By Shsway

Young Shsway had always dreamed of being a warrior. Not just a scout, but a full fledged member of the queen's personal guard. She was lucky enough to have convinced Nightsong, an experienced fighter and hunter to be her mentor in this task.

Her outfit was an uncommon combination of almost beige colored leather with gray wolf skin covering. The arrows at her back reflected her position as a scout, while the newly crafted sword suggested a rank she had yet to obtain. Long,straight brown hair hung down her shoulders, and moss colored eyes reflected youthful enthusiasm, and the hunger to learn. On that particular day, she and Nightsong had been following some strange tracks around the Amazon borders. Well, more like Shsway had tagged along. Shsway surveyed the woods suspiciously, glancing every now and then at the glistening armor of her companion.

By Ephfan

Not far behind Nightsong and young Shsway was Ephfan. She was curious as to what the two were up to so she followed silently behind.

Ephfan was a warrior from the day she was born; she picked up her first staff at a very young age and never looked back. There wasn't a weapon she couldn't handle, but she truly worked magic when she fought with her staff. She preferred basic, soft brown leathers - she didn't go for more elaborate outfits. Though she did have to admit they looked good on Shsway. Bracers and boots completed her look; her only jewelry was a lone earring.

More than anything Ephfan wanted to bring the tribe back to its former glory. To do that she needed to understand all in the village. That's why she was following the warrior Nightsong and the youthful scout. Where were they going? What did they have planned?

By Nightsong

Nightsong was aware of Ephfan's presence, but did not mention it to her young companion. She knew that the tracks belonged to a group of about five mercenaries, by the wear of their boots. She decided that this would be an excellent opportunity to test Shsway and Ephfan.

Her leathers were a mottled dark brown, allowing her to fade into her surroundings with ease. Her Sword was strapped firmly to her back, it's woman's symbol proudly displayed on its hilt. Her hair was a red brown, and her green eyes changed color with her moods. A single feather hung from a beaded section of her hair. She wore no jewelry, except for an armlet of gold that had been given to her long ago by her mother, but that was in the past.

Nightsong paused as she felt something amiss in the forest. There, the targets were lying in ambush in the undergrowth up ahead. Nightsong motioned for Shsway to go left while she went right. Ephfan was going to have to make her own decision as to what to do, Nightsong thought. She began her approach, sword still sheathed, and watched both women out of the corner of her eye.

By Ephfan

Ephfan watched Nightsong cock her head to the side and slide her eyes left and right. She knew that Nightsong knew she was back there tracking the duo and yet did not give her presence away to Shsway. Interesting. The warrior pulled up when she obviously spotted something or someone. She then gestured to the scout to go one way while she went the other. Ephfan waited for a signal, but none was forthcoming so she decided to stay back in case help was needed.

Casting her emerald eyes through the woods, Ephfan gathered information and she spotted the forms in the thick ground cover. She knew that Nightsong and Shsway could take care of the opponents by themselves, but it was always a good idea to have a lookout. If the ones in the bushes had some more buddies lurking about, well Ephfan would get in there and help her sisters out. She jumped up and grabbed a tree branch to swing herself up into lookout position. With this view the brown-haired warrior watched her fellow amazons spring into action. It was quickly apparent that she was going to be able sit this one out and just watch; as she did she thought "You go girls. You're beautiful when you're angry".

She was ready to lay her staff down and settle in when she spotted a slight movement behind Shsway.

By Nightsong

Nightsong quickly melted into the shadows to take the mercenaries by surprise.
As Shsway attacked in full view, Nightsong slipped behind two stragglers and broke one's neck and used a knife edge chop to collapse the windpipe of the other to drop them silently. She detected movement in the trees and found Ephfan making herself comfortable. "Don't get to comfy," Nightsong thought, "There are more here than you think." Nightsong spotted movement behind Shsway, and silently drew her dagger, but did not throw it just yet. Nightsong watched Ephfan to see what the Amazon would do.

By Nike

Nike suddenly appeared and promptly stabbed the intruder behind Shsway in the back. "Well, that was easy...and bloody," she thought as she wiped off her dagger on the edge of her boot with a disgusted face.

