WARNINGS AND DISCLAMERS

Gabrielle seemed to be very pensive and distracted so Xena kept an eye on her to make sure she didn't get into any trouble, because she wasn't paying attention.

Xena wasn't sure why, but she headed back toward the Amazon Nation. If the bard noticed she said nothing, but continued to walk along behind the mare like she was in a daze.

It was about noon when she turned Argo from the road and stopped under some trees for shade. She dismounted and got some of the fruit they'd brought with them from the village out of the saddlebags. She turned around just as Gabrielle walked up behind her. Neither of them spoke.

Gabrielle took what Xena handed to her and started to eat.

"Gabrielle you haven't been sleeping very well lately. If you're tired and would like to rest for a while, we can..."

"Xena I'm doing just find. You just let me know if I'm not keeping up and I'll try harder." Gabrielle said worriedly. The bard was afraid that she was causing the warrior more problems by not walking fast enough.

There was no reason to linger so as soon as they'd finished the warrior again mounted Argo. She turned to the bard, "Would you like to ride for a while now."

"No I'm doing just fine." The bard replied and walked away in the direction they were headed when they'd stopped.

Xena remembered a small lake with a beautiful small waterfall that wasn't too far from where they were. If they didn't make any more stops they might be able to make it before nightfall. The warrior wanted to surprise her friend so she said nothing, but picked up the pace a little. After about 3 candlemarks the bard was starting to look really tired, so Xena pulled Argo to a stop and waited for the bard to catch up the few paces she was behind. "Gabrielle if you're tired, you know that you're welcome to ride with me." the warrior offered.

"No. I'm doing just fine. I'm not slowing you down am I?" Gabrielle questioned.

"No not really. I know a nice safe place to camp for the night and if we push just a little we can be there before it gets dark."

"Lead the way warrior, I'm right behind you. I'll do my best not to slow you down." The bard said.

Xena was hoping that the bard would reconsider and ride, but it was becoming evident that Gabrielle had no intentions of riding unless she absolutely had to and Xena was beginning to wonder if she would even then. Xena was hoping that Gabrielle liked the little lake as much as she had the last time she was there.

Xena kept up a pretty steady pace on Argo and was hoping if it was too much for the bard that she asked to ride. True to her word though the little bard stayed right behind the warrior. A few times she had fell behind, but when the warrior would slow and turn around to check on her she'd start jogging to catch up. Xena was beginning to learn a new appreciation for the honey-blonde's determination and just pure stubbornness.

They arrived at the lake just before sundown. Xena tried to watch Gabrielle's expression as the lake complete with waterfall came into view. Xena stopped Argo and let the bard walk past her. Xena could see a smile spreading across the bard's face.

Gabrielle had never seen a place like this before and with one look she fell in love with it. The bard was genuinely awestruck that such a beautiful place actually existed.

While Gabrielle continued to wander around and take in the beauty of the place Xena started to unpack their things from the mare and get the camp setup. Xena was hoping this place would help with the depression the bard seemed to be suffering from lately.

"Gabrielle I'm going on down to the lake to try and catch us some fish for dinner would you like to go with me." The warrior asked. Xena turned to look at the bard to see why she hadn't answered.

Gabrielle was acting as though she'd never heard a word the warrior said. She was picking up her bedroll from where the warrior had laid it next to her own and was taking it to the other side of the campfire and laying it out.

Xena was starting to understand that it was going to take a lot more than a beautiful lake and waterfall to even begin to fix what was wrong between her and the bard. In fact the warrior was starting to worry that it may not be 'fixable'. Xena sighed and shook her head and headed toward the lake to get dinner. She'd try to talk to the bard again later.

Xena cleaned the fish and returned to camp about a half-candlemark later. She found the bard laying on her bedroll writing in her scrolls. This seemed like a very strange thing for a person to do who always liked to enjoy beautiful things to their fullest. Xena guessed that maybe the bard had decided to try to put the beauty of the place down on paper.

Xena brushed on Argo while she was waiting for the fish to cook. When the fish was done the warrior took the fish and put it on plates and took one over to the bard.

Gabrielle looked no higher than the warrior's hand to take the plate and sat it down on the bedroll beside her. She continued to write and occasionally would take a few small bites of the fish.

This was really beginning to worry the warrior, the bard had always enjoyed her food. There was only two things she'd ever seen stop Gabrielle from eating: one was being unconscious and the other was when she was so sick she just couldn't eat. Gabrielle wasn't unconscious and she sure didn't act like she was sick, so it left the warrior worrying about the problem. "Gabrielle why aren't you eating? Don't you like the fish?" Xena questioned.

