AS SOME THINGS ARE LOST OTHERS ARE GAINED

Xochiquetzal leaned back in her throne looking at the smashed table for a long moment. She needed to tell Chantico that her city had been rebuilt and that she had an army at her disposal. She wasn't sure were to start with anything right now, every time she wanted to say anything she seemed to have trouble with the words. She could see the other woman drinking blood from a bowl which one of her servants had brought in. One thing she had noticing was how thirsty the other goddess was. Her body had been starved for a very long time it was probably one of the reasons she was so moody. True she'd always been slightly temperamental but now that was even more so.

To go with out blood for a long as she had must have been terrible starving for blood was the worst feeling in the world. She'd had to go without it for a long period once. It had made her godly body feel weak and drinking was all she could think about, when her stomach wasn't screaming to be fed, she had also found it impossible to sleep. That was one thing that set all the gods in these lands apart from the others gods every now and again they needed to sleep. This sleep was always needed ether after fights and drinking to much blood. True it was a very mortal thing to do but it always made you wake you feeling so much more alive than before.

She looked at Chantico again the god of wars blood hadn't done her much good ether despite giving her back her full strength. His blood could put other gods on violent highs but once they came down from it, it made them very worn down. She looked up watching as her head warrior walked in to the inner keep. Ohtli came to a stop meeting his goddess's violet gaze. "I am sorry to disturb you great goddess I have something to report." He turned looking at the other goddess who carried on drinking. "I am happy that you have both been united at last." Xochiquetzal felt her smile widen her elite warrior was ever the gentleman.

She leaned back in her throne but that was the reason he was head of her army, his gentle ideals were respected by the other warriors. He had come from such a poor background an abounded child who had wandered in to her city from Itzpapalotl's region. His village had been burnt down his family killed. He had been a terrified child who wouldn't look anyone in the eyes. She could remember the day he had been brought in to her main keep, she believed that orphans of war should be loved and looked after. She had a building near next to her temple dedicated to orphans. These children were looked after by the priests and priestess, until they became old enough to choose their own path in life.

All children orphan or not got a chance to see her in her main keep she considered it a custom. Her first meeting with Ohtli had been so memorable though, all the other children had been awe struck as she'd stood over them smiling down but he had cowered away not daring to look at her. She had kneeled down in front of him gently lifting his head only to see terror in his eyes. She had understood were all his terror had come from the moment she'd read his thoughts. He had seen Itzpapalotl walk in to his village with her warriors his village had all refused to hand over their children for sacrifice. Itzpapalotl warriors had killed everyone men, women and children he was the only one who had survived, despite being beaten almost to death by her vile warriors, this had made her hate the underworld goddess all the more.

Ohtli's terror showed how disgusting a person she was and how she had no respect for any living thing. Children were things to her thing which she could hurt harm and use. It took a truly disgusting mind to go to those lengths, in front of her had been a soul survivor of her malice and cruelty and it made her feel truly sad. She had smiled stroking his hair very gently only to see him look up a little then look down. The priestess who was looking after him had said that he didn't speak and hadn't since he'd been found. She'd felt sorry for him and had asked that he be given a small job which was just to bring her some fruit. It had been hard at first he never spoke despite that she spoke to him.

Then one day he'd finally spoken saying here's your fruit, very few words but words none the less. Over time they'd started talking to each other and he spent much more time in her company. She watched as he'd grown from a boy in to a young man. Then finally in to a very strong warrior, who was both skilled and clever and who had the admiration of others. It was only fitting that he became the head warrior when his processor retired which she'd known would happen as he was starting to feel his age. It was only right that he spent his last years peacefully and with his family. He'd also wanted Ohtli to take his place and had even put it forward to her before he'd stepped down.

She had come to considered Ohtli a friend and her closest ear, he'd always tried to help her and he was loyal to her without question. Most of all she knew she could always count on him. She felt bad that he'd had to suffer during her depression and that he had been on the receiving end of her anger most of the time, it was another wrong which she needed to put right. She looked up meeting his calm eyes. "What have you to report?" Ohtli bowed his head slightly. "I wanted to report to you that the Star Coyote was seen entering the city of the gods with an un-dead warrior. I felt you should know this because of what happened to the Blood Jaguar." He shook his head sadly. "I like many others hope that Xena will succeed in her mission to retrieve her stolen soul."

