JA Bard

Chapter 39

On the Road Again

The cavern had its own sounds and smells of damp earth, trickling water, and old usage. But now it was intermingled with the murmuring of women's voices as they chatted amongst themselves, the smell of damp horses, herbal soaps from the bathing women, foods being cooked and the incense that was burning in a small wall altar.

The soft torchlight reflected off a single crystal stone the size of a large fist, which was fitted in the wall above the altar. Its shape was a featureless form of a voluptuous Gaia holding the sacred plant to visions in one hand and seeds in the other. Aleka sat cross-legged with her wrists dangling over her bent knees in what she felt was the center of the vortex, thirteen of her long strides from the front of the altar. She closed her eyes and felt her back straighten as she drew in a slow deep breath to begin the process of letting go. The air in and around this space was decidedly different. It set the fine hairs on her arms standing up. As long as she did not chant for the portal to open she could use the energy to protect her and help her to focus on projecting herself to the next site. She was reacquainting herself with an old method of travel.

The energy around her wasn't as strong as it was in Pasiphae, the small village the original journey started in. As she became more aware of her past as Aleka she realized how important it had been for them to seal the sacred caverns at Pasiphae from those who would use the portals for less than good intentions. Though she well knew that the unprepared or uninitiated could not safely enter the doorway, devious minds with less than good intentions would no doubt find a way to use it or those that were able to pass through. She had no doubt that as Xena the Warlord, she would have found a way to manipulate those that could freely travel through the portals to her advantage in her lust for conquering and attaining power over others. Animals that were moved through these portals were true to their nature given by the goddess and therefore were not affected.

She turned her thoughts back to what she needed to do. Taking another slow deep breath, holding it, then releasing it, she felt her body relax further. Long fingers that were idly stroking the carvings on the sides of the chair became still, chin that was tight from her clinched jaw became slack...then…her lighter self separated from her heavier body.

Aleka imagined the next site and felt a quick movement that was disorientating…and then she was hovering before a building in spirit. The temple had fields to the left that had been harvested and bedded for the winter; to the right laid a forest of tall trees; and before the temple stretched a stone walkway interspersed with sections for the planting of the usual herbs and flowers found in temple gardens. The sky was overcast showing winter rains were soon to fall in this part of the country too. The old temple butted up against the mountainside where the cavern she and the others would be appearing through lay.

Decorating the outside of the bronze plated temple doors was a winter solstice wreath with barley and wheat shafts woven in with the long stemmed mekon plant with its pods neatly intertwined to create a design representing the length of time Persephone spent with Hades. It was a temple of Demeter's. Dried leaves that the wind was blowing onto the steps were collecting in corners. The silver wood trees that were to the left of the temple were bare and shaking with the wind that blew through their silver limbs. The stone lined garden that bordered the sides of the walkway leading up to the temple was bare, as a winter garden would be. The statues that appeared to be scattered about the barren garden had only the stone work that wove around them to attest to the fact that if a flowering garden was there, there was a definite border and pattern to the placement of the statues. Demeter's statues had dried wreathes of wheat and barely draped around her neck and over her limbs while her daughter Persephone was draped in the traditional dark sackcloth. It had the appearance of a well cared for Temple.

Interesting. Gaia's important temples away from the larger cities are now used by Demeter's followers. Must be some kind of an arrangement between the goddesses, Aleka mused as she looked around her.

Moving from the outside of the temple to the inside, she found the stairwell that led down to the cellar of the temple. The stairwell was located in the apse, behind the altar to Demeter, hidden by an elaborately weaved wall hanging depicting the seasons and the goddesses participation in them. Aleka paused to glance back at her statue that was made of gold, silver, ivory and precious stones, depicting her waiting for her daughters return. In her right hand she held barley, wheat and a mekon capsule, ready for planting. Her left hand held a long staff with the mekon capsule at one end and the pointed tip for drilling holes for the seeds at the other. The statue of Persephone was draped under black died sackcloth, just as the outside one was. It was custom during the winter months to represent the time when Persephone spent in the underworld with her husband, Hades. She moved on.

Hmm. Doors locked from temple side, she noted. She moved though the door and down into the cellar. She found one curved door that led into the side of the mountain. It could be barred from either side. We'll bar it from our side when we're here. No need to risk having a surprise visit from curious residents if they should hear noises coming from a locked room no longer used, she mused. It would be awkward, her other half agreed.

