WHERE THE GODS FIRST DREW BREATH UNTO THIS WORLD

Itzpapalotl looked up slowly she shook her head slightly feeling her black feathered head dress sway as she sat herself down on Quetzalcoatl's old throne. The snake never took human form anymore and he hadn't sat here in centuries so she could indulge herself. She looked around at the old temple of the gods stone statues of the gods were at very corner and under each was his or her throne. In the centre of the gleaming room which was inside the main temple was a stone table which had food on it and human blood all in silver chalices. This high temple in the centre of the great stone city of Teotihuacán was a place to honour all the gods and a place that no mortal could enter. It was birth place of the gods and the only neutral territory in all off Mexica.

The price for entering this temple was your life and though this city had long been abounded and its mortals long gone people were still foolish enough to enter this temple in hopes of looking up the place where C'thulon had given his children life. The war god Huitzilopochtli had had spent years getting his people to build a huge city to match this one, which he'd called Tenochtitlan. There had once been a time when all the gods had been young and they had all sat at these thrones as family and friends. That had been a time of innocence when the world it's self had been young. It had been a time when the elder god C'thulon had been the ruler of all. That time had long passed though there had not been a meeting of all the gods of Mexica in centuries.

Most of the stone thrones now looked very old vines had started to wrap around some of them hiding the once beautiful engraving which in their day had been pure white stone before gold jade and gemstone had become the item of choice for all the gods. Gods still came here but very rarely and only to make deals with one another. She put a hand on her chin looking up wards her red eyes gleaming. "So you're saying that the Blood Jaguar has returned?" Tezcatlipoca sneered as he turned to the goddess of the dead. "You do not believe me!" Itzpapalotl put both hands together watching as the were-Jaguar came towards her. "No it's not that I don't believe you, I just don't believe your people." Tezcatlipoca's felt his blue and purple head dress moving lightly as he came forward his clawed hand slammed in to the stone table.

His eyes narrowed slowly "My people wouldn't lie to me they fear me to much!" Itzpapalotl eyed him. "Your people don't know what real fear is they haven't tasted true death yet." Tezcatlipoca growled as walked forward tapping his clawed feet, as he swung his tail. "You mock me death goddess yet I created these lands and its people." Itzpapalotl laughed slightly. "Yes and Quetzalcoatl destroyed them and remade them in his image." She smirked as she leaned back lightly tapping her skeleton fingers on stone throne. "Face it your a second rate god who failed in becoming king of the gods." Tezcatlipoca raised a clawed hand. "You're no better you do nothing but suck up to Quetzalcoatl it's pathetic to watch! He won't give up his throne to you or anyone else!"

He felt his razor sharp teeth grind together. "You're just wasting your time, trying to bribe him with your vile gifts." Itzpapalotl laughed slightly. "Such a bad kitty may be you ought to cough up the rest of your hair balls they make you so very cranky." She folded her legs. "Does Huitzilopochtli know about any of this?" Tezcatlipoca folded his arms in annoyance. "You think I'd tell that sun loving idiot anything? We both know what would happen if he knew of the Blood Jaguar's return." Itzpapalotl rolled her eyes. "Makes me sick just thinking about it…" She raised her skeleton arm as she moved her bone fingers. "My grandson's love of mortals has made him weak."

Tezcatlipoca grunted aloud. "Xochiquetzal hasn't been told ether." Itzpapalotl sat up sharply. "Nether should she be your ex wife is a pathetic mortal loving weakling just like her brother." She sat back her smile widening. "Plus she did betray you." The Jaguar god snarled aloud, she licked her long upper canine teeth enjoying his anger. "I've also heard that she prefers the company of mortal men and women to other gods." Tezcatlipoca snarled turning away ignoring her words. "So I assume we are going to end the Blood Jaguar's life." Itzpapalotl tapped her skeleton hand on the thrones side. "Are you offering a partnership Tezcatlipoca?" Tezcatlipoca turned sneering. "Yes, what's the price?" Itzpapalotl felt her smile widen as she put a hand on his highly decorated hanging cloth, she licked her lips. "You know my price…I've heard your very good between the sheets."

