Who is waiting for me?" Zartok yelled angrily as he threw the flap back on his tent. "I told you I'm tired and wanted to rest. I don't have time for-"

"No time for me?" Ares said, rising from the chair. The blond warlord's eyes bulged with surprise and disbelief.

"A-Ares. How good of you-"

"Yeah yeah, I've heard it before." the god said, waving his hand dismissively. "Zartok, are you happy running this little group of misfits?"

"I'm happy to serve you in whatever way-" the blond warlord said before he was cut off again.

"Good, glad to hear it. I'm going to make you an offer, Zartok. An offer so incredibly wonderful, so…so…" he held his immortal hands out in a wide circle to demonstrate. "I'll give you some of the most prized land in all of Greece. All you have to do is get rid of the current occupants." Ares walked behind him and clasped his shoulder. "I'll give you all the food, men, horses, and weapons that you need. All you have to do is accept my offer."

"Anything for you, great God of War." Zartok said humbly.

"Ah, that's what I wanted to hear, my boy. Consider yourself hired." he walked around the small tent as if thinking. "One little thing I forgot to tell you…the people on this land are Amazons." he grinned. "Not a big deal, just think of how many fine sons they can make for your men once you conquer them."

"Uh…b-but Ares, the Amazons are fierce fighters and they know their land too well. We'd never be able to defeat them."

"I know a way you can enter their land without being detected. I'll transport your army right to the edge of their lands. All you have to do is cross the river, go through the valley, and follow a trail right into their back yard." the God of War clapped his hands together and his lip turned up in a sneer. "It's perfect."

"Um…if I can ask, your godship."

"What?" Ares replied, annoyed.

"Well…if you can make us appear at the edge of their lands, how come you can't just drop us off right in the middle of their village?"

"Well, there's a little problem with that. You see, my dear sister Artemis is in control of those harlots and I can't cross onto their land or send anyone else in. I can only take you to the edge. You'll be on your own once you cross over the border. But don't worry." he said with an evil, chilling smile. "They'll never know you're there until it's much too late."

Xena and Eponin rode past the outskirts of the village and up the trails that lead to the mountains. The fresh clear air whipped their hair back and raised goosebumps on the tall warrior's skin. The outfit loaned to her by Solari was nothing at all like she normally wore. Two large leather cups held together with a pin formed the front of the skimpy top and the short brown leather skirt had an annoying tendency to hike up on the sides while she rode. "Just past those Cypress trees is where the road splits." Eponin yelled to her. "We're taking the left road, the one that goes up into the mountains." Xena nodded with understanding and followed.

They rode one for another candlemark before the cool grass gave way to a rocky incline. Both women slowed their horses down and formed a single line with Eponin, who knew the trail well, in front. The steep trail turned sharply and allowed them a clear view of the large valley below. "We don't patrol this area much. It's too difficult for any kind of army to get through. The river runs around this valley just past the edge of the horizon and it's too wide to cross at that point." Eponin explained when they brought their horses to a stop. "Once in a while some small band will try and slip through, but by the time they even get to the valley, half their food supplies are gone. When our patrols find them they usually are grateful to see us. No one imagines that it's that far of a trek from the crossing point into the valley and so far no one has ever made it past the mountains themselves without us spotting them." she took a long swallow of her water before passing the skin to Xena. "It'll take us about a half candlemark to get down to the valley but there's a great place down there to let the girls open up and run full out." Eponin said, grinning. "Then we'll see just how much better Amazon bred horses are."

"Oh, I think Argo's up to the challenge, aren't you girl?" she said, patting her mare's neck confidently. The wind changed direction and a familiar odor caught Xena's attention. She sat up straight in her seat and motioned for Eponin's attention. "Do you smell that?" she whispered.

"I don't smell anything except the trees…" she concentrated, "and horse dung."

"Exactly." Xena said. "You said this area is deserted. Are there a good deal of wild horses out here?"

"Let's go check it out." the Amazon said, turning her black horse to head down the trail. The raven haired warrior followed, mentally cursing herself for not retrieving her weapons and armor before leaving the village.

They reached a fairly level ridge that crossed over their path. Eponin suddenly left the trail and headed into the trees. Xena followed for several moments until the Amazon dismounted and tossed the reins over a low branch. "This ridge wraps around the whole side of this mountain but some spots are too narrow for the horses. We'll have to continue on foot." the tall warrior nodded and tied Argo to a nearby branch. They made their way silently, being especially careful when the trees thinned out or the ridge became extremely narrow. A fresh scent caught their noses and this time they knew that it wasn't from wild horses. The smell of cooking meat wafted up to them. "How many do you think?" Eponin asked.