Aleka looked for other exits. All right. Let's see where we can exit from. Can't be strolling through the temple with cart and horses, now can we? She chuckled to herself. Her mischievous side was tempted to do it and let the explanation be given to the visions inspired by the opion sap, but the brevity of the knowledge that such portals existed and what they could be misused for kept the impulse in check.

There are two exits directly to the outside, Aleka reminded Xena. Right.

She moved along the cavern looking for the two other exits that most temples had for emergencies or as they had originally been intended, for moving supplies in and out of the cavern without disrupting temple activities. She found one covered with a large circular stone rolled in front of it. The second was hidden behind old piles of bags and discarded containers from long ago use.

What are they saving all this for? Xena asked disgustedly.

Aleka inspected the exit behind the rock door first. She traveled quickly though the tunnel which led to a trail that wound upward to the top of the mountain. On the outside the path led back down to the foot of the mountain. It would lead them down into a valley that headed west toward Canace.

Wrong direction.

She moved back to check the tunnel behind the piled debris. This one opened up into a grotto of more tall silver trees.

Rising higher she was able to find the old trail that led through the grove and out onto the road.

Ahh, the main road. The ground's muddy. It's going to take some time to cover our tracks. There's no way out of the cavern except through the muddy field, she observed.

We are cutting three days off travel time, Aleka pointed out to Xena's practical side.

Yea. You're right. I guess a candle mark off our time isn't too much, come to think of it, Xena conceded with a slight smile for her counterpart.

She then returned and made a closer inspection of the cavern finding little evidence that it had been used recently. The entrance was from the basement off from where the oracle would sit. As Demeter's temple there should still be an oracle below the ground yet it appeared it too had not been used for a long time.

Aleka made another visit around the temple to see where everyone was located then returned to the cavern where the circle of friends waited for her return.

Seven priestesses, fourteen initiates and some families doing business with the high priestess…it's a prosperous temple, so why is there no oracle? Aleka interjected between Xena's mental notes. We aren't going to get involved with anymore goddess problems. One is enough. Everyone looks too busy to be distracted with our arrival and departure, Aleka nodded to herself, closing the subject of why no oracle. It was a puzzle…but not for this time.

****

Startling blue eyes opened, alerting the others that Aleka was back. She slowly uncrossed her long legs as her senses adjusted back to her heavier form. Once settled, in one fluid motion she rose, turning to face the two that would lead the way.

"It is clear. The exit we'll be using is behind old bags and wine caskets." She nodded to Lily and Agnes who again insisted on going through the portal before her. "There is a door you can bar to make sure we don't have any surprise visits. Best to control the door ourselves and let them wonder than have to explain what they see."

The two women nodded, barely concealing their excitement. Was it from the anticipation of another trip through the portal or the anticipation of another adventure? Whichever, Aleka could feel it in the others too. Everyone was bathed, fed, packed and ready.

Aleka closed her eyes and brought to memory the tone for the portal of their destination. Each cavern had a name and the tone was in the name. She started the hum then made it into a chant feeling the energy in the area pick up. The others took up the chant intensifying the energy. She could feel the unmistakable activity of an open portal around her. The smell in the air that swept over her was from another place. She stepped to the side where Iaia, Erica and Eleanor waited. They were to come through the portal last, after they had erased all traces of their presence. Inwardly she smiled at the trio who had become close friends.

She felt a nose bunting her elbow, then teeth nibbling playfully on the cloth of her tunic as the golden mare waited for her turn to be herded through the portal following the cart. Aleka turned to look into the golden brown eyes that were to an old friend letting a hand briefly stroke the nostrils that flared out as the golden mare breathed, then Aleka returned her attention back to the portal…waiting.

The feather returned three breaths later and the others started to move through the portal in an orderly, prearranged fashion with the count of five before each stepped through. Aleka would move through just before the trio. She wanted to be sure all traces of their presence were removed. She knew the existence of the portals could not be kept hidden, for already too many people knew of them, but proof of their use could be erased leaving something of them a mystery. The trio helped erase prints digging holes and burying waste and leaving unlit torches in convenient places in case they had to return.

As the Named, she was not to be the first or the last anywhere, so when they were finished, Aleka stepped through the portal before the trio. Without hesitation she stepped through feeling the tingling skirt over her arms, shoulders and down her legs. It ended at her second step, which put her in the new cavern.

