The Hunted

It was early morning and the sun, nor Gabrielle, had risen but Xena did. The camp fire's last sparks were glistening out and Xena was about to wake Gabrielle for they had to be in Thebes by nightfall. She leaned over Gabby and gently shook her dozing friend. Gabrielle roused and the process continued a half dozen times until she fianlly woke up.

"Hurry up and pack your blankets, we'll eat on the way. Queen Niobe wants us in Thebes tonight," said Xena.

"Right, Queen Niobe. What did she want us for?" asked Gabby.

"She didn't say except that it was urgent and time is a factor."

With that Xena mounted Argo and helped Gabrielle pack her blankets in the saddle bags. Then they left their previous night's campsite. The comrades traveled along a dirt road and came upon the edge of the woods just as the sun was beginning to rise.

"We'll go through these woods," said Xena, "it's a shortcut."

"Are you sure there's no war going on this time?" asked a nervous Gabby.

"No Gabrielle, I'm positive."

"Only fools are positive."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Hey!"

Gabrielle looked angrily at Xena as they turned into the woods. Xena had to dismount Argo to lead her through the dense trees. It was not long before they came upon an ebon-haired man in the woods with an archers armory in his hands and two stags piled on the ground beside him.

Xena was impressed by the man's catch but Gabrielle sneered and thought it was just another man showing off. It was not long before the man's deep green eyes fell upon the travelers.

"Hello," said the man, "My name is Orion."

With hearing that Gabrielle's face suddenly lit up and she blurted out every story she had ever heard of Orion. "Orion, the man who killed every animal on the island of Chios, the man who lost his eyesight and regained it. That Orion?" she said with excitement.

"The one and only. And you are?" he asked looking at Xena.

"My name is Gabrielle, and this is my best friend Xena," said Gabrielle, trying to regain his attention.

"Xena? I've heard of you."

"All good I hope. Nice to have met you but we must be on our way," commented Xena.

"Where are you two headed?" asked Orion.

"To Thebes, to meet with Queen Niobe," said Gabby, intent on regaining the man's favor.

"Well, I'll join you. At least as far as Hyria," said Orion. Gabrielle sighed and shrugged as she continued her walk. Xena and Orion followed behind her.

Half an hour later both Xena and Orion heard something in the woods but Gabby had not and so kept on walking, humming to herself. Xena and Orion, however, had veered off course to find two young children, a boy and a girl crouching inside a thicket. The children were startled when they saw Xena and the man but calmed down after they realized Xena and Orion were not who they were afraid of.

"What are you two doing in the middle of the woods?" asked Xena.

The girl continued looking nervously around but the boy answered, "We're hiding."

"What are your names?" asked Xena.

The boy once again replied, "I'm Amyclas, and this is my sister Meliboea."

"Where are your parents?" asked Orion.

"In the castle, at home in Thebes," replied Amyclas.

"You're parents are King Amphion and Queen Niobe? My friend and I are headed there to see them, we'll take you with us," stated Xena.

"No! No! We can't go home! They'll find us!" shouted the boy.

"Who, who'll find you?" asked Xena.

Then the girl's eyes went wide open as she stood up, pointed beyond Xena and Orion, and she screamed out "Them!"

Xena, Orion, and Gabrielle who had missed her companions and went back to join them, all turned around to see two figures armed with a bow and arrows. The two silhouettes were adorned in flowing white cloth and they raised their armed bows to the children.

"Artemis! Don't!" shouted Orion.

"Orion!" exclaimed the goddess with a smile. Apollo gave a sigh at his sister's apparent love for the man and both Apollo and Artemis lowered their bows. The children were now huddled behind Orion, peering on either side of him at the two deities.

"Artemis and Apollo, wow! This is turning out to be a regular festival of the legends!" exclaimed Gabrielle.

"Why do you want to kill these children?" asked Xena.

"Their mother, Queen Niobe, cursed our mother the goddess Leto," explained Apollo.

