The Tour : Chapter 13

The Firzin were plenty big enough for procuring cash. Izzy fixed the trade, haggling till they had a fair price. It was the one moment it seemed like she was happy. They split the money from the kill among them, save for the amount which they used to procure their rooms in one of the more comfortable sized inns. The furniture was staggered in size since it was made for the mixed population with bigger tables and chairs for the demonic types and smaller for the humans. Of course, the beds were huge enough for everybody.

Now they walked the market place. It was a colorful noisy experience, with plenty of things to see and smell. Izzy cautioned them against buying any meat from a stall inhabited by a demon. Tok padded close to the demoness, partly because she kept it short leashed and partly because everything was unfamiliar. It wasn't really a town kind of creature.

On the surface it seemed like something one would see on earth, except, out of the corner of one's eye, a person might see a body being dragged behind an ally way or a person might see a beribboned stall that was made up of entirely of bones and skulls. Not all of the skulls were human. Xena found herself scanning the crowd watchfully, listening to the conversation of the group with a portion of her attention.

There were those who would lay with one for pay. Izzy cautioned against visiting with them, roughly grabbing and letting Salmoneus know that one often lacked a certain body part by the time it was all done. That had set the man a little pale. "What am I supposed to do?" he'd whispered at Izzy in frustration and a burst of honesty (which he'd been avoiding), "With the vibes you give off," she smirked knowingly, "my whole body aches with need." He pointed at his compatriots, most of whom were involved with looking at the contents of a weapons stall. "They at least have someone. All I've got is my hand and it ain't helping."

Izzy hadn't laughed. She was still in too pissy a mood to appreciate the humor of the situation. Besides, the desperation in his face was real. "I'll find someone safe for you," she snapped, "just stay away from them." She steered him away from the leering demons. Izzy handed Sal off to Xena with a grouchy, "Watch him!" Then she stalked away for a brief "chat" with those troublemakers.

Sal turned to Xena, his expression was perplexed, "What's her problem?"

"She's in heat."

*That* got their attention. There was a chorus of "What?" from the startled adventurers. Marcus and Perdicus looked at each other with expressions of. .. gee that explains everything. . .

"She's tumescent, on the rise, if the color's any indication." The stall master, carefully showed the gleaming knife to a now distracted Marcus. "They cycle every two weeks or so, unless something sets them off."

Xena asked a carefully intoned, "excuse me?"

The human salesman sighed and pointed with the knife, "You're her tribemates, you should surely know this by now. Look at her color. She's almost cherry red." He smiled softly, "Her tail is up, notice. I mean, they're always off the ground, but usually they swing more. Hers is twitchy but almost still. She's probably only just started, because she's not exuding the scent. Otherwise they'd be around her in droves. .It makes 'em fidgety, know what I mean. More fights break out. . They get all irritated for no reason. Unsociallike. She'll be surrounded be by some hangerons soon enough. I can tell. If you look in her eyes you there's gonna be a golden ring around the iris. The larger the ring, the closer she is." The stall master sniffed. "It's hard enough when they're off cycle. There's always this buzz around them, know what I mean."

Salmoneus groaned. "Oh yeah, we know." The salesman sighed, knowing his business was lost, "Who knows how many she's gonna set off. You should get her inside and off the street. Its bad for business. Though she is fighting it, so it might be okay." "Fighting?" Xena asked. "Oh yeah, she's out traveling with you, isn't she. That one would be holed up with a buck or doe" He laughed briefly, "Or a buck and a doe, depending, for a day or two otherwise." He grinned rakishly, "Not all the howling is made up of pain."

"She didn't look like that yesterday." Melosa said. "I remember."

He shrugged and put the now completely ignored knife down. He looked thoughtful, "Of course, she's probably just been set off her timing. That happens a lot It's this aura thing they've got going. You never know what's gonna affect them. It could have been a smell, or a word, or someone touching them just right at the wrong moment. Could have been anything. Sometimes fights will do it. Something like that. You would notice right away though. The color changes pretty quick."

Xena pursed her lips and inhaled slowly. She closed her eyes and realized that she'd noticed the skin color change, last night, after she'd finished the last of her stitching. She had thought Ga. .Izzy, best go with what she called herself, was just blushing, feeling embarrassed for being so snappish. At least that is what she'd apologized for. Gods.

