubled as she sat alongside Xena beside the newly lit campfire. The evening was drawing in, after a hot sultry day, though the atmosphere was still warm. The thick branches overhead hindered any wide view of the sky, but it was obvious that a thin cloud cover was spreading above them.
“I think we'll be alright, Gabrielle.” Xena smiled across at her companion. “No need to worry about wet clothes till tomorrow.”
“ Ha .” Gabrielle seemed only half convinced but managed a smile anyway. “Think we'll catch the girl then?”
“We may get close.” Xena scratched her chin, staring into the growing flames of the small fire. Protected by the trees all round and the growing darkness, there was no need to worry about their quarry spotting them. And finally they could cook the rabbit for supper.
“There are supposed to be a whole series of rocky ridges and river channels ahead of us.” Gabrielle sat with head supported by her hands as she gazed into the sparking fire. “That should slow her enough to let us catch up.”
“Then?”
“Then we capture her.” Gabrielle looked up at Xena. “I know it'll be difficult bringing her back as a prisoner through this wilderness. But we have to, if we can. If not—then she has only herself to blame.”
A few minutes later Xena put out their two flat metal plates and gave Gabrielle her portion of the cooked rabbit. With some freshly cut herbs it actually made a simple but good meal. Soon they were laughing about who would have the last piece from the pan.
Afterwards they curled up in their blankets and lay quietly beside each other, watching the shadows flickering in the bushes and trees at the edge of the camp as the fire sparked and guttered in the slight breeze.
“I like this, Xena.” Gabrielle spoke suddenly from the depths of a companionable silence. “Being here, far from civilisation with only you. I wish we could be like this more often. Nothing to distract us, I mean. Just ourselves.”
“Yeah, it's good.” Xena rolled onto her shoulder to smile unseen at Gabrielle. “Peaceful. I like it too. When we deal with the girl, then afterwards we can really enjoy a break.”
“The stars have gone, Xena.” Gabrielle had been gazing up into the dark, as her habit was at night. “Looks like the clouds are thickening. We may get wet in the morning.”
“But tonight we're warm and cosy, sweetheart.” Xena slid closer and laid a protective arm over the recumbent form beside her. “If I dream of you, will you dream of me?”
For answer Gabrielle chuckled quietly and reached out from under her blanket to clasp the hand laid gently on her bosom.
—O—
Chapter 2
The evening before, after crossing the ridge, Otrera had found a surprise awaiting her. Instead of a panorama of distant horizons, like that she had left behind, she found a wall of greenery soaring far into the sky; forming a solid barrier to any distant view. The trees in this part of the forest were different to any she had yet experienced; enormously tall; wide-trunked with crumbling red bark; and densely-leaved with long thick branches spreading wide. They grew closely together and formed a complete canopy, blocking out all sight of the sky far overhead once she had advanced a few yards into their shade. The silence as she walked under them was almost terrifying in its intensity.
But she was also faced with another difficulty, which had ended in her stopping for the night earlier than she had planned. The terrain had turned into a series of rocky gullies, interspersed with high slopes swathed in heavy tree cover. No sooner had she scrambled down into one gully bordered by high rock walls and up the far side than another appeared directly ahead.
After struggling across two of these setbacks she finally admitted defeat. Covered in sweat; gasping for breath in the humid almost stagnant air amongst the trees; and wholly exhausted, she collapsed wearily under the heavy low-hanging branches of one of the younger trees and gratefully lay down to spend the night.
Now, in the morning, after a hurried meal of stream-water and fruit from some nearby bushes she had continued on through this unknown country. But the ground did not improve as she went. Although the trees were high, vast and disturbing in their immensity the gullies were equally frightening in their boulder strewn depths.
She was not helped by the overcast sky whose gray solidity, along with the tree-canopy overhead, cast a gloom over the whole forest floor. Otrera found it more and more difficult to see the loose stones and ground under her feet as she progressed. Every now and again there was a burst of song or flutter of wings down some distant vista among the trees as a bird flew out from among the bushes. As she walked the girl also had to constantly flick a hand in front of her face to brush away the flies which buzzed everywhere.
The morning was still young, she reckoned, when the first gust of wind blew in her face; disturbing the surrounding branches and sending a light drizzle of rain into her face. Within a few minutes it had settled into a steady downpour.
She had only walked some thirty yards through the dim shadows under the trees; heavy mould crunching under her boots, when the next gully opened before her. At first the ground sloped gently, then it reached an angle that made her crouch as she slithered down. Going very carefully she grasped at bushes for support, and to slow her descent; every few yards sliding against the trunk of a tree to keep from speeding up too quickly. Then, with a final rush and scramble she found herself standing on the rock-strewn stream-bed in the heart of the gully.
She was by now used to impediments, and her present position offered a serious one. She stood on a shoreline of shingly pebbles, while on either hand a jumble of craggy splintered boulders lined the rushing water. It was only about ten feet wide, though flowing at a somewhat disturbing speed on its uneven rocky bed. The sound filled the narrow corridor of rock with a loud roar, belying the actual size of the stream.
On her side the slope she had just descended rose behind her, covered in trees: where she now stood the river edge was strewn with loose sharp boulders lying at all angles; some singly, others in dangerous-looking heaps. The far side some twelve feet away across the river-channel, instead of a low bank, was formed by a continuous rock wall rising sheer from the rushing water to a height of some twenty feet. Its face shattered by aeons of winters and water-action. It was surmounted by thick bushes, above and beyond which rose more massive trees covering the slope of the gully high above. At first glance it looked impossible to find a way out.
To her right she could see only a sharp bend sixty feet away, hiding whatever was beyond. On her left it was possible to follow the stream-bed without too much difficulty, but at a necessarily slow pace. Scrambling over the boulders and crunching over loose pebbles she made about fifty yards before finding a possible crossing-point. Here the rock-wall broke for a length of about thirty feet, showing a relatively easy slope covered in bushes ascending the far side. But to reach it, she found, was not possible from where she stood. The stream here flowed, at considerable and frightening speed, through and over a ragged pile of immense boulders creating a series of mini-waterfalls and rapids which were clearly impassable.
Glancing back the way she had come Otrera saw that if she scrambled across a series of stones at a lower point, where the stream was less violent, she could just reach a thin line of pebbles forming a narrow band running along below the rock-wall. This slight shoreline nearly reached the end of the rock-face where, if she jumped out onto a large flattish boulder and from that climbed up onto a further higher boulder; with water rushing past on both sides, she could then jump to the opposite shore.
Another reason for not dallying, but going forward quickly, was the presence of myriads of flies and other buzzing insects all around her. The depth of the ravine; with its bushes and running water, seemed to be an ideal breeding ground, and there were thousands of the things swirling round her face; creeping over her jerkin; and alighting on her hands and hair with every step she took. Only a few, mercifully, appeared to be of the biting kind; but those that were made up in sudden sharp pain for their lack of numbers. What Otrera wanted most of all was to get out of this ravine as quickly as possible.
Her whole plan took nearly an hour as she carefully stepped from one precarious foothold to another. After reaching the thin line of pebbles that almost made a shore on the far side she found it necessary to scramble along brushing the sharp edges of the rock-wall. Her jerkin was torn in several places and her hands and forearms were bruised and scratched mercilessly by the splintered edges of rock as she made her delicate way along.
Finally she was able to jump across to the boulder in mid-stream: a frightening business with the fast-flowing water below her boots and the roaring of the stream battering her ears as it echoed from the rock-face.
Then came a slippery scramble onto the higher boulder, cutting the stream in two here with spray soaking her clothes. Another jump; taken more or less in hope than certainty, finally found her at last standing on solid ground at the base of the bush-covered slope where she fell to the ground in exhaustion. It took her nearly half an hour before she felt able to face scrambling up the slope, and it was as she did this that she again felt the strong gusts of rain battering their way through the high canopy and splashing her face. At last she stood once more on high ground above and beyond the gully. But even in the enveloping dimness she could see, some forty yards away, the uneven forest-floor disappear once more: almost certainly into another ravine.
As far as she could tell she had only been able to make about 10 stadia, if that; and was still, she thought, within a single parasang of the high ridge behind her. The thought of those on her trail now began to assume serious proportions in her mind. With this impenetrable landscape all around she had no chance of speeding up and out-running her pursuers. She could not say for sure, but it appeared this series of gullies and high wooded slopes was the general topography in this area and might stretch almost without limit to whatever horizon there was before easing off into more level ground. The chances of escaping her pursuers were distinctly vanishing with every new gully facing her. And the storm was approaching.
Leaning wearily against the mighty trunk of one of the huge red trees Otrera paused to consider her options.
—O—
Xena and Gabrielle headed on through the thick trees all around keeping to their North-Westerly direction, confident this was the route their quarry would have to take in order to reach the border of Thrace. The morning had seen them make an early start, with hardly any time wasted in eating. The sky, as much as was ever visible of it, was heavy with cloud and the light was dimming fast as they pursued their way through the interweaving trees and bushes. Xena had taken the lead for a while as they trod quickly but carefully through the bracken and over the loose bark-strewn ground.
Gabrielle was soon complaining about the many flies which seemed to be picking her out to alight on. As they brushed through the undergrowth this set free hundreds of insects of all varieties which circled the women singly or in flickering groups. All buzzing with energy and intent. The majority apparently finding the blonde Amazon more to their taste than her dark companion.
“ Hades. Tartarus. Damnation. Son of a Bacchae. Bitch. Bitch. Bitch. Argh. ”
“Come on. Gabrielle.” Xena, perhaps, was a little uncaring as they tramped through the scented bushes and trees. “It's only a few flies.”
“ Flies? ” The Amazon Queen snarled at her friend. “These ain't flies. These are demons from the darkest depths of Tartarus. And why ain't they worrying you, eh . Might I ask?”
“ Oh , everyone knows flies like pale skin. Nicer flavour.”
“Once we make our escape from this hole, and reach civilisation again, I'm goin'ta have something to say to you, Warrior Princess.” Gabrielle's voice was calm, but oozed with restrained vigour. “And it ain't goin'ta be about the latest fashions in Athens.”
They kept to their route steadily and continued to make good time; managing to stay more or less on a straight line. After a couple of hours they had made more than a parasang in distance and were beginning to think about taking a break.
“Rain, Xena.” Gabrielle had glanced up as they passed a slight break in the trees, allowing a brief glimpse of sky. “There's a squall coming our way.”
“Nothing to be done, Gabrielle.” Xena didn't slow her pace yet as they slipped through the shadows under the trees. “No cover here. We have to keep going. Might be another hour or so before the main storm-front hits us, though.”
As she spoke the surrounding undergrowth abruptly gave way and they found themselves standing on the bank of a wide stream so suddenly that Xena grabbed Gabrielle's shoulder as she teetered on the crumbling edge.
“ Whoa , there! No time for a bath yet.”
“ Har-har. But thanks.” Gabrielle regained her foothold and grasped Xena's shoulder to steady herself. “ Hades , some river. How do we cross this?”
“Let's look around.” Xena was already pacing along to their left, on the edge of the trees. “We can't be far from where the girl must have crossed. We should be able to spot the place.”
They scrambled down onto the pebble-covered shore and gazed across the width of the river. There were some largish boulders lying in the stream-bed, encircled by swiftly-flowing water, but it was generally open and clearly deep.
“Must be twenty-five feet at least.” Gabrielle suddenly looked up at the broken line of gray sky and hunched her shoulders slightly. “ Dam' it , here comes the rain.”
Another instant found the two women battered by a sudden gust of wind, closely followed by a sheet of rain so heavy it felt almost like a solid object. Within seconds they were soaked, with trickles running down their faces from their hair. Both ran for cover to the nearby trees to stand disconsolately under the branches of a tall cedar which gave some protection.
“We can stay here and watch the rain, or carry on upstream looking for a way over.” Gabrielle glanced in that direction as she spoke. “I've got a kind of a feeling we should really try to cross this as quickly as possible.”
“Yeah.” Xena nodded in agreement and they both stepped gingerly out onto the rainswept shore again. “No telling when this river might turn into a flood. The rain's heavy enough to make that happen before you realise it. This way, eh?”
“Yes. Upstream.” Gabrielle was a few steps in front of Xena as they walked slowly over the pebbles, keeping a sharp eye on the stream as they went. “Say, what's that up ahead? Stones over the river?”
A few more minutes found the women contemplating a row of boulders lying across the river. Both Xena and Gabrielle shook themselves uncomfortably as the rain fell on them mercilessly where they stood in the open.
“Doesn't look promising.” Gabrielle cast an expert eye on the uneven stones forming a ragged line. “But it's all there is. At least in this vicinity, I think.”
“Yeah.” Xena shook her head and put a hand up over her shoulder to ease her pack and sword-sheath. “We ain't got time to search for anything better. This'll have to be it. What d'ya think, Gabrielle?”
The Amazon stepped down to the very edge of the water and gazed silently at the assembly of boulders. She crouched down to get a lower viewpoint; gauging the height of those above water-level, before standing up and turning confidently to Xena.
“We can do it.” She managed a small grin. “Seen worse on one of my training marches. See that boulder out in the centre? That's the difficult one. The surface is curved so we'll need to jump up as well as over. Think you can manage it, Warrior Woman?”
“ Ha-Ha .” Xena's laughter echoed loudly along the rock-strewn shore, as she laid an arm gently on Gabrielle's shoulder. “Reckon I might. But I'll need help.”
Gabrielle moved forward and easily stepped onto the first of the low-set stones. From there a few more jumps took her well out into the main stream where she stopped to take note of the chief deterrent; a four-foot channel of speeding water passing a rounded moss-grown boulder standing a few feet above the flow.
She took stock of the boulder's position and the swirling water rushing along its side. Then, lifting one arm in the air, jumped across and landed on the rock's curved surface. Her boot slipped for an instant then she stood upright and safe. A moment later she turned carefully and nodded at Xena.
“It's OK. A little slippery. Just try to get your foot right on top of the curve.”
Xena, close behind, watched as Gabrielle took another jump onto a further stone, leaving the boulder free. Then the warrior jumped herself; not attempting any fancy somersaults, to land squarely on the top.
“Look there, Xena.” Gabrielle; from her position on the further stone, pointed at the moss-covered surface of the boulder near where Xena's boot was placed. “See that scrape in the damp moss I made when I landed?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, just a little way to the side. That's another scrape, but less than a day old, I think. It's her. We're on her track.”
“You're right, Gabrielle.” Xena nodded in agreement. “She skidded on landing just like you did. Well spotted.”
In a moment they stood securely on the further bank, gazing back at the dangerous crossing they had just made.
“Think we should carry on, Xena?” Gabrielle looked around at the thick trees; mainly elms and oaks, which stretched away on all sides around them. “This storm is only going to get worse.”
“Yeah.” Xena cast her eye around their surroundings. The slight mark on the river boulder was the only visible evidence that anyone had recently passed this way; but to both women it was positive and definite. “We should keep going. The trees'll keep the worst of the rain off us; and we need to catch up some with the girl.”
“OK, let's go.” Gabrielle turned to lead the way onward through the forest, brushing a fly from her forehead as she went. “ Gods, these mosquito's. Damn them all to Tartarus.”
—O—
Otrera had finally decided against trying to move forward; she focussed instead, for the present, on finding somewhere to take cover from the rapidly approaching storm. With her new experience of the many gullies in the area the danger of being caught in one if a flash-flood came through was too frightening to chance. As a result she now concentrated on looking for a cave to lie low in for the next several hours. Her pursuers could take care of themselves.
She had walked across to the edge of the next gully-slope in her path. But the merest glance had told her it was too dangerous to consider in the present weather conditions. It was not so much the slope she stood on; but down in the dark depths she could see the far side had another rock-wall protecting it, that looked even more of an impediment than the previous one.
Knowing it was too hazardous to try going back down into the gully she had just crossed she instead had walked along in parallel to it and had made some 3 or 4 stadia. She worried about not putting more distance between her and her pursuers; but there was nothing to be done about this.
As she walked she began to have an uneasy feeling the gully she was following had veered and was heading back towards the vicinity of the ridge she had crossed yesterday. The thought of walking ever closer to her pursuers instead of away was worrying and Otrera finally decided to investigate the new gully on her left, in the hope of an easy route over it and away across country again.
The rain had been persistent for some time, but now it really started to show its intent. It began to fall in sheets which had an almost physical impact as the windy squalls drove into her face. She realised the main body of the storm was not far away now. With renewed energy she began to search for some place of safety; ignoring now the thought of the warriors closing in behind her.
The ever-present need to still keep a close look-out was suddenly brought alive, however, when a couple of small actions conspired to nearly injure her. The flies, wasps, and other pernicious insects darting around her in their thousands as she disturbed their habitat in the leafy undergrowth were a constant nuisance. Finally one more aggressive wasp-like fly landed on her neck and, before she could brush it off, had stung her painfully. In the surprised reaction to this sudden attack Otrera lost her footing on the loose stones, staggering as she slipped and twisted her ankle.
