Xena walked quickly, following the boy's small hoofprints. He'd covered a lot of area in such a short time. When she saw they led to a dense line of bushes, she smiled and slowed down, taking careful steps. She didn't want to frighten him anymore than he already was. He was smart to hide.

"Xenon?" she called out softly, listening for any movement, "Xenon, it's me Xena." She stepped lightly over to the small bush where she sensed he was hiding. The bush shook and he peered over the top, eyes wide.

Smiling, she held out her arms, "C'mon!" He ran to her, practically jumping into her arms. Xena tumbled back from the force. He gripped her tightly, burying his face in her stomach. He'd been through so much for someone so young.

"There there, it's okay. I'm here." Her eyes began to water, remembering when she had said almost the same thing to Solan. She hugged Xenon tight, the poor boy was trembling. She wanted to take his mind off the disturbing things that had happened, and knew they had to make camp soon. "Xenon, how about you and I go find some firewood?" she eased him away from her slightly so she could stand.

"Okay," he said in a small voice, letting her go but taking her hand in his. Xena gave it a gentle squeeze, reassuring him he was safe. Together they made camp.

Xena had started a fire and was cooking a couple rabbits she and Xenon had caught. He'd actually spotted the second one before she did. Seems he had some of his mother's great hunting skills. He now sat comfortably on all fours beside her as she turned the meat. He looked up at her, then away, as he had for the past half hour. She knew he wanted to say something so she waited, knowing it would be best for him to open up on his own.

"Xena? When was the last time you saw my mom?"

She hadn't expected that. She wasn't sure what to say, should she tell him his mother was here but not completely here? She didn't want to lie to the boy, but she figured it would be too much for him to handle right now. Looking over at him, she lightly rested her hand on his back, "Xenon, your mom... I last saw her when we met at the Centaur village for the meeting about the treaty between the Centaurs and Amazons." She thought it best to leave out the time she'd also seen her when she was wanting revenge on Gabrielle and broke Ephiny's arm when she tried to stop her. And, of course, the very last time she saw his mother was at her funeral. He didn't need to hear that.

Xenon nodded and looked into the fire, " I remember that day." He fell silent as he thought back. The day had started out nice, with him being able to play with so many centaurs after living in his mother's village for so long. But it didn't stay nice. A terrible blond goddess had come and tried to kill everybody. He remembered his mom gathering all the kids together and heading for the caves. He'd been so scared, but was glad to have his mom there to protect him. It was a sad time.

Xena fell silent, as well. It pained her terribly to remember that day. The day she'd lost her sweet Solan. She glanced at the boy beside her and realized he was trembling. "C'mere," she held her arms open and he turned to her, hugging her tightly. She could feel his tears on her skin. Lightly rocking him, she let him cry as long as he needed. In fact, it was deeply comforting to hold him. She missed the feel of a child in her arms.

It was quite a few minutes before he shuddered and sighed heavily. Xena held him a while longer until she was sure he was finished. Pulling him slightly away from her, she smiled when she saw he'd cried himself to sleep. Poor boy, she thought, all those feelings churning inside him just wiped him out. She gently wiped the tears from his cheeks.

Suddenly her ears perked up at the sound of hoofbeats in the distance. Her heart calmed when she recognized the timing of the hooves as Argo's. Smiling, she shook her head. Leave it to Gabrielle to come along when she most she needed her most. She was never good at dealing with her emotions alone.

"Looks like Argo and our friends are here," she whispered, lightly kissed him on the head, and laid him down on her bedroll near the fire.

*****

Amarice immediately noticed the area where she'd last seen Xena go through the bushes and pointed it out to Gabrielle. Gabrielle nodded, reigned Argo to a halt, and scanned quickly for signs of trouble.

They had made remarkable time. Though Amarice was right that since she knew the way she couldn't be left behind, it turned out that she didn't need to give any directions at all. While riding away from the village, Gabrielle had whispered to Argo that they were going to find Xena. In a flash, they were off! Argo rode like the wind for miles and miles before Gabrielle halted her for a short rest.

True to her word, Shelappa had kept a good twenty feet behind the galloping horse. Her strong legs pumped furiously and her arms swung steadily at her sides while she ran. When they finally stopped to rest, she was breathing heavily and her face was shaded pink with effort, but her eyes were sparkling. She'd assured them she was fine and that it had felt good to run like that again.

They had stopped only long enough to stretch their legs and have a drink, including Argo, before setting off again. Miles and miles passed again before they rested for a second time. They had reached their destination after only a few hours travel.

All that was left was to catch their breath and find Xena.

*****

Ephiny felt a tide of emotion welling up inside her. The idea that her son, her precious Xenon, was in the clutches of a hate-filled madman scared her and angered her at the same time. The very thought that the monster who'd murdered her Amazon sisters had even come near her son made her wish she'd done more than just accidentally slice his face. Much more. She wanted so desperately to be with her son, to hold him and protect him. But how could she? She obviously wasn't able to ride Argo with Gabrielle and Amarice, and she wasn't an incredible runner like Shelappa. It would take too long to try and follow their trail. Xenon needed her now.