8

Gabrielle looked in to the lit fire her gaze drifted to Baldomero who was looking around nervously. Itzli was seated quietly obviously engrossed in his own thoughts. They had finally gotten out of the grave yard but it was now night fall and it was better to just stop. They could carry on in the morning at least then they'd be able to fly and cover a lot more ground. They wouldn't have the captain lagging behind them ether she looked up seeing that her lover was concentrating on the cooking. She leaned over moving the taller woman's hand slightly so she didn't put the pan in the flames. Xena let her gaze drift over the fish she was cooking. Making lunch wasn't something she was great at but right now she wanted her lover to get a break from it.

Itzli folded his arms slightly as he eyed the Blood Jaguar who was reading something in a long scroll which she'd pulled out of her bag. He watched as she eased out a white feathered quill her gaze darted as she began to write. "That's interesting and here I was thinking that you couldn't read or write." Gabrielle looked up sharply eyeing him. "Is there something you want?" She leaned over moving her lovers hand again so she didn't burn the food. Itzli eyed the two horses which were sitting close by both opposite each other. He eyed the axe which was strapped to the un-dead horse's saddle. "I'd like my weapon!" Gabrielle slowly put down the quill as she leaned over pulling the weapon free from the saddle.

She didn't think as she pulled it back holding the handle. "Fetch!" Xena looked up only to watch in surprise as the razor tipped axe flew full force over the fire. It narrowly missed Baldomero's head as it slammed in to the tree truck directly behind him causing him to cry out in panic. Xena pulled the pan up staring at her lover who said nothing as she picked up the quill again and carried on writing. "Gabrielle!" Itzli sneered at the Blood Jaguar as he leaned over pulling the axe free from the tree ignoring the look of panic which was still on the captain's face. Gabrielle turned meeting her lovers gaze. "What? I missed his head." Xena eased up her hand. "That wasn't necessary!" Gabrielle looked up slightly. "Oh please you broke two of his fingers!"

Xena breathed in deeply. "What in Tartarus is wrong with you Gabrielle? The last time you were like this was you were…." Gabrielle looked up sharply she felt her gaze narrow. "When I was a big overgrown dog, right?" Xena turned sharply. "I was going to say werewolf!" Gabrielle kept her eyes fixed on her lovers. "Big overgrown dog, werewolf it's the same thing." Baldomero blinked as he eyed them both. "What the hell is a werewolf?" Gabrielle turned eyeing him. "It's a large wolf that, wait why am I describing this to you? They conceal information like that for you in scrolls, go read one." Xena breathed in deeply as she met her lovers gaze. "Stop it Gabrielle!" Gabrielle turned pulling up her quill. "What it's not my fault that he's an idiot who doesn't read?"

Xena slowly passed the food around. "By the gods you're edgy tonight." Baldomero snorted aloud. "Please she's always edgy…its one her main flaws along with her insanity." Xena pulled his plate away before he could grab it passing it to Itzli instead. "Do you want me to break the rest of your hand?" She watched as she shook his head in panic. "Good, then be quite." Gabrielle slowly put down the scroll and quill away as she began to eat the fish she felt herself tense up for a moment only to breathe out slowly. Her lover was right she was on edge. She looked around her it was this place she didn't like being here she had never wanted to return here. She had wanted so much to forget that she'd ever been here.

She swallowed her mouthful turning to her lover. "This is very good." Xena raised an eyebrow as she swallowed another mouthful. "It's not bad it's just missing something though." Gabrielle raised her fork slightly. "You need to add just a little more dill." Xena raised an eyebrow. "Yeah that's it." She gave the younger woman a smile only to watch as she smiled back. Baldomero sneered slightly lowering his voice as he eyed them. "I think I'm going to be sick…." Itzli said nothing as he finished his meal then leaning back against the nearest tree. He eyed the captain he was a vile man and the kind of dirty thief his gods liked to tear apart. He breathed in deeply still it would only be a matter of time before that happened. The gold he'd taken from the dead grave yard would start to drive him insane soon enough.

