Author's Notes: Hi, readers. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Here's a present in the form of chapter six of "Running Around." This chapter shows a little action. The group will be assisting in helping the war victims in the next one. Stay tuned for chapter seven.

XXXXX

Chapter 6: Targeting the General/The Forest End

Chase tightened his grip on Oliver twenty minutes later. He nudged his stallion's sides gently. Oliver proceeded to go a little faster. He snorted while looking around. He adjusted the metal bit in his mouth. Neither of them could see Eric and Xena following them from a short distance. They ducked behind two trees when Chase appeared to look over his shoulder. Chase returned his attention o the area in front of him.

Eric and Xena peered around the trees. They observed Oliver slowing down somewhat. They listened to him whinnying. They looked at each other, feeling their hearts skip a few beats. They breathed deeply in which it released all the tensions in their bodies. He placed his hand on his axe, as did she on her chakram. They swallowed hard.

"That bastard has no idea we are following him," he said softly.

"I know, right?" she replied with a smirk. "During my dark days, I learned to keep very quiet when I followed my enemies. Then I ambushed them when they least expected it."

"Snow White's army didn't have to do any ambushing. We rode on the beach in plain view of Ravenna. That was to distract her from seeing the dwarfs make their way through the sewer. They worked together to bring down the cut rope that opened the gate after the heavy rock was separated from it," Eric explained. "Snow White declared she gave the civilians who were still inside her word to free them when someone suggested we turn back."

"I am astounded at how much she learned about fighting in a short time," Xena pointed out truthfully.

"I didn't have much choice. Ravenna's forces were hunting us down. Snow White would have died if I didn't teach her how to defend herself," Eric commented, his body shaking a bit.

"I can't say I am surprised she has been carrying a sword ever since," Xena added and suppressed a yawn.

"She insists on carrying it most everywhere. I always warn her to be careful with it. So does William," Eric murmured.

"I don't blame you," Xena said sympathetically.

He motioned with his head. "We better continue after this bastard."

She tapped her temple with her finger. "You're right. Come on."

Eric and Xena made their way out from behind the trees rather slowly. They resumed following Chase and Oliver. They kept a steady pace after them. He rubbed his chin.

"What would you like me to do?" Eric wondered.

"I want you to distract him long enough for me to throw my chakram. Make yourself look as aggressive as possible. After I knock him out, I will stab him in the shoulder with my sword and make it look like we found him wounded," Xena explained. "I will strip him of his signs of rank, so he won't be recognized by his enemies when we take him to be treated for his injury."

"That is a risky plan," Eric said honestly.

"It pays to take risks," Xena said. "Come on."

Eric and Xena sunk behind another two trees. They peered around them, seeing Oliver break into a trot. She looked at him and jerked her thumb in the duo's direction. She waved her hand quickly. He nodded at her and headed into the thick undergrowth. He followed Oliver's movements very carefully. He emitted a soft snort.

Oliver came to a stop and let out a loud whinny. He swiveled his ears as Chase looked around. He swung his tail from side to side. Eric came to a group of bushes. He looked through the branches, his breathing soft and steady. Chase scanned his surroundings very carefully. He spotted a young Passilian soldier sneaking out from behind a large bush. He chuckled in a ferocious way.

"Passilian scum!" Chase snarled and flared his nostrils. He nudged Oliver's sides very hard. He gritted his teeth very tightly. "Come on, Oliver! Let's catch that bastard!"

Oliver reared on his hindquarters before breaking into a gallop. The soldier froze in place as his enemy unsheathed his sword. He tried to make his legs move, but he couldn't. Whistling sounded in which it caused Chase to pull on the reins and bring his stallion to a halt. Oliver turned toward Eric, who raised his arms above his head. Eric held his axe in his hand. Xena came out from behind her tree.

"Why don't you come deal with me?" Eric asked in a fierce voice.

"You look like a Passilian, you bastard," Chase retorted, his nostrils flaring. "I will finish you off!"

Eric snorted. "Come and get me! I dare you!"

Chase smirked. "I will!"

Chase jerked Oliver's reins to the right while nudging his sides. Oliver whinnied excitedly and galloped in Eric's direction. Xena grabbed her chakram and tossed it hard. It bounced off three trees before hitting Chase in the face and knocking him off Oliver, who galloped away with a fearful whicker. Chase spun twice before landing on his back unconscious. It hit two more trees before going back to Xena.

Xena caught the chakram and slipped it back on its hook. She came to Eric's side. She could hear him panting heavily. He placed his axe in its holster. They looked down at Chase. They swallowed hard before emitting shuddering breaths. They looked at each other. He placed his hand on the back of his neck. He rubbed it slowly.

"Good work, Eric," Xena complimented.

"Thank you," Xena said and unsheathed her sword. "Now, it's time for me to do my job."

Xena went to Chase's head. She flipped her sword over and pointed it at his left shoulder. She stabbed him in that area without going deep. She pulled it out and looked at the blood that coated the tip of it. Eric blinked three times.

"He has no idea you just stabbed him," Eric commented.

"He will think he got stabbed by one of his enemies when he regains consciousness and sees the wound," Xena responded with a raised eyebrow.

"That won't be for a time," Eric pointed out.

"Nope," Xena said while sheathing her sword. "Come on. Let's strip him of his signs of rank. Then we will bandage him."

Eric nodded at the warrior princess. He looked around carefully twice before going to Chase's head. He proceeded to remove his helmet.

