By Pixie

Pixie stood and walked to Nightsong, she stood quietly until Nightsong looked up.

"No, I can not judge you, not without judging myself. Others made the choice to bind LA and I together. LA was trying to make up for the wrong she had done and I....I was looking for an escape." Pixie looked at LA and smiled, "Love was a surprise to both of us."

She gently kissed Nightsong's forehead, and whispered softly to her, "May the same blessing be yours."

Returning to the shelter of LA's arms,she looked at her beloved and sighed sadly, "Lyco knows, Queen Gabrielle and her champion have the right to know, and Nightsong needs to know before she welcomes me into her family."

LA closed her eyes and held Pixie closer."Yes, m'ionuin. No more secrets."

By Littlearsonist

Littlearsonist sighed heavily. 'Where to start.' She thought wearily.

LA opened her eyes and glared at Lyco, "Well, Faela, I bet you've always wondered how Rionnac survived your shot, not to mention the missing scar."

"Now that you mention it, I've often wondered about how she survived such an obvious killing blow." Lyco murmured.

Pixie kept her eyes focused on her hands speaking so quietly everyone had to strain to hear her. "Because of the gift my mother gave me...or curse depending on how you look at it.", She said ending with a brittle laugh.

LA's grip instinctively tightened. Pixie looked up, her soft gray eyes now jet black and cold. Lyco was the first to gasp and move back.

Eyes wide Lyco looked wildly to Nightsong then back to LA avoiding Pixie's gaze, "So that bitch's curse really worked."

"More than even she realized it would.", LA said bleakly.

Pixie slumped back against LA closing her eyes visibly weakening.

"It seems that Pixies mother didn't take to kindly to being a forced wife," LA started to explain to Xena and Gabrielle. "She cursed him and all that followed his blood. Pixie was to be the tool for her vengeance. The druids have tried in vain to find what it is that now owns Pixie. The closest I've seen to it is your furies. So I brought her here to try and find a way to release her."

"They kept me drugged and separated from my fathers people in fear.", Pixie said hollow voiced. "I'm beginning to lose control now. LA is the only thing that is keeping me from completely losing myself."

"With that said, I wouldn't recommend any hugs, Faela, or should I.", LA said with an evil smile to Lyco.

LA looked then to Nightsong, who was glaring at her, "I have to honor you by not attacking her, and I'll swear to you before your Queen now not to harm her...as long as you protect her." LA shrugged and grinned weakly, "But the poking not even the gods themselves could stop."

Pixie looked to Nightsong and tried to laugh, "Are you sure you want in this family?" She then looked at Gabrielle, "For that matter are you sure you want us near your tribe?"

"Is there a way of freeing you?", Lyco asked with concern evident in her voice.

Pixie looked up at LA who was staring shocked at Lyco, "She'll find a way."

LA looked down at Pixie and smiled, "Even if I have to turn the known world on it's ear."

By Nightsong

Nightsong walked over to Pixie and tilted her chin so Pixie was looking into her eyes. Nightsong stared intently for a few minutes before blinking and shaking her head.

"It feels like a connection to something very powerful, it is not within her, but it has something there that allows it control." She looked at Pixie with approval. "You must have a very strong spirit to hold on for this long, my sister." Nightsong clasped Pixie's shoulder, "and yes, I do want this family, if you will have me."

Pixie smiled at her and LA grinned.

"We are happy to have you Nightsong, even if you are married to Lyco." LA shot back at Nightsong, and smiled and laughed. Nightsong grinned a wry grin and turned to Lyco, "I guess I will have to deal with LA's sense of humor."

"Oh well, as long as you girls play nice." Lyco grinned. Nightsong turned back to her queen, "So you see my queen, I do love my family, for better or for worse. Will you allow them to stay?"

"I will have to think on the Lyco situation, but after all that you have said, I don't think I could break up a bonded pair. You will have your answer in the morning, now go and enjoy the celebration!" Gabrielle smiled and rose, "I know I will!"

By Martman

After the great feast, nightfall came. Everyone retired to their huts and slept off the meal. All except Martman. he preferred to stay up and keep watch. part of it was the loss of his soul. All he could feel was anger and hate - not exactly the best remedies for insomnia.

Another reason was because he was afraid the raiders would come back and try to slay the amazons as they slept.

Martman kept watch, well aware of all that was around him, aware of every sound, every smell. "Xena has taught me well," he thought. Suddenly he heard a rustling thought the bushes. four raiders began to attack him.

Marty dove into action, tackling one of the raiders, and punching him out. The others ganged up on him and started to beat on him, but he broke free and killed two of them.

The lone raider ran towards the hut of Xena and Gabrielle, intending to set it on fire, and kill the Queen and her protector - a mortal blow to the mighty amazon nation.

Without a second though, he picked up the weapons of the two dead warriors and threw them at the offending marauder, killing him instantly. But he had his back turned to the one that was only knocked out.

