FADE IN: EXT. FOOTPATH - DAY Xena, Gabrielle, and Argo II meander down what is nominally a road, but really is more of an overgrown footpath. It appears that not many people have gone this way in a long time. It is very quiet around them. They are walking through an evergreen forest, with little evidence of any habitation. Birds chirp overhead. Somewhere not far off is the sound of running water. GABRIELLE You're sure this is a short cut?
	XENA Of course. Aren't I always? Gabrielle looks away and whistles. Xena boots her in the butt. They both laugh. XENA (cont’d) Well, I'm not positive. But it's as good a path as any. Gabrielle looks around, takes a deep breath. GABRIELLE Yeah, it is. I don't think we've been in these parts before, have we? Xena looks around thoughtfully. XENA Nope. GABRIELLE Great! Who knows what we'll find? XENA I do. Gabrielle turns and walks backwards. GABRIELLE You do? XENA Sure. I know we'll find crickets, dust, a river, and a bunch of pine trees. C'mon.
	Xena and Gabrielle continue walking along the road. It dips down into a hollow, and at the bottom of the hollow is a small creek. The path goes right to the edge, and picks up on the other side. From the worn away appearance of the foliage on either side, it is apparently a ford. Xena leads Argo II to the ford and starts across. Gabrielle follows her. They slosh through the water, which comes up to Xena's thighs and Gabrielle's waist. Halfway through, Gabrielle stops. GABRIELLE Hey... Xena? Xena stops. Argo keeps going, and Xena releases her reins. XENA What? GABRIELLE (pointing) Look. Xena sloshes back over to Gabrielle and looks. In the water, there is a glint of something underneath, and the water swirls around an object. XENA Could be a tree... but.... Xena walks forward into the deeper water, feeling her way cautiously. She reaches into the water up to her elbow and feels the obstruction. GABRIELLE What is it? XENA Wagon, I think. Xena removes her hand, and it comes up unexpectedly holding a broken sword. The blade is dented and twisted, but the hilt appears relatively clean. GABRIELLE Interesting cargo.
	XENA Yeah. Xena tosses the sword to the opposite bank, then reaches back into the water. She pulls her hand back again, and this time it holds a skull. GABRIELLE Hope that wasn't cargo. XENA Driver. Looks like trouble. GABRIELLE Trouble? Gee. Hm. It's been three days.... Yeah, it's about time.... I was starting to think we'd lost our edge in finding it. XENA (amused) Never. Xena walks back over to Gabrielle carrying the skull. She examines it. XENA (cont’d) Hasn't been here that long. Xena turns and tosses the skull back into the water. It sinks, then pops up and goes tumbling past Gabrielle down the creek. GABRIELLE Was that a sword cut in the top? XENA Yeah. They walk back to the fording point and climb up the opposite bank, where Argo II is waiting. Xena picks up the broken sword and sticks it under one of the saddle straps. They move on, but they are now far more alert. CUT TO: EXT. TINY RUNDOWN VILLAGE - DAY In a roughly cut clearing in the forest is a small village. The huts are lashed together from whatever was available - most of the supports are tree limbs, and the roofs are made of woven branches with leaves tied over them to keep most of the rain out. There is a general air of poverty. There are no herds of stock visible, except for a few goats tied near the huts. A fence of sticks cut from limbs surrounds a tiny, bedraggled garden near one hut. In the center of the town is a water trough. A young woman stands at the trough dipping a bucket into it. She is dressed in neatly kept rags, and she is barefoot. She hears the sound of hoof beats and she reacts in almost panic, dropping the bucket and ducking behind the trough. She looks past the last hut, and sees Xena and Gabrielle approaching on the path. WOMAN Oh! The woman gets up and runs away, dashing into the nearest hut. Xena and Gabrielle pause at the entrance to the village. Gabrielle looks around. GABRIELLE Wow. Thought I was from a small town. XENA Mm. Xena walks over to the hut with the garden and looks over the stick fence. Gabrielle walks on into the center of the village, which is silent and empty. She sees the bucket, and walks over to it to pick it up. Xena joins her, looks at the bucket, touches the damp wood inside. XENA (cont’d) Someone was in a hurry. Gabrielle sets the bucket down next to the trough. She and Xena look around. A gust of wind opens a door on one of the huts and swings it shut again. The town appears deserted. GABRIELLE What do you think?
	Xena walks over to a half collapsed hut almost behind one of the trees. She picks up what had been the door frame and looks at it - the limb has been chopped in half with some kind of sharp edge. XENA I think these people have a problem. GABRIELLE People? Xena nods. XENA They're out there. Gabrielle steps away from the trough. GABRIELLE (loudly) Hello? Anyone here? (waiting) Hello? There is no answer. Gabrielle looks questioningly at Xena. Xena taps her ear, and smiles. Gabrielle shrugs. GABRIELLE (cont’d) Maybe they don't want visitors. XENA Maybe. CUT TO: INT. VILLAGE HUT - DAY The woman from the water trough crouches next to a man, behind the stick door of the hut. WOMAN What are they doing? MAN Just standing there. Maybe they won't do anything... just leave. WOMAN Don't be stupid, Casey. CASEY Well, look! They're not doing anything! They peer through the sticks in the door. WOMAN Only because there's nothing more to destroy. Just keep quiet. They watch. Xena roams around, examining everything. Gabrielle stands quietly by the trough, scooping a bucketful up and offering it to Argo II. CASEY See? They look okay! WOMAN Don't tell me that. You haven't lost two sons! The woman grips the sticks of the door so tightly her knuckles turn white. CUT TO: EXT. TINY RUNDOWN VILLAGE - DAY Xena hears something. She reaches for her sword and Gabrielle goes for her sais as a loud bang is heard. After a second, a goat comes flying out from between two huts, chased by a small boy.