Yes, he did need her! The more she thought of him, the more certain she was. She could feel it in her heart, in her bones. She could almost hear him crying out in her mind.

Clutching Lucas, she prayed to Artemis and the other gods, pleading with them to help her reach her son. The proud Amazon fell to her knees in a mother's desperation. Her eyes squeezed shut as she was claimed by a wave of dizziness. Bracing one hand against the ground, she tried to keep from falling over. She opened her eyes a bit, but her vision was blurred and the light was fading.

Then everything went black.

*****

With Gabrielle in the lead, they searched through the bushes. She spotted Xenon's hoofprints and was relieved to see they were fairly fresh. Couldn't have better protection than being with Xena, she smiled.

"Hey look!" Amarice whispered loudly, pointing ahead. A tall figure was moving toward them. Everyone let out an audible sigh of relief when the saw it was Xena. Gabrielle sprinted toward her, almost tripped over a log, and grabbed her friend in a tight hug.

"Hey!" Xena was startled and a little embarassed, but smiled and hugged her back anyway.

Gabrielle pulled back and looked up anxiously into Xena's eyes, "Xenon... is he all right?"

"Yeah, he's back at camp. Safe and sound and fast asleep," She nodded in the direction of the campsite. Gabrielle could see the fire through the trees and almost make out Xenon's form. She was glad to know he was close by, in case of any danger.

Amarice and Shelappa looked at each other, worried over the quietly spoken words between the two friends, and quickly ran over to them. Shelappa, almost trembling now, had to know what happened. "Is Xe--"

Xena already knew what she wanted to hear, "He's just fine, Shelappa." She laid a hand on her shoulder, "Is Ephiny here?"

"No, but she told us about Traylek," Shelappa fidgeted nervously, wanting badly to see the boy.

"Traylek? You mean the guy with the mask?" Xena frowned. She'd never heard of him before. Shelappa nodded and quickly filled her in on the warlord.

*****

Ephiny was dizzy. The darkness was fading away, but so slowly. At first she couldn't hear anything, but then, if she concentrated hard enough she could faintly hear the rustling of trees.

"C'mon," she thought to herself, concentrating. She felt so transparent, like she was fading in and out of reality. "C'MON!" she screamed and put her hands up to her temples, Lucas clutched tight in her left hand. Rocking back and forth, her vision finally returned and she saw trees all around. The sounds of nature gradually came back to her ears. Taking deep breaths, she finally felt solid enough to try standing up. Slowly, she tried balancing herself. She tilted about a bit, but she was back.

"Where am I?" she whispered, turning slowly around. Nothing was familiar. Off in the distance she could see the light of a campfire. Walking silently toward it, she noticed a small figure huddled in front of it. Looking closely, she noticed four small hooves peeking out from beneath a blanket.

Ephiny's heart leapt, Could it be?

Edging closer, she nearly melted at the sight of her son sleeping near the fire. She clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from shouting his name. All she wanted to do was run to him and hold him in her arms, but she was still a bit dizzy and didn't think she could manage it. She stood there for many moments trying to calm herself. Taking several deep breaths, she gazed lovingly at Xenon as he slept. Alone. He was alone! Where is Xena?!

Suddenly hearing hoofbeats, she followed the sound and looked through the bushes. SHe immediately relaxed, relieved to see Xena was within sight and earshot of her son. Argo had arrived with Gabrielle and Amarice. Shelappa followed close behind.

Ephiny grinned. She'd grown up with Shelappa and had always been amazed by her running ability. Her friend had quickly been asked not to run in any more footraces so that others would have a chance at winning. She'd been very gracious, though just a child, accepting the fact that she'd been given a gift and should be fair to those not similarly blessed. She played in other Amazon sports, and many of her sisters still tried to beat her running. But of course, no one ever succeeded.

A soft whimper distracted her and she turned back to her son. Xenon frowned and shifted umcomfortably in his sleep. He shook his head from side to side and reached out with his hands, trying to push away the nightmare images in his mind. "Mo-om!" his voice caught on a sob.

Kneeling next to him, Ephiny concentrated hard so she could brush the hair from his forehead. His golden curls felt silky against her fingers. It was a feeling she missed so much! "Shhh," she whispered, "it's all right, sweetheart. I'm right here."

He whimpered again, "Man! Big man!"

Rage, pure hot rage, shot through her at his words. Traylek! He'd sorely regret messing with her son. When she was through with him he'd have more than just a sliced face. The many forms of punishment she wished to dish out on him were driven from her mind by an anguished moan from Xenon. Tenderly she touched his face, her eyes tearing up. Ephiny felt so much love and worry for her son, it was a sweet heaviness in her heart and a sharp tingle on her skin. Her dear boy, he'd seen and been through so much!