Aleka looked around noting torches were lit for the women to move around without bumping into each other. Half of the debris blocking the entrance was already removed.

"Have you thought of what we're going to do about recovering this?" Lily asked as she moved out of the way of Brona's toss of an old mat on the pile that they had been dumping everything on.

"Yea. There are some planks there." Aleka gestured toward the other wall. "We can pile everything on them then move the planks against the opening. Whoever covered the opening did it from this side."

"Don't you think someone will notice everything is stacked differently and that the planks have been moved?"

"Hmmm. Maybe. Why don't you and I get to preparing the planks?" Aleka suggested.

When the others had finished unblocking the doorway. They all stood back to admire the doorframe that was covered in carvings. Lily couldn't resist feeling with her fingertips the carved surface. In the beam above were carved scenes that honored Gaia in her voluptuous state at harvest time. The left side pillar had carvings representing the seasons and the right had carvings representing the various stages of life. There were pits in the wood where at one time stones might have been imbedded.

"Look someone had forgotten to remove this stone." Lily observed. Before she could touch it Aleka knocked her hand away. "Whaaat! What's wrong." Lily asked startled.

"It's best not to touch what has been covered from sight and looks too conveniently placed for the pickings." Aleka advised

"Sounds like sage advice." Agnes nodded.

"Well, the carvings alone are beautiful. They must have really looked impressive before the stones were removed." Lily remarked.

"Let's get going. We have muddy tracks to cover before we get to the road." Aleka reminded the women.

"What's the weather like outside?" Lily asked, expecting their practical Leader to have noticed.

"It looks like rain before we get under shelter."

Lily sighed. "It is winter so I shouldn't be surprised, but Zeus, can't we get a break?"

Aleka laughed. "Gaia gave us three free days of travel with no stress, no mess."

Agnes poked Lily in the side as she moved past her with her horse. "Yea. So don't be giving her any ideas of us being ungrateful." She teased.

The main group of women moved out taking the horses while Aleka and the trio remained behind to move the planks in front of the doorway and wipe out their tracks. They piled the debris high enough for them to clamber out without toppling it, then closed the door from the tunnel side.

****

By dusk Aleka and Lily, whose turn it was to scout ahead had found a suitable place for a camp. It was protected from the cold wind and rain they had been facing all day. While waiting for the others to catch up with them they started to make shelters and setup a protected fire.

"If it gets any colder we're going to have snow before the morning." Lily commented to her companion who was weaving the edges of a shelter together.

Aleka glanced up at the row of caves Lily was looking at wistfully. "Not a good idea." She commented quietly as she resumed her work. "It's too far from where the horses will be and it will be too difficult to defend if we have to stay up there for any length of time."

Lily sighed. "Naturally. It's got to be a real experience in roughing it."

Aleka laughed to herself softly. She doesn't know what roughing it really is.

Lily seemed to sense what was going through the warrior's mind. "I know what you're thinking and I don't want to hear it." She grumbled.

The women continued with their preparations in silence. Finally Aleka surveyed their finished work and nodded.

"Let's wait up in the trees for our friends." Aleka drawled with a very mischievous glint in her blue eyes.

"Oh. I like the tone of your voice. I just love to roost above unsuspecting chicks." Lily growled with humor. She rubbed her hands more for warmth than anticipation of fun.

Aleka looked at her. "Like a chicken hawk, huh?"

"Hmm."

****

Iaia was listening and enjoying the sounds and smells around her. Her senses were still heightened and she was taking advantage of it. Eleanor had told her it would take weeks for the last of the drugs from Malucu's combination to get out of her system, which is what they suspected was causing her senses to be heightened.

Iaia was riding up front with Erica, who took Lily's place when she moved to scout position with Aleka. The steady rain had finally abated with only a few drops falling now and then but they were all cold and wet with only the thoughts of a warm fire, food and relief from the cold wind on their collective minds.

Eleanor and Erica were looking for the mark that Aleka and Lily would have left to show where they were to move off the road for their night camp. Agnes who was riding next to Eleanor spotted the mark near the bushes first, since it was near her.

