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The Demon

by Rachel2
rachel1@ix.netcom.com

The Demon (Predator) belongs to 20th Century Fox, and Dark Horse Comic's. Xena, Gabrielle and Argo, belongs to MCA and may they keep traveling together. A thousand hugs to "Wishes" from Universal's Xena NetForum, for her suggestions and tips in writing my very first story. If anyone would like to archive my story, I ask that you please ask my persmission, and that the story not be changed in any way without my permission. Flames, Praise, or questions can be sent to me at Universal's Xena NetForum or Email me at, rachel1@ix.netcom.com

He was running as fast as his legs could move, but deep down he knew it was not enough. He held onto his sword, it help having it in his hand. His mind raced back a few days, a simple job Metrikas had said "some peasants think a bear, or wild bore is a demon sent by the gods to punish them for something. We five go in kill the thing, have a good feast then come back in a few days for our gold and praise as demon killers."

Metrikas was the first to die, his body ripped apart by some huge beast. He was all for going back then, but the others thinking it was a bear wanted to avenge Metrikas. They woke the next day to find Lemnos gone, and after an hour search they found what was left of him. At least they thought it was Lemnos, the piece of red meat hanging upside down from the tree. His skin pealed off, the mouth open in a silent scream. He remembered that they didn't hear anything. Lemnos had to been dead when it happened, at least he hoped he had been.

They decided then to head back, both Elerias and Tapert said maybe the peasants were being punish by the gods, and now we were interfering with them. That was this morning, He and Elerias didn't know when Tapert was taken. They just looked behind them when he asked Tapert a question and he was gone, no sound just gone. The pace quickened, but the days were as hot as Hades so they tired soon. Elerias ran ahead for the cool stream of water, and had just passed the bushes hiding the pool. He could still hear the horrible screaming, he thought he was a brave man. But when he heard Elerias, he turned and ran.

His only thoughts was get to the road. Once out in the open he would be able to see, and run away from the demon. With his breath coming in gasps, he forced his legs to keep up the pace, dropping his sword that's become too heavy. "Just a little further..just a little more and I'm safe." His mind racing from one thought to the next as the road came into view. It was then that his body gave out and fell to the ground. With a cry he started to crawl slowly when he heard the sounds of steps walking towards him from the road. He looked up to yell for help, but his eyes only widened at the sight in front of him. With his last breath he looked up towards the sky his voice croaking, "ZEUS! WHY..what have we done?."

Up the road a cart pulls to a halt, the driver looking around with fear as screams echoes though the forest.

"XENA!." Smiling the dark haired woman turned in her saddle looking behind her at the person walking behind her. "Gabrielle, I said you're welcome to ride with me. I want to get to Raxis by nightfall." The small fair-haired woman pauses next to the horse looking at her best friend with a wary eye. "Xena, I understand you want to get to Raxis. I understand that I can ride on Argo with you. I understand you got some message that just said come as fast as you can!."

Sighing Gabrielle looks up leaning against her staff, "However, unless death is coming down the road after us I'm walking. But the sun is overhead and I thought we could stop for a bite to eat?." The warrior looks up sighting the sun, using a hand to shield her eyes thinking. "She's right, its been hot for days, and I'll not even push my army this hard in this weather." Nodding Xena eases off Argo standing next to her friend, "There's some trees over there, lets rest in the shade."

With a joyful look Gabrielle walks towards the trees, with Xena leading Argo behind her. Wiping the perspiration from her brow, Xena watches the bard with a smile. Her eyes take in every move of the young woman muscles as she walks, her hair as it catches the sunlight. And her sweet voice as she keeps talking about whatever comes to mind. "Maybe" Xena thought, "Maybe I'm not as far pass redemption as I thought. How else could I have someone like her by my side."

Sitting in the shade Gabrielle pulls bread and cheese from her pack. Looking up at her friend, whose thoughts seem elsewhere. Sniffing the cheese before cutting off pieces and handing them to her. "Xena...XENA are you asleep?" The warrior turns looking at the bard shaking her head, "Sorry Gabrielle, I was thinking of the road ahead."

Stuffing a piece in her mouth the bard nods, "Well, did Metrikas say why we needed to come so fast?". Xena sits next to the bard leaning against the tree, wrapping bread around the cheese. "No, like I said he was one of my captains back in my old days. Only one who quit the fighting before I did. He had his fill of killing, and wanted to leave it behind him." Gabrielle nods watching her friend as she eats. The movement of her mouth, turn of her head, her rich sky blue eyes that melts her soul. "I guess," thought the bard, "I'm about the luckiest person in the world..sitting next to her. How else could I have someone like her by.." She glances up as her thoughts are interrupted by a plume of dust approaching.