He felt a cruel smile form on his lips when that moment came he'd have an excuse to put him out of misery. He turned slightly meeting the captain's gaze. "Though you deck yourself in jade and feathers you have only borrowed them, you will not wear them in the house of the dead." Gabrielle looked up sharply watching as Itzli's cruel smile widened. Baldomero turned sharply. "What the hell did he just sing to me!?" Gabrielle eyed Itzli for a long moment watching as he closed his eyes lying back against the tree. Xena turned to her lover feeling her gaze dart. "What did he say Gabrielle?" Gabrielle turned slightly finishing her last mouthful. "It was nothing he was just mocking the captains fear of death…."

8

Ares felt his eyes open slowly he was lying on the floor of a dark cave he could feel the heat of a fire burning. He sat up slightly seeing that his wounds had been wrapped up with bandages. His body still spiking with pain every time he moved, he groaned as he sat him self up as best he could. He had never felt so much pain.

"You shouldn't move around…it won't help you heal lesser god."

He turned sharply eyeing the goddess who was seated opposite the fire he narrowed his gaze watching as she picked up a black rock heating it till it was red hot in her hand before dropping it in to the dying fire which blasted up with flames. He watched as she pulled up a pan which was filled with bloody red meat then placed it on the hot rocks close by. "Who are you?" Chantico eyed the battered lesser god who was dressed in dark black leather sleeveless shirt which had studs of steel all over it, all of them decorative. He had black leather knee boots and dark leather trousers as well as a highly decorated thick leather belt which had steel patterns in it. On his wrists were black leather gauntlets with highly decorated steel patterns and red gem stone.

His skin was dark bronze in colour and he had dark brown eyes his hair was long and black and he had a dark black beard and sideburns he also had a silver earring. Around his neck was a chain with the symbol of the Egyptian goddess Isis and on his right hand was large silver ring. He was reassembly well built but nothing to shout about she'd seen far better. His appearance was all about power through the truth was it was useless here. She sneered meeting his gaze. "My name is Chantico you pathetic lesser god!" Ares snarled aloud as he put a hand on his neck only to feel no wounds where she had bitten him. Chantico looked up slightly. "Yes I bit you there lesser god be grateful I healed you after I finished drinking."

She pulled the meat off the pan seeing that it was sizzling she turned the pan to him. "Hungry?" Ares eyed her for a long moment. "I don't eat mortal food it disgusts me." Chantico sneered as she pulled the pan away. "Nether do I but unlike me you probably don't suffer from constant hunger." She turned pulling the medium rare llama meat free from the pan before biting down on it. Ares eyed the goddess again the long canine teeth on both her upper and lower jaw flashed in the fire light as she carried on tearing the bloody meat apart. He groaned in pain as he tried to move. "Why did you help me?" Chantico stopped ignoring the bland taste as she swallowed her mouth full. "I'm not helping you, I'm helping myself."

Her good green eye moved slightly. "You have blood and I need your blood it's that simple." She stood up slightly moving around the fire so she was standing over him. "Don't think I saved you because I care lesser god." She grabbed his head by the chin violently forcing his gaze to meet hers. "You should be happy that I found you though, Tezcatlipoca would have killed you slowly." She leaned down slightly tightening her grip. "He would have flayed the skin from your body then torn you apart piece by piece." Ares snarled aloud trying to free himself from her grip. "Who is Tezcatlipoca?" Chantico smirked slightly. "He's the one who blew your chariot out of the sky lesser god." She let go sharply as she eased her self up. "It was very entraining to watch."

She smiled evilly enjoying his look of annoyance. "What made it more amusing was your share arrogance when you were comparing Tezcatlipoca to that lesser weakling known as Anubis." Ares sneered slightly. "Anubis is no weakling." Chantico turned sharply. "Yes he is, and so are you!" She eyed him for a moment. "Truth is you all came from us, you're our decedents and you all have washed godly blood." She yanked his broad sword free looking at it. "What are you meant to be anyway, a god of war?" Ares tried to move only to feel more pain. "I am the god of war!" Chantico threw the weapon down in disgust. "You're a god of war how pitiful, as if you have the slightest concept of what being a god of war, is really all about." She kicked the sword hard watching as it hit the cave wall hard. "You're nothing but a pitiful lesser war god."