Xochiquetzal looked up slowly. "Thank you for this information." Ohtli nodded calmly. "You're very welcome." Xochiquetzal breathed in deeply as she put her hand together watching as Chantico finished her bowl then slowly turned to look at her. "Ohtli you've always been loyal to me and I realize that I've put you through a lot these past few months." Ohtli felt his smile widen. "I live to serve you I understand that you have been unhappy." He turned to Chantico. "I'm just glad that you have returned to her you make her very happy." Chantico licked her teeth as she swallowed the last mouthful she eyed the warrior who just smiled at her. Xochiquetzal turned looking at Chantico. "Yes she does, thank you Ohtli."

Ohtli stood up slightly. "I hope that you both succeed in having the child you were trying for." Xochiquetzal couldn't stop her laugher as she looked at the Chantico's stunned face. It took the green eyed woman a long moment to recompose herself she turned back to Ohtli who was looking up. "I'm sure we will." Ohtli looked down slightly. "I saw your brother Xochipilli he told me to tell you that he's leaving now." Xochiquetzal breathed in deeply. "I see." Ohtli bowed his head again. "I will leave you both alone now." Xochiquetzal smiled inwardly as he slowly moved up the inner keeps steps. She turned watching as Chantico leaned against her throne.

Chantico watched as Ohtli vanished from site. "Your head warrior annoys me." Xochiquetzal gently put her hand on the other woman's. "You shouldn't pay any mind to him, he means you no harm." Chantico felt the other woman's hand as it ran through her hair. "If you want, we can both go after your brother I'd understand and I'd help you with out question." Xochiquetzal sat up gently kissing the side of the other woman's face. "I missed you so much." Chantico breathed in deeply she said nothing as she leaned forward feeling the other woman's hand run through her hair in gentle motions. "As I said before there is nothing I wouldn't do for you. All you have to do is ask it of me."

Xochiquetzal looked up slowly. "Please don't leave me again." Chantico eased up her hand running it through the other woman's hair. "I'm sorry for leaving you." She lowered her gaze sadly. "I thought I'd failed you and I hated myself for it." Xochiquetzal put both hands on the other woman's face. "Please stop saying that you didn't fail me." She gently kissed her again. "You could never fail me." Chantico watched as the other woman slowly stood up. She could feel a painful knot forming in her stomach. She breathed in not being able to stop the tears as they started to spill down her face. "I wanted to free you from him and I couldn't. He did terrible things to you and I couldn't stop him."

Xochiquetzal gently put her arms around the taller woman the truth was this had pain had been building for a long time and it had finally come out now. She held the other woman tighter feeling her cry against her shoulder. She gently ran her hand through her hair, Chantico was always so proud in the face of others. Yet underneath it all she was so vulnerable, always wanting to help her, always feeling the need to do the right thing. She leaned closer to her ear. "You've always done kind things for me. You've always looked after me it's one the reason I fell in love you with you. Most of the gods have treated me like a possession or a lesser you treated me as a friend."

She held her tighter. "You listened to me when I had things which were private, which I just couldn't talk with my brother about." She gently eased up the other woman's face with her hands watching as the tears carried on falling from her one good eye. "I can't change the past and I can't take away what's happened. I just want us move forward now but I know it's going to take time." She looked down sadly. "All I want is for you to stay with me." She ran her finger gently down the long scar. "Please promise that you'll stay with me so we can work this out?" Chantico took in a deep breath as she took hold of the other woman's hand, if anything the fertility goddess was right about moving forward.

In truth she had been so afraid of this moment, she had been unsure about everything and where they would both go after all this was over. She breathed out deeply as she eased up the other woman's hand kissing it, she could hear the nervousness in her voice as she spoke. "You really want me to stay?" Xochiquetzal looked up meeting her good eye. "Yes I want you to stay." Chantico felt a smile form she tried to make it as truly charming as she could. "Then I'll stay." Xochiquetzal leaned against her shoulder feeling the strong arms wrap around her. "Thank you for saying you'll stay." Chantico felt her eyes close she could feel herself getting lost in the moment. She breathed in holding the other woman tighter, at the end of the day this was all she wanted.

8

Coaxoch turned another corner watching as Ahexotl followed he breathed in deeply putting his hand on the wall. They were so close to finding the Blood Jaguar he could track her presence now very easily. She seemed to be moving from street to street which was very odd she wasn't flying at all which surprised him. He turned in to the small food market place one of two in this area only to be met with more commotion from people who looked afraid. One of the market stalls had been tipped over and another had been broken. There was a stall keeper who was being helped up, he had blood flowing down his face from were he'd been hit. Ahexotl sighed as he shook his head. "Great it looks like she's having fun."

