Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

The Empath

The First Adventure In The Empath Chronicles

By Donna Eisner

Copyright July, 1997 by Donna Eisner. Do not alter without author's permission.

Disclaimer: Hercules, Iolaus, Salmoneus, Alcmene, and Jason are the property of Renaissance Pictures, MCA/Universal, and Greek Mythology. No copyright infringement is intended. This story was written solely for the entertainment of the author and her readers.

This story contains mild violence and sexual situations, but no more than you may encounter while viewing the average episode of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

For my daughter Danielle, who is a big Michael Hurst fan.

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Was it a dream? Maybe it was, and she could go back to sleep. She was so weary. Still unhealed, though two weeks had passed. It was so hard to heal one's self. Always before, there had been others to help, others to lessen the pain. But not now. Now there was only her. She was tired from the running and wandering in the forest. She had long since lost track of where she was. But then, she had no destination in mind at any rate, just to get as far from the only place she had ever known, her home of eighty years. Just to leave the evil and pain behind. She no longer sensed the evil, but her pain followed her like a shadow. Because, of course, it was of her mind as much as her body.

She closed her eyes tighter, but it was no dream. She knew that, but dared to wish anyway. Someone was injured. Someone was calling for help, not with voice, but with mind.

She rolled over, trying to close it out, but of course, she couldn't. She never could. Some older healers had learned to do so, and some said they had become less of a healer because of it. But still, to be able to say no and not feel the pain would be nice.

"I will not respond this time. It is not one of us anyway. I will not," she repeated to herself, as much to convince herself as for any other reason.

But she knew she would go. She always had. Even as a small child, she had healed. Her ability had been spotted even before she could walk, and so she had been training ever since to be a healer. The old healers said she was the strongest empath born to their village in over two hundred years. Until then, her grandmother had been the most powerful. It had skipped a generation. Her mother, while strong of mind and telepathic powers still was not a healer.

"I wish I was not a healer!" she shouted out loud.

She sat up and dropped the mental barrier a little. The plea for help rushed in with such intensity that she gasped. Injury. A severe injury, her mind told her. Much pain. She slowly dropped the barrier a little further.

Hercules?

He was calling for Hercules?

He?

Yes, the injured one was a male. She shut out some of the mental plea so that she could think. Even in her remote village, they had heard of the son of Zeus. The one she had touched with mind was calling for him?

Again she wished this would go away. Why me? she whined in her mind. But again, a wave of feeling from the injured one swept over her. She lowered the barrier a little. Pain. Such pain. She didn't want anymore pain. Sometimes it seemed her eighty years of life were nothing but pain. Always other's pain. And now to be so alone and to still feel pain.

Human. This injured one was human. Her people had always avoided humans by using camouflage and mind pictures to elude them. So this was her way out. He was her enemy.

A human.

She was stalling and she knew it. She lowered the barrier a little more. She doubled over with the pain. She backed off her mind a little. She sent a message of comfort and reassurance. She felt his instant response. Human he may be, but he was strong of mind.

She rose to her feet. The pull on her mind was so strong that she simply followed it. She sprinted through the forest, reaching out with her mind to easily avoid obstacles, her light hair streaming behind her. Again she sent reassurance and comfort. As before, she felt his response. She slowed her pace and stepped into a small clearing. He was lying in a small grassy area.

Slowly, she approached him, her small brown spotted feet making no sound. He was not conscious in body, though his mind continued to call to her.

She had lived all her years as a healer, but the evidence of his injury was so bold, the old blood mingled with the new, she felt a wave of nausea sweep over her. She closed her eyes and let it pass. She didn't touch him, but moved her hands over him at a slight distance, letting her mind see and feel. She knelt at his side and simply let her mind take over. The wound was great. It had happened some time ago and had already started to fester.

She rose and went into the forest. Finding the herbs and roots she would need, she returned to him. Sitting cross-legged at his head, she again passed her hands over him, not touching physically, but only with mind.

His face was bathed in sweat, his blond curls damp. She reached out with a trembling had to lightly touch his hair. A wave of mind rocked her. Slowly, she began to sway a little. She closed her eyes, and lowering the barrier just a little more, she started to chant.

"Cantas. Cantas. Cantas," she chanted in time to her swaying.

She touched his face. Pain flooded her being.

Hercules. He was indeed calling Hercules.

She could help here.

She touched his mind and joined in his plea. Sending the appeal out over space, she pictured it moving over the land, searching out its destination.

She continued to chant, but to her chanting, she added instructions to the injured one.

"Picture your mind reaching out to Hercules. Cantas. Cantas. See his mind hearing you. Cantas. Cantas. You must trust me. I will not hurt you. Chant with me, if not in voice, then in mind."

Yes. She felt when he joined her in the intonation. He was indeed strong of mind. She could help him if his injuries were not too severe.

Hercules.

She knew when Hercules received the plea. She felt his mind even over the miles. There was hesitation and disbelief, but he had heard the plea. She continued to repeat it over and over.

*********************************************

"Hercules, you old stick in the mud," challenged Salmoneus. "Come on. It'll make us rich, I tell you. This is hot. It's easy to find if you know what you're looking for. And I do."

"Salmoneus, this is just another one of your get rich quick schemes," answered Hercules.

"Well, yes Hercules, it is. But it will work, I tell you."

Salmoneus and Hercules were seated at a table in Alcmene's kitchen. She smiled at her son from behind the salesman, and placing tall mugs of cider beside each of them, she left them to argue in peace. She knew they both enjoyed it. It was a pleasant way to spend a spring afternoon.

"Hercules, what is it?"

Salmoneus had seen Hercules jump as if pinched, and his face had gone pale. He touched the big man's arm in real concern. The two were friends despite their arguments.

"Hercules?"

Hercules still did not respond. He seemed to be in a trance. Shaking his arm, Salmoneus again repeated his name.

Hercules shook his head. "I have to go now. Something is wrong."

"Go? Go where?" asked Salmoneus. "Hercules, what are you talking about?"

"He's hurt. He needs me," was the big man's only response.

"Who's hurt? asked his friend. "Who needs you?"

*********************************************

She brought her mind back to the injured one a little. Yes, Hercules had felt the summons. He would come. Now, and until he arrived, she must keep a part of her mind linked with his so that he would find them. She smoothed the damp hair from the injured man's forehead and ran her finger along a small scar on his right temple, repeatedly caressing his face, letting tenderness build inside her.

She touched his mind again. Already, she was mindlinked to this one. A feeling that she was unfamiliar with came to her. No time to explore it now. He was only semiconscious. His pain so intense, his body so weak. Were his injuries so great that she could not heal him? The thought so unnerved her that she immediately thrust it aside.

"You must trust me," she mind spoke to him. "You must open your mind to me. I can help you lessen your pain, but only if you trust me and link your mind to mine."

Feeling his response, she continued. "At first, when I touch your wound, there will be more pain. It will bleed again at first, but I can help you. You must keep your mind open. Do not try to stop me. Once I start, I must control this. I will know when to stop. You could hurt us both if you break your mind from mine too soon."

She repeated her instructions, touching his mind with hers.

"I will walk away for a moment, because once we start the healing, I must not break the physical touch for a time."

She felt his anxiety at the thought of her leaving so she touched his mind with reassurance before walking away. She could slow down certain bodily needs for a time, but she took care of some now. She also drank from a small stream nearby and filled a flask of his that she had brought along for that purpose.

She brought these things to his side, within easy reach. His camp was here so she was able to find a blanket and some food. Once the transfer had started, she would not be hungry. But she knew that his body could draw strength from hers through the link, so it was important to keep up her strength.

Her other healings had all been performed when there were others to bring her things and to help her perform personal needs. She had trained for this eventuality. She wished now that she had paid more attention. But she never thought she would find herself alone. In eighty years, she had never been completely alone. Granted, eighty years was only as twenty years in human terms, but still. She had been to quiet places in the forest to meditate with her mother Earth, but the others were always near. Now the others were gone, and she was alone with a human.

She was frightened of this healing. For the first time, really frightened. What if he pulled his mind away too soon? She could be hurt so badly, even killed. If she didn't stop it correctly, there were no other healers to help her.

She knew that there were others of her race out there somewhere. Not of her village, but of her kind, the forest people, the people of the Earth. They took their very existence from the forest, finding everything they needed there. Could she call to them? No, it was too far, and there was no time.

*********************************************

"I know what you're saying makes sense, Salmoneus, but it doesn't matter," said a nervous Hercules. "I'm going. You can come with me if you wish, but I leave within the hour."

"You don't even know where to go, Hercules," Salmoneus pointed out.

"Somehow, I think I'll know. I'll just follow my heart."

This argument took place as both men packed to make ready to travel.

Alcmene packed the provisions for the two travelers. She knew better than to question this half human, half god, son of hers. She loved him and trusted him enough to simply accept that this was something he must do. She was glad that Salmoneus, though he had argued against this journey, was going along. Not that he would be any protection to her son, but just so Hercules would not have to travel alone. He was alone enough. They were still arguing as Alcmene kissed her son and wished him safe and easy travel.

"Don't go, Hercules, " Winnie begged, wrapping her arms around his thigh. "I'll miss you."

Hercules picked the little girl up and held her over his head for a moment. Then, sitting down, he put her on his knee. He smoothed the curls from her face.

"I have to go, Winnie, and you know why," he said.

She leaned back against him. "Do you love me, Hercules?" she asked.

This was an old game. "Yes, I love you." He tried to be grave, but a smile crossed his face in spite of himself.

"Will you come back?"

"Yes, I'll come back."

"Well, then I guess you can go."

"Thank you, Winnie."

"Will you bring me something?"

"If I can, I will."

"A two headed dragon for a pet?

"Not this time, Winnie. You know my mother doesn't allow dragons in the house."

She giggled.

He tickled her ribs and kissed the top of her head. "Take care of mother for me," he said as he set her down.

"Daddy is coming to get me in a little while, but I'll come over whenever I can to take care of her," she promised.

"That's my girl."

As Hercules and Salmoneus walked away, Alcmene smiled. She would never understand all that went through her son's mind. She had loved a god and produced this very special son by him. Then again, she had never understood the father either.

*********************************************

She knelt beside him, not touching physically, but in mind. She lowered the barrier a little more.

"You must trust me. Trust me. Trust me." She swayed as she chanted. "Do not stop me. You could hurt us both. Remember, it will hurt at first, but the pain will lessen. Trust me. Trust me."

She ripped the shirt away to expose more of the wound. It was so large. It started at his navel and stopped just below his ribs. Such compassion swept over her that tears rolled down her cheeks. She picked up the herbs and roots she had gathered earlier. Then crushing them between her hands, she sprinkled them onto the wound.

"Cantas. Cantas. Cantas. I will touch you now," she soothed. "Trust me."

She lowered the barrier on her mind as she reached trembling hands out to place them on the open wound. Not too much at first. No, she must go carefully. First she must take some of the pain and fear away so that his own mind and body would want to fight this.

She sensed something special in this one. Already, their minds had touched so deeply. Once, in his semiconscious state, he had opened his eyes and watched her. His eyes were so blue. Mirrored in them, she saw pain and fear, but also intelligence and curiosity.

Even through his pain, he wondered about her. Already, he felt better. Her mind's touch had eased the pain. Her being here gave him hope.

She is so beautiful, he thought. I feel like I've known her forever. How is it, she touches my thoughts? I don't know her. And yet I trust her. I feel a need for her. But who is she? What is she doing out here? He wanted to ask, but couldn't find the strength to form the words.

*********************************************

Hercules stopped dead in his tracks. Again he seemed to be in a trance. This time, Salmoneus said nothing. He was too busy trying to catch his breath. They had been traveling very fast for over an hour now. It was all right for Hercules, he thought. He's the strongest man in the world. But if we're going to keep up this pace, he's going to have to carry me.

Pain was etched on Hercules' face. "Come on Salmoneus. We've got to hurry."

"Look, Hercules," explained his friend. "It's almost dark now. We can't go stumbling around out there. Let's rest now and make a fresh start in the morning."

Hercules knew that Salmoneus was right, but was loath to stop. Then a feeling of reassurance came to him. Yes, he would rest for a while. He didn't understand what was happening. He only knew that his friend needed him. He and Iolaus had been through so much together. He felt Iolaus now, hurt and needing him, but he felt someone else. Not someone he knew, but someone helping Iolaus.

The thoughts were there. How or why, he couldn't say. He knew Salmoneus didn't understand, but how could Hercules explain something he couldn't understand himself? He was smart enough to realize there were many things he knew nothing about. Besides, he could no more ignore this summons than he could fly.

He built a fire and started to warm some soup his mother had sent along. Salmoneus was unusually quiet. The big man wondered what his friend was thinking but was unsure how to ask. He never questioned his physical strength, but sometimes he was unsure of how to communicate verbally. So he remained silent. It would have helped to talk to someone.

"Hercules, how do you know this isn't some kind of trap?" Salmoneus inquired.

"I should have known you wouldn't stay quiet long, Salmoneus," he chided.