"The fish is really quite good Xena. I guess I'm just a little tired and not real hungry." Gabrielle bowed her head and went back to writing on her scroll.

After Xena finished eating and seen that Gabrielle wasn't going to do any more than just pick at her food, the warrior got up and got some soap, rags to dry on and clean shifts for both of them. She walked around the fire to where the bard still sat writing in her scrolls. "Gabrielle come on and go with me. I already have your things and we can get cleaned up and swim for awhile."

The bard shook her head. "No, I'm in the middle of a thought I want to get down. Just leave my things at the lake, I'll bathe later before I turn in for the night."

"Come on and go with me. You can finish that later." The warrior again asked. Xena thought if she could get the bard in the water and they started to splash and play like they usually did that the bard might start acting more like herself and let go of whatever was bothering her.

Gabrielle looked up into the warrior eyes with a steeled look. "I'd rather finish this first if you don't mind." The bard lowered her head and went back to her writing.

Xena felt absolutely chilled by the look she'd gotten from the bard. She'd never seen her act like this. Actually the warrior was more used to the worshipful gaze of the bard; the look she'd just gotten was frightening coming from a girl who was always so kind and gentle. Xena admitted that Gabrielle was growing up some and she couldn't expect the bard to go on forever awe struck over the warrior.

Xena walked on down to the lake still thinking about the girl she'd just left sitting in camp. She was beginning to think that she didn't know Gabrielle anymore. You seem to be changing so quickly my friend, I'm not sure I'll even know who you are in a few months. This thought alone was very chilling to the warrior that the bard might be growing away from her and might soon want to leave her. This line of thought was just too painful for Xena to think about very long and tried to get her mind on something else.

Xena had lost herself in thoughts and worries about the small bard and finally realized she'd been gone a lot longer than she'd meant to be. The warrior hurried and dried off and headed back to camp.

When Xena reached the camp Gabrielle wasn't anywhere to be seen. The warrior called to her thinking that the bard may have had the need to go off and take care of some business. Xena heard no answer to her call, which was unlike the bard not to at least answer and let her know that she was all right. Xena went to the bard's bedroll and started to follow the bard's barefoot prints away from the camp.

About a quarter candlemark later she found the bard sobbing quietly, huddled up and hiding in some bushes. Xena touched her on the shoulder as she spoke to her "Gabrielle are you all right?"

The bard jumped and screamed and started to take off in a run. Xena wasn't at all sure what was wrong but instantly sprang after her and had caught her in just a few steps. Gabrielle started to fight Xena like a trapped animal. "Gabrielle it's me you're safe." The warrior tried to assure her. Xena wrapped her arms around the bard and held her tightly until she just suddenly stopped trashing.

"Xena what are you doing?" The bard asked puzzled.

It would seem that the bard was sleep walking or hallucinating from lack of sleep. "Gabrielle when I came back from the lake you weren't in camp and I found you out here." The warrior replied.

"I don't remember coming out here." Gabrielle said more puzzled than ever.

"You started running from me and I was afraid you'd hurt yourself running through the dark in the woods. Can you remember anything at all?" The warrior asked tenderly with deep concern.

"No... not really. My eyes were tired; I closed them and laid my head down. That's the last thing I remember." She answered. Gabrielle could feel her body starting to respond to Xena's touch. There's no way I'm making a bigger fool of myself if I can help it. She pushed herself away from the warrior's embrace.

"Do you feel Ok now?" the warrior asked with concern.

"Yeah, I feel just fine. I'm sorry if I frightened you. Since I'm not sure where I am could you point in the direction of camp." The bard said a little embarrassed.

As Xena pointed she said, "Gabrielle I think we need to talk..."

"I told you I'm just fine." Gabrielle said harshly giving the warrior a cold stare.

Xena didn't know what to say or do now, so she just followed the bard back to camp. Gabrielle walked right on through camp toward the lake. Oh no you don't my bard. I don't know what's going on and I don't care if you say you're all right. You're not getting out of my sight until I'm sure you're all right. Xena didn't like spying on Gabrielle like this, but she was worried about the way she was acting and was afraid she'd hurt herself.

The bard bathed and returned to camp without further incident. The bard's sleep that night was restless and fitful, but Xena kept an eye on her to make sure she didn't make any more trips into the woods.

² Copyrighted January 1998 by DelShannon