DISCLAIMER AND AUTHOR'S NOTE: All the Xena stuff is the legal property of MCA/Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fiction. All other characters that appear belong to me. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may be made for private use only and must include this copyright notice and disclaimer. This is sort of based on Payback by Wight and an idea comes from Mountain Quest by Eva Allen. Chloe is based on Selena from Payback and on Rhiannon from When the Bough Breaks by Pink Rabbit Productions, but her character and fate are more like Callisto's.

Friendship
By Kristjan Brezovnik

Callisto was just taking a bath when she suddenly felt that there was someone trying to sneak up on her. She wanted to wait, but then she noticed that there were more than just one, many more. She slowly and inconspicuously started to swim and then submerged.

She resurfaced in the bushes where she had left her clothes. She quickly dressed herself and then went hunting.

The attackers quickly noticed that there was something wrong and they all gathered on the shore of the lake.

"Looking for me?" Callisto asked playfully, leaning her sword against her shoulder.

The men turned, surprised and confused.

"Get her!" one of them called and they all attacked.

Callisto grinned and screamed her war cry. The attackers stopped for a brief moment and Callisto attacked herself. Three of them were down before the others began to move again and two more quickly followed. The attackers first tried to attack one after another, but when three more died, they decided to attack all at once. Callisto cried her war cry again and flipped over their heads, cutting down one while she was still in the air and two more as soon as she landed. The attackers backed off, considering whether fighting Callisto was such a good idea.

"Get her!" their leader called again.

Callisto grinned and ran toward the men. The men were uncertain what to do and she flipped over them again, killing another. She landed in front of the leader and knocked him out. She then turned around, grinning, and attacked. When three more were down, the last four decided to flee, but Callisto didn't let them.

When all were dead, she returned to the leader and dragged him to the lake. There, she threw him in and waited until he came around. Then she grabbed him and put her dagger on his neck.

"Now, you obviously seemed very eager to get me. Why?"

"Hera," the man quickly admitted, terrified. "She put out a bounty on you and called her warriors."

"Hera, hm? Tell you what, you go to Hera's temple and tell her priests that this means war and that she is in deep trouble. Oh, I'll be checking up on whether you tell them or not and if you don't, I'll find you. Oh, yes, by the way, what's the prize?"

"Whoever kills you will become one of her warriors."

"Oh, really? Oh, well. Go!"

She kicked him in the back and let him go. The man ran as fast as he could while Callisto played with her dagger, considering whether she should kill him and deliver the message in person. She decided to let the man do it and get herself an army. She took care of the cuts and then left the lake.

The guard was astonished when he saw his warlord return into the camp because he was not aware that she had left.

"Chloe, I… You're not Chloe."

"Of course not," the woman said and rode past him.

"Alarm!" the guard yelled and attacked Callisto.

Callisto slid off her horse and killed him. She continued to walk toward the camp, but was intercepted by more warriors. She was just in the middle of disposing them when she heard an order.

"Stop! Let her pass!"

The men backed off and Callisto took a look at the warlord. What she saw, astonished her. The warlord resembled her so much that Callisto understood why the guard mistook her for Chloe.

Chloe stared at the newcomer. She was also tall, blond with brown eyes and she also wore a two-part leather armor. She had a bad feeling about her identity.

"I am Chloe," she introduced herself.

"Callisto," Callisto said and approached.

"Thought so," Chloe said and took a better look at the infamous Warrior Queen. "Hm, you don't look like the demon they describe you as."

"Looks can deceive," Callisto said and grinned.

"I know," Chloe said and grinned back. She turned to her second-in-command. "How many dead?"

"Seven."

She turned back to Callisto.

"Not bad. So, what brings you to my camp?"

"I need an army."

"Really? And you decide to take mine?" Chloe asked, pretending to be surprised.

"Yes," Callisto grinned. "Do you mind?"

"Hm." Chloe cocked her head and seemed to think. "Actually, I do. I'm afraid you're going to face your precious little Xena without my help."

Callisto's eyes turned into a burning inferno.

"I don't think so," she said and screamed her battle cry.

Just as Callisto attacked, Chloe herself screamed her own battle cry and it startled Callisto for a moment. Their swords clashed in mid air, but none of them pressed on. They both immediately continued into another attack. Callisto was surprised at her opponent's agility and her demeanor, it was almost as though she was fighting her own image in a mirror. She was really good and Callisto barely managed to avoid getting killed a few times. In turn, Chloe also barely managed to avoid getting killed a few times.

The fight lasted for a few minutes already and both opponents were full of cuts. Callisto tried acrobatics, but Chloe managed to match her every move and was even better than her in some things, so Callisto decided to stay on the ground. She tried a fast series of strikes and thrusts, but Chloe parried them all and quickly attacked back. Callisto saw a possible opening, but she realized that it was a trap and ignored it. But that was exactly what Chloe was counting on and only her supernatural reflexes saved Callisto from getting killed, but not from getting cut.

She backed off and the two opponents circled around each other, staring at each other's eyes.

"And you want to take on Xena?" Chloe taunted her, shaking her head. "You'll have to do better than that."

Callisto bit her teeth and ignored Chloe's remarks.

"You're not scared, are you?" Chloe asked innocently and used the same tactics as Callisto used on her own opponents, trying to intimidate them.

But Callisto knew that tactics only too well and she grinned.

"Nice try."

Chloe shook her shoulders.

"Oh, well, it was worth a try. By the way, why they call you Warrior Queen is still a mystery to me. I mean, you've fought Xena so many times and she has always defeated you. It sounds to me like she's the queen and you the princess. Wouldn't you agree?"

Chloe innocently blinked her eyes and then grinned. Callisto grinned back. She is good, she thought and glanced at Chloe's legs. She saw that the left one had more cuts and she decided to concentrate her efforts on weakening it. Chloe used the moment Callisto glanced at her legs and attacked. Callisto expected that and avoided being sliced in two while at the same time she kicked Chloe in the leg. Chloe grinned, understanding Callisto's tactics. She pulled her dagger and Callisto did the same.

Chloe's soldiers quietly stood back and watched the fight of the two furies. They were all very impressed and they seriously hoped that Chloe would win.

Chloe used the same tactics as Callisto was trying to use on her, but Callisto had more success and Chloe's left leg hurt a lot. Chloe ignored the pain, but she did favor the leg. Suddenly she launched an attack which seemed full of openings and Callisto had a hard time telling apart the traps and the real ones, much less using them to her advantage. She decided to risk and almost fell into a trap. She barely avoided it and as she did, she quickly decided to take another risk. This time it paid off and Chloe fell to the ground with a deep gash over her chest.

When the warriors saw their commander down, they pulled their weapons. Callisto ignored them and carefully approached Chloe. She turned her on her back with her foot and saw that Chloe would soon die if she didn't save her. Callisto was confused. She was never worried about anyone and it surprised that she worried about someone like Chloe. Maybe because she is so much like me, she though. She put away her sword and her dagger and looked around for the second-in-command.

"Get me some water and some cloths. And also my saddlebag," she said and kneeled beside Chloe. "Move!" she ordered and checked Chloe's pulse.

The second-in-command hesitated, but when he saw that Callisto was going to help Chloe, he put away his sword and issued orders.

"Take her to her tent," Callisto ordered and the second-in-command assigned two men.

The men picked Chloe up and carried her to her tent. Callisto picked up Chloe's sword and dagger and followed them.

When Callisto didn't say anything, the men quickly left, not wanting to be in her near. Soon after they were gone, Callisto heard that there were more men outside the tent, apparently unsure whether they should enter or not.

"Get in!" Callisto ordered and three men entered.

Each had one of the items she ordered. They put them down and quickly retreated.

"Take care of my horse!" Callisto called after them and then cut off Chloe's armor and clothes.

She cleaned the wound and then quickly rummaged through her saddlebag for some thread and some herbs. She sewed the wound and cleaned it again. Then she put on the herbs and bandaged it. When the chest wound was taken care of, she took care of Chloe's cuts and bruises and then of her own.

