By Pixie

'Rhiannon's luck!!' What else is going to happen? Pixie wondered as the tent was filled with soldiers.  Her surprise was total, as she watched them chain the amazon she had met in the tree.

"Sorry to leave you with such boring company. But I have to report to Lyco. Who knows for capturing you she might give me the little gift I want." Taran leered at her, then left.

The old woman clucked and fussed about interruptions as she examined first the two amazons that lay still. " Well you little dearies are nice and strong. No problems except that you drank to much of my little potion."

She cackled softly and turned to the shivering redhead," So you weren't bluffing. She wondered about that, oh well now she's just going to have to wait out your fever."

The woman left for a moment, then returned with several blankets. she placed one over both of the still amazons, then released Pixie from the chains. " Can't have you thrashing about and strangling your self on the chains." She then wrapped the small form cocoon like in the blankets.

"You call out if she gets worse." she told the chained warrior then left.

As soon as things were quiet Pixie looked around. The three amazons were very quietly talking trying to come up with a plan. They turn toward her as she began to squirm about, trying to untangle herself. She fussed softly under her breath.  A soft laugh caught her attention.

" Pixie just roll to your left, no your other left."  Nightsong whispered in Gaelic. With that Pixie rolled free to come up in a wobbly crouch, only to fall flat on her back, muttering.

"Pixie if your going to teach my friends Gaelic, can you start with something a little more proper?"

As Pixie crawled toward Ephfan she said softly" My apologies." Then in halting Greek with a lilting accent" Hello. My name is Pixie. What is your name?"
She was rewarded with an amused look from Nightsong, and a startled look from the other two. Each carefully pronounced her name as Pixie worked on the knotted rope at Ephfan's back.

As the now freed Ephfan released Nike, Pixie examined the locks" I don't know.."  She trailed off at the sound of foot steps approaching. 
Ephfan and the now freed Nike laid back down and Pixie threw the blankets back over them, then moved as swiftly as her weakened body would allow to the farthest corner from them. Then she sat letting her eyes become unfocused and blank. Praying that who ever approached would think that she was still caught in a fever dream.

The tent flap was pulled back and Lyco stepped in.....

By Shsway

'Oh shit' thought Shsway, as she and Mirage approached what looked to be a large, extremely large enemy camp. She was stunned - she had come just in time to watch her mentor being chained and led to a tent, one in which, she assumed, her closest friends were also being held.

The young scout's rage was hardly in check. She quickly took out a piece of parchment from her satchel, to write a quick note to her Queen and sisters back at the village. With that, she tied it to her dark steed's saddle horn.

"Go Mir", she whispered fiercely to the mare. "Home to the tribe, sweet one."

The animal paused only for a moment, than galloped on a course to the village.  Knowing that the soldiers in the camp would probably hear her departure, Shsway leaped into the closest tree and hung onto the higher branches. From this vantage point she could gaze over the landscape, filled with raider camps! Many were sharpening weapons, cooking food or laughing amongst themselves. The scout carefully scanned for an appropriate route to take via the trees to reach the tent that Nightsong had been placed in. Taking a deep breath, she hoped that her training was sufficient enough to glide in overhead and undetected.

Carefully, she jumped from branch to branch with determination. Finally, she came to an old oak, where three guards were watching the prisoner's tent. One man lingered lazily in the shade while his comrades stood guarding the entrance, beyond his line of vision. They could therefore not see him either. They allowed an oddly cloaked woman to enter the tent just then.

Caution be damned! Shsway had to know what was going on, and if she got the opportunity, rescue her friends!

She silently drew her sword, and with quiet fury threw herself upon the closest man, easily startling him and cutting his throat before he could scream.

Next, she purposely stepped on a dry twig to lure the two remaining guards to the old tree. Before they knew what had happened, she sidestepped away from her hiding place behind it and plunged her sword in the smaller one's chest. The brute that remained smiled.

