CHAPTER 2
Camp was set high in plush mountains and Sahara was asleep moments after a fish and biscuit dinner Gabrielle hoped she slowed down long enough to taste as she gulped. It was odd, Sahara barely stopped, almost starving with full provisions. As Gabrielle watched her sleeping, she thought of the horrors she felt as her only friend was slaughtered, sacrificing herself. To have to keep riding, Gabrielle imagined, Sahara must have been terrified. No wonder her horse went lame but thankfully she road straight for Xena and her.
"Sleep well, Sahara",she whispered. "we'll have you home soon."
"Gabrielle." Xena doused their fire, snatched two other canteens for refilling at a fresh mountain spring yards ahead. "We have company some 3, 4 hours behind. They've been patient, so I figure they know where we are headed but not where we are. If we stay here, we'll be meeting them before sun-up. There's no telling how many lie waiting ahead. "
Gabrielle scoured for a distant fire flicker. "What's this Dagman's bog?"
Xena grinned. "House-hunting again?"
"Ha ha." Gabrielle flung water from the stream but Xena was gone. She turned around and Xena was saddling Argo. "Now?"
Xena hushed her, glancing to Sahara and mounting Argo. "You keep watch, if I'm not back within the hour, wake Sahara and make your way upstream."
"Where are you going?" Gabrielle followed as Xena started off. "An hour?"
"Just sing 360 bottle of ale on the wall....should take you about an hour." Xena rode Argo by the woods up the stream.
Sure enough, Xena saw another campfire, partially concealed by the entrance of a cave 200 paces from the stream. It was too quiet with few night songs hinting of human patrols. Leaving Argo in cover across from their bank, Xena moved downwind of a venison barbecue and carefully scouted a chatting camp.
Suddenly, voices arouse before her, and two blades glistened in amber reflections.
"It's the Warrior Princess." a large shadow bellowed.
Xena ducked his swoop, returning with her chakram, slashing his jugular vein and moving up into the trees, counting 7 male voice 2 females cocking their bows at the fire where a freshly butchered deer carcass laid.
"Darek is dead!", screamed a male voice below and behind Xena.
"Spread out!", yelled another from below.
Xena lined her shot flung her chakram, slashing the bows by the fire and returning to her hand. Then, she jumped across limbs watching one woman race to get new weapons, and the other draw a sword bracing on the edge of their camp clearing. Xena dropped to the cave enterance, then hurled massive cuts of deer fat into the fire behind. She was their shadow in their fire as they charged and her sword slashed as they missed, blinded by the heightened flames.
"YiYiYiYiYah!!" Xena screamed as she leaped over a row, too close.
For an instant they became their own enemy, one of the bow-women was killed and a swordsman mortally wounded by his own allies. Xena charged again, reducing her enemies, alternating one eye open and the other closed, so the fire's gaze wouldn't blind her too!
They were surprised, half asleep, and full bellied, too anxious and swinging wildly in fear.
"YiYiYi Ya Ya!!" Xena was again a shadow before them, they were three racing for her, with the other bow woman somewhere hiding in the forest, her brethren shielding a sure hand from sending an arrow aimed at the Warrior Princess.
Their shouts worked further to aid Xena's cause. She parried, almost playfully then, as expected the bow-woman stood from cover creeping closer. Xena saw her taking the instant to fly her chakram. The bow warrior shrilled in death, and her three patriots backed fearing more XENAs massing to ambush in the darkness behind them. Xena slashed and there was two warriors left.
One abandoned fast into the woods, dropping his sword, and the other charged clashing once with Xena's steel then several times clanging stone. He turned from the fire, drawing a second sword. But, Xena was not there, his sword swung 360 degrees, whooshing clean. The crickets were shouting in his ear, but where was Xena?
Sweat poured off his cheek, his heart numbed his ears, and he paced circling and looking up to tree limbs and shadowy movements in the forest. Then, he heard a faint cry from his cowardly compatriot. Now, he was alone facing unknown others, and too, ran for his life.