"Too hard to tell. Smells like a large amount of meat for just a small band, unless they're smoking it for jerky. We need to get closer."

They moved further along the narrow path and the smell grew stronger. They reached an area where the path became barely wider than one of their boots. The rock jutted out slightly from the wall, making it even more treacherous. With her shorter stature, Eponin easily avoided having to lean out too much but Xena wasn't as lucky. She leaned out slightly more than she felt comfortable with at the same time her boot came into contact with some loose stones. In one instant Eponin grabbed an overhanging branch with one hand and Xena's wrist with the other, pulling back hard. "Gotcha." the Amazon grunted, holding on until she righted herself.

"Thanks." Xena said, glancing over the edge and visibly cringing at the sight of the jagged rocks far below.

"Don't mention it. You think I want to be the one to explain how you got hurt to Gabrielle?" she said. "Not a chance."

Xena made no comment on the Amazon's remark and they continued on, growing more uneasy with each step. The smell was getting stronger and there was now no doubt that they weren't talking about a small handful of bandits. They reached a large tree with limbs that branched out over the edge of the valley. Eponin signaled and scampered up, leaning down a hand to offer assistance. Xena grinned at her and somersaulted from a standing position upward into the tree, landing feet first on the same branch that the Amazon occupied. Realizing that the weight might be too much, Xena climbed up to a higher branch and wormed her way out along its length. Eponin did the same and their eyes opened wide at the sight below.

"What do you think you're doing?" Artemis raged as she stormed into her brother's lair. "You know you can't interfere."

"I'm not interfering with anything." Ares replied. "You'll note that I didn't put them on your land. And as for interfering, just what do you think dear old dad would have to say about that little stunt you and Apollo pulled, hmm?"

"We were only returning one of my Amazon's swords. It had nothing to do with Xena."

"Oh, of course not, just because she was the one responsible for your harlot losing it in the first place. Besides, it's over now. This is something totally different." he walked to the other side of the room and grinned. "And there's nothing you can do about it." he watched Artemis take a step forward get bounced off the invisible barrier. "Problem, dear sister? Oh, I bet you thought I removed ALL of Sysiphus' little tricks and traps." he laughed evilly. "You're not going anywhere for a little while, relax and enjoy yourself." he walked over until he would have been in striking distance had the barrier not been there. "Don't worry, Sis, I'll be sure to let you out the instant the last of your Amazons has been killed, raped, or enslaved." as he dissipated from sight, he laughed as he watched his sister frantically throw herself back and forth against the invisible walls.

"Any suggestions?" Xena said once they were back on the ground. "How many could you make out?"

"From the size of the camp and the tents, I'd say there has to be at least a hundred of them." Eponin replied. "Did you see the catapults?"

"Yeah, not to mention the spear throwers and the net launcher. They're prepared, I'll give them that."

"Any idea who they are?"

"No." she shook her head. "I don't recognize the crest."

"We'd better get back and warn the others. We can have the warriors assembled just before the mountains. They can pick them off one by one as they come through the trail." the stocky Amazon grinned at the thought.

"Sure, until they fire off that netting and trap the Amazons like a bunch of fish. Or aim the catapults at the trees and take out the archers." Xena knelt down and began drawing in the sandy earth. "No, we need the warriors, but they can't face those weapons." she unconsciously nodded in respect to the warlord that planned the attack. "They'd probably send the weapons first through the trail in case they met any resistance, then cut enough of a gap in the lines to get to the village. It'd be a slaughter."

"But if we wait until they're past the mountains completely, they can spread out and attack. It'd still be a bloodbath and some of them still might get through." she saw a grin cross over the tall warrior's face and a twinkle form in her eye. "Xena, you've got a plan, don't you?" she said with a equal grin.

"We need to get a message to Ephiny, but I need you here with me in order to make this work. I can't do it alone."

"All right, what do you suggest?"

"Argo can take a note back. That'd leave us with your horse in case we needed to get out of here quickly."

"I'll agree that Argo is smart enough to get back on her own, but what exactly are you planning to write this message on? or with?" Eponin said, watching the smile leave Xena's face.

"Oh. Guess I'm used to having Gabrielle and her scrolls nearby." she gave the Amazon a lopsided grin. "Oh well, guess we'll just have to borrow some parchment and ink from the boys down there." she said as if it was no big deal. "Come on, time's wasting." Eponin grinned, shook her head, and followed Xena down the tree covered slope to the valley below.