Agnes and Brona rode ahead while the others followed slower to keep close to the cart that was riding low in the soft dirt that was not a road. The two that were keeping an eye out behind them were nervously looking toward the road they just left for they were in full view of anyone who might travel past. They hadn't met anyone on the road that day, and though not many people traveled in the winter those that did were usually desperate or as unpleasant as the weather. Alala had lagged further behind to check a group of soldiers that her winged friends had spotted earlier. They all wanted to know who was behind them and how far just so they didn't get unannounced visitors at night

"It's up ahead, about a furlough." Agnes announced breathlessly as she came riding back. She didn't want to tell them that Aleka had scared her by dropping out of a tree neatly, to sit behind her on her mount, with a knife at her throat, to teach her that she should be more careful when entering a covered area. Lily had tried something similar on Brona who entered the forest cover with the same casualness, but the two women were evenly matched and both ended up falling off the horse and wrestling around in the mud, which caked the two women. Lily, however, was able to clean her dignity up before the others arrived.

No one dared to ask Brona what happened to her, as everyone already knew the drill. Aleka stressed the importance of the women staying alert and if she noticed anyone less then attentive she would see that something happened in their proximity to teach them a valuable lesson on survival. Daylight was short in the winter so their hyper vigilance wasn't a long eight candle marks. They all knew that sooner or later they would be in Brona's place, if they hadn't already…and on numerous occasions.

The trio was again in charge with covering the groups passage from view so they remained behind. Trying to undo the passage of the cart in the soft dirt was a challenge. The brush it had gone over wasn't as bad as the deep wheel marks it left on either side of it. They were halfway to the cover of the forest, still clearing tracks when Iaia suddenly became still.

"We've got company." Iaia whispered as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She could feel something different in the air coming from the direction they had passed. A part of her was excited at what she suspected was what a warrior must feel when she sensed things before others witnessed them.

The other two looked around carefully not questioning Iaia's announcement. The ground began to tremble after a few moments.

"Feels like a good size group heading this way." Erica looked around for cover, which there wasn't much of until they reached the tree line at the beginning of the forest. They wouldn't have time to reach it. They were a little past the halfway point between the road and the forest with tracks to still cover.

Erica quickly touched her horses leg and pulled his head at an angle so that he lowered himself down to the ground and then onto his side. She picked a part of the ground that dipped down slightly thereby making it impossible to see them if they lay flat, unless a rider came off the road looking. She lay beside her mount ready to bring him back up if needed. The other two women quickly followed suit, bringing their mounts into a laying position, not relishing the muddy ground. Iaia remembered that Agnes had told her Argo was a war-horse. She then would certainly know about this maneuver of blending in with the scenery, Iaia thought. She tossed her fur coat over the lighter colored horse and snuggled up close hoping Argo's body heat would make up for surrendering her warm coat to lay next to her in the cold mud.

The pounding of hooves was more noticeable as the women lay flat on the ground. Iaia could hear the distinct movement of two horses riding in front on either side of the road scouting the area out before them. It seemed like a quarter of a candle mark later that the rest of the troop passed by. Erica didn't rise immediately. Cautiously she raised her head and looked around. The rumble in the ground was fading.

"Not yet!" She hissed at the two women. They could hear the hoof beats of one lone rider moving quickly behind the main group.

Iaia raised her head a little when the beats seemed on top of them.

"It's Alala!"

Erica quickly gave the Amazon call. If Alala had not heard it the saker falcon and owl that were circling over head or even her mount would have signaled to their mistress. Alala quickly slowed looking carefully for a more solid place to cross over to their position. The three mud covered women were standing alongside their equally muddied mounts.

"There's a lot of activity on this road. We've got to get into the woods." She informed them trying not to grin at their appearance. She helped them erase the rest of the tracks making better time into the woods.

Aleka was beside them the moment they were under the shelter of the trees. She had been watching with concern at the passage of the soldiers.

"The lead scout noticed where we crossed over." She told the women.

"By Artemis's bow! I know I did a good job of covering up!" Erica muttered.

Aleka lightly tapped her muddied shoulder. She trusted Erica's skills, which was why she had appointed her to the job. "He may be familiar with this road and noticed something different."

Erica's face turned red. "Well, I did move a bush around." She admitted in a low voice. "But I can't see how one bush would make a difference." She muttered, knowing full well that a good scout would notice details.

Iaia and Eleanor's struggles to not laugh out loud only made it more noticeable as the giggling broke out when the two looked at each other.

Erica's face became redder.