Pine branches whipped his face, she was west and he ran east. Why would she bother with him, he hoped. Maybe he was far enough, or maybe his running was bringing her straight to him. He stopped, and his heart was pounding through his chestplate. He wiped his damp eyes to look back to nothing.
'She's gone', he sighed.
But then her serene voice rose right behind him. "Going somewhere?"
"By the gods, don't kill me, please!" He kneeled on the ground thinking of a victim he spared and praying to him in desperation.
"Drop your sword and hug that tree!" Xena was glad to catch him, leaving his companion, bound and gagged on the faraway. She collected his sword using it at his back. "Who sent you after me? "
"Come after you?" he tried but feeling a heavier indent in his back with his sword, shouted, "I'm a dead man, if I say!"
"You're a dead man if you don't." She leaned closer . "Do you realize what I can do to you, before your friends downstream find you in the morning?"
"Okay, okay." He heard tell of de-skinned corpses and eyeless beggars with stumps for legs. "We were hired to get the access path through Dagman's bog. We were going to pay for it!"
"Try it, again." Xena tapped a nerve on his shoulder, knowing a nudge of pain would do the trick.
"Artius!"
"You lie!" She shot her neck paralizer and the warrior rattled on the leafy grounds.
"NO! I swear by the gods, Artius. He has some vengeance against a regale, some Matriarch, Anti-something or other!!" His eyes burned and his breathes shortened. "Kill me, but it is still Artius!!"
Xena released his neck and he collapsed, moaning and limp. Then, she tied his hands and gagged his mouth with strips from Sarah's former cape. Turning him over, she recognized his face from her past, a companion to her army, but nothing to her now. "Tell Daddy I said hi."
With Gabrielle nervously counting ale fast, Xena hurried securing new provisions and trade goods onto two extra horses, for Gabrielle and Sahara to ride! The other horses were freed to the woods dragging some of the bodies Xena found near the fire. Then, she added several large timbers to build the cave blaze again hoping the squad downstream would divide to seek the mysteries of what happened to their companions, especially the two she left alive.
CHAPTER 3
To Xena, Dagman's bog became too predictable, and she lead Gabrielle and Sahara back down-stream past the high fires of the second camp of sleeping warriors for a new camp two hours away. It was there, all slept in shifts.
A little after sunrise, Xena drew a rough map in the dirt before Sahara. "We're here, west is the pass upstream to Dagman's bog. You mentioned another way, through Argive Canyon." Then, Xena drew an easterly trek, circling an area to represent the mystery land.
"Claudius pass, yes" Sahara took a twig nearby and marked the map matching the sea represented by squiggly lines. "Even from our side, the pass is dangerous. Claudius feeds mostly by night because his eye is sensitive." She looked at Xena, confused.
"Who is Claudius?"
Sahara circled a larger section represented Argive's cavern. "The Argive Canyon confines, a Troglarian named Claudius. He's a giant Cyclops-type with four arms-two off his shoulder tops with pinchers like lobsters and two just below with massive hands without the comfort of fingernails."
Gabrielle approached, intrigued with the story. "I've heard of this, his legs are human-like, only thickly covered in a long puce shag, with narrow tender hoofs. They supposedly blister and burn whenever Claudius tries to leave his shore for the sea. All courtesy of the mystics, I hear.!"
Sahara nodded, yes. "And the shale encrusted mountain-walls keep him there too! Only, he can reach the tops with his pinchers, to crush persons to death but not enough to raise himself out. Still, every now and again, we hear him trying."
Gabrielle added, "When cravings are intense, Claudius tosses jewels, emeralds and gems into the opening. The largest tempt many into walking the cavern pass as Claudius ducks down waiting. Only the wise passersby take what's safe, but Claudius hasn't been unsatisfied for long, many have not been wise!"
Sahara drew a long line. "Few have made it past Claudius, and all of those, tried by day. We have a defensive line of bow-warriors that guard the other side. Every now and again, Claudius throws some gems there too, but more likely one of the Witashca."
Xena watched Sahara's line, bending in the center. "I bet the warriors have an easy time at fire practice. The pass is single file?" She saw Sahara nod yes.
"What are Witashca?", Gabrielle asked.