The injury was not, she soon realised, a major accident. Her ankle was not broken, or even badly twisted. The ligaments were not torn or any other serious damage done: but the pain was enough to cause her to limp painfully for the time being, and served to slow her down. It also put out of mind the idea of going down into this next gully, hoping for an easy way across. Her only course now was to find shelter from the increasing rain and wait for the storm to pass and her ankle to ease somewhat.
Limping along she still kept an eye on the edge of the slope leading down into the gully: it would be there that any small cave was located in whatever rock-face there might hopefully be. And after some minutes her luck began to change. The slope to her left abruptly fell away sheer, making a cliff along the top of which she found herself now walking. Looking carefully over the edge she saw it was only about fifteen feet high and was easily accessible from a low pebbly scree to her left, before the tree-covered slope continued down into the gorge.
Struggling carefully to the base of the low cliff she noted it continued along for some distance before curving round a bend out of sight. But about twenty yards away the dark entrance to an opening of some sort in the gray rock could be seen. Less than two minutes later Otrera was standing in the mouth of a small, but dry, cave which cut into the rock for what appeared to be about ten feet before halting in a rock-wall. It was small, as caves went, but it was hers and she felt a wave of relief wash over her as she sank to the ground with her back against the friendly solidity of the stone. For the moment she was safe; depending, of course, on how close her pursuers might be.
—O—
Something like another hour had gone by as the two women swiftly passed through the dim shadows of the closely growing trees. The undergrowth was much lighter in this area so Xena and Gabrielle had no trouble increasing their speed as they moved forward. The heavy sheets of rain which now constantly beat in their faces served to keep them relatively cool; though they could tell the general temperature was decidedly falling all round them: and the dimness was steadily advancing into actual darkness as the heavy storm-clouds made their inexorable way overhead.
Again, with unexpected and slightly frightening speed, the trees suddenly came to an end and they found themselves looking at the slope of a rocky ridge forming a solid barrier as far as they could see to both right and left. The jagged sky-line appearing to be some seventy feet above their heads; almost at the level of the forest-canopy behind them.
“Well,” Gabrielle was the first to voice their thoughts. “She must have crossed; so we can too.”
“This way.” Xena pointed slightly to their right as she took the lead.
But before she could say anything else an enormous flash of lightning flickered across the sky above, searing their eyes with its intensity. An instant later a peal of thunder, so loud Gabrielle felt the ground tremble under her boots, roared out above them. Immediately the rain; till then merely constant, took on a force like an invading army battering them with truly immense energy.
A faint noise far away over the forest behind them, which both women had been aware of for some time, now struck all around as the roar of the main storm-front reached them with terrifying intensity. The trees of the forest reacted as a single living thing, bowing and straining with the power of the wind: the high trunks groaning and creaking as they staggered against the colossal force pummelling them. Both women suddenly felt as if a mighty power; almost Godlike in its rampaging fury, was set purposely to attack and annihilate anyone in its track.
“We got'ta get over this ridge, Gabrielle.” Xena grabbed the arm of her companion and unceremoniously dragged her towards the scree-like slope immediately in front of them. “Over here to the side: we can climb over the stones. Come on.”
“What about the tree-cover, Xena?” Gabrielle was already gasping for breath as they scrambled up the loose rocks.
“Behind us? Nah. No cover there. Storm's too strong.” Xena glanced round to make sure Gabrielle was close beside her. “Probably better cover over the ridge. Maybe a cave. We got'ta get over this open rock before the lightning increases any.”
Both women were soaked through; their deerskin jerkins and leggings feeling clammy on their skin. Their hair was plastered flat and rain ran down their faces as if a water barrel had been up-ended over them. They had to constantly brush the drops from their eyes as they ascended; heads down and scrabbling at the stones with bare, scratched hands.
Suddenly, just as they reached the peak of the ridge another couple of lightning flashes speared across the sky; one of which must have hit close by, for both women felt the ground shake and a peculiar frisson of energy surge through them from head to foot.
“Damn close.” Xena turned to grab Gabrielle once more. “Come on. No time to waste. We're too exposed here; follow me.”
They ran, crouched low, over the loose stones of the ridge's flat crest, thankfully reaching the far side almost at once. And the sight that met them gave both women some heart. A solid wall of green, formed by the thickest, highest barrier of enormous trees that Gabrielle for one had ever seen. The hope of some kind of cover from the dangers of the storm galvanised their limbs and both ran down the far incline without thought of safety as the sky again lit up all round with intense multiple lightning flashes. So many in fact that the roar of the accompanying thunder took on a constant bellow alongside the brilliant lightning, as if some monstrous chorus was roaring in unison with a play acted by an assembly of angry Gods.
Xena and Gabrielle reached the end of the down-slope without injury and dashed into the protection of the thick trees with something almost like glee. But their troubles were not over as they realised the trees, though large, were generally mature and had old weak branches. As they stood, in those first seconds, amongst the dark shadows something crashed to the ground over on their left hand with a mighty force sending a cloud of dust and light debris through the near twilight to envelop them in a choking powdery film.
“Keep going.” Gabrielle now took over the lead as they ran forwards into the depths of the forest. “Let's get away from here. We need to get deeper into the trees.”
High and thick though the trees were the intensity of the storm was such that even this massive canopy was vulnerable to its mighty force. The women found themselves constantly battered by the heavy rain; and the extraordinary power of the wind gusts staggered even Xena in her tracks as they proceeded.
They headed further into the profound ranks of trees all around for several more minutes, battling the storm at every step. Though they must have reached far into the forest now the wind was just as strong, and the rain and lightning just as powerful. And there was still no sign of shelter. Without warning another bolt of lightning lit up the area for an instant as if it were midday; then an immense surge of power hit the ground very close, throwing both to the forest-floor where they lay gasping as an intensity of pain Gabrielle at least had never before experienced ripped through their bodies.
A further crash sounded almost on top of them as another branch fell; blazing in flames, from the canopy far above. It landed some distance away but the impact of the enormous limb hitting the ground was so tremendous it knocked the breath from both women, and it was a couple of minutes before even Xena could crawl over to reach for Gabrielle's arm.
“You OK, Gabrielle?”
“Just about.” The Amazon gasped deeply as she staggered to her feet beside the Warrior Princess. “ Hades. This storm means business, don't it.”
“We're not safe here.” Xena had to put her lips right against Gabrielle's ear to make herself heard over the roar of the wind and hissing of rain. “We got'ta go forward. Find some cover further on. This way.”
The two women ran on, unheeding of their surroundings in the one over-reaching necessity to escape the storm's uncaring force. The ground was covered in the detritus of ages, making a thick loose surface that their boots either sank into or caught on thin tendrils of old roots; so that every few yards they found themselves tripping and staggering for a foothold. Engrossed in this almost mind-numbing race they came upon the next danger in their path with no prior warning. One moment the ground was flat before them; the next instant they were both scrabbling in the dirt as they rolled down the steep slope of a ravine.
Caught off-guard both Xena and Gabrielle found themselves hitting stones in the ground and bumping against tree-trunks as they more or less fell down the incline, rolling over and over. Happily neither actually hit the trees with any force; and finally both came to a halt on the pebbles of a small stream at the gully's foot.
Xena rose first and shook her hair out of her face before turning to where Gabrielle was just climbing to her own feet, apparently uninjured.
“What did we do to anger the Gods this time, Xena?” Gabrielle wiped a hand over her dust-covered face; a hand bleeding from a multitude of scratches. “—‘cause someone's got it in for us.”
“Nah.” Xena's forced laugh was mirthless and didn't deceive the Amazon for an instant. “Just a storm. No great shakes. I've seen worse. But we need to find some kind of shelter. We need to dry out, and those scratches you've got will need looking at.”
“This way, do you think, Xena?” Gabrielle was giving the terrain a searching investigation over to their left side; as far as she could see in the near darkness.
“What?” Xena leaned closer to the slight figure beside her as the rain seemed to gain in intensity, along with the curiously loud roar of the stream beside them as it flowed over the boulders in its bed.
“I said, what about over here, Xena.” She pointed towards the stream, which suddenly came into view along its whole length as another streak of lightning flashed overhead, reflecting in white intensity from the water's surface.
“No, I think the other way's better.” Xena had waited till the blast of thunder had rolled earsplittingly over their heads before replying. “See the low pebbly shore on our side, just before it goes round that bend? I think the slopes on both sides'll be easier to cross there.”
“OK.” Gabrielle put her mouth right against Xena's ear. “I'm with you.”
Together they scrabbled along the boulders and loose pebbles till they reached the spot Xena had pointed out. As she said the shore on both sides of the stream proved to be low here, and it was only a matter of stepping daintily across a few flat stones to reach the far side. From this point the slope rose at a fairly easy angle, though still covered in heavy tall trees with an almost impenetrable darkness beneath them; but both were used to this now and set out up the slippery slope with determination.
A few minutes steady climbing found them once more on the floor of the forest proper. The trees here were just as immense and thick; and the force of the all-encompassing storm still raged all round and through the trees forcing the women to stagger slightly as they stepped carefully over the ground.
“ Gods, am I glad that's over, Xena.” Gabrielle shrugged her shoulders in an effort to ease strained muscles. “Which way now? Look, is that a deer-run over there? It might let us move quicker. I'll take a look; you go over to your right, Xena. Is that a path going through the trees?”
The Amazon Queen let go of her companion's wrist, which she had grasped by instinct as they stood together, and darted off into the dim receding trees. With a shake of her head at her friend's impetuousness Xena headed over in the direction Gabrielle had indicated, where the ground seemed to show a line of bare rocks that certainly looked somewhat like a path. But on reaching the spot Xena instantly saw it was just a natural line of stones that petered out after a few yards, leaving the forest floor as trackless as ever in that direction. She turned towards Gabrielle again and saw her, some distance away, standing in a space under the trees that let in a little more light than usual. As she casually headed towards her Xena saw Gabrielle raise a hand to her mouth and shout something. The words were immediately lost in the roar of wind and hiss of rain but Xena saw her friend putting her arm up and waving, as if pointing somewhere over to her right. Then the world stopped for Xena.
The entire area lit up as if it was midday in Summer: lightning tore the sky apart for an amazing length of time: rolling thunder broke out with such intensity it sounded as if Tartarus itself was rocking on its foundations: then a roaring flash of flame was visible just to the left of Gabrielle, where she stood some forty yards away from Xena.
In what appeared to the Warrior Princess to be slow-motion several things happened at once. A mighty increasing roar, as if a mountain was falling, split the air: a wrenching tearing noise ripped through her eardrums: and something that had been the merest of shadows took shape as it revealed itself as one of the immense trees falling to earth in a welter of torn branches, flying leaves, and enormous trunk.
All Xena saw was an intense darkness falling: the sudden length of tree-trunk coming into view as it fell: and the earth-shaking impact as it hit the ground: hiding the small figure of Gabrielle as it landed, seemingly right on top of her.
Xena was immediately thrown backwards, as if by a solid force. Then, once again, the air was filled with dust and leaves and other debris. It was a couple of minutes before Xena could once more stagger to her feet, and what she saw was devastation.
Across her path, fifteen feet in front of her, was a high barrier of leaf-shrouded branches stretching away on both sides seemingly without end. At places where the branches had split apart she could see the bole of the tree rising some twenty feet into the air, and could only assume the scene was similar on the far side. Apart from a myriad of flies dancing all round her there was no movement of any kind: the enormous impact appearing to have silenced all wildlife in the area. Of Gabrielle there was not the slightest sign.
Xena stood beside the colossal wreckage, hands at her side, in stunned shock. Somewhere under that terrifying ruin was the one person in all the world who gave her life meaning and strength!
“Gabrielle! Gabrielle!”
The sound of her shouts penetrated high over the roar of the storm, echoing under the trees and through the rain-soaked darkness. But for reply there came only silence.
—O—
Chapter 3
Otrera had been watching shadows flickering on the cave walls as the sky outside was torn by lightning flashes. Where she sat with her back against the stone she could feel the vibration as the peals of thunder chased each other across the ink-dark unseen clouds. But in the last few minutes a new noise had been making itself felt. Beginning as the merest echo, it had gradually become louder and more forceful. There was even, she thought, a new trembling in the ground under her feet. Something was happening outside, and it made her nervous.
Leaving the dry cave was probably not a good idea; especially at the height of the worst storm Otrera had ever experienced: but something forced her to rise to her feet and step to the open entrance in the low cliff-face. And what met her eyes was enough to trigger instant movement on her part.
When she had entered the cave some three hours earlier the narrow gully outside, though not wide, had been some forty feet deep. Now, just twenty feet below where she stood, a fast-flowing sheet of disturbed water; swirling and furious, rushed through the gorge. Clearly it was a flash-flood, which might even reach the cave she had taken sanctuary in. Dashing back into the dark to retrieve her bow and satchel she came out onto the rain-soaked scree by the cliff and hurriedly scrabbled up to the forest-floor once more. If there was one thing she did not want, it was to be drowned like a rat in the cave below. Somewhere in the forest there must be safer places to take refuge.
In the darkness and shifting shadows caused by the lightning it was impossible to know which way to go. Otrera took a guess and set out through the wet undergrowth; while above her head the unseen trees thrashed their branches under the power of the immense storm.
The rain beat down solidly, with a constant hissing that drowned out all other sounds in the forest. With the intense darkness and the searing sheets of lightning, which blinded as quickly as they showed the dark trunks of the trees on every side, she found moving through the terrain difficult and dangerous.
Where before, a root crossing her path would have been no problem, now she tripped constantly and fell on her face in the damp mould beneath the trees. And also tore her leggings and jerkin on sharp hidden edges of wood. Her hands too were cut and gashed as she struggled in the dark; or felt ahead for whatever might be in her path. She had a horror of falling down the incline of another ravine; which might well now be filled with flood-water like that she had left behind.
Her jerkin was soaked; as were her leggings and shirt. The rain ran down her face from hair plastered to her head. She had to constantly brush the water from her eyes, and the hiss and roar in her ears from the rain and the towering trees; bending under the strain of the wind's power, made her head pound and her concentration split in fragments: as if she were struggling through a bad dream and not reality.
Without warning another streak of lightning blazed out revealing, only a few feet ahead, a rock wall rising high above her head. Staggering to a halt she gasped for breath as she examined the new impediment. It was not a ravine, but a cliff-face of some lone pinnacle of rock almost hidden among the surrounding trees. Skirting its base Otrera carefully worked her way along the loose pebbles and fragments of rock lying in wait for an unwary step. She was not sure now in which direction she was going. But, with the Goddess Tyche obviously taking pity on her, a dark rent in the stone soon appeared ahead through the entangled bushes at the rock's base.
Hurriedly tearing these away from the entrance the young Amazon slipped inside; finding herself the sole tenant of a large cave some twelve feet wide with a curved roof about eight feet above her head. It bent quite sharply after a few feet before widening into a large chamber, with another corridor going off still deeper into the rock. Altogether a better prospect than her earlier haven.
With a sigh of relief Otrera sank to the dry sandy floor and took a deep breath. There was no chance of being drowned in this cave, at least. Outside there was a sudden roar as thunder bellowed wide across the heavens again. The cave mouth was lit by a brilliant flash of violet light as she heard the terrifying crash and shuddering; vibrating in the very stone around her, as another tree fell to earth somewhere close by. Suddenly Otrera realised that the curious feeling, which had been insinuating itself into her mind over the last few minutes as she ran through the rainswept forest, had been pure fear! She sank her head down onto raised knees, as she clasped her legs with tight fingers. Safety was a wonderful feeling.
But even this did not make up for the basics of life. She suddenly felt a wrench in her stomach and, raising a hand to her face, discovered her lips and mouth were parched dry. The bizarreness of this; in a world which was at the moment overwhelmed in water, forced a dull laugh from her. But after a few seconds she caught herself as the echoes rippled along the walls and deep into the heart of the cave. Reaching for her water-skin she took a hearty swig; but looking in her satchel for something to eat, found nothing. If she wanted food she would need to brave the storm yet again; even though it must by now be true night.
Standing by the cave-mouth she could tell her bow and arrows would be useless: there was no chance of deer or rabbits amongst the vile shambles caused by the devastating storm. What she must find were roots, or fruit: not much, but adequate to see her through the night. Ducking her head low against the constant buffeting of the wind, she darted out through the wet undergrowth once more.
—O—
Xena; with no reply to her continued shouts, had run somewhat aimlessly across to her left; hoping to circle the tree. But immediately her way was barred by the wreck of a giant branch, almost as thick in diameter as an ordinary tree. This had fallen at right-angles to the main trunk and seemed to run along the ground for an infinite distance into the darkness. It was enclosed in lesser secondary branches covered in thick leaves which rose many feet into the air. After struggling with this solid mass of greenery for what seemed an eternity Xena finally gave up and made her way back, intending to head round the other side of the fallen tree.
But here too her plans were swiftly halted. The tree's broad canopy spread out in front of her as wide in death as it had been in life. An immense mass of leaves and branches lay across her path rising, as far as she could tell in the brief lightning flashes, maybe fifty feet over her head. To circle the tree she would obviously have to take a wide detour well into the forest before retracing her steps.