"Well, how do you know it's not a trap? Hera has tried to trick and trap you before."

Hercules shook his head. "Do you want some soup?"

"Yes. Are you going to answer my question?"

Hercules sighed. "I don't know how I know. I just know."

Salmoneus rolled his eyes. "Why don't I find any encouragement in that?"

Silence as Hercules gathered his thoughts.

"It's like someone is with Iolaus, and they are both talking to me. Not like you and I are talking, but I understand and I feel the direction I need to take." Again he sighed. "I don't know how to explain it."

Salmoneus looked uncertain. He started to speak, then stopped.

Salmoneus," Hercules said, "Thanks for coming with me."

The salesman accepted his soup, and taking a gulp, burned his mouth. He wasn't used to seeing Hercules this uncertain, and definitely not used to having his friend thank him.

Salmoneus and Hercules had been through a lot together. They were friends. Maybe not companions like Hercules and Iolaus were, but still friends. Hercules so seldom seemed to need help of any kind. Salmoneus remembered the time that Hercules had been blinded. He needed Salmoneus then to be his eyes. When his eyes were better, he had tried to thank Salmoneus. But Salmoneus, never really comfortable with sentiment, had changed the subject. He did the same now.

"You're welcome. Of course I came along to have some time to convince you to go in on the Prevalian root tonic. It's a sure thing."

Salmoneus rattled on into the night.

Hercules was glad to have things on more familiar ground. He tried to get more messages to come. The summons was still there, but that was all.

*********************************************

She screamed in pain. It was so great. The blood welled up between her fingers and down his side. Her tears mingled with the blood. She couldn't transfer too much at first, not until he totally trusted her.

"Trust me, Iolaus," she mind spoke to him. She had felt his name from Hercules. "Trust me. You must keep your mind open."

"You... feel pain?" his thoughts asked her.

"Yes, but it is all right. I know what I am doing. Feel yourself getting better. Picture in your mind what I tell you."

"You... must stop... if it hurts you," he begged.

"No, Iolaus. To stop now would cause us both harm. Picture what I say. You must stay with me."

He mind spoke a reluctant acceptance.

"You must anchor yourself to the Earth. Picture tentacles coming from your feet and penetrating into the Earth. They reach to the center of the Earth and curl around the very core. They hold you fast. Feel the Earth beneath you sending a power into you."

With excitement in her mind, she asked, "Do you feel the tingle, Iolaus?"

She sensed that he felt it. Her hands had become almost unbearably hot.

"Picture a soft, blue light coming from the heavens. It surrounds us both."

She knew without asking that he had done what she had asked. Yes, he was indeed strong of mind.

"What... is your name?" she felt him ask.

It seemed odd that he had asked. She had felt his name come to her from Hercules, but had never given her name. She hesitated now. It would be giving even more of herself to him, she thought. Still, she had started the healing process, and before she could finish, they would know a great deal about each other. This touching of minds could be very intimate. The worse the need, the more she must touch him. And his need was great.

Again, she felt fear. There was also something she had never felt before. A joining of mind beyond healing.

"Sira. My name is Sira." She voiced her name as well as mind spoke it to him.

She felt his pain lessen a little. She felt him relaxing. Yes, now the healing could really start.

"See the light, Iolaus. Feel the light. It heals us both."

She swayed as she spoke, entranced in her healing.

He had been hurt before. He had been close to death before.

Gabrielle. There was a Gabrielle that he cared about. These were private thoughts Sira didn't want to invade, but she couldn't stop now. As Iolaus relaxed, his mind would dwell on other thoughts. This was part of the joining of the minds that was unpleasant to her. She was a private person and tried to keep her personal thoughts shut away. It wasn't always easy living in a village of over one hundred telepaths, but it was a skill she had strengthened deliberately. In a healing however, she must let that guard down and open her mind to the sick person's thoughts, and let her own thoughts flow to them.

He had been hurt emotionally by some woman named Xena, but he was coming to grips with that. Loneliness. She felt such loneliness. She let her own feelings of loss and loneliness flow to him. Their minds touched in a deeper path. She felt a longing to ease his loneliness as she felt his compassion for her own.

Now the transfer had begun, and Sira felt something. Something deep inside her had stirred. Healers must always wonder if they will find that special one. It can happen anywhere, anytime, during a healing, or just in regular contact. She need wonder no longer. Her mind was in awe.

She was growing weary. Her strength was not back yet.

"We must start to close our minds now," she mind spoke to him. "Not completely, but a barrier. You must start to put up a barrier. Picture a wall between our minds. It does not close our minds off completely, but it lessens the flow. Some must continue to flow over the barrier."

She felt his reluctance to let her go. She realized that he felt something for her also. She sent him reassurance and let him feel her weariness. Instantly, he responded.

"Slowly, Iolaus," she cautioned. "Slowly."

She opened her eyes. She had placed the water flask next to them earlier, and now she reached for it. She must not break physical contact now. Some part of their bodies must always touch each other, and some part of their bodies must always touch the Earth. She instructed him to stay anchored to the Earth. She gave him a drink, then took a drink herself.

Stretching out beside him on the grass, she lay on her back a moment. She felt her stomach. Her hand came away bloody. She rolled up to Iolaus and curled herself around him, careful not to hurt him. She caressed his cheek. She continued to caress his face and arms, and his chest above the wound. She even fingered the gold hoop in his left ear.

Everywhere she touched, he felt fire. He was only semiconscious, yet his body responded to her touch. How could this be? he wondered. A longing for her formed in his mind.

Sira, almost asleep, allowed her own longing to pass between them. Then she slept. The hunter, moved by an emotion he didn't as yet understand, kissed the top of her head. Her hair smelled of the forest. On this thought, he also slept.

*********************************************

Hercules rose before daylight. He had not rested well at all, and his mind felt sluggish. He built up the fire and started water to boil. He would boil some Tassis root and drink that. It always seemed to help wake him up. He felt the summons still there, and was reassured. He had dozed in the night, only to awaken to reassure himself that he still felt it. Salmoneus snored in his blankets by the fire. He had talked on and on into the night about his precious money making tonic, but Hercules had scarcely listened.

He put the crushed Tassis root into the boiling water. He liked the aroma it gave off. He ate a piece of bread, slightly stale now. Setting the pot of Tassis on a rock to cool a bit, he went to the stream and bathed. His muscles rippled in his arms and chest. He flexed his muscles. Physical strength, he understood. He knew he could move mountains, given time, but the softer emotions came hard to him. They never had with Deianeira, Serena, or his children.

He stopped these thoughts before they could completely form. They were still too painful.

*********************************************

Even in sleep, Sira sensed Hercules' pain. She awoke, and with compassion, touched his mind with comfort and understanding. Hercules' mind was strong. He could easily become a sensitive, given some training.

Sira sighed with weariness. She put urgency in her plea to the son of Zeus. She shivered with fever, and her stomach and chest hurt. She needed help. She must heal Iolaus, but doubted her ability to do it alone. She examined his wound. The redness was less, and some of the festering was gone, but it wasn't as healed as she had hoped. She would not let him know this, however. She must keep him going at least until Hercules could reach them. Then perhaps, they could get him to a human healer. She could let someone else take care of him. But she knew she really couldn't. She could never break the mind touch now, not when she had gone so far. Besides, she had no faith in a human's ability to save someone so gravely wounded. This was for her. She must accept it. She must come to terms with her fears so that they wouldn't interfere with the healing.

Her wound had healed some in the night, as she knew it would. She was thirsty, but hated to make the effort to reach for the water flask. It was pleasant here. She understood the forest. It was her home, the Earth was her mother. She gave her prayer to the Earth for the first time since her people were killed.

"To the soil, to the trees, to the Earth, my mother, I give my mind and soul."

She took comfort in the prayer, and gathering her strength, she sat up, careful to touch Iolaus at all times. He looked so peaceful, sleeping there. His fever was less. Why shouldn't it be? She had it now, she thought as she shivered again.

She took a drink. Then crushing more of the herbs and roots, she mixed them with water in her hands. Letting her crossed feet touch Iolaus' side, she put the poultice on his wound, and some on her own. She lowered her mind barrier a little. He was sleeping peacefully, so Sira chanted and swayed, and healed herself for a time.

*********************************************

Hercules felt the comfort enfold him like a blanket. Who was this person that could read his thoughts and send comfort and reassurance to meet them? What type of person could call to him over many miles? Who could bring Iolaus' thoughts to him? He felt the urgency, and also a weariness he hadn't felt there before.

He woke Salmoneus and hurried him along despite his objections. After the salesman choked down his Tassis tea and stale bread, they were soon on their way.

"Salmoneus, you've traveled a lot," stated Hercules after a while.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, in your travels, have you heard of a person or being that could read minds and send thoughts to others?"

The salesman thought for a moment. "You mean telepathy?"

"Yeah, I guess that's what I mean."

"Hmmm," was Salmoneus' only response.

"Well, have you?" Hercules asked impatiently.

"Well, there are legends of a forest people that could do these things. It's said that their women could heal people by taking the sickness or injury upon themselves, and then healing themselves with their own mind."

"You say it's just a legend?" asked Hercules, intrigued.

"Well, yes. I mean it's never been proven. It's said that they avoid humans like the plague, and use their minds to confuse a person's thoughts. At least that's the story."

"Do you believe these stories?"

Salmoneus shrugged. "They also say that these forest people can possess your mind and destroy it, taking your mind and soul from you."

"And you believe this?"

"No, not really. Well, maybe some of it. I don't know. I guess not. Why?"

"Because I've been receiving images in my mind of Iolaus injured and needing me, and the closer we get to him, the clearer the images become. It's as though someone is reading my thoughts and responding to them."

Salmoneus went pale. "These images you're receiving, are they from a man or a woman?"

"A woman, I think."

"And you see Iolaus hurt, this woman is helping him, and all these thoughts are running all over the place?"

"That's about the size of it."

"They say you can't tell them from humans except they are always slight of build, and they have brown spots, or large freckles, on their feet," Salmoneus mused.

"You keep saying, 'They say. They say.' Who are 'they'?"

"I heard the tale from a bard, and I don't mean Gabrielle."

"Bard's tales are said to be based on truth," said Hercules. "However, bards have been known to embellish on the truth."

"Yeah? So?"

"So, now I guess we find out if this bard told the truth or not."

Salmoneus sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that."

*********************************************

Sira felt Iolaus start to awaken, and brought her mind back to him. She gave him a drink, then took one for herself. As on the previous day, while still touching him with her feet, she ran her hands just above him, feeling his life force. She then caressed his face, smoothing the damp curls from his forehead, much like a mother would do for a beloved child. Her fingers lightly touched his lips, then caressed his chest, his arms and neck. She moved the amulet he wore aside so she might touch his chest. Again, her touch set him on fire. She felt his desire, and her own, but was afraid to respond.

"We must touch minds again. You must anchor yourself as yesterday." She mind spoke this to him and felt him reply with tenderness.

She was treading dangerous water here. She could control how much physical contact they had, but the more they touched, the better he would heal. She could control some of her emotions, like compassion and passion, but the more he felt, the better he would heal. In serious healings, there was always a chance of becoming too attached, but her own people knew how to avoid this. Iolaus didn't. Besides, she felt something different here, something she had never felt before. She enjoyed touching him. It brought her pleasure. It was exciting. She had never felt these feelings before.

It was said by the wise old healers of her village that a healer could, and would, find a mate. But that mate must be a true soulmate because a healer could never tell when in her healing, she would find the one that would possess her mind and soul completely. It could be anyone. It was a thing of mind, not of body. Once those soulmates had found each other, there never again could be another, no matter how many healings were done.

She had been taught since childhood what to expect, when it was coming, and what to do to avoid it from happening in case a healer should wish it not to. Sometimes, a soulmate might be married to another. There could be other reasons why the match was undesirable, but she knew from his mind that he was free to take a mate.

She was alone and lonely. She needed someone. But he was human. Could she love a human? It had happened before, she knew. In fact, that was part of the reason why she was alone now. But that had all begun many years ago, while her grandmother was still young. Could she heal him without going too far? Did she want to limit her feelings? It was so confusing.

"Anchor yourself, and open your mind to me," she mind spoke again. "Feel the Earth's power flowing through you. See the light. Feel the light," she chanted. "I am going to touch your wound now. Remember, it will hurt at first. It will bleed again, but it will heal. Keep your mind open, for both of our sakes. Forget my pain and feel only the power of healing."

She touched him, and again, the pain was overwhelming. She bit off her scream so as not to alarm him. Now that he was a little better, and had healed enough to be conscious at times, she needed to be careful how she reacted to things. Again, his blood mixed with her tears. This time however, her own blood joined his to touch Mother Earth. She swayed with the pain, taking more on herself, and feeling him relax.

Now, mixed with his wandering thoughts, was a longing for her. A need. How had this happened so fast? He was so seriously wounded when she had found him. Then, there had only been the one healing. How could this thing between them have grown so quickly? It was all mixed up with his loneliness, and she had responded. She couldn't help it.

