WHERE THE DARKNESS AND LIGHT COLLIDE
Xena could feel her heart pounding in side her chest as she turned the corner of the street closely followed by Itzli. Huitzilopochtli was walking with her but so far he hadn't said anything. Not that she really expected him to but may be some part of her had, for some strange reason. He'd teleported her to the top of the building closest to the main market. He'd had to take the two shots despite not having a full field of vision and she'd seen the tension in his face as he thrown the two small golden fireballs. As far as she could tell at least one shot had hit the mark the other she wasn't sure about. They'd both seen the serpent fall but it from such a great distance that it was difficult to tell if they had killed it or if something else had.
He'd had to take the shot this way because he was trying to avoid any one else in his city getting hurt. She could now see people fleeing in all directions, the fear in their eyes. She took a deep breath something in the pit of her stomach was telling her that what ever was around the next corner wasn't going to be good. No that was wrong it wasn't the feeling of it not being good it was the feeling that she was sensing something familiar and yet very unfamiliar at the same time. It made no it felt very much like the sensation she'd felt when Gabrielle had been a werewolf but at the same time it didn't it was darker and almost inhuman.
She looked up slowly watching as more people flooded out through the narrow streets. Men woman and children as well as warriors all were running away from the main square in the distance. She couldn't hear the snake though not a hiss or even the sound of its body moving, but she could hear something else though. She looked up as a long drawn out roar which sounded like an animals hit the air. She felt herself stopping still on the spot she knew that sound, gods did she know that sound. She'd never expected to hear it again, when Gabrielle had been a werewolf that deep powerful roar had become something she'd gotten very used to.
She knew the sound and even the furious expression her lover pulled when she looked at someone in that form when they angered her. The way her jaws opened showing of all her razor sharp white teeth and how she pulled her lips up on both sides showing her upper gums. She could even remember how her lover's long ears lowered as she shook her mane of fur. The memory of her lover in this form standing over her, her seven foot tall height shadowing her was so memorable. It had been out love and protection as they'd looked out over the fort in Messene all that time ago. Gabrielle had used her in human strength to protect her from harm and to save her life more than once.
Oddly enough it felt like another life time ago even though it had been no more than four months ago. May be it felt different because she now felt differently about her relationship with Gabrielle. She'd felt that things had been changing and for the better but a part of her now knew that everything regarding Mexica hadn't been fully resolved. She breathed in deeply trying to catch her breath her body was still aching painfully. She'd caught the dark look in her lover's eyes from time to time when Mexica had been mentioned but she just hadn't asked the right questions regarding it or taken any time to try and help the younger woman regarding the issue until now.
Itzli came to a stop putting a hand on Xena's shoulder. "Are you okay?" Xena felt her eyes dart as she snapping out of her thoughts in an instant. In all honesty she didn't feel okay right now for more reason than she could count. She didn't want to talk about any off it right now to anyone. "I'm fine." Huitzilopochtli stopped as he turned to look at the Warrior Princess who was trying to catch her breath again. He heard the long drawn out roar once again it wasn't the snake the sound was wrong. He turned watching back as Xena started moving again. "What is that?" Xena picked up her pace ignoring the pain in her feet. "I know what it is."
She watched as Itzli came closer. "It's Gabrielle." Huitzilopochtli turned sharply. "You are sure of that?" Xena looked up slowly. "I'm positive." Huitzilopochtli breathed in sharply as he eased up his hand. "Tell me how did Gabrielle become this werewolf creature you refer to as Horn Hind?" He narrowed his gaze true he was making small talk but a part of him felt it only right to speak to her. Xena eyed him for a long moment. "It's a very long story." Huitzilopochtli carried on walking. "Then I am sure that you will be able to tell it to me when all this is over and done with." Xena ignored the dull pain as it shot through her lower back. "Perhaps…." She turned as the central square came fully in to view hearing the roar hit the air again as causing her to slow down.
There was a huge crash which echoed through the air, every part of her felt tense and being in so much pain didn't help. She could see even from a distance that the square was empty. She leaned forward she could see what looked like the snakes head lying in a pool of blood close by its whole head burnt. On top of that she could just about make out a number of warriors who were fleeing in to the houses. They'd dropped the chains and ropes which were now littering the floor. She could see what looked like a huge sunstone floor symbol that resembled the one on the fertility goddess pendent which was still around her neck. Huitzilopochtli raised his hand the main market was a mess and there was blood everywhere the only thing that was good about any of this was the dead serpent. The monsters body was lying sideways its head had destroyed a house on the way down and stone and wood were littering the floor all around its body.