When she finally emerged from the tent, she noticed that most of the men were waiting near the main fire, obviously concerned for their commander. She was surprised, no soldier was ever so concerned about her. Well, some of the young ones maybe, but not like this. She glanced around for her horse as she approached them and saw that it had been taken care of. The soldiers all got up.

"She will live," she said, went to the fire and cut herself some meat from the animal they were roasting. "What's your name?" she asked the second-in-command.

"Codrus," the man said, confused.

"Is there any important matter I should know about?"

"No."

"Get me an extra bed, I'll be staying in her tent," Callisto said and left.

Codrus quickly issued an order and two men soon delivered the bed. They both glanced at Chloe, but she was covered to the neck. They could see that she was still alive, though.

"Take the water and the dirty cloths and bring some fresh ones," Callisto ordered.

When they were gone, she quickly checked up on Chloe's bandages and when she was satisfied that they were okay, she covered her again. Then she waited for the men to return. When they did, she showed them where to put the things and then dismissed them. After that, she lay down and rested.

Callisto woke up in the middle of the night, hearing some voices. She listened and discovered that they were coming from Chloe.

"Mama… No… Mama… don't leave me… Mama…"

Callisto stared at the blond warlord, shocked. Not only did she look and act like her, but she apparently also had the same fate. She got up and went to Chloe. She took a wet cloth and wiped her forehead. Then she took Chloe's hand and just held it until Chloe calmed down.

It was late morning three days later when Chloe finally woke up.

"How do you feel?"

Chloe jerked and opened her eyes. She was confused to see Callisto. Then she remembered their fight and was even more confused.

"Fine," she finally said.

"Are you thirsty?"

"Yes."

Callisto got her some water and Chloe slowly drank it.

"How long have I been out?"

"Three days."

Chloe thought as she observed the Warrior Queen.

"Thank you," she said after a while.

Callisto rose her eyebrows, startled, but she didn't respond.

"It's time I changed your bandages," she said instead and removed the blanket.

Chloe silently observed Callisto as she changed her bandages.

"Why do you need an army?" she asked when Callisto started putting on new bandages.

Callisto glanced at her.

"Hera put out a bounty on me and I plan to make her pay for it."

Chloe rose her eyebrows and started to laugh, but the pain stopped her.

"What is it?" Callisto asked.

"That's just what I would do if some stupid god put a bounty on my head."

Callisto stared at Chloe with disbelief and then she laughed.

When Callisto finished dressing up Chloe's wound, she went out to get some food and to tell Codrus that Chloe was okay.

"So, why are you after Xena?" Chloe asked when they both finished eating.

Callisto frowned.

"She killed my family," she said and was surprised when she saw the expression on Chloe's face. "And what happened to you?"

"A warlord killed my family."

Callisto was surprised. She looked away and thought about her family. She missed them.

"What happened to the warlord?" she asked after a while.

"I killed him."

Callisto rose her eyebrows, surprised.

"Just like that?"

"I tortured him for three days before he died," Chloe said and grinned.

Callisto grinned back.

"It didn't help much, though, I still miss my family," Chloe added.

Callisto was surprised.

"You should let him live and slowly drive him crazy," she said.

"And have him remind me of what he did to me every day and miss out on the life? I don't think so. Besides, he wasn't going to reform like Xena did. If she remained a warlord, she would simply kill you and get it over it, but she chose the hard way."

Callisto didn't respond and she turned away, deep in her thoughts. Chloe's point of view was different from her own and it made sense, but only revenge kept her going through all the years of solitude and she didn't know what she would do if Xena was dead some day.

"So, what's our next step?" Chloe interrupted Callisto's train of thoughts.

Callisto jerked and looked at her.

"I need to get some Hind's blood."

"Hind's blood? I thought that was only a myth."

Callisto grinned.

"It's not."

"Do you know where to get it?"

"Oh, yes."

"Will you go alone or do you need the army?"

Callisto studied Chloe's face. She trusted no one, but she had a feeling that she could trust Chloe.

"I'll go alone. Do you have any maps?"

"Yes. Codrus will show you."

"Good. I'll study them and tell you where to wait for me."

"When do we leave?"

"As soon as you get well."

The two warrior women quietly stared at each other for a while.