She opened her mind even more to him. Her pain was great. She knew it couldn't go on like this much longer. Sensing this he, started to build a barrier. Not a barrier against his longing and need for her, but a barrier against the pain he was causing her. How quickly he's learned, she thought. She accepted his barrier, and began to build one of her own. She also let her feelings stay, but began to back away from the pain.

She had trouble lying down now. Every move hurt so much. He saw this and raised himself up on one elbow to check on her. Sira was covered in blood. He gasped and grabbed her arms.

"For the love of Zeus, Sira. Why have you done this to yourself?" he demanded.

She was in too much pain to answer in voice so she touched him with mind. "It is all right, Iolaus. I will heal. Lay down beside me and hold me."

She knew that she needed him. He could help her heal also. He was strong of mind, but she also needed the comfort. It might already be too late for her, for she realized with a rush of emotion, that she loved him.

"Hold me, Iolaus, and relax. I will sleep now, and I will heal. We must continue to touch each other. It is important to both of our healing. Keep yourself anchored, and your mind open to me. It is all right, Iolaus. I will be all right. You must not despair for me. I know what I am doing."

She felt his anxiety for her, his pain at her pain.

"Iolaus, please," she implored, "I cannot heal if you will not help me. This is a part of the healing."

"But Sira, I can't let you be hurt because of me. I can't."

"It is too late for that now, "she reminded him. "It has begun, and we cannot stop. It would be harmful to both of us."

You're bleeding so badly."

"Yes. I was, but it is better now. I heal fast. You must know this. I am not human. I am yosemin. We heal much faster than your race, and healers heal even faster. You must trust me."

"Sira," he pleaded again.

She touched his face, his eyes, and his lips. Her mind reached out to him. She caressed him with her thoughts, willing him to trust her.

He kissed her lightly on the lips. "You're sure of this? You'll be well?"

"Yes, I am sure. But you must help me. Will you trust me?"

"Yes, Sira. I'll trust you. Whatever you need of me, I will give."

Sira smiled. "I must sleep now. Hold me. Let our minds touch."

She drifted into slumber, feeling his love and comfort enfold her.

*********************************************

Sira slept for only a short time when she awoke in pain. Tears filled her eyes. She was so tired. There was so much pain here. The healing was going well, however. Partly because he was strong and healthy before he was injured, partly because his mind was strong, but also because they had touched each other in such a profound way.

It was hard to believe they had known each other for only a few hours. But after their first touch, she had known. She had been told it could happen like this. She just never believed it. She had found that one. How strange that it should be now, when she needed it so much.

Iolaus was so much better now. In fact, he was better than she was. That was how she wanted it. She could have healed him more slowly, and taken less on herself, but she wanted him to recover.

It was time. She tapped his shoulder.

"We must heal again."

"So soon?" he asked.

"Yes. I know that you are tired, but it is important."

"I wasn't worried about me. Are you up to it?"

"Yes."

Still, Iolaus hesitated.

"You said you would trust me, Iolaus."

"All right, Sira," and he began to anchor himself.

Sira led him in their third healing, and she bled again. She rocked in pain and illness. How terrible it must have been for him here alone in pain and sickness. She knew he had lain here for at least two days. Sira's heart went out to the hunter, and they both healed. Then she started the barrier. He helped her again, and without being asked, took her in his arms.

"Sleep Sira, and I will hold you. Sleep now. I'm here."

He soothed her like a child, and she slept.

*********************************************

Salmoneus had been complaining for over an hour. He was tired. He was hungry.

"All right, Salmoneus. We'll stop for rest. Then we'll move on."

Salmoneus dropped to a boulder with a sigh. His feet were on fire. Still, somehow, he too had picked up the urgency.

"Just a few minutes, Hercules. I promise."

"It's okay, Salmoneus. I know we've been traveling hard. I'll make a fire and we can have some tea. It'll help us both."

"No, it's okay. I just need some rest. There's fruit in the pack that will do."

Still, Hercules built the fire. He brought fresh water to Salmoneus.

"You picked a good spot, my friend," observed the demigod. "There's shade here, and a stream nearby."

"Purely by accident, I assure you. I only saw a convenient rock to sit on."

Hercules grinned at him. "I'll make a woodsman of you yet, Salmoneus."

"Not if I can help it," the salesman grinned back. "Unless of course, you help me gather the Prevalian roots. We have to muck about in the Sorious Forest for it. So we could just camp there a while."

"The Sorious Forest is nothing to mess with," Hercules pointed out. "There are more things there to make you itch and break out in a rash than there are in Tartarus. Not to mention, Oliaf vines. Their sting is so painful, and they can blind, it's said."

"Well, yes. But that's where you come in."

"Let me guess. I get the rash and stings while you sell the tonic."

"Well, I have to strip the root and grind it to make the tonic. Besides, I'll help gather also. We can take Canfuss with us in case we do run into Oliaf. It really does help the sting, you know."

Again, Hercules let his mind drift. The summons was clear. He sat on the ground next to Salmoneus, handing him a mug of tea. Hercules hadn't realized he was tired until now. He hadn't slept well the night before. The rest felt good.

This time, it was Salmoneus that pushed them on. He said it was because the sooner this little episode was over, the sooner he could start making money. Still, the demigod was sure that Salmoneus had felt the summons also, and had felt its urgency. He wouldn't admit it, however. So they hurried on, stopping only briefly at the small stream to refill their water flasks.

"What do you suppose Iolaus was doing out here anyway?" Salmoneus asked.

"He hunts down here somewhere," Hercules replied. "I haven't been with him out here before, but I know he likes to come down this way sometimes. I have a general idea where we are."

"Oh great," moaned Salmoneus. "We're somewhere, the gods only know where, on some wild goose chase, after some mythological elf of the forest, with everybody's mind being thrown here and there, and he gets lost. Great. Just great."

Hercules grinned. "Come on, oh great moneymaker. Surely there will be a way to make you rich out here somewhere. Maybe you could learn to read minds. It could come in handy."

The salesman's eyes lit up. "Do you really think I could learn to read minds? Hmmmm."

Hercules only shook his head.

*********************************************

Sira felt Iolaus' touch on her face and let her mind open to him. She felt comforted to find herself in his arms. She touched his wound. It was better, as was her own. Her pain had also lessened.

Careful to always touch her, Iolaus reached for the water flask. He helped her to drink, then drank himself before lowering himself to the grass at her side. She rolled to him so that she could look at him. She loved the way his hair curled around his face. She could see the sky in his blue eyes. She touched his hair. It was like an electrical charge had surged through her hand. He touched her shoulder. Again, it seemed to seer her skin.

She sat up. Her robe was stiff with dried blood. She carefully pulled it over her head. Now clothed in short trousers and a halter top of thin woven moss, she felt better. Iolaus touched her bare knee. She placed her hand over his where it rested there. Turning his hand over, he grasped hers and brought it to his lips.

As before, Sira caressed him with her mind, and then with her hands. His face. His chest. She bent over him, and a shower of golden hair engulfed them both. She pulled it away and kissed him. She had never kissed before. She had never been kissed before. Only his brief kiss earlier. But now, he took her mouth eagerly with his own. She pulled away. She couldn't breathe. Her breath came in pants. What was this feeling?

She kissed him again, only longer this time. She touched his thigh with her own. She ran her hands down his arms and up his neck into his hair. This time, he broke off the kiss. He also seemed to have trouble breathing. He touched her neck, the swell of her bust, then pulled his hand away. She kissed him again.

"Sira, I think we had, that is, uh, maybe we had better take a breather."

She ran her hand over his side. He was trembling. His breath came in short puffs. She opened her mind to him. She felt his need for her.

"Sira, I mean it. We should stop now."

She teased him with her mind, and kissed him again.

"Sira, stop. How far do you plan for this to go?"

She laid back down beside him. "Very well, Iolaus. But our closeness has given us both needed strength."

"Yes, but well..." He hesitated. "How far are you willing to push me? Hurt or not, I can't seem to resist you. Somehow, I don't think this wound will stop me."

She had sensed that while she knew nothing of these things, Iolaus did. "There is no greater healing than that between two people joined both in mind and body."

She felt his response. She understood his need, for it was mirrored in herself. But this would never be a casual thing. She must make him understand.

"Iolaus, you must understand. Should we let this happen, it would be forever for me. I could never again willingly leave you. Our souls would be joined forever and for always."

"Yes, Sira. I felt that."

You see, Iolaus, for me to give myself, it could only be to my soulmate. There is yet time. We could let it happen now, or later. Or we can choose not to let it happen at all. We could still heal each other. It will take longer, and would be a constant strain to keep up the needed barriers, but we are both strong of mind. We could do it. You must consider that we do not really even know each other.

"I have already made my decision." She continued. "Now you must make yours. You must remember, it would be forever. We would join in mind and soul, never again to be without the other person, even in death."

She rolled over in his arms to give him room, and time to think. She kept her bare brown spotted foot on his leg. She had decided. It would now be very hard to continue the healing because she must be so careful.

"Iolaus, you must understand. I am not human. I am yosemin. I am different from you. There are those who hate and despise us. I am of the forest, and can never stay for long from it."

He let his mind touch hers. Already, he had learned so much about communicating with her mind. He was no fool. He knew instinctively that this went way beyond the physical. Could he willingly let her go? Forever, she said. Even after death.

He admitted he was a little frightened. He had been looking for someone to share his life, someone who needed him. He felt her loneliness. He felt her need for him. Not just physically, but spiritually. He sensed her naiveté, and was humbled by it.

Did she realize what she offered him? Yes, he felt, rather than heard her answer. Did the fact that she was different from him matter? No, not to him.

Forever. Forever. Forever.

It kept running through his mind. She would have me forever. She is willing to take me forever. Could I stop this even if I wanted to? he asked himself. He doubted that he could. But how had he fallen so hard, so fast? He couldn't answer this. It had happened, and he was glad. It was like coming home. He knew it was the right thing.

"Sira?"

"Yes, Iolaus?"

"Forever." He caressed her with his thoughts. "Forever."

She wept in his arms now. She had been afraid that he would turn away from her. Afraid he wouldn't.

"Forever, Iolaus."

Joining hands, they slept.

********************************************

It was nearly dark before Hercules found a place to stop. Salmoneus hadn't said a word in miles. The demigod was worried by the silence. Twice now, Salmoneus had stumbled.

"We'll stop here, Salmoneus. Just sit and rest while I get the camp set up."

The salesman didn't respond. He just sat on a grassy knoll and rubbed his feet. Hercules set about making a fire first. There was comfort in a warm fire. He set snares with the last of the light and skinned a rabbit that he had killed with his longbow earlier that day. He made Tassis tea and took some to Salmoneus. The smell of the rabbit cooking made his stomach growl.

"Here, Salmoneus. Drink this. It'll make you feel better."

"Thanks, Hercules."

"Are you all right, my friend?"

Salmoneus put up a false front of gaiety. "Of course. No problem. Don't worry about me. A few minutes rest, and I'll be on my way."

This was so unlike his complaining companion that Hercules knew real concern. They ate the rabbit in silence. Hercules had given the larger portion to Salmoneus, and had added a piece of cheese that Alcmene had sent along. When the demigod had finished, he was still hungry, but avoided eating anything else. They might need the provisions. Without being asked, he made a bed for the salesman near the fire.

"Thanks, Hercules," said a grateful Salmoneus, "But I think I'll sit up for a bit."

"Suit yourself. I'm going to take a quick swim in the river. There's a large pool, and the cold water will feel good."

Salmoneus only nodded.

Hercules stepped through the bushes to head for the river. But hearing Salmoneus groan, he turned and looked back. Salmoneus was limping to his bed.

Damn! thought Hercules. I knew something was wrong. We're so close. I can feel it. But it will do no good to help one friend at the expense of another. Salmoneus had deliberately said nothing to him. That last stumble had twisted his ankle.

Several times during the day's travels, when his mind was relaxed, Salmoneus felt the call on his mind. He was in a hurry also. He deliberately tried to quiet his mind. He let his mind feel the thoughts. This time, he got a direction. He knew they were close. He was also sure he would only hold Hercules up tomorrow. He would tell his friend to go on without him. He would catch up. He didn't like being alone in the forest, but it wouldn't be the first time he had been.

Hercules returned to find Salmoneus sleeping. Tomorrow we will travel slowly. I might even carry him part of the way, or perhaps build a travois. I can't stop, but I can make it easier on him.

Again, Hercules didn't sleep well. He had been thinking of Deianeira all day. It was as if his thoughts were born of the message his mind received.

*********************************************

Iolaus woke first. He felt Sira's hand in his. He smiled. His longing for her surrounded him. Such feelings he had never felt before. There had been others. There had even been love. But this was so much more. He had been with women before, but they hadn't touched him like Sira's simple caresses. Her innocence was a tonic he couldn't resist. And there was something behind the physical feelings that made them more real.

Forever.