Her eyebrows narrow as she tries to make out what is coming towards them, with a slight cough and nodding of her head she calls to her friend. "Xena"

The warrior nods looking at the dust cloud. "I see it Gabrielle, its been advancing towards us since we got in the shade and blocked the sun."

With a knowing smirk Gabrielle looks towards the cloud, "Can you see what it is.? I can just make out shapes." Xena nods keeping her eyes on the shapes, "Wagons, lots of them and about seventy to a hundred people." Frowning Gabrielle shakes her head, "What would a merchant's caravan that size be doing way out here?" Brushing her hands, Xena stands to watch the caravan, "That is not a merchants caravan Gabrielle. I've seen this often, those are people fleeing from wars, famine, plague and they're fleeing from the direction we're heading."

Xena stood by the side of the road with Gabrielle watching the caravan approach. The bard noted the lack of guards, just a couple men walking about fifty yards ahead of the wagons. As if sensing her companions question Xena glances at the bard speaking in her familiar emotionless tone. "With a party of that size, it'll take a small army to attack them during the day. They need to be careful at night, but the normal small bands of brigands will leave them alone."

Nodding Gabrielle turned her head back to the caravan, she can see the people clearly now. Some of them seem to have vacant eyes, as if nothing was within. The point guards are looking them over when Xena raised her hand palm open, showing that she holds no weapon. "Peace be with you," Her voice carries to them, "From what village are you from?" The guard nearest to Xena, a man looking just out of his teens but with an aged look in his eyes, nods returning the greeting with a raised hand. "We're from what used to be Raxis, now it belongs to the crows."

Raising her head in surprise, Xena nods looking at the guard. "I was heading there to see a friend, do you know Metrikas?" The man quickly looks Xena over more closely then shifts his eyes to Gabrielle before turning to the other guard, "I'll send up a relief, and take up the end of the train" The other guard nods as he continues to walk down the road. The young guard steps off to the side of the road nodding, "I Knew Metrikas, he's dead along with the village, I'm called Viau."

Xena's head jerks back as if struck, Gabrielle swiftly grabs Xena's arm, but the warrior quickly recovers. Holding her ice blue eyes on Viau her voice is steady, "How did he die, and what are you fleeing from?." Viau watches as the caravan slowly passes, the dust kicked up by the wagons slowly coats the small group. Sighing Viau speaks, in an almost lifeless tone, "He was killed by the demon that Zeus set upon us." Gabrielle eyes arch upwards in disbelief, "A demon, oh come on, you're kidding."

Viau turns a sharp look to Gabrielle pent-up anger showing on his face, but pales when he catches sight of Xena's protective look of her bard. Stammering he nods turning his eyes towards the ground, "It was one moon ago when a light filled the night sky." Viau's tone is once again lifeless as he recounts the pass. "It looked as if a star fell from the heavens and struck the ground near our village. Some thought that the gods had warred against each other and one was stuck down."

Xena nods slowly as she grabs Gabrielle's arms, stopping her from interrupting the guard as he continues. "A couple of the men the next day said that they were going to see where the god fell. They left in the morning and that was the last we saw of them. Soon men disappeared from the village, then travellers stopped coming. We send out search parties, some didn't come back. Others came back telling how they found headless corpses."

Pausing Viau shakes his head as if trying to drive out inner thoughts. Xena softly speaks, "And Metrikas?" Viau looks up at Xena shrugging his shoulders, "Metrikas, said that it was a mad bear and nothing more. He took four men to search for the bear, none returned." The warrior nods, her eyes joining Viau's stare at the ground, as Gabrielle speaks up, "What made you decide to leave?"

Viau laughs sullenly taking Gabrielle by surprise, "Look at the wagons," As Viau's hand sweeps towards the train, "There were close to two hundred people in the village, this is all that's left." Finally pausing sighting the end of the train coming up, "I would turn around warrior, there's nothing alive the way you're going. The gods have sent a demon among us and its name is death."

Xena glances at Viau then towards the wagons, "Did you receive a sign, or a message from the gods why they're doing this?" Viau smirks as he turns following the last wagon, "The sign they sent was death, and we understood the message. Turn back warrior before you receive it." Turning his back to the pair Viau continues walking, not looking back.

