WARNINGS AND DISCLAMERS

Xena let her go, but followed her slowly to keep an eye on her and make sure nothing else happened. Xena followed her to the lake, but stayed back in the tree line out of sight and watched as Gabrielle removed her shift and waded out into the lake and ducked below the surface to wet her hair. The sight of the naked bard with water pouring down her beautiful skin made the warrior's heart beat a little faster. She may never act on her feelings for this woman... yes Gabrielle had become a very beautiful woman, but it sure didn't hurt to watch.

Gabrielle finally climbed out and sat on the rock where she'd removed her shift and just sat and watched the moonlight play on the ripples of the water heading downstream as her thoughts and feelings started to pour through her confused mind.

Gabrielle's thoughts, having just left the warrior's embrace, were not on the nighttime terrors that plagued her sleep, but rather on the warrior herself.

Gabrielle sat by the lake until she saw the sky was starting to tinge pink heralding the beginning of yet another day. She stood and put her shift back on and headed for camp. She was really surprised that the warrior hadn't come after her like she usually did.

Xena had watched Gabrielle dress and head back toward camp. Xena ran so she could get to camp ahead of the bard so she wouldn't know that she'd been watched all night.

When Gabrielle walked back into camp Xena already had the fire blazing again. Xena glanced up at the bard and said "Good morning... you seem to have gotten up early this morning."

The bard answered "Morning." And went to her bedroll to get dressed for the day.

Xena fixed them some strong tea to drink figuring they were going to need it with no more sleep than either of them had. Xena wanted to get after the raiders again so they wouldn't lose them so she pulled trail rations from their bags to eat for breakfast.

Xena mounted the golden mare and looked down at the bard. "Gabrielle I think we could make better time and maybe even catch up with the raiders before noon if you'd consider riding with me for a while." Xena extended her arm and looked down hopefully at the green eyes that had now turned and was boring a hole into her.

"Xena we've..." the bard started to say.

"Gabrielle please, just for a little while at least. We really need to catch up with those raiders today. I don't want to lose them and spend the next week trying to find them again, not when we're this close." The warrior said agitation tingeing her voice.

Gabrielle frowned deeply, but reached for Xena's arm and was hoisted up behind the warrior. Xena heard the bard's breath catch. She turned slightly in the saddle to look at the bard. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine just a little stiff, I guess." Gabrielle looked at the blue eyes intently hoping that Xena had bought the line.

"Are you ready to go?" The warrior asked to make sure the bard was settled before she took off.

The bard placed her hands loosely on the warrior's hips. "Yeah, ready!"

They indeed caught up with the raiders just about noontime. They could smell the cook fires before they actual could hear or see the raiders.

There was a small bluff just above where the raiders were camped and the warrior chose this spot to watch the raiders. Xena and the bard ate lunch themselves which again consisted of trail rations. Xena didn't want to take a chance on the raiders spotting a campfire. They ate in silence and watched the raiders from the bluff. Xena wanted to get an idea of what she was up against before she went charging headlong into trouble.

It was about two candlemarks before the raiders broke camp and started moving off in a northerly direction. Xena knew they'd reach another small village in about three candlemarks by horse.

Xena walked over and mounted Argo. "Come on Gabrielle we have to go, they're moving."

The bard glared at her. "I think I'd rather walk this time. Just tell me where to meet you and you go on ahead."

"Don't be silly Gabrielle there's no way I'm leaving you behind out here in the middle of nowhere. You're not really that stiff and sore are you? I have some liniment we can put on it." the warrior suggested.

NOW what am I going to say? "Oh, all right!" the bard gave in.

She extended her arm and Xena pulled her up on the mare behind her. "Hang On."

Gabrielle again tried to put a little room between hers and Xena's bodies and loosely hung onto the warrior's hips.

They trailed the raiders at a distance paralleling them trying to keep them in sight without being spotted themselves. When they were a little less than a candlemark away from the village and Xena was sure where they were headed she stopped and turned slightly in the saddle to talk to the bard. "Gabrielle they look like they're headed into a village just a short ride now up the road, I'd like to get there ahead of them and have a little surprise waiting for them."

Gabrielle nodded, "OK."

"Well you'd better hang on, we're going to have to hurry to get there ahead of them now." Xena felt the bard hold her hips just a little tighter and other than that made no move to secure herself. "Alright, here we go."

Xena gave Argo a nudge with her knees and they were off and running.

The bard was doing a pretty good job of hanging on until Argo jumped a small rill. Gabrielle lost her grip and was about to lose her seat. Xena quickly reached behind her and grabbed onto the small bard just before she fell off.

Xena slowed Argo and stopped. Gabrielle slid off to the ground and Xena dismounted right behind her.

"Gabrielle what's wrong with you. You're acting like you've never ridden on Argo with me before. You could have fallen and really been hurt." Xena's blue eyes were snapping with anger.

"Xena I told you that I didn't want to ride, but you insisted. I can't... I don't want to ride any more." Tears were now brimming in the small bard's eyes.

"Gabrielle...you're just being silly." Xena was getting madder by the second.

"Xena I'll stay here and hide out. I'll be safe until you can come back for me or I'll walk and catch up to you as soon as I can. Whatever you want... I just don't want to ride any more." Gabrielle walked over and sat down on a rock and seemed more determined than ever not to budge.

"All right Gabrielle I'm tired of arguing with you about it. Come on there's a small stream over there just beyond those trees and you can make camp and stay there while I go on ahead." The warrior relented, having run out of patience with the bard.

Xena walked with Gabrielle over to the stream, which was about a quarter candlemark off the main road that went into the small village. Xena unloaded their camping supplies and saddlebags. She was still angry, but was tired of arguing with the small woman. "Look don't start a campfire until I get back. The raiders aren't that far behind us and they might see the smoke. I'll be back as quick as I can." With that she mounted Argo and was gone.

Ó Copyrighted December 1997 by DelShannon