The moon was full, and the air
quite crisp
The tree leaves swayed in the wind so brisk
Off in the distance loomed an eerie sight
Pumpkins aglow in the pale moonlight
Two women on horseback traveled
the road
The beast steadfastly bearing the load
Still a few miles more till they reached the next town
Where they could eat dinner and then would bed down
"This road is so spooky."
Said the blonde bard
"Imagining spirits is not at all hard."
Her dark haired companion grinned knowing well
The wild imagination of her friend, Gabrielle
"Now don't you worry, it
isn't the dead
That you should fear but the living instead.
They are the ones who hide up in the trees
Claiming their victims with terror and ease."
Somewhere nearby came the hoot
of an owl
And off in the distance they heard a wolf howl
Gabrielle shuddered and held Xena tighter
Hoping that wolf wouldn't jump up and bite her
Xena turned 'round and shook
her dark head
"Don't worry, you're safe with me." Xena said
She faced front again and was quite surprised
To see a young girl looking into her eyes
She pulled up abruptly on Argo's
reins
Having no idea from where the girl came
She warily asked, "Are you all right?"
The girl didn't answer but looked filled with fright.
Xena alerted began looking around
But no other people at all could be found
Gabrielle then slid off Argo's back
Confident this child would not attack
But what was she doing here
so late at night
She looked at her kindly to ease the teen's fright
Gab said, "What's wrong hon?" and touched the girl's
cheek
The girl looked even sadder and began to speak
"I was riding my horse
on the road up above
On the way to the house of the boy that I love
In the pitch blackness I just couldn't see
And went off the cliff where the path turned sharply
My poor horse is dead and I
am alone
I just want to go back to my warm home"
Gabrielle said, "It's a miracle you survived!
And that you can walk much less be alive!"
"What is your name child
and where do you live?"
Xena decided that help she would give
"My name is Cassandra." She said looking down
"And I live just outside the next town."
"Hop onto Argo Cass, we'll
take you there."
Xena pulled the young girl up and onto the mare
Gabrielle occupied her usual space
Walking beside them at a brisk pace
They traveled a while along
the dirt road
While the girl gave directions to her abode
Something about this child wasn't quite right
Gab fought foreboding with all of her might
"It's just the darkness
giving me the willies."
Gab thought to herself. "And I'm being silly!"
And so she ignored the small voice in her head
And pushed aside all of her feelings of dread
They arrived at the house and
Gab knocked at the door
And the man who answered asked what they were there for
"We brought back your daughter." Gabrielle turned around
But the young teenage girl was nowhere to be found!
"Oh no not again."
The man said distressed.
"My daughter's been dead for ten years." He confessed.
"She died when her horse plunged off of a cliff.
She was only sixteen." He said with a sniff
"But we saw her and she
led us straight here!"
Poor Gabrielle was quite close to tears
"I know." He said softly as he touched her arm
"She's brought others before you back here to our farm."
"But here is her grave
as you plainly can see.
We buried her under her favorite tree."
And on the headstone was a name and a date
Gab saw for herself they were ten years too late
The man thanked them kindly
then went back inside
And Gabrielle climbed onto Argo to ride
"What do you make of this, Xena?" she queried
"I don't know, Gabrielle but it's certainly eerie."
Then she turned Argo back toward
the village path
She said "When we get there let's get a warm bath."
The three figures disappeared into the night
Just as the sun rose cutting darkness with light
Now they say that even up to
this day
The young girl stops travelers on their way
In hopes that she no longer will have to roam
And can finally return to her loving home
RedPrincess {{~_~}
10/6/98