"So you're killing her children? Call me an idiot but that doesn't make sense," said Gabby.

"We're repaying the Queen by killing all her children. Only these two remain," stated Artemis.

"There has to be another way," said Orion, "The children are innocent."

"Well," said Artemis, "I don't know."

Xena, with a smile on her face and a plan in mind, said, "Artemis, you like to hunt, don't you?"

"I'm not the goddess of hunting because I do ten thousand push-ups every day."

"I bet you've killed hundreds of stags."

"Thousands."

"Then I hereby challenge you to a contest. The one of us who kills the most animals in three days wins."

"Xena," exclaimed Gabrielle, "What are you doing?"

"Don't worry Gabrielle, this is between Artemis and me."

"Xena, you're crazy. You'll never beat her," stated a worried Orion.

Artemis thought about it briefly and then replied, "No, I don't think hunting animals is enough. How about I hunt you. If you're dead before the end of the three days, the children die too."

"And If I'm alive?" asked Xena.

"Then the children will be too," replied Artemis.

"You're on, considering two conditions. You do not utilize your goddess powers and give me today and tomorrow to prepare," added Xena.

"Done," finished Artemis.

"No Xena! Do you know what your doing?" commented Gabrielle. Everyone save only Artemis, Apollo, and Xena were worried, especially the children.

"Apollo, take my powers and hold them safe," requested Artemis.

"I hope you know what your doing," said Apollo. He then put his hands on Artemis' head.

After a brilliant flash of white light, Artemis addressed Xena once again. "I am now a mere mortal, Xena. After five days I will be myself once again and then your fate, and that of the children will be decided," said the now human Artemis, she continued in a lighter tone, "So where are we headed?"

"I'm going home to Hyria but they are headed to Thebes," answered Orion.

"Oh no way! You're coming to Thebes with us Orion. Let's not waste time here, come on," said Artemis as she started to walk towards Thebes holding Orion's hand. Gabrielle, the children, and Xena leading Argo followed Artemis and Orion as Apollo vanished.

The trip was long and tedious. It was not until after sunset when the small party reached the castle of King Amphion and Queen Niobe. The Queen was overwhelmed with joy when Amyclas and Meliboea came running into her open arms. Then suddenly her joy turned to rage as she saw the once powerful goddess Artemis enter.

"What is she doing here?" exclaimed Niobe angrily.

"I go where I please," returned Artemis, still holding Orion's hand.

"It's alright Niobe, she won't hurt your children. I made a deal with her," explained Xena.

"And what deal would that be?" asked Amphion.

"Well, you see," started Gabrielle, "Artemis lost her powers for five days so the challenge will be fair. The challenge being a hunt. If Artemis can not hunt and kill Xena in three days, staring two sun rises from now, then your children will live.

"And what if Xena is dead by then?" asked Niobe,

"Then," began Artemis, "your children die too."

"Xena, what have you done? You'll never survive a hunt by the goddess of hunting! We asked you here to help! Now, because of your foolishness all my children will have died at the god's hands!" shouted Niobe as she began to weep.

"Guards! Seize them!" ordered Amphion.

"Nice to know you have confidence in me," said Xena sarcastically.

Xena snapped around to see the guards rushing at her and her party. Gabrielle positioned her staff to ready herself for the ambush. Artemis armed her bow and Orion did the same. Xena quickly drew her sword from it's sheath and prepared for the on coming attack.

The first guard fell unconcious only after Xena simply hit him upside the head with the handle of her trusted weapon. The second guard was a little more aware of Xena's capabilities. His sword clashed against her's with a loud, thunderous clang three times. Then Xena turned around on her heel and kicked the sword out of his hand and it stuck itself into the ceiling of the throne room. She then back handed him in the face and once again kicked him, this time planting her foot into his midside resulting in his incapacitation.