Had he changed his mind? No. If anything, he was more sure than ever. He wished he could see her, but it was too dark. He read the time by the stars. It was past midnight.

The forest was her home. She couldn't stay too long from it. Well, that was all right. He loved the forest himself. He understood it. He had hunted in too many forests to let that worry him.

Iolaus had felt Sira's loss. Her family and people were gone. He felt her pain and the yet unhealed state of her body and mind. What could have done this? He sensed evil, and recoiled his mind from it. He felt her flight from her home, her despair and loneliness. He opened his mind and sent thoughts of love and comfort. He sent a mind picture as he formed the word on his lips.

"Forever."

*********************************************

Hercules awoke in a cold sweat. He was trembling. He had been dreaming of Deianeira again. It had started out so pleasant, but had ended in pain and evil. He felt Sira's message of comfort, and mingled with it, Iolaus' own. The demigod knew he was close now. Tomorrow sometime. Tomorrow, he felt he would find them. This time, he deliberately sent a message back, and felt her surprise and pleasure that he could achieve this.

"Come quickly, Hercules," she said. "I grow weary. We need you so."

Hercules sent his thoughts back. "I'll come as quickly as possible. The one I travel with is hurt. I must let him rest."

Sira sent her healing thoughts to Salmoneus. He stirred in his sleep but did not awaken.

"He will be all right, Hercules. His injury is not serious. Come when you can."

She deliberately let him go. She sent him thoughts of restful sleep and strength. His physical strength was like nothing she had sensed before. He had felt for Deianeira what she now felt for Iolaus. Having once found your soulmate, then to lose them. To live your life without them. Could she go on without Iolaus? She doubted that she could.

What pain of emotion and spirit Hercules must endure. He hid most of it behind a locked door she hadn't even tried to open. She needed to be in touch with him so that when he arrived, he could start to help Iolaus and herself. But to invade someone's pain... No, that was a private thing. She would help if she could, and if he asked her, but she wouldn't force it on him.

Iolaus stirred next to her and she touched his chest. He took a quick breath.

Sira," he mind spoke to her.

"Yes, my love?"

He said nothing, but touched her hand as it lay on his chest. She put her leg over his lower body, wrapping herself around him. She is so small, he thought. She wouldn't even come to my shoulder. Her skin is so soft and white.

He thought of her feet. They were tiny and well shaped despite going barefoot in the forest. He smiled, thinking of the brown spots. He wanted to kiss them. They were almost a solid mass at her toes, but spread out and thinned at her ankles. Her eyes were so green. So dark, that at times, they seemed black.

She could hide her feet from unfriendly people, but her eyes were not so easily disguised. She looked like a human in all other respects, and people would most likely think her eyes as unusual, but not alarming.

She was small and attractive, with blond hair to below her knees. She would be liked, he knew. He didn't care for himself, but for her and her feelings. He would crush anyone who might try to harm her.

She felt his feelings and smiled. "My protector," she teased.

"Forever," he replied.

Sira sent her thoughts to him. "What we start here cannot be undone, Iolaus. You must be sure. There is yet time to stop this."

"Forever," was his only reply.

"I could cause you trouble. There will be times when I must heal, and people will learn of me."

"Forever," he repeated.

You may get jealous at times, but my soul would always be yours. Never again could I give another what I have given you, not even in the most serious healings. Even in death, should one of us die, the other may take comfort from another mate, but there is only one soulmate."

"Forever, Sira. I am sure, my love."

She caressed him as she had before, with her mind and her body. Her kisses grew urgent and demanding. He was skilled in the game and always stopped her before it went too far.

She cried out in frustration. "Iolaus, I need you."

He pulled her on top of him. Their minds blended, and their bodies blended. Their souls touched and held, and just when she thought she must surely explode with joy, he touched her heart with his love. She placed her hands on his wound. Pain. Physical pain mingled with the pleasure. He then touched her wound. She felt more heat and pain, but she was too far gone to stop, and beyond caring.

Later, much later, he felt her pain and started to slow his thoughts down. Over and over, she had urged him to take her. Over and over, she had taken his pain from him. Even now, when she was exhausted, she didn't want to let him go, but she also put up the barrier and rolled from him to fall into an exhausted sleep, her hand in his hair.

Such emotion. Iolaus wept with the wonder of it all. Sira had wept when they first came together. He was afraid he had hurt her, but she had mind spoken a wave of pleasure and release. Her tears had fallen on his chest and had mingled with the blood there. He felt his chest. It had not been him bleeding.

He started to sit up to see her better but she moaned. So he lay back down. It was still too dark at any rate. He put his hand on her wound and prayed to the gods to heal her. Had she gone too far? It was all such a blur of pleasure and feeling. He should have stopped her sooner. It would be light soon, and he would be able to see better.

*********************************************

Hercules was up at first light, but Salmoneus had been up already. He had two plump rabbits roasting and he brought Hercules a cup of tea, limping only a little.

"Your foot is better, Salmoneus?" asked Hercules.

"Yes it is. How did you know?"

"I saw you limp to your bed last night."

Salmoneus shook his head. "I tried to wait you out last night, but I was too tired."

"I'm sorry, my friend," Hercules apologized. "We'll go easy today. I can help you, and even carry you if I need to."

"That would make a lovely picture. No, Hercules. I feel the summons now and have my direction. I'll stay here and rest a bit, and come along at my own pace. You go on ahead."

"Salmoneus, you know I can't leave you out here alone."

"I'm not helpless, you know. I don't like the outdoors, but I can get by. Remember, you're looking at the best quail hunter in the province. Besides, I'll be right behind you."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. You can move faster and reach them sooner."

"I could leave a trail that's easy to follow."

"I have the direction, but the trail would help."

Hercules wasted no time. He packed a few things only and left the provisions for his friend. Salmoneus had reset the snares, and Hercules found another rabbit there. He left that for the salesman as well.

"I'll clean up the campsite and start out," said his friend. "You'd better get going."

Still the demigod hesitated. "If you don't show up by tomorrow, I'll come looking for you, my friend."

"You think you'll find them today?"

"Yes I do. Don't ask me how I know. But yes, it will be today."

"Then you should take some of this food. I won't need it all."

"No, I can find things in the forest. Not as well as Iolaus, but I can get by. Do you use a longbow?"

"No thank you. I can't hit the side of a Cyclops. Besides, I hate to kill anyway. Just bring me the meat. I'll skin it and eat it. But kill it? I don't think so."

"Okay, I'll take the longbow and my water flask. I've left you with water, but if you drink some now, fill it before you leave. You never can tell when you'll need it."

"Will you go already? You could have been there by now."

Hercules smiled. He knew Salmoneus hated him to leave as much as he hated to leave. He grabbed the salesman's arm in a warrior's grasp and moved out. Salmoneus was moved. And not being comfortable with this feeling, he cursed the demigod's back. Another cup of tea and then he would go. He felt for the direction and it was there. It was a comforting thing.

*********************************************

"Sira, my love?" Iolaus mind spoke. "Sira, are you all right?"

She stirred next to him. He felt her exhaustion. "What have I done to you?" He spoke these words out loud.

"I am fine, Iolaus. I healed a little while I slept."

She touched his bare chest, and taking his hand, placed it on her own. Instantly he was on fire.

"Yes my ardent lover, I feel it too. But not now, my love. I need more..." Her thought was lost.

"Sira? Sira?!"

He sat next to her. The wound on her otherwise perfect body made him physically ill. It was angry and oozing. He took her hand. Tears filled his eyes.

"What have I done?" he cried out loud. "I must do something to help her."

He thought back to her early healings. He anchored himself as she had taught him. He began to chant.

"Sira. Sira. Sira."

He couldn't remember her chant so he used her name instead. He didn't think the words mattered anyway. He touched her wound and remembered what she had said. He saw the blue light, and pictured it surrounding them both. Could he help her? He must.

His hand grew hot. He felt the power of the Earth. Her Earth. He remembered her prayer, and chanted it now.

"To the soil, to the trees, to the Earth, my mother, I give my mind and soul."

Sira, reaching out, touched his wound. Intense heat and energy passed through them both. She repeated the prayer with him. Their minds and souls touched, and she was comforted.

*********************************************

Hercules stopped only once to drink and fill his water flask. His thoughts raced ahead, but also behind to Salmoneus. He realized that Salmoneus was quite a man after all, with his own honor and strength. He would never think of the salesman quite the same again.

He was close. He could feel it. He slowed his pace so as not to miss those he was searching for.

*********************************************

Sira stirred. "Iolaus?"

Iolaus felt gratitude that she seemed better. "You're better, my love?"

"Yes, better. You did a fair healing, my lover."

"Oh, Sira. Forgive me for hurting you so."

"Iolaus, you must understand. You cannot hurt me. You have done nothing. I took this upon myself because I love you and wanted to."

He shook his head.

"Iolaus." She touched his face. "Kiss me."

He very carefully rose to bring his lips to hers.

"I want you, my love," she mind spoke to him.

"What? Now? No. You're too weak."

"I am better. Thanks to you. You did the very best thing by healing me. We can go slow and careful."

"No, Sira. You'll only take more of my pain on you."

"No, Iolaus. We can heal and be healed without transferring to one another. Touching is healing.."

"Later, Sira. When you're better."

Sira mind spoke her plea to him. "Please, my love. I need you."

He kissed her carefully and gently. Her mouth was on fire. The kiss deepened, and he was lost. He was so gentle and loving that she knew no pain.

He held her in his arms, their naked bodies entwined.

"Iolaus? Can you reach the blanket?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered. "Are you cold?"

"No, but Hercules is here, and we are not exactly dressed for company."

Their nakedness hadn't mattered to either of them before, but he pulled the blanket over them both as Hercules burst through the brush.

"Iolaus, Sira, are you all right?"

"Yes, my friend," Iolaus answered him. "We're getting there. Thanks for coming so quickly."

Iolaus had sat up and he now grasped Hercules' arm in a warrior's grasp.

"I came as quickly as I could." the big man panted, still out of breath. "You're really better, my friend?"

"Not completely. But I'm coming along, thanks to Sira."

Hercules turned to the healer. "I feel I know you, like we're established friends. I hope that this comes to pass."

Sira smiled up at the son of Zeus. "We are friends. Our minds' touch has made us so."

Hercules knelt down to take her hand in his. He felt a tingle in her touch.

"I'm grateful to you for saving Iolaus' life. You've risked yourself for him. I won't forget this."

"I had to help him," she argued. "I had no choice. But then, I would have helped him anyway."

"How are these things possible?" the big man wondered.

"I am yosemin. I am a telepath, and have empathic powers also. I am a healer." Sira whispered this last part. "I am glad that you are here. We need your help."

Tell me what to do," the demigod said.

Sira instructed him to heat water so that she and Iolaus might cleanse themselves. She then asked him to find the roots she described so that she could make a poultice for them both. She knew the healing power of these gifts from her Earth mother.

He brought them fresh water and made a bed in a new grassy place where they could move after their bath. He would have put down a blanket, but Sira asked him not to. She needed to be able to touch the Earth. Building a fire quickly, Hercules heated the water in Iolaus's pot. All of the hunter's things were here. This had obviously been his camp. How had he been hurt? he wondered. There was evidence of a struggle. Had his friend been ambushed?

When the water was heated, Hercules brought it to them, Placing it beside Iolaus, he left to get the herbs and roots. In the end, Iolaus had to bathe Sira. She was too weak to be of much help. Hercules, returning with the things Sira had requested, saw them bathing and turned away in embarrassment.

When he had first arrived, he had realized that Iolaus and Sira were not clothed. He couldn't help but wonder about it. But it was none of his business.

Sira, her mind linked to the big man's, had felt his embarrassment. When Iolaus finished bathing her, he wrapped her in a blanket, then carefully rose and slipped his pants on. He sat down quickly, still weak himself. Even this slight effort had left him shaky. His weakness frightened him. But the days of pain and his loss of blood, and the lack of food could not be erased so quickly. And now Iolaus realized he was very hungry. There were personal needs he must take care of soon. In all their healing, they had not left each other's side. They hadn't eaten, only drinking water. Until now he hadn't noticed his body's needs.

Sira used her telepathy to send a message to Hercules that it was safe to return. She then asked him to help them to the woods. "Leave us there and we will help each other," she told him.

Hercules picked Sira up, and gave a hand to Iolaus. She is so light, he thought. Iolaus and Sira held hands so the physical touch would not be broken. And going slow for Iolaus' sake, Hercules led them to a screen of bushes. He left them there and walked out of earshot so that they could have some privacy.

When they were finished, Sira called him to help them return. He brought them to their new bed. Iolaus was holding onto the big man's arm. His step was unsure and stumbling. He was very glad to be able to lay down. He took Sira in his arms. She felt them tremble and sent strength to him, strength she needed for herself. He fell asleep almost immediately.

Sira wanted to talk to Hercules. For her, mindspeech was easier. But not for humans.

"Hercules?" Sira voiced.

"Yes, Sira?"

"We need food. It will help us build our strength. Will you help us?"