That one quickly regained consciousness and slashed Marty's back with his sword. "Now you die you filthy amazonie!"

Bleeding, Marty continued to fight off the marauder. He landed in a few good jabs but was soon stabbed in the gut by the raider.

"Haha! Taste my blade amazonie!"

Blood began to pour out of marty's mouth and he fell to the ground.

But before the marauder could get away, Shsway and Nightie came out, full of fury!

"What have you done to our brother?", they shouted.

The marauder knew he was outnumbered and ran away. Nightie chased after him while Shsway tended to her fallen brother.

Sobbing, she silently cried "Please be well Marty!".

By Shsway

Shsway trembled with guilt and rage. "How could you have been the only one guarding the village tonight, dear brother???" she spoke frantically to his unconscious form. "By the gods, NightSong will take care of that son of a Bacchus who struck you, but the scouts that were supposed to be on duty will pay for their negligence! The Queen will see to that!"

The young woman knelt on the ground, careful not to move the amazonie's body so that she wouldn't cause him more harm. She was not equipped to treat him, but tore off the sleeves on her celebrational garb to bundle and staunch the flow of blood gushing from Marty's ribcage. She shook her hair to off her face and to the right in frustration.

NS returned with a worried expression, deftly cleaning the blood off her blade in the tall grass. "How is he?"

"We need the healer...fast! We're going to need a lot of bandages and some disinfecting salve." Shsway's tears ran down mixing with the blood. "Hurry, my friend. His breathing is steady, but he hasn't woken up. He could be dying!" Brown eyes looked bleary and panicked.

Nightie ran to Delia the Healer's hut to fetch her. Luckily, the woman was awake and tending to a couple of young amazons who had gotten into a drunken brawl. Both warrior and healer raced out into the night with binding cloths, bottled medicine and and a trap by which to drag the unconscious amazonie back.

By now, a dozen of the Amazons had realized what had happened and were standing around watching Shsway cradle her brother's head in her arms. His eyes were open but he showed no outward sign of his pain. The torn cloth seemed to be holding back the damage as NightSong and Delia approached.

"Okay Marty," Shsway whispered, wiping the trickle of blood from his mouth. "We're going to put you on the trap and take you to away. Hold still."

He nodded but said not a word. NightSong beckoned to an Amazon nearby to help. Then they, Delia and the young scout gently lifted and placed the amazonie on the trap. As the other three dragged him out, Delia examined and cleaned the wound. When they got to the hut, they placed him on an empty bed.

"He'll be alright," Delia assured them. But he will need a week, maybe two to fully recover. he will also need to get stitches to insure a clean closing of the wound. For now, I want you all to go get some rest, don't worry. I'll take it from here."

Shsway gripped Marty's hand tightly once more as NightSong bent over and kissed his forehead. He closed his eyes to sleep, as his sisters, friends and the spectators left for home.

Shsway, however, would guard the main gate tonight. Alaya would have to wait until daybreak for an explanation. There was no way the village would be left at anyone's mercy. 'Tomorrow,' she thought grimly 'her majesty will have much to say about this matter.'

By Nightsong

Nightsong returned to her hut to where Lyco was waiting, wanting a reason for her abrupt departure. Nightsong explained what had happened and Lyco lowered her eyes when Nightsong told her what the raiders had done to her dear amazonie brother.

"I am sorry for the pain that I have brought to your land and life, kjear. I have done wrong by you and by so many. I guess I never understood that until I met you." Lyco looked up into Nightsong's eyes, "De er mitt lys." Lyco spoke in Norwegian.

Nightsong's eyes softened at Lyco's endearment. She took Lyco's cheek in her hand and spoke softly, "Vi er evig."

Lyco closed her eyes and a single tear traced it's way down her face. Nightsong wiped it away. "Don't worry, min ulv, I will fix this. I have to go hunting, I will return as soon as I can." With that, Nightsong garbed once again in her hunting leathers left her hut to hunt for the leftover raiders. Vengeance would be hers, she swore it.

By Pixie

"Hush, calm down, little one."LA murmured to the restless form beside her.

Pixie sat upright her eyes wild, " Something's coming closer." she gasped. "Something....someone...I.."

They were both startled by the sound of fighting. LA dressed swiftly, "Stay put for once."she ordered and left with sword drawn. "Come to me."

Pixie jumped from the bed. 'Who? How?'

She dressed carefully. The black clothing that was a gift for LA's teacher on the Ilse of Skye was first. Then the series of soft leather straps that held the small throwing knives in place as well as several small pouches. She didn't know if the voice that called from the night was friend or foe best to be prepared for either.

She stepped out to the chaos in the village. She saw Shsway kneeling beside an injured man. Her training shrieked at her to go to them. But before she had taken two steps, she stopped all of her attention focused on the body near the queen's hut. She knelt beside it, wondering why it made skin crawl. It wasn't the first body she had ever seen nor even the worst. She reached out to turn it over, the sensation was like sticking her hand into a hornets nest.