"Ah, another of these Amazon whores. You're in luck; I kind of like your style. I won't gut you, but I promise, you will be mine when this is finished."

"Well then, your honor is at stake friend," the scout offered with a smirk.  "Promises such as those are SO easily broken..."

Shsway dodged and blocked Smelly's kicks and sword lunges. She didn't dare let their swords clash for fear that the other men would be alerted of her presence.
  Sooner than she thought possible, an opening came as he lost patience and threw a full lunge to her left rib. Putting her weight on her right foot, Shsway pivoted to the left, the warrior brute rushed forward, and she easily ran him through HIS left side. As he fell forward in his own blood, she leaned forward and whispered in his ear-

"It would seem the fates had someone else in mind to do the gutting."

And with that, she mercifully snapped his neck to prevent and otherwise slow death. She quickly scanned the area for any observers. Good, the tent was positioned with its back towards the forest and slightly apart from the rest of the camp. No one could see the carnage unless they walked completely around the tent and into the forest.

Shsway half thought of storming in to the rescue, but thought it wiser to stand by the tough canvass and listen to what was going on inside. 'Nightsong would advise me to know my odds before I strike,' she thought with a scowl, ' I will do so.' She leaned in and could hear the voice of the cloaked woman who identified herself as Lyco...and Nightsong.

By Nightsong

Lyco entered the tent in her usual hooded robe. Her eyes fell on Nightsong's scantily clad form hungrily.

"So, my dear, at last I have you for myself."

"For yourself? Last I remember, I was the property of your Queen." Nightsong smiled.

"Very true, my precious Sky, but I no longer work for her. You see, that little escape to freedom of yours caused a slave revolt. The slaves did much damage to Queen Ana's lands, and last I heard, there was an uprising going on. Which means, you are now mine." With those last words, Lyco flashed Nightsong a hungry smile.

"You have me.......for now." Nightsong replied, rattling her chains. "But I am only here to offer you a way to leave here with your hide intact. Leave your army here to be dealt with in the Amazon way, and run as far as you can. I would love to kill you myself, but I will do this to protect my friends."

"Why would I let you go? Your friends will insure your cooperation, just as your brother once insured it." Lyco smiled again. "No, I think I will keep you awhile longer. Guards!!!"

With that, seven men entered the tent to escort Lyco out. As the flap fell, Nightsong's keen eye caught a glimpse of Shsway high in the tree outside.

"Stay still, my apprentice, all will be well." Nightsong handsigned quickly before the tent flap fell.

By Craig

As Craig headed North to his home, he kept the marauders in line, driving them in a contraption he had rigged using an old chariot and some extra wood he had found. He had thanked Gabrielle for lending him some Amazonian horses, and she had made him promise to return the horses as soon as possible.

Using horses, the journey was a short one, taking about a day. Despite the complaints from the back, Craig drove the horses hard, as he did not wish to encounter any raiders if at all possible. Also, he had a hunch that the soulless amazonie would be hot on his trail...

He finally reached Christchurch not long after dark, and thanked his lucky stars that he had managed to make it home before Marty caught up with him. His first stop was the local prison.

"Hi, your Honor!" the guard laughed.

"Hi, yourself. Why aren't you watching the prisoners? Are you trying to put yourself out of work twice? Craig retorted, laughing.

"Anyways, what can I do you for?" the guard asked.

"Put those guys away. I managed to catch the leader of that pack of raiders we had trouble with a month ago. I got another three of them, as well," Craig replied.

"Top class, top class. Leave them with me, I'll handle them," the guard assured him.

Craig helped unload the prisoners, and then continued on to the Christchurch residence of Queen Helen.

"Who goes there!?" a guard roared.

"Just a local judge, returning from his latest quest," Craig answered, a twinkle in his eye.

"Craig! Good to see you!" the palace guard exclaimed. "It's been a long time."