Gabrielle watched the sun begin to set over the horizon and walked to the stables for the fourth time. "I'm going to kill her for making me worry." she growled as she once again found no sign of Xena or Argo. She turned swiftly and bumped into Ilanna. "Oops, I'm sorry." Gabrielle said.

"It's all right, my queen. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. It's my fault." the Amazon guard said, even though she had been watching where she was headed and it was the bard's inattention that was at fault. Gabrielle nodded distractedly and looked at the stables again. "My queen, is something bothering you?"

"Please call me Gabrielle." she sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Have you seen Xena? She was supposed to be spending time with Argo but that was candlemarks ago."

"Oh, she went riding with Eponin. I'm sure everything is fine." the dark-skinned Amazon assured her. Gabrielle nodded but wasn't convinced. She had an odd feeling and at the moment only wanted to see Xena and know she was safe.

They moved across the trees, careful not to rustle the leaves any more than necessary and moved past the first two sentries with ease. Eponin and Xena silently grinned at each other when they reached the back of one of the tents, conveniently placed on the outer edge of the camp and less than a body length away from their tree. The Amazon slipped down and pressed herself against the tarp, listening for any sounds of activity. She motioned with one hand and was quickly joined by Xena. "Let's just get in and out, okay?" Eponin whispered. "I'm not in the mood to get caught." she carefully slipped her sword out of its sheath and slit the tent side cleanly.

Unfortunately, they picked the messiest soldier in camp's tent to raid. There was parchment to be found, even ink, but the quill was nowhere in sight. Xena shuffled through the stuff on the rickety table, letting whatever was in her way fall to the ground. "Will you be quiet!" Eponin hissed. "And look at the mess you're making. They'll know we were here for sure if you keep that up."

"I doubt he'd notice the difference." Xena replied dryly, waving her hand at the tentful of junk. She moved her boot and heard a slight 'crack'. "Aha!" she said triumphantly, bending down and picking up the now broken quill. "Huh." she said, tossing it behind her.

"Hey!" Eponin walked over and retrieved the quill. "The point's still good. Come on, we don't have time to find another one."

"But it's broken." Xena growled, moving the mess around a little more. "I'm sure there's another one around here somewhere."

"We don't have time." the Amazon said firmly, grabbing the taller woman's arm and jerking her back out of the tent.

"I'm telling you-" Xena began.

"Going somewhere, ladies?" the deep voice behind them said. The women exchanged glances.

"What do you think?" the raven haired warrior asked.

"Sure, why not." the stocky Amazon replied a heartbeat before crouching low and sweeping the soldier's feet out from under him at the same time Xena's boot came back and connected solidly with his chin.

"What do we do with him?" Eponin asked as she got to her feet and brushed the dirt off her skirt.

"Well, we don't want him waking up and warning the others, now do we?" Xena grinned, picking him up and hoisting him over her shoulder. Eponin had the good sense to duck back into the tent and grab a shirt that was lying on the floor. Neither one of them had any clothing to spare for a gag. Within moments the unconscious soldier was resting comfortably in the upper branches of the tree, tied securely to keep from falling, or calling out for help.

Ephiny leaned against the table and watched Gabrielle pace for the umpteenth time. "She's fine. Eponin is with her. What trouble could they possibly get into?" the sharp turn and glare of the bard made her regret that question.

"You don't know her like I do. And with Ep? Two warriors with nothing to do?" she began pacing again, then stopped and looked at the blond woman with fear in her eyes. "Oh gods, what if they ran into trouble?" her eyes fell on the pile of armor and weapons that were laying on the bed. "Xena doesn't have her sword, her chakram…she doesn't even have her armor. She's out there with that flimsy thing that Solari loaned her."

"Gabrielle." Ephiny made the mistake of deciding to deliver Xena's stuff to her personally and now was stuck with the bard, whose moods were changing as rapidly as her direction. "You know that Xena can handle anything, with or without her weapons." she walked over and squeezed the younger woman's shoulders. "Come on," she whispered. "You're just scaring yourself. She'll be fine."

"I know." Gabrielle said softly. "It's just that she should have been back candlemarks ago. She has to know I'd be worried." they were interrupted by a knock on the door. The bard opened the door to find an out of breath scout standing there.

"Sorry to disturb you, my queen...is Ephiny here?"

