GLEAMING SILVER SERENITY

Xena breathed in deeply walking through the gardens it was dusk and the sun was setting in the far distance. She eyed the scroll in her hand clearly there was a problem with the northern trading route though the explanation sounded insane. If this scroll was to be believed one of the trading roads had just collapsed. Part of a cobble road outside Thessaly had fallen inwards along with half the ground creating a huge gapping pit. She'd heard of this happening by the ocean along cliff walls but never in a central city. Trading merchants had to take a longer route to get in to the city and a bridge would now need to be built over the gapping pit which could properly be turned in to a lake.

She slowly rolled the scroll up she really wasn't in the mood for things like this right now. She turned catching sight of Gabrielle who was in werewolf form which surprised her. She was lying on her favourite lion statue looking out at the sky. It was strange to see her in this form now she had to confess. She only ever saw her this way late at night, the red light of the setting suns rays were bouncing off her fur lighting it up in a truly magnificent way causing the golden mane to gleam. The darkness was filling the fly above her it was that moment between the light darkness and light, the only time they were ever joined before one faded from the world and the other took over.

She eyed Gabrielle for a long moment she could see the horns which were now much bigger and had more sections all of which were still covered with thick brown velvet. The horns really did resemble a stags though, but not a mature stag more a young stag as they didn't have large heavy sections or any points. She moved towards her watching as she turned to face her, her green eyes catching the fading red sunlight for an instant causing a shimmer of lighter greens to appear in them as she spoke calmly. "Hello Xena." Xena felt a smile form. "Hello Gabrielle." Gabrielle shook her mane that was the first time Xena had used her name.

She wouldn't lie she hadn't wanted to hear it on her lips, but now she'd said it just felt right and she felt no need to comment on the fact that she'd forced her to use the title Horn Hind. Frankly they'd come to an understanding in these past few days and she really didn't want to stir up old emotions between them. Xena eyed the setting sun before turning back to her. "I had no idea you could transform at this hour I thought it was only at night." Gabrielle eased herself up in to a sitting position so she was looking down at her. "I can only transform as the suns setting and the darkness is drawing in on everything."

Xena lowered her gaze. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you." Gabrielle shifted slightly. "What's that?" Xena gaze drifted to the bone pendant around the thick furry neck. "I asked you this a long time ago, but you never got around to giving me an answer, so I wanted to ask you now, why do you worship the goddess Ouroboros?" Gabrielle raised a clawed hand. "Because I saw the shattering of the silver light." Xena blinked feeling the confusion take over. "What do mean by that, I don't understand?" Gabrielle slowly met the dark haired woman's confused gaze. "Shattering of the silver light is an ancient werewolf phase which isn't used much anymore, it means you've seen something incredible which you can't comprehend and have difficulty putting in to words."

She carried on staring in to other the woman's eyes intensely looking for any change. "I saw Ouroboros she appeared to me and from that day on I've always worshipped her." Xena looked up slowly. "I remember you saying that you threw away your craving of Aphrodite because you believed she'd abounded you." Gabrielle narrowed her gaze feeling her teeth grind together as she spoke unable to keep the anger out of her tone. "She did abandon me, I worshipped her for half my life but she didn't come to my aid when I got turned in to werewolf, she left me to rot." Xena raised her hands. "Please understand that I'm not against who you worship, just because I worship the Greek gods I would not expect anyone else to do so and I don't think any less of you for worshipping a different god to me."

She watched as Gabrielle lay back down on the marble lion so she was facing her, the anger vanishing from her eyes. "I'm just fascinated by the fact that you worship a goddess who very few people worship anymore and you saw her, do you know how unheard off that is? Even the Greek gods don't show themselves to mortals and yet this goddess revealed herself to you." Gabrielle put her head on her clawed hand. "Would you like me to tell you how I got this pendent?" Xena moved a step closer. "Yes I would very much like to hear about what happened." Gabrielle looked at her for a long moment somehow she hadn't expected the other woman to be this interested, she'd assumed that she'd have no interest once she'd said that she'd seen her goddess face to face.

She took in a deep breath she couldn't really back out of this conversation now she tapped her clawed fingers on the statues marble Xena's interest also seemed genuine. She didn't really tell people this story of what had happened that day mostly because she fully expected them to laugh at her or call her a liar as it was a very unbelievable moment in her life she looked up at the other woman speaking in a calm tone. "I was guarding the Grand City, it was just a routine mission nothing out of the normal."

8

Gabrielle pushed her clawed foot in to the human warrior's back harder hearing the cracking of his spine she lowered her ears ignoring his screaming. She could taste blood in her mouth, she'd never liked the taste of human blood it was vile. She turned spitting it out of her mouth as she leaned down grabbing him by the hair as she put her clawed hand under his neck. She closed her eyes for a spilt second then yanked hearing the violent crack as his neck broke killing him instantly. She hated the idea of playing with her opponent she'd never liked it, as far as she was concerned this was not her dinner, she'd lived in the wilderness she knew the difference. Unlike the others who seemed to just torment humans by tearing off their limbs or ripping out there insides while they were still breathing.