"Why did you let me live?" Chloe finally asked.

Callisto thought. She realized that she didn't quite know herself.

"I don't know. I guess because you are so much like me," she confessed and stared at Chloe. "I'll see about those maps," she then said and left the tent.

Several days later, Chloe had gotten well enough to be able to ride and Callisto had put her plan into motion. She had sent Chloe to one of Hera's temples and she herself had gone to get the Hind's blood. She had gotten it and was on her way to Hera's temple. She was almost there and she could already see the hidden guards. It was almost time.

Finally Chloe came to greet her and tell her that everything was according to the plan.

"Good," Callisto said and grinned.

"Do you have it?" Chloe asked.

"Yes. How many men are there?"

"About fifty and more are coming."

"Then attack them and I'll go after Hera."

"You need help?"

Callisto gave Chloe a long look.

"No, I can handle her. Go take care of the bounty hunters. And be careful, they have poisoned blades."

Chloe nodded and left. Callisto hid near the temple and waited until Chloe attacked. Then she slipped into the temple and killed the soldiers and the priests within. When they were all dead, she went to the altar and trashed it.

"Hera, you pathetic bitch, show your ugly face if you dare."

Hera appeared in a flash and she was furious.

"How dare you, you pathetic mortal, I will crush you and…"

"Oh, shut up, will you? You don't even have the guts to go after me yourself. You're so pathetic."

"I am the Queen of the gods!" Hera said furiously.

"You're still pathetic."

Hera fired a fireball at Callisto, but Callisto flipped away.

"Is that all you can do?" she taunted the goddess.

Hera screamed with rage and fired a volley of fireballs, making a mess of the temple.

"Missed me!" Callisto reported playfully from the smoke cloud.

Hera screamed again and fired another volley of fireballs at the smoke cloud. There was no taunting this time and Hera laughed.

But she didn't laugh long, suddenly feeling a cold blade on her neck.

"This is Hind's blood," Callisto warned her.

Hera's face went pale and she didn't dare to move a muscle, not wanting to give Callisto a reason for wounding her. Callisto shook her head.

"Hera, Hera," she said in a sing-song voice into the goddess's ear, "not so tough anymore, hmm? You know, I was thinking. Do you think Zeus would mourn after you if I killed you? Hmm? Probably not, since he has plenty of mortal women to satisfy." Callisto laughed. "Tell you what. Since the world would be just too full of half gods without you, I am prepared to let you live, but you will have to promise me something. Okay?"

Hera nodded.

"Good," Callisto said and caressed her. "First of all, you will call off the bounty. Then I want you to promise that you and Ares will leave me alone for the rest of my life. And afterlife. Okay?"

Hera nodded.

"Oh, and another thing. Not that I care for Hercules any more than you do, but I want you to leave him alone too. As a punishment, you know. Okay?"

Hera nodded again.

"Say it!"

"I promise to leave you and Hercules alone and I promise that Ares will also leave you alone."

"Swear by Zeus."

"I swear by Zeus."

Callisto heard a thunder and she smiled.

"Good. But remember, if you ever bother me or Hercules again, I will kill you. If Ares bothers me again, I will kill you both. Have I made myself clear?"

The Queen of the gods nodded.

"I can't hear you," Callisto said in a sing-song voice.

"Yes! Yes, you have."

"Good."

Callisto removed the dagger and Hera took a deep breath.

"Get out of my sight, you pitiful excuse for a god," Callisto said.

Hera gave her an angry look and disappeared.

"Well, so much for that matter," Callisto said and put away the dagger.

She went outside and observed the fight. The bounty hunters may have considered themselves to be the best, but they didn't stand a chance against a well-trained army such as Chloe's. The fight was quickly over and the remaining bounty hunters ran away. Callisto observed the army for a few moments and then looked at Chloe.

"Have a nice day," she said sweetly and started to leave.

"Codrus, you're in command," Chloe said and went after Callisto.

"Where do you think you're going?" Callisto asked when Chloe caught up with her.

"With you."

"I don't need you help."

"But you might. You were poisoned."

Callisto bit her teeth, angry at herself for not being able to hide it better.