"Long time, no see, NS." she said to her long time pal, who she had not seen since the fall of the original Tavern Wall Amazon Tribe. She noticed two warriors who she had not recognized from the old tribe, but was more than impressed with their fighting skills...well, the one who was fighting, anyway. She introduced herself with a quick, "Nike, hello!" (Sound familiar?) As she helped her sisters defeat the attackers.

Ephfan knew she had been discovered by yet another person when she saw her gray eyes flicker up to the tree, but how Nike saw her up there she would never know. She jumped down from her hiding place (startling Shsway greatly) andfinally took part in the battle. With her help, they were sure to win.

By Shsway

With a jump, and a slight scowl, Shsway noticed Ephfan's landing a few feet from her position!

"Damn, how do these guys do that?" she thought. It was obvious that this scout was in need of more training. Looking at her bloody sword, she couldn't help but notice the others had made far cleaner kills. She quickly wipe the blade on the long grass with disgust, and even a little shame.

Nodding gratefully at the amazon who had greeted Nightsong, she looked over to Ephfan with a grin. "Like watching me work do ya?"

Well, at least she would be able to make an accurate report on what had happened in the woods to the queen. She smiled at the thought, her majesty was a beautiful woman indeed. In that way she was a little more fortunate, in that she could get regular audiences with the young ruler. She did, however, wish she could speak to her champion. Shsway's mentor and the other warriors greeted the village hero as friends. With the hope that she could someday do the same,Shsway walked over to the others.

By Nightsong

Nightsong smiled at Nike's greeting. It was indeed good to see the goddess of victory again. Nightsong melted back into the shadows as Nike and Ephfan joined the fray.

She knew there was one more enemy unaccounted for. Nightsong took to the trees, looking for her target. She thought how much faster and easier this would be if she had on her hunting leathers, but ever since taking Shsway on as an apprentice, she had to set an example and wear her bulkier battle leathers.

Ahh, there he is. The archer had been taken by surprise at the sudden Amazon attack, and was now scrambling for a decent position from which to fire on Nightsong's sisters. Nightsong crept silently toward the archer and grabbed his bow just as he drew it back to fire at Shsway. He stumbled back at he reached for his dagger, but Nightsong quickly drove his own arrow through his neck before his hands could even touch his dagger. His body fell to the ground below, landing at the feet of Nightsong's fellow Amazons. Nightsong jumped down after it and landed soundlessly at their feet. Without a word, Nightsong tossed the new bow to Shsway. It would be an improvement over her scout bow.

Nightsong smiled as she thought of how this battle would strike the queen. Shsway is improving, I'll let her do all the talking this time. Smiling at her thought, Nightsong joined her fellows as they made there way back to camp.

By Eptalk

Back at camp, EpTalk remained in waiting and hoping the tribe all were safe. It seemed that is what EpTalk did best when danger was near as she always became lost in camp or perhaps waiting near the river anxious to hear of the victory. As much as EpTalk loved the strong will of the Amazon's and could hear the stories of a good fight night and day, she accepted her own inability. Always wishing the tribe well, EpTalk's mind drifted to the Warrior Princess and the bard Queen, Gabrielle. For a brief moment she remembered the former camp and felt sad. EpTalk then noticed some berries in the bush and wandered off in a direction unknown to her (she has absolutely NO sense of direction, that one!).

By Ephfan

With both Nightsong and Nike detecting her, and easily at that, Ephfan decided there was no real point in trying to get comfy in the tree. If it's one thing Amazons do almost as well as fight and party, it's giving you hades for being lazy and wanting a break. And while she wasn't thrilled she had been spotted, at least she knew only fellow amazons could have done it.

"By the gods, she's jumpy," thought Ephfan as Shsway nearly came out of her own skin when Ephfan hit the ground. "Gotta get that girl to the healer's for some calming herbs when we get back."

Ephfan jumped into the fight with typical amazon enthusiasm. A battle cry and two swings from her staff later she found herself with an unconscious man at her feet.

When the others looked at her with surprise that she went from the tree to the ground and into the fight so quickly she merely shrugged and smiled that quirky grin. "Hey just 'cause I wanted to stay up there doesn't mean I couldn't do some good down here".

At least she had been able to see enough of the battle from the air to know that the three women with her were good, damn good. She was quickly regaining faith that the tribe was coming back stronger than ever.