"Albino-trolls", Sahara replied. "They flourished within the cavern kingdom. They are Claudius's only companions, servants and in desperate times, food. Their fur is crush velvet and long and warm to wear."
Xena nodded. "Yes, a few years ago, Hermies claimed a white fleece he snatched from braving a landing at Argive shore. We knew he was lying. He never had that much guts. Then, a Bard told of how a white deer body was found, wearing the same fleece he acquired in trade. Hermies killed him, in cold blood."
Sahara continued. "Sometimes Claudius tosses a crushed corpse, it must be he does that at your Argive opening too. I don't know why. But, this pass extends the width of the cavern, to it's left a sheer drop into seas and right the canyon itself."
Xena stood, tossing her chakram about as she planned. "Tell me more about Claudius."
"He hunts by sense of smell, craving human blood above all other prey. According to legend, he used to have only two arms and an appearance to a regular giant. When humans went scarce, his people hunted among each other. As Claudius lost an arm two grew back. He is said to have lost two, accounting for the pinchers which enabled him to outlast his clan. It was the Mystics who saved us from Claudius, changing his feet to those sea water sensitive hoofs, then imprisoning him in the canyon. Depending on how many people he found crossing the pass, Claudius would either reach with his pinchers crushing each in half and tossing their bodies aside for dinner or scrape his pinchers against the walls, collecting a pile of stone to hurl with sonar accuracy."
Xena studied as Sahara drew mountains within an patch of mystery, she'd never seen, but not for lack of trying. She pointed to a straight strip representing the Penumbra side of the canyon. "How long will it take to cross here?"
Sahara sighed. "All day, and we wont be able to ride. My seniors stand guard over the section they can see." She scribbled next to a slightly curved bend representing the pass. "When sun falls, no one would survive unless they've passed this point."
Xena's eyes matched her grin. "That is until, now!"
Gabrielle stood, tugging her friend's arm. "Ha ha. Xena, you're not taking us through there at night? Right??!"
Xena smoothed over the dirt-map with her foot. "Pack up, we've a lot of ground to cover."
"You're kidding, right!!" Gabrielle stood alone. "She said he 'craves' human blood...Did you catch that?"
Sahara just packed then mounted her saddled horse. "I don't know, how well I'll be recognized without my cape." She stared blankly at her reigns, waiting for direction. "I'm guessing, maybe we'll reach the cavern's entrance before nightfall, and camp there?"
"No, I need some EXTRA supplies" Xena brought Gabrielle aside. "Take Argo with you to Solemonius, and tell him to trade these other horses for a mare and pull-cart. We'll leave for the canyon entrance in the morning. Traders are always using those roads and we should blend in just fine." She stepped forward showing a small set of clawed animal tracks to Gabrielle.
"Squirrel?" Gabrielle watched Xena follow the trail.
"Not quite!" Xena unsleaved her sword and took after her prey. "Don't let Solemonius sell you anything!"
"Not opossum, the digit track is too long, right ?" Gabrielle looked up and Xena was gone, then rushed to lead Sahara onward, with an empty horse in tow. "Great, now we'll be taking wild animals along. A doggy? No. A nice bunny rabbit? But NOoo, we have to have claws probably fangs!"
Sahara heard but didn't listen, her thoughts were marred with screams from a dear friend she loved. Was it a moment ago, or a wishful nightmare, she thought. But it didn't matter anymore, the horse moved, the sun baked and her mission was nearing completion. Only, why her?!!! She could not grapple an answer, only echo and awe, "why?".
CHAPTER 4
Solomonius drove the cart with Xena sitting alongside wrapped in a hooded tan cape similar to ones on Sahara and Gabrielle riding in the back. He wondered about the mystery in Xena's bulky leather pouch at her feet and knew his large debt to Xena was being shaved by a ride today not mentioning the 50 dinars he pocketed from his skillful trade of two fine horses, weapons, and saddles. Now, if he could get Xena to guide him to Argive's riches.
"You know, Xena, there's a trading post several hours beyond. I could do business there and pick you up tomorrow morning, on my way back." He smiled as an opposite lane cart passed with several barrels of goods and a leering driver. "Good Morning, Friend."