Gabrielle watches the wagons then turns studying her friend, as Xena looks towards the woods ahead of them. Finally breaking the silence she speaks tensely, "Well, what do you think, are the gods involved in this?" Xena continues to stare at the woods ahead as she speaks, "Gabrielle, you know most of the tales about the gods, when they punish someone, don't they always lets them know.?"

Smirking The small bard nods, "Do they ever, seems like they can't wait to take credit for disasters they send on us." Nodding Xena turns looking at her friend, "Right and if this was caused by the gods, they would have said something by now." Pausing Xena looked at the bard, her eyes roaming over her face, "Gabrielle...I want." Quickly before she can say another word Gabrielle's eyes flash with anger, "NO XENA, I'M NOT GOING BACK. And the subject is not open for discussion."

Raising an eyebrow Xena smiles and shakes her head, "Guess you knew that was coming?." Nodding Gabrielle starts walking towards the woods without waiting for Xena, "I know you Xena, and I know you'll try to protect me. Do you really think I'll let you go on without me?" Xena chuckles grabbing Argo's bridle leading the horse after the bard. "I guess not, but I also think we better be ready. Cause I have a feeling this is something new for us." Gabrielle glances at Xena gripping her staff tighter as they head into the woods.

Gabrielle was trying to do all that Xena taught her, keeping her senses open. Listening for the slightest sound, movement, scent, but the sun was boiling her neck, she could not remember when its been this hot. Stealing a quick glance at Xena she almost tripped. The warrior was walking down the road as if she had no care in the world. Suppressing a smile Xena looked over at the bard, "Better watch your footing, these roads can be ahhh..tricky".

Rolling her eyes and looking confused, Gabrielle tried her best to relax. "Xena, if Metrikas thought it was only a mad bear. Why did he send you that message?." Xena nodded turning her head, she listened for a snapping twig, then dismissed it. "Cause he always put on his best appearance for his men. Or here the villagers, I think it was more like he was going out to get an idea what they were up against, and hoped that I could arrive in time." Frowning, Xena looked at her friend who could see the pain in her eyes, "He of all the others from those days, tried to change before I even had the thought. He should have died in his sleep, of old age."

Stopping Gabrielle put her hand on Xena's arm and looked at her with soft eyes, "Xena, he did what he thought was best for his village. I didn't know him, but I bet he had no regrets about what he did. And if he didn't then should you?"

Xena thought for a moment, then shook her head with a grin, "Gabrielle, what would I do without you." Smiling the bard turned back to the road, eyes watching the woods, "We're a pair Xena, we're meant to be together."

Surprised, Xena missed the root sticking up in the road, catching her foot and stumbling forward. Grinning Gabrielle looked at her warrior smiling, "Best watch the road Xena, its ahhh bit tricky." Turning her head back toward the forest, her eyes tried to pick up every little movement. "Xena, what are we looking for, I mean are we just going to walk along and see if we're attacked?."

Observing as much as she could Xena nodded, "Seems like we have no choice, everyone either ran off or is dead. We walk until attacked, or we see a trail of some type."

Sighing louder than she intended and feeling more than a bit uneasy Gabrielle followed the road. "Great," Thought the bard, "Walking down the road waiting for some demon or something to attack. Well being with Xena is never boring."

The heat of the sun felt like it was cooking her. Gabrielle stopped to take a long sip out of the waterskin. But the water was warm and did little to quench her thirst. Wiping her brow she gazed at her friend and offered the waterskin to Xena. Taking the bag with a smile, she tilted the bag upwards and froze.

Seeing the expression on the warriors face, the bard turned quickly looking at the woods. "WHAT" The bard exclaimed, before wrinkling her nose with a look of disgust. "WHAT IS THAT SMELL?"

Capping the waterskin, Xena tossed it to Gabrielle ordering in her most commanding voice. "Stay here and watch the woods."

Walking slowly off the road Xena knew the smell. Every warrior that fought knew it, the smell of days-old blood on the battlefield. Cautiously she advanced, her senses alert the smell getting stronger until she thought she would pass out. "I must be getting used to Gabrielle," Xena thought, "There was a time when this would not have bothered me." Moving slowly towards the source, she pushed aside some bushes and forced the bile from raising in her stomach.

The clearing in front of her had a mass of red meat, crawling with maggots and flies. Making it looking like a red wave with black and white ripples, which was the only way she could look at it.