"Right here Polydora, what's wrong?" she said as Gabrielle stepped back and let the scout in.

"Xena's horse. We've got three people trying to catch her but she won't come near them." Gabrielle was out the door before the scout could finish her sentence.

"Argo!" the bard yelled. The three Amazons who were trying to corral the excited horse stared in amazement as the golden mare calmed down and trotted over to the familiar voice. "Shh…" Gabrielle cajoled as she patted the upset war-horse. "Where's Xena?"

"Hey, this is Ep's saddle." Ephiny said, running her hand over the worn leather. "That doesn't make sense. Why would her saddle be on Xena's horse?"

"Get it off." Gabrielle said, reaching for the straps. "It's got to mean something." Polydora held a torch near so the young queen could see the unfamiliar buckles easily. As Ephiny pulled the saddle free, a folded up piece of parchment fluttered to the ground. "Can't get into trouble, huh? What possible trouble could they get into, Gabrielle?" the bard said, mocking Ephiny's earlier comment as she held the note up near the torch to read it. At the sight of the words 'large army' her face drained of color and she leaned against Argo for support.

"What is it?" Ephiny said as she held her hand out for the note.

"I think we should read it inside." Gabrielle said softly as her heart filled with concern and fear for her warrior.

Ephiny sent Polydora off in search of Ilanna and Solari. Gabrielle led Argo back to the stable and gave her an apple before handing the reins to one of the Amazons. "It's okay girl." she said, giving the mare a reassuring pat. "Clonie will take good care of you."

Once Argo was settled Gabrielle turned and followed Ephiny and the other two Amazons back to the queen's hut. Once inside the bard nervously lit the candles while the blond Amazon read over the note. She flipped the parchment over and studied the crude map drawn there before looking up at the bard. "They found an army with over a hundred men camped in the valley just past the mountains. There's some numbers and letters here in the corner but I-" Gabrielle pulled the note from her hand and looked at the familiar writing.

"Four catapults, three spear throwers, and I'm not sure what the other one is." the bard said, recognizing Xena's codes. "This isn't good." she said, handing the note back to Ephiny.

"No it's not." the blond Amazon replied just as Solari entered, followed quickly by Ilanna. "The village under threat from a large army." Ephiny explained quickly. "Ilanna, get the warriors ready. Solari, you're going to help gather all the children and elderly and take them to the Centaur village. They'll be safest there."

"What?" the tall Amazon said in disbelief. "Ephiny, I'm a warrior. You can't be serious. I'm not going to run away and let others defend my home."

"I'm very serious." she replied. "You're still recovering but more importantly…" she moved close to her friend. "I'm asking you to make sure the children of this village get to safety before a hundred or more soldiers start attacking." for a moment the two women looked at each other until Solari finally nodded.

"You'll have nothing to worry about. I'll get them all there safely."

"I know." Ephiny replied with a warrior handshake and a smile. "All right. Let's get going. The note said that they were going to stay there and give our uninvited guests a few surprises. Let's make sure we get there in time to take advantage of those surprises."

Under the cover of darkness, the two women circled the camp until they were near the catapults. Xena twirled the sword in her hand, a gift from the now unconscious sentry that was sleeping up in the tree. Eponin pointed out the two men who were standing lookout nearby and indicated which one she would take care of. The tall warrior nodded in agreement and circled around the other side to introduce the soldier to the hilt of her sword.

"Suggestions?" Xena whispered once they reached the first catapult. The launching arm was already locked into position by the taut ropes.

"Well, we can't cut the ropes, that'll send the arm up in the air and warn them that we're here." the Amazon said.

"Agreed. We have to find another way to disable it." she said, looking over the weapon again. The catapult itself was bolted to a large wagon for transport. Xena's eyes fell on the wooden pins that held the wheel to the axle. "Perfect."

The pair worked for the next three candlemarks, slipping around the camp and sabotaging the weapons, doing their best to avoid detection. Eponin considered them lucky that they only had to knock out four men during their activities. They were almost done with their tasks when the stocky Amazon noticed from both sight and smell what must had to be the mess tent. "Hey Xena, think they have some grease?"

"With an army this size there's no doubt." her eyes narrowed as she looked at her grinning partner. "What are you up to, Ep?"

"You'll see...come on." she said before slicing an opening in the back of the tent. It didn't take long for them to find what they were looking for.

"Okay, so what are we going to do with it?" Xena said as she helped Eponin carry the large barrel out of the tent.