8
Gabrielle felt the pain as her counterpart's claws slashed across her other leg, causing intense stinging pain. She winced pulling back even for a glancing blow it hurt. She didn't get a chance to move as the other heavy fist smashed it in to her mid section. She was tossed up in to the air, only to feel the pain as she came down hard crashing in to the market stall. She watched as food flew through the air all around her as she lay on the table part of the stall trying to take the pain. She didn't get a chance to move as the clawed hand came down hard on her shirt it dragged her off the stall pulling her in to mid air. Every thing turned to blinding pain again as she was thrown in to the abounded stall opposite breaking it with the force of her wings as she tried to protect herself.
She lay on the floor keeping a tight grip on her weapon she felt the pain as she was grabbed by leg and dragged off the floor so that she was hanging upside down in mid air. Blood Jaguar felt a cruel smile form, oh what fun this was, it was easy and from what she could tell her counterpart wasn't fighting back. She didn't think as she threw the golden haired woman at the solid wall of a house watching as she smashed in to it side first before hitting the ground. The golden haired woman struggled to get on to her knees she didn't think as she brought down her fist smashing it in to her face which caused blood to fly through her teeth.
Her counterpart was so pathetic, she knew how to fight she'd seen it on the battle field from where she'd watched her from a distance hidden from sight. Yet now she had no will to even try to fight back instead she had just dodged her most of the time or defended herself. May be the truth was that her counterpart knew she couldn't win and therefore she didn't want to try. She watched as her counterpart stumbled back before hitting the ground hard on her backside holding her jaw. She brought up her foot smashing in to her lower body causing her to be thrown in to the market stall opposite causing more food to fly through the air. The warriors who'd brought the chains and rope had been utter cowards as soon as the fight had started they had fled.
She eyed one of the thick chains in disgust as she kicked it out of the way, some how she had expected them to a least fight for the good side. She heard an agonizing groan from counterpart as she came towards her, she watched as the angel dragged her self off the stall her wings shaking slightly, so many ways to tear her apart and yet she had so little time. She leaned down grabbing her by the hair pulling her up savagely death was never long enough to satisfy her. She brought up her knee smashing it in to her counterpart's mid section hearing her scream in agony, she didn't think as she did it again only much harder. She let go of her counterpart watching as she barrel rolled in mid air before smashing in to the ground on her front.
Gabrielle breathed in deeply trying to take the pain gods everything hurt so much, she gripped her sai blades tighter as she tried to get up. She was loosing this fight she could feel it. Everything hurt and she could taste blood in her mouth, as well as feel it running down from the deep wounds on her body. If she had been alive she knew in this instant that she might be dying, but the fact that she wasn't alive meant that she was still breathing. All her thoughts were cut off as she felt the clawed foot slammed in to her back with immense force. She could feel the pressure and the pain as her counterpart started to push down between her wings.
The long claws dug in as her counterpart used her weight and her seven foot frame to force downwards causing her to scream. She pulled out her wings only for them to be grabbed by both clawed hands which pried them apart with ease. She felt her teeth grinding together she wanted to scream, the only thing stopping her was her need to get out of this trap. Blood Jaguar smiled watching as the blood started to run free under her clawed foot she pushed down even harder she was going to break the little weakling's spine. She closed her hands around the muscles on the angels wings which gave her counterpart the ability to fold her them enjoying the scream of agony as it hit the air, all she had to do was squeeze and she'd break her wings as well!
"Let her go!"
Blood Jaguar turned slightly stopping in mid motion she knew that voice. She let go of her counter part in one swift motion as she turned slowly to meet the light blue eyes which were staring back at her their raw anger showing. She felt a cruel smile start to form she turned slightly as her counterpart began to crawl away the pain showing in her face. Xena felt the breath leave her as she stared in to the face of the werewolf in front of her, it wasn't Horn Hind. A part of her had wanted it to be as she entered the main square. May be because in her minds eyes she could blame this evil monster as being something else and not Gabrielle, but she could now see that this wasn't Horn Hind and no amount of wishing would ever make it Horn Hind.
The fur was as red as flames and although the body was a near identical copy of Gabrielle's werewolf form the double canine teeth on the upper and lower jaw as well as the torn skin which was showing of the muscle underneath made it all to clear that this was not that form. The terrifying black bull horns which both had another horn sticking out off them made it even more so. She could see the one good glowing green eye looking at her while the other which was milky white and stared in to nothingness had a long scar running down it. She could see now that all these wounds which were open were the wounds that Gabrielle had reserved at the top of Tezcatlipoca's temple right before her death.