"XENA ARE YOU OK?" The bard's voice pulled her from her trance, scanning the area around her almost in panic, she cried out, "GABRIELLE, STAY WHERE YOU ARE. DON'T COME IN HERE."

Taking several quick breaths the warrior steadied her breathing, and moved slowly into the clearing. Her senses reaching out in a state of near panic, but firmly under her control. Kneeling down she looked around keeping her eyes off the red mass. Until she found what she was looking for, but it only confused her more.

Nodding her head she looked around with a knowing smile and walked slowly backwards. She heard a twig snapping. Spinning around, she stared at the direction of the sound, not moving, hands ready to go for her sword. It seem like an eternity of time passed, yet she knew it was only a few minutes.

Alert for danger she moved backwards slowly toward where she left Gabrielle. A pair of eyes watched her.

Gabrielle was getting worried, it had been awhile since Xena left the road. Her grip was tight on her staff, as she listened for the slightest movement. Argo snorted stepping forward with her ears twitching.

The bard shifted her gaze toward the area of Argo's interest. A smile broke out as she observed her friend slowly making her way back. "I guess" Gabrielle thought, "I should let Argo keep watch, she seems better at it than me."

Stepping back on the road Xena turned to look the way she came. Her eyes constantly moved from spot to spot searching. Gabrielle walked over next to the warrior, trying to see what her friend was looking for. "Xena, what is it?"

Xena shook her head and frowned before stealing a glance at the bard, "Its out there watching us." Bringing her staff into a defensive position Gabrielle scanned the woods, her voice tense, she asked, "Did you see it, is that what the smell was?."

Biting her lip Xena turned back to the path with her thoughts, "She needs to know, if I try to shield her now it may mean her death." Glancing up at the sky, the warrior saw there was more than enough time. The simmering sun was making it a long day.

Turning, Xena ran her hand over Argo's mane before whispering in the warhorse's ear. Then with a look at Gabrielle she headed back down the path, speaking as the bard followed. "It was a body, I never saw anything like it. It was as if...if all that was inside the body had been pulled out and dropped on the ground. No bones, no skin, just a pile."

Hearing a moan, Xena glanced at the pale bard. Gabrielle looked back nodding, her face feeling more wet, perspiration forming on her upper lip. "I'm fine Xena, was there anything else?."

Nodding, Xena watched the trees, skirting around the clearing where the body lay. "I found tracks, they were heading deeper into the woods. I don't want to camp out here for the night without knowing what we're facing." Gabrielle listened while her friend continues, briefly pausing to look back at the following Argo.

"Couldn't you tell by the tracks?" The bard asked with a puzzled expression. She knew that Xena was among the best trackers. Shaking her head Xena checked the location of the clearing, then started to scan the ground hoping to pick up the tracks before replying. "The tracks are huge, almost shaped like a man's but twice the size. And the toes have points like claws."

"Could it be a minotaur then?." Gabrielle asked stopping to wipe her forehead.

Xena shook her head as she waited for the bard to catch her breath. "I thought of that Gabrielle, but the shape was all wrong. Also Minotaur's won't bother you, unless you bother them. And then they use weapons..this thing, I have no idea what it is."

Looking at her friend, Xena took a moment to smile. Then she turned and headed back down the path. "I want to at least get an idea what it is. Then decide if we could take it on ourselves or call for help, but I want us out of the woods before dark."

The Demon watched as they came toward the tree where he was waiting. He'd been hunting the softmeat while waiting for his people to rescue him. It had been weeks since he crashed while searching for new prey, his transport was nothing but a broken shell that he destroyed.

His race was hunters, and this place gave good, and bad hunts. Unlike the hardmeat that always attacked, and that was only good when they hunted groups. Here some lone softmeat gave good chases. But he had not found anything to give him a challenge yet.

He was curious about the softmeat hunting him. They were shaped, and smelled different from the others. Maybe they would be the challenge that he had been waiting for.

He watched them advance, bracing as he readied to drop on top of the new softmeat.

Xena stopped, the hairs on the back of her neck tingled, while all of her senses cried out in alarm. Her hand became a blur as she reached for her sword. Gabrielle seeing the swift change in her friend, spun around looking at the path behind them for the danger that Xena sensed.

Confused at what alerted the softmeat, the Demon froze. He quickly looked at his hands gripping the tree limb, and saw that the camouflage device on his arm was working. He knew he should look like his surroundings.