"We've already moved camp further into the woods. It's going to be cold later on but we can't risk a fire for the night. I don't want to risk anyone smelling our fire and coming for a visit. We'll sleep two or more to a shelter. Unless you want to cuddle with the horses." Aleka raised an eyebrow remembering many events in her own life of having to share warmth with Argo. "There's a running stream near by so you can get some of that mud off." She added noting the women's uncomfortable shifting around from the mud.

Iaia could hear the soft feet above her that moved from branch to branch as Aleka was speaking. The guards are being posted, she thought. She was relieved she wasn't going to be on the first shift. She was hungry, dirty and tired.

"We may be in trouble if that guard decides to come back for another look." Alala remarked as she walked to the camp alongside of Aleka.

"Let's get everyone together and compare notes…after the three of you get a chance to clean up and get something warm inside of you." Aleka told the women over her shoulder.

****

"So, what have you found?" Aleka asked Alala when everyone was gathered in a tight circle around the fire. The warmth of their closeness was appreciated by all, as they couldn't ignore the howling of the wind through the treetops and the knowledge that the warm fire would soon be put out.

"There is a group of mercenaries about a candle mark behind the group that passed by. From a conversation I overheard, the two groups will meet up by tomorrow. It seems the mercenaries' scout the borders of Lord Menigines' lands. Menigines has his own men go out and collect reports from them about twice in a moon's cycle. The argument I overheard had to do with some of Menigines' soldiers making unscheduled visits. The two groups are not on friendly terms but then, they aren't at each others throats."

"Ah, Lord Menigines. He wants his kingdom to be known as one of the great learning centers in Macedonia." Lily nodded to the others. "It's his winter quarters that we're headed to. He's already married off his offspring to the surrounding influential families to insure his kingdom grows or has peaceful neighbors."

Alala looked at her with amusement. "I thought the temple priestesses were the only ones that could claim to know all the gossip from everywhere."

"Are you kidding? On an island of women, as an Ambassador for the Amazons, and Lesbos? Believe me, I am privy to more information than what I can use." Lily groaned. "With all the intrigues even a goddess would find it mind boggling to keep up."

"What's he doing, collecting for a harem?" Berik asked. Her hands were wrapped around a mug of hot tea.

"Well, actually he did inherit a harem when he conquered the area."

"Wait until he finds out the offspring of some of the inherited wives want to rule the land that they feel is their heritage." Erica shook her head knowingly. "I hope you're right when you said he's changed the practices of the previous ruler. If not, we may be in for more than what we can handle."

"I told you, he's a friend of Sappho and so is his new wife." Lily reassured them.

Aleka partially listened to the women letting the heat from her cup warm her hands. She stared into the cup watching the leaves that escaped the strainer move around the top of the brew. If the scout is familiar with this area he will know where someone is most likely to hide. It's good to stay away from those caves along the ridge as tempting as they appear in this weather. It would be the first place the soldiers will look. Aleka let her eyes wander around the outside of their camp seeing what others could not, aware of things that others would not be. We can take care of the soldiers from here. Camilia, Berik and Alala will stay with the horses…and Gabrielle. Our real danger is from the cold.

Alala and Lily had the second watch and were snuggling under the firs within the cozy shelters that were made earlier. Brona and Candra would join them on the second watch, while Berik and Agnes were given the chore of relieving anyone that became too cold to finish their shift. They had to wake up periodically and check on the others. A signal that was like cold branches brushing against each other was to be given if all was well.

Aleka, as usual, took the last shift with Erica, Iaia and Eleanor. Gari, Grace, Kynthia and Catherine were given the first shift. Aleka felt if the soldiers wanted to investigate an irregularity, they would send out a scouting team either at dusk or just before dawn. However, she didn't think it would be dusk in this case. No matter how well the scouting group knew the area, there was to be no moon that night and the clouds that the cold wind was blowing warned of snow. Aleka could smell it in the wind. Most soldiers didn't like to go skulking about in bad weather and without light. Unless she happened to be an ex warlord, Aleka chuckled to herself, who was bored and looking for some fun. Her chuckle went deeper when she felt the cringe from her counterpart at the thought of creeping about in the cold and in the dark. Better you than me, came the reply back.

The women on guard were cold and huddled against the bare trees trying to keep alert to any movement around them. The shifts were short so that no one would be out in the cold for too long. Aleka had given them suggestions on how to keep warm and warned them against the sleepiness that would overtake them if they became too cold. She made sure they knew that to come for help if they felt they were too cold was important and nothing to be ashamed about.

