As twilight glimmered through the trees, the trail of the raiders stretched out before them. The Huns made no attempt to hide the signs of their march as if arrogantly laying claim to the land around them.

Argo alerted them first by raising her head and flickering her ears forward. Xena’s senses soon picked out the presence of another and pulled the horse to a slow walk. A rider moved out in front of them from the trees and sat motionless on his horse. He was clad in a brightly colored baggy shirt and pants with a leather sleeveless tunic pulled over his chest. A large curved sword hung at his waist as did a dagger. A bandanna was wrapped around his forehead of bright material. He was mounted on a small wiry horse that sprung into action, galloping towards them at his command. He let out an ululating war cry "YaYaYaYaYaYa" as he rushed forward. Gabrielle starred in astonishment at the charging horseman. The yell was identical to the war cry Xena used in battle.

"Hun rear guard," Xena muttered as she turned and pulled Gabrielle off the back of the horse. "Stay here," she commanded in a harsh tone and then urged Argo into action.

Both warriors drew their swords and metal on metal clashed as the two horses met in the opening between the dense forest. The smaller horse flew by Argo. The Hun turned the animal on his haunches and was back on top of Xena before she could turn Argo around. She was just able to block the flashing slash of his curved sword before the Hun was by and around again. His speed was incredible. She knew she had to get him off his horse.

As he came at her again, she was able to block his thrust. Suddenly, he twisted and caught her with an elbow to her throat. Xena lost her seat on Argo and felt herself falling. She tucked and flipped landing on her feet. Before the Hun could turn around again, she leaped onto the back of his horse and pulled him off the plunging steed. Both warriors ended up on the ground in a heap as the Hun’s horse thundered away.

Each rolled to their feet immediately and the clash of swords sent sparks flying. The battle raged fast and ferocious as each thrust was blocked and followed up with a counter. Xena’s heavier sword forced the Hun back. His smaller weapon slashed so quickly though, that he inflicted several cuts on her arms and a nasty one on her thigh.

Gabrielle watched the battle with growing apprehension as they seemed almost evenly matched. Suddenly, the Hun charged in close and was able with an upper thrust to knock Xena’s sword from her hand. She immediately back handed him across the face and leaped at the stunned Hun with both feet forward. She hit him chest high and he fell backwards dropping his weapon. Before he could recover, she was on top of him as they rolled and wrestled on the ground. He ended up on the bottom with Xena straddling him as they traded blows. Suddenly, a dagger flashed as the Hun drew it from his side and thrust it forward. Xena grabbed his wrist and bent it back, breaking the bone in a sudden snap. The blade fell from his limp grasp. The Hun did not make a sound but used his left hand to grab the warrior by the neck and pull her off him. She whirled around and drew her own breast dagger as she saw the Hun pull a knife from his boot with his left hand. She plunged the weapon into his chest as he jerked forward and then rolled away from the danger of his blade. He gasped and fell back with life draining from him.

Xena knelt beside the Hun and looked into his face. "Hov`a l`asd az hadsereg?" she asked. He only looked at her and smiled. "Szep katona," he whispered and then all fire left his eyes as he starred into the unknown. She looked up as Gabrielle came to her side.

"What did he say?" she asked.

Xena turned back to the dead Hun and stated flatly, "He called me a beautiful warrior." She stiffened waiting for the next question from the person who met more to her than life itself. Gabrielle surprised her by being silent.

After a pause, Xena rose and turned. "I’ll get his horse and put him on it. We have to get him and us out of here. It’s getting dark and that will buy us time until tomorrow."

Gabrielle looked at the tall woman in front of her, dust covered, sweaty and bloody. She had not often seen her warrior so tested by another and so close to losing a fight. "Was he one of their best soldiers?" she asked tentatively.

Xena was already striding away after the Hun’s horse and called back over her shoulder. "No, he was pretty much average."

"Gods," Gabrielle uttered between clenched teeth. She was finally realizing what they were really up against and their situation seemed almost hopeless.