Gabrielle slowly spun her staff, ready to attack in any direction she needed. But her breath was louder than she liked, as she tried to calm the panic that was raising within. With wide eyes taking in the area around her she risked a glance at her friend, She wished that her trembling voice didn't betray her fears. "Xena, what is it?. I don't see anything."

Sword in hand, Xena stood unmoving. Reaching out with the senses that warned her of the danger, as she replied in a steady voice. "It's here Gabrielle, its here with us." Nodding, her back to the warrior, the bard stopped spinning her staff and gripped it so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Then out of the cornering of her right eye. Xena caught the movement of a single leaf falling from a tree. Looking upward, at first she saw nothing. Then as if the heat was baking her mind. The air started to simmer, forming the shape of a large man.

The demon saw the larger softmeat looking right at him. With a snarl it dropped off the limp, and landed on the ground. Its huge arm swung a backhand at the smaller less dangerous meat.

Gabrielle had just started to turn toward the sound on her left. When the blow landed across her face. It lifted her off her feet and into the air. Her mind was reeling as if the heated air was thick, and making her fall slower.

"Roll with the fall," the bards mind thought, "That's what Xena always said, roll with the fall to help soften the impact." But her body didn't seem to want to obey, as she hit the ground with a thud.

Xena shifted her weight as the blow stuck Gabrielle, and send a sidekick toward the middle of the simmering demon. Smiling, she felt her foot make contact with something solid.

The demon grunted as the softmeat hit it. The training of its race took over. Swinging the hand that killed the small meat, in a continuing motion it hit the underside of the meat's leg driving it upwards.

The warrior shuddered at the blow to her leg, using the force to lift her upwards turning it into a backflip. Her back leg followed the flip, catching the demon under its simmering face. Surprised at the move, it felt its head snap upward. The Demon shook its head trying to clear it. This meat is far stronger than the others it thought, maybe this place has hunting to rival the hardmeat.

Landing Xena swung her sword at the demon, but her leg started to collapse under her, spoiling the blow. The tip of the blade sliced across its chest, splattering her and the demon with a glowing green ooze.

Howling, the demon flexed its right arm, shooting out three, twelve inch blades from its wrist gauntlet. The pain was burning across its chest, he could not believe that the meat was hurting him.

Recovering, Xena stood facing the air demon. The shape only visible by its shimmering outline. She was worried about her friend but knew she could do nothing until the demon was put down. Raising her sword over her head, she deflected the three blades that seemed to dance in the air.

Across the pathway the two fought, Xena deflecting the blades with her sword and getting in a kick, with every fourth try. But the heat, and her injured leg were slowing her down. While the demon seemed able to ignore the burning sun and his injuries.

Falling back, Xena suppressed a groan as the blades raked her side. Knowing she needed to end this soon, Xena turned and ran down the path. The demon chased after her, feeling his victory was near now that the meat was running.

Then Xena yelled her battle cry at the top of her lungs, as she leaped toward a thick tree. Bracing for the impact she took two quick steps to propel her upwards with more force. Twisting in the air as she spun around to face the demon chasing her.

The demon was surprised at the move. Forgetting all its training as it raised its arm to block the heavy blade the meat was swinging at it.

Xena could feel that victory was near as her sword cleaved the demons arm. When the world exploded in front of her. sparks flew from the demons arm as Xena's sword cut deep into the camouflage device.

Jolts of electricity traveled down the warriors sword into her hands and body. Before tossing her back, and slamming her into the ground.

Laying there she tried to move but her body would not obey. She could feel that her muscles were tight, but slowly relaxing. But she could seen the demon, it also was on its back, changing colors upon color. Sparkling like a thousand fireflies, until the fires died away leaving a huge man shape beast.

Armor covered it torso and legs, with a mask covering it face. The arm where her sword hit was a nothing but a smoking stump. Xena tried to speak but found that her muscles were still too tight. Her thoughts raced to the bard, she tried to say her name again but was still unable.

Her whole body had been tingling, but that was going away and she could start to move her fingers. But a growl interrupted her thoughts. Moving her eyes she saw that demon was sitting up looking at her.

Feeling a touch of panic she tried to move her arms, but only her hands would respond. As the demon stood on shaky legs, cradling the stump of its arm.

Raising the blades strapped to his remaining arm. He slowly advanced toward the warrior.

Xena tried to raise herself off the ground. But the lightning the Demon stuck her with was leaving her body too slowly. Able to tilt her head now, she watched as it came toward her. The Demon was in agony, his left hand was gone. The meat had destroyed his wrist device, and with it his hand. But now it was down. Flexing the blade gauntlet he continued towards it, thinking how the skull would be a great trophy for his belt.