00000

The group came to a dense part of the forest forty minutes later. Chase looked around. He had his hands on Amber's saddle horn. His shoulder wound had been bandaged. His signs of rank had been stripped. Gabrielle tugged on her stallion's reins a little harder. He began walking faster. Xena tightened her grip on Argo's reins. She, Snow White, Eric, and William gave their horses' reins harder tugs. Argo, Lina, Kiki, and Moses proceeded to walk faster. Solan walked alongside his mother.

Chase settled his eyes on Belach, who turned to him and flared his nostrils. Belach narrowed his eyes at him and emitted an angry hiss. Chase looked away, his heart skipping several beats. He glanced down at Gabrielle, who patted Amber's neck when he whinnied a little nervously. He noticed the edge of the forest getting closer.

"You shouldn't be taking me out of this forest. We will be going straight into Passili," Chase hissed.

"We need to get you somewhere to be healed. We don't want your wound to get infected," Gabrielle said, glancing up at him. "An infection can become serious very quickly."

"You don't understand! They will kill me if they see me! A man of my rank is dangerous to them," Chase responded fiercely.

"Oh, please," Belach snapped as the general turned to him. "You look like nothing more than a foot soldier to me."

"Belach's right," Xena agreed. "He's seen his fair share of generals who have appearances similar to yours."

"If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut for now," Belach insisted with a firm voice. "It could get you in big trouble."

Chase snorted and looked away. Solan clasped his hands together when he eyed him. He turned to his mother, who glanced at him. He ran his tongue all over the inside of his mouth.

"I don't like that guy, Mom. He gives me the creeps," Solan whispered, cringing quite a bit.

"I don't blame you, Solan," Xena responded sympathetically. "He has no idea what this war has done to so many people, especially the Passili's young ones."

"Young ones like me," Solan said, swallowing hard.

"Exactly," Xena agreed. "Children should never know bloodshed, but many are exposed to it. I didn't want to expose you to that when you were real young. You deserved a violence-free life."

Solan touched the back of his neck with both hands. "I do see violence sometimes, but it has never influenced me to harm others."

"When children are desensitized to violence, they do not give a crap about the victims. They want to see more of it and may take part in it themselves. They become absolute monsters," Xena explained.

"It is so horrifying," Solan said, shuddering in disgust.

Xena nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is."

Scoffing caught Xena and Solan's attention. They, Gabrielle, and Belach looked at Chase, who shook his head in disbelief. He tried to pull his hands out of his restraints, but he failed.

"If you truly cared about your son, Xena, you would have never taken him with you on the road in the first place. You would have left him with another family," Chase insisted.

"You shut up about my little brother. He is free to do as he chooses," Belach snapped, his nostrils flaring. "He likes being on the road with his mother and aunt. He doesn't want to go back to living in a village."

"You hadn't met your brother until now, Belach," Chase retorted while turning to him. "Why would you care about him?"

"Because I am glad to know that a part of my father still existed somewhere. Solan was brought up by a good man known as Ben. He loved his adoptive father, though he often wished his real one was alive. He didn't even like his mother when he first met her because he was told his real father was killed by her. The real murderer was Dagnine, a soldier in Xena's old army. She killed him and managed to avenge Dad," Belach explained.

"Being a slave was likely hard for you," Chase commented.

"It was, but I refused to let it harden me," Belach pointed out honestly. "The emotional beatings I got from my cruel masters made me guard myself. Once I found my master was kind, then I opened myself up to them. The kind masters treated me like I was family."

"You still had to do what they told you," Chase said seriously.

"That is true, but it did not bother me in the least bit. If I didn't do what they told me, they would reprimand me in a calm yet firm voice. It was best not to get in trouble with any master, even a kind one. They will punish you with whatever method they think will be best for you," Belach said and cleared his throat.

"The Passilians will likely kill me once they recognize me," Chase insisted firmly.

"Nah. You'd be good slave material," Xena responded with a sharp exhale. "If you are not careful, you just might end up with a cruel master."

"Xena's right," Belach said through clenched teeth. "No deed goes unpunished." He gestured toward his wound. "I mean like this one."

Chase looked away while mumbling inaudible words. Eric, Snow White, and William looked at each other.

"That man doesn't give a crap that he injured Belach," Snow White whispered, an irritated scoff coming from her.

"He's a coward for what he did to him. Belach was just traveling through. He wanted nothing to do with this war," Eric responded, shaking his head in disbelief. "Now, we are all wrapped up in it."

"Who knows how long we could be in this warzone?" Willian asked, uncertainty filling his voice.

"It could be a few days to a few weeks. Who knows?" Snow White answered, giving a shrug.

Eric snorted. "What we need to do is stay together. It will be our best line of defense."

"Getting lost in a warzone would be very dangerous right now. Any one of us could go missing in an instant. No one would know unless that person is brought back injured or had been kidnapped through deliverance of a message," William explained, cringing badly.

"Eric and Xena managed to capture the general. I don't blame him for being freaked out that he could be killed by his enemies," Snow White commented and swallowed hard.

"It doesn't matter whose territory we are in. We must treat all war patients with dignity and respect," Eric replied firmly.

Snow White nodded in agreement. "Right."

William blinked. "Of course."

The entire group exited the forest. They made their way across a large field. The horses emitted soft whinnies as their owners picked up their paces a tiny bit.