Incredible as the situation was, possibly dangerous, it made Xena feel better. Izzy hadn't colored after the battle, not technically. It had been while *she* was touching the Tartaran. She had an effect on Izzy, whether the demon admitted it or not. She could use that.

"How do we keep her from. . ."scenting," Xena asked, though she thought she knew. In mating, the principle was always the same. She fingered a slim looking knife. It looked like the kind that could peel the skin away. . .slowly.

The salesman grinned. Maybe there would be a sale after all, "Oh that's easy. Just make sure she gets some, if you know what I mean."

Salmoneus grinned, despite himself, "Well if that's all it takes. I could. . ."

The salesman grimaced, "Very Bad Idea." He waved his hand carefully, "Don't get me wrong. Everyone's compatible here, usually, but in her state. .she's a bit far gone. Earlier maybe. You catch 'em early enough their up for anything. If you know what I mean." The guy winked and suddenly Xena was putting out some energy of her own. The salesman got back to what he was talking about "It's not that she couldn't its just. . .well. .they're mighty hard on ..(no pun intended) . ." He pointed toward's the man's crotch, "On those things. It could wipe you out." Salmoneus paled again. The salesmen pointed at Xena, then at the Amazons, "My mate and I." He smiled sexily, "when she's that far. . .we get an intermediary." He pointed in the direction that Izzy had taken. "Until she's been. .you know. . ." Now he pointed at Xena, Melosa and Oriena, "It'd be better for one of them to get her settled. Besides types like her. . ."the salesman continued.

"Besides types like me what?" Izzy was at the stall now, looking incredibly menacing. The prostitutes seemed to have disappeared. There was a streaky bloody hand print on her kilt. Tok was licking its chops. The salesman blanched.

"Heh," The salesman picked up a large dagger like object, "really go for a weapon like this." His expression turned amicable, "They were trying to find you a gift. . .uh. .for all you've done for . . ." He covered.

She growled down at him, making the human lean back, "I do not need a gift." Yep, there was the ring around her iris, not too large but. . .

"Right. No gift." He started packing up the knives, "What was I thinking. Sorry folks, nothing for sale here. Move along."

Izzy growled at Salmoneus, "There will be someone waiting at the inn for you. Human. Dark hair, pale skin, brown eyes. Give her this," She handed the man a golden necklace. "Enjoy." She looked at the rest of the group, "If you stay away from the guards and the meat pies you should be okay. Can you find your way without me?" The demoness looked antsy.

Melosa, ever practical and incredibly brave of heart, stepped forward. "YOU are NOT going to ABANDON us HERE!" The voice of authority rang through the marketplace and it seemed as if a veil of silence fell over the general area, though it hadn't. And here Xena had thought *she* was going to have to step in. The warrior folded her arms in abrupt good humor. She'd known these Amazons were good for something.

Izzy pulled back, towering over the Amazon and looked like she was going to burst forward with vocabulary of her own. She didn't get a chance. An Amazonian finger was poking her in the sternum. "You promised you would tell us if something would endanger us. WE had to find out from a COMPLETE stranger that you are in need and that YOU pose a danger to us. WE are going BACK to the INN. NOW."

Izzy started up. "I do NOT pose a danger to anyone," she began.

"Oh and those bucks and does who are gonna be sniffing at you, don't?"

Izzy opened her mouth. . .then. . .shut it. She looked grimly at Melosa. "I have been on Tartarus longer than you have. I can take care of myself. It would only take a night. I was planning on removing that danger by . . ."

"Removing yourself. . Yes. .that was obvious," Melosa completed, "But it is not acceptable." She moved her hand in a cutting motion, "We are too new here to be left alone just yet." Xena smirked. Well, this wasn't a tact she would have taken, but. . .whatever works. The Amazon's voice lowered, "We need you Izzy. I don't feel good about you going out there to do. . .whatever. I don't feel good about getting separated so soon and us ignorant of the ways here. Let's go to the Inn. Surely we can provide what you need. If nothing else Oriena and I. .. "

Not that they could tell, but Izzy was blushing, "No. No. Thank you. I don't. . .I don't do humans. I can handle it. I've got two hands. I can. . .," Her jaw clenched and gave away the lie, "wait."

Melosa gave the demoness a long long look, "We will see. Now," she spoke calmly, calmingly, as she oh so carefully grabbed Izzy by the arm, "Let's get to the Inn. We'll make the decisions there."