"Of course," Hercules answered. "There are provisions here of Iolaus'. I'll fix something. I've also set snares."

"Thank you." She smiled at the demigod.

"Sira, are you strong enough to do me a favor?"

"Yes, Hercules." Sira smiled again. "I will send my mind to Salmoneus and make sure he is well. I can send him strength and reassurance also."

"Thanks. I'd appreciate it."

The big man wasn't sure how he felt about his thoughts being so easily read. I don't even need to talk, he thought. My thoughts aren't even completely formed and she knows.

He saw Sira's small brown spotted feet. So, he thought, the bard had told at least some truth. The tale Salmoneus had told him entered his mind.

Sensing this, Sira sent Hercules reassurance that she could not, and would not control his mind.

"I cannot steal your soul," her mind told him.

Again Hercules was uncomfortable with Sira's invasion of his thoughts.

She spoke this time in voice. "Salmoneus is fine, and should arrive tomorrow."

"Thank you. I hated leaving him behind."

He rose to leave Sira's side. But she spoke again.

"It will not always be like this," she assured him. "I have deliberately kept our minds linked because you will need to help heal us. Our mind's touch is important. When the healing is over, your thoughts will be your own again. I will respect your privacy and not intrude." She took a deep breath. "Please try not to mind too much. We need you so badly. I grow weak, and the healing is not yet complete. Without your help, I may fail." She sighed. "It is all so fragile. Everything, the pain and injury, could return to him. I cannot let that happen. I could become very ill. When I found Iolaus, he was almost gone. If I cannot complete this healing, one or both of us could die."

Hercules felt remorse that he had resented Sira's telepathy.

"You're right, Sira. The important thing is to get you both well. I won't worry about your mind and mine touching." The half man, half god took a deep breath. "I came here to help, and I will. Now tell me what to do."

"We need food first. Then we can talk."

Hercules left her side to prepare the meal. Sira sighed to herself. Humans are such fragile creatures, she thought. Most were weak of mind. Iolaus was an exception to this. Hercules even more so. Hercules could be a telepath with some training. If he could learn to focus his thoughts, he might even make a fair healer. A lot of healing could be done without the transfer of an empath. Sira had felt the big man's compassion. No healing could take place without compassion, and He had plenty of that. She touched the big man's mind with kindness, and he responded. Already the healer felt a closeness to the son of Zeus. They were forming a bond. This was good. It would aid in the healing.

Hercules brought food, and Sira woke Iolaus so that he could eat. When the hunter had eaten, Hercules asked him about his injuries.

"How were you hurt? What happened here, my friend?"

"You remember our old friend Tassasin?" Iolaus asked.

Hercules nodded.

"He and three of his cretins ambushed me. Tassasin got in a lucky blow with his sword. Then they left me for dead."

"Something will have to be done about Tassasin," Hercules stated.

Sira hated violence. She closed her mind to the disturbing thoughts of the men. In their healings, Sira had learned from Iolaus how he had been hurt, and why Tassasin wished to harm him.

Hercules and Iolaus had gone to stop him and his brother from terrorizing a village. The brother had been killed by Iolaus. Tassasin had sworn revenge.

Though ignorant about such things, she realized that Tassasin would not stop. Once he realized that his attempt to eliminate the hunter had failed, he would surely try again. Sira did not like it, but Hercules was right. Something would have to be done about Tassasin.

She was feeling better now that she had eaten. It was time.

"Hercules will you help in a healing?"

Sira felt shy about asking. Now that she knew the big man's aversion to her mind probe, she knew he might not like the intimacy needed to heal.

The big man nodded. "Just show me what to do."

"It will mean our minds touching for a period of time."

It was hard for the yosemin to express her thoughts with her voice, but she used her voice now for the big man's sake. She wanted to make him as comfortable as possible.

"I understand," He stated. "I'll help."

Sira smiled. "Good. Come sit here by us and put your hands on Iolaus' side."

Sira instructed Hercules as she had Iolaus at first. Then wrapping her lithe body around Iolaus, she began to chant. She went slow, and warned Hercules not to break the contact. She let him feel what could happen if he should. The big man was reluctant to let his guard down at first, but Iolaus sent his friend reassurance, and slowly he began to open his mind. Soon he was drawn into the healing.

"Open your mind, Hercules. See the light. Feel the light. Become one with the Earth. Feel its power."

Sira placed her hands on Iolaus's wound, and without having to be told to, he put his hands on hers. Sira, with mind speech, instructed Hercules to place his hand on hers, as it lay on Iolaus. She began to bleed again, but it wasn't as much this time. Feeling the blood, Iolaus strengthened his mind and opened it to the light and the Earth. He willed Sira to heal, and Hercules joined his friend in healing the empath. Sira helped them all begin to build the barriers needed to slow the healing. She then sent her love to Iolaus.

The demigod, feeling the overwhelming emotions, almost lowered his guard on his own pain. Deianeira, Serena, the children. But the big man quickly put a lock on the door to his inner feelings and closed away the thoughts.

"I am sorry, Hercules," Sira's mind told the big man. "I did not mean to bring you into our lovemaking. You can build the barrier on your mind. We will wait for you to exit before we feel too deeply. Please understand that this intimacy is needed for us to heal. Slowly now. Let your mind close. Do not be afraid. You will not hurt us. Yes, that is it. Well done. Your mind is strong. You may break physical contact whenever you are ready. Just keep part of your mind for us, but you do not have to be hurt by our oneness."

Hercules took a deep breath and broke touch with the lovers. There was blood on his hands. The half man, half god left their side and went to the pond. He was covered in sweat. He walked into the cool water, letting it comfort him. This was harder than he thought. What in Tartarus had he gotten himself into? But in his heart, he knew he must help them. The weakness he had felt frightened him. The pain he had felt was very real. Could he do this again? he asked himself. One part of him didn't want to, but he knew he would.

Sira and Iolaus caressed each other as they lay in each other's arms. They didn't make love out of respect for Hercules. Sira felt remorse that in an unguarded moment, she had reminded the demigod of his pain and loss. Again, she realized how vulnerable humans were, and that now she had linked herself forever to the human race.

She sent a warning to Iolaus to be careful about showing his love for her when they were linked so deeply with Hercules. Her lover understood instantly. And in voice he told her.

"Our lovemaking is a private and personal thing. I will be careful."

He kissed her. His love for her overwhelmed him, and he knew how easily things could get out of control if they weren't careful.

Later in the day, Hercules again helped them to the woods. He could feel that Iolaus was stronger. He fixed them a meal as the last of the light faded. When they had eaten, Sira sent her mind to Salmoneus and found him close and safe. She let Hercules know. She knew he was concerned for the salesman.

This half man, half god was so complex. She had felt something of his childhood loneliness, his confused thoughts of his father, his struggle to come to terms with his physical strength, and his strong mind. She also had felt a boyish vulnerability about him. She sighed.

She was so tired. Still, her wound was better, and she was very pleased with Iolaus' progress. The healing was not yet complete, but it wouldn't be long. Slowly, she let her mind relax. In her dreams, she ran forever through strange and lonely forests, trying to reach something that stayed forever just out of her grasp. She moaned in her sleep, and Iolaus' hold on her tightened. He was too asleep to send his mind to her, but still wanted to comfort her.

In the morning, Hercules helped them to the woods. Iolaus didn't need much help now however. But Sira seemed weaker than ever. The hunter was concerned for her. She had fallen back to sleep as soon as they had returned from the woods. She was feverish and restless as she slept.

Hercules brought a mug of soup to Iolaus. The hunter, sitting with his feet and legs crossed, made sure his feet touched the healer.

"The soup's good. Thanks, Herc."

"Should we wake Sira up so that she can eat also?" Hercules asked.

"No, we'll let her sleep, I think. She heals as she sleeps." He changed the subject. "Herc? You've felt her weakness, haven't you?"

"Yes, my friend. I have."

"It scares me. Before Sira found me here, she had gone through something. Some trauma. I don't really understand it all."

Iolaus began to tell Hercules what he did know. "She wasn't well when she started the healing."

"What do you want me to do, Iolaus?"

"I don't know. I don't know myself what to do," He confessed. "But I must do something." There was desperation in his voice.

"You really love her, don't you?" Hercules whispered.

"Yes, I do."

The big man felt the sincerity in his friend's simple statement.

"How did all this come about so quickly?"

"It's not really clear to me either. But we have touched in mind and soul. I don't know how to explain it, but don't doubt it, my friend. Don't doubt it.

*********************************************

The healer wasn't sure why, but her sleep was invaded with a strange feeling of unease. She couldn't heal. This had never happened to her before. She wished for the advice of the elders of the clan, her teachers and mentors. But they were all gone, their souls now in the trees, the wolf, and the badger. Sira prayed to her Earth mother, but for the first time, found no comfort here either. She couldn't understand it. She grew weaker instead of stronger.

When she awoke from her sleep, her mind was foggy. Salmoneus had just arrived. Sira was glad. She had shared the demigod's concern for the salesman, and now she could close that part of her mind and use it to further her healing.

Still uneasy, she sent her mind out to feel for the source of her disquiet. It hit the healer like a physical blow. Evil, wickedness, and she knew it for what it was. The same evil force she had felt back in her village.

She remembered waking in her bed. She had slept long in the healing sleep required after a healing. Awakening, she was overwhelmed by the impressions she received. Her people were sick and dying. Some were already gone and grieved for. Sira felt the pain and fear. Poison in their water. No one was left untouched by the plague that would obliterate her people. No one, save Sira. She had not touched the water. Entranced in her sleep, she had been spared. She had tried to heal her family, but she had been unable to. Their souls were touched by an evil that repelled her efforts. Her people were linked together to try and stop the evil. Sira was shut out of their minds by their desperate struggle to fight the evil.

Finally, the evil thing had fled. But it was too late. Sira grew ill herself trying to help those she loved. She had run from home to home, hoping against hope to find someone still well, someone still living. Her grandmother had pleaded with her to leave, to escape before it was too late.

Sira was violently ill, her body invaded by the poison in her attempts to heal. And when her beloved grandmother had breathed her last, Sira fled. She fled the evil force she still felt. She fled the pain and death. She ran and fell, then ran again, only to stumble and fall again and again, and still she couldn't stop. She was weak, her body empty now from her sickness. In her pain and grief, she had wished she too could die. So distraught had she become, she was unaware of when the Earth no longer burned with evil.

As he lay beside her, Iolaus felt her despair and took her in his arms.

"What is it, Sira?" he asked. "What's frightened you?"

Salmoneus chose to approach the couple at this moment. He was anxious to meet the one who had touched his mind.

"Evil!" Sira exclaimed. "It has followed me."

Confused, Salmoneus looked around him. "Who? Me? I'm not evil."

"It has come for me!. It will kill me also. Hold me, Iolaus. Hold me."

"I'm here, Sira. Nothing can harm you."

Iolaus was confused. What could have frightened Sira so completely?

"Even now, it keeps me from healing. Just as it kept my people from being able to heal."

"What? Sira, what's keeping you from healing?" He was trying to understand.

Hercules also felt something. His strong mind perceived a perversion, an unclean something, a corrupted presence of evil.

"We must leave here," Sira cried. "We must get away."

"Sira," Iolaus tried to reason with the healer. "You're in no condition to go anywhere."

"I just got here," Salmoneus whined.

"Salmoneus," Hercules whispered, "start packing things up."

"But," Salmoneus started to protest.

"Now! Damn it," Hercules shouted. "Do it quickly."

"Hercules, Sira's in no shape to be moved," Iolaus objected.

Hercules came to kneel beside his friend. "What Sira feels is real. I feel it also. Open your mind, Iolaus. I think you'll feel it as well."

Iolaus looked skeptical, but he closed his eyes and tried to put his worry and concern aside for a moment. And yes, he did feel it. He shuddered. He would have risen, but Hercules stopped him.

"Wait, Iolaus. Don't break the physical touch. I can carry Sira and give you a hand as well. It's worked to get you two to the woods. It'll have to work now. I think we need to get Sira out of here as fast as possible. I don't know what this is, but it can obviously harm her." He stood up. "Wait here, my friend. I'll come for you."

The empath whimpered beside the hunter. "It'll be all right, Sira," Iolaus soothed her. "We're leaving here very shortly."

Sira clung to him. He could feel her fear.

"Hurry, Herc," Iolaus urged.

Hercules came to them. He had a large pack on his back, as did Salmoneus.

"Come, Sira," Hercules said. Bending over, he picked the girl up. Iolaus was careful not to break the physical touch. Sira had instructed him thoroughly of the danger to both of them should this happen.

Salmoneus understood none of this. He was tired already, and now he was carrying an even bigger pack than he had arrived with. Hercules had set a brisk pace despite his heavy burden, and the salesman had a hard time keeping up. But if Iolaus could keep up, weak and sick as he was, Salmoneus knew he must.

Iolaus walked beside Hercules and Sira. He held her hand and let his love wash over her, hoping she would sense it and be comforted. Sira squeezed his hand and sent her love to him. Mingled with it was her fear and her weakness. Iolaus sent a silent prayer to the gods of Olympus.

