Ares' heart thudded loudly in his ears, as he lay prone on the cold ground.
He stretched his arm out in the direction the dagger had fallen. If only he
could reach it! He tried to crawl forward, but his legs were stuck on
something. Swearing under his breath, Ares sat up and peered at the thing
that had tripped him. It was a moss-covered post that had rusted strands of
wire coming off it. He shoved at the tangle of leaves and saw the wire ran
in parallel rows, heading off into the distance. It was the wire that had
tripped him and now held his foot captive. He jerked his leg as hard as he
could, but his foot refused to budge. It was rusted, but not rusted enough
to break.
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
Ares froze. Something was walking in the weeds! His heart pounded in his chest so loudly he feared it would break free of his ribcage. Sweat broke out on his brow and ran into his eyes, stinging them. Carefully he lay back down on his back, his foot still trapped in the old grape trellis. He was in a ponderous position: trapped flat on his back with his only real weapon out of reach. If the werewolf caught him now, there would be nothing he could really do. He reached for the sword at his hip and slowly drew the blade. It wouldn't really stop a werewolf, but it might do something....
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
The footsteps grew louder, closer.
Oh please Mother I need a miracle!
crunchcrunchcrunchcrunch!!!
Something furry leaped onto his bare chest and Ares almost screamed. A hot flash swept through his entire body as he jerked. It's weight pressed down on his chest, its paws cold as ice against his bare skin. Then the thing jumped off him and disappeared into the tall grass, showing him only a white flash of fur. Then a larger shadow appeared for an instant. He got the impression of a wolf like snout and tall erect ears. He saw it above the weeds, it disappeared as it gave chase to the rabbit.
Ares sighed in relief. A simple rabbit had saved him, although it had almost given him a heart attack. He had never been so frightened in all his life. Even now that the danger had passed his heart beat like crazy and he was drenched with sweat. He waited a bit longer, then sat up. He went to work freeing his foot. The more he studied how his foot was entangled in the wire, he couldn't figure out how he had gotten stuck that way! But maybe it was better that he had or the werewolf would have seen him! Bending the wire, he pulled his foot out and twisted onto his knees. Crawling forward on all fours, he pushed his way through the tall plants until he saw a glint of silver. Ares reached for it and closed his hands around the dagger.
Rising to his knees, he carefully stuck his head above the weeds and looked around. There was no sign of the werewolf or the rabbit, only a zigzagging trail of grass pressed flat. It hadn't just been dumb luck that the rabbit had appeared when it did. Perhaps his mother, wherever she was, had heard him. No one ever knew what had happened to Hera. She had just disappeared the same day that Hercules had killed Zeus to save Xena and her baby. Hercules had claimed Hera had appeared to help him, but she was never seen after that. Perhaps she was still alive somewhere?
Thank you Mother. Ares thought, knowing the Gods could hear the silent prayers sent to them. I am truly grateful for your help.
Turning to look in another direction, Ares saw a jagged shadow rising from the ground. A thin smile crept across his lips when he realized what it was: the remains of a tree trunk that had been hit by lightning. If his luck continued, there might be some water inside it. He considered making a wild dash for it, but dismissed the idea right away. There might be more hidden grape trellis. If this overgrown field had once been a vineyard as he thought, there would be a lot of them around. He didn't want to run right smack into another one and loose the dagger again. If he did, he might never find it again in this mass of vegetation.
Getting back onto his hands and knees, Ares started to crawl towards the tree. Every so often he would stop and poke his head out, correcting the direction in which he traveled. Several times he came upon strands of wire and he was forced to carefully crawl over them. Finally, after what seemed like a very long time, he reached the base of the tree.
The tree had once been a great monster. Ares could tell that right away from the sheer size of its trunk. Now it was just a blackened trunk with a single jagged point stretching up into the night sky. Pressing his hands against its cold rough bark, he rose to his feet. Both his knees were sore from the unaccustomed crawling and he frowned at the holes in his black leather pants. Standing, the top of the trunk came to chest height, with the single sharp point being taller than he was. Sticking the dagger through his belt, he put his hands on the rim and peered within. His own reflection looked back at him from a pool of water. Night bugs flew up into his face and started to swarm around him, mosquitoes making up the majority. Ares slapped at them but it did little good.
Reaching into his vest, he pulled out the bottle and removed the cork. He sent another silent prayer of thanks to his mother that the bottle had not broken in his fall. He was going to do his best to save Gabrielle and he needed the bottle intact. Checking to see if the moonlight was visible in the water, which it was, he bent to fill his bottle. Within a few seconds it was full and Ares replaced the cork.
