Swordsmen are from Mars; Slayers are from Venus

The Migrants broke camp shortly after the Zombie's attack. Oddly, both Buffy and Guts seemed to sense when they were clear of the cursed earth from whence the undead had emerged.

Bilbus made more adjustments to the Iron Arm of Guts. And then pronounced his work as complete as possible until they until they could secure supplies at the town a days journey away.

"So are you some kind of Warrior or Mercenary" Guts finally asked her. They were the first words he had spoken to her since the battle. Puck was right, Guts was not a personable guy

He had been watching and gauging her. Unlike Jeryan whose lusty looks were more about his cowardice then anything else, Guts was operating on a more primal level.

Obviously, Female warriors were a rarity. and as curious as Guts might be, he was cautious as well.

"Warrior but not in any conflict you might have been though." She figured he wasn't exactly opening up with her; why should she be overly forth coming.

"That explains the clothes." He said simply "I don't recognize the tailoring."

"It is a big land and styles change as you cross it. Of course if you've been everywhere and seen everything…" it was a challenge and a risky one She knew.

"I know what I need to, especially about uniforms and those aren't standard colours for any army within a thousand leagues of here."

"I could have come from more then a thousand leagues away."

"Not without having found more practical clothes. The cloths seem to say you come from somewhere warm. But, the lands to the east and south of us are wetlands so how could you get here without having changed out of shoes which would have been useless over such terrain.

"Guess I'll need new clothes then, got any ideas?"

"Boots something with a grip so you don't wallow in the mud during battle anymore.

"What about something to replace the hair you cut off trying to control that huge sword " she sniped,

Puck snickered loudly

Guts ignored the diminutive Sprite, as he routinely seemed to do "A warrior's knot keeps the hair out of your way… and mine."

Chiana brightened at his words "Oh can I? I braid hair great."

"Well, well Blacksmith and hairstylist what can't you do?" Buffy smiled and cheerfully submitted to the child's enthusiasm. Soon her long blonde hair was a tightly coiled single strand.

Bilbus ordered his little apprentice to break into their stores and retrieve whetting stones and a proper axe head. Buffy watched the young child expertly strip the head off the ancient weapon Buffy had taken from the zombie and transform it before her eyes into a brand new thing sporting a wicked edge. Chiana then retied the head of the spear, smoothing, and weighting the shaft.

The caravan arrived in the next town and Bilbus sent Chiana to get supplies Puck elected to accompany her and Buffy into town.

They made stops so that Buffy could get cloths and leathers more appropriate to the climate. Soon the odd stares she got for her Californian garb abated

Chiana smiled pleasantly "Father says that there are dark times and when such times come, people blame troubles on strangers and new folk."

"I guess that scene outside the village isn't unusual?" Buffy asked as they walked.

Puck shook his head "Creatures like those are everywhere especially around Midland and its castle.

"Father Says that it is the evil works of man coming back to haunt him" Chiana shuddered

Puck looked off to the side and Buffy sensed a Xander-ism might get him to open up. "Well Sparky what's your take on things."

"Guts seems to know a lot about these things."

"Is it my imagination or were those undead freaks trying to surround Guts."

"It's the brand "

"The brand "

"On the back of Gut's neck you might have seen a crest or scar. He calls it…The Brand and whenever creatures like those have attacked us, it always reacts."

"Reacts how?"

"He just seems to know where these things are going to be how strong they are sometime…. Sometimes it seems like they are attracted to him. And once… once WE went …away to this place I can't describe it to you except that it was a evil place at the gates of hell. WE met these beings and Guts seemed to know them, called one of them by name, Griffith although everyone else called him Femto and Femto seemed to know Guts."

Puck's mention of the Gates Of Hell made Buffy go silent. Did this place have a Hellmouth? Had Guts been to it, confronted something there that changed him into whatever he was now and what was he exactly. His strength and speed with his sword were way past normal. Was he a Slayer of some kind?

She thought of Sunnydale, Willow, Xander and Giles and oh God her Mom…. Had they survived the portal. And if so were they looking for her. She had allowed herself to get caught up in the lives of the travelers little realizing that the way home might have been somewhere in that haunted forest.

Suddenly a drunken lout who had shuffled from his drinking house and was harassing Chiana. Buffy stepped up to him and shoved him backward to leave him sprawled in the mud.

Do you know who I am girlie?' the man sputtered angrily

"I don't care, get yer filthy drunken hands of the girl." Buffy snapped coldly

"Little Bitch, who are you to touch me I'll get The City Guard after you."

A dagger lanced in the ground between his legs "will the guard arrive before you lose something you value assuming I can find them to cut them off" a voice coldly asked

A woman in armor and leathers stood there. Over one eye was an ornate patch, her hair cut short save for the long briad running down one side of her head. A Braid not unlike the one Buffy now sported. Obviously, she too was a mercenary or warrior. "You're done drinking for the night. Get home to whatever poor soul has the misfortune of calling you husband or I'll make her a widow right here and now."

The drunk grumbled a curse and crawled to his feet leaving the dagger buried in the street he hurried away vanishing into the crowd.

"Thanks loads, I wouldn't want to get into a fight my first day in town." Buffy Said warily bending to take the dagger back and return it to its owner.

