Gabrielle was asleep, as later that night Xena found herself unable to get back to sleep after her earlier dream. She looked over at Gabrielle and brushed a few stray hairs from her sleeping bard's face as she gave a half-hearted smile. Finally, with a sigh, Xena got up from her place on the blanket-covered ground beside Gabrielle and walked over to Argo, who was standing nearby. The mare snorted happily as Xena came over and patted her neck while scratching her snout.
XENA
Can't sleep either, huh girl?
Argo snorted again in response.
XENA
I know it's been pretty weird lately... well weirder than normal anyway.
(Sighing) A lot weirder.
But I'm gonna do something about it.
Xena sighed once again as she felt her stomach growl from hunger.
XENA
I have to. We can't keep going on like this.
Xena then rummaged through the saddlebag and pulled out a small item. She looked at the item which was a small dark bottle and then gave Argo one more pat as she returned to her spot near Gabrielle. Before sitting back down, Xena grabbed Gabrielle's bag and sat it beside her as she plopped down on her blanket. She then placed the bottle down as she opened Gabrielle's bag and pulled out a few of her scrolls. She scanned a couple before finding the one that she was looking for, and put the rest neatly back in the bag. Feeling her stomach growl again, Xena herself growled in annoyance as she tried to control the feeling of an undeniable craving that she had been living with for quite some time now. She then picked up the small bottle and looked at it.
XENA
(Thinking to herself angrily) I've conquered lands, fought against God's, beaten death itself. But I can't overcome this?! Whoever's idea of a sick joke this whole thing is can laugh their way right onto the end of my sword.
Hearing her stomach once more, Xena uncorked the bottle and drank a large amount of its contents. It was warm and thick as Xena felt it sliding down her throat. For a moment, she found herself getting lost in the moment, as she savored the exquisite taste before coming back to her senses and forcefully pulling the bottle from her lips. Xena huffed as she caught her breath and wiped the bit of liquid from her mouth with the back of her hand as she looked at the bottle and saw that she had consumed much more of its contents than she had consciously wanted to.
XENA
(Thinking to herself) Damn it. I should be able to control this better. If I don't, we'll never get out of this mess. And I refuse to allow Gabrielle to be forced to live like this. There has to be answers. A way out of this nightmare. There just has to be.
Xena replaced the cork into the now mostly empty bottle and set it down as she picked up Gabrielle's scroll, unrolled it, and began reading.
- GABRIELLE'S SCROLL / FLASHBACK -
GABRIELLE
What did he say?
XENA
Three more girls from the neighboring village have been kidnapped.
GABRIELLE
That makes how many now?
XENA
In total, six.
The two walked through the dreary and foggy woods as they tried to wrap their heads around the odd mystery that they had unexpectedly stumbled across.
GABRIELLE
Who would do something like this?
As they walked, Xena's superhuman senses picked up that something was amiss as she stopped walking with Argo and shushed Gabrielle.
XENA
You hear that?
Gabrielle stopped and listened for a moment.
GABRIELLE
I don't hear anything.
Xena looked around at their surroundings as all of her instincts told her that something was wrong.
XENA
Exactly. This is the Bacchae forest.
GABRIELLE
You mean the place where Bacchus the god of wine and his followers that are known as Bacchae are said to roam?
XENA
Yes.
Gabrielle focused her attention on listening again for a moment before looking at Xena.
GABRIELLE
But wait a minute I don't hear any music. Shouldn't we be hearing Orpheus? His music is supposed to tame the Bacchae.
XENA
Yes. And the fact that we don't means these woods aren't safe.
Gabrielle looked at Xena.
GABRIELLE
Do you think the Bacchae took those girls?
XENA
Not sure but I fully intend to find out. Come on.
Xena began walking a bit quicker as Gabrielle followed close behind. The pair continued through the forest as Gabrielle tried to figure out what exactly they were dealing with.
GABRIELLE
Do you think the stories that people tell about the Bacchae are true?
XENA
Some. Why, what've you heard?
GABRIELLE
Well, they say that a single bite from a Bacchae can turn a young, innocent woman into a wild, soulless creature, whose allegiance is only to Bacchus.
XENA
Sounds about right compared to what I've heard.
GABRIELLE
And, once bitten, she's then lured into his lair to drink his blood. And if she does, there's no way to save her. She becomes a Bacchae forever. I've also heard that Bacchae women have the ability to take on a variety of forms. With some just roaming the forest following their unquenchable thirst for blood. And when they find a target, they chase them relentlessly until they finally corner them and tear their victim limb from limb.
XENA
(Sarcasm) Fun.
Where did you hear that story anyway?
Gabrielle shrugged.
GABRIELLE
Just one of those stories that got passed around I guess. But, if you ask me, I think the story's exaggerated. Some people in my village would tell it to the children to give them a good scare.
Xena snickered.
XENA
(Sarcasm) And people call me awful.
Suddenly, both Xena and Gabrielle heard a terrified scream. As they turned towards the sound, Gabrielle was knocked to the ground as a frantically running Joxer rushed by in an obvious panic, with several wolves chasing after him. Quickly, Xena grabbed her whip from Argo's saddle as she told the mare to get somewhere safe. Argo ran off as Xena and Gabrielle saw Joxer trying to escape the animals that were pursuing him. Xena put a protective arm in front of Gabrielle as she stepped in front of her
XENA
Stay behind me.
GABRIELLE
You don't have to tell me twice.
Xena unrolled her whip, and it cracked as she swung it to keep the wolves at bay. Meanwhile, Joxer had scurried partway up a tree with his arms and legs wrapped around the truck as he shouted at the creatures that were growling and jumping at him from the ground.
JOXER
Dumb mutt! And you too! Get outta here! Mister Mean Dog! Mister Nip Me in the...
As Joxer shouted at the wolves, one of them managed to jump high enough and got a firm grip on Joxer as it sunk its teeth into his butt. Joxer let out a painful, high-pitched yelp as the wolf bit down harder.
JOXER
Xena! Help! Get it off, get it off!
Xena was about to step in when the wolf suddenly released Joxer as it and the others ran off without warning. Xena and Gabrielle stood and watched them disappear into the woods before looking at each other with somewhat confused expressions.
JOXER
Yeah, get out of here and don't come back.
Gabrielle looked at Joxer as he climbed back down the tree and made his way over to her and Xena.
GABRIELLE
Are you all right?
JOXER
(Lying) Me? Oh yeah, I'm never better.
Gabrielle and Xena noticed Joxer wince slightly as he rubbed the now tender area where the wolf had bitten him.
JOXER
(Lying) You see, the secret to defeating a wolf pack is to wear 'em down. I had those mongrels right where I wanted 'em.
Seeing that he clearly wasn't seriously injured, Xena decided to ignore the obvious lie.
XENA
Uh-huh. So what are you doing around here anyway?
Joxer smiled a little as he stood up straight a puffed out his chest slightly.
JOXER
A mission.
GABRIELLE
A mission?
JOXER
That's right, a mission... To save the world.
Joxer took off the bag that he had slug over his shoulder and held it out to Xena.
JOXER
A package, from Orpheus to Xena.
With a curious expression, Xena accepted the bag as she looked at it for a moment, unsure of why the well-known bard would be sending her a package.
XENA
Orpheus?
Gabrielle looked at the bag in Xena's hand.
GABRIELLE
What is it?
JOXER
It speaks for itself.
Not paying too much attention to the cryptic statement and without looking inside, Xena reached into the bag and found something that she grabbed onto and then proceeded to retrieve from the bag. A scream rang through the air as Gabrielle couldn't believe what she was seeing.
GABRIELLE
(Horrified tone) Dear gods! Is that a human head?!
TO BE CONTINUED...