Before Ephfan could say, "Where did Nightsong go off to?" a body came flying out of the tree. "Ah, that's where she is!"

Nike bent over to peer at the body and cock her head at the arrow sticking out. "Guess the squirrels are starting to fight back."

With a well-earned laugh Ephfan stuck her arm out to Nike in a warrior's greeting.

"You must be Nike, good to meet ya."
The mood was light as they headed back to the village.
Being in a mischievous mood Ephfan looked over at Nightsong and said, "How do you stand wearing those battle leathers? Now me, I'll take a plain ole hunting outfit any day!".
Ignoring the daggers coming out of Nightsong's eyes, she turned to Shsway and told her how impressed she had been with her newfound battle skills. As Shsway blushed, Ephfan said she didn't think she was going to be a scout much longer.

Seeing the sun sinking lower the foursome picked up the pace. They all knew how EpTalk worried when they were gone too long. While Ep didn't fight, she was an inspiration to them all and she had the most amazing luck in finding strawberries.

Eventually the conversation came around to the battle they'd just won. Nike and Ephfan were both curious. "So how exactly did you two know those men were out there and what were they doing there in the first place?"

By Shsway

Shsway shrugged, trying to feign nonchalance.

"Actually, it was Nightsong who discovered their tracks. I thought she might need some help, so I came along."
Right, like a fish needed help swimming. Her mentor raised an eyebrow, Ephfan grinned, and Nike knowingly rolled her eyes. Shsway suddenly found cleaning her bracers an interesting task as she blushed again. She then formally introduced herself to Nike, by extending her arm in a grip.

"I owe you my life. Thank you for stepping in when you did."

Hoping Ephfan was right about her upcoming change in status, Shsway joined the others in walking to Eptalk's hut. Partly to assure their friend that they were all right, and partly to see if she had made any of her delicious strawberry desserts. The young scout quickly found that her stomach was grumbling, to the amusement of her friends.

By Eptalk

EpTalk had gathered enough strawberries for all her friends of the new tribe but couldn't quite find the direction to get back to camp. All the foliage looked the same and north could be right, left, forward or back she thought. It was sad to realize her friends might return to offer assurance of their safety and hope for a lucious dessert to soothe the hunger after such fierce fighting. Oh well - the strawberries were too tempting so she found a comfortable spot in the wooded area to sit and enjoy her pickings of the day. Darkness would fall soon and there's nothing more soothing than to sleep filling full from the shiny red strawberries.

She yawned
....ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

By Nightsong

When the Amazons did not find Eppie at home, the others decided to look for her. Nightsong told the others she'd catch up later and went into her hut to change.
Off went the battle leathers as she slipped into her more comfortable and (to her) more practical hunting leathers. These leathers were made of soft deerskin and were designed for stealth and freedom of movement.
This of course meant there wasn't much to them. She had gotten rid of the skirt bottom in favor of a thong-like bottom with slender flaps of leather in front and back for modesty's sake. The top's shoulder straps crossed in back to offer more support. Her middle was bare. She would fight in these leathers too, since they suited her fighting style better, fast and deadly.
This also made kills easier, for if the enemy was focusing on her anatomy, then they weren't focusing on her sword.

Sighing in relief to be comfortable again, Nightsong headed out to join her fellows. She was a hunter after all, they shouldn't be hard to find.

By Ephfan

"Where is that woman?" Ephfan thought as she poked in the bushes looking for Eppie. They had arrived in the village to find her gone and quickly to decided to go looking. They weren't particularly worried, she had a tendency to wander, get lost, and decide to nap. Ephfan shook her head with a smile and thought "That Eppie, Zeus love her, it's a good thing she's not a warrior." She'd be likely to sit down in the middle of a battle and say "whoo, I'm tired".

A slight noise, as close to silent as you could get, alerted her to the fact that Nightsong had finished her task in the village and was joining them in the hunt. She turned around to say "it's about time" and the words died on her lips. Nightsong had changed her clothes, oh boy did she ever change clothes. Nightsong smiled and asked if anyone had spotted signs of the missing amazon. "ummmmm, uhhhh, ummmm, well........"
"What is wrong with her" thought the barely dressed warrior, "Ephfan, you ok?"
"Uhhhh, yeah, fine, great, wonderful. I just remembered I needed to do something." With that Ephfan jumped into the nearby stream.
"Did she take a hit in the head earlier?" thought Nightsong "That stream's waaaaaaaaaaaay too cold to take a dip in."
She was completely confused when she heard Ephfan say, "Oh, that's MUCH better!"