Her nineteenth birthday had passed her by uneventfully, not that she really cared anymore how old she was the time when she celebrated with her family around the table was long gone. It felt like a distant life which someone else had lived and not her, she breathed in deeply ignoring the screaming behind her as three men were torn limb from limp by the others. The only one who seemed to do what she did when she killed was Damokles his kills were very quick and clean. She breathed in deeply she'd realized the truth after finally seeing him in werewolf some months back, he was the one who had bitten her all that time ago, he recognised the huge black muscles and piecing blue eyes.

He had turned her in to this, but at this moment in time she felt truly conflicted, he had saved her from a fate worse than death, yet he'd forced her in to this life which she couldn't escape from. She wanted to hate him but at the same time she wanted thank him for sparing her indignity of become a slave. She stepped away from the dead body ignoring the others as she kept on ears up listening to night sounds of the forest. She wouldn't lie Damokles did tend to speak to her now and again when she was alone it was never personal chat but more formal and about her weapons and training. He didn't do that to the others in the unit, she didn't understand why he spoke to her this way she was well bellow his rank.

Saying that though he made a lot of effort when it came to his unit, he liked to get the others around a camp fire and have them celebrate when they did well, though she didn't like to join in. She didn't care for swilling down alcohol until the sun light hours. Alcohol did nothing for her it didn't even make her happy it never had it just made her think about things she'd rather forgot. She kicked the dirt with her clawed foot, come to think off it very little made her happy. She still had no friends here, though she did see the woman Iris in her off shifts now and again in both human and werewolf form when she wasn't working. They weren't friends as such but they had an understanding and talked to each other now and again. She took in a deep breath putting her bloody clawed hands on her bronze plate why did life just feel like an uphill struggle right now? She stopped as she caught sight of something lying in among one of the fallen warriors body parts. She walked over to it picking up carefully using on clawed thumb to wipe the blood away it was a pendent made of bone, with some kind of dragon eating its tail.

Clearly it had been stolen by the illegal slave traders who had made the serious mistake of stepping on to this land. She raised it up to the moonlight looking at it, only to freeze as a weird sensation went though her body it was like an intense vibration which felt like it was heating up her arm. She blinked trying to concentrate only to find it impossible as the feeling became stronger. She watched in shock as the world around her turned to darkness and the sound vanished. Two glowing green eyes opened in the darkness, she watched as silver plaited scales appeared as the huge dragons head loomed over her. It had two wide horns which were spit sectioned a huge mouth opened its massive teeth showing as the long ears pulled back. She couldn't see anything else the shadows hid it all apart from some of the long neck which had a huge silver and white mane of fur which went down from the top of the head stopping at the neck. The huge wolf like nostrils breathed in as the snake like tongue moved in the mouth. The glowing light green eyes narrowed as a godly female voice hit the air. "You call up on the goddess Ouroboros."

Gabrielle looked around her in confusion before turning back to the huge face realizing for the first time that she was in her human form and her hands were clear of blood and she was in her normal human armour with it leather skirt. "Are you going to kill me?" Ouroboros felt a smile form. "No child, I am here to give you an absolution, you believe the Greek gods cursed you and I agree they did curse you unfairly. You are a dreaming seer and you can be so much more than what you are now." Her long red tongue flicked out. "Always keep my pendent and I will bring you a great destiny greater than the goddess Aphrodite would ever give to you. I'll ensure that your name is talked about for eons among your race." Gabrielle narrowed her gaze she was truly talking to a goddess in every sense, she swallowed. "What's in it for you?"

The dragoness laughed slightly as she moved her head. "Clever Gabrielle, do you know that I went through a lot of trouble to get my true godly pendent to you, there are many copies but the one your holding is the true one, the one which talks to mortals. The last user who you killed didn't use it well he had no honour and squandered my help." Her huge neck turned. "You on the other hand do not squander your life, you are no slave trader you're a true warrior of honour who has a permanent scar to show her suffering. The Greek gods believe my time is over and I loath that notion. I'm older than them, I refuse to die out or fade away, I need someone to help me find a way back in to the minds and hearts of mortals."

She moved her huge head closer until she was within inches of the little mortals face. "You've lost everything your friends, your family, your humanity, even your name has now been deemed as dead in the mortal records. I know what it's like Gabrielle it is lonely in the shadows but if you help me I'll ensure that you find everything you desire I'll make it so the Greek gods will wish you'd been one of their worshippers." The light green eyes widen. "Put on my pendent when you awaken and become my eyes in the mortal world as I drive you soul to greatness, or drop my pendent and crawl back in to the darkness forever." Gabrielle blinked only to hear the sound rush back to her ears she looked around her realizing that everything was back to normal and she was holding the pendent in her bloody clawed hand.

She watched in surprise as the leather cord in her clawed fingers extended becoming long enough to fit over her head in werewolf form. She closed her eyes taking in deep breath before opening them again as she raised the pendent higher admiring its bone crafted symbol. She slowly eased it over her neck ignoring the others who were to preoccupied with looking through the slave traders things. She watched as the symbol came to rest on her chest feeling a warm sensation go through body, she wouldn't fade away in to the darkness. She'd do as Ouroboros willed no god had ever come to her aid before or even cared for her suffering. She lowered her ears shaking her mane getting down on all fours as she moved away from the others disinterested in glorified actions to find something of worth.