Ares looked up slightly. "Coming from a scared bitch like you, I find that amusing." Chantico didn't think as she slammed her hand around his throat. She squeezed tightly watching as his face turned to agony as he tried to breath "My scars are the price I paid to survive another god's wrath!" She leaned closer. "I know that I'm not attractive to anyone, anymore!" She tightened her grip even more. "I also don't need reminding of that fact ether by a weakling like you." She leaned closer. "I may not be as powerful as the other gods or as strong but I still have more than enough power to kill you lesser war god!" Ares didn't get a chance to think as her fist slammed in to his face, he hit the floor feeling the pain burn through his body as all his wounds screamed at once. He felt the blood as it ran down his chin. He looked up watching as she walked away her good eye darted as she turned to the fire. Hot magma and fire burst through her fingers hitting the fire causing it to blast skywards.

8

Huitzilopochtli slowly sat back on his gold throne his amber coloured gaze drifted slightly. His huge golden and white feathered headdress swayed as he shifted slightly on his throne. Beautiful gold and silver gauntlets covered his wrists. He wore a jade and gemstone collar which was embroiled in gold and silver patterns. A long gold and silver handing cloth hung down it was held up by a beautiful jade and gold belt which had yellow leather entwined in to it. His yellow sandals had, had the same beautiful silver embroilments. He was a well muscled man who stood about six foot in height. His body was bleached bronze. His wavy black hair was medium length and just touched his shoulder.

He looked as though he was in his early thirties and despite the long scars all over his body which he'd never considered a turn off he felt that he was gentle in appearance. He had a dark eyebrows and a very square face but he never showed any aggression in it. In his view his aggression should only be shown to his enemies never his people. Like all the human gods he had the overly long canine teeth on his upper jaw, which could be used if the need for blood was desperate. He'd never cared for killing mortals to drink from them, though he liked them to allow him to drink from them. Plus it meant that he could indulge in fun sexual games and make it fun and pleasurable for them and well as for himself.

He wanted them just to be happy and feel no fear in his presence and he liked to make sure that he healed his bite marks afterwards. He turned slowly watching as a white robed young woman gently placed a tray of fruit next to him. He smiled slightly. "Thank you." She gave him a slight smile as she bowed stepping back. He slowly raised his hand taking her arm. "Don't leave sweet thing." He gently pulled her around so she was sitting on his knee. "Tell me how are things in my city?" The young woman looked down slightly. "Why would you ask me, I'm not a warrior great sun god?" Huitzilopochtli raised his hand running it gently across her cheek. "My warriors tell me that everything is always fine, but my warriors are merely the flesh and bone that keeps my city alive. " He smiled showing of his long upper canine teeth. "The people are its heart which needs to be kept happy and beating."

He looked down slightly the young woman was only nineteen seasons of age. She had that simple innocence which he'd always liked to see in his people. Her eyes moved meeting his. "Your people love you mighty sun god you brings us prosperity and you take care of us…you do not bring the terrors that the others gods do." Huitzilopochtli gently ran his hand through her hair. "People should not live in fear…fear does not make cities thrive it breaks their heart." He smiled slightly picking up a battered scroll which was on his throne side table putting it in her hands. "Would you please read this to me?" He watched as she opened it he raised his hand over it watching as the Greek words changed so she could read them. The young girl smiled as her eyes scanned the words. "I can try great sun god…my reading isn't that good I haven't finished my priestess training yet." Huitzilopochtli felt his smile widen. "I'm sure you'll say the words beautifully you have a very sweet voice, I feel honoured that it will one day grace my temples." The girl blushed slightly in embarrassment as her eyes turned to the words her voice hitting the air.

There's a moment when I look at you

And no speech is left in me.

My tongue breaks.

Then fire races under my skin and I tremble.

And grow pale for I am dying of such love

Or so it seems to me.