	BOY Come back here! Hey! The goat runs right under Argo II. The boy chases him, then he pulls up as he sees Xena and Gabrielle but he can't stop in time. Xena makes a grab for the boy, Gabrielle makes a grab for the goat. Both are successful. BOY (cont’d, yelling) Lemme go! Lemme go! Help! Help! GOAT Maaaaaaa!!!!! CUT TO: INT. VILLAGE HUT - DAY The woman jumps up. WOMAN Dorst! Oh no! Casey! Stop them! CASEY Me? The woman pulls the door open, hitting Casey and knocking him down. She runs out and heads for the trough. WOMAN Thieves! Murderers! Let him go! Help! Help! CUT TO: EXT. TINY RUNDOWN VILLAGE - DAY Xena picks the boy up. XENA Hey! Shut up! I’m not hurting you! BOY Lemme go!! AHHHH!!!! I'm dying! Ahhh! Help! Help!!!! The woman comes pelting out of the hut, waving a stick WOMAN (yelling) All of you! Come out! We can't lose another one! Rise up! Rise up!!!!! Doors open around the village, and villagers come pouring out. They all have sticks, stones, frying pans, etc. They are frightened, but determined, and they are all heading towards Xena. GABRIELLE Uh oh. Gabrielle lets go of the goat and pulls her sais, putting herself between the oncoming rabble and Xena. GABRIELLE (cont’d) Let him go, Xena.
	XENA Why? There's only a score of em.  You can handle it. GABRIELLE Xena! The boy is struggling in Xena's grip, and yelling his head off. The crowd breaks into a run. BOY Lemmegolemmegolemmego! XENA (yelling louder) Hey! Would you calm down? I'm not doing a thing to you, kid! The boy stops yelling. The crowd doesn't stop coming. They wave sticks, and a few people throw stones. GABRIELLE Hold up!! Hey!!! WOMAN You won't get us this time, you... you.... Xena tosses the kid on Argo's back as the first wave of villagers reaches them. She starts grabbing sticks, as Gabrielle deflects stones. XENA (bellowing) STOP IT!
	The volume of Xena's voice makes the crowd waver, and Gabrielle claps a hand over one ear nearly conking herself in the head with her own sai. XENA (cont’d) WE'RE NOT HERE TO HURT YOU. WOMAN Says who??! XENA ME!!!!!!! Gabrielle edges away from Xena and sticks her right sai in her boot. She extends her hand. GABRIELLE Hi. My name's Gabrielle. I think we just started off on the wrong foot here. The boy thumps his bare heels against Argo's shoulders. He is obviously unhurt. BOY Hey... Ain't this a pretty one? Argo turns her head and looks at him. Casey pushes his way forward and takes Gabrielle's hand. CASEY See, Peti? I toldja they were okay. My name's Casey. The crowd stirs, then puts their weapons down. GABRIELLE (relieved) Casey. Thanks. And this is Xena. Xena watches the crowd, but her name seems unknown. She relaxes. The woman, Peti, still looks suspicious. CASEY Sorry about all this. We've... uh.... XENA Had some trouble here lately. The woman approaches them and looks at them skeptically. She goes to Argo's side and examines the boy. PETI (to Xena) How do we know you're not with them? You look like you're the same type. CASEY Peti, c'mon! Xena picks the boy up off Argo and puts him on the ground. XENA We're only with each other. GABRIELLE Same type of what? Are you being attacked here? By who?
	The villagers are now gathered around them. They are all similar in build and coloring, and their ragged clothing is all in a similar style. One man is carrying a scythe, which has symbols written on its blade. Xena notices it. CASEY Wild animals pretending to be humans, that's who. PETI Casey. Shut up. (to Xena and Gabrielle) Why don't you just keep on moving? We don't need any more trouble here. Xena and Gabrielle exchange knowing looks. GABRIELLE Maybe we can help. We have a lot of experience dealing with this kind of thing. CASEY (interestedly) Yeah? PETI Oh, I'm sure you have. You look like you'd fit right in with them, too. CASEY Peti! Cut it out! He looks to Xena and Gabrielle. CASEY (cont’d) We'd like to hear any ideas you've got. We're pretty desperate. PETI Fool! XENA (to Casey) Let's talk. They start to walk towards the huts. The crowd slowly parts to let them through. CASEY (confidentially) You don't really look like those troublemakers. Peti's just saying that because you're women. XENA Women?
	CASEY Like the one that runs them is. Xena looks thoughtful, as she and Gabrielle follow the villagers home. XENA Interesting. FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE