WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER

Pt.3

Both Xena and Gabrielle continued their hike up the mountain. The snow was still falling from the night before. While the snow on the ground was already pretty deep, making it far more difficult to walk. So their progress had slowed down significantly. Still they marched on.

GABRIELLE
I really hope the next thing we end up doing takes us somewhere that's a alot warmer and has far less snow.

XENA
I'll keep that in mind.

The both of them continued onward. Making their way through the snow and bitter cold. They walked for awhile. Suddenly Xena stopped.

GABRIELLE
What's wrong?

XENA
Shh, I thought I heard something.

Gabrielle tried listening for what Xena heard.

GABRIELLE
I don't hear anything.

XENA
It's gone now.

GABRIELLE
Do you know what it was?

XENA
It was probably just some wild animal. Nothing else would be this far out here. Come on, let's keep moving.

They continued walking for a while. As they carried on, Gabrielle heard a growing sound.

GABRIELLE
You heard that too right?

XENA
Yeah.

GABRIELLE
Please tell me that was your stomach.

XENA
No.

Sensing an impending threat Xena drew her sword. She looked around for the source of the noise, but didn't see anything. Xena and Gabrielle picked up the pace. But as they did the growling got louder.

XENA
Keep an eye out. We're clearly not alone out here.

Gabrielle readied her weapons too as they cautiously continued on. They slowly walked, looking around for anything that might attack. The growling continued to get louder. However they couldn't tell where it was coming from. It almost seemed to surround them. Xena and Gabrielle stopped as they tried to figure out where whatever was following them was. They searched, but saw nothing. The two stood really to fight. When after a few moments the air fell eerily silent. All that could be heard was the wind as it blew. They kept their guard up for a bit. But nothing happened. Finally Xena put her sword away.

XENA
What ever it was, I think it's gone now.

Gabrielle put her sais away as they continued their climb. Xena lead the way as they walked on for a good while. They got to an area where the snow was so deep, it went up past their knees. It became extremely hard to move. Still slowly they stomped through.

GABRIELLE
This snow is getting ridiculous.

As Gabrielle tried lifting her foot to continue, she realized she was stuck. She pulled harder trying to free herself, but she still couldn't move. She called out to Xena, who was walking ahead and hadn't noticed that Gabrielle had fallen behind.

GABRIELLE
Xena, wait up.

Xena turned around to see Gabrielle stuck in the snow. She began walking back towards her. Xena stomped her way through the snow. As she got closer she held out her hand for Gabrielle to grab onto. Gabrielle reached out, but just as she was about to take Xena's hand, her feet felt like they were yanked out from under her. She fell, buried up to her waist in the snow.

GABRIELLE
What?

She tried freeing herself as Xena once again tried to help her out. Xena just grabbed her hand, when Gabrielle was suddenly ripped from Xena's grasp and began being dragged away through the snow.

GABRIELLE
Xena!

XENA
Gabrielle!

Xena chased after her. But the deep snow made her run slower than usual. Meanwhile Gabrielle clawed at anything she could to try and get away from whatever had her. While she was being dragged, Gabrielle was also getting sucked down deeper into the snow. Now she was buried up to her chest. She franticly looked for something that she could help her. Gabrielle spotted a trees root that was coming up from the ground. As she got dragged by, she grabbed onto it. She held on tight as whatever was in the snow kept trying to pull her under.

GABRIELLE
Xena!

Xena, who was still trying to catch up, grabbed her chakrum and hurled it at the snow near Gabrielle. As it hit they heard a loud yelp. Gabrielle felt whatever it was let her go. She still clung to the tree until Xena caught up to her. Xena reached her and pulled her out of the snow.

XENA
Are you alright?

GABRIELLE
Yeah. But I think I get why the king said these mountains were so dangerous.

Gabrielle winced a little as she stood. Xena noticed Gabrielle was in pain.

XENA
Allright, let me see.

Xena sat Gabrielle on a nearby rock while she looked at her. There was a good sized gash on her lower leg.

GABRIELLE
Is it serious?

XENA
I should be able to patch you up with no real trouble. It's gonna hurt to walk for while, but you'll be fine.

Xena got the medical stuff out and closed up Gabrielle's wound and bandaged it. Then she put the stuff back and retrieved her chakrum that was left behind by the thing she hit. She came back over to Gabrielle and helped her up.

XENA
Can you walk?

Gabrielle tested putting pressure on her leg. It hurt, but it wasn't too bad.

GABRIELLE
I'll be okay.

XENA
We should keep moving. We don't need that thing coming back.

Xena helped Gabrielle walk as they moved on. They continued on until nightfall. They found a spot to spend the night and set back out at daybreak. Now slowed down by Gabrielle's injury their climb had become even harder. But they had no clue just how much harder things were going to get. Soon enough their current mission would be the furthest thing from their minds.

TO BE CONTINUED...