The young girl pulled back looking at the words again. "It's a beautiful poem, who wrote it?" Huitzilopochtli smiled as he sat back. "I don't know who wrote it the owners name has faded away, but I know who it belonged to. It was the Blood Jaguar's and I believe someone wrote it for her to show their undying love." The young woman smiled. "It's very romantic." Huitzilopochtli nodded calmly. "Yes, it is." His gaze turned slowly to all the armours which were on display in his keeps armoury room which was opposite his bedchamber. He had armour from all over the word here all of it from his travels from when he'd been a very young violent war god, who had believed that conquering nations could make him complete.

He had watched warriors fight all over the world and yet he found himself feeling empty when he'd returned to Mexica. In his moment of depression and despair he had come to realise that despite he knowledge of weapons, skill, and battle, he had no understanding of peace. He'd spent nearly all his life believing that to conquer would bring peace only to realize that all it brought was resentment, slavery along with suffering and hated. He watched the other gods do this only to feel pity for their people it was only then that he'd taken it up on him self to start the build of his grand city and his grand Hummingbird army. Of all the thing he was proud of it was his city and the Hummingbird heaven which he'd created so his people would have an after life that was a paradise warrior or not.

His gaze shifted back to the main keep and to the one set of war clothes which weren't in his armoury. The Eagle warriors mask hung on the stand with red orange and yellow feathers which remained still. The gold plated beak still gleamed and the red jewelled eyes sparkled in the fire light. He'd replaced some of the feathers to give it back its former glory when he found it. A bodice hung bellow it, the bodice was made from yellow, orange and red woven leather it was in perfect condition as were its leather shoulder straps. Bellow the bodice hung a knee high skirt it was made of beautiful red and black velvet material. A black leather belt with steel patterns had been placed above it.

At the foot of the display sat the dark brown battered boots which were front lacing, unlike the rest of the beautiful out fit they weren't in as good a shape. The tread was coming loose and soils were worn down from over use. The leather holders for the claws were also spitting, not that any of this mattered to him. He adored the Blood Jaguar, who was the owner of these clothes so much she was beautiful violent and with out fear. She was a truly relentless warrior, who never wavered in her pursuits. Some called her selfish others called her an animal but he admired her with a passion. To think that one little mortal could break the order of the gods it was such a surprising thing to see.

He had been so saddened by her disappearance she had vanished in the height of her fame going back to Greece. Even when he'd spoken to her he had found himself blown away be her lack of fear. He had said that he would help her at any time, all she had to do is call his name and when she did he would make her his own. He smiled slightly what he wouldn't give to hold her to kiss her to make her his own. He'd pay any price to have her as a lover. He smiled as he looked at the girl sitting on his knee. "One day I'm sure the Blood Jaguar will return and all will kneel before her in my city." The young woman smiled slightly. "I'm sure she will come back to your great city sun god." Huitzilopochtli smiled as he pulled her shoulder strap down slightly. "Please may I drink from you? It'll only sting a little and I'll heal your wound."

The girl smiled slightly. "My blood is yours." He smiled as he slowly bit down on her shoulder he heard her take in a sharp breath no doubt from the pain of his canine teeth digging in. He swallowed as he tasted the sweet blood he slowly pulled away running his hand along her bleeding shoulder watching as it healed up instantly. "Thank you." He put the scroll back on his tableside as eased her off his knee gently. "You should run along I'm sure my head priests are worried about where you've gotten to." The young girl gave him a slightly confused look. "Does my presence displease you?" Huitzilopochtli smiled slightly. "No your presence does nothing of the sort its just your god needs to think." He watched as she smiled then bowed before leaving the room. He felt himself breath in sharply normally he would have taken a girl like that to his bedchamber. He sighed aloud the truth was his mind was still focused on the Blood Jaguar he just couldn't get her face out of his mind, the more he thought about her the more he wanted her.

End of part 21

Silvermoonlight.

The words though you deck yourself in jade and feathers you have only borrowed them, you will not wear them in the house of the dead are from an Aztec poem called The Tree Of Life. The other poem that might be recognisable is the one the sun god asked the young girl to read. It was Xena's gift to Gabrielle in the episode Many Happy Returns.