Chapter 2: Alone
The food and relaxation provided by the date was starting to take its toll on the demigod.
"You know, I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to get sluggish. I think I'm going to go for a stroll. Xena, would you like to join me?" Hercules asked softly.
He was hoping she would say yes, because it meant they could be alone for a few minutes.
"Sure." Xena responded.
They walked out of earshot from the others and Xena leaned on a tree.
"So, what did you want to talk about." Xena smirked.
Hercules smiled incredulously, nothing got past the bright warrior.
"You have changed so much, and.." his voice trailed off as he reached his hand out to her face, letting the back of his palm caress her cheek.
"I have you to thank for a second chance. I didn't see what you saw. Who I could become." Xena said, leaning into the touch.
She couldn't help but close her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his hands on her skin.
Hercules locked his eyes onto hers. For a short moment, all seemed unimportant. Ducking his head, he moved in to meet his lips to hers. He closed the gap and their lips mingled. She reached out her fingers to his own face, feeling the stubble tickle her hands. Inhaling, she inhaled the breath he exhaled, invigorating her heart with a desire to be closer.
"Hercules. I...feel something... near." The intimate embrace was interrupted by Xena's instincts.
"Well I'd I hope you would feel something-ah. I mean-what is it?" he asked, more than a little embarrassed by being caught in the moment and not sensing what Xena was referring to.
"It's over there; to the east; listen to the sound behind the sound." she answered.
Focusing in and concentrating in the direction she had pointed, he quickly shouted, "Run!"
Xena took off in a sprint back toward the campsite they had dined at by the river. She needed to get Gabrielle out of here, whatever was coming was big and fast.
"Gabrielle! Iolaus! You need to get back to Amphipolis!" Xena screamed toward the two.
The two, alarmed by her yells, stood up and began grabbing the picnic supplies.
"Forget those things!" the warrior exclaimed. Iolaus, seeing the genuine fear in Xena's eyes, pulled Gabrielle up from her place on the blanket.
"No! I'm not leaving Xena." Gabrielle answered, dropping Iolaus' hold on her. She brought her sais out at the ready and walked up to Xena and Hercules.
"Xena, what is it?" the blond questioned.
"I don't know, but it's huge and it's coming this way!" Xena answered darkly.
Iolaus quickly followed Gabrielle to the group. The foursome stood back to back; waiting for the monster that accompanied the earth shaking rumbling.
"There!" Hercules yelled, pointing at the huge creature that was now parting the forest underbrush and trees.
It let out a roar and quickly ran to attack them. Xena unsheathed her sword and Hercules followed suit and they both pointed their weapon at the being. Gabrielle's eyes widened in shock at the enormity of the animal or monster, as she watched her friends cautiously approaching. The reptilian monster extended its arms and took a swipe at the two. Hercules and Xena jumped back unscathed.
"I don't think it's here to join our picnic." Hercules darkly announced, stepping closer as the monster bum-rushed him into the trees. Xena took the opportunity to hack at it's muscular back, but it only became angered; turning quickly to swat Xena to the ground.
"Xena!" Gabrielle cried. Gabrielle ran quickly to her aid, but the monster quickly disabled her intent as it swung its strong tail in an arc right for the blond's face. The impact of its tail sent the bard sailing into the arms of Iolaus.
Clutching her tightly to him, he saw the beginnings of a red mark forming on her face and that the woman was completely unconscious. He scrambled to find her pulse and was relieved to find it still beating steadily against his fingers. Xena, seeing her friend assaulted sprung up from her fall and dived toward the being with fervor. She slashed at the hide on its underbelly, dodging every one of the monster's attempts to punch her down or grab her. Hercules seeing the ferocity, quickly ran up its back, having to leap and climb to the top of it. He began pounding on the its head, but the being was unphased. Seeing that it would not stop its assault on Xena, Hercules struggled to circle his arm around the strange creatures neck; trying his best to ignore it's razor sharp teethed mouth that snapped open and shut, trying to get a piece of him.
"What in hades is this thing!" Xena complained, her sword slashes barely making headway on the hide of the animal.
"Your guess is as good as mine!" He yelled from atop the monster.
Iolaus carried Gabrielle far from the fray and attempted to look under her eyelids. He heard her groan and her eyes began to flutter at the touch.
"What happened?" she asked, bewildered.
"That thing hit you with it's tail. Are you going to be ok?" Iolaus questioned.
"Yes I think so." Gabrielle answered, somewhat dizzy and unsure.
"I think we need to somehow attack it from afar. Xena and Hercules having been able to do any damage to it. Go get some bow and arrows from Amphipolis!" Iolaus added, the truth of his statement was more to get Gabrielle away from the fray than to add help to the fight, but he also hoped that the added trajectories could somehow slow it down.
"Ok I'll be right back!" the blond said as she sprinted toward the town.
Iolaus began looking around the picnic site for everything and anything he could use for a weapon.
"My sword is barely doing any damage!" Xena shouted.
Hercules inched ever closer to the being's neck, hoping to cut off it's breathing. The demigod's arms did not reach far enough around its neck to make a considerable squeeze on the neck of the creature.
"I can't choke it either!" Hercules revealed dejectedly.
He noted the eyes of the creature focused thoroughly on Xena. It was as if it had an instinct overriding it, prompting it to destroy the warrior woman. He released his hold on it and yelled from behind the beast. "Xena! Walk toward Iolaus!" the demigod instructed.
Xena's eyes squinted in confusion, but followed along with his suggestion. The creature lumbered quickly after her and resumed its attempt to grab her, completely ignoring Iolaus; who was attempting to arm himself with a nearby branch.
"It's after you Xena!" Hercules revealed.
At the revelation she looked from Hercules to Iolaus and then to Gabrielle who was rushing toward Amphipolis.
"Alright, well, let's see if it wants me bad enough." She darted from her attempts to fight off the creature and sprinted into the forest. She climbed atop a tree and traveled them much like the technique she had learned from the amazons.
"No! Xena!" Hercules yelled, as he watched her lure the lumbering being away. Her purpose was simple; to bring the monster away from her friends and loved ones. From the trees she watched as it lumbered through the trees, knocking them out of its way in its goal to destroy her. As Hercules pursued he was knocked away by a nearby tree being uprooted and tossed aside.
"If it's me you want, I'll give you all of me!" Her eyes turned feral and she bared her teeth in a growl as she leaped toward the monster in a forward flip, hoping to land a kick to its scaly snout.
She kicked it in the snout resulting in the monster executing an impromptu bow to no one in particular. She reverse flipped to return to the ground when the monster aggressively pursued her and caught her in a bear hug. It wanted to crush her to death, and she could feel her ribs suffering from the hold and her breath being blocked from occurring. Her eyes bulged from the pressure of lack of air and she could feel her lungs burning. She tore at the creatures hands with her nails and struck any part of its body that she could make contact with. The monster did not release his grip at all. It continued to crush her with all it's might. Sparkles seemed to invade her eyesight before everything went black, and the being's thirst for her destruction was quenched.
To be continued in Chapter 3