When Aleka came back from a quick parameter search she found Iaia was waiting up for her.

"Hey." She whispered softly as Aleka passed her shelter. "No one sleeps alone." Aleka was hesitant. Who left her alone in a shelter?

"Come on. I'm not going to bite, Aleka." The soft voice cajoled.

Aleka could hear the smile in her voice. She squelched the image of Gabrielle biting her neck and ignored the warm feeling that spread throughout her body at the thought. Without much more struggle she joined Iaia. She lay on her back and Iaia settled her head on her shoulder and was quickly asleep. The familiarity of Iaia's actions had Aleka wondering if Gabrielle's memories had surfaced.

The warmth from their bodies under the shelter kept the cold at bay. Aleka contently fell asleep until she heard familiar footsteps approach.

The first watch went by without a disturbance and without the women becoming ill from cold limbs. As the second shift ended, Alala reported to Aleka that her owl had spotted riders but they were about three candle marks away, with torches. The wind had died but the chill was evident in the vapor from their breath.

"Get some rest and warmth until then." Aleka suggested as she pulled her warmed coat out from under the covers. Aleka moved out of the shelter and waited for Iaia to get up to give their warm places to Lily and Alala, who were getting off their shift.

So the men were coming this way. She looked up into the early morning sky and gauged what light they would have when the soldiers arrived. It still would be dark but the sunrise would not be long away. Just before dawn was the darkest time of the night. They can't move fast in the dark, even with torches. More than likely they'll put the torches out before they make their way through the valley about nine furloughs from the road. Her warrior side was delighted with this last idea. The challenge of disappearing in the dark when surrounded by an armed group was something she was skillful at and delighted in playing.

Aleka went to check up on the horses. Their warm breath on her hands was comforting as she greeted the ones that moved against her. She spent more time stroking a familiar neck then perhaps she really had time for. She sniffed the air and listened closely to the night sounds with her hand resting on the coarse winter coat of Argo's neck. "There's going to be some serious weather soon, Argo," she whispered in the attentive ear. She could see dark forms of the other women moving around the horses. A short form moved toward her. "I see you and Argo have become good friends." Iaia whispered as she let her hands rest on Argo's neck for warmth. It was so close to where Aleka had hers resting she could swear she could feel Aleka's warmth radiating from them.

"We have." Aleka softly admitted.

Argo's head turned around toward her and Aleka could image what look she was getting in the dark from those golden brown eyes, and she didn't have an apple to make up to her.

****

*

Aleka took the northern position against a tree that gave her a good view of a valley that the soldier's would probably approach them from. She settled with her back comfortably against the tree, feeling as Aleka the life of the tree and its connection with the earth. Even in the cold winter there was awareness within this tall sentinel of what was going on in its environment. Aleka relished the reconnection with other forms of life that she had once had, which had colored her world in vibrant hues. Xena chucked and thought that having Gabrielle around made up for that loss. Gently Aleka moved her connection from her tall friend to the sounds on the wind that was blowing toward her from out of the valley.

It was about two candle marks later that Alala moved to her side and indicated that the men had arrived and were moving along the valley floor. It was what her own senses had informed her. The smell of not too fresh clothing and horses gave their presence away. They didn't have the sense to check the wind direction.

"Wake and alert the others." She silently signaled her. She paused listening for a moment then turned to return to their dark camp. The others were up and silently removing traces of their camp. Lily and Agnes joined Aleka's tall shadow quickly.

"We need to find out how many there are." She whispered to the two women. Lily's shadow nodded.

"Agnes, the Amazons will do this alone." Aleka informed her. Agnes nodded in understanding. This required more stealth than her priestess had at that time for traveling in trees, especially in the dark.

The other women huddled around the three waiting for directions.

"Fan out. Gari, take the direction we've come from. Erica you go up the way they were last seen. Lily, check the area where we first were to set up camp. Berik .."

"Go back toward the mountain." She guessed.

"Right. Now go. You have a quarter candle mark before they reach the old camp site."

"Alala, is it safe for the owl to scout?"

"Yes."

"Good. We'll need her eyes to tell us what the others can't see."

"The rest of you, make sure traces of our camp here have been removed. Then get to your traps and only use them when it's necessary." She cautioned the priestesses. "Remember we don't want them to know we are here."

In the dark it was difficult to see if heads nodded in agreement but the barely audible sound of feet dispatching could be heard.