"I know where we can find a cure," Chloe continued.

Callisto looked at her for a few moments and finally nodded. They mounted their horses and Callisto let Chloe lead the way.

They rode quietly, Chloe leading, Callisto following. Callisto considered for a while whether she should kill Chloe while she still could, but she finally decided against it. She had the strangest of feelings when she was around Chloe, she realized that she actually felt safe. She frowned at the thought, but she decided to savor the feeling while it lasted, but also watch her back.

"How far away is that medicine of yours?" she finally broke the silence.

Chloe slowed down and let her horse fall in step with Callisto's horse.

"Six days."

Callisto bit her teeth.

"I won't be able to ride that long."

"When have you been poisoned?"

"When the first bounty hunters attacked me. They must have had poisoned blades."

"You should have tried to find an antidote instead of going after Hera."

"I didn't know immediately that I was poisoned," Callisto said angrily.

Chloe didn't respond.

"Why are you helping me?" Callisto asked after a while.

"I don't know. I guess because you are so much like me," Chloe said and Callisto frowned, remembering that it was her own answer to Chloe.

She grinned and Chloe grinned back.

They rode three more days before Callisto collapsed. Chloe heard a groan and she turned. She noticed that Callisto was lying on the horse, not riding it, and she immediately slowed down, took Callisto's horse's reigns and then stopped both horses. Then she sat behind Callisto and put her hands around her.

"You'll be all right," she said. "I promise."

She spurred the horse and they moved on. Callisto felt weird at first and she wanted to break free of the hug, but she couldn't move. It took her a while to get used to being hugged. She realized that the last time she was hugged was before Xena burned down her home.

Xena. Bitch. You'll pay.

She let go of Xena and instead imagined that it was her mother hugging her.

They stopped early in the evening and Chloe made a camp. She made sure that Callisto was comfortable and then went hunting. When she came back, she prepared the food. Then she suddenly realized that Callisto couldn't eat because she was paralyzed. She considered what to do and she finally found a solution. She cut the meat in very small pieces, mixed them with water and helped Callisto drink it. When she was done, she went into the forest again to get some suitable branches for a stretcher for Callisto.

After four more days of slow riding, Chloe finally stopped.

"This is it, Callisto. I'll hide you and then get the medicine."

Callisto observed Chloe and she saw that she was worried. The last one to worry about her was her family and that was a lifetime ago. She would definitely have to do something about it when she got well.

Chloe hid Callisto and then left. In the mean time, Callisto considered whether she should kill Chloe. It would be the easiest and quickest way out. No one that cared for her and no one that she might care for, it was the safest way. But then she remembered how she felt when she was with Chloe and she realized that she enjoyed it and really missed it. It was a tough choice. On one hand she didn't want to be hurt again, but on the other, she wanted, needed to care and be cared for. She frowned at the realization.

Her reverie was interrupted by Chloe's return.

"Callisto?" Chloe said, concerned, when she saw Callisto.

Callisto was confused by the concern, but then she realized that she must look dead to Chloe, she sure felt that way.

"Callisto, can you hear me?" Chloe asked and took Callisto into her lap.

Callisto moaned.

"Good. I have the medicine. Here, drink it."

Callisto felt something touch her lips and then a fluid filled her mouth and ran down her throat. It tasted like shit, but she couldn't do anything about it. She didn't feel any change at first, but slowly, very slowly, she felt that strength was returning to her.

When all the medicine was delivered, Chloe put away the flask, sat behind Callisto and put her hands around her.

"Fight, Callisto," she said and caressed Callisto's hair. "Please."

Callisto heard that Chloe's voice was trembling. She made up her mind, as soon as she got better, she would kill Chloe.

Several days later, Callisto felt her body again and could move. She checked all her muscles and noticed that she was stiff.

"Callisto?" Callisto turned her head. "How do you feel?"

Callisto silently stared at Chloe for a while. She had heard everything that Chloe had said while she was paralyzed and she knew that the woman deeply cared for her or she wouldn't have gone through all that trouble to save her. That fact scared her because she felt that she herself could actually care back. The problem was that, although she wanted to care, the pain of losing a loved one was too great. She regarded Chloe's caring smile for a while longer.