"Hercules?" the hunter questioned, "What's this thing we're fleeing from? Could you tell?"

The demigod shook his head. "It was just a feeling, really. I'm not sure what it was, but I'll tell you one thing. I'd just as soon get as far away from it as possible."

"Yeah, you can say that again," Iolaus agreed.

"You were concerned that Sira wasn't healing. Well, maybe she's right, and this is why. Sira named this force, or whatever it is, as the reason she was not getting well. She said we should leave. That was good enough for me."

Hercules continued on, wanting to put as much distance between them and that... whatever it was, but Iolaus' weakness was catching up with him, and his step began to falter. When he stumbled and almost fell, Hercules knew they must stop. The big man was afraid the physical touch might be broken. He began to search for a place to make camp. When he found a place suitable for their needs, he stopped. The demigod lowered Sira to the ground, and Iolaus sunk down beside her. Hercules tried to open his mind to feel for the force he had felt before, but the evil no longer seemed to be there.

"Sira?" He asked. "Do you still feel this thing?"

"Only vaguely. I think it searches for me still, but for the time being, I think we are safe."

"Can we stop now?"

"Yes," Sira nodded. "We can stop here. At any rate, I think we must."

Sira could feel her lover's weakness. She took Hercules' hand, and opening her mind, linked it even more closely to both men. Then the healer sent some of the demigod's enormous strength to Iolaus.

Hercules then made camp while the others rested. He made a soup from dried meat, and tea to wash it down. Thanks to Sira's ministerings, Iolaus was able to sit up and eat some of the soup.

"Will we do a healing tonight?" Iolaus asked the empath.

"Not tonight, my love." Sira smiled at him. "Everyone is tired, and we are still too close to the evil. It might find us." She shivered, her fear still with her.

"What is it, Sira?" Iolaus questioned. "Why is it after you?" "I do not know," Sira hedged. "I am sorry to have done this to you, Iolaus. I would not have let our souls become intertwined if I had known that doing so would put you in danger."

Tears filled the healer's eyes. Iolaus took her in his arms. He sensed that Sira knew more about the evil force that they had felt than she was willing to admit. But she was so frightened by it that he decided not to push for answers now. Besides that, he was just too tired.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Iolaus smiled at the healer. "As for our souls touching, it was my idea also. After having once found you, I couldn't have let you go even if you had wanted me to. I don't give a hang for how much danger I may be in because you love me. If you will be able to heal now, my fatigue won't matter, and neither does this evil force. We'll fight it together. I won't give you up, Sira. I can't." Now there was fear in the hunter's voice. "Sira, you will heal now, won't you?"

"Yes, my love. It has started already."

Hercules knelt beside them and handed them each a cup of tea. Sira took his hand.

"Thank you for carrying me so far, and for letting me tap your strength." The empath smiled at the half man, half god. "You did a healing while we walked. You just did not know it."

"You're welcome."

Hercules smiled at the girl. He had known this young woman such a short time, and yet he felt a closeness to her. She was right. There was a closeness born of the healing process. He no longer questioned how Iolaus could love her so completely. He understood now and was glad for his friend.

They traveled all the next day. They went slow, and stopped often. Iolaus was stronger, but still weak. With Hercules' permission, Sira sent his strength to the hunter. The borrowing of another's strength could be tiring for the one giving of their force, but the strength of the son of Zeus seemed undaunted.

For three days they traveled. The days were filled with heat and thirst. Spring was quickly giving way to summer and there was little water the way they traveled.

On the third day, they approached a small village. Leaving the others in the woods, Hercules went to see if he could get food and perhaps a cart to carry Sira and Iolaus.

In their three days of travel, Sira had not allowed a healing, for fear the evil force might find her. She feared it might feel the power and follow it to them. Sira's wound was better despite this. Her body's own powers of recuperation were remarkable. Iolaus was healing also, but humans healed much slower than yosemins. Sira and Iolaus had, throughout their travels, kept the physical contact. Their minds remained linked, and now Sira could share some of her strength with the human she had pledged her life to.

Hercules was gone a long time and Iolaus was getting concerned. Salmoneus was just about ready to go looking for the big man when he returned. He brought with him a cart and a great deal of food.

"These people must be generous souls," Salmoneus commented.

Hercules grinned at the salesman. "Somehow a boy got tangled in the rope of the windless. It was collapsing and the boy was in danger.

So I got the boy out of danger and fixed the windless. No big deal."

"Your modesty is overwhelming," Salmoneus said in sarcasm. "So of course, the grateful people couldn't do enough for you."

"Well, yes. Something like that."

They loaded the cart with their belongings and the two sick people. And taking the handles, Hercules pulled the cart himself. The village people had offered him an old mule, but seeing how poor the village was, he politely declined the offer.

They only traveled a short distance further. It was late in the day. Hercules had found a likely place by a small stream and decided to stay there for the night. He helped Sira and Iolaus to the stream so that they could bathe. Leaving them there, he returned to camp to start a meal for them. Salmoneus had already started a fire, and with the last of the water in the goatskin bag, he had put water on to heat for tea.

"So, Hercules, Sira is quite a beauty, isn't she?" Salmoneus commented.

"Yes, she is," was the reply.

"Do you believe the stories about these forest people being able to steal your mind and soul?"

Hercules felt the concern in the salesman's question. No Salmoneus, I don't, not for a minute. You needn't worry, my friend. Sira would never harm you."

Hercules felt Sira's summons and brought her and Iolaus back to camp.

"We must do a transfer healing tonight," Sira told Iolaus and Hercules. "It could be dangerous to wait longer."

"What could happen Sira?" Iolaus asked her.

"All the healing we have done so far could be lost." She sighed. "We could return to the way it was before. Only this time, it could be even worse."

Sira sensed the reason behind Iolaus' question. "We must do this, my love. It would harm me more if we did not. You would not be sparing me pain, but condemning me to much worse. Hercules, will you help us? Your strength of mind is great and we will heal much faster if you will."

She was still unsure of how Hercules might react. He kept such a close hold on his inner self. Like Sira, he was a private person, wishing his feelings and emotions to remain his own. Sira sensed that this had not always been so. But how well she could understand that loss and grief could cause this closing off of one's self. It was much easier to hide the pain even from yourself than to live it day in and day out.

"You know I will help," Hercules stated.

Their healing was long. Sira was able to take a great deal on herself. When they were finally finished, She knew that Iolaus was healed enough too start the time of physical bond. This was the time in the healing when transfer was no longer needed, but when the physical touch must still be maintained. But Sira was not quite ready yet. Now when she transferred, she would transfer some of the injury back to Iolaus. And together, they would fight the pain and illness. Their bodies together could heal much quicker than either one alone.

The hunter and the empath lay in each other's arms. Sira was pleasantly drowsy, entranced in the euphoria of their oneness.

"Iolaus, do you know where Hercules is taking us?" she asked.

"Home, I think," was his drowsy reply.

She felt a stab of emotional pain. I have no home, she thought. Sensing her feelings, Iolaus tightened his hold on her.

"You have me now, Sira. You aren't alone anymore. We'll make a home of our own," he comforted her.

Tears rolled freely down the girl's face. "I love you," her mind told him.

Hercules had long ago retired to his bed by the fire. Iolaus kissed her cheeks where the tears glistened. Sira touched the small scar on his temple. She caressed his chest, enjoying the softness of his skin. He kissed her neck, then her ear. His lips lightly touched hers. She drew in a deep breath.

"Wherever you are will be my home, Iolaus. I pledge myself to you."

Behind the words, Iolaus could feel her fear of leaving the forest.

"I will take you often to the forest," he promised her.

He also sensed her fear of humans.

"I will protect you, Sira. You need not fear. If we have to, we'll remain in the forest, somewhere where no human will persecute you." He kissed her again. "I have always loved the forest. And now, knowing you are of it, I will love it even more.

"To the soil, to the trees, to the Earth my mother, I give my mind and soul,"

He said the prayer to her and then took her mouth. And for a short while, he was able to make her forget her worry and concern, and gave her love and pleasure to take its place.

Hercules had made a bed for Sira and Iolaus on the other side of the cart. He had tried to give them as much privacy as possible. The big man was not asleep. He allowed his thoughts to dwell on the women he had loved. Deianeira, Serena, Xena. Two were gone now. And the third? He knew they could never really be together. Xena's destiny lay elsewhere. He had dared to hope at first, but he had accepted that it must be this way. No one could predict the future. And who could say, that they might not, someday find the common ground needed to commit to a real relationship?

He turned over in his blankets. He tried to shut out the sounds he could hear from the other side of the cart. They were not loud, but the demigod was no novice in the ways between men and women. His own imagination could supply a clear picture of the activities he could hear.

This was wrong, he thought, and rose. He went to the stream and splashed water over himself. The half man, half god stayed by the stream a long time, afraid to return too soon. It was nearly dawn when he did return. The camp was quiet and the big man rolled himself into his blankets. There was time for a little sleep before they moved on.

Hercules was taking them back to his mother's. It was the closest thing to a home he or Iolaus had. He wondered if he would or could ever stay for long in one place. To stop for long meant idle time. And idle time meant remembering. Helping people was his way of honoring his lost loved ones. He did it for them. But he was honest with himself. He also did it out of a need to make up to the world, the injustice the gods perpetrated. And maybe Nessus had been right. Perhaps he did enjoy the adoration of those he helped.

He would miss Iolaus. The hunter had been with him on so many adventures. Still, he was happy for his friend. A love like Iolaus and Sira had found came but once in a lifetime, and to very few. I should know, he thought to himself.

He made a decision. As soon as Iolaus and Sira were settled, he would leave. Their love for each other was too painful for him. It stirred too many memories. He would visit the healer and the hunter often. Iolaus and Hercules had always been close. But now they were even closer. Their minds had touched, and it had strengthened their friendship.

He thought of his half brother Iphicles. He loved his brother, but they were not really close. Somehow Iolaus seemed more of a brother to him. Perhaps even closer than brothers. Then there was Sira.

The big man's feelings for her were unclear, even to him. He had grown very close to her. It had all happened so fast that he couldn't yet take it in. But what he felt for her went way beyond friendship. He found her exciting, and admitted that she aroused his male feelings, but he didn't think of her in that way. Sister? he questioned himself. No, somehow that didn't seem right either. Love? Not lovers, but perhaps something else between the two. He could never have these feelings for a sister. He didn't love her in a physical sense, although her and Iolaus' love had brought many physical feelings to him. What he felt for this unusual young woman was of the mind, and the soul.

By necessity, he had seen the healer in compromising situations. She and Iolaus needed help with personal needs at times. Sira showed no shame at these times, and after the first couple of times of embarrassment for him, he simply didn't think about it. It was needed and she didn't seem to be concerned. But Hercules realized he didn't really want her body. He knew in his heart that she belonged to someone else. The big man shook his head. He couldn't explain it. It just was.

Iolaus cared a great deal for Alcmene. He was always ready to help her. Alcmene had often been a mother to Iolaus as a boy. In fact, he often called her Mother. The hunter had once told Hercules, that should he ever decide to settle down, he would make his home near Alcmene. Perhaps now he would. Hercules hoped so, it would relieve his mind about his mother. He had always felt guilty that he wasn't there more for her. Of course now that she was married to Jason, his presence wasn't as needed. But Jason was away from time to time, and they both agreed that Alcmene shouldn't be left alone for long periods of time. Alcmene was a spirited woman who, though she was getting along in years, would not freely accept a guardian to watch over her in Jason's absence. If Iolaus lived nearby, she would have no choice but to gracefully accept his kindness. Also, he knew that she and Sira would get along famously. Alcmene got along with everybody.

If Iolaus and Sira were close to his mother, he could see a lot of them. Besides his mother and Jason, there was Winnie. She was such a sweet child. When the little girl's mother had died, Alcmene had offered to help Ezekial, Winnie's father, with the girl's care. Winnie came to Alcmene's farm whenever she could, which was quite often since Ezekial worked so hard on the poor farm he leased. Winnie considered Hercules her personal property. She loved the half man, half god without question, and was always upset when he left.

The demigod slept in this morning. He was usually the first one up. But today, it was Salmoneus that brought Sira and Iolaus their Tassis tea. When Hercules did wake, he insisted they do a healing. The healer read his thoughts and understood. She knew he wanted to complete the healing so that she could break her link with his mind. She would miss their closeness, but she knew why the demigod wished to shut her mind out from his thoughts. There was always a chance that while she was so closely linked with him, she might gain entrance to his hidden pain. Not since the first time when he had almost opened the door to the locked room that held his anguish had she come so close to his true emotions. The healer wished he would let her help him. She could do a lot to ease his emotional pain. But then, perhaps Hercules wasn't ready to let go of his pain.

The sooner this is over, the better, Hercules thought. All this emotion is too much for me. The demigod knew he must end this soon. It was just too hard to keep up the mental blocks needed to keep his private thoughts to himself. Sira had assured him that his thoughts would be his alone once again, and he longed for that moment. He knew he was running away, but he felt he must.