Coaxoch breathed in deeply moving towards the people who all turned in his direction. He could a number of warriors running in to the square concern written all of their faces as they came to a stop taking in the scene. He slowly walked towards the man whose wife was cleaning his face with a damp cloth. "What happened here?" The white bearded man looked up his anger showing. "The Blood Jaguar is what happened!" He looked at his stall easing the damp cloth from his wife's hand. He looked around the room seeing the fallen table with its spilled contents. "She ruined my stall!" The other store keeper opposite snarled as she moved forward. "She ruined mine as well!"

Ahexotl raised his hands. "Your stores will be replaced and compensation given over your ruined food." He turned to the white bearded man only to stop as young middle aged woman ran towards them the panic in her eyes. "You have to help me! She took my daughter!" Coaxoch blinked as he looked at the woman he stepped towards her. "She took your daughter?" The woman nodded putting her hands together. "Yes she took her away! Please she really young and she didn't realize the danger." Ahexotl narrowed his gaze. "How old is your daughter?" The woman looked down slowly. "My daughters only eighteen seasons old she was talking to the Blood Jaguar, trying to reason with her. Then that violent monster took her!"

Coaxoch shook his head this was not good, why would the Blood Jaguar steal a young girl it made no sense? Nothing was making much sense anymore. The violent rage the lusting need for sex in the vision, it all felt like a different person even though it was with out a doubt the Blood Jaguar. He put a hand on his face. "Could someone please tell my how this all started?" The bearded man wiped the last of the blood of his face as he looked up. "She started eating from the stall opposite." He eyed the other store keeper. "She didn't like her food and decided to trash her stall. Oh and if it hasn't escaped your attention hummingbird warrior she's inhumanly strong she threw the stall up in the air like it was chair!"

He shook his head. "Then she came over to my stall, she wanted some of my raw meat I said I wouldn't give it to her. Well she then took it upon herself to hit me then do the same thing to my stall!" The woman opposite looked up sharply. "She took the meat from his stall and started eating it, that's when my daughter tried to reason with her." She shivered slightly. "She had this horrible insane look in her glowing eyes and she started looking at my daughter in a very odd way. She then told her that she'd play nice if she came with her and if anyone followed her she'd kill them!" She breathed in painfully. "My daughter went with her just so everyone here would be safe the Blood Jaguar looked like she was going to kill someone!"

Ahexotl put a hand gently on the mothers shoulder. "We will find your daughter we promise you that." He watched as she nodded before stepping back. He looked up eyeing the second store keeper who was cleaning her hands. "In which direction did she go?" The woman raised her hand slowly. "She was going towards the ruins of Mixcoatl's temple!" Coaxoch eyed the other warriors who had been listening. "Why are you here?" He watched as the lead female warrior came to stand next to him she kept her voice low as she spoke. "We were told to find the Blood Jaguar there have been another two incidents today." Coaxoch stepped away from the crowds watching as she followed him along with Ahexotl. "What happened?"

The young woman raised her axe slowly. "This morning the Blood Jaguar knocked out two warriors in the keep a hummingbird warrior and another woman who was the same rank as me. She also tried to force herself on to a servant girl." Coaxoch shook his head. "Force her self how?" The woman looked down slightly. "She wanted the girl to sleep with her." Ahexotl moved forward had he head that right? He stopped turning to face the female warrior. "She wanted to have sex with the girl?" The warrior nodded as she looked up. "In the second incident she was seen leaving a stone house in a mass of green flames. It broke the roof and caused it to fall inwards trapping two people. I've been told that it was the Warrior Princess and Itzli who were trapped in the rubble, both have now been taken to the main keep."

Ahexotl looked up slowly. "Well I guess we couldn't keep the Warrior Princess away for long, must have been Itzli's plan. Never did give that little bastard enough credit, he'll pay for this betrayal though." Coaxoch lowered his gaze. "He is an honourable man perhaps he feels that what he has done is for honour and that doesn't make it betrayal." Ahexotl snorted in disgust. "Yes well that means little when it comes to the sun god you know that, as well as I do. The man's made his grave he's now going to have to lie in it." Coaxoch raised his hand eyeing the young female lead warrior. "You and your group are to come with us I fear that, that girl who was taken may be in very serious trouble."

The young woman nodded. "We want to help this whole thing is confusing all of us." She shook her head. "I don't understand why she wanted food hummingbird warriors don't eat." Coaxoch breathed in deeply as he turned to the road ahead. "I want to know that as much as do, it almost seems as if her soul is coming apart." He turned eyeing the others warriors. "All of you come with me now to Mixcoatl's temple!" He felt his feet hit the floor hard as he broke in to a run he turned seeing that Ahexotl was following him. Ahexotl breathed in as they ran. "You think she's at the temple ruins?!" Coaxoch picked up his pace. "I would stake my soul on it!"

