This story will contain the following: two women as life partners and mothers, spankings to minor children, and anyone else whom the author deems needs it.

The rights of Xena, Gabrielle, Cyrene, Argo, etc. belong to REN pics and whomever else makes a profit from using them. I own nothing.

All that said, enjoy.

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Chapter 25

"You're sure about this?" Cyrene looked at Kassandra as Aphrodite smiled.

"I'm sure," Kassandra offered her friend another cup of tea.

"What do you think, Aphrodite, is what we ask possible?"

"Possible? Puh-leese, I can do that and then some. Oh, this is going to be the best fall harvest festival that Arte has ever witnessed. She's going to love it."

"You're sure she won't be offended?" Cyrene asked.

"Offended? As if, oh my warrior babe's mommy, she will love this. Not many people know Arte loves pranks and jokes. I mean she loves to set Ares up as often as she can, and don't get me started on the time she tricked Herc... Well, never mind. The point is, she is going to totally enjoy her Amazons letting loose. Not to mention the bonding I'm getting to do with you."

"We're enjoying it as well," Kassandra addressed the goddess.

"I am so happy, now, Kassie dear, let's talk about your décor, you totally need to get some more comfortable things. You deserve a comfy chair, maybe a few throw pillows. There's no reason not to accessorize."

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"The gods, Xena, how much food did you ask for this afternoon?"

"Enough so you'll be able to maintain your strength while breastfeeding our girls. I swear, they have your appetite," Xena deadpanned as she placed a bowl of soup in front of the bard along with some dried meat and cheese and a hunk of bread.

"Maybe, but they are totally you when it comes to seeking out their food," Gabrielle volleyed back as her wife blushed. "Oh this soup is wonderful. Mom outdid herself."

"Glad you like it," Xena began to eat her own lunch happy for the twins nap and Eve being at the nursery.

"So, tell me about our mud-loving daughter, Xena."

Spitting her soup into a napkin Xena stared at her wife. "What?"

"I said," Gabrielle finished her bowl of soup and began on the rest of her meal. "Tell me about our mud loving daughter."

"How did you find out about that?"

"The girl who brought the tray over asked how much soap it took to get Eve clean after her adventures."

Looking at Xena, Gabrielle said nothing as the warrior put her spoon down. "It took three bars of soap and four tubs of water. I had to wash her hair five times and I had no idea that much mud could get into so many places."

"So, she was quiet like Mama, huh?" Gabrielle's question almost caused Xena to choke this time.

"So she said," Xena answered.

"Uh-huh, and the whole masks like Mommy and Auntie Eph?"

"We figured she just meant warrior masks," Xena swallowed hard and shoved a big piece of bread in her mouth.

"So the fact that my mask has a bit of dried mud on it is just a coincidence?"

"It does not, I made sure..." groaning, Xena stopped talking and busily began to eat again. "You know, you're right, this soup is wonderful."

"Xena."

Blue eyes found green, "Yeah?"

"Seriously, mud?"

"Seemed like a good idea at the time," the warrior shrugged. "I still can't believe I didn't hear or see Trouble following us."

Shaking her head Gabrielle chuckled, "And the reason you didn't ask for my help?"

"We didn't think you'd want to be naked in a mud pit in the middle of the night."

"Good call," Gabrielle stood and moved to sit on her wife's lap. "Your secret is safe with me, for now."

"For now?" One eyebrow raised in question.

"Yup," kissing the warrior gently, Gabrielle moved to her seat and once more began eating with gusto. "Oh, and Xena, if you ever scare me with a scarecrow outside our window like that again, Sam won't be the one getting the spanking."

Choking on her meat this time, Xena took a large swig of cider to help her recover as her wife started to laugh.

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Getting the last of the zip line in place, I made sure that the rags and the squirrel skeleton were ready. Moving through the trees while I could, I quietly dropped to the ground and double checked the deer skeleton that my friends had attached the end zip line to. Placing the small candle bits in the skeleton I lit them and then disappeared to the big oak.

Zivah, Daria, Chryssa, and Telema were already waiting in the branches of the ancient tree and after giving each other nonverbal congratulations we went our separate ways through the trees and hopefully would make it back to our beds without being caught.

I had just crawled under my covers and was struggling to stay awake when I heard the bells I had rigged in the tripping snare outside of Ephiny's hut. Moving to get dressed once more, I was just heading out the window when I heard Mama. "Try the door, Samina."

"Okay, Mama." Grinning like mad I ran past her and out our front door as Mom and Mama struggled to get the twins in their carrying slings and keep a hold of Eve at the same time.