The day was hot and sticky. Great billowy clouds hugged the horizon, and the air was heavy. Salmoneus was cranky and out of sorts. Iolaus was walking beside the cart now, holding on to Sira's hand to keep the physical bond. The hunter was trying to build his strength back.

Salmoneus had traded some useless trinkets to a farmer for an old mule. The mule pulled the cart now, and whenever Iolaus was walking, Salmoneus would ride in the cart beside Sira. Salmoneus felt sweaty and dirty. He hated not feeling clean. No matter how many times he bathed on the trail, he never felt clean. He knew he looked very untidy.

Sira, on the other hand, looked lovely. Her hair fell around her in shiny silver, gold waves. She sat up most of the time now. The healer sensed the salesman's discomfort and smiled at him. The light caught her eyes. They showed so green. Salmoneus loved pretty women. Sira, though slight of frame, had a figure that the salesman really appreciated.

When Hercules had acquired the cart, he had bought her a simple peasant frock. It didn't fit well. Salmoneus had shortened it for her, but it still didn't fit well up top. It had been made for a less voluptuous figure. The salesman had found it very disturbing.

He had been unable to convince Hercules to help him with his Prevalian root venture. He would, of course, find someone to help him. Once he set his mind on something, he would see it through or know the reason why. Stealing a glance at Sira, he sighed. She was indeed disturbing. He would be glad when they arrived at Alcmene's.

Sira was relaxed. She was feeling much better. Her body was healing very quickly. She had felt no more of the evil force and dared to hope that since she had been carried and had not touched the ground, her trail had been completely lost. At any rate, there was nothing they could do about it now so the healer vowed to put it from her mind. If it still searched for her, she hoped that living among humans would shield her from the probing fingers of evil. She shifted her position to ease her back. The cart wasn't very comfortable. She felt Iolaus' hand tighten on hers and gave him a smile. It was wonderful to see him looking so well. She touched his mind with hers.

Salmoneus grumbled beside her. Sensing his mood she left him alone. He could be a real charmer at times. At other times, he could be very annoying. Still, she liked him. The salesman seemed to delight in doing little things for her such as pulling grass to put under her blanket to make a comfortable bed for her, and bringing her things. He had also shortened the dress for her.

She missed her woven moss garments. They were so soft. This fabric scratched, but it had been sweet of Hercules to get it for her, and sweet of Salmoneus to shorten it for her. The salesman had also fashioned a kind of slipper to conceal her brown spotted feed from curious eyes. The yosemin hated having her feet covered. She only wore foot covering in the harshest weather, but she knew well, the necessity of keeping her origin a secret. She would make moccasins of deerskin when she could. She would also make herself better fitting garments. There would surely be moss where Hercules was taking them.

Their camp that night was a quiet one. The clouds over the horizon had turned black and menacing. Instead of making it cooler, it seemed to make the air even more oppressive. Despite this, the healing went well. When it was completed, Sira used her mind to speak to Hercules.

"Thank you, my friend for giving so much of yourself to us, to me. We will no longer need to do this. The healing is complete. Iolaus and I will continue our physical touch for a short time longer, but I will release you now. I will miss our closeness," her mind told him. She sent love to the big man. "Should you ever need me, I will hear, and come to you if possible. We have come together too closely to ever completely sever the ties. There will always be a place in my heart and my soul for you. Go in love and with the Earth, my dear friend."

Hercules was touched by Sira's genuine feeling, and he sent love back to her. Then he built the barrier between them.

She sighed. It was hard to let go of someone she had grown so close to. She had been trained how to block the ties, but she resented having to do so. She could no longer talk freely in mind speech to the big man. She was unused to verbal communication. Since her people spoke with mind speech.

There was a yosemin language, written and spoken, but seldom used. Sira had also learned the Greek language used by her new human friends. She had learned it from her grandmother. Many yosemins now used Greek if and when they spoke at all. The old language was dying out. Sira would now speak to Hercules with voice. She often spoke verbally to Iolaus since sometimes, he had difficulty understanding her mind speech. She blended the two forms of communication to her lover and they were able to understand each other.

Sira instructed Iolaus how to break the mind link with Hercules. He was as reluctant to do so as Sira had been, but he sent his thanks and his farewell to his friend then put up the barrier.

Hercules left the two alone. He had looked forward to this time. He had even hurried it along. He thought he would feel relief and a release, but what he felt was grief. He missed the mind touch.

"Damn this whole thing. Damn telepathic powers, and damn this weather," Hercules swore under his breath to no one in particular.

As if hearing the demigod, thunder rumbled in the distance. Would it rain? the big man wondered. Maybe if it did, it would be cooler. The Earth needed the water, that much was certain. It had been a dry spring.

Sira and Iolaus held each other. "Tonight my love," she said, "we will break the physical contact. I have deliberately brought us to this point slowly, while still in the healing. The breaking of the touch can be painful. But we will go slowly. I will lead you. You will feel a sense of loss. But remember, I am here and we will never really be apart."

Sira instructed Iolaus to put up a barrier. "Not too much at first, my love. We will go slow. Anchor yourself as I have shown you before."

She took him through the process slowly, and with patience.

"Mind of mind, soul of soul, flesh of flesh. You are of the Earth, I am of the Earth." Sira chanted and let her mind become entranced. "When my people take a lifetime mate, they say to each other, 'Forever. One soul throughout eternity.' And the reply is, 'Even unto death.' Remember my love, we will not be parted. Only the physical touch will be lessened."

"Forever. One soul throughout eternity." Iolaus spoke the words to Sira as well as using mind speech.

Tears welled in the healer's eyes. "Even unto death," she whispered back.

Iolaus was reluctant to break the physical contact, but he knew it must be. It was inconvenient to always be touching, but he enjoyed being so close to Sira. They sat facing each other, cross-legged, their feet as well as their hands touching.

"Move back a little my love so that only our hands touch," She instructed him. "Now only our fingers must touch. It will be painful, but the break need only be for a moment." Taking a deep breath, Sira let it out slowly. "Ready, my love?" At his nod, she withdrew her fingers from his. As she did, she whispered, "Forever."

Iolaus gasped and grabbed for her. It had hurt. It felt as if a part of him was being torn away. Sira took his hand again immediately, and sent her love to enfold him.

"I am here, Iolaus," she reassured him.

She waited for a time before removing her hand again. Each time became easier. Slowly, they were able to sit apart and not feel the pain. Then Sira took him in her arms. Soon she must sleep the healing sleep. But first, she wanted to be with him. She caressed him with her mind and her hands, letting him feel her desire. As they had strained to build a shield between them to make the physical break possible, night had fallen.

*********************************************

The break was complete. Now, contact was for the pleasure of it, rather than out of necessity. As they touched and held each other, the first few drops of rain fell. The yosemin had known it would rain. She always knew. She rejoiced in it. She had always loved the rain. She laughed with the pure pleasure of the cool sensation of the drops on her heated skin.

As it began to rain in earnest, Sira rose and turned her face to the sky. She enjoyed the feeling of freedom now that she was able to move about freely.

Iolaus stood beside the healer and kissed her upturned chin. Sira, in one quick movement, drew her dress over her head and began to dance about. She held out her hand to Iolaus, and he drew her into his arms.

Salmoneus had felt the first drops, and had dove under the cart. Without really meaning to, he watched the lovers dance in the rain. Sira naked, Iolaus clad only in breaches. Sira laughed, and lightning flashed. For a brief moment, the couple were thrown into stark clarity. They're beautiful, he thought. The thunder that followed closely on the heals of the light made the salesman jump, so absorbed had he been in the scene before him.

The lovers kissed and danced as the rain surrounded them and caressed them. Salmoneus was moved by the emotions he could feel in the air. Whether it was Sira's telepathy that brought him the feelings, or if they indeed filled the air, he couldn't tell, but he turned away anyway. His own emotions felt raw and exposed. He had known plenty of women. He had even loved a few. But nothing like what he had just seen had ever touched him. A feeling of loneliness swept over him. A feeling of having missed out on something, something that all of a sudden was very important to him.

Sira took Iolaus' hand and led him into the forest. She found a grassy place for them as much by feelings for her mother Earth as by her vision, as the night was dark. The clouds hid the moon and stars and Iolaus stumbled along like a blind man beside the girl he loved. He was amazed by her ability to move through the darkness without even a missed step. His heart swelled with love and wonder. Sira was a daughter of the forest and the Earth. She moved like a forest animal, never stepping on branches or twigs, her movements sure and quiet. She always smelled of the forest and of growing things. Perhaps she truly was born of the Earth.

Much later, Iolaus returned to camp, carrying Sira in his arms. She slept now, the sleep of the final healing. It was now that her body would heal completely, and her strength begin to return. She had warned Iolaus that she would sleep for several hours to several days. It was better not to try to wake her during this time, and waking her would be difficult since she slept so soundly in the healing sleep. She didn't eat or drink at this time, and her body shut down many of its functions, to allow her to heal.

"It is more a trance than a sleep, really," she explained. "Do not worry about me unless I should sleep for more than five days."

"And if you do sleep too long?" Iolaus questioned.

"Then wake me," she grinned, and sent a mental picture of how she would like to be awakened.

After the rain's slow start, then the downpour, it had settled into a steady light rain. Knowing Sira and Iolaus would need a place to sleep, Salmoneus had ventured out from under the cart long enough to cover it with a tarp. He tied the tarp in place with leather straps then returned to his bed under the cart. He wondered what Hercules was doing to stay dry.

When the lovers returned, Iolaus covered Sira with the blanket they had left on the ground. It did nothing to warm her as it was dripping wet, but it did cover her nakedness. Salmoneus approached, though not too closely. He didn't wish to see something that would embarrass anyone.

"Iolaus, I've fixed the cart for you and Sira. It'll keep you dry, though not very warm," the salesman offered.

"Thank you, Salmoneus," Iolaus told him, as he once again lifted the entranced healer and carried her to the cart.

He removed the wet blanket and quickly laid Sira under the tarp. He found the undergarments she had worn under her moss dress when she had first found him, and dressed her in them. Her moss dress had been so stained with blood that Sira had left it behind when Hercules had brought her the peasant dress.

Iolaus stuck his head out of the cart. "Salmoneus, you may as well sleep under the cart."

"You wouldn't mind?"

"No, it'll be fine. We'll be sleeping anyway. Come on, before you catch your death," Iolaus grinned at him.

Hercules had, when the rain started, simply rolled himself in his blankets and gone back to sleep. But during the night, he had sought shelter. He found a deadfall in the forest. He then wove a few branches into the existing ones and made a shelter of sorts. The big man had not seen the lovers' dance in the rain. He knew that Salmoneus had gone under the cart. He slept well despite the weather and the nagging feeling of depression that had ridden him since Sira had released her hold on his thoughts.

By morning, the rain had stopped, but the clouds didn't lift. Rain dripped from the trees and the air was filled with electricity. Sira slept on. Iolaus left the cart, careful not to disturb the sleeping healer. He planted a kiss lightly on her lips, but she didn't stir. The hunter stood beside the cart for a moment, his hand on Sira's ankle. He still found it hard not to touch her. She had said it would get easier to release the physical touch, but he wasn't sure he wanted it to get easier.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and great jagged streaks of lightning lit the clouds over the horizon. A stray breeze moved through the trees and shook the rain from the branches. It made it seem like it was raining again. Iolaus sent a mental message of love to Sira and walked to the fire.

Salmoneus was complaining, as usual. He hated this weather.

"Why do I have to cook?" the salesman complained.

"Because what I cook isn't fit to eat," Iolaus grinned at him.

Salmoneus looked at Hercules.

"Don't look at me," was the big man's reaction. "My cooking is worse than his."

Iolaus nodded in agreement. "This weather invigorates me. Thanks for the tarp last night, Salmoneus. It rained hard just before first light."

"Yeah? Well I froze," was the grumpy retort.

"You froze? I was under brush in the trees," Hercules countered.

"Well, Sira and I didn't even have a blanket," Iolaus commented. He grinned. "But I have to admit that I wasn't cold."

The other two men rolled their eyes.

Their travel that day was slow. Several times they had to turn away from the trail to find a way around great gullies torn in the earth by the rain. It had rained hard at times in the valley, and even harder in the mountains. Sira slept on.

"Is she all right, Iolaus?" Hercules asked.

Iolaus nodded. "Yes. She warned me about this. It's all part of the healing process. She'll be fine."

Before noon, the rain began again. Iolaus had removed the tarp from the cart before they had started. Sira lay on her back and the rain fell on her face. The hunter called a halt to replace the tarp. But when he did, the empath whimpered in her sleep, and turned over restlessly. With an instinct born of his love for this girl, he removed the tarp. Sira rolled back on her back and again slept soundly. Iolaus shook his head.

"Is that wise, Iolaus?" Salmoneus fussed. "She could catch cold."