"Too long, my friend, but I haven't finished my job yet. I caught the leader of those raiders, and a few of his underlings, but I have to return some things I borrowed," Craig said. "Is Queen Helen available?"

"For you, anything!" the palace guard replied, opening the gate.

Craig rode into the courtyard, before dismounting and heading up to the Queen's rooms. "Is her majesty present?" he asked the guard, a smile on his face.

"For you, always," the bodyguard replied. "Step right in." The bodyguard knocked on the door, and opened it. "Your majesty, someone to see you."

Queen Helen looked up from her book in surprise. "I thought I said no guests...  Craig! You're back! I trust you were successful?"

"Your majesty, it's good to see you again," Craig said as the guard left, and closed the door behind him.

"For pity's sake, Craig, I've told you before to call me Helen!" the Queen admonished him. "We've known each other since childhood!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Craig laughed. "How have things been around here lately?"

"Not too bad at all, I must admit. Peaceful, with no raiders annoying us," Helen replied. "Speaking of raiders..."

"I caught the leader, and three underlings. They're in a cell tonight, for the first of many nights," Craig said. "They attacked the Amazon settlement to the South..."

Helen interrupted him. "Queen Gabrielle's tribe?"

"That's the one. Most of them got slaughtered, but we caught those four. I managed to convince both the Queen and her bodyguard to let me return them to our prisons rather than execute them, which was all good," Craig explained.

"There is one thing, however..."

"And what would that be, my friend?" the Queen asked.

"I borrowed some horses from the Amazons, so that I could get back quickly, but now they need to be returned..."

"And you'd like to be the one to return them," Helen finished for him.

"Right. Also, I think we should sign a treaty with them. They'd make great allies in time of need," Craig pleaded.

"But if you signed a treaty on my behalf, someone would have to live there as an ambassador..." Her voice trailed off, as she realized what he was asking her.  "Would you visit us?"

"Well, I'll need to learn the current news, of course, and see my Queen every now and then..." Craig joked.

"Do I get to make visits of state?" Helen laughed.

"I'll see what I can do," Craig replied, a twinkle in his eye. The two friends continued talking about affairs of state for a while, before Craig rose to leave.

"Don't go," Helen beseeched him. "I won't see you again for quite a while, I'm guessing."

"But where am I supposed to sleep? The floor?" Craig grinned.

"No, I have somewhere else in mind..."

The next day, Craig began the journey back to the Amazon's tribe, with a new scroll in his pack, and a new staff, a gift from his Queen. He had the intention of returning to the Amazon lands as quickly as possible...

By Littlearsonist

Littlearsonist stood slowly. Xena no longer looked ready to kill her and Gabrielle paced mumbling to herself.

Gabrielle stopped pacing and looked concerned at LA's wobbling figure. "You are exhausted, and here we are putting you through all this."

"Forgive my weakness your majesty. The contact drains me...I'm not trained."  Littlearsonist explained.

"What contact?" Gabrielle asked

LA turned to Xena, knowing she would never be able to say this right in Greek.  "Pixie and I are true bond mates. The druids realizing this strengthened it. One soul, one heart, one mind. In times of great need we can hear one another's thoughts. Pixie is fully trained, she can allow me to see through her eyes and hear through her ears."

LA looked helplessly down at the ground she spoke once more to Gabrielle, "She is my life."

Gabrielle looked at Xena, "We need to assemble a war counsel." Then turning to one of her guards "Please show Littlearsonist to a hut."

Gabrielle spoke once more to LA, "It will take some time gathering the counsel.  Take that time to rest." With that Xena turned to escort Gabrielle into the counsel hut.

Starting to protest, LA realized her world was going black as she heard approaching hoof beats...

By Nightsong

Nightsong turned to her amazon sisters, "Shsway is outside, this means that the Amazons will strike here soon. The two of you need to get Pixie out of here." "What about you?" Nike asked as she rose shakily to her feet. 