Her eyes widened with a memory. The man who had chained her, he had been the same. Looking wildly about she saw Nightsong leaving a hut, the way she moved suggested that she was furious and ready for a hunt.

She approached the hut, "Lyco, I need to talk to you. Now!" The door open as Lyco looked at her confused," Tell me where the men that you had chain me came from. Because the dead man over there is far to similar to those two."

Lyco paled. "Nightsong killed him."

"Come to me."

Pixie shivered and looked at Lyco, "Is she sure she killed the right one?" With that she vanished into the woods.

Lyco watched her vanish,"LA isn't going to like this." she stated to no one. "But then what else is new."

By Littlearsonist

Despite her teachers beliefs Littlearsonist did know when discretion was the best way to go. Growing up on the Ilse of Sky had been tough. Practices of skulking through the woods would be ruined by her 'come and get me' attitude when it came to battles. Oh, she had gotten the hang of it. And was rated top of her class, well that was until Pixie had arrived. Mirra had been delighted to finally have a student that would listen with out the question sessions. 'Why' had become Mirra's least favorite word since she had taught LA.

LA just hated all the sneaking about. She didn't know what it was about it but...

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt the presence of...she didn't quite now what it was. Everything carried a life force especially those things that walked. But this...there was nothing there, but the presence.

Her first thought was to attack it, kill it, then find out what it was. Then winced as her mothers words came back to her, "You can't kill everything that annoys you, little cub."

That had been a lesson learned the hard way...

LA sat and watched as a group of men stopped below the tree she sat in. What is it about raiders and brains or the lack there of that her teacher used to harp on? She wondered as she sat and listened to their plans on attacking the village.

The men moved off working their way through the forest with out a sound, gathering the others to fall back and then attack.

LA followed one of the men that seemed to be in charge. She grinned as he told the others to continue on with the plan whilst he went to report their progress. "I can't kill them, but...information has to be gotten somehow."

She allowed him to walk far enough away as not to be heard, then attacked.

Unsheathing her sword as she jumped from the tree, LA was ready when her feet touched the ground. The man stared blankly at her for a moment then rushed forward. Easily sidestepping him she turned her blade and slashed the back of his legs, watching as he fell forward into the brush.

LA sheathed her sword and took out a large knife. "Now the real fun begins.", She told him a bit too gleefully.

She knelt beside him and grabbed his chin making him look at her. "Now we find out if you feel pain. Who sent you to attack?"

The man stared at her, anger evident in his eyes. "Go to tarturus."

Pixie turned in surprise as she heard a man scream painfully. "Well, one raider down." Now she had the direction from which the voice called. Her minds eye saw again the raiders former camp, but this time stood before the caverns....

By Nightsong

Nightsong sat in the trees, torn on what to do. While her heart burned for vengeance at the pain inflicted on her brother, the night air was alive with strange feelings and forces that made her head spin.

It was her mothers blood that allowed her to feel the flow of the lifeforce and with effort, direct it into energy that could then be used. Now she wished that she didn't feel it so strongly, for it drew her toward a presence that had nothing to do with the raiders. Nightsong shook her head and once more began her hunt.

She came to a small encampment of raiders. The odds where 10 to 1, it hardly seemed fair. Nightsong smiled ferally as she stalked the outskirts of the camp. She noticed four guards on duty, at each of the four corners of camp. This was suppose to ensure that two were watching one at all times. But, Nightsong thought with a smile, they have to look away sometime, and that split second was all she needed.

Nightsong waited in the bushes near her chosen victim and waited. When his two fellow guards looked away to scan the growth, she attacked. He fell silently, his neck broken. She never stopped as she ran for the next guard. A spinning heel kick collapsed his windpipe and he fell, choking on a scream that would never come. The next guard in her sights spotted her and managed to cry out before she ended his life with a blow to his nose hard enough to force the bone into his brain.

She was running for the last guard who had been alerted by the guards cry when the tent near the center of the camp exploded with five archers. Nightsong drew her sword as she ran.

"Now it gets interesting." She thought as she leaped like a cat at the guard and slit his throat. She ducked and rolled as the first barrage of arrows came flying at her. Then she was up and running toward the center of camp.

The other six men that Nightsong had seen snoozing by the fire awakened and grabbed their swords as she ran past. She knew that in order to stand a chance, she would have to take out the archers first. She dived again as another barrage of arrows came screaming at her. She rolled and came up with several inch long spikes that she had removed from a secret pocket in her top. She let them fly and the archers fell back as the sharp spikes sliced into their throats and faces. While not a killing blow, they allowed Nightsong to close the gap and kill the wounded and confused archers. She then put her back to a large tree and watched the six swordsmen approach warily.

Nightsong smiled over her bloody sword as the men finally rushed her. "This one's for you, Marty!" She thought savagely as her sword collided with the first of the raiders.