The only thing that wasn't one of those wounds was the broken horn on the right side. When Gabrielle had been possessed by Horn Hind and she had been taken over by Iseron the other Titan armour they had both fought each other. During the battle she'd smashed Gabrielle's right deer horn or so everyone had told her. Obviously this being had different horns but the broken one had remained. She found her self looking up as the huge horned werewolf stepped forward so it was towered over her. She could smell the fur which had a very musky odour to it. She watched in silence as one of the huge clawed hands rose while an evil smile formed on the huge jaws. The one good eye looked at her for a long moment.
Xena blinked as Gabrielle's voice hit the air as the werewolf spoke it was a much deeper pitch than her lover's normal tone. "Hello Xena." She looked down slightly Gabrielle had started talking in that deeper pitch because she'd felt that no one ever took her seriously. She'd also done it during the time when she'd been pregnant with Eve. She had no doubt seen herself as the protector and would do any thing to help. The truth was she had never needed to change her voice because people did take her seriously it was just that she'd never taken the time to tell her. She looked up again meeting the good glowing eye which was Gabrielle's in every sense, as werewolves always had the same coloured eyes as they did in their human form.
She couldn't get over how insane this one good eye looked. She took another deep breath trying to think of some thing to say to this part that was Gabrielle. Blood Jaguar sneered as she eyed the tall dark haired woman she could already see Itzli and the sun god who had now appeared, no doubt Xena had run ahead not realizing what she'd find. She raised her clawed hand higher. "I'm not what you expected am I?" Xena looked up slowly. "No your not." Blood Jaguar smiled sniffing the air oh yes she could smell the sweat and dried blood all over the dark haired woman it was pleasurable as was seeing it on her body. She eased up a clawed finger poking it in to the woman's leather clad mid section. "Looks like you've been fighting."
Xena raised an eyebrow as she looked up again keeping her voice even. "Yes I have." Blood Jaguar smirked as she side stepped the dark haired woman. "Let me guess you came here because you need to have sex with me, so you can get rid of your pent up frustration?" Xena turned sharply eyeing the werewolf she had not expected those words or the venom in them. Blood Jaguar watched as her counter part stepped back further. "That is my only use to you is it not?" She felt her hand form a fist. "When you were normally out playing hero, I was always just there to fill you're after battle needs." She laughed enjoying the mocking sound. "How the real Gabrielle ever put up with you I will never know." She leaned forward snarling aloud. "I would never put up with your impulsive and annoying behaviour."
She leaned closer to Xena's ear. "Nor your constant bravado and your irritating belief that your always right and every one else is wrong. Your such an arrogant unworthy bitch" Xena looked up slightly meeting the one good glowing eye, she'd heard this once already to day but to hear it spoken by her lover hurt so much more. Even if she wanted to deny that this wasn't Gabrielle she knew that it was. She took in a sharp breath watching as the light streamed out from the good eye she was finding it difficult to speak. "You tried to hurt one of the servant girls, you tried to force yourself up on her…why did you do that? You're not like that!" Blood Jaguar laughed ignoring the shock on Itzli's face as he stared at her. "Because I can."
She raised her clawed hand moving her fingers. "If you care for nice qualities then you're obviously thinking of my weakling counterpart." Xena turned watching as the blonde haired woman close by stood up. She felt her heart skip a beat as the huge wings pulled back with all their beautiful gleaming colours. She wanted to just stare at the other half of Gabrielle but she knew that she couldn't allow the werewolf in front of her to witness any form of love as it may be construed as weakness. She stepped forward meeting the werewolf good eye once more. "Have you always been part of my Gabrielle?" Blood Jaguar sneered in disgust. "Yes I have."
Xena looked at her for a long moment she could see in the good eye that this was not a lie it was spoken with proud conviction. Blood Jaguar raised her clawed hand higher. "As much as you'd like to say that I don't exist or don't deserve to you'd be wrong in your conviction. Just as you're wrong in believing that I will listen to a word you have to say right now." She stepped side ways eyeing her. "Because you probably believe in your small pathetic mind that I have no right to exist because I'm not the nice part that you love because I do things which no doubt disgust you. Which is all the more amusing because I'm sure that you did much worse during your warlord days therefore you have no right to judge my actions."
Xena folded her arms. "I never tried to force young women to sleep with me." Blood Jaguar looked down slightly. "No but I am sure that you slept with many men and women regardless of whether they wanted to have sex with you, so what's the difference?" She sniggered slightly. "The world is ruled by the strong Xena you know that better than anyone." Xena narrowed her gaze. "I don't believe in that anymore." Blood Jaguar felt her teeth grind together. "You're lying if you didn't believe that then you wouldn't have tried to drag the real Gabrielle to her death." She lowered her ears slightly. "It was just another drop in the ocean for you, another act of violence that can be added to your very long list."