8

Gabrielle eyed the terrified girl in front of her who was shaking oh how she loved the smell of fear. "Pay me." The girl swallowed as she eased up a gold piece from her pocket. "It's all I have…please don't hurt me." Gabrielle didn't think as she smacked it out of her hand feeling her rage burn. "Don't act cute you know what I'm talking about!" The girl leaned against the ruins of the temple. "I don't understand." Gabrielle snarled as she slammed both her hands against the wall trapping the girl in place. "If you want to leave here alive then you'll take off your dress." She growled aloud as she eyed her seeing the realization in her wide eyes. "Yes that's right you're going to play with me."

The young girl swallowed. "I'm not in to that…kind of thing." Gabrielle leaned closer till she was almost touching her face. "Do I look to you like some one who cares about what your sexual preferences are?!" The young woman began to shiver. "Isn't there something else…I mean you're the mighty Blood Jaguar I thought you'd see reason?" Gabrielle didn't think as she grabbed her wrapping her hand around her throat, she pulled her put watching as her feet left the floor. "Do not test my patience if you haven't noticed I'm having a very bad day! I'm still hungry thanks to your friends in the market place!" She let go of her watching as she hit the floor hard on her backside.

She leaned down coming close to her face again. "The only reason you're still alive is because you're good looking, but don't think I won't kill you if you play games with me!" She kneeled down watching as the girl coughed trying to get her breath back. "Now do as I tell you before I rip out your in sides and wrap them around your beautiful little neck!" She watched as the young woman hands started to shake as she moved them towards her material ties. She turned sharply hearing heavy foot steps on the floor of the temple ruins. Some one was here, no correction there were a lot of people here. She didn't think as she pulled her weapon free, watching as the girl froze in terror she was getting sick of this!

Why wouldn't people just leave her alone, she wasn't doing anything wrong! She felt her fist tense who ever they were they weren't going to live to see the next days light she'd make sure of that. This temple unlike the other was more of a maze, she eyed the young girl feeling the burning need which caused her to tense painfully gods it was unbearable. All she wanted was release was that so much to ask?! She stood up catching sight of the axes poking out from the pillars and the shadows which could be seen because the sunlight a deep voice hit the air in the distance. "Let the girl go Blood Jaguar!" Gabrielle eyed the girl again before looking back they were trying to surround her. "Go to Tartarus!" She raised her weapon higher feeling the anger burn.

Ahexotl watched as the Blood Jaguar's eyes blasted up with green fire. He moved back behind the dark stone pillar which had once been part of the ancient temple. "She's got the girl and they were right, she does look insane." Coaxoch eased up his hand seeing the water near the edge of the city. He spoke again in a raised voice. "Come with us to the sun gods keep, you and your dog we'll help you!" Gabrielle moved forward eyeing the pillars shadows. "Stupid bastards does it look to you like I have a dog!?" She pulled up her weapon. "If I had one I'd break its neck the same way I'm going to break this girls if you don't back off!" Coaxoch blinked he raised his hand stopping everyone from moving that was very real threat he could see it in her glowing eyes.

Ahexotl turned sharply. "I don't get it where is the dog? Have you ever seen her without that dog?" Coaxoch breathed in deeply eyeing the Blood Jaguar again feeling the dark rage burn. "May be she gave it to some before she got here." Ahexotl raised his weapon higher. "She loves that dog though the little ankle biter loves her, it follows her around or so I've been told." Coaxoch put a hand on his chin. "That is her I sense it, none of this is making any sense." His words were cut off as a dark shadow appeared souring over head. What ever it was it was big if the shadow was anything to go by and it was about to land here. He watched in surprise as a long red feather fell from the sky landing near him. He leaned down slowly picking it up. "What in the world?" Ahexotl looked up just in time to see the huge wings as they came in to view. He watched as the huge form landed opposite the Blood Jaguar on its knees. He almost dropped his weapon as the massive wings slowly pulled back revealing what could only be described as a mirror image of the Blood jaguar only this one had huge eagle's wings on ether side of her shoulders which were a mix of red orange and green feathers.

End of part 72

Silvermoonlight.

Hi all, for any one who worked out what was really going on with nice Gabrielle and her opposite congrats to you. On another note I'm starting a new job which will mean that my updates might not be as frequent. I have no intention of stopping or being hindered by this and I'll always try my best updates.