COLLECT MY WEARY BONES
Disclaimer: I do not own Xena: Warrior Princess or any of the characters contained therein. I make no profit from this work. All Characters are the property of their creator.
Xena/Ares
Chapter 1
Gabrielle was arguing with the dull knife as she attempted to gut the days catch for supper, but in the fading daylight and a knife that had seen better days she was about ready to give up, but he persistent growling of her stomach told her she would have no rest if she didn't eat. Xena was trying not to laugh as she set up the bedrolls and the campfire. Cooking had not really been her area of expertise so she left that to her friend.
"Ah Zeus!" Gabrielle helped and threw the knife down, her thumb pressed to her mouth.
"Let me see." Xena held her hand out and Gabrielle gave over her hand for examination. Xena prodded at the thumb and sighed. "It'll be fine, why don't you sharpen that knife of yours before you go using it again." Xena chastised softly. Gabrielle glared at the offending instrument.
"I need a new knife Xena, alone with a new pan and a bunch of other stuff. We need to go into a town, soon." Xena nodded but did not say anything. They had been avoiding towns for weeks, surviving in the wilderness, they even stayed away from the Amazons, even though they would give them shelter, food and comrades in arms. Athena had put a bounty on Xena's head.
"You'll have to go into town alone Gabby, otherwise we will have more issues than a dull knife and a messed up pan." It was Gabrielle's turn to sigh. Xena would not explain why Athena wanted her dead, not Gabrielle, if the last three altercations had been any indication, only Xena.
"So what do you want to do about dinner then?" Gabrielle asked, looking at the fish still twitching in the bucket.
"Put'em back, we'll just eat what's left in the saddle bags and you'll have to get more provisions in town." Xena slid into her bedroll, her armor piled neatly above her head, weapons on either side of her. Gabrielle knew Xena would not eat until there was more than enough for both of them, it was her way, but it irritated Gabrielle to no end. Once she had eaten her portion, Gabrielle slid into her bedroll on the opposite side of the fire that was slowly reducing to embers.
Tomorrow would be an early day, even with Argo it would be a couple of days journey for Gabrielle. A fact that did not sit comfortable in her mind.