LMAO! I can't believe I forgot to post the prologue! I'm so embarrassed that I will be updating from inside a cave where no one can find me. :-)
Prologue: Wishing Upon A StarShe grunted as she landed hard on her back. Why me? I didn't ask for a fight! She had been on her way to meet up with her friends when she came across them in the middle of a mini-battle. It was not in her to let them fight alone. At least an hour had passed since coming across the fight against the Hoarde, but it was still going on. She'd allowed herself to be distracted by one of her friends and she'd let her guard down hence her back's familiarity with the texture of bright green grass.
"Are you OK?"
She scowled when she heard that annoying whine. She didn't know why, but the past few months she'd become more frustrated and less easy to forgive. Hearing that voice end in a yelp reminded her of the fight she still faced.
"I'm fine!"
Flipping on to her hands and using the momentum to propel her to her feet, she narrowly avoided the massive blade descending on her. With a roundhouse kick she disarmed her opponent by sending his sword flying. That accomplished she blew some sleeping powder in his face. She smiled as she watched the rather large, sweaty man topple over then wincing as she heard a loud CRUNCH. She turned to see how her friends were faring.
One of them was currently battling two members of the Hoarde, her sword flashing in the sunlight. She watched as she emitted her war cry and decapitated her two opponents while spinning in the air. The other was currently on his back in the process of being run through with a spear. Sighing in frustration, she picked up a rock and lobbed it. The spear went flying.
"Ha! Take that! Pick on someone your own size," she taunted.
With a roar, he turned and ambled in her direction. She gulped and ran into the woods. The man chasing her grinned showing off a mouth full of rotten, cracked, yellow teeth. She ran as fast as she could, her pounding heart drowning out the thunder of feet pursuing her. Her eyes widened in dismay when she realized that the path she'd chosen led to a dead end. In front of her was the edge of a cliff. Cursing, she looked around.
"Come out, come out where ever you are," the craggy voice tried to croon, but ended up sounding like he'd gargled with battle-axes, "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just going to play with you a little." He paused, "then I'll kill you."
He frowned when there was no sign of her. He walked between two trees and suddenly felt a weight on his shoulders. Tiny fingers were jabbing into his neck repeatedly.
"What the hell are you doing?" he roared. He tried to pry the weight off, but it clung to him like a limpet.
"Er…" a female voice said, "would you believe pressure points?"
"Oh," he said in disgust, "you're a fan of the Warrior Princess."
"Yes,"
"Well, you're doing it wrong,"
"How would you know?" she retorted.
"First I'm not im'bilized and second I been pinched by the great one herself,"
"Really? You must feel honored,"
"I do. Stop that!" he swatted at her hand, "It ain't everyday the great Xena pinches a bloke,"
"Well. So what am I doing wrong?"
"Well you're jabbin' instead of turnin', see. And you're too close to my ear. You need to be a little closer to my shoulder,"
"Where here?"
"A little lower,"
"Here?"
"Perfect…urk,"
"Thanks," she somersaulted as he fell. She blew some sleeping powder in his face, wincing as he fell, and then removed the pressure point.
Secure in the knowledge he'd be unconscious for the next hour, she ran back to where the main fight was.
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She sighed as she tended to the injuries of her friends. All in all they had escaped with barely a scratch. She was tired of the nomadic life. She wanted a place to call home. She was tired of the constant battles. She still wanted to fight injustice, but she didn't want to necessarily die doing it. She grimaced as she lay down on her pallet. Gazing up at the night sky, she selected the brightest star and made her wish. As her eyes closed, the star twinkled as though in answer. It seemed to say, 'wishes do come true,"
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AN:
LOL…I don't know why an Ancient Greek warrior would say bloke, but that's what came out!