Xena looked to her left to see Gabrielle fending off another guard's attacks. Gabby tried desperately to knock the sword out of his hand using her staff but she found it to be rather unsuccessful so she instead hit him in the stomach, stunning the guard. He bent over to ease his pain but not for long. Gabrielle forced him back up by a vertical swing of her staff into his face. She then sweeped the ground and tripped the guard who fell face first on the floor.

"I wish Hercules and Iolaus were here to help us. They have more experience fighting guards than I do," said Gabby.

"Stop!" shouted Amphion, "You know Iolaus?" With that, everyone ceased fire and turned towards the King and Queen.

Gabby answered, "Yeah, he's a close personal friend of mine, and Xena's. You know, I thought you looked a lot like him."

"He's my cousin, I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for him," returned the King, "You may stay here as long as you need. And Xena, I wish you luck."

Niobe sneered at Amphion and stormed out of the throne room, taking Amyclas and Meliboea with her. The four travelers; Xena, Gabrielle, Orion, and Artemis went to their quarters for the night.

In the morning Gabrielle woke only to find Xena was gone, leaving only her sword, chakram, and whip behind. Orion and Artemis were gone as well. Gabby grabbed a loaf of bread and a canteen of water and set out in search of her companions in the woods.

Xena and Orion were sitting in a clearing conversing with each other, unaware that Artemis was listening from behind a bush not far away.

"Xena, why did you make the challenge?"

"To save the children, they need my help."

"But you won't survive. Artemis is deceptive. I've... dealt with her before."

"She admires you."

"I know. She has been ever since we first met."

"You don't seem too thrilled. It's not everyday a person gains the favor of a god or goddess."

"I'm more worried about you Xena."

Xena looked up at Orion, surprised at his show of affection for her. She continued, "Orion, don't be worried about me. I'll be fine. I know a few tricks the Amazons taught me when I first began fighting."

Orion stood up and kissed Xena on her cheek. "I wish you luck, with all my heart," he said just before he left.

Artemis was furious at Xena to the point where she almost ran out of hiding to strangle Xena but Apollo stopped her short when he appeared out of nowhere.

"Apollo, what are you doing here?" whispered Artemis.

"I brought these for you. Hephaestus just made them."

Apollo handed Artemis a quiver of silver arrows forged by Hephaestus himself.

"With these you can't miss her."

Apollo disappeared and Artemis held the arrows with an evil smile on her face.

"I'll get you now Xena, and Niobe's children too," said Artemis to herself as she left the woods.

Xena and Orion were sitting in a clearing conversing with each other, unaware that Artemis was listening from behind a bush not far away.

"Xena, why did you make the challenge?"

"To save the children, they need my help."

"But you won't survive. Artemis is deceptive. I've... dealt with her before."

"She admires you."

"I know. She has been ever since we first met."

"You don't seem too thrilled. It's not everyday a person gains the favor of a god or goddess."

"I'm more worried about you Xena."

Orion stood up and kissed Xena on her cheek. "I wish you luck, with all my heart," he said just before he left.

Artemis was furious at Xena to the point where she almost ran out of hiding to strangle Xena but Apollo stopped her short when he appeared out of nowhere.

"Apollo, what are you doing here?" whispered Artemis.

"I brought these for you. Hephaestus just made them."

Apollo handed Artemis a quiver of silver arrows forged by Hephaestus himself.

"With these you can't miss her."

Apollo disappeared and Artemis held the arrows with an evil smile on her face.

"I'll get you now Xena, and Niobe's children too," said Artemis to herself as she left the woods.

Gabrielle found Xena still sitting in the clearing. Xena was shocked and just staring blindly into the small fire in front of her until Gabby caught her attention.

"Xena! There you are. I woke up and you weren't at the castle. Why did you leave without telling me?" asked Gabby.

"I didn't want you to worry."

"I was more worried not knowing where you were. Besides, I know you'll be alright," said Gabby less than confidently. Xena knew that Gabrielle was not telling the truth but she didn't bring it up. "Here Xena, I brought these for you," stated Gabby as she handed her friend the now half loaf of bread and half full canteen of water.