"Gabrielle are you okay?"

She turned sharply seeing that Damokles was coming towards her the concern in his face she stood up slowly on her hind legs. "I'm fine I'm just tired it's been a long night." Damokles raised his clawed hand. "You don't want anything from the raider's possessions? You know they have ladies jewellery in there and nice clothing for women." Gabrielle shook her turning to meet his light blue gaze. "There's nothing of value in there that I want Damokles." Damokles watched as she walked past. "It's very noble that you'd be so honourable and only take a pendent, others wouldn't do that." Gabrielle breathed in deeply as she carried on walking away from him. "I want everything I own to brought not stolen." Damokles blinked eyeing her. "But you didn't buy that pendent." Gabrielle felt a smile form. "Everything has a price and sometimes it's not paid off in dinars."

8

Gabrielle turned meeting Xena's gaze the dark haired woman's face remained serious much to her surprise. Somehow she'd expected the other woman to laugh or see this as one big joke. Xena lowered her gaze looking at the floor as a thought crossed her mind. "I've never heard of anyone experiencing that before, you are truly fortunate." Gabrielle took in a deep breath. "Fortunate or cursed not really sure which, so far I've for filled nothing which my goddess said I'd accomplish." Xena looked up slightly. "Is this another reason why you feel that you're not the greatest of the Horn Hinds?" Gabrielle eased up her head. "Yes its one of the reasons."

She tapped her clawed fingers on the marble stone. "I believe in my goddess but why she picked me has always confused me, there were bigger and stronger werewolves out there who are greater leaders." Xena took in a deep breath. "Maybe because you're noble in a way that they aren't, maybe that's why she picked you." She put her hands together feeling unsure about her next question. "You didn't play with those slave traders you give a quick clean death, why?" Gabrielle lowered her gaze as she raised her clawed hand. "Just because I have claws and teeth it doesn't mean I get pleasure from tearing people limb while their still alive."

She tensed sharply. "The others always treated it like it was a hunt but in my opinion there is sport in killing men in that manner and there's no honour in it, plus not to put to finer point on it, human blood tastes disgusting." Xena shook her head. "I'll take your word for that." Gabrielle shook her mane. "Frankly I prefer to hunt stags or boar in that way because it's a real hunt." Xena raised an eyebrow. "I know you spent time out in the wild before the werewolves found you, is that how you fed yourself?" Gabrielle breathed in painfully. "Yes…I couldn't afford food and it was just how I survived but I won't lie I never really lost that enjoyment for hunting there's something so thrilling about the rush."

She looked up slightly. "Sometimes I'd be successful sometimes I'd fail I had to learn through trail and error, sometimes I screwed up badly and ended up with my nose in the dirt or the deer kicked me in the face." Xena felt a smile form she could see where Gabrielle was coming from there was a rush from hunting an animal that way she'd been on enough boar hunts to know that feeling. The adrenaline rush that came from throwing the spear and hitting the animal in the heart or lining the arrow up perfectly for that kill shot and feeling the anticipation before it hit the target.

Clearly Gabrielle saw it the same way even though for her there was no arrow and no spear just her body, her speed and her sight. She had to run after what she wanted and stay at its pace. She'd seen enough predators in the wild to know that hunts weren't always successful there was great risk just like the arrow missing its target Gabrielle could no doubt miss her target. Clearly success on a hunt was never certain for humans and werewolves alike, she leaned against the marble lion feeling her smile turn to a wide grin. "You know maybe you and I should go hunting together, I love to see how you hunt since you don't have weapons in the normal sense." Gabrielle pricked up both her ears feeling the surprise take over as she eyed the older woman. "Maybe one day I will hunt with you."

Xena looked at her for a long moment despite that, she'd just given her an open invitation Gabrielle hadn't taken it, maybe it was still a matter of trust between them or may be she had to be more direct. She watched as Gabrielle sat up then leaped off the lion landing on all fours she turned to face her. "Thank you though for the offer." Xena looked at her before speaking. "Where are you going?" Gabrielle looked around her. "I need to find some branches." Xena blinked in confusion. "Branches, but I had them send wood to your room." Gabrielle shook her head. "Its not for carpentry…it's for something else…its difficult to explain." Xena slowly followed her. "Would you like me to look with you?"

Gabrielle breathed in deeply unsure of what to say she didn't expect the older woman to be interested in something as trivial as this, they were just branches and she wanted them so she could create the bird feeding areas outside her balcony. She'd tried to make them in the other room but had never gotten around to finishing them. "Don't you have business to attend to?" Xena carried on following her. "No I don't I've finished everything important and I don't mind looking around for branches with you before I call it a night." Gabrielle lowered her ears as she carried on walking forward on all fours. "Okay." She watched as the other woman followed her. "I need large branches which are thick at the base, but thin at the end the longer the better."

End of part 39

Silvermoonlight

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