She struggled to find a clear path away from the near impervious wall of leaves and split branches around her. Rain hissed down with an animal-like ferocity as gusts of powerful wind, impelled by the storm's astounding energy, tore at her deerskin clothes with every step she took. Loose leaves; small fragments of twigs, or simply unidentifiable debris whipped through the air with a fierceness which made her cringe when they hit her face and body without warning. And the sky was continually ripped apart by violent flashes of lightning and gigantic rumbles of deafening thunder. The trees, undergrowth and bushes in Xena's immediate neighbourhood were either completely invisible; or silhouetted for a fraction of a second with a brilliance which made the succeeding darkness all the worse.
But all this was as nothing in the one over-riding need to find Gabrielle; and to find her uninjured. As she fought to get clear of the intermingled torn branches blocking her way forward something suddenly impelled her to step back and glance at her left hand. To her surprise her fingers were covered in black-looking blood from a deep gash across the back of her hand which she had not felt; and still did not feel. As she retreated a little; breathing heavily, she stumbled over a small fragment of branch lying on the ground behind her. Luckily she did not strike her head as she went down; but the breath was knocked from her body.
When she rose once more a steely look of determination had come into her dark eyes. Her struggles here were only wasting time; and wasted time could only hinder finding Gabrielle.
Moving away from the main body of the giant wreck Xena found herself under the shadow of another gigantic limb of the fallen monster, whose thickness and density of leaves acted as a screen to the heavy rain. Taking the opportunity of this protection Xena stopped to regain her breath and consider her options before heading into the untamed forest again. As she did so she noticed on the ground nearby a broken piece of dry wood with a frayed end. Grabbing it eagerly she bent down to open her leather satchel and took out a small metal tin holding dry tinder and flint. Within moments she had the end of the improvised torch burning and could finally see her surroundings with some clarity. It was not a perfect torch, but would last a few minutes; enough to take her through the forest and round to the tree's far side, where she could begin the search for Gabrielle in earnest.
The torch gave enough light to allow her to step carefully through the debris-littered forest floor. The heavy ground-cover of old bark was now almost the consistency of mud; while the storm had thrown down all sorts of material: branches, bundles of leafy twigs, sharp stones and a new covering of wet leaves which were all treacherous underfoot. Xena found herself slipping and skidding for a foothold on the level ground as she made her way under the dense tree-cover; the wind still mercilessly lashing her face like an angry Dryad.
Finally after trekking some way she decided enough distance had been placed between her and the fallen tree, so changed direction to make a curving swing round. Within a minute she once more saw the dark mass of the tree's canopy raising itself on her left hand. She skirted this cautiously then started walking slowly along the far side of the immense fallen trunk; heading towards where she figured her last glimpse of Gabrielle had been.
Because of the outlying branches she was still some considerable distance from the main trunk, but this was necessary in order to make headway. After walking a hundred feet or so she began to aim closer in to the tree. At this point she found that again a secondary limb, now lying on the ground with its huge masses of leaves spreading wide and soaring high into the air, gave excellent cover from the worst of the storm's gusts. Here, too, she found pieces of dry torn wood littering the soil. Dumping her satchel in a dry corner under the wide branch, Xena gathered together some of these fragments and soon had a fair-sized pile. She knelt, shielding her tinderbox with her body to stop the fragile flame from being blown away by the gusting winds. Soon, with the help of the torch, she had a strongly-burning campfire sparking brightly under the natural protection given by the tree-limb.
In a short time Xena stood beside a reliable source of light that finally allowed her to take a considered a view of the area. At least now she could see where she wanted to start the search. She would have to work some yards away, out in the full power of the wind and rain once more, but the spot was as near as she could determine to where Gabrielle had been standing earlier. Another secondary limb lying some yards distant; forming another natural barricade of leaves and torn wood, was her objective: for somewhere under that heap of vegetation lay her friend and lover. Making sure the fire was burning strongly, Xena again stepped out into the full blast of the tempest; though she was hardly aware of the wind or rain as she focussed on what was now the sole matter of importance.
—O—
Otrera did not want to go too far from her safe new quarters, but there were nothing in the way of fruit bushes close by so she had to extend her search further out into the thick waterlogged undergrowth. After only a few minutes she was as thoroughly wet as if she had jumped in a river fully clothed.
Almost immediately on leaving the cave she had realised the darkness was a problem in its own right. Cursing the fact that she could not risk trying to light a torch; even if she found a suitable broken piece of wood in the maelstrom which was roaring all round her, she set her face forward and continued moving carefully through the bracken and often head-high bushes. She went slowly because there was no knowing what trap for the unwary might lie unseen on the hidden ground.
Having abandoned at the outset any idea of a deer or rabbit, she now also gave up any thought of scrabbling for roots amongst the slippery, muddy mould under her feet. Such an action would simply be a waste of time. Her only hope was in finding fruit on the bushes; perhaps apples, or plums, even a few wild olives would be better than nothing. But if the search took much longer she would have to abandon the attempt and return to the cave empty-handed.
In passing through dense forest like this Otrera, like all trained Amazons, would usually be keenly aware of the sounds all around her. But the present storm raged with such fury; and the trees swayed above her head with such a creaking of old limbs and whiplash of leafy branches; and the wind howled at all points so like a raging beast, that all attempt to listen to the life of the forest was a lost cause.
Her only opportunity to really glimpse the lie of the land was during the brief, blinding flashes of lightning. But these were so constant that they allowed a reasonable sketch of her environment. It was in one of these instants of light; when Time itself seemed to stand still, that she finally saw an olive tree directly ahead. She ran up and clasped its small twisted trunk in her relief as if it was the figure of her mother.
It took only a bare minute for her to fill the satchel round her shoulders with handfuls of fruit. At least she was going to have some kind of meal tonight. Then cautiously moving on she pondered for a moment whether to go further, or simply retreat to the cave. Always wary of danger though she was she eventually decided to again risk going forward a short distance.
The heavy cover of thick bushes and small trees which she had been struggling through since setting out gave way, after another fifty yards or so, to a more open forest floor. The trees were still as massive and numerous, but the bracken and undergrowth had disappeared to leave a clearer surface under her feet. This also gave her the ability to see much further through the trees, dense though they were. A quick survey seemed to show there was no sign of the ground disappearing into another ravine; which was also a consolation.
As she eased her way along; treading carefully at each step, something caught her eye far away in the dim recesses of the spreading trees. At first she thought it was the flicker of a distant lightning bolt; but, as she moved forward past another vast tree, it flashed for a moment once more. Far away; nearly lost amongst the trees; and definitely a light, not a lightning flash.
She crouched at the base of a tree and raised a hand to shade her eyes as she stared intently towards the strange radiance. After a few seconds she was certain it was not a fire started by lightning; it was too small to be a tree on fire, and did not appear to be spreading in any natural way that Otrera could see. In fact, after careful study, she realised it could only be a campfire. She understood then, with a sinking feeling in her stomach, that she was apparently within a few hundred yards of her pursuers.
This turn of events was so staggering that the Amazon girl knelt by the base of the giant tree for some considerable time. Her mind was in turmoil; as much of a turmoil as the storm still pressing all round her in the darkness. When she finally began to think straight again it was only to realise that she had no idea what to do. Her sole chance of safety lay in the cave some way behind her: but her pursuers were so close they could be relied on to discover that without difficulty. The storm made it impossible for her to make any concerted attempt to steal away through the forest; such an action would only lead to disaster. She could not go back to the ridge, as it lay beyond what would by now be impassable river-gullies; and still the fire flickered in the distance.
At last Otrera discovered an almost fatalistic interest was overwhelming her usually logical mind. An interest to at least see who her pursuers were before they killed her. For killing her, she knew, was their main aim in following her trail this far through what was acknowledged by everyone to be virtually impassable terrain.
As she stood up the full force of the storm made itself felt in strong wild buffets that hit her as the winds continued to batter their way through the trees. Even as she stepped away from the wide trunk of the tree which had partially sheltered her a gust hit her with astounding force, taking her off her feet and actually throwing her some ten feet before depositing her on the, thankfully, soft mould-strewn earth again. The storm was still showing itself a force to be reckoned with.
Crouching low; from fear of the wind, and of being seen from the distant campfire, she warily made slow progress through the trees: conscious that she now missed the presence of the all-encompassing bushy undergrowth that lay far behind her. She made her way so slowly, in fact, that it was several minutes before she came within two hundred feet of the source of light.
From here she was at last able to examine the area round the fire; and what she saw was in some ways mystifying. The fire was indeed a campfire, though there was patently no camp. It blazed forth, with no attempt at concealment, from under the lee of a shattered limb of one of the forest giants which had clearly fallen to earth recently. Some distance away from the fire, but still within the circle of light which it gave, a solitary female warrior seemed to be struggling with something as she worked at the side of another fallen branch.
Otrera had identified the woman in the distance as a warrior without hesitation. The deerskin clothing; the short sword held in a back-sheath; her movements which showed a well-proportioned fit body; and that indefinable aura, which Otrera knew well from experience, that emanated from a person who was used to staring death in the face, and fighting against it.
As Otrera watched the distant figure stopped whatever she was doing beside the wreck of the great tree and came nearer the fire. In doing so she turned to face in Otrera's direction for the first time, and the young Amazon's breath caught in her throat: for she recognised her pursuer immediately. Who could ever forget Xena, Warrior Princess, once having met her and stared into those mysterious cold blue eyes.
Otrera quickly glanced around, taking in every aspect of the fire and the sole person revealed by it. And this worried her; for there must be others, even if only one, accompanying the famous warrior. But as she stood in the shadows, with the sheets of rain flying in her eyes, and wind throwing her off-balance every few seconds, Otrera could make out no other figure. Xena couldn't possibly be trailing her on her own! The thing was impossible, even for a warrior of such renown! She must have a partner, or partners, by her side. But if so, where were they? Perhaps slipping through the darkness to come up unexpectedly in her rear and finish their mission?
The Amazon found herself looking over her shoulder before recovering and taking a deep breath. No, the thought was unimaginable in such a storm as this. But if they weren't silently tracking her; and they were clearly not in the circle of light cast by the fire where the Warrior Princess now stood, where were they. Otrera once more stared intently, watching Xena's movements, trying to make out just what she was up to as she moved about in the full blast of the enormous storm.
Presently it was born in on Otrera that what the warrior was doing was searching; and the only conceivable object of such a search must be another person. A further short surveillance strengthened her assumption, to the point where it was settled in her mind that the distant figure was searching; somewhat frantically, Otrera could now see, for a partner who had apparently been caught in the gigantic tree's recent fall. And as Xena was famous for travelling everywhere with only one partner, the woman she was searching for must be –.
Here Otrera stopped breathing and slowly fell, first to her knees, then to the ground itself so that she ended on hands and knees with palms flat in the muddy mould. For she had just realised, rather tardily for an Amazon warrior, that Xena was looking for Gabrielle. Gabrielle, Amazon Queen. More importantly, Otrera's Amazon Queen; for Otrera's tribe was part of the loose alliance which acknowledged the golden-haired green-eyed Gabrielle, partner of the most famous woman warrior in the known world, as their Queen.
What to do? What to do? That was the question. And it rang through Otrera's mind with such imperious power that every thought of the wild storm raging around her was lost in the realisation that Gabrielle must be underneath the huge wreck now overshadowing Xena, like the Colossus over Rhodes.
—O—
Although there was absolutely no evidence to back up her belief Xena was sure she was searching at the right spot. The plunging tree had changed the entire outlook of the area when it cut a swathe through its neighbours as it fell. Its massive trunk and supine branches covered the ground so completely that the whole place looked different, but Xena was sure; she had to be.
The fire provided enough light to work, even though the continual squalls fought to throw down the tall woman at every instant. Xena took little notice however as she bent to her task. The limb she stood beside was covered in lesser branches and twigs, all thickly enclosed in leaves. Even with the use of her chakram as a cutting tool she could make only slight headway. The flickering firelight; flashes of lightning; and her own shadow almost darkening where she worked, all conspired however to make her endeavours fruitless.
Finally, gasping for breath, she stood back to gain some respite and air. All round her gigantic branches waved and thrashed in the wild tempestuous wind, creating a deafening noise. In front of her the gargantuan trunk lay like the corpse of a fallen giant; and amongst the knee-deep rubbish and debris there was still no sign of Gabrielle.
Xena glanced across to the fire; gauging whether it needed replenishing, then turned to look along the length of the fallen tree. She could not see very far in the darkness and was considering her next move when she froze in place. Then, very slowly, she turned once more to direct her gaze back to the fire. She had been so taken up with her immediate concerns that, on first glancing at the flames, she had failed to notice what they were also illuminating. Now, impelled by her sharply-honed inner senses, she looked at the fire; and across to the far side where its flames lit the figure of a small lithe woman in deerskins standing silently at the side of a tree.
For an appreciable time there was a stillness that could almost be felt as the two women stood watching each other. Neither made any move, and to Xena the form on the far side of the fire seemed like a statue or a dream. The Warrior Princess found herself completely unable to form any coherent thought. The first ecstatic surmise had been, of course, that it was Gabrielle; but this hope had dissolved seconds later after closer observation. Xena did not know the young woman in the firelight; and that meant she could only be –.
“Where is my Queen?”
The voice was quiet, but strong. Xena found herself comparing her tone to that of other Amazons she had met with Gabrielle. The woman's accent was that of the Northern tribes, living mostly in the Kerkini forests. After a moment Xena raised her arms waist-high, before dropping them again. Finally, using all her mental strength, she lifted a hand to point to the nearby limb lying on the ground like a monstrous leviathan. She couldn't speak; not a word.
Otrera walked slowly forward till she stood beside the fire. Its light revealed her form clearly to Xena for the first time. Just slightly taller than Gabrielle; short brown hair; lithe figure, obviously well-trained and fit; dark brown eyes with a direct intensity which gave notice of a strong personality; and a quiet sureness in her movements that illustrated the perfectly composed Amazon that she obviously was.
“I will help you.”
These few words from the Amazon fell on Xena's ears like silver bells in a Goddess's temple on a summer's day; though Xena still stood immobile, incapable of movement. Then she took a deep breath and nodded quickly to the young woman. She had made up her mind.
“Somewhere here.” Xena took a few paces back towards the shattered branch as Otrera circled the fire and approached. “You see? Here, where this smaller branch has landed. She's near here.”
With two women working together; both with sharp blades to help them, the labour was more than halved for them both. Soon twigs; loose clumps of torn leaf-covered branch; and other debris, were cleared from the vicinity to reveal the ground close to the body of the main branch. And it was now that Xena's luck began to change; almost as if Otrera had brought good fortune with her. As Xena used her boot to clear the muddy refuse around the bottom of the enormous branch Otrera, from some distance away, gave a cry.
“Xena!”
The Warrior Princess reached the Amazon instantly, looking to where Otrera pointed at the base of a tangled mass of twigs and leafy undergrowth. A leather satchel lay on the muddy ground; its shoulder strap torn free. Xena recognised it at once. With a cry of feral-like intensity Xena crouched in front of the pile of debris; ripping at it with bare hands, unheeding of scratches.
The girl knelt to help, and within moments a boot came in view, with part of a deerskin legging. Working more slowly now, and with infinite tenderness, Xena pulled away the last of the encroaching branches and twigs to reveal the form lying motionless beside the curving trunk. They had found her.
Xena put her hands under Gabrielle's waist and head; then gently rolled her over till she lay face-up.
“Don't move her too much yet.” The Amazon girl quickly put out a hand to restrain Xena's arm. “She could be badly injured, and moving her might make things worse.”
“I can take care—” Xena, who had been about to brush off the Amazon's hand angrily, looked into her face instead; seeing only real concern. “What, then? We ain't got much time. I wan'na get her to safety, fast.”
“Maybe it'd be best if I examined her, first.” Otrera spoke quietly, yet with a convincing authority in her voice. “I have some medical skill. And you may be too—too anxious—too involved—to recognize her injuries properly. You may hurt her more.”
For a moment Xena hesitated, pondering these words, then slowly wiped a muddy hand over her forehead as she sat back, gesturing for the girl to take her place beside the unconscious figure on the ground between them.
Otrera quietly brushed expert fingers over her unresisting patient. Thankfully there did not seem to be much blood, apart from numerous scratches on Gabrielle's face and hands; though part of her hair seemed to be darkly clotted together. After what seemed an age Otrera turned to Xena.
“Help me lift her over to the fire. I need more light to examine her head. You take her legs. Be careful of her left foot.”
A moment's effort saw them deposit their precious cargo by the fire's light and warmth. They were also well out of the worst of the continuing storm's squalls under the protection of the solid over-arching giant branch. Otrera straightened Gabrielle's legs, as Xena crouched impatiently beside her. Then Otrera slid a hand under the open jerkin, now torn and tattered, feeling for damaged bones. After this she turned her attention to Gabrielle's head; brushing the long golden locks to one side as she felt, with probing fingers, all over her forehead and temples. Finally she finished and turned to the warrior woman.
“Xena.” The Amazon spoke gently. “Gabrielle has some serious injuries.”
“What? What?” The words were spoken in a whisper that still managed to convey the terror that Xena felt.