"Ever play with greased pigs?" the still grinning Amazon asked. The tall warrior arched an eyebrow and gave her an 'are you serious?' look before returning the grin. Whatever Eponin was up to, Xena was certain that it was devious, wicked, and probably would provide them a good laugh once executed.

Archers climbed into the trees that littered the area near the trail entrance while the warriors took their positions on the ground below. Ephiny double-checked the string on her crossbow before looking for the brightly colored mask that identified Gabrielle. She found the bard staring at the trail as it disappeared into darkness beyond the mountains.

"You okay?" Ephiny asked when she reached the young queen.

"I'm fine." she replied, gripping her staff a little tighter. "I'd feel better if I knew where they were."

"Gabrielle, they're both warriors. They'll be fine." she gave the bard a quick one-armed squeeze. "I know Eponin, she doesn't take chances. Xena's the same way. Neither of them is going to do anything careless." she said, even though she knew her assurances were falling on deaf ears.

"I know." the bard said unconvincingly. "I think I'll go check and see how the others are doing."

"Okay, just don't go too far. Morning will be here soon enough."

Gabrielle walked aimlessly past the groups of warriors, grateful that her ceremonial mask kept her face hidden and thus the tears that were rolling down it. 'Where are you, Xena?' she silently asked the night sky, focusing in on the cluster of stars that looked like a bear to her.

"So now we just wait until morning." Eponin said as she laid down on the grass and put her hands behind her head. She chuckled. "Can you imagine the looks on their faces when they try to mount up in the morning?"

"The key word is 'try'." Xena chuckled in return, rolling onto her stomach to face the Amazon. "I want to see their faces when they launch the netting."

"Oh, or how about when they try to move the catapults?" Eponin replied, sending them both into silent laughter at the thought. They went back and forth reminding each other of the little tricks they had waiting for the army come morning, each seeming funnier than the previous one.

Once they settled down, Xena rolled onto her back and let her gaze settle on the twinkling lights above. "Looks like a dipper to me." she said softly.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Just thinking out loud." the raven haired woman said, turning her attention back to the stars. No matter how hard she looked at it, she just couldn't see the bear that Gabrielle insisted was there. 'I miss you.' she thought as she closed her eyes and let her mind fill with the vision of the women she loved. She hoped that her and Eponin's actions would secure them a quick victory come morning. Xena thought again about heading back up the trail and meeting the Amazons that she was sure were in position by now, certain that Gabrielle was with them and no doubt worried about her. "Ep?"

"Mmm?"

"You sure we can't just head back and meet up with the rest of them?"

"I thought you wanted to see what happened in the morning. We'll catch up with the reinforcements long before the army can get there."

"I know." Xena sighed. "Do you really want to stick around?"

"What, you don't?" Eponin asked, puzzled by her friend's odd question.

"I love to see a well-executed plan fall into place, but..." she stared at the stars again.

"But you want to get back to Gabrielle, don't you?"

"I won't leave you here alone...we'll stay." Xena said, but the look on her face told the Amazon something completely different. Eponin sighed and sat up.

"I suppose we should meet up with Ephiny and let her know just what exactly we're up against."

"Yes, we should." the raven haired warrior readily agreed.

"Of course we'd miss all the fun."

"Yeah, we would." Xena admitted guiltily.

"But I guess it'd be just as funny to see them when they finally reach the other side of the mountain and see all the Amazons waiting for them after all we've put them through." Eponin said as she tightened the laces on her boot. By the time she got to her feet, Xena had already saddled the horse for her and was heading for the trail that would take her to Gabrielle. The Amazon watched the silhouette disappear into the blackness and chuckled silently. 'Never thought I'd see you fall head over heels in love, my friend, but I can't think of anyone who deserves it more.' she thought to herself. 'Except me, of course.' she added as she mounted up.

Ephiny sat down against a large rock and closed her eyes, trying to catch a few more moments of rest before the upcoming battle. She had just fallen into a light doze when Ilanna tapped her silently on the shoulder and motioned toward the trail. The blond ruler didn't have to look to know that her warriors were getting in position should the approaching pair not be their compatriots. She felt a presence and turned to see Gabrielle kneeling down next to her, staff in hand. "The scouts said there's two people approaching, but it's too dark to see who they are." the bard whispered. "I bet it's them."

All was quiet for several heartbeats until the figures appeared at the end of the trail, arms up, hands clasped in the Amazon gesture of peace. A smile broke across the bard's face when she saw Xena's unmistakable outline. It took all of her power not to jump up, run to the warrior, and throw her arms around the woman she missed so much. There was an audible exhalation of breath throughout the warriors as they realized that there was no threat and they returned to their previous tasks.