"Thanks Gabrielle, but I'm not hungry."

"Come on Xena, you need your strength. You have a big three days ahead of you."

"I guess you're right," said Xena as she took the items and set them aside. She continued, "Gabrielle, I want you to go back to the castle and help comfort Niobe. I'm going to stay the night out here so I can get used to these woods, you know."

"Yeah, I understand Xena. Promise me you'll come back."

"Don't think about that. Just... take care of yourself."

"I hope to see you soon Xena."

"Me too."

With that said Gabrielle headed back to the castle, unsatisfied with Xena's words.

Artemis, by now, had reached the castle and was with Orion in the gardens.

"Hey Orion, when Xena is dead, do you want to go hunting in Knossos with me?"

"How could you say such a thing Artemis? You have nothing against Xena. Besides, you know very well that Apollo hates me."

"Oh I don't care what Apollo thinks, I never did. Right now it's just you and me anyways."

"And me," said Gabrielle.

Artemis suddenly jumped up and Orion was relieved to see her. "You're back! Amphion said you went to find Xena. Did you see her?" he asked

"Yeah, she's going to stay the night in the woods to get used to its layout," stated Gabrielle.

"Yeah, well. I have this funny feeling in my stomach that I've never felt before," said Artemis.

"Heh, it's called hunger, there's some bread and cheese up in the kitchen," replied Gabby.

"Ugh, I'd rather have ambrosia."

"Not for four more days Artemis, you promised," exclaimed Orion.

"Oh fine! I'll try this cheese of yours. Mortals are so hospitable."

"You're a mortal now," said both Gabby and Orion together.

"Yeah, but not for too long."

Meanwhile Xena was back in the woods, up in the trees preparing for the hunt to begin tomorrow at sunrise. Xena knotted vines to branches and marked the trees with the dagger she kept so she'd know what was where.

The sun was now setting and Xena was back on the ground starting a fire and eating the bread Gabrielle had brought to her. Xena was going over her plans praying that she had not left anything out. When she was satisfied with her preparations, she left the campsite with the fire still burning, and walked very far from it, into the heart of the woods. Once there she climbed a tree and slept on a branch, waiting for the sun to rise.

Artemis awakened before sunrise. She was still tired, like she had never felt before, but she was anticipating the day's events. She grasped her bow and quiver and then she left. The sun was just peaking over the mountains when Artemis reached the woods. She saw Xena's campsite and noticed the fire still burning. She figured Xena could not be too far away so Artemis began to follow her tracks.

Xena, by that time, had been long awake and was climbing from tree to tree, careful not to touch the ground. When she reached a sturdy looking branch, Xena rested there and drank what was left in her canteen.

It wasn't long before Artemis realized Xena had not spent the night at the campsite or she would have found the Warrior Princess by now. Artemis followed her tracks up to the tree Xena had spent the night in.

"Clever girl," she said. Then she noticed the fresh leaves on the ground where Xena had recently shaken the branches. Artemis continued, "But not clever enough."

Artemis followed the trail of leaves until she found Xena resting in the tree. She silently armed her bow with one of the silver arrows Hephaestus made for her and shot it at Xena.

Xena did not know that Artemis was near until the arrow firmly planted itself in the trunk of the tree just above Xena's head. It was afternoon and the sun was hot but Xena had to move, now. She looked in the direction of the arrow's path and saw Artemis loading her bow once again.

Xena quickly grabbed hold of her vine and swung down onto the ground. She ran as fast as she could, though careful not to trip on a root. She did not look back at the former goddess giving chase.

Xena unhitched a vine she made as a make shift whip and spiraled it around a high branch. She used it to swing herself up into the tree and once again used the branches to motivate through the forest.

Artemis shot two more arrows that barely missed Xena. The Warrior Princess caught one of the arrows that was flying alongside her at a nearly equal pace at her head's level and slipped it down one of her gauntlet's.