“Gabrielle has a broken ankle, her left.” Otrera's voice was calm and measured. “She also has two broken ribs on her left side. But more importantly there's a ragged wound on her head, and I think her skull is fractured.”
“What?” Xena stared appalled, from the face of the Amazon to the quiet form laid at her feet. She looked up and out into the darkness all about them; with the wind roaring through the massed trees in wailing crescendos, and the lightning and thunder still tearing the sky apart. And here on the ground, lying as if she were merely asleep, Gabrielle might be dying.
“No! No!”
—O—
Chapter 4
Only Xena could know what she felt at this moment. Kneeling in the mud beside the unconscious form of Gabrielle; opposite the very Amazon she and Gabrielle had been chasing for the last four days; and now faced with the greatest test of her abilities she had ever encountered.
“She can't have a fractured skull.” The warrior spat these words out with a ferocity that equalled the need she felt in her heart.
Around the three women the storm kept up its whining roar through the trees. Everything outside the circle of firelight was in deepest darkness. And from above came the fierce screaming of the tempest as it scythed through the vast forest as if it were no more than a small copse.
The canopies of the huge trees groaned like live things as the power of the wind dragged them backwards and forwards. The thrashing of the thick leafy branches sounded like linen sheets being ripped apart; though on a grand scale. At ground level leaves; bits of small broken twigs; and gravelly pebbles were being hurled through the air, to beat at the crouching women like stones from a Roman catapult.
The Amazon ran a hand through her short brown hair and looked over at the great Warrior Princess. Having been hunted through impenetrable forest for days had not been enjoyable for the young girl. Now, sitting here right beside the most dangerous woman in Greece, Otrera had further worries. Not least of which was—would Xena accept her presence and offer of help.
“I know you have more knowledge of medicine than I do.” Otrera tried to word her reply carefully. “But I can see her more from a—a distance—as a patient. Everyone knows of your strong bond with Gabrielle. It may cloud your feelings.”
“How serious is it?” Xena was struggling to hold on to her grasp of the situation as she looked from the supine form outlined by the firelight, to the young Amazon kneeling by her side.
“Perhaps not as bad as you assume.” The Amazon's voice held a note of real optimism as she looked across at the warrior. “I think it's a small fracture. The blood has flowed freely; but that always happens with even slight head-wounds.”
“But what makes you think her skull's fractured?” Xena sought for any excuse to soften her worry. “Ain't it just a nasty knock on the head? We've both had those before. You just wake up with a headache, then everything's fine.”
“Not after a giant forest tree falls on you.” Otrera felt the necessity to be frank rather than kind, realising it was the best way through to Xena in her present state. “I made a careful examination for just that reason. Under the open wound I can feel a faint line; maybe half a finger's-length long. The bone isn't depressed though. There shouldn't be complications. Though she may be slightly dis-oriented when she wakes up at first.”
Xena looked dubious and glanced from the still form on the ground to the face of the Amazon girl in front of her; clearly searching for any way to believe things were not as bad as they seemed.
“Look here, at Gabrielle's eyes.” Otrera sat back on her heels and spoke calmly but with authority. “Do you see?”
Xena bent tenderly over the slight form and gazed at the closed lids which hid those wonderful green pools of light that meant so much to her.
“I see some bruising below them. Pretty bad. Like someone's given her two black eyes.”
“That's a sign of a fractured skull.” Otrera spoke with such plain certainty that even Xena had to accept her words. “Small blood vessels are broken on the side of the skull, and for some reason it shows under the eyes. It's a sure sign.”
“ Hades. We're in the middle of nowhere. How can we tend to her here?” Xena gazed around, out into the darkness beyond the small fire.
“She needs somewhere to rest.” Otrera glanced at the torn branches and piles of leaves scattered all round them. “Where we are now is not good.”
As she spoke the wind howled through the small clearing beside the wreck of the huge tree; scattering leaves and other debris, and throwing dust into the eyes of the women. Xena leant protectively over Gabrielle, shielding her till the squall had passed over; leaving thrashing branches and roaring echoes in its wake. The rain also seemed to have gained a second strength, falling at an angle in solid waves so that water could actually be seen washing down the trunks of the nearby trees.
It had long ago soaked the women to their skins so that they had hardly noticed their condition for the past several hours; but now this was brought home to Xena as she placed a gentle hand on Gabrielle's face to brush away a leaf.
“We need to find some sort'a shelter, real quick.” Xena stared all round, as if trying to pierce the darkness with her eyes alone. “I wish I could think straight. I can't feel the forest with my mind.”
“Neither can I.” Otrera nodded as she rose to her feet. She stepped to the side of the sheltered area under the massive branch and returned with a short bough which she stuck into the rapidly weakening fire. “I'll use this as a torch. Can you carry Gabrielle a short way?”
“I can carry Gabrielle to the World's End!” The warrior growled as she knelt beside her lover. “Just light the way and I'll be right there with ya.”
“I found a cave. A dry cave, not so far distant.” Otrera stood by the warrior's side as Xena gently cradled the Amazon Queen in her arms; rising to her feet as if she were merely carrying a child. “Shouldn't take long to reach it. Be careful of the wet soil and the roots.”
—O—
Within a minute of leaving the flickering camp-fire, in its protected spot under the collapsed branch of the huge tree, the women were enclosed in stygian darkness. A darkness so gloomy and solid it would have been impenetrable without a torch. Even so the flame, as Otrera held the improvised light above her head, guttered frighteningly as the constant gusts of wind beat against the slowly moving group.
As Xena walked close behind the young Amazon she realised for the first time that the temperature was also chilly; and this made her wonder if Gabrielle might already be suffering from that curious susceptibility that she had seen other people, exposed to the cold in such conditions, succumb to.
The rain coursed down her face in a continuous stream, and the wind caught at her deerskin jerkin and leggings as if someone were importuning her at every step. Often she had to pause to regain her stance as powerful gusts almost succeeded in throwing her off-balance, or made her lose her footing on the wet muddy soil. As Otrera had warned, the hidden roots twisting everywhere across the invisible ground were a constant danger.
The lightning also kept up its overwhelming presence; tearing the unseen sky above into shreds as multiple flashes rent the clouds, high-lighting the surrounding undergrowth of bushes and bracken: sending sudden shafts of darkest black across the forest floor as a tree's shadow was intensified a thousand-fold. Then came the succeeding blindness as eyes tried and failed to acclimatise to the darkness again. And the never-ending rolling thunder made conversation, or even the exchange of a few words, almost impossible as they trekked on.
Through all this Xena's only thought was in keeping Gabrielle as safe as possible. She cradled the Amazon's head against her chest while she held her close with one arm around her ribs and the other beneath her knees. Xena was well aware of Gabrielle's two broken ribs, and tried to lessen the pressure on that side as much as possible as she walked through the storm with tight-set lips.
Otrera, it seemed, had much experience in this sort of environment and was keeping a steady pace; though her slight figure was often thrown from side to side in the flurry of rain-squalls that seemed intent on attacking them without respite. As she walked Xena found herself thinking, almost in parallel but at a distance from her present circumstances, about the reasons for their current dangerous position.
Why had she ever thought it a good idea for Gabrielle to hunt the renegade Amazon? Why had she so blithely accompanied her; as if it were a mere side-issue of no importance? Why had she so completely under-estimated the harshness of the forest and the dangers it held?
Damn this wind; she was nearly thrown to her knees by a strong gust that staggered her in her tracks. The Amazon girl turned and reached out a hand to grasp Gabrielle and steady them both. Xena found her feet again and plodded on.
It was her own fault, of course. Xena rebuked herself unforgivingly as she thought about the first few days of the hunt, where they had both treated the exercise more like a party than the real-life tragedy it actually was. Hunting someone like an animal through terrain such as this was no laughing matter, and should have been undertaken with a large party working to a reliable plan. She and Gabrielle going off into the unknown forest as they had done was simply imbecile, she now realised. Probably pure luck they had managed to get so far before any accident occurred to either of them.
And this brought another reflection to castigate the warrior woman as she stumbled carefully in the light of the sputtering torch: what if she herself had been the victim of some accident, out here far from safety. Leaving Gabrielle to cope with her, Xena's, unconscious form? The thought of this brought a guilty sob to her throat at the contemplation of the position Gabrielle would have been left in. For a moment her sight was further hindered by the uncontrollable tears that blinded her eyes. Otrera chose this instant to turn to give Xena an encouraging glance; but noticed nothing, as tears in rain vanish and are invisible.
Xena hugged Gabrielle more tightly, though still with infinite gentleness. Whatever it took; whatever danger she had to endure, she was going to make sure that Gabrielle survived this peril.
By the Gods, did this wind never give up? Another gust had caught her solidly in the midriff as they came round the side of one of the forest giants. Like the fist of an enraged God the wind hit Xena full-on; her foot slipped on the miry leaf-soaked surface, and she collapsed to her knees, only just managing to keep a grasp of Gabrielle's frail form.
Otrera was at her side instantly and between them Xena struggled to her feet once more. With a nod of thanks Xena set her face forwards again and stumbled on. As they walked, at a necessarily slow pace because of the wind, lightning, slippery ground, and darkness, the Warrior Princess found herself looking at the back of the young Amazon struggling on ahead; and began to wonder about her presence and connection to their present circumstances.
Was it the Amazon's fault all this was happening to Gabrielle now? Or was it a Gods-given gift that she should be here at this present time, and capable of giving the help that was so sorely needed? What should Xena think of the Amazon girl? She had hunted her like a deer for days; only to discover too late that the Amazon was nearly Xena's equal at fading into the very soul of the deep forest and disappearing without trace.
How long was it since she had been so thoroughly overwhelmed by circumstances and her opponents? Xena found herself having to think back to dark days as a young rebel leader with her embryonic army of thugs and layabouts to come up with even a close comparison. She suddenly realised that the young girl in the soaked deerskins, walking through the night in front of her; lighting the way through the terrible storm with arm held high, clearly had an intimate knowledge of her surroundings. The Amazon girl had probably lived in the forest; grown up with it; and knew it as a child knows its parents. With a sudden jolt that actually sent a tremor through her body Xena realised that without the girl here now the chances of Gabrielle surviving would have been almost nil.
And here Xena was; Gabrielle clasped in her arms, and she herself completely in the hands of a young Amazon rebel who should be feeling nothing but antipathy towards her. If she did, Xena thought quietly to herself, then it was just as well that the girl put her love of the Amazon Queen above the hatred she must feel for Xena. The Warrior Woman regarded the Amazon thoughtfully; she could understand that outlook.
Another brilliant flash of lightning, followed by the inevitable deafening crash of thunder, jerked her thoughts back to the present. The trees and undergrowth around them looked just the same here as the stretch of endless unforgiving forest they had left behind. Where was the Amazon taking them; and did she really know where she was going in this Tartarus-like wilderness?
“Where—where—?” Xena found she was struggling for breath. The effort to carry Gabrielle through this wasteland in constant upheaval was proving more difficult than even she could cope with.
“The cave?” Otrera had stopped and stood by Xena's side, peering closely at Gabrielle's face nestling against Xena's jerkin. “I left a few knife-marks on the trees. I can just about follow them still. Less than a stadia and we'll be there. Look for the shadow of a small ridge right ahead somewhere.”
Xena gritted her teeth and set out once more. Otrera walked forward, torch held high, keeping a close eye on both the ground ahead and the couple following behind. Their progress was slow, but it was progress all the same.
Just as Xena found herself beginning to gasp for breath with every step she took, Otrera suddenly stopped and stepped to one side. Looking up with rain-blurred eyes Xena saw the massive bulk of a ridge; almost completely invisible except for its black silhouette, rearing up right ahead.
“We go round this way.” Otrera grasped Xena's arm and gently guided her as the women carefully traversed the loose stones and rubble at the base of the slope. They came to a much lower incline where the ridge came to an end. Taking Xena over this uneven ground, watchful of every step the heavily-burdened warrior took, the Amazon led them across the small slope to where a low cliff formed the far side of the ridge. Another few yards and Otrera bent to pull some branches out of the way, revealing the entrance to the cave. Going in first with her now guttering torch Otrera then stood back while Xena followed; crouching low as she entered, then standing tall again inside the solid safe confines of the cavern. Both women heaved a sigh of relief together.
—O—
Once settled in the cave, at a spot beyond the curving passage and in the more open chamber beyond, Otrera took only a few moments to gather some sticks and dry boughs from a pile against the far wall then stack them carefully on the sandy floor. Within a minute, using the almost spent torch, she had a crackling warm fire going strongly.
Xena had also knelt by the wall to deposit her burden with infinite gentleness. All three were soaked to the skin so would have to wait for the fire to warm them; but Otrera pointed to a small leather shoulder-bag in the corner inside which Xena found a clean linen blouse and jerkin. She realised, through the haze of emotions that had been swamping her thoughts for the past hours, that she too had another pair of deerskin leggings in her own pack. Moving gently; while Otrera worked beside the fire, Xena soon had Gabrielle changed into a full set of dry clothes.
“She's still unconscious.” Xena bent over the still form, looking into her face outlined in the firelight. “Very pale. That wound in her head is still bleeding some.”
“I have some clean linen here.” Otrera reached into her pack and handed over a small cloth. “It'll do to bandage her head. But don't wrap it too tightly.”
“I'll be careful.” Xena bent to her task gently. “I'd like to put a couple of stitches in; but I think it'd be better to do that in the morning.”
Then the Amazon joined her as they both examined Gabrielle's left ankle.
“Broken, definitely.” Xena gently ran a finger across the slightly twisted foot.
“Yes,” Otrera looked closely at the foot and leg. “Right at the top of the ankle. But it seems like a clean break. There are some small strong sticks here. You can splint her foot and tear up this shirt for bandages.”
Xena worked expertly. Within a few minutes the foot was splinted and bandaged so that it was efficiently held in place. Otrera watched with astonishment at the speed with which Xena completed her ministrations. It was suddenly brought home to the Amazon that here was someone with vast knowledge and experience of wounds and injuries. Otrera found herself wondering about the details of the warrior's life; which seemed to her surrounded, as it did to almost everybody, by myths rather than known facts. But this was not the time or place for such questions.
“Two ribs are broken just level with her left elbow.” Xena's fingers moved tenderly over Gabrielle's skin. “She must have taken the force of the branch's hit on that side. Probably best to leave her unbandaged, though. Help her breathe more easily. Gods, what a night.”
“I still have some roots and olives.” The Amazon quietly changed the subject as she turned on her heel back towards the fire. “Do you have any food in your pouch?”
Xena took the leather sack from her left shoulder, where she had virtually forgotten its existence and opened it. A quick search brought out in the light; to both women's relief, a haunch of rabbit and a small bird Xena had killed the day previously just before the storm had begun.
“Thanks.” Otrera's relief was clear. “The rabbit will make a good broth for Gabrielle in the morning. “We can have the bird now, along with a few corn-cakes I still have.”
Otrera immediately started to cut up the bird, then placed the breast and wings to cook on a flat stone at the edge of the fire.
“When d'ya think she'll wake?” The Amazon glanced across, as she worked, at the warrior crouching by Gabrielle's side. “It's been a couple of hours since the accident.”
“A heavy whack on the head like the one she took? Could easily be tomorrow morning before she opens her eyes.” Xena fiddled with a short stick she was grasping idly. “Just as well it was an out-lying branch that knocked her over, and not the main trunk itself. And only one of the lesser boughs of that, too. Gods , she's been lucky.”
After a moment, as the Amazon knelt by the fire intent on her cooking, Xena rose quietly from her sitting position. She strode back along the cave to where the entrance was sheltered by the over-arching bush outside, and pulled a leafy twig aside to peer out into the black night.
There was virtually nothing to be seen; at least by human eye alone. The multitude of trees all around were invisible; even to Xena's sharply honed senses. The thick leaf-covered canopies high above; now being torn hither and thither by unimaginable forces, screamed in torment as they bowed and shook before the rage of the heavens. The ground itself trembled under the huge gusts of hurricane-force wind ripping through the close-set giant trees as if they were mere bamboo saplings. Every so often a flash of lightning lit the shadows of the nearer glades with a brilliance so intense the eye felt as if a red-hot needle had cut across it. And scything through the forest, driven nearly horizontally by the wind's cyclopean strength, the rain hit like a solid object.
Even Xena found it impossible to stay out in this maelstrom of tormented forces for any length of time, and was soon driven back into the confines of the cave. It looked as if they had only just escaped the very worst of the storm, as it strove to wreak its insane fury on the encompassing forest.
Xena dragged the boughs of the bush more securely across the cave-mouth; trying to make as formidable a barrier to the weather outside as possible, then retreated back to the further chamber. Her jerkin and hair, she discovered, were once more soaked through; even though she had only been exposed for a minute or so.
The Amazon girl motioned that the food was nearly ready, as Xena quietly stepped across to the supine form by the cave-wall.
“She's still sleeping soundly.” Xena spoke as much from relief, as the need to impart information to the Amazon nearby. “That's a good thing. Hope it keeps up. The storm's blowing wild outside.”