Eponin filled Ephiny in on what they had found and more importantly, what they had done to sabotage the army. Gabrielle quietly followed Xena away from the Amazons until they were completely alone. The bard opened her mouth to speak but found herself enveloped in the warrior's strong arms in a loving embrace, their bare stomachs pressed together, Xena's face buried in her neck. "I missed you." the warrior said softly.

"I missed you too, I was worried." Gabrielle admitted.

"Come here." Xena said, taking the bard's hand and leading her over to a wide tree. The warrior sat down and leaned against the smooth bark before pulling Gabrielle onto her lap. "We've got a little time before they wake up. Right now all I want to do is just hold you, okay?" she was answered with a soft kiss and the feeling of her beloved bard snuggling against her. Xena closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax and enjoy the sensation. It didn't take long for Gabrielle's breathing to change, to slow and deepen as sleep overtook her. The warrior smiled and shifted slightly to get into a more comfortable position before allowing herself the same luxury, knowing that the Amazons would wake her as soon as there was any indication of movement from the army.

Zartok stepped out of his tent and smiled. Today was the day that he would make Ares proud, the day he would lead his army into the Amazon village undetected and claim the land as his own. He took a deep breath, swearing that he smelled the scent of victory in the crisp morning air. "All right men, let's not waste any time here. Just think of all those harlots just waiting for us to come and conquer them." his comment was met with several lewd comments from the men about just what they would do once they captured the women. 'Ah, yes.' he thought. 'Ares will be so proud of me.' the grin remained on his face as he reached for the reins of his horse. A grin that was quickly removed when his foot slipped on the greasy stirrup and his chin slammed into the side of the saddle. "What the Hades?" all around him he heard similar exclamations as his men found their feet slipping from their stirrups. "Ranis, get over here!" Zartok growled to his lieutenant. "Get down on your hands and knees." the smaller man did as he was told and grunted when he felt the warlord step onto his back. "There, that's bet-whoa!" he said as he tossed one leg over the saddle and found himself slip off and onto the hard ground on the other side. "What is going on here?" he bellowed.

"Sir, all the saddles have been greased." one of the men said.

"Well then wipe the grease off, you idiot!" Zartok bellowed.

"It's no good, your warlordship, sir." Ranis replied. "All their britches are greasy now. Even if we wipe off the saddles, they'll still slip."

"Well then tell them to hold on tight. Who was on sentry duty? How did this happen?" he barked. This was not good, not good at all, he thought. He grabbed Ranis by his shirt and pulled him close. "This was supposed to be a surprise."

"Ah...apparently it wasn't as much of a surprise as we had hoped, sir." the lieutenant said before being shoved roughly backwards.

"Get those men on their horses and get those weapons moving. I'll show those harlots that they can't defeat us with just a little grease." he grabbed another soldier and used him as a stepping block to get back on his horse. This time he was more cautious about keeping himself balanced, although the feeling of the grease on his britches made him squirm a bit. "Let's move out." he yelled.

With the catapults in front, Zartok and his men worked their way up the trail, careful of the steep drop-off to the left of them. The were halfway up the incline when the blond warlord heard the shouts. "Look out!" someone yelled as the wheels fell of the left side of the catapults and the large weapons tumbled helplessly over the side, crashing against the rocks below. Zartok dismounted and ran up to the front of the line, his anger growing with each step. Only one catapult remained on the trail, but its wheels were nowhere in sight. "What happened?" he said when he finally reached the disabled weapon.

"I-I don't know, sir. The wheels just...fell off, I guess." the soldier said meekly.

"Fell off? Fell off? How do wheels just fall off?" his frustration was evident to all those around him.

"I don't know, your warlordship. We were going along and then the wheels started to wobble and then, poof, they just...fell off."

"I don't believe this." Zartok sighed, scratching his head in annoyance. "Well, get it out of the way."

"What are they doing?" Ephiny asked as the scout climbed down from her perch atop the large rock.

"They just pushed the last catapult over the edge of the trail." Clonie said with a grin.

"Let's get everyone into position then." the blond Amazon said. "You'd better go get Xena and Queen Gabrielle. Last time I saw them they headed that way." she pointed. "Oh, and Clonie?"

"Yes?"

"Make sure they know you're coming...Xena doesn't take too kindly to surprises."