But so intent was the Demon on his prey, that he never heard the sound until its source was already upon him. Turning he saw the prey's beast already rearing up on its hindlegs. The forelegs kicked outward, hitting the stump of his arm. Shrieking from the pain, the Demon fell back away from the softmeat, swinging its blades at the beast.

Argo pranced on her hindlegs defending her mistress. The instincts of the warhorse's line taking over, kicking outward defending its foal. The Demon retreated from the unrelenting attacks, too hurt to give a good defense. When his swinging blades caught the beast, raking a thin line of blood over Argo's breast.

The warhorse's screamed as the blades sliced through, turning from the source of pain, bucking and kicking with its hindlegs. The Demon grunted as Argo's hoofs hit him full in the chest, knocking him off his feet and into the dirt. Breathing was becoming more difficult as he sat up. The beast was retreating from the wound he inflicted, but the Demon knew that the beast hurt him inside.

The Demon was bracing himself to get back on his feet, when he sensed something to his right. He Turned his head just in time to receive the full force of a Amazon staff slamming into his faceplate.

Gabrielle twirled her staff hitting the Demon again, this time in the throat. It was hard for her to see. Her left eye was swollen shut, and her cheek throbbed in pain. But her attacks continued, scoring hit after hit, driving the Demon even further away from Xena.

Ducking the Demon let the staff sail over his head, he now knew the small meat was more dangerous than he first thought. The large meat and its beast had injured him badly, now the blow from the small meat to his faceplate was making it even more difficult to breath.

Xena was finally was able to sit back up, she could move but felt very weak. Looking over, her heart lifted when she saw that Gabrielle was alive, but in a very dangerous situation. Forcing herself up on her feet, Xena called on her last reserves of strength, praying to the gods that it would be enough.

Gabrielle backed away from the Demon as it started to recover from her surprise attack. Moving continually to her right, more than attacking to keep it within sight of her good eye. The Demon was feeling in control, he had been careless in dismissing the beast and small meat. Now he had three skulls within his grasp, three tales of hunting greater than the insect hardmeat.

Bracing against the tree she used for her leap, Xena yelled, "GABRIELLE!, DROP TO THE GROUND NOW!," Her eyes on the Demon, she called out to the gods, and for once hoped that they truly listened. As her arm swung forward releasing her Chakram with all the strength she had left.

Gabrielle heard Xena's yell, and even knowing that it would put her at the mercy of the Demon, Gabrielle fell flat to the ground. The Demon paused when the softmeat fell without a blow, then caught sight of a shimmering in the air just before the Chakram buried itself deep within his chest.

Screeching so loudly that Gabrielle thought her ears would burst. The Demon raised its head to the hot setting sun, until there was silence. Then the Demon turned its head to look at the large meat by the tree, before he fell backwards. Hitting the ground with a crash that seemed to bring life back to the forest.

With a disbelieving look Gabrielle looked at the Demon as she stood. She stumbled over to her friend and tried to stop the blood flowing from Xena's side. Forgetting the pain she was feeling Xena grabbed the bard hugging her tight with closed eyes. Holding back tears thanking whatever god had listen, "Thank you," Xena thought, "Thank you for saving my friend."

Much later Gabrielle spoke as she used her good eye to look at the Demon as it lay at the edge of the campfire light. "I wish we could have left, I'm not sure that I'll be able to sleep with that thing there." Nodding Xena finished wrapping Argo's breast. "I know Gabrielle," Replied the warrior with a glance towards the bard , "But none of us are in any shape to go any where right now."

Sighing the bard nodded, her eye not leaving the dead shape, "Xena, do you think it was sent by the gods.?" Shaking her head the warrior sat next to the bard. Xena kissed Gabrielle's forehead and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. "No I don't know where it came from, But I don't think even the gods are that evil."

Surprised by the kiss, Gabrielle turned to Xena and smiled through her pain. "Well, if this is what it takes for a kiss from you. I hope they send a hundred demons...one every hundred years that is." Chuckling Xena nodded as she looked at the campfire. A cool breeze played with the flames, foretelling the end of the heatwave.

They found the body not far from the blackened earth where the ship crashed. The carrion of this place didn't seem to have a taste for it. Much was discussed over the battle wounds as they carried the demon back to their ship. Pausing and looking at the cool world, the leader thought this place must have good hunting. They would have to come back, when it was hotter.

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