Suddenly she spinned on her back, pulling her dagger. The movement hurt like Tartarus. Chloe jumped, surprised, but Callisto still managed to trip her and straddle her, pressing her dagger to Chloe's throat. She grinned, ignoring the pain.

"Chloe, Chloe, you disappoint me. You should know better than to care for anyone. You only get hurt if you do."

Chloe sighed.

"I know," she said quietly.

"Oh, you're not afraid, are you?" Callisto asked with fake concern.

"No."

Callisto observed her second-in-command's eyes.

"You're sad," she declared after a while.

"Yes," Chloe confirmed.

"Because you'll die?" Callisto mocked her.

"No. Because you'll lose a friend."

Callisto was surprised.

"You're not my friend!" she said angrily.

"I'm the only one who cares about you, Callisto."

"I don't want you to care about me!"

"But I do. I don't want to be alone anymore, Callisto."

"Then you'll die," Callisto said and lifted her dagger.

"I know," Chloe said, her eyes never leaving Callisto's, and calmly waited for the death strike, not even trying to break free.

The strike, however, never came. Callisto stared at her second-in-command's eyes for a few moments. She saw no fear, only pain and sadness. She was confused for a moment, knowing that their pasts were almost identical, not to mention their behavior and mentality. Then she recalled what Chloe had told her moments ago and she realized that Chloe was sad because she could not help her. Callisto found that fact very confusing because no one had ever cared for her, except her family. She shuddered slightly as she realized that she was afraid that she would start caring back.

She swung the dagger toward Chloe's neck, but at the last moment she changed its path and the blade hit the ground a hair's width from Chloe's neck. Callisto got up and turned away from Chloe. She was angry for not being able to decide whether to kill Chloe or not. On one hand, she wanted to remove the threat of caring for someone, but on the other, she still wanted to have a chance to care for someone, someone that would care back. It was frustrating.

"Callisto."

Callisto turned with a look in her eyes that was announcing someone's death. Chloe knew the danger, but she decided to risk her life to fight for Callisto's friendship.

"I know how you feel," she continued.

Callisto wanted to object angrily, but she realized that Chloe did, in fact, know how she felt.

"I was just as afraid to care or be cared for and I've always immediately removed the threat. But then I met you. You were different from anyone I've ever met. You were so much like me and you understood me. At first, I didn't want to care for you. I was afraid that you'd care back and that I'd lose you like I lost my family. Slowly I realized that you probably felt the same way." She paused and Callisto bit her teeth. "I know it will hurt a lot if I lose you, but I'm willing to accept that pain for how ever long we might be friends." Chloe paused again. "I thought that having friends was a weakness, but it's not. It takes courage to have friends, Callisto."

The two women silently stared at each other for some time, one with hope in her heart, the other still with fear.

"First I have to kill Xena," Callisto finally said.

"It won't make you feel any better."

"What would…" Callisto stopped, realizing that Chloe did know.

"Let it go, Callisto."

"No!"

"Callisto…"

"Would you?"

Chloe sighed.

"No," she said. "But if I had known then what I know now, I would have. Killing that warlord didn't give me peace, letting go did." Chloe paused. "Let go of Xena, Callisto, let her be. You have a whole life ahead of you, don't waste it on…"

She stopped as Callisto's sword stopped on her neck.

"I'm not letting go of Xena," Callisto hissed.

Chloe sighed.

"Good luck," she wished.

Callisto was surprised at the change of attitude and after a few moments she lowered the sword.

"I hope you find your peace," Chloe added.

Callisto stared in the other woman's eyes, surprised.

"You don't want to stop me anymore?"

"No. I don't want you to go, but if you feel that you have to go, I won't stop you. It's your life. I just hope I'll see you again someday." She paused. "Good luck, Callisto," she said and went to her horse.

Callisto stared after Chloe, unable to decide what to do. For the first time she felt like she was losing something important.

"Wait!" she called.

Chloe stopped and turned around.

"Where will you go now?" Callisto asked.

"Back to my army."

Callisto thought.