"That man won't hurt you anymore," she swore, "Your momma's here. I'll make it all right." She leaned down and softly kissed his forehead. Her tears spilled down her cheeks and into his hair.

Xenon quickly calmed, soothed by his mother's kiss. Ephiny sat down next to him and watched him sleep.

*****

While they were following Xena back to camp, Amarice noticed the strange sword in her scabbard. When asked about it, Xena just shrugged, "Got it off Traylek. It gives him some strange power. Here, watch."

She drew it out. Everyone gasped when her hands began to glow with a weird green light. Indicating a large stone in the distance, Xena concentrated. Holding the sword in her right hand, the green glow in her left formed a hot ball of power in her palm. Reaching back, she threw it with all her might. It sizzled through the air toward its target. With a BOOM the stone was reduced to smoking rubble.

"Wow," Amarice whispered in awe.

Xena sheathed the sword again and rubbed her hands. They ached from handling so much power. "I'm sure that's how he was able to destroy the Amazon village."

"And the Amazons." Gabrielle added quietly.

Xena nodded, "Yeah. Come on, let's get back to Xenon. I don't want to leave him for too long."

They walked through the bushes to the campsite. Xena led Argo over to a patch of grass to nibble on while she took off her saddle and rubbed her down. Shelappa went straight to Xenon and looked him over, reassuring herself that he was indeed all right. She knew, of course, that Xena would've taken good care of him, but he was so special to her and she felt responsible for all that happened to him. It was silly to feel that way, but she couldn't help it. She didn't think the heaviness in her heart would ever go away.

Amarice looked around the camp, nodding at the young centaur who slept, at Shelappa who was spreading the blanket closer around him, at Xena who was caring for Argo, at Gabrielle who was slowly preparing something to eat. They were all busy, but clearly had other things on their mind. So did she. Though she was tired from the hard ride, her body was still ready for action. She wanted to fight. To wreak some havoc on the army that had killed those Amazons. She wasn't worried at all, especially after seeing the new sword Xena had. Without a dount, they'd defeat Treylek and his army. But that was later. Pacing back and forth before the fire, she fidgeted with pent-up energy. She had to do something. All this waiting was getting to her.

Gabrielle noticed her agitation. The young Amazon clearly needed something to do to get her mind off whatever was bothering her. She planned on just stewing some raw vegtables, but some fresh meat wouldn't hurt. "Amarice," she whispered so as not to wake Xenon.

Amarice stopped pacing and looked at her, distracted from her thoughts, "Huh?"

Gabrielle smiled gently, "This stew could use some meat. Do you mind?"

"Oh," Amarice looked at the pot over the fire, then back at Gabrielle, "Yeah, sure. Be right back." She drew her sword and started walking off through the dense bushes.

"Wait!" Gabrielle whispered loudly. Amarice stopped and looked at her questioningly. "Uh, no more rabbits, okay? Anything but rabbits." Amarice smiled and almost laughed, but nodded and walked off again.

Gabrielle sat there waiting for the water to boil, thinking about all that had happened over the past couple of days. She soon sighed and shook her head, it was all too much. She felt someone sit beside her and looked up to see Xena smiling gently at her. "How you doing?" she asked.

Gabrielle shrugged. "As good as I can, I suppose, for someone who just lost her whole tribe." She closed her eyes when she felt Xena's arm around her shoulders. "I've said my goodbyes, Xena. I just never expected to say them so soon." She glanced at Shelappa, who was still watching over Xenon, "I'm worried about her, Xena. She was much closer to all of them than I was. She lived with them. I know she feels like she should've died with them, too."

Xena rubbed Gabrielle's arm, "She's a strong woman, Gabrielle, with a strong spirit. She'll find her way through this. It helps for her to have Xenon to look after. He's a connection to all she's lost."

Gabrielle knew she was right, but still felt sad for her friend, as well as herself. Leaning against Xena, she accepted the comfort only the warrior could offer.

Amarice came back with a large skinned possum. Gabrielle groaned inwardly,but accepted it with a small smile of thanks. It wasn't her favorite, not even close, but at least it wasn't rabbit. After it was roasted, she'd cut up the meat and add it to the stew. She was glad she'd sent Amarice after it. The young Amazon looked calmer and quite pleased with her catch.

After they ate, they each chose a place by the fire to lay down and sleep. They needed their rest so they'd be fresh enough to face whatever tomorow would bring. Shelappa snuggled next to Xenon, keeping an arm over him, while Xena and Gabrielle spread their blankets next to each other. Amarice slept on the opposite side of the fire with her arms folded comfortably under her head.

Ephiny watched them as they slept, so grateful for what they were doing for her and her son. She said a quick prayer to Artemis, asking the goddess to watch over her friends and help them with ther task tomorrow. She didn't need sleep, of course, but she curled up next to Xenon anyway, opposite Shelappa. How long would she be able to stay? Would she be able to help them in their fight and protect her son? Ephiny sighed heavily, she just didn't know.