She rose her clawed hand higher using to ease up some of the dark black hair watching as it spilt through her fingers. "I have no doubt that if you had the real Gabrielle you'd still end up hurting her with another act of violence in time to come. You should be grateful that this has happened and that I'm this way, because it spares you any pain and regret." Xena sharply turned to look at the werewolf. "I'm not like that anymore I would not hurt her again." Blood Jaguar felt a cold smile form. "You can no more change your nature than I can stop hurting people it's the way we both are." Xena felt all her fear leave her in an instant as she heard the painful catch in the werewolf's voice.
It was a very recognisable catch, which was so Gabrielle in a shocking instant everything became crystal clear. This was Gabrielle true it was her worst qualities but it also included in these traits was her sadness. That notion surprised her even more yet it made perfect sense, may be both beings carried a very different version of sadness and possibly anger. No there was more it just hadn't occurred to her till now, this werewolf version was no doubt carrying all her lover's self pity and insecurities. If she knew her lover the way she thought she did then these insecurities came with much deeper issues. Not all off which had been resolved over the years a part of her now wished she'd tried harder to resolve them.
There was the desire to be liked and wanted and to be more protective, and to be able to perform well on the battle field and in the bedroom. As well as the ultimate driving force of her lover's soul which was the burning desire to be loved and a deep need for affection. She looked up seeing a hint of pain in the one glowing green eye while the other stared in to nothingness. She was going about this all wrong she was showing tenseness to this werewolf which was just what it expected. She felt her eyes dart for a moment as she spoke. "Do you love me?" Blood Jaguar looked at her in surprise the question made her feel out of her depth. She didn't think as she roared in the dark haired woman's face causing her hair to be blown back. "No I don't love you why would I care about a whore like you?!"
Xena stepped forward watching as the werewolf instantly stepped back. "Your lying do you think I haven't seen that look you just gave in my Gabrielle's eyes before today?" Blood Jaguar snarled listening to the inhuman sound. "I'm not Gabrielle! My name is Blood Jaguar!" Xena looked at her for a long moment. "Blood Jaguar is Gabrielle your one and the same." Blood Jaguar snorted in disgust. "You keep telling yourself that, you might one day come believe it." Xena took a deep breath she could see Itzli close by. The sun god was watching in silence as was the angelic counterpart who was saying nothing but watching her intensely. The look on her face was one which said that she trying to remember her.
She'd talk to the angel when the time was right but right this second this werewolf was more important. She eased up her hand watching as the clawed hand tensed. "You don't have to lie to me Blood Jaguar." She eased her fingers closer to the long snout hearing the deep breathing. "You don't have to feel this way." Blood Jaguar narrowed her good eye. "Why should I love you? You caused the real Gabrielle nothing but pain." Xena looked up staring at her intensely. "Because I love you…." Blood Jaguar sneered as she side stepped her avoiding Xena's hand. "Don't make me laugh, you don't love me!" She raised her clawed hand eyeing her counterpart. "You love her! You'll always love her!" Xena shook her head feeling a calm take over as she spoke. "No your wrong you make the mistake of believing that I love her but the truth is I love both of you."
She looked down slightly. "My Gabrielle wouldn't be the person she is with out ether of you." She stepped forward watching as Blood Jaguar stepped back the rage showing in her face. "You're her strength, her unbreakable will, your full of her insecurities and you carry her sadness as well as her drive for pleasure." She felt a smile form. "You even carry the werewolf face that I came to love." She turned watching as the angel moved a step closer she looked up again meeting the one good glowing green eye. "Despite what you are and how you look I can't love you any less. I always promised my Gabrielle that I would love her even if she became evil and I will keep that promise now." She turned to angel whose wounds were slowly starting to heal up. "I love you just the same."
She raised her hand. "You're her selfless love, devotion, and courage the part of her that gives just to helps others and loves me even for my faults." She felt her smile widen. "If she wasn't who she is I wouldn't be who I am, that is why I love both of you." Blood Jaguar roared in anger as she eyed the tall dark haired woman. "Bravo a very flattering speech but it won't save you from me." She stepped forward recomposing herself. "Unlike the angelic fool behind us I know this is just a ploy to get me to stop." She felt her clawed foot scratch the floor. She could see the small Aztec bag over the woman's left shoulder. "I know you have your real Gabrielle's skull in that bag and your going to give to me right now or I'm going to rip out your insides and wrap them around your neck!"
End of part 79
Silvermoonlight