“Probably will, too, for some time yet.” The girl set the pieces of aromatic meat on a couple of little platters. “Gabrielle should be able to rest quietly, now. Come, you need to eat.”
—O—
They finished the light meal quickly, and Xena immediately returned to Gabrielle's side while Otrera cleared up around the fire.
“You'll take the first watch, I suppose?” The Amazon spoke first as the shadows flickered on the stone walls.
“Yep. You don't have—”
“I'll take over a little later on.” Otrera looked over at the tall figure of the warrior. “The night's half done as it is. If I take over the watch, the morning should be on us by then. And you'll need strength to help with Gabrielle when she wakes up. Remember, she might be a little hazy at first about things. We'll have the rabbit broth ready for her then, too.”
“Yeah, OK. But afterwards?” Xena voiced something that had been worrying her for some time. “We're still in the middle of the greatest wilderness I've ever experienced. These damned trees just go on endlessly. How can we transport Gabrielle out'ta here to safety?”
“You're not a Kerkini Amazon, Xena?” Otrera clasped her knees together as she watched the seated figure leaning back against the rock wall of the cave beside Gabrielle.
“Never pretended to be.”
“But I am.” Otrera now spoke with a conviction that made Xena stare at her curiously. “These Kerkini forests have been my home since I was born. I was brought up learning the arts of survival in the shade of these trees; and there isn't anything I don't know about how to stay alive, or find my way, in this terrain. That's why I'm heading in the direction I am.”
“We thought you were trying to reach the border with Thrace?” Xena wasn't used to being outguessed by her opponents, but this was clearly one of those times. “Just running for cover, and hoping you were headed in more or less the right direction.”
Before Otrera could answer there was a flash of lightning which again lit up the depths of the cave; then from outside came the unmistakable roar as another of the giant trees gave up its fight against the raging tempest, and fell to earth with a tremendous crash. They didn't feel anything much inside the cave, but the noise was deafening. When they emerged from the cave in the morning, and the storm finally relented, the forest-floor would certainly be changed from that they had so recently trekked through.
“Running for cover?” Otrera recommenced where Xena had left off. “No. I always knew where I was going. Maybe not the precise route—I've never come through this part of the forest before. It's Calessi Amazon land. But I knew if I headed North-West I'd eventually cross over into Torrequa Amazon territory. My own tribe.”
“I see.” Xena realised she and Gabrielle had completely under-estimated the young girl. “Heading for some particular spot, maybe?”
“Yeah. The Amahana River.” Otrera nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “It lies about another 2 or 3 parasangs to the North now, I think. When we reach it we should be able to sail right down to the main Torrequa village. By raft, maybe. Say some 20 parasangs South-West. Ten or so sailing hours.”
“ Aphrodite's Girdle. ” Xena was utterly stunned. “You mean we're not in the middle of nowhere after all? That we can reach an Amazon camp in one day's sailing along a river. Great Artemis in Olympus .”
“You were hunting me, in what you took to be an aimless meander, through a wilderness.” Otrera shrugged her shoulders. “I was travelling across country I understood intimately; to a destination I always knew was there, and that I could reach safely.”
From her position sitting by Gabrielle's side Xena could only contemplate the facts of the matter. This small thin Amazon girl; who looked so dishevelled and tired, had in fact used the forest with proficiency at every step. For the first time in several harrowing hours Xena really began to hope their situation was changing for the better. Beside her Gabrielle breathed softly, as she lay by the warm fire, covered in Xena's dry jerkin.
—O—
Some time later as Xena sat gazing, now at the flickering flames of the small fire; now at the wavering shadows dancing across the cave walls; and constantly at the quiet silent figure of Gabrielle lying by her side, she mused over recent events.
Looking back in memory everything seemed like a dream; an impossible nightmare. The appalling storm, like nothing Xena had ever experienced before. Seeking shelter in the inhospitable landscape. And then the terrible finale. Xena could see the tree falling on Gabrielle as if the event were scorched on her memory. Then the absolute terror of searching frantically for any sign of her in the aftermath. And her success attributable to the small figure now lying asleep on the other side of the small cave. A young girl whom Xena had been single-mindedly pursuing for many days, and who should have nothing but fear and resentment in her heart towards the Warrior Princess.
Xena turned her head slowly so as not to disturb the silent figure lying by her side, red-gold hair shining in the firelight. Gabrielle had moved a couple of times in the last hour, but only small quivers; nothing like a return to consciousness. Xena went back to considering the figure of the Amazon who had been till recently the focus of her own determined pursuit.
What was it that drove the girl? Supposedly running for her life, she had decided to reveal herself to her pursuer because love of her Amazon Queen was greater than fear for her own life.
Xena laid her head against the cave wall and considered how Gabrielle seemed able to create love in others; love of such intensity they would willingly endanger themselves for her safety. She sat forward again and gently laid her hand on the warm cloth covering Gabrielle's chest. Xena felt the heart beating steadily and was relieved by this sign of continued strength.
The cave was warm now; its curving passage making a fine windbreak which, allied with the bushes growing across the entrance, made the cave chamber a cosy refuge from the tempest still assaulting the land outside. Xena again looked into the low-burning fire, thinking of how she would make this sorry affair up to Gabrielle when she had fully recovered. And once more she gazed at the sleeping form of the Amazon renegade, still wondering about her motivations.
Xena watched the shadows on the cave wall dancing in the moving light. They seemed to reflect, in some ways, the stupid pursuit she had undertaken through the forest. She and Gabrielle had supposed they saw real life, and were chasing a real criminal: but actually what they saw was only a shadow of reality, while they ran after a wraith. And it had all ended in a near tragedy which injured Gabrielle. Xena's sense of responsibility made her grit her teeth as she made a silent oath to herself that she would never again put her lover in such danger. She would think long and hard first; and only take action afterwards, when both knew exactly what was required.
Surprising how love could sometimes blind one to the real dangers of any course of action. Her love of Gabrielle had let her go with the Amazon Queen into the wild forest on a jaunt that could only end in disaster from the moment they walked under the shade of the first tree. And here was the end result; Gabrielle lying unconscious while they sat in the middle of an untamed and merciless wasteland.
But tomorrow they would set out towards the river the Amazon girl was confident lay close at hand; and Xena somehow believed her, more than she had believed in anything in the last few days. It would be a simple matter to build a small raft and then a few more hours would finally see Gabrielle in safe hands. A tear ran down Xena's cheek and she put up a finger to rub her left eye in embarrassment, even though the Amazon girl was certainly asleep beyond the low fire.
Again Xena leaned over to softly pull the deerskin jerkin further over Gabrielle. As she did so she felt a breath from her lips and a small faint sigh, while her head, enclosed in locks of long red hair which sparkled in the firelight, moved gently from side to side. Perhaps her long sleep was lightening and she would soon awake again?
How many times had Gabrielle herself sat beside Xena when she had been wounded and needed assistance? How often had Gabrielle struggled against the odds to accomplish great things on Xena's behalf? How often had Xena never really given Gabrielle the recognition she deserved?
Dreams, waking thoughts, and incidents. Dreams that only revealed themselves as nightmares in disguise. Waking thoughts that tore at the heart with remorse of so many things done wrongly. Incidents comprised of past actions she would so much rather forget! And her only anchor in this world of pain and guilt now lying injured at her feet. Xena looked at the quiescent figure under the warm coverings and was swamped by an overwhelming tide of anxiety that made her shiver, even in the warmth of the fire.
“My turn now.”
The sound of the girl's voice startled Xena so much she jerked upright with a gasp. The Amazon stood over her with an outstretched hand, as if she had only just thought better of touching Xena's shoulder.
Xena grasped the still extended hand and pulled herself to her feet beside the young girl; so painfully small beside the towering presence of the Warrior Princess.
“Thanks for that. I was nearly asleep, anyway.”
“How is Gabrielle?”
“She's doing well, I think.” Xena looked down at the figure on the dry sandy floor. “She's moved once or twice, and I think she groaned a little a while ago.”
“The unconsciousness is probably wearing off at last.” Otrera nodded as she moved over to crouch beside Gabrielle. “By morning she'll certainly come-to for real. You'd better lie down and get some sleep. Dawn in less than two hours, I think.”
“And then?” Xena couldn't help asking the question.
“And then the River, and safety.” Otrera spoke with absolute confidence as she took up position beside the still figure of her Queen.
—O—
Chapter 5
In the dark reaches of the night, as the women in the cave lay round their fire, the storm continued to lash the mighty forest; beating across the tops of the trees in a fury of expended strength. Or through the lesser trees with a demented howl as if the gates of Tartarus had been flung open. Even in the wide heaths and moors the wind scythed over the open wastes so powerfully that any living thing would have been thrown to the ground instantly. The air itself was full of wind-blown debris; twigs, leaves, even light torn branches were caught up by the blast to smash against tree-trunks with immense force.
The tempest had blown with more than herculean strength for over two days now; but like every storm it had only finite power, and in the early morning it began to show the first faint signs of change. At first the canopy of trees making up this part of the forest swayed and twisted as they had done for hours; then began to appear a difference: slight at first, only perceptible to the most delicate ear, but a clear easing of the enraged fury that hurled itself against the majesty of the forest.
The tree-tops swayed with less and less intensity; the air-born leaves and sticks grew fewer and eventually stopped; a note of unrestrained ferocity that had previously typified the tempest's power now relaxed and sang its song of anger in a minor tone; with weaker strength. The howling wind, like a million screaming Dryads, faded perceptibly; first to a desolate roar, that broke into single wailing howls; and then to lesser moans as the wind broke up and pursued many separate paths through the woods and trees; where before a single devilish force had guided the mad fury of the storm.
In the sky the searing bolts of lightning; which had gloried in their power and fearsome light for more than a day, now began to snap and twist across the dark clouds with lesser frequency, and subdued intensity. Where it had been possible to see clearly for minutes at a time by the lightning flashes alone; now the dark was intensified by longer spells between the twisting hissing streams of light.
The clouds themselves; so long dark as ink or the depths of the deepest ocean, now began to rise higher into the heavens; showing, for the first time, the aspects of individual clouds. Grey and monstrous still, but single and bunched together where earlier there had been only stygian blackness overall. A luminance; faint and hardly perceptible, began to glow behind the torn sky; as if there were indeed a sun somewhere, trying to break through.
And in the atmosphere itself; so long filled with tormenting merciless squalls, there came some diminishing of the lashing rain at last. From a solid wall of water that made it hard to breathe without first turning the face away, it broke into lighter gusts, and then to a steady downpour; lacking most of the fury of its earlier incarnation.
The tempest was dying, and would soon be dead.
—O—
Xena snapped into wakefulness instantly. What had awoken her? She glanced at the still quiet form of Gabrielle lying wrapped in cloaks by the embers of the fire, then to the slight figure of the Amazon warrior they both had pursued so relentlessly over the past days. She had obviously been to the cave-mouth to investigate the coming day.
“What? Something—” Xena shook her head as she rose quickly and walked over to Gabrielle.
“The thunder has stopped; and the lightning.” Otrera stood on the sandy floor with one thumb hooked into the belt at her waist. “The rain too. It's much less strong. The storm's passing over, at last.”
“Not damned well before time.” Xena crouched beside Gabrielle. “How is she?”
“She had a quiet few hours.” The Amazon came over to the Warrior Princess. “See? How she rolls her head now and again. I think she may wake up in a few minutes.”
“ Gods, I hope so.”
“I made the rabbit broth.” Otrera pointed to the side of the fire. “I used a small pot I brought with me. Not much, but it'll give her something to eat. Maybe the smell woke you?”
“Thanks.” Xena rose and nodded to the smaller woman. “I think it was the storm passing that woke me. Must have been tired, or I'd a'realised a while ago.”
An arm suddenly appeared from under the cloak covering the figure on the ground and lay, with the fingers grasping at nothing, on the sand. Then a weak voice.
“Xe—Xena. Aa—aah. Where—where—”
“It's alright, lover. I'm here. I'm here.” Xena was on her knees instantly, grasping the bare hand in her own with gentle compassion.
“Sleeping. I've been sleeping.” Gabrielle turned her head and looked into the face of her companion with barely open eyes. “Is it my turn for sentry now?”
Her voice was weak and so faint Xena had to lean right over to hear.
“Not yet, lady.” Xena smiled slightly. “I'll keep watch. You're still tired. We got some broth for you; then you'll need to sleep again. Think ya can do that for me, lover?”
“Anything. Anything, for you. You know that, Xena.” Gabrielle's voice trailed off as she closed her eyes again.
Xena kept hold of Gabrielle's fingers, but turned to the Amazon by her side. She couldn't stop a single tear from sliding down her cheek.
“We'll give her the broth when she wakes up again. What's it like outside?”
“Easing off, and brightening up a little, I think.” The young Amazon moved aside as Xena rose and moved past her towards the entrance. “We should be able to leave in an hour or so.”
Xena pulled aside the branches of the spreading bush that protected the cave-mouth and stepped out. The ground was littered with broken branches and masses of leaves which, with the constant rain, had turned into a species of mud. The cave itself lay at the foot of a small vertical rock-wall which was itself the side of a stony ridge towering high above their heads and, apparently, the surrounding trees.
“Yeah.” Xena closely scrutinised the area before turning to the girl at her side. “Looks like we can easily build some kind'a litter for Gabrielle. And the weather's easing, like you said. Think we can carry Gabrielle to this river you talk of, today?”
“I think so.” The girl glanced at the ridge-slope beside them. “It's steep, but climbable. I could take a look at our position from the top, then report back?”
“Sounds good to me.” Xena nodded. “I'm going in to look after Gabrielle. Lem'me know what the lie of the land is like as soon as possible. I'll maybe take a scout myself, then.”
“Right. I'll be quick.” The Amazon turned to her right and walked off a few yards before starting to climb the loose rock-strewn debris. The fact that the rain was now little more than a light downpour, and the lightning seemed to have stopped completely, helped matters. Xena turned and re-entered the cave, the branches of the protecting bush falling into place behind her.
—O—
Otrera made steady progress; the angle of the slope being low enough for her to more or less walk up, though carefully. There was no mud on the covering of loose stones which, after her experiences in the forest, made the going all the easier. Soon she had climbed above the enclosing tree canopy; but carried on without looking round. Her aim was to reach nearly the top of the ridge. It was higher than she had at first thought; though not enormously so. Perhaps 120 feet, instead of the eighty or so she had expected.
Finally she came to a halt a little below the ridge-crest. She had no intention of struggling to the very top. First, because she had no interest in seeing where she had been; and secondly because the force of the wind, whistling over the peak, would still be dangerous enough to possibly blow her off her feet. So she halted about twenty feet below the summit, in the lee of the ridge itself. The wind here was appreciably diminished, allowing Otrera to stand safely as she looked out over the canopy of waving trees, now somewhat below her line of sight.
From her new vantage point she realised the cloud-cover was much less threatening. Instead of rolling low with dark fury, it was now seemingly much higher in the sky, revealing itself as a mass of individual grey clouds mingled together; and of a far lighter tone than earlier. There was also an appreciable brightening all round so that she could now see far towards the distant horizon. What this opening-up of the view revealed was stunning.
She could see over the sweeping ridges of the unbroken forest for nearly two parasangs. There seemed to be a multitude of small stream-valleys; their sides covered and hidden in trees as far away as was visible in the sheets and trails of mist that were now beginning to rise from the waterlogged terrain.
Thankfully, she noted, their present position seemed to be at the head of one of these valleys; which ran down away from her into the distance. And it was something in the distance that caught her attention immediately; for rising into the grey sky, only about a single parasang away, was a solid bank of thicker mist than that hanging over the intervening tree-slopes. A mist that was more intense; thicker; and standing almost like a solid object over the trees far away. And Otrera knew what this indicated. It was the constant rainbow-laden mist created by a huge waterfall; the Amahana Falls themselves: for she had viewed this wonder of nature many times herself, from the other side of the far, invisible river. Torrequa Amazon territory; her territory. The road to safety was far closer than she had dared hope.
—O—
Xena was sitting by Gabrielle's side, when Otrera re-entered the cave-chamber, holding the hand of her sleeping friend and smiling.
“She's much brighter, now. She spoke a few words again.” Xena looked up quickly as the Amazon appeared. “I gave her some of the broth and it seemed to help her.”
“I'm glad.” Otrera bent over the woman lying on the sandy floor. “Yes, she looks as if there's colour in her face. The crack on her skull hasn't been bad enough to cause serious damage. But she'll be a little groggy for the rest of the day, probably.”
“What'd ya see outside?” Xena glanced at the young girl standing by her side. “There's a bad tear in your legging on the left side. Bloody, too.”
“ Oh , I got that yesterday, somewhere. Nothing to worry about.” The Amazon scratched her chin as she glanced at the warrior. “You'd maybe better take a look yourself. There's something in the distance I think you'll find interesting.”
“OK. Look after Gabrielle.” Xena rose and headed towards the entrance. “Don't give her any more broth; don't want to give her too much food at once.”
“Alright.”
Gabrielle seemed to be in a light doze, so Otrera took the opportunity to gently examine her head-wound once more. The result was promising. Although she was still sure the skull was fractured, it now seemed certain it was only a slight break that would offer no far-reaching consequences.