Nightsong rattled her iron chains for emphasis. "I'm kind of stuck here for the time being. But don't worry, I wouldn't have let myself be captured if I didn't know what I was doing."

"Amazons stick together, we won't leave you!" Ephfan said stubbornly.

"That may be true, but your first loyalty is to the tribe as a whole, and you won't be doing our warriors any good if they have to worry about rescuing you, now get going!"

Nightsong shot her two sisters a look that let them know she meant business. With many a annoyed look, Nike and Ephfan carried Pixie outside and with the help of Shsway, took to the trees. Nightsong prayed that they wouldn't be seen.

All of a sudden, a loud voice roared, "Amazons near the tent! Archers, fire!"

"By all that is holy, NO!" Nightsong thought as she threw herself down as flat as her chains would let her as the tent was ripped to shreds by arrows.

By Pixie

Pixie fussed at having to be helped into the trees. It was a miracle that they hadn't been shot. The look of horror on the new amazon's face when she had watched the tent be pierced by arrows was more than Pixie could take. She quickly made up her mind LA wouldn't like, it but oh well that was normal.

As soon as they were safely away, she turned to newcomer. Handsigning slowly, "You have to leave me behind. No don't protest you know time is our enemy and I'm slowing you down. Don't worry I was surrendered to the druids before I could walk. The first lesson I learned was how to hide. The three of you need to get back to the village." The newcomer looked torn but swiftly nodded .

"They aren't going to like this," pointing at Ephfan and Nike. "But I will make them understand." With that Pixie slowly moved away as the two looked at Shsway for the answer.

By Shsway

"Okay, what the hell is going on!" Nike fumed. She was still loathe to leave the enemy camp, Pixie, and a possibly dead Nightsong.

Shsway paused momentarily before turning to her friend. Her eyes had followed and understood the Celt's hand gestures, but immediately returned to the ravaged tent, and the men that were running up to catch them.

'By the gods my mentor, is there still breath in your body?' She realized she had to regain her composure, their next step would require quick and definitive action.

"Look, there isn't much time!" she began, hazel eyes dark with concern. "Our new friend believes she has the skill and patience to hide here until her strength returns, I believe her somehow. We all know that we can't possibly carry her as we make OUR escape. And Nightsong might well be dead."

Closing her eyes momentarily to dispel all feelings of fear, ache and rage, she continued. "Let's return to the village and help our sisters prepare for battle.  These raiders may not be as good as we are, but they outnumber us considerably. Any Amazon with strength to fight, must!"

Ephfan spoke up. "And if I understood Pixie correctly - that is her name, Shsway - Queen Gabrielle may well mistakenly use the tribe's resources to look for us. I agree, let us go set their minds at ease and offer them strength."

"Done," Nike offered with a grim expression. The friends gripped forearms briefly, then quickly sped off. In the rear, Shsway turned back to see a reassuring smile from Pixie in the higher branches.

With one more glance at the commotion by the prisoner's tent, she turned to join her comrades. 'Be well, my mentor', she silently prayed.

By Nike

The trio rode into camp as fast as the horses would carry them, eager to see the Queen.  The war counsel had just been assembled and was torn between being angry and afraid. Suddenly the doors opened grandly as Nike stepped into the hut, flanked on her left and right by Shsway and Ephfan. The three of them confidently walked towards the Queen.

"We have news," said Ephfan.

"Nightsong is locked up in a tent that..." Shsway could not continue her statement as she thought of her mentor.

"It's safe to say Nightsong's dead. There's a huge camp of raiders just South of here who are serving some freak named Lyco. She has some kind of morbid fascination with Nightsong. Anyway, if she's not dead yet, she's in danger, so let's get off our asses and get her outta there." finished Nike.

She looked to Gabrielle's left to see LA, making the same expression she had been making - incredibly miffed. It was enough to make her swallow and involuntarily take a step back.