Reaching the center of the village I realized that I wasn't the only one who had come running. Half of the village was there wondering what was going on when I finally saw white strips of rags and the squirrel skeleton come flying down the zip line.

"The deer, it's glowing!" someone yelled. "And there's a ghost coming at it."

Counting in my head, the crash occurred just as I knew it would and the squirrel splintered against the deer's antlers upon impact. "Cool," I mumbled before seeing Ephiny take her sword and chop the deer's head off. "What did he ever do to you?" I called.

"You don't want to know," Zivah yelled back running towards me. Slipping in next to me, she pulled me aside. "Ep was spending the night again. You should have heard them when those bells went off."

"I am so glad it was you and not me that had to hear that," I mumbled as I pulled her deeper into the crowd. "Come on, we need to get with someone safe."

"What do you mean?"

"Just follow me," I tugged her hand as we made our way through the crowd. Managing to give signals to Daria, Telema, and Chryssa, we finally met up near a smaller group of older Amazons.

"Pretty amazing prank, huh?" I asked as I approached the group.

"That it is, Samina," Kassandra replied with a wink. "What do you think, Amazons? Is this prank in the same league as the one we pulled off so many years ago?"

Looking around the group I saw nothing but smiles, "That was truly worthy of Artemis. Not only a snare trap, but to rig it with bells, and to have the squirrel fly; perfect." An Amazon with shorter hair streaked with gray replied.

"Bye the way, has anyone bothered to cut Brenda down from the snare yet?" Kassandra asked.

"No, we thought she should hang around for a while," another woman replied.

"Good call, Melanie," Kassandra spoke once more. "Come on, girls, I'll walk you back to your families and on the way let me tell you another story."

Listening to Kassandra as we walked I realized we were now outside Ephiny's hut. "For the gods' sake, Brenda, shut up and stop swinging. You want to get hit with the sword?"

Eponin was getting ready to cut her down when Mama stopped her. "Let me," Mama smirked and let loose her chakram.

Watching as it cut the rope we all cringed as Brenda hit the ground, hard. Bending over to help her up, Eponin grabbed the rope I'd used. "Artemis' left tit, how did you not see this snare? It wasn't even hidden. I can see we're going to be reviewing stealth with some senior warriors after the festival."

"How was I supposed to see it, it's dark out," Brenda protested.

"The moon is almost full," Ephiny interjected. "Eponin is right, we really need to work on basic skills. The way these pranks have been pulled and nobody has been caught has let me know we need to up our game."

Turning to the crowd around her hut, Ephiny shrugged. "By the way, Eponin and I are moving in together tomorrow after the harvest festival."

"Way to announce that," Eponin muttered.

"Well, figured I might as well do it now, the gods only know what's going to happen tomorrow."

Laughing, Mom moved forward and hugged both women. "Congratulations."

Nudging me with her elbow Zivah winked at me and then moved to stand in front of Ephiny and Eponin. "So does this mean I call you Mama now?" she asked as Eponin blushed and Ephiny began to laugh.

Linking arms with Zivah we headed back to our hut. It had been decided that she could spend the night and I was looking forward to a mindless sleepover. Reaching my bedroom, we put on our sleeping shifts and climbed into my bed.

"Are you sure you don't mind sharing?" I asked.

"Nope. My sister and I did this before I left," Zivah sighed. "I don't mind at all."

"Okay," looking at the ceiling for a moment I finally broke the quiet. "Zivah, how do you really feel about Eponin and Ephiny?"

"I'm not sure," she finally admitted. "I mean, I like Eponin a lot. It's just that I kind of like that it was just Mom and me. I never felt that close to my first mother, and I like feeling that way with Ephiny."

"Are you afraid that's going to change?"

"Yeah," Zivah sighed. "And what about when I mess up or get into trouble? Will Eponin treat me like her own kid or wait for Mom to handle it?"

"Well, you could solve that problem."

"How?"

"Easy, just don't get into trouble," I teased.

"I don't think that's going to happen," Zivah answered.

"How do you want Eponin to handle it?" I finally asked.

"I don't know," Zivah was quiet for a long time and I thought she had fallen asleep when she finally answered me. "Maybe I'll just have to find out how she'll react on my own."

"Don't do anything stupid, Zivah," I warned.

"Oh no, wouldn't want to do anything stupid," she shifted and rolled over in the bed. "Especially since I haven't done anything stupid this week." She finally giggled and I joined her before we both gave in and fell to sleep.

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