By now Artemis was losing ground and had lost sight of Xena. The sun was high and so was the temperature. Both Xena and Artemis were extremely hot so they both stopped to let their sweat dry off.

Artemis did not resume her chase until the sun was nearly gone and dusk was upon them. Artemis had a harder time seeing the leaves on the ground but found Xena nonetheless resting in a tree once again.

Xena started tree-hopping again until she reached an unmarked tree that she had not been to. The only thing Xena could think of to do was to climb higher, further into the canopy. Artemis had caught up with Xena and saw her clinging onto a high branch for her dear life. Artemis smiled, shot an arrow at the branch Xena was holding onto, and walked away, heading for the castle.

The branch Xena was on was not very sturdy and when the arrow planted itself into the bark, the branch broke off of the tree and Xena fell from the canopy. She instinctively used her make shift whip to grasp another branch and swung herself to safety.

The Warrior Princess sighed in relief and pulled out the arrow in her gauntlet that Artemis shot at her earlier. She examined it carefully and noticed the mark of Hephaestus on the arrowhead.

"You cheater," said Xena, under her breath.

As soon as Artemis entered the castle, every guard, the King and Queen, Amyclas and Meliboea, Gabrielle, and Orion started bombarding her with questions.

"She's still alive, for now," answered Artemis.

Gabrielle grabbed some food and silently slipped out of the castle to find Xena. She reached the woods well into the night.

"Xena! Xena! Where are you? It's me Gabrielle!"

Xena jumped out of the trees and landed behind Gabrielle, startling her.

"What in the god's names are you doing here?"

"Oh, Xena, there you are," said Gabby as she gave her a big hug, "I had to see if you were okay. Are you?"

"No Gabrielle, I'm not. I should be dead now."

"What do you mean?" asked a very worried Gabrielle.

"Artemis found me and had me. I had no where to go. She knows it and I know it."

"Why didn't she kill you Xena?"

"Because she enjoys the hunt more than the kill. Better an egg today than a chicken tomorrow."

"Oh, well, I brought you a leg of lamb and some more water."

"Thanks Gabrielle, Artemis had me on the run pretty much all day so I didn't get to the lake for a drink," said Xena. She took hold of the new canteen and immeadiately began to drink it's contents. She continued, "There's one more thing. Artemis is cheating."

"Cheating? What are you talking about?"

"She's using arrows made by Hephaestus. Here," stated Xena as she threw the arrow to Gabrielle. She caught it nervously as Xena finished, "Now go back to the castle and get some rest. I have work to do."

Xena and Gabrielle gave each other a final embrace and the friends parted. After Xena finished the meal she began planting tracks. She crossed over her own tracks, walked backwards in her own footprints, and walked downstream in a small creek.

This time Xena set traps as well. She used vines to set up trip cords and snares and she dug two pits on either side of the tree she chose to sleep in that night, covered by twigs and dried leaves abounding the forest floor. This time, she was ready.

Morning came and Xena was awakened by Artemis' screams. Artemis had fallen into one of Xena's pits. Immeadiately Xena lept out of the tree and ran along the tracks she made last night. It took Artemis a whole hour to climb out of the pit and she broke many of her wooden arrows doing so.

Artemis was enraged as well as confused. She could not decipher which way Xena had gone with all the tracks around the pit so she followed each set of tracks, one by one. When one set of footprints lead to a tree without freshly fallen leaves on the ground, Artemis would turn around and follow another set. She tripped over two different vines throughout the day.

It was now nearing time for the sun to set and only two sets of tracks remained unchecked. Artemis was weary and not too careful about where she stepped. She unknowingly had literally walked into Xena's trap and was hoisted upside down when she triggered one of the snares. Artemis shrieked out for all of Boeotia to hear. When she finally wriggled free it was well past midnight.