"Remember, my friend, Iolaus reminded him, "Sira is born of the Earth. She's lived more years than we have, and all of them in the forest and outdoors."

Salmoneus remembered the girl's dance in the rain the night before and said no more. And he had to admit, She was resting peacefully once more.

Hercules scouted ahead. He was trying to avoid the worst of the mud. And while the sleeping yosemin enjoyed the rain, the humans did not.

They didn't stop for a nooning. There was no place to stop. Iolaus still hadn't completely recovered his strength. He felt weariness in every muscle of his body. He and Salmoneus took turns in the cart at first. But the poor old mule was as tired as themselves, so the men now walked.

Iolaus walked beside the mule to urge it along. Hercules came back to the cart. Lightning flashed, and the rain came in torrents. The big man had to lead and pull the mule along now.

Hercules had to shout to be hear above the storm. "There's an inn about a mile further on. We can stop there for the night."

It was late afternoon, but it seemed later, as it was almost dark already, more from the clouds than the hour. When the rain had become heavy, Iolaus had covered Sira in the tarp, wrapping it around her like a blanket. She lay on her stomach now, apparently oblivious to the rain. Just before they reached the inn, Iolaus put the cloth shoes, Salmoneus had made for Sira, on her feet, but not until he had kissed each tiny brown spotted toe. He delighted in the freckles he found around her ankles and smiled as he traced them with his finger.

The inn was crowded. Many had sought shelter from the storm within its walls. That morning, Iolaus had been able to down a deer despite the lousy weather. He traded it now for prepared food and a corner of a crowded barn. The hunter rigged the tarp across the corner they would share. It gave them at least a little privacy. He lay the still sleeping yosemin tenderly on the not too clean straw and stayed with her while the others ate. Then leaving her with Hercules, he ate also. He hurried, not wanting to be away from her for long.

Salmoneus played chips with some fellow guests.

The rain fell in torrential sheets during the night. Great walls of water rushed from the mountains, and the Earth turned to a sea of mud.

Just before dawn, Sira stirred and woke. Immediately, her mind was flooded with many thoughts and emotions. Blindly, she reached out for Iolaus. She was disoriented and confused. But feeling him beside her and knowing it was him by feel alone, she slowly began to relax and to build the barrier needed to shut out the disturbing thoughts of others.

Human thoughts were so chaotic. It would take some time for her to get used to them. She sensed, rather than saw, Hercules and Salmoneus near. She moved her feet. Feeling the binding there, she sighed in exasperation. She only wore shoes when absolutely necessary. Well, hiding my feet is necessary, she told herself. So live with it.

She needed to find a private place in the worst way, but was afraid to leave the sanctity of the barn, and the people she knew, to explore an unknown world. What was this place? She had sheltered herself in hollowed out trees when she had sought shelter of any kind. There was always a clan hall, built of mud bricks and stones. But this was no clan hall. It smelled of animals and unclean bodies.

She shivered. Not with cold, but with fear. Fear of this world she didn't understand, fear of the step she had taken to link herself forever to this world. But still, she knew she would have done anything, and given up anything, to be with the man she loved.

As if hearing her thoughts, Iolaus stirred beside her. He rolled over to hover above her.

"My sleeping beauty is awake," he said as he kissed her nose. Sira mind spoke her need to him and its importance.

"Is it more important than this?" he asked, then kissed her mouth.

"For now it is more important," she insisted.

"All right, I'll take you," he laughed.

When her needs were taken care of, they walked back to the inn, hand in hand. Sira felt well and refreshed. She giggled.

"What's so funny?" Iolaus asked her.

"Your hair is sticking out all over, the sun is warm and beautiful, the Earth is washed clean, and the air is fresh. That and everything. I just needed to giggle."

Iolaus tried to smooth his hair but only proceeded to make it worse. Sira did it for him and got several kisses in the process.

"Stop, Iolaus. People will see us."

"So?" he teased.

Returning, they found Hercules and Salmoneus awake. Sira couldn't bring herself to accompany the others to the inn kitchen for a meal. She pleaded with her mind for Iolaus to understand. He refused to leave her alone. So in the end, Hercules agreed to bring them both something from the kitchen to break their fast.

"Please do not mind, Iolaus," Sira asked him. "It will take me a while to get used to being around so many humans."

He put his arms around her and held her close. "It's all right, my love. I'm not angry."

He could feel her fear, and he understood. She had explained that humans had always been considered enemies of the yosemin people.

As on the previous day, their travels were hard. The mud was a constant battle. Salmoneus had won well at chips. And in a rare show of monetary generosity, he had purchased a second mule to help the first pull their cart. Sira was so worried about their first mule that she had done a healing on him. She gave it some of the fruit from her breakfast. Sira, a true daughter of the Earth, had a way with the beasts her mother provided for her people. She need only talk to the mule and he would go anywhere she asked.

Seeing the mule so tired from its hard labor of the previous day, she announced her intention of walking to spare the mule the extra weight.

Salmoneus objected immediately. "You're not strong enough for that, Sira".

"The mule is not rested enough to carry me," Sira argued.

"He's fine. Besides, he's just a dumb animal."

Sira looked exasperated. "He is a creature of the Earth, like all of us. I refuse to abuse him."

The salesman turned to Iolaus. "You can't seriously be considering letting her walk."

But before he could say anything, Sira spoke. "I will do as I please, Salmoneus."

"Iolaus," Salmoneus pleaded.

"You heard her," Iolaus finally answered. "I've found out already that she can be as stubborn as that mule. Leave me out of this."

"She'll never make it," Salmoneus decided with satisfaction.

"You may be right, but I'm not going to bet on it," Iolaus grinned.

Salmoneus turned to Hercules, looking for an ally.

"If you're so worried about Sira trying to walk, why don't you use some of that money you stole last night and buy another mule?" the big man suggested.

"I didn't steal that money," the salesman whined. "I play fair, Hercules. You know that. I'm just better at chips than most people."

The girl lay her hand on the salesman's arm. "Please, Salmoneus? I cannot stand to see the poor thing suffer."

Salmoneus turned to Iolaus, a pleading look on his face. But Iolaus turned away to hide the smile he couldn't help.

"It's a stupid animal. Come on, you guys."

"Please?" Sira implored him.

Salmoneus tried to trade their old mule to the innkeeper for another. But the innkeeper had lost money to the salesman the previous evening. The mule he would part with was a stubborn pain in his side anyway, and he had often wanted to rid himself of the beast. Seeing a way to recoup some of his losses, he steadfastly refused to trade.

Sira was glad. She didn't feel the innkeeper took very good care of his stock. She brushed and combed the new mule. She avoided standing any place where the mule could get in a kick. She spoke with the mule with her mind.

After only a few minutes, the mule was as docile as a kitten with the girl. He ate a carrot from her hand and butted her with his nose. He liked it best when she brushed around his ears, so she did it often.

"How long is this going to go on?" Salmoneus asked, in exasperation.

Iolaus only shrugged. The girl never ceased to amaze and delight him.

Everything was ready for their journey, except the mule.

"I guess when Sira and the mule are done with there mutual admiration of each other, we can go," Salmoneus said in sarcasm.

Hercules laughed out loud as Sira stuck her tongue out at the salesman.

Now with the travel so difficult, Salmoneus was glad they had both animals. Sira still walked a great deal of the time. She led the mules with a hand on the halter although it wasn't really necessary. She simply sent her mind to them and the mules responded. As on the day before, they had to find their way around huge gullies torn in the earth. Several times Sira would touch the newly exposed soil and send a healing to her mother.

Iolaus worried about her trudging through the mud, but she reassured him.

"The mud is my mother," the healer explained. I gain strength from the mud about my feet. I glory in being so close to her."

Sira had removed her shoes the minute they had left civilization.

They stopped around noon but there was no dry place to sit, and no dry wood. So they ate the bread and meat they had brought from the inn and washed it down with the stale water in their flasks. All the streams they had passed were angry and muddy. While the others were weary and tired, Sira seemed fresh as ever. She had braided her hair into long plaits that she tied up to keep them out of the way. Her dress was splashed with mud and there was a smudge of it on her cheek but she still managed to look beautiful.

Hercules had been very quiet. His brows wrinkled in their habitual way. In passing the flask to him, Sira had brushed his fingers. She sensed his worry and concern. Shy now, because she knew he was uncomfortable sharing his thoughts through mind, she lay her hand on his arm. Now his worry came to her strong and clear.

"What worries you, my friend?" she asked.

His brows furrowed deeper, but he didn't seem to resent her obvious reading of his thoughts, or her question.

"My mother. I wonder how she fared with the storm. Jason is in Athens, and it leaves her very isolated."

"If you wish, we can try to contact her," Sira offered. "It might reassure you."

"Or it might reveal a problem, and I'm still too far away to do anything about it."

She nodded. "Yes, Hercules, you are right. What will be cannot be changed. Some things can be done over the distance. Even some healing, but that is limited by proximity."

Hercules studied the healer's face a moment, then looked to Iolaus. The hunter nodded at him.

"All right Sira. What do we do?"

The empath took Iolaus' hand and laid it on the big man's arm. She closed her eyes and brought her mind to a state of openness and peace in seconds.

"Open your minds," she instructed the two men. "Picture your mind and thoughts reaching out over the miles."

Sira spoke to Hercules, trying to keep her invasion of his thoughts to a minimum. "Feel your mother's presence, Hercules. See her in your mind. Still your mind to receive her thoughts." Now with excitement in her voice, "Do you feel it, Hercules? She is well. I sense a mild concern for a wall, or perhaps a dam, and concern for your safety. But she is well, Hercules."

The big man heaved a sigh of relief.

"Do you wish to relieve her mind about you?" the healer asked.

"All right. Yes."

Sira helped him send his mind to his mother, and as she did so, she sensed the other woman relax. She instructed the men in building the barrier to close the mind link.

Hercules smiled. "Thank you. Both of you. It's better to know."

"I am glad that your mother is well," Sira told him. "I felt her strength and wisdom. Not all of your powers come from your father, I think."

They continued on. There was no place to stop at any rate. They were climbing now. There was a steady pull on the harnesses as the trail grew steeper. Hercules led them to a trail that seemed to lead straight through the heart of the mountains.

That night, they made their camp under an overhang beside a rushing stream of fresh water. The sun had finally dried the grass although the soil remained wet and muddy. They dined on venison that Iolaus had provided. Sira seasoned the meat with herbs she had gathered as they traveled. She also roasted several long plump whitish tubers she had dug from the soil. She cleaned them and placed them in the coals. She made a tea that had almost a cinnamon taste to it. It was made from the tiny branches of a low growing bush.

The healer had insisted on skinning the deer that Iolaus had downed with a well placed arrow. But first, she gave thanks to the Mother Earth for providing them meat. She then carefully removed the hide with great skill. As the blood touched the ground, She chanted.

"As we take from the Earth, we give to the Earth. We take blood, and we give blood."

The healer had taken on the duty of cooking, and Salmoneus was grateful.

"Sira, this is wonderful," Hercules congratulated the healer. "Better than we've been getting."

Since finding out his mother was all right, Hercules had relaxed, and had even teased Salmoneus several times.

"Thank you for fixing such a good meal, Sira," Iolaus smiled at her.

After dinner, Sira instructed Iolaus on how to build a frame out of branches. She then stretched the deerskin over the frame. Taking a sharp rock, she scraped the inside of the hide to remove any remaining flesh. Then she slipped into the woods and soon returned with several small branches and leaves. Iolaus didn't recognize what kind they were. She crushed the leaves and branches with a grinding movement between two rocks. These she mixed with mud and water to make a paste that she spread over the hide. She finished as the last of the light faded.

Hercules spread a tarp over the ground to keep himself out of the mud, and rolling in his blanket, he was soon asleep. Salmoneus took the cart. Sira and Iolaus took another tarp and a couple of blankets and headed into the woods.

Salmoneus shook his head. Don't they ever stop? he wondered.

In the morning, the healer took a rock and beat the deerskin with it. Then she rinsed the skin in the stream and left it in the sun to dry. She fixed their first meal of the day as the men packed up the camp. She cooked some venison in a pan. When it was done, she mixed flour and water in the meat juice to make a sauce. They dipped the last of the bread from the inn in the sauce. It didn't matter that the bread was stale since it absorbed the sauce and became soft.

Before they left their campsite, Sira again spread the leaves and mud mixture on the deer hide. Only this time, she spread it on the other side. Hercules fastened the hide and frame on the side of the cart so no mud would get on their belongings.

They continued to climb higher and higher. After their nooning, Sira took a nap in the cart. Iolaus joined her.

"Why do you get a nap?" Salmoneus asked.

"Because we were up late last night," was the hunter's reply.

"Yeah. Well, that was your own fault. You didn't need to be up late."

Iolaus grinned at the salesman. "I'd say that the need was very great, my friend. Now shut up and let me sleep. I anticipate a late night again tonight."

Salmoneus blushed. Being around such evident love and physical drive could be very frustrating. He thought about a girl he knew in Athens. Yes. I may just have to head