"Conflict can not be avoided especially with cowards like that, if you are going to dress like our beloved Sister Warrior then you must stand for the principles and oaths you swore would be upheld. "

"Excuse me "

"Aren't you part of a unit "

"I'm just a stranger passing though "

"But your clothes "

"Just purchased and the hair was a gift of the Little Miss here

"The women nodded "I see well just be careful you have unwittingly copied the dress of the Sisterhood of the Hawk. Someone might mistake you for one of mine and I would not want one of my warriors harmed getting you out of a bar brawl."

"Sisterhood of the Hawks."

"We honor the warrior maiden, Caska of the White Hawk. She was born in this town, grew up right around here "

"Great warrior was she?" Buffy asked politely

"One of the greatest, when the hundred year long war of Midland was fought and won they say that Caska herself took the enemy stronghold winning the day and forging the new peace. "

Sounds like she was a real Hero."

"She was, even after The Great Betrayal she kept the Hawks together she lead them on a raid into the heart of Midland castle to rescue the traitorous White Hawk Griffith."

"Griffith?"

"We sisters believe her to have been the true guiding hand behind the Hawks victories. Their true inspiration. Her support and guidance allowed Griffith to achieve all that he did. Had he remained loyal to her and her alone, he might have ascended the throne. " The Woman Smiled. "My name is Valkis, I command a unit of Sisters. WE stopped here for provisioning and rest."

"Buffy…Summers, the floaty glowing guy is Puck and cute kid is Chiana. Her dad is a blacksmith and quite good."

"Well a good smith would be a boon to us. The ones in this town are either crooks, fools or both."

"Come round our encampment Dad can make anything. He's even helping the Black Swordsman."

"Chiana, Buffy smiled "I'm sure that Valkis doesn't want to hear about what some person calls himself when the liquor is in him." She turned to Valkis " You know men, get some wine into them they imagine themselves kings and Emperors."

Valkis tilted her head in that way that Joyce did when she had just heard Buffy tell a supremely unlikely story. She had heard the kid and found Buffy's sudden denial even more suspicious.

"Well I find that drunk truth often has a grain of real truth to it but as you say men can boast. Perhaps we will speak again." Valkis turned and walked away Chiana looked hurt and Buffy soothed her as soon as the warrior woman had turned a corner.

"Chianna hun, The more people who know who or what Guts is the more people will come looking for him, people who will cause trouble for your father and his friends."

"Ohh, you think I shouldn't have invited her."

Buffy Shook her head and knelt to look Chiana in the eye. "Just keep what you know about Guts on the downlow."

The child looked mystified and Buffy amended her California speak. "Lets just keep it our little secret you never know who might be listening."

Chiana smiled and they all headed off Chiana held up the bag of gold she had used to buy supplies look what I saved. Think Father will be pleased that I managed to save us some money."

"With what that Valkis woman said I shudder to think what quality of goods we have." Buffy replied

Suddenly a darting form raced out and snatched the bag from the child's hand fleeing down an alleyway.

Snapping at Chiana to stay where she was, Buffy tore off in hot pursuit. Her target was fast and agile unfortunately for him he was also mortal racing a Slayer who could keep up with him when she was jogging.

He fled down side streets and over fences Puck took to the air and Buffy tracked him by watching the flicking trail left behind by the sprite. Eventually flipping upwards to race over the ground, she used some of that famous Slayer Speed and agility to get in front of her quarry before landing crouched in front of him.

It was a boy, heaving with his exertions. An old woman tottered out to the streets and whacked at the boy with her cane. "Wicked Boy, have you been thieving again, wicked sinful boy I should let this noble warrior cut your hands off."

"Didn't mean nothing by would have brought it back." He whined most unconvincingly

"Well since I caught up to you, you can just give back the purse."

"Indeed give Buffy back her purse." The old woman said snatching the prize away from the boy and tossing it to the Slayer who had frozen at the old woman's words

"How did you know my name?"

"I'm just a foolish old woman and not to be trusted."

"You knew my name and I have never met you before. "

"Maybe you have you just don't remember yet.

"Don't like mysteries old lady."

"All right then" the old lady said slyly "I'll solve one for you. Your precious fallen Angel came to your sickbed to slay you, his hand was stayed by the one who breathed life into you. Perhaps you will reward this act as you did the last time He acted selflessly in your service. Will you dance for him again as you did before, flaunting your power and mastery of his heart, his humiliation was hard to watch, even in a vision."

Buffy reddened, "ok I'm convinced and its not unexpected I knew the Powers would reveal themselves. Cut to the chase Granny, how do I get out of here."

"Bring the Black Swordsman to me, what I say is for both your ears if you wish to return home then you will bring him and listen well to my counsel. If he refuses you then tell him of my pendent." She held up a odd looking pendent. "Describe it to him and he will come quickly enough. "

"Bring Guts to you, sounds easy enough." Buffy turned and headed back to where she had left Chiana "mention the screwy pendent if he says no."

The old woman's voice stopped her. "Rest assured Slayer, the White Knight had his vengeance though he doesn't yet know it."

All the way back to camp, Buffy turned the question over and over in her mind, what could Xander have done to avenge himself on Angel