By Shsway

Shsway grinned as she watched her friend sprint off for the river. "You can cool off, my friend" she thought, "But I'll stick around and take in the view."

And what a view! Nightsong had emerged from the brush wearing a delightful looking hunting outfit. It sure gave a whole new meaning to the word 'mentor'. Shsway mentally slapped herself. Geez, first the queen, now Nightsong! Battle-lust indeed!

She remembered that they were supposed to be looking for Eppie. This time, she focused her senses entirely in her surroundings. And then, she smelled it, strawberries. Nightsong had obviously had the same thought as they looked at each other, then motioned for Nike to follow. For the moment, Shsway saw no need to draw her sword and possibly frighten her sleeping friend.

Within minutes, Ephfan had waded out of the river, squeezing the water out of her hair. With a knowing grin, she joined the scout on her left, as they followed the other warriors.

By Nightsong

Nightsong, Shsway, Nike, and the now dripping Ephfan literally followed their noses to the sleeping Eppie. Nightsong bent down beside the sleeping Amazon. "What a dear." Nightsong thought, "I should just let her sleep, but not here." Nightsong gently scooped up the sleeping EpTalk in her arms and with a smile at her fellow Amazons, headed for home.

By Ephfan

Just as they were getting close to the village Eppie woke up and somehow managed to stretch and yawn in Nightsong's arms. Nightsong set her down on her feet and Eppie finally got a good look at the outfit her rescuer was wearing, or not wearing really. Shsway leaned over and whispered to Ephfan, "Oh this is gonna be good" while Nike said, "Ten dinars says she passes out." Before the other two could take her up on the offer, sure enough Eppie hit the ground out like a light.

Ephfan got a thoughtful look on her face and said, "She sure does have that affect on a lot of women."
Meanwhile Shsway and Nike were digging through Eppie's pack looking for the berries.

Nightsong just stood there thinking "Ephfan's jumping into cold rivers, Eppie's passing out for no reason, Shsway has had that goofy grin on her face all day. So far Nike's the only one acting normal. Maybe some henbane got in the water."

So once again Nightsong picked Eppie up and walked into her hut to put her to bed, while outside there were three happy Amazons munching on Eppie's booty.

By Eptalk

Eppie awoke with a jerk! Looked about to wonder how the hut became re-built. Her last memory was raising her own hut with some kerosene she had taken from the firebug, limbo. Umm - the thoughts returned to Eppie's mind slowly. She finally made her way to the pull back the flap on the hut and glance out to catch a sight of Shsway, Ephfan and Nike munching away on the "booty" as Nightsong stood looking in amazement at the Amazon's who all fought well with her that day. Eppie was overcome with guilt that she had failed to return to camp with such wonderful strawberries to share with them all.

Fish! Yes - some fish to serve them at morning's light would be atonement. Quietly, EpTalk tippy toed off toward the river with line and hook in hand (or something she thought was a line and hook). "Here fishie...fishie...fishie" she whispered as she made distance between herself and the camp.

By Martman

While the amazons were away, a sleek, stalking, dark-haired figure approached the camp. Seeing it totally abandoned, he decided to enter the former queens hut. He sat in her throne and thought "it use to be great here.. So many wonderful people". He felt a tear come to his eye as he knew the amaozon/amazonie tribe would never totally reclaim its former glory. Worse still, the young amazonie felt incomplete as he sat upon the throne. Something was missing, something important. But what? What could there be that he lacked?

He sat on the throne looking at his trusty knife. Since the amazon tribe splintered, he's been on his own - hunting, gathering, surviving, and building many shrines and temples to the eternal bond between 2 soulmates - a bond that drew him and so many other amazons together. But who were they? His memory was a blank. His heart felt empty. He was incomplete. He...was without a soul. But where had his soul gone? How did it escape him, and what secrets and knowledge were contained therein?

All the slender amazonie could do was sit there and stare at his cutting utensil and wait for someone to arrive.