"Littlearsonist told us all about the situation, and thank the gods you're all safe!"  Said Gabrielle, getting up.

It was a site to behold to see the entire Amazon camp prepare for war. Everyone put on their best armor, and painted themselves elaborately. Nike mounted her gray war horse and rode up to Xena, who stared distantly in the direction of the camp.

Even at Shsway's resistance, they sent scouts ahead anyway. Shsway argued that she had seen the area, and the quicker they could get a move on, the better. However, the Queen was always cautious and ordered the scouts to make note of the area. Xena awaited their return.

Nike sighed. "Can't a few of us just go in there and get her?"

The scouts finally returned and said everything was clear from here to the camp, as long as they were careful. The Queen Gabrielle, Xena, Ephfan, Shsway, Nike, and the elite Queen's guard rode, along with a few of the better trained warriors.  They were going to need their best, this time. Not surprisingly, Martman was nowhere to be found, and it was the common assumption that he had indeed followed Craig. Eppie was also missing, but the tribe at least knew she was on her own vacation of sorts. They left her a note and headed to the raiders' camp to fight a war for their sister and friends' lives.

By Nightsong

Nightsong awoke with a sharp pain in her side. She grimaced inwardly as she took in her situation. She had been shot in the side, by the feel of it, and now she seemed to be chained in a cavern of some sort.

Soft torchlight flickered and revealed the collection of furs and silks she lay upon, chained in dainty but strong chains of iron to the rock behind and below her. Her hunting leathers had been replaced by silk with even less coverage than her leathers.

"So, you're awake." A familiar voice floated out of the darkness.

"Indeed I am, Lyco. Tell me, was it always your intention to have me filled full of arrows?" Nightsong gestured to her bandaged side.

"Those fools could have killed you! I assure you, they died very, very slowly."  Lyco melted out of the darkness and sat at the edge of the furs and cupped Nightsong's chin in her hand.

"Don't worry my dear, no further harm will come to you." Lyco leaned over so that her face was only inches from Nightsong's. "That I promise you."

By Littlearsonist

Littlearsonist awoke to soft gray eyes looking down at her lovingly, and Pixie's soft lilting voice. "Ta me'm sunpaie binn Faol-com."

Smiling LA reached her hand up and softly caressed Pixie's cheek. Pixie's eyes closed in pleasure and allowed herself to be drawn in closer, their lips coming only inches apart...

Littlearsonist sat upright gasping for air. Looking wildly around fearing what she would find. She stilled as the faintest of whispers came into her mind. 'My love trust me I could not return with them.'

Shaking with rage LA stood and exited the hut. She quickly walked to the counsel hut. Upon entering she was ushered to where the Queen stood.

They had just began plans when the doors busted open. Allowing Ephfan the amazon she now knew as Nike and another, to enter. She now fully understood what her love was trying to tell her. She glared at the three.

The counsel was soon dismissed. LA approached the Queen. "I need a fast horse, not far from here is my camp, it contains many of the things I'll need." Gabrielle nodded while signaling for a nearby amazon.

"Show Littlearsonist to the stables, and allow her one of our faster horses." Turning to Littlearsonist. "Don't even think about going to the army's camp."

LA gave a slight bow and hurried out of the counsel hut. After preparing the horse she mounted and set off for her camp.

LA had driven the horse hard to make it to camp and back before the amazons set off for the enemy's camp. She looked around seeing the flourish of activities. Dressed in a simple leather vest and pants, a full black wolf-skin was pinned at the shoulders to hang down her back as a cape. Two silver armbands flanking a wide golden armband. The golden band had delicate rune work, and two separate circles one depicting a fox pouncing on it's prey and the other a stalking wolf. A silver torque circled her neck. There were patterns of blue and black painted upon her skin. She had fastened her scabbard to her back, while countless knives were hidden through out her battledress.

She paced, eagerly awaiting the orders to strike....