Now came the more difficult task. He needed to capture Gabrielle somehow, restrain her with the rope. In order to do that, he needed to see her coming. Ares knew the only way to do that was to find high ground. Searching the possibilities the area had to offer, Ares settled on a nearby hill. It would have to do. After making his way back through the wild vineyard, he started to climb the hill. He was halfway to the top when a terrible howl made his blood run cold. Turning, Ares saw a grayish blonde fur covered beast racing through the field he had just left.
Gabrielle was coming for him!
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
Ares froze. Something was walking in the weeds! His heart pounded in his chest so loudly he feared it would break free of his ribcage. Sweat broke out on his brow and ran into his eyes, stinging them. Carefully he lay back down on his back, his foot still trapped in the old grape trellis. He was in a ponderous position: trapped flat on his back with his only real weapon out of reach. If the werewolf caught him now, there would be nothing he could really do. He reached for the sword at his hip and slowly drew the blade. It wouldn't really stop a werewolf, but it might do something....
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
The footsteps grew louder, closer.
Oh please Mother I need a miracle!
crunchcrunchcrunchcrunch!!!
Something furry leaped onto his bare chest and Ares almost screamed. A hot flash swept through his entire body as he jerked. It's weight pressed down on his chest, its paws cold as ice against his bare skin. Then the thing jumped off him and disappeared into the tall grass, showing him only a white flash of fur. Then a larger shadow appeared for an instant. He got the impression of a wolf like snout and tall erect ears. He saw it above the weeds, it disappeared as it gave chase to the rabbit.
Ares sighed in relief. A simple rabbit had saved him, although it had almost given him a heart attack. He had never been so frightened in all his life. Even now that the danger had passed his heart beat like crazy and he was drenched with sweat. He waited a bit longer, then sat up. He went to work freeing his foot. The more he studied how his foot was entangled in the wire, he couldn't figure out how he had gotten stuck that way! But maybe it was better that he had or the werewolf would have seen him! Bending the wire, he pulled his foot out and twisted onto his knees. Crawling forward on all fours, he pushed his way through the tall plants until he saw a glint of silver. Ares reached for it and closed his hands around the dagger.
Rising to his knees, he carefully stuck his head above the weeds and looked around. There was no sign of the werewolf or the rabbit, only a zigzagging trail of grass pressed flat. It hadn't just been dumb luck that the rabbit had appeared when it did. Perhaps his mother, wherever she was, had heard him. No one ever knew what had happened to Hera. She had just disappeared the same day that Hercules had killed Zeus to save Xena and her baby. Hercules had claimed Hera had appeared to help him, but she was never seen after that. Perhaps she was still alive somewhere?
Thank you Mother. Ares thought, knowing the Gods could hear the silent prayers sent to them. I am truly grateful for your help.
Turning to look in another direction, Ares saw a jagged shadow rising from the ground. A thin smile crept across his lips when he realized what it was: the remains of a tree trunk that had been hit by lightning. If his luck continued, there might be some water inside it. He considered making a wild dash for it, but dismissed the idea right away. There might be more hidden grape trellis. If this overgrown field had once been a vineyard as he thought, there would be a lot of them around. He didn't want to run right smack into another one and loose the dagger again. If he did, he might never find it again in this mass of vegetation.
Getting back onto his hands and knees, Ares started to crawl towards the tree. Every so often he would stop and poke his head out, correcting the direction in which he traveled. Several times he came upon strands of wire and he was forced to carefully crawl over them. Finally, after what seemed like a very long time, he reached the base of the tree.
The tree had once been a great monster. Ares could tell that right away from the sheer size of its trunk. Now it was just a blackened trunk with a single jagged point stretching up into the night sky. Pressing his hands against its cold rough bark, he rose to his feet. Both his knees were sore from the unaccustomed crawling and he frowned at the holes in his black leather pants. Standing, the top of the trunk came to chest height, with the single sharp point being taller than he was. Sticking the dagger through his belt, he put his hands on the rim and peered within. His own reflection looked back at him from a pool of water. Night bugs flew up into his face and started to swarm around him, mosquitoes making up the majority. Ares slapped at them but it did little good.
Reaching into his vest, he pulled out the bottle and removed the cork. He sent another silent prayer of thanks to his mother that the bottle had not broken in his fall. He was going to do his best to save Gabrielle and he needed the bottle intact. Checking to see if the moonlight was visible in the water, which it was, he bent to fill his bottle. Within a few seconds it was full and Ares replaced the cork.
Now came the more difficult task. He needed to capture Gabrielle somehow, restrain her with the rope. In order to do that, he needed to see her coming. Ares knew the only way to do that was to find high ground. Searching the possibilities the area had to offer, Ares settled on a nearby hill. It would have to do. After making his way back through the wild vineyard, he started to climb the hill. He was halfway to the top when a terrible howl made his blood run cold. Turning, Ares saw a grayish blonde fur covered beast racing through the field he had just left.
Gabrielle was coming for him!