"That's fine.", Xena replied. "Only keep moving, if we're not waiting on the road to greet you. It would be a shame if you were confused with a citizen of Argive."
He swallowed hard, realizing the subtle death warrant. "You're very right, indeed. "
Xena listened for sounds of hastening approaches, sun glimmers hinting would-be assassins and human hosts spying in trees to her left and right. She listened for Gabrielle, quiet presumably sleeping and Sahara occasionally sighing saying nothing except in response to greeting travelers. Xena knew she missed her dead friend. 'Fourteen, what an age, too young and yet too old', Xena thought. She wanted to leave her in safety with Solomonius. But Sahara was the only key to access Arigive, something more intriguing there and something needful of a Warrior Princess.
Xena calculated quietly, the what-to-does in the face of who knows-what. It was her practice of preparing, especially in the face of unknowns. As time ticked, she watched for a large precipice approaching on her right.
"Pull over there by the large stone ahead." Xena looked about to an empty road, bird song was nominal, nothing closing in on them at this time. "Gabrielle!" She hopped out, watching as Sahara and Gabrielle crawled off the back of the cart.
Gabrielle stretched. "This is it?"
"Yes, we need to get a move on, quickly." Xena waved Solomonius to continue, and shuffled her companions into a narrowing gorge. "Leave your capes on, you'll need them. Stick close to me."
As Xena started into the pass, Gabrielle slowly followed. "We wont make it to
the other side by sunset!"
Xena grinned to herself. "A special fragrance, to hide our scent."
"Ah, a hunter's trick.", Gabrielle said.
Xena agreed, "Yes."
The pass was wider than Xena had heard and though a few seagulls screeched
a false alarm, Xena felt it was a refreshing walk. Oceanic breezes, from the
left, cooled comfortably and a vast view of Claudius's cavern, on her right,
seemed dead to activity. In the distance, Xena noticed an odd pulley
suspended over a cloud caped peek a good half-days trek away. There were
large containers at a stone base, directly below. But no hint of Claudius and
the sun was high and bright.
It was mostly a straight trek, but did bend sharply marking the midway point,
a brief break for the troops to lunch. Gabrielle stared into the ocean view
chewing jerky, then, glanced forward watching their hike, a path into the
clouds, then left to a quiet canyon. Claudius was asleep, no loss if he did not
appear.
Offering a biscuit to Sahara who refused, Xena wondered about the pass
feeling it should be littered with warrior swords, arrows and traveling debris.
"Sahara, do the seniors tend to this pass?"
Sahara shrugged and yawned.
Passing a final round from her canteen, Xena stood slapping dust from her
legs. "Come on, we have a lot of road to travel yet." Xena tapped Sahara and
Gabrielle messed the girl's hair.
"We're almost home, kid. You'll see!"
Xena lead, studying the path, nothing indicated humans had ever been there.
Persistent weeds waved with the breezes and seahawks swooped close, no fear.
As the view ahead descended from a trek into clouds, Xena pointed towards a
faint darker blue sky line, posing as the edge of the canyon. But they had a
long way to go yet.
As sun was sinking, Xena could make out a woodland distant ledge with a
stone fence right off the end of the pass. She looked back checking for
Gabrielle and Sahara still wearing their tan capes. "Sahara, is that the
seniors' look-out point?"
Sarah squinted, cupping her eyes with her hands. "Yes, but the lead post is
gone. Shift must be done. Claudius wont be long!"
"That's my thoughts too." Xena opened her bag and issued a long rope with
knots and short dangling ties, two thick scarves, and several corked jugs.
"The skunk oil is very strong, so be careful not to get it into your eyes! Keep
a strong hold of this rope. If you feel blinded, I can bring you forward.
Drench the skunk oil along the back of your capes."
"Skunk?" Gabrielle noticed Xena wasn't doing the same. "You want me to
do you?"
Xena removed her own cape and drenched it with a full container...then
tossed it over the cavern. "Let's move. One of us has to be approachable,
Gabrielle."
Gabrielle held the rope, and the thick scarf against her nose. "Yeah, Well, I
would have liked to have held that to a vote!"