Aleka closed her eyes for a moment taking a deep breath of the cold air into her lungs. An image came to her bringing warmth. She pictured Iaia's head pressed against her shoulder and the arm that had slipped across her stomach in sleep. Taking another deep breath she moved her thoughts to a bigger problem at hand.

Iaia returned to help Camila and Alala with the horses. Aleka could see her shivering and was wondering if it was from apprehension.

Aleka turned and moved quickly and silently past Lily's position, over the uneven ground that was barely showing in gray shades from a sky that was just getting ready to move into daylight. She climbed a slight embankment and blended in with the ground pulling the hood of her fur coat closer around her face as she moved toward the valley.

She could feel feet moving over the earth before she heard their movement near by. Was it again Aleka's connection with the earth and its creatures? Xena shrugged it off. She was able to do it herself. Now is not the time to be comparing notes, she admonished her selves.

Some of the men were quieter than others. Aleka could finally see the shadows moving cautiously toward the area where they had made their first camp.

Their warm clothing is not shoddy. I think I'll have a look see at their horses.

Aleka let the men move past her content to watch them search out an area that was vacant. She was more interested in seeing if this was the mercenary group or the army Alala had talked about. So far she hadn't been able to spot an insignia on the warm furs. Once they had disappeared she got up and moved to where she thought their horses might be. Horses tell much about their owners.

Aleka found the guards to the horses easily. The two men guarding the horses were arguing which gave her more information than she could have gotten though other means. She stayed to listen until the rest of the group returned. It was a dark gray daylight with a few white flakes floating down from the overcast sky. A group of cold, damp and disgruntled soldiers and mercenaries stomped back into the makeshift camp. The leader had the men mount up and ride out quickly. Back to a village with warm food and lodgings, she thought enviously.

Aleka watched them from a tall tree as they disappeared out of sight. The two groups rode separately and the mercenary group did not appear to have a leader. Satisfied they weren't going to turn off the road and double back, Aleka dropped to the ground and started back to camp. She took a quick glance up at the sky and spotted the falcon spiraling above her. Once she started back the bird disappeared in the direction of their camp. Lily joined her as she reached an embankment near their first campsite. They were both cold and were thinking of a nice hot cup of tea that the scent of a fire told them could be a real possibility. Lily was blowing warm air into her cold hands as she trotted beside Aleka.

Aleka whistled their approach. Except for a few that were on guard the rest were gathered around a warm fire that was giving the women hot refreshment and the needed warmth. Lily was handed a cup of tea from Agnes as Aleka walked around looking for something. Lily guessed was an imaginary spy. Iaia filled two bowls with warm soup. Agnes filled another cup and handed it to Aleka when she returned her attention to the huddled group.

"How far did they get?" Aleka asked, as she wrapped her cold fingers around the hot cup of tea before taking the food Iaia offered.

"They didn't get this far. They were more interested in where we first set up. We left them enough evidence to show someone had been there but had left unhurriedly, just like you said."

"Good. It gives the reason for the bush being out of place. What about the scouts?"

"They looked up along the caves over there." Erica pointed.

"Good thing we didn't take cover there." Agnes nodded.

"I'd like to know why Menigines is mixing mercenaries with his regular soldiers. It may be that he's gearing up for winter hits by hungry warlords, but I would rather be sure." Why trust your borders to mercenaries when another's coin can cause a change in loyalties?

The others nodded. "It wouldn't be good to run into unfriendly border patrols." Lily muttered.

Aleka nodded. "Were on the border of Adris so it's to be expected that we run into his patrols."

"We should reach our destination, Lupurities by midday." Alala offered. She kept glancing at the sky and knew by the few flakes that were drifting down it was going to get colder.

"We'll need to hurry. We just may beat the heavier snow fall." Aleka nodded to Lily.

Lily also looked up at the sky. There was a break in the clouds in the direction they were heading, but a shift in the wind could change that. Lily smiled at Alala. "Another point in our favor."

Alala raised her eyebrows in question.

"No injuries."

"Ahhh. We have been lucky." She pointed to where a bruise had once been on Lily's forehead. "But a visit in one of the goddesses passage ways seems to take care of any injury."

Lily nodded. Travel though the portals had a lot of advantages. She wondered how the secret of their existence had been lost. As she pondered the good they could be used for the idea of the misuse and the misery the knowledge of them would create gave her an appreciation of the knowledge being forgotten.

***