"Would you ride with me for a while?"

"Will you go after Xena?"

"No. At least not yet."

Chloe nodded.

"Okay."

Callisto went to her horse and mounted it.

They quietly rode for a while, both thinking, both unsure of what to say. Suddenly they saw that the village they were approaching was under attack.

"I'm going to help them," Chloe said and looked at Callisto.

Callisto looked back at her and shrugged her shoulders.

"Let's go," she said.

They spurred their horses and rode to the village.

When Xena saw that Callisto was approaching, she moved into her direction, ready to fight her. She was surprised, however, when Callisto and her companion started to kill the attackers. She observed them for a while, keeping her own attackers at bay, and soon saw that they came to help. She didn't know why, but she knew that as long as the fight was on, Callisto wouldn't be doing anything unexpected. She did keep an eye on her, though.

Callisto enjoyed the fight. She saw Xena and she wanted to attack her, but she decided that her newly found friendship was worth more than her revenge. She put Xena out of her mind and concentrated on the attackers.

Suddenly Chloe collapsed with a large gash across her back. Callisto stood petrified for a moment, staring at her friend. Then she screamed, killed her attackers and ran to Chloe.

"Chloe!" she said, scared, and turned her on her back.

Chloe slowly opened her eyes.

"Callisto," she whispered and smiled. Her smile quickly faded and she coughed. "I'm sorry."

"No! Chloe!"

Callisto was really scared and furious. She looked around with a look which told Chloe that Hades would soon get more work if she didn't stop Callisto.

"No," Chloe said weakly and grabbed Callisto's arm.

Callisto looked at her, surprised.

"What…"

"Don't, Callisto."

"What do you mean?" Callisto asked, confused.

"Don't go wasting your life, trying to avenge me."

"Chloe…"

"Please." Chloe coughed. "Promise," she insisted.

Callisto quietly stared at her friend for a while.

"I promise," she finally said and caressed Chloe.

"Thank you."

Callisto smiled, tears dripping down her cheeks.

"I'll take you home."

Chloe smiled.

"Home," she muttered to herself. Then she grinned. "I'll see you in Tartarus."

Callisto was surprised for a moment and then flashed back a weak grin.

"Yes," she whispered. "Thank you for being my friend."

Chloe smiled.

"You too. Watch…"

Callisto saw the warning in Chloe's eyes. She turned around and barely managed to parry the blow to her head. She quickly slit the attacker's belly and looked around for anyone else stupid enough to attack her. There was no one else and she turned back to Chloe.

"Chloe?" She said, scared, and shook her friend's body. "Chloe!" she cried when she realized that she was dead. "No," she whispered and hugged the corpse.

The fight around her lasted a while longer, but none of the soldiers attacked Callisto because Xena and Gabrielle protected her. Finally, the soldiers retreated and Xena and Gabrielle approached Callisto.

"Callisto," Gabrielle said.

Callisto looked up.

"Get away from me!" she cried and swung her sword.

Gabrielle jumped back and Xena went to her. Callisto picked up Chloe's body and carried it to her horse. She put it over the horse's back and tied it so it wouldn't fall off. Then she mounted her own horse, took Chloe's horse's reigns and rode away.

Xena and Gabrielle stared after her.

"She really cared for her," Gabrielle finally said.

"Mhm."

"The other woman looked like she was her sister. I wonder who she was."

"Chloe."

"You know her?"

"I've heard of her. She was a warlord, but she didn't exploit her territory, she developed it. I heard she was a good fighter."

"Yes. It was like watching Callisto. I wonder what she's going to do now."

Xena didn't respond.

Callisto gently washed Chloe's body in a near-by lake and wrapped it in linen. Her eyes were red from crying, but she sort of felt at peace. Then she put the corpse over the horse's back and went to the remains of Chloe's village to bury her there.

She had no idea which of the burned-down houses was Chloe's, so she decided to bury here near the few graves that were made by the survivors. She dug a grave, put Chloe's body in it and then covered it again. She stared at the grave and wishing that Hades wouldn't be too hard on her. She finally sighed.

"Good bye, my friend," she said and left.

The End