She took a moment to examine her own, more trivial, scratches and scrapes. The tear in her legging Xena had noticed was the site of the worst of these. There was a ragged cut in her flesh about two inches long, but happily only skin-deep. There had been some blood at first, which had stopped long ago. How it had happened she could not remember; anything may have done it yesterday, when the full fury of the tempest was raging round them all. There were sundry other scratches on her limbs and face; but nothing of real significance. It was as she dabbed a wet cloth on a cut finger that Xena returned, walking into the warm chamber without a sound.
“Weather's letting-up a little, from what I could see.” The Warrior Princess grunted, as she crossed to look at Gabrielle. “Not damned well before time, either. The trees just go into infinity over to the East. I saw the mist in the distance. A waterfall? The Amahana? It seems pretty close.”
“Yeah. It's a huge fall.” The Amazon girl nodded. “I didn't realise it'd be so close, either. But I know from this down-stream side there's a safe passage all the way to the Torrequa village.”
“No rapids? Other waterfalls? Shallow area's?”
“No, nothing like that.” The girl spoke confidently. “I've been to the falls many times, from the other direction. The river is wide and deep all the way. The storm-water will just make the river all the more navigable.”
“When we reach it we'll need to take time to build a raft.” Xena mused about this as she sat beside Gabrielle and glanced across at the Amazon. “Might take some time. Maybe another day,”
“Perhaps not.” Otrera paused for a moment, then looked Xena in the eye. “The falls are an important ritual site for we of the Torrequa. We have a couple of buildings there; and a small detail normally stays there for months during the year.”
“Yeah? And—”
“They have several boats. Large canoes. One, I know, has a small cabin and oars. If they're undamaged we can use one to transport Gabrielle right away.” The girl's voice took on a note of unusual excitement. “It's still early morning. If we make the parasang or so to the falls at good speed we could be on the river by midday, or so. There may even be other members of my tribe there who can help us.”
Xena mulled over this new information for an appreciable time; then she looked up at the brown-haired Amazon and gave a tight-lipped smile.
“You stay and watch Gabrielle. I'll go and throw a litter together to carry her on. The rain's almost stopped, and the wind's much lighter. Won't take me long; I can use liana's from the trees to tie it together. Thing's are looking up a mite.”
—O—
Xena finished the litter quickly. It was made up of two long poles separated by both her own, and the Amazon girl's, leather jerkins; slightly cut to size. Gabrielle lay on this improvised mattress covered with a thin blanket. The poles extended at each end to provide hand-holds for the bearers. Liana's cut from the nearby trees had, as Xena said, proved useful in tying the whole together.
Before placing Gabrielle on the litter Xena had scoured the neighbouring area and returned with some roots which she took a few minutes to boil down into a pale-coloured drink.
“It has sedative properties.” She explained to the Amazon girl standing interestedly beside her. “It'll let Gabrielle sleep easily for a few hours. Stop her from being disturbed while we carry her through the forest.”
A little later Gabrielle had taken her drink at Xena's gentle hands, and lain back in a quiet sleep. Xena took a last glance at the cave-mouth then nodded to the Amazon girl. Otrera went first with the litter, Gabrielle's feet at her back; Xena walking behind, where Gabrielle's head lay, so she could monitor her condition more easily.
The passing of the heavy rain, which was now nothing more than a light drizzle, made progress far easier. The ceasing of the thunder and lightning were also a great bonus; for they would never have been able to travel, with their burden, across as much as a small glade otherwise.
As they moved forward the ground was stony underfoot, but with far less muddy leaves than the previous day. There was no clear-cut path but they could make their way under the trees without too much difficulty. These trees were still tall and close-set; but not so thickly as yesterday, making their progress far quicker than Xena at first hoped. The wind also was appreciably lighter in force, gusting around the walking women with nothing of the savage ferocity of yesterday. The tree-canopy had also now stopped thrashing around under the unforgiving hand of the late tempest.
The grass was short and stubbly; but this was made-up for by the thick stretches of high bracken which often came to waist-height, concealing the ground beneath their feet. Thankfully, after about thirty minutes walk, this petered out and the ground once more lay open and grassy under the trees.
They soon had a rhythm going between them so that their patient was not jerked or thrown about unnecessarily. With the Amazon girl holding Gabrielle's feet the lighter load allowed the slightly built girl to move more comfortably and easily, while Xena took the major weight of Gabrielle's body.
After a while the ground became even more open and unimpaired, with the trees seeming to stand further apart. They could now see the grey cloud-laden sky above them quite easily; and the forest-floor had lost the bark-strewn muddy covering they had trekked across the day before, and was now almost dry and gravelly. Their speed increased and Xena found herself pleased with the unexpected swiftness of their progress.
“We're doing fine.” She called to the deerskin-covered back of the girl in front of her. “Much faster than I'd hoped.”
“It's like this on the far side of the river, too.” The Amazon nodded in agreement; though she was gasping a little. “The trees open up far more widely as we approach the river, and the ground is solid and rocky there. It may take only a couple of hours to reach the river, now.”
“What about the waterfall?” Xena asked a question that had been worrying her for the past few minutes. “Ain't there a cliff, or something?”
“Only where the fall comes over.” The Amazon managed to insert a note of confidence into her voice. “Where we are now; on the downstream side, there's only rolling grass-covered banks and shingle beaches. We can walk into the water ankle-deep without trouble, if we wanted.”
They pressed on; Xena holding the litter with ease as she constantly glanced down to watch the sleeping face beneath her, while the Amazon girl in front trudged on in her turn without complaint. The pebbles crunched under their boots; gusts of wind whipped at their clothes now and again, but lacking the determination of yesterday's storm; and the high dark trees stood imposing, silent and immense all round them; green monsters in a green world.
—O—
“We're nearly there, Xena.”
The Warrior Princess came out of a kind of self-imposed trance which had captured her thoughts for the last few minutes. It had been just over two hours since they started their trek, and she had fallen into a rhythmic movement, both of body and mind. Her legs moved forward with no conscious volition from her; while her mind was totally taken up with Gabrielle's condition as she lay asleep on the litter. Everything had become almost hypnotic, and she had lost perception of the passing of time in the last part of their journey. So the Amazon girl's words cut into her thoughts with a sharp intensity.
“How close?” Xena was alert again in an instant. The most important part of their hike through this immensity of forest was about to begin.
“Just down this slope.” The girl slowed her pace and began walking more carefully. “It's the river-bed cutting. You'll see the water through the trees in a moment.”
Just as she had said, the slight incline they now negotiated flattened out into wide grassy earth-covered ground; then Xena caught the glint of fast-flowing water some thirty yards further on. As they picked up speed again the trees; which had been spread more widely for the last hour, now opened out completely in a straggling line to reveal a stretch of wide water lying before them.
The un-expected view was astonishing. Xena saw, immediately in front of her, a wide lake-like mass of fast-moving water. While to her left, on the other side of this, rose the most immense waterfall she had ever seen.
The trees on both banks nearly reached the edge of the river, before stopping short. This allowed a huge granite cliff to come into view. It stood around eighty feet high and stretched across to Xena's right for almost two hundred feet. But the majority of the craggy cliff was hidden by the mass of water thundering over its top, from side to side. A waterfall immensely wide, roaring like a monster fresh from Tartarus. Xena realised that what she had thought had been the last bellowings of the storm in the distance was in fact this mighty work of nature in all its glory.
The water forming the lake at its foot rushed past them to narrow into a river, flowing out of view to their right. This river, Xena could see, was itself about a hundred feet wide and clearly deep-running.
Gently the women laid their precious load on the ground and stood, flexing their shoulders, looking at the wonderful sight. Then the Amazon turned to Xena with a grin and pointed across the lake to the shingle shore on the far side of the waterfall, with its backing of high green trees.
“See, Xena? There; just by that fallen tree with the grey branches?”
Xena put a hand up over her brow and stared intently across the water. Immediately she saw, almost hidden behind some encroaching birches, the roof-line of a long wooden hut. And standing on the scree of pebbles by the river's edge, watching them, were two other Amazons in deerskins. And beside the Amazons was a large beached canoe.
—O—
A few minutes later, after Otrera had exchanged some hand-signals with the distant Amazons, Xena helped bring their canoe ashore when they had rowed swiftly across the intervening water. The vessel was so large that they could place Gabrielle on its boards, in her litter, while the four women still had adequate room enough for themselves. With four rowers the return voyage was accomplished in only a few swings of the oars; and soon Xena found herself, for the first time in what seemed an eternity, under the roof of a solid building.
Otrera spoke aside with the two Amazons for a while and when they re-joined Xena all was smiles and acceptance. Any grievance they may have felt against Xena for chasing their sister was fully-offset by the danger that Gabrielle, their over-all leader, was in.
“Greetings, Xena.” The taller of the two Amazons held out a hand. “I am Epione. This is my friend, Alala. We are of the Torrequa tribe, as our sister here is. She tells me you have had bad luck in the tempest, and I see Gabrielle is wounded. What can we do?”
“Thanks for your friendship.” Xena nodded at the two women; both sharing the same dark sun-tanned complexions as the girl she had trailed for so long. “She's had a nasty knock on the head. We need to get her to the Torrequa village as soon as we can. She can recuperate there safely.”
“It will be our honour.” Epione was clearly some kind of leader in her community, and took decisions with the swiftness of long experience. “The canoe we have just used is at your disposal. There is another, larger; but it will take time to pull off its blocks and haul down to the water. The canoe is better.”
“Will you both come with us?” Xena glanced from one to the other of the Amazons. “There'll be room.”
“No.” Epione shook her head as she looked to the Amazon girl at Xena's side. “Any greater speed will be off-set by our greater weight. I think if you two went alone, you'd make a better pace.”
“Alright.” Xena nodded, realising the sense of this decision.
“The river is high with flood-water.” Alala smiled at the two bedraggled women. “But this will actually help your speed down-river. The river is always deep and safe.”
“How long do you think it'll take?” Xena, now that events were coming to a climax, was beginning to feel nervous. “How far away is this village?”
“It's about seven parasangs.” Otrera looked at Xena as they both stood by the sleeping form of Gabrielle, on the litter at their feet. “If Epione can spare some blankets and jerkins we can make Gabrielle comfortable; and things should be easier. With the river at its present height and speed I reckon maybe four clepsydra's flow should see us safely there.”
“ Gods. ” Xena felt a rush of relief run through her at these words. “Right, let's get going.”
—O—
The Amazons had a multitude of stores, all of which they put at the disposal of their sister and Xena. The jerkins and blankets were forth-coming without trouble, and they even handed over a satchel with bread and smoked meat for food. Epione had insisted the two voyagers take time to have a meal themselves, as the preparations continued.
When Xena had grabbed a quick bite she went over to attend to Gabrielle once more. A short while later Gabrielle's eyes opened again and she smiled weakly at her friend.
“Well, Xena. I'm back again.” She seemed to be more in control of her senses than before. “You can't get rid of me that easily. What happened?”
“Oh, a little knock on the head.” Xena smiled affectionately into Gabrielle's grass-green eyes. “But you know how hard your head is. No damage done.”
“ Gods. ” The Amazon Queen shifted uneasily under her blanket. “My side hurts. Did someone's horse kick me?”
“Nah.” Xena spoke gently as she brushed a damp cloth over the patient's brow. “I'll tell yah all about it later, when you've had some more sleep. Feeling tired?”
“Yeah.” Gabrielle grinned weakly again. “Think I'll take a nap. Don't mess the camp up, Xena.”
“I won't.” Xena bent over and kissed her forehead with infinite gentleness. “Here, take a sip of this. It'll help yah sleep. Close your eyes now, and everything'll be better soon.”
Gabrielle drank a little from the goblet Xena held to her lips, then the lids of her eyes closed and she once more lay quietly.
“How badly injured is she?” Epione looked at her Amazon visitor. “Can she take the voyage down-river?”
“Yes.” Otrera nodded, after glancing at Xena for confirmation. “A few broken bones, but nothing dangerous in itself. It's just that we need to get her somewhere safe to rest and recover, out of the wild forest, as quickly as possible.”
“I'm grateful for all this help you're giving, Epione.” Xena rose to stand before the two Amazons. “I appreciate what you're doing, even if I haven't exactly excelled myself in your eyes. I know I seem to have been making a terrible mistake in chasing your sister, here.”
“Gabrielle is our Federation-Queen.” Epione spoke with real concern in her voice. “And with our own Queen ill these past few months, she is really our only leader at present.”
“Your Queen is ill?” Xena looked from one to the other of the Amazons. This was news she had not previously heard of.
“Our own Queen is Derinoe.” Epione replied only after taking a quick glance at Otrera; who simply looked at her boots non-commitally. “She has not been well for some time. We hope for the best.”
“How did you fare in the storm?” Xena asked this, after a moment, to change the clearly painful subject; though she felt truly indebted for the assistance and kindness shown by the Amazons. “It was ferocious for us.”
“We stayed in the large house most of the time.” Alala described their actions. “Epione even insisted we go into the cellar for a few hours when it was at its height. But we came through alright. And the boat was unscathed. We had it firmly secured above the river waterline.”
“That was Alala's idea.” Epione laughed at the recollection. “You wouldn't believe the trouble we had hauling the damn thing higher out of the water than usual.”
“How did you get on with these God's-forsaken trees?” Xena's voice echoed with all the fear she had felt at the time. “Over the last two days I think every tree in the forest has been trying to fall on either my own or Gabrielle's head.”
“I know how you feel.” Epione nodded as she poured another measure of wine for the two travellers. “Being so thick, and so gigantically high, the trees in this part of the forest do tend to seem dominating. Many people who come here go away quickly; they fear the trees.”
“I can understand why.” Xena felt a cold shiver going down her spine. “I can tell yah, when I get out'ta this place with Gabrielle, she'll need to offer some really big reward before you see me back again.”
Alala smiled at this, as she finished packing some pieces of equipment in a leather satchel for the visitors.
“I was here last year when a delegation of Kerkini senators arrived for a ceremony.” The young girl smiled again at the recollection. “There were seven of them; and three were begging me to take them away again that very same day.”
“The forest is alive.” Epione glanced at Xena with a calculating look. “We Amazons know that well. But people from outside; they think a tree is just a tree. Fools , they soon change their opinions after spending a day or two here, in the power of the forest.”
“It's something you'd need to grow up with to understand fully, I suppose.” Xena nodded. “All I can say is—I've had my fill of it, too.”
—O—
Finally all their preparations were complete and once more the group stood by the water's edge. Gabrielle lay soundly asleep, but comfortable. She was well-wrapped in blankets and tied securely in place. All the stores were stowed and the two women had plenty of room in the wide canoe. It was still, to Xena's surprise, only a couple of hours after noon. Then Otrera, with a last word of thanks to her sisters, pushed off and the vessel swiftly shot out into mid-stream.
“Good voyage.” Alala called from her position at Epione's side then they, as well as the colossal waterfall, were lost to sight as the first bend hid them from view.
“We're on our way, Xena.” The Amazon girl glanced back from her position at the bow, where she wielded one of the light oars. “I never thought it would all go so well.”
“Me neither.” Xena nodded in agreement. “The whole thing's been like a dream. A bad dream—till now.”
“Well, there's nothing to worry about between here and the Torrequa village.” The Amazon's voice held a bright cheerfulness, in curious opposition to her earlier quietness from the previous day. “The river's deep, and it doesn't curve or bend much. Almost a straight run down-river all the way.”
As they moved along; with the water lapping at the canoe's side, they still felt gusts of wind dashing over the waves and hitting the canoe, and them, with some force; but nothing like the earlier storm. Above their heads Xena could see the clouds were beginning to show signs of individuality, while the whole sky looked much lighter in tone; though there was still no blue to be seen. The rain had finally stopped completely.
On either hand the river was bordered by a never-ending mass of closely-growing trees. They no longer seemed to be the enormous giants of the last two days, but lesser oaks and elms; though still astonishingly thick. Xena found, suddenly, she had developed an intense dislike for forest landscapes.
“How is Gabrielle?” The Amazon looked over her shoulder. “Is she comfortable?”
“Yeah.” Xena bent forward to examine the quiet form in the bottom of the canoe. “She's still sleeping. That dose of sedative I gave her will let her sleep for hours yet. Your friends have been very kind. I won't forget.”
“It is in their nature.” The girl turned back to keep an eye on the canoe's course down the centre of the swift-flowing river. “We are not a large tribe, as Amazons go, but we know the forests and rivers; and we honour our friends.”
“D'ya think we'll make it to the village before nightfall?” Xena constantly thought ahead; and this was the next problem that set itself before her.
“If it wasn't for this storm we would take about the length of eight small clepsydra's emptying for the voyage.” The Amazon called back. “And it would be long dark before we made the village. But with the increase in flood-water and its speed, we'll definitely make it in four clepsydra's. It'll still be light, just, when we reach the village, don't worry.”
Xena thought about bringing up the subject of the girl rescuing Gabrielle; very probably saving her life by doing so. But then decided it was something that would be better discussed in the village, at the end of their voyage. Meanwhile she focussed on the two major aspects of the present; keeping an eye on Gabrielle, and seeing their journey went un-interrupted.
