“Well…” Eve’s voice trailed off into silence as she gazed lovingly at the creature who had become the focal
point for her day’s lesson to Ari.
“Oh, Pa-lease!!” Ari gave freedom to her deep laughter as she shook her head in amusement.
“But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense! Don’t you see, Ari? Eli served a higher power, and that
higher power created us all. Doesn’t it make sense that one ultimate being created everything including Eli?
Even the creatures of the earth, could they not be shaped in the creator’s image and be the representations of
Eli here and now? Can’t you see that such a peaceful creature is a reminder of all the goodness and love that is
possible for us?” Eve tried to plead her case, but her confusing words only managed to increase Ari’s already
pounding headache.
Before the dark child could respond to her sister, their argument was ended by the pop of a bowstring behind
them followed by the distinctive whine of an arrow splitting the air. It arced gracefully through the air before
striking home directly into the heart of the rabbit with a dull thud. The animal died before its blood stopped
pumping. At the sound of rustling in the underbrush, Ari noticed a movement from her side and turned in time
to see the storyteller nock a second arrow before letting it fly, sweeping through the air to land in the second
rabbit. A high-pitched scream escaped the creature before it fell to the ground with its hind feet twitching for
only a moment, then it grew deathly still.
As Eve gasped in horror at the sight, Ari whipped her head around in time to see Gabrielle astride her horse,
the small warrior’s arms still raised in completion of her shot. The girl saw the pride of success break across
the blonde's face before the dark haired girl looked back at her sister with a huge grin pulling her lips apart.
With a slight smile, she looked down at the horrified look on Eve’s face as the prophet watched
Xena riding out to collect the kill. “Nice shot, honey!” the older warrior called back to her soulmate.
“Dinner tonight, girls!” Their mother’s voice was filled with enthusiasm as she glanced at Ari, then Eve. The
warrior princess beamed a smile at her daughters as she rode past them. The older woman looked confused
when she saw her youngest daughter’s devastated expression, but continued toward their dinner as a winged
shadow circled high above the dead creatures. From up above, a screeching cry echoed in the wind. The
leather clad woman glanced up with a scowl, “Get your own dinner!” she shouted up at the flying hawk. In an
easy move, the tall woman jumped off of her horse and collected the evening’s meal, carefully removing the
arrows before tying the dead rabbits to her saddle horn.
The Amazon was smiling proudly as her spouse rode out to gather their evening’s meal. When she glanced up
at the girls, she saw Ari’s smile beaming across her face before the dark haired girl began howling with
laughter, her body shaking as her guffaws escaped her control. With a confused arch of a brow, Gabrielle
glanced at Eve’s pale face, the expression of sheer sadness.
“Mother! How could you!” Eve cried out to the blonde.
“What? What did I do?” The blonde frowned as Xena returned to her side.
“BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!” Ari roared with laughter as she shook so hard that she almost lost her
balance and fell out of her saddle.
“Xena, is every thing alright? Why is Eve angry with me?” the healer asked with concern.
The dark haired warrior glanced back at her daughters, her expression confused as she watched Ari fighting to
stay in her saddle as she laughed hysterically while Eve had a look of sorrow on her face. With a shrug of her
shoulders, the woman turned her horse around and continued down the road. “Beats me, maybe it’s getting
close to her moon time,” was all the warrior offered as she lead the way down the trail.
“Are you two alright?” Gabrielle asked the girls as she pulled her horse along side them.
“Ooohhhh, e-everything… i-is… j-just grand! BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA” Ari’s deep roar of laughter
rang out as she turned her horse and caught up with Xena, her body doubled over in the saddle from fits of
laughter.
“H-How could you!… Th-That poor r-rabbit?” Eve appeared on the verge of tears.
Gabrielle held a look of confusion as she glanced from Eve to the open field. As dawning settled in, a slight
tinge of red covered the storyteller’s cheek as a sheepish expression crossed her lips. When the blonde
glanced at Ari, she covered her mouth to hide a smile as realization of what had been going on between the
two settled in.
“I’m sorry, Eve. I thought you were pointing to it so that we would have dinner tonight,” the smaller woman
offered with an apologetic smile, then slightly bit her lower lip to keep from smiling, or worse, joining in Ari’s
revelry. With a slight frown that managed to mask her smile, the healer reached over and lightly rubbed the
prophet’s bare arm.
“Eve, honey, I had no idea that you weren’t pointing out our dinner for us,” she again said to her daughter
before a deep-set frown settled in. When the young woman gave a weak nod, Gabrielle smile slightly, then
sighed before she returned to lover’s side.
Eve moved quietly to the end of the group. Still chuckling uncontrollably, Ari fell back from the older warrior’s
side until she was along side her little sister. As her body shook from laughter, she glanced periodically from
the prophet to the two women who occasionally glanced back at their youngest with concern. Whenever they
looked at the dark child, she hooted with laughter over her sister’s predicament.
~~~~~~
When they found a camping spot that Xena approved of, they all moved in their own directions. As was her
habit, Ari removed the tackle from her horse, and brushed him down. When the stallion was settled, she took
up the reins of the very fat horse that Eve rode while the older warrior groomed her lover’s horse. In an easy
silence, they both went about this chore without much thought. Only when the horses were settled, did the girl
move to help the others set up camp.
As Eve was laying out the blankets or rummaging in the forest for vegetation to add to their evening meal,
Xena’s consort made a deep pit for the fire. At the edge of the camp, the warrior princess began to skin and
gut the evening’s dinner. Without needing directions, Ari rummaged through the nearby forest until she found
the right wood for the fire.
The sounds of the crickets rose in the air and only stopped when Ari walked by. As she glanced on the
ground in search of wood, she listened to the sounds around her. She could hear the distant voices of the
women gathered around the campfire. If she concentrated hard enough, the young woman was able to hear all
of their words. But rather than expend this energy, she turned her thoughts away from them and continued her
search through the dim light of dusk.
