Chapter Eight

Without warning, Gabrielle yawned.

"It must be later than I realized," she said. "As interesting as all of this is, I think I'm ready to bed down for the night."

"You go on to sleep," Xena told her. "I'm still not sure what to do with HER."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, irritated.

"How can I sleep, not knowing who you are? For all we know, you could try to kill us while we sleep."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because certain warlords have put out bounties on me, dead or alive. You might be after the money."

"Xena, do you honestly think she could kill us, kill YOU, that easy? You wake up if a suspicious leaf falls to the ground."

"I suppose I could tie her hands and feet."

"I don't think so," Buffy said.

"Xena, come on. She's done nothing to make us distrust her."

Xena looked at Gabrielle in disbelief, but said nothing.

"I trust her, Xena. Isn't that good enough?"

Xena looked back and forth between them, then shook her head.

"All right," she said to Gabrielle. Then to Buffy she said, "But just so you'll know, I am a VERY light sleeper."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Gabrielle settled down under a blanket for the night. Xena tossed an extra one to Buffy, then laid down holding the handle of her sword. Even though she wasn't sleepy, Buffy wrapped the blanket around her and also laid down.

It was a long night for both Buffy and Xena; neither one slept very much. Buffy was listening to the sounds of the night, and Xena was listening for any movement by Buffy.

When Gabrielle woke up the next morning, Xena and Buffy were sitting on opposite sides of the campfire, not blatantly staring at each other, but well aware of the other. She just shook her head, went to relieve herself, then began preparing breakfast.

"NOW are you hungry?" Gabrielle asked Buffy, offering some warmed up stew and hard cheese. Buffy accepted the flat wooden plate and the cheese. After dishing out portions for herself and Xena, Gabrielle sat next to Buffy.

"So, what's it like – in the future?"

"In some ways it's wonderful, and in other ways, it's terrible."

"How so?"

"In many parts of the world hunger is no longer a problem, and diseases have been controlled. People are living longer thanks to advances in medicine and sanitation."

"They still make war?" Xena asked.

"Unfortunately. But with more horrendous weapons. Cities are bigger, buildings are taller, and more and more people crowd into them. Millions of people."

"How do they feed them all?" Gabrielle asked.

"Large, extra large, tremendously large farms, and cattle ranches, and facilities to process and distribute the food."

"What about stealing, and murder? Do they still do that?"

"Oh yes. There are still thieves and muggers and gangs around, just waiting to prey on the weak and the helpless."

"Well, it's good to know we'll always have jobs, right boys?" a gruff voice said.

Xena was instantly on her feet, her sword drawn and ready. Gabrielle was also up, with her staff poised to strike.

Buffy got to her feet as well, and noticed that Gabrielle seemed to be trying to position herself between the gang of thieves and her. While they were distracted by Buffy's description of the future, they had been surrounded by six thugs.

"Just walk away," Xena said quietly. "Walk away and thank the gods today you didn't die."

"Can't do it. My boys haven't so much as touched a woman in a long, long time."

"From the smell, I know why."

"But that's all going to change," he said. "Get 'em!" he yelled out.

All six of the men attacked, but Xena's sword made short work of the first two, knocking them out with the flat of her sword against the sides of their heads.

Gabrielle was able to fend off one and then the second by smashing her staff against their vulnerable knees.

Xena side-kicked the leader, sending him stumbling back and down, but he instantly was up and attacking again.

The fifth man went after Buffy, but a jumping roundhouse kick knocked him unconscious.

The last man was trying to impale Gabrielle with his short spear. She was able to knock it aside with her staff, but only after the point sliced her upper arm.

Buffy was there to kick upward on the spear, knocking it a short ways up into the air. As it came down, she grabbed it, and spinning around, stabbed him back-handed through the heart. The force of it sent the short spear through him until the point was sticking six inches out of his back.

Seeing their attempt was futile, the ones who were able, ran off, thankful to be alive.

Both Xena and Gabrielle were looking down at the man Buffy had killed; looking at the shaft of the spear sticking out of his chest.

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