Gabrielle was lying quietly; with her head wrapped warmly in a blanket as she lay in the bottom of the canoe, with her head beside Xena's boots. She was clearly comfortable, so Xena turned her attention to the tree-lined banks rushing past at an incredible rate.
“Are there any wild tribes hereabouts?” She always looked to cover all eventualities. “Y'know, like savages.”
“ Hades , no.” The Amazon, from her position ahead of the warrior, gave a subdued chuckle. “We have these forests completely to ourselves, Xena. I can guarantee that right now, Epione, Alala, and we are the only humans within seven parasangs. The forest is ours.”
“Damn the forest!” Xena spoke with conviction. “I don't want so much as a single twig. Just help get Gabrielle out'ta here to safety, and I'll give yah the riches of the whole world; I promise.”
Otrera paused in her motions with the oar to look back at Xena with a puzzled expression. It was clear to her that the warrior woman did not understand the powerful ties that loyalty gave to all the Amazons; in their dealings with each other, and those outside their tribes. Otrera's actions were not something that merited a reward; but were simply the conduct that any self-respecting Amazon would have felt impelled to in the same circumstances. Finally she shrugged her shoulders imperceptibly, and turned to steering the canoe once more.
On either hand the high green never-ending banks of trees continued to border the river, as the small canoe with its three passengers sailed down-stream like a mere leaf on the water's surface. Xena could not help thinking these trees, though possibly sentient and aware of their presence, now chose with the tempest's passing to ignore them with a supreme cold aloofness.
Taking her eyes off the trees with a physical effort Xena focussed on her oar sliding through the swift water beside the canoe. The sooner they reached the Torrequa Amazon village; the sooner she would finally breathe easier.
—O—
Chapter 6
The river ran dark and silent. It flowed beneath the canoe with only the merest sigh of water against the rawhide cover of the vessel. On either side thick oaks and elms lined the banks without break; a mass of green blotting out any view. Above, the sky remained grey and dull, while around the two women a steady breeze caressed their hair or beat against their deerskin jerkins in continuing sturdy gusts.
A few minutes later the canoe's bow seemed to veer across the full width of the river as it negotiated a sharper curve than normal; and here, for the first time since they had left the Amazons at the waterfall, Xena began to worry once more. For the oaks and elms that had surrounded them since leaving Epione suddenly stopped and, in what seemed only a stadia or so, were replaced once more by the earlier huge red-tinted giants.
These towered so high above the voyagers that they seemed to be floating along a deep tunnel with tall green sides, with the merest thin line of grey denoting the sky above. As she considered this new situation Xena felt fear trickling down her spine again: for the surface of the undulating river currents also became covered with faint specks which quickly increased till the whole surface was broken by a maelstrom of hissing droplets.
“It's a rain-storm.” The Amazon girl at the bow hunched her shoulders as she turned to Xena. “I'll cover Gabrielle with that sheet of oiled cloth Epione gave us.”
“What's happening?” Xena was bemused by this sudden shift in the weather. “The storm can't be coming back. Storms don't do that.”
“Sometimes, after tempests in this region, there are heavy rain-storms in their wake.” The girl had thrown her oar into the bottom of the canoe and leaned over to untie a long bundle lying alongside the prostrate form wrapped in blankets. “They often last a long time, too.”
“ Oh, Gods. ” Xena swore in frustration at this turn of events. “Life is easier in Tartarus, than this damned Region. Lay the cloth out, then carry on paddling. I'll wrap Gabrielle up. We must keep going.”
“I can't guide the canoe properly from the bow.” The girl shook her head as she crouched over Gabrielle. “You'll have t'stay there, to steer; I'll look after her.”
“ Damnation. Mind her ankle, then. Check the splint carefully.” Xena took her anger out in a few choice phrases; then looked ahead again as something else took her attention. “I can't see the river more than a hundred feet ahead. The rain's so heavy it's blocking out the view.”
“We need to reach shore and wait somewhere till it eases off.” The Amazon shook her head; water flying from her short brown hair. “It's too heavy to carry on.”
“We ain't stopping.” Xena's tone gave no room for argument. She leant forward and began paddling all the harder. “I need to get Gabrielle to safety as quickly as I can. That don't mean sitting under a tree watching the rain on the water for the rest of the day. We ain't spending another night out here in the wild, in this damned storm.”
“If we keep on in this weather someone'll have to start bailing, soon.” The Amazon wasn't impressed by Xena's rhetoric. “We can't see the river ahead, or behind us. And the canoe'll get flooded for sure.”
“We're going on.” Xena paddled relentlessly, with tight lips.
The oiled cloth was wide enough to wrap round Gabrielle and tuck in under her quiet form. As she was finishing Otrera paused to lean closer to the prostrate figure under the blankets; then glanced at Xena.
“She's muttering again.” The Amazon gently laid a fold of the cloth over Gabrielle's face to protect her from the rain. “That potion you gave her is wearing off. Does she need any more? We still have at least three clepsydra's lengths to go before reaching my village. Maybe more, now.”
“We can't stop.” Xena replied between grunts as she continued paddling. “Waste too much time. The sleeping potion should last another couple of clepsydra's.”
Otrera returned to her paddle in the bow and for the next few minutes there was silence, broken only by the hissing of the rain on the water all round them; and the faint sound of mumbling speech from Gabrielle as she lay on the thin planks set lengthways across the canoe's wooden seats. Finally Otrera slid her paddle onto the floor at her feet and twisted round again. She struggled back into the centre of the vessel, just a few feet in front of Xena, who was watching her every move intently. The girl bent down and picked up a small leather container and began bailing water from the bottom of the canoe. It was surprising how much there seemed to be in so short a time.
“We hav'ta go on.” Xena finally broke the silence; appealing to the bent figure in front of her. “If we go ashore it'll be dark before we can make it to the village. We may have to spend the night out here in the wild. I don't want that for Gabrielle. Her ankle and ribs need looking after; as well as her head.”
“She's got'ta be alive when we get her there, for help to work.” Otrera's words cut through Xena with the impact of a slicing chakram.
The Warrior Woman raised her head to stare at the slight figure crouched just ahead, and snarled with bared teeth. Without taking her eyes off the girl she raised her paddle from the water and brought it inboard. Xena leaned forward, as if preparing to move toward the girl; then paused uncertainly. For an instant she kept her angry gaze on the Amazon, then turned and peered into the heavy curtain of mist stretching across the river's width behind them. The rain was still beating down with immense force, surrounding the canoe with a hissing writhing plain of rushing disturbed water: but something over and above this had caught Xena's subconscious attention.
For an instant longer she raked the impervious screen of vapour behind the canoe with a keen gaze; then turned to the Amazon with re-newed energy.
“Start paddling. Right now!” Xena grabbed her own paddle and dug it into the water as if driven by demons. “ Go! Paddle.”
“Why? What's wrong?” The girl paused for an instant. “What is it? There's no-one else on this river but us.”
“A tree.” Xena called between gritted teeth as she dragged her paddle through the water; the unseen menace giving her strength. “There's a floating tree coming downstream.”
“How d'yo—”
“I know it!” Xena shouted at the girl frantically now. “It's close behind. For all the Gods' sake get that damned paddle in the water.”
The Amazon realised that the warrior meant what she said and started clambering back along the canoe. In bailing out she had come most of the way down the long vessel and now had to slip along between the closely blanketed form of their patient, and sundry stores packed further forward. Suddenly every step seemed to be taking an eternity. The necessity to hold onto the canoe side in negotiating her way, as it bobbed over the disturbed water, also hindered her progress.
“ Great Ares' sword , girl.” Xena called with real fear in her voice. “Move it. We got'ta get out'ta the way, or it'll rip us apart.”
Even as she spoke Xena glanced back and saw the rainy mist part about a stadia in their rear. From out of the grey curtain came first a dark form; then the solid bulk of a tree. Or at least, Xena realised a second later, a single branch of one of the giants of the forest. It had obviously torn free; fallen in the river, and was now intent on their destruction. Even in death, she found herself thinking, these trees still held a lethal peril.
“I got it.” Otrera called from her position in the bow, where she had finally retrieved her paddle. “We can— Oh Gods. ”
“Don't look back, just keep paddling.” Xena called instructions in a suddenly calm voice. “Steer for the right-hand bank. I think we can let it slip by if we get close in against the side there.”
For a few seconds the two women paddled as they had never done in their lives. But all too soon it became apparent to Xena that they weren't going to make it; the tree was moving too swiftly on the current.
It did not have a wide canopy of leaves; just a ragged set of smaller boughs sticking into the air along its length. From head to foot it seemed to be about sixty feet long; with most of its trunk submerged. Its position, as it swung in the current, made it now impossible for the women to guide the canoe to safety in the direction Xena had chosen. Instead their only chance lay in heading across the river, right in front of the tree-branch itself.
“The other side. Paddle for the other side.” Xena swung her paddle over her shoulder to dig into the water on her right side. “We got'ta keep ahead of it.”
“ Hades. ” Otrera glanced over the intervening body of water, and to her experienced eye it seemed obvious the branch was going to hit them. “It'll never work. We need to swing—”
“Don't argue. Head for that shingle bank over there. See it?”
But it was too late. In taking those last seconds to argue the women had unconsciously lost impetus on their paddles. Before they could make up their headway the branch was upon them. The dark shadow of a lesser bough loomed over them; the solid mass of the main branch slipped past at close quarters; then there was a jerk and the canoe was stopped in its path as if by a giant hand. Both women felt a thump as they connected with some unseen part of the wreckage of the forest monster; then came an audible ripping noise and water began to spurt into the canoe from somewhere low down towards the centre of the vessel. In another instant the branch had slid past and was lost to view in the impenetrable mist as it pursued its own course down-stream.
Otrera threw her paddle into the bottom of the canoe and struggled back along its length to bend over the inrushing flow just less than halfway along the vessel.
“It's a long tear in the rawhide.” She grasped a bundle of stores and tried to shift them in the enclosed space, but with little success. “I can't reach it. We need to get ashore; right now.”
As she spoke an arm raised itself from the wrapped form lying across the thwarts of the boat and Gabrielle's voice drifted back to Xena.
“Xena? I want you. I—I want—” Then the weak voice trailed off into silence once more.
Xena put her head down and dug the paddle deep in the rushing water; aiming for the small stretch of shingle on the opposite river-bank she had noted earlier. Otrera was kneeling beside Gabrielle, bailing quickly and wordlessly; intent on what she was doing. Xena could feel the body and motion of the canoe change as the water pooling in the bottom hindered its motion. Then, thankfully, the shingle strand came up with unexpected speed and the bow sliced onto the pebbles with such force Otrera was flung down, across Gabrielle.
Instantly Xena was out of the canoe and grabbed the bow as Otrera joined her seconds later. Between them they hauled the vessel high on the low shingle, well out of the passing river. Then, as the Amazon sat back to recover her breath, Xena jumped back into the canoe and leaned tenderly over its passenger.
When she gently pulled the flap of blanket away from her face Xena found that Gabrielle had passed once more from a state of semi-consciousness back into a kind of light sleep. Her eyes were moving under closed lids; and her breathing seemed shallow and disturbed. There were deep shadows under her eyes where the bruising from her head-wound still showed clearly. Xena was immediately concerned at this slight, but definite, worsening in her lover's condition.
“She ain't doing so well.” Xena voiced her worry as the Amazon joined her, standing at the side of the canoe. “Her fever's increased a little, and she ain't looking so good. We got'ta get her to help as soon as possible. We need to go on, downriver. How's the canoe?”
“I'll take a look.” Otrera clambered into the vessel; making sure not to disturb the recumbent form Xena was tenderly ministering to. “Lem'me get these stores out'ta the way, then I can tell.”
Xena put her arms under the quiet shape wrapped in blankets and slowly stood up. She put a booted foot on the rim of the canoe and leapt, with astonishing ease, onto the shingle and pebbles. Another few steps took her away from the riverbank onto the floor of the forest. Here, shaded by the overhanging branches of one of the enormous trees Xena laid her precious burden on the thick loose bark-strewn ground. In the shadow of this giant the ground was virtually dry, even though the rain still fell solidly on the disturbed waves of the fast-flowing river.
“The tear's about a couple of hand-length's long, Xena.” Otrera's voice, as she called across to the warrior, held a note of relief. “It's not too ragged. I can try to sew it up with the needles that Epione included in the stores she gave us.”
“How long?”
“Maybe half an hour.” The Amazon girl was already kneeling in the base of the canoe searching through a leather satchel where she had located a bundle of fine bone needles and strong rawhide thread. “How's Gabrielle?”
Xena knelt at the side of her comrade and was relieved to see green eyes staring into her face, though not with any sign of recognition.
“Where's Xena?” Gabrielle's voice was weak, and her words somewhat incoherent as she looked from side to side. “Need Xena. Are you an Amazon? Amazons are good. Want the Amazons,—”
“There, there, dear. I'm here.” Xena touched the fingers of Gabrielle's right hand. “I'm beside ya, lover. Don't worry. Everything's gon'na be OK.”
“Back again, Xena?” Gabrielle seemed to be pursuing a train of thought of her own. “All day. All day. Knew you'd come back. Knew you would.”
“Try to rest, Gabrielle.” Xena pulled the blanket tighter round the frail figure of the Amazon. “We're nearly home, now. Not long to go.”
“Trees. Big trees, Xena.” Her head turned from side to side, as if she were searching for something unseen. “Amazon dances. Like Amazon dances, Xena. You should dance more. More dancing.”
Gabrielle's head slowly stopped twisting and her eyes closed again, as she lay relatively peacefully once more. Xena leaned close over her face, feeling the low steady breaths from her lips as she fell into another doze.
Xena moved quietly, without disturbing her patient, to examine Gabrielle's foot. The splint, re-newed at Epione's station, was well-tied and held the broken ankle in a firm grip. They had left her right boot on, though the toes of her left foot were free of bandages. Xena could see the slight bend in the big toe caused by an accident Gabrielle had suffered about a year previously, when she had tried to do some forward flips without a pole. Xena smiled grimly at the remembrance as she wrapped Gabrielle more comfortably, then turned back to the canoe.
“What's it like?”
“The tear's quite long, but the rawhide's not ripped too badly.” The Amazon girl wiped her forehead, for although the rain still swept down unceasingly the atmosphere itself was now quite sultry and warm. “I need to double-sew it, for safety.”
“Yeah, OK.” Xena cast a quick glance back at the blanketed form lying in the shade of the huge tree towering over their heads. Even though they stood on the open riverside Xena could only see a score of yards into the forest before the high undergrowth and dark shade made everything invisible.
“Is Gabrielle any better?” Otrera's voice was filled with a real concern.
“Not really.” The Warrior Woman spoke tersely as she turned from the canoe to return to her patient. “She's a little feverish, but I don't want to give her any more sleeping potion. Might be better to let the fever burn out naturally. Hurry with the repairs.”
Xena crouched by Gabrielle's side; stretching her legs out to sit properly. She laid one hand on her own knee and the other on the blanket protecting the sleeping woman. Her eyes shifted all the time; gazing at the supine figure beside her; over at the bent shadow of the Amazon girl working on the canoe; and every so often into the dark heart of the forest which for so long had tried with all its might to overthrow and hurt those struggling in its depths.
—O—
“It's ready.” The Amazon girl's call brought Xena out of a reverie into which she had fallen as she mused on Gabrielle's plight, and their present position, under the dark shadows of the encompassing forest.
“Is it watertight?” Xena hurried across to stand by the canoe. The protection of the trees was less here and a steady rain beat down on both her and the Amazon. For the first time Xena noted the Amazon girl was wet-through from her work out in the open for so long. “You'd better take time to change. There's clothes in that large bundle at the end of the canoe.”
“Yeah, I will.” The girl nodded in reply. “I double-stitched the tear. But it still ain't really watertight; we'll have to keep bailing as we go. I think it'll get us to the village, though, if we're lucky.”
“Thank the Gods for that.” Xena let out her pent-up breath at this news. “Good work.”
“Once I put the tools away and change you can lift Gabrielle back in the canoe and we can be on our way.” The Amazon stared grimly at the tall woman beside her. “Barring any more floating trees, that is.”
“Yeah, there's that.” Xena shook her head firmly. “We'll have to risk it. No point staying here, and the only option is downriver. So?”
“Let's slide the canoe in the water again.” The girl spoke after a moment's hesitation. “I have it safely tied to this stump. We can move Gabrielle into it when it's in the water; easier that way.”
The two women worked with a remarkable fluidity; never getting in each other's way, but making sure everything associated with the canoe was in order and ready to go. Otrera took the stern while Xena hauled on the bow and, with a few hearty curses from the warrior and gasps from the slighter Amazon, the canoe once again floated on the disturbed water.
After the drenched Amazon girl had changed quickly into dry clothes, Xena picked up the unconscious Gabrielle and bore her weight easily the few yards to the vessel. She tenderly placed her dear cargo on the wide internal thwarts; that now had long planks stretched across them, to let her precious burden lie as comfortably as was possible. Otrera bent over her, tying some improvised straps in place round her waist and above her knees for safety; then she climbed in once more while Xena gave the canoe a firm push out into the river and jumped in herself. They were on their way again.
