"Xena?"
"Yes, Gabrielle."
"Do you think it's true? The story about the undead?"
Xena released a heavy sigh. "They're either dead or alive, Gabrielle. You can't be a little bit dead."
"Says the woman who's dead boyfriend came back to the land of the living..."
"That was different and you know it."
Gabrielle put her hands on her hips. "I'm just saying. He was dead and then he wasn't."
Xena released another sigh. "And then he was dead again. Why does that even bother you?"
Gabrielle's resolve faltered slightly and she began picking at a loose tread on her skirt.
"It doesn't bother me... Just found it odd is all..."
"Hmm hmm." Xena replied disbelievingly. "Besides, you died yourself and you came back too."
Gabrielle's eyes widened. "I'm glad you did too." Xena smiled fondly.
"Wait, but if I could come back...who's to say the undead can't?" A hint of fear flickered in the bard's eyes.
"Because their arms and legs have rotten off."
"Ew! Xena, that's gross!"
"It's true though."
Both were silent for a few minutes until Xena led them off the road.
"Let's set up camp." She dismounted Argo and gave the horse a friendly pat on the neck. Gabrielle looked around the clearing. It looked very much like the usual spots they picked for camp, yet... Something didn't feel quite right to her. She wrapped her arms around herself to fight off the chill in her bones.
"Are you okay, Gabrielle?" Xena called from across the site, clearly amused by her friend's discomfort.
"Yeah, just peachy. Hehe." She replied.
She turned around to check the surroundings. Elongated shadows were playing across the trees, cast by the evening sun. An unruly gust of icy wind played with her hair before rustling the brightly coloured leaves. Maybe it's just the time of year, she thought, or the stories from that last village they passed through about the undead walking around their forests.
"Gabrielleeee." Gabrielle jumped at the low voice near her ear. "Xena! Don't scare me!"
Xena laughed. "Come on, silly, let's get a fire started before it gets dark and the monsters come get us."
"Very funny, Xena."
"Yeah, well, what can I say. I'm hilarious." That remark earned her a poke in the ribs but she smiled nonetheless.
"Xena?"
A muffled groan sounded from under a blanket.
"I'm cold, could you...Maybe...You know..." Gabrielle stuttered.
"What? Poke the fire?" Xena's sleepy voice floated through the dark.
"Well, I guess you could do that, or... Maybe sleep next to me. You know, body warmth and stuff."
"Are you scared?"
"What? No! Just cold!"
"Right."
Xena grinned secretly. She knew they should have bought thicker blankets when they were in the village, now that the weather was getting colder. But curling up next to a frightened Gabrielle on a cold night was secret pleasure she couldn't deny herself. Of course she would never admit that, being the stoic warrior and all. But it made her feel safe and comforted. And it wouldn't do any harm, right? It was only two days until the next village. Then they'd be out of these scary woods and they could buy winter blankets there. So she hoisted herself up and dragged her bedroll next to Gabrielle's. They threw both their blankets over them and settled down again.
In the middle of the night Gabrielle woke up. She wasn't quite sure what woke her, but was startled when she saw Xena was gone.
"Xe...Xena?" She whispered. The wind was howling through the trees. It was an eerie sound. There was probably a storm approaching. Gabrielle pulled the blankets closer to her. The bushes at the edge of the clearing rustled. Her breath caught. Where could Xena be this time of night? A part of her wanted to go out and look for her, but another part said that would be a bad idea. The fire had burned down to mere embers and clouds covered the moon, so there was very little light. She would just wait...Right here...In this scary campsite. She whimpered softly. "Xena?" Her whisper got more urgent now.
All of a sudden something wet and cold grabbed her arm. She screamed and frantically grabbed for her staff that she had laid next to her bedroll. The foul smell of rotten leaves permeated the air around her and the slimy creature was now pulling her across the ground, growling menacingly. The creature hissed when she kicked it. Somehow she got a hold of her staff and started swinging it blindly. She heard a few 'thuds' and then an "ow!" and the creature released her. Gabrielle pulled a smoldering branch from the fire pit and held it before her to see more clearly.
On the mossy ground sat a mud covered Warrior Princess rubbing her head.
"What the...Xena?"
"Yeah, it's me! Stop hitting me!" "Why are you covered in mud? What the Tartarus were you doing?"
"I er...Thought it would be funny."
"What?! You scared me on purpose? And you thought it would be FUN?!"
"Would you please stop yelling, I'm having a bit of a headache."
"Serves you right! I can't believe you!"
"I...I'm sorry."
"I bet you are!" Gabrielle hit her again for good measure. Then sniffed.
"Ew, you stink."
She took a closer look at her friend in the waning light. Her hair a big mess, covered in greasy, smelly mud and a pained pout on her face.
And she started laughing. "Oh sure, go ahead and laugh at my misfortune." Xena growled. "Haha...Oh Xena, you were right! Haha! It IS funny!" Gabrielle clutched her stomach.
Xena found a rag to clean her face and scowled at her friend.
"I'm going to clean up at the river. I'll be back in a moment."
"Haha, sure, Xena." Gabrielle was still laughing when Xena left the camp.
While she was stoking up the fire she heard footsteps behind her.
"That was quick. Did you make sure to scrub the smell off too? I'm not sleeping next to a skunk!" She chuckled.
She was answered with a low growl.
"Aw come on, Xena. You've got to admit it was funny!"
Once again she was answered with growl.
"Jeez, don't be so grumpy! You're the one who started this, you know."
She heard a hiss and some messing about but decided to let it be.
"Who were you talking to?" Xena asked as she walked up to her friend. Gabrielle turned around, confused.
"Huh? I was talking to you, of course!"
"But I just got back."
"Huh? Then who...?"
They looked around and then stared at each other.
"It can't be, right?" Asked Gabrielle.
"No...'Cause you can't be a little bit dead..." Xena paused. "Right?"