"Xena! I know you can hear me! By my family you can probably see me as well! You see the crescent moon? If I were a goddess right now you'd already be dead at Selene's first light but I'm playing fair now!"

With that said Artemis stormed out of the woods and back to the castle. Half an hour later, Gabrielle came back out to meet Xena.

"Xena, I brought more food. So how did your day go?"

"A lot better than yesterday. How's Queen Niobe and King Amphion?"

"They were fine this morning but they were very tense when I left. Tomorrow is a big day."

"I'll be fine Gabrielle, I don't want you to worry."

"Oh I'm not anymore. You should have seen Artemis' face when she came back to the castle but I'm going to head back now, it's awfully dark out here."

"I'll see you tomorrow, I promise."

Gabrielle and Xena once again embraced and Gabby left, much more satisfied with Xena's words.

Artemis woke up well after sunrise for she was exhausted due to the previous day's events. She nonchalantly got out of her bed and prepared for the day. She left for the woods without telling anyone she had left.

Orion and Gabrielle were in the dining hall having lunch when Artemis left. Both Gabrielle and her companion enjoyed their gourmet meals to it's fullest.

"Boy that was some meal, don't you agree Orion?"

"You bet, haven't had beef cooked this well in a long time. Fit for a King."

"Your lucky, I've never had it cooked this well at all," replied Gabby.

"You ought ot go to Hyria some time. As for me I'm going to the lake in the woods for a swim."

"Why don't you just go to the hot spring in the castle, Orion?"

"It's just not the same as a fresh lake, besides it's hot enough outside."

Back in the woods Artemis was slowly walking along a path when Apollo appeared. "I brought you more arrows from Hephaestus," said Apollo.

"I can't use them Apollo, I promised that little strawberry-blonde brat I'd only use man made arrows."

"But you couldn't shoot within two feet of a bull's eye with one of those."

"Maybe you can't but I can!" retorted Artemis. Then Apollo noticed Orion swimming in the lake up ahead.

"Look, there's Xena," he said smiling, "I bet you can't hit her head from here."

"Just you watch me!" said Artemis.

She aimed her bow with a wooden arrow at Orion's bobbing head. She let go of the cord and the arrow instantly killed him.

"See, I told you," remarked Artemis.

"Yeah, you sure showed me," replied Apollo with the same smile etched across his face. They ran up to the lake to claim the kill but Artemis did a double take when she realized it was Orion's body floating in the water, and not Xena's. Xena jumped down from a tree beside the lake to help Artemis carry his body out of the water.

"What have I done?" Artemis kept saying to herself, "Orion! I'm so sorry. Apollo, give me my powers back." Apollo handed her a white ball of light which she took and held above her head. After another brilliant flash of light Artemis became once again the powerful goddess.

"Xena," she said, "The hunt is over and the children are safe. You have done well."

Xena nodded to the goddess as she watched Apollo disappear and Artemis carry Orion's body into the stars, for all to remember him. The Warrior Princess returned to the castle and received a warm welcome from everyone.

"Xena, I knew you'd make it," said Gabrielle, "Did you see Orion out there? He's been gone awhile."

"He's...dead. Artemis mistook him for me when he was swimming."

"And my children?" asked Niobe.

"They will not be harmed by Artemis or Apollo ever again."

"Thank you Xena," said Meliboea. Then Amyclas finished, "You saved our lives."

"Thank you for the care of my friend but it's time we move on. Gabrielle."

"Coming Xena."

"You will always be welcome here and we hope to see you soon," stated Amphion.

Xena nodded and left the throne room with Gabrielle. She collected her weapons and retrieved Argo from the gardens as they left. Outside it was dark but the moon was brighter than it had ever been before. It's light shone down on Xena and Gabrielle as well as the new constellation Orion.

"So how did Artemis take Orion's death Xena?"

"Pretty well, she carried him to the stars."

"Really?" asked Gabrielle, looking up. "I don't see him. Where is he?"

"Second star to the right."

The End

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