Some energetic paddling brought them out into mid-stream and then Xena relaxed a little. Looking around she immediately saw that the rain, though still heavy and constant, was much lighter than previously. She could see along the river's course for perhaps half a stadia in both directions, which made the danger from further floating debris all the less. The danger had not passed entirely though, because her sharp eye spotted several leafy boughs still floating along the rapid current on the river's surface; though none of this lighter debris was of a size to be any danger to the canoe.
Gabrielle herself, though a little feverish, was at the moment in a light slumber that Xena felt was probably for the best; and might help the patient endure her situation better over the next period of their journey.
As they continued down the wide river the rain beat on their faces and chests, though they both wore buckskin jerkins which were fairly water-resistant. Gabrielle was well-protected by blankets and a sort of tent-frame the Amazon girl had also rigged up. This was covered in a sheet of oiled cloth and let Gabrielle lie underneath more or less protected from the elements. Xena had not failed to see the good effect of this, and had given the girl some words of truly heartfelt thanks.
The afternoon was well-advanced now though the grey overcast sky still remained quite light, while the rain was uncomfortably persistent. Despite being wide and covered with a multitude of currents, the river's surface remained smooth. It showed no propensity to turn into rapids and there were no boulders breaking the current that would endanger the canoe. Now that they had recovered from their near-tragedy and were on the move again there did seem to be every chance the rest of the voyage was going to be less eventful: Xena fervently hoped so, anyway.
On either hand the huge giant trees, with their ominous red-brown tints, still lined the banks. They rose some one hundred and fifty feet into the sky, and were by far the greatest specimens of their kind Xena had ever seen. Though she had long known of the immensity of the Kerkini forests, she had not experienced them in person; at least in this manner. It was an on-going lesson to her; and one, once over, she hoped never to repeat.
Xena dug her paddle into the water to guide the canoe slightly to her right, then looked up. She glanced at Gabrielle's head, where she lay quietly under the tent-frame, then over this at the back of the Amazon in the bows.
“How're ya doing?” Xena was pleased with their swift progress; finally feeling able to believe that they would make their destination in good time, after all. “The river seems smoother here?”
“Yeah.” Otrera turned to call back; though from her gasping breath it was obvious she was feeling the physical effort. “The river doesn't curve as much from now on between here and the village. These trees stretch all the way to the village, though. Our camp is in the middle of a whole area of them.”
“ Oh, Gods .” Xena spat contemptuously over the side. “I hate these damned trees. When Gabrielle recovers I'm going to find a desert, and live there for years.”
“ Ha . A desert; that's where there ain't any trees, right?” The Amazon sounded doubtful. “I can't believe that. You got'ta have trees to live; I mean, it stands to reason.”
“This ain't the only corner of the world, girl.” Xena's voice was imbued with total conviction. “There's places out there ya wouldn't think possible. Trees ain't everything in life.”
“For us Amazons they are.” Otrera spoke after a slight pause; and her voice held a note that made Xena look sharply at the figure crouched in the bow, leaning to one side as she sliced her paddle expertly through the water.
Xena glanced again at the far bank on her left, comprising a solid unbroken wall of green. The massed trees spread their canopies out over the water in rolling curved masses, giving a diversity of tones that seemed inexhaustible. She could see, here and there, the thick reddish trunks soaring high; and was struck for the first time by the enormous strength that exuded from the forest as a whole. Xena began to understand the belief that the forest was indeed a living breathing entity in itself. But to her, she also admitted, it was a terrifying exhibition of unfeeling neutral disregard that was wholly frightening to someone unused to the forest's curious aura.
Xena dug her paddle into the flowing water with re-newed purpose. In the village lay safety for Gabrielle, and Xena meant to see she arrived there: the forest would not win!
—O—
“Look; over there, to the left. Above the trees.” The Amazon girl's voice sounded in Xena's ears with a note of excitement. “D'you see the smoke?”
The afternoon had worn on imperceptibly as the canoe glided on its way. The grey intermingling clouds overhead had gradually assumed a darker shade and the light was beginning to fade, though Xena could still see across the broad width of the fast-flowing river. Every now and then the women had taken turns bailing small amounts of water from the vessel; although Xena was frankly relieved that the Amazon girl's repairs seemed to be holding up exceptionally well. Time had become difficult to determine as they continued on along the narrow channel between the green banks of trees; each succeeding reach of water appearing so similar to its predecessors. But just as Xena had been thinking of making some kind of remark about their position the Amazon's voice had rung out in the silence all round them. A silence only broken by another light rain-shower hissing on the surface of the water, and hindering their view as they both stared ahead with keen anxiety.
Xena looked over the unending rank of trees on her left in the direction pointed out by the Amazon and glimpsed a faint wavering thread of brownish smoke, dark against the lighter grey of the clouds.
“It's the village.” The Amazon turned to grin at the now shadowy figure in the stern of the canoe. “Just round this little curve, and we'll be home.”
And, indeed, a few more determined thrusts with their paddles and a slight change of course by Xena, so the canoe ran down the very centre of the stream, suddenly revealed ahead of them a distant row of wooden huts lining the left bank. At the side of the river, as the village came properly into view, were several long jetties with numerous canoes tied up to them; and Xena could even see a crowd of figures at the river's edge, as if engaged in work around their vessels. They had finally made it to safety.
The next short space of time seemed like a dream to Xena. Their canoe slid onto the pebbly shore with a scraping rattle; a group of Amazons ran across; and within seconds they were helping their Amazon sister out of the vessel and standing by respectfully while Xena grasped Gabrielle's blanket clad form in her arms and stepped onto the beach herself. Without, later, quite remembering how Xena found herself next in a wide warm room where Gabrielle was laid gently on a low bed while an Amazon shamaness leant over the patient; listening to some words of explanation from the shabby rain-soaked Amazon girl at her side.
Then she was kindly but firmly directed to another room where some wine and a light meal of fruit was laid out. The young Amazon joined her there not long afterwards, and they sat at the table more or less in silence as both considered their new situation. Their reverie was broken after a short while by the entrance of a tall dark-haired Amazon in wet buckskin jerkin and muddy leggings; but with an authoritative expression, as of long command, on her tanned face. She nodded gravely to the Amazon girl who for so long now, it seemed to Xena, had accompanied her on their journey; then the woman turned to greet Xena.
“We are glad to see you here, Xena.” She strode over to stand by the table as the warrior woman rose from her chair. “My name is Clymene. I am the village-leader here. We've all been very disturbed to hear of Gabrielle's accident. She is our Federation-Queen, as you know. So we are anxious she recovers quickly. How are you? Our, er , sister here, has already told me something of the circumstances.”
“I'm fine, thanks.” Xena found herself wondering about the reception she was receiving. Somehow it didn't quite ring true to her finely-honed perceptions. Something was underpinning the Amazon's greeting that Xena didn't understand; and this worried her. “Your shamaness seems to think that Gabrielle will be fine, after a long rest. Her head fracture is small and not too dangerous, apparently. It won't have any long-term effect. She said, before she threw me out the room, that a potion and some pain-killing ointment she had would soon set Gabrielle right. And that her fever was only light, and would fade away without trouble.”
“I'm pleased to hear that. Though, of course, her broken ankle and ribs will need some time to heal, too.” Clymene waved a hand in front of her, motioning Xena towards the door. “Would you like to walk with me? We can discuss things better outside.”
“What about the girl—” Xena indicated the figure of her companion; sitting seemingly unawares at the table.
“ Oh , our—sister,—will be well looked after.” Clymene glanced with a kind expression at the slight figure hunched somewhat sadly, it appeared to Xena, over a cup of wine. “She has done a great deal to earn our respect. Come.”
Outside Xena was relieved to see the house had a covered porch that ran all round the building; so they could walk without getting wet from the once more seemingly incessant heavy rain, which showed no sign of stopping in the near future. As the women walked on the wooden planks Xena observed a wide panorama of the village laid out before her. There was a single main road, lined by wooden buildings of substantial solidity on both sides. The place was obviously built to last, and was not one of the more usual yurt encampments that Xena was well-used to in the far Northern steppes. There was also a multitude of women, mostly dressed in buckskins, going to and fro about their business as unmindful of the gusting rain as if it were an everyday occurrence.
“You've had a bad time over the last few days.” Clymene spoke quietly, but with respect and concern in her tone. “It can't have been fun trekking through the forest in weather like this.”
“Damn right, there.” Xena's voice echoed with feeling. “Never had such a struggle in years. When that tree fell on Gabrielle I thought my life was at an end.”
“I can well believe you.” Clymene nodded as they slowly walked on. “It's not everyone who can survive having one of these forest giants fall on them. In fact, Gabrielle is the only one I can think of in recent times.”
They reached the corner of the building and here, at Clymene's direction, they paused to sit on a bench fixed to the outer wall of the house but still protected by the porch; the angled planked roof of which was supported by wooden columns every few yards, along the outer rail that separated them from the rainswept street.
“It was lucky that your Amazon friend was nearby to offer help.” The village-leader's tone held a note of inquiry that was not lost on Xena.
“Gabrielle and I were chasing her.” Xena gave a quick glance towards the woman by her side. “But I suppose you already knew that. We'd been told by Queen Thalestris of the Calessi tribe that a young Amazon had killed a member of her Council. Gabrielle accepted the duty of going after her and bringing her back to meet justice before Thalestris.”
“But it didn't turn out that way.” Clymene nodded, as if she did indeed already know all the relevant details. “The weather turned bad, and your foe became your rescuer.”
“Yeah. Yeah, she appeared out'ta the dark and helped find Gabrielle under that damned tree.” Xena acknowledged the girl's help unequivocally. “I figure, if she hadn't helped I'd a taken a lot longer to find Gabrielle. And then what I'd a'done afterwards, I don't know. I couldn't have gotten her out'ta this forest by myself; I know that.”
“I don't think Queen Thalestris expected to see the girl alive again.” Clymene put a finger to her chin musingly as she looked at the strong warrior by her side. “I think her plan was that you'd probably kill the girl when you found her. Do the Queen's dirty work for her, you see.”
“Gabrielle and I obviously missed something back at the Calessi village.” Xena thought back to the scene in her mind. “Now you mention it, I was never quite happy with Thalestris. Not a nice person, I thought. But she was the Queen, and the murder did seem to have taken place as she described.”
“ Oh , I have no doubt there was a murder; but not as she described.” Clymene spoke with certainty. “Thalestris wanted to get rid of—our friend, without having the stain of blood on her hands. She merely kept you and Gabrielle in the dark about some minor details; then let you loose. Must have seemed like a gift from the Gods to her.”
“I seem to have been drifting in a cloud of unknowing for the past several days, Clymene.” Xena looked appraisingly at the village-leader. “If you have something to tell me, now's the time, I think.”
“The girl you chased, and then who helped you; she is a good Amazon, wouldn't you say?” There seemed to be the faintest note of amusement in her words as Clymene watched Xena's face carefully.
“ Gods , yeah. I'll give her that, OK.” Xena nodded.
“What is her name?” Clymene's question, though spoken softly, caught the warrior woman off-guard.
“Her name?” Xena turned on the bench to study the figure beside her in the gloom of the early evening. Only the sound of rain pattering on the wooden rail beside them broke the silence. “I—I don't think I know her name.”
“She told me you had never addressed her by name.” Clymene watched Xena in her turn. “You went after an unknown quarry; then were too taken up with the struggle to save Gabrielle to ever ask the girl's name. And she didn't offer to tell you, either?”
“No. No, I suppose not.” Xena thought about the situation, fantastic as it appeared. She really had not, in the days they had worked together to help save Gabrielle, thought for one instant about the Amazon girl's name. She had continued thinking of her as simply her former quarry and then new helper, nothing more. “I never asked. I had too much on my mind.”
“Do you want to know who the girl is, whom you and Gabrielle have chased through the Kerkini forests; and who helped save your love and our Federation-Queen?” Clymene's tone had suddenly assumed a note of authority that gained Xena's full attention.
“Yes. Yes, I do. More than nearly anything in the world right now.” Xena felt a cold shiver stealing down her spine as she clenched the knuckles of her hands tightly, in anticipation of what the reply might be.
“We here of the Torrequa have long been ruled by Derinoe, a noble and fine Amazon, as our tribal Queen. With Gabrielle being the overall Ruler of the Federation of Tribes, which we joined last year.” Clymene spoke now with tender love in her voice. “But for several months past Derinoe has suffered from a creeping illness which none of our shamaness's could halt or cure. Finally, four days ago while you were chasing your prey in the forest, Derinoe died. Before she went to the Land of the Dead, though, she acknowledged her daughter as her successor. The girl who laboured under Thalestris's anger; the girl whom you have hunted, and to whom you now owe Gabrielle's life, is Derinoe's daughter!”
“ Oh, Gods. ” Xena was struck dumb at the import and tragedy of this news; so far beyond her conception of recent events. There was simply nothing she could think of to say in reply.
“So, Xena,” Clymene went on remorselessly. “You asked whom it was that you chased, like a hunted prey, through the forest. Your quarry was Otrera, new Queen of the Torrequa Amazons!”
—O—
In the room Xena had recently left the young Amazon girl still sat at the table; with the same cup of wine beside her. She was not drinking, however. Clymene had broken the news of her mother's death to her earlier, and she was now bowed under the sadness of the event. Her accession to the throne had also been made clear; though this was something she had been acquainted with for the past few months, since her mother had early made her choice known to her daughter.
The girl raised her hands to her face and sighed deeply. Then the far door opened in the otherwise empty room and she turned in her chair to look at the tall figure outlined in the entrance.
Xena strode across the room to stand by the table, where the girl remained seated; suddenly too exhausted to rise. The warrior woman looked into the tired bedraggled face of the young girl for an appreciable time, before smiling gently and holding a hand out to her.
“Otrera. Queen Otrera.”
The girl continued looking at the outstretched hand, as if unsure what was meant.
“Otrera, you saved Gabrielle's life.” Xena's voice trembled with hardly-contained passion. “If it wasn't for you, Gabrielle would be lying dead out there; under the trees, somewhere. I know that. I'm so sorry about your mother. She was a great Queen. Your tribe should be proud of her. I'm sorry; for everything.”
Otrera looked again into the deep blue eyes of the warrior standing over her, then reached out and took the offered hand in a firm grip, as a tear ran down her own cheek.
—O—
Three Weeks Later.
Gabrielle limped slowly, but confidently, along the earthen road that ran through the Amazon village. By her side were Xena, Clymene, and Otrera. Gabrielle had become used to the long wooden crutch with its leather pad under her left arm. Her head was now unbandaged, and her ankle was no longer in a splint; but could not yet take her full weight. Her ribs were still sore, too, but much less trouble; except when trying to get into or out of bed.
Otrera had put aside her Queenly status for the time being and was dressed in full buckskins, with a bow and quiver over her shoulder, as well as a canvas satchel. The preparations for the journey she was about to set out on had been meticulously detailed; with nothing forgotten. On the edge of the village; where the wooden huts stopped and the trees began, a small group of similarly equipped Amazons awaited the arrival of their leader in the sunshine. The coming expedition would be arduous, but well within their capabilities.
“So you're ready, then?” Gabrielle looked into the face of her subject-Queen with love, and some concern, in her green eyes. “Sure you want to go through with this, Otrera?”
“Yeah. I have an appointment with somebody, across the forest.” Otrera smiled grimly. “She doesn't know it yet; but she's going to have a surprise visit.”
“You're damn lucky the rainy season's finished.” Xena smiled, and put a gentle hand on the young girl's shoulder. “Should be a piece of cake.”
“ Ha .” Otrera laughed. “Wan'na come with us?”
“Not in a million years.” Xena assumed a frightened expression that wouldn't have fooled a ten-year old girl. “Those trees out there hate me; ya all know that.”
“Goodbye, Otrera.” Clymene held her hand out to the girl. “Come back safely.”
“I will.” Then Otrera, at the head of her band of Amazons, turned with a parting smile to everyone; swiftly heading over the short grass to be immediately swallowed under the shade of the huge forest trees, leaving no trace behind.
As they walked back to the village Hall Clymene looked at the limping figure of her Federation-Queen with a glint in her eye.
“How is your ankle, my Queen?” She tried to keep her tone neutral; but a tinge of humour entered it all the same.
“My ankle is just fine, Clymene.” Gabrielle stopped, to look suspiciously at the village-leader. “Why'd you ask?”
“ Oh , I was only thinking that with your ankle and ribs, not to say anything of your head: well, you'll still need someone to look after you for a while yet.” Clymene affected a thoughtful expression. “A servant, for instance, who'll never rest or leave your side for the next few weeks; no matter what your needs may be. Who you'll find here to do that, I don't know.”
“ Oh , you might be surprised.” Gabrielle grinned weakly, as she accepted the steadying hand of the tall dark warrior woman on her other side. “If I offer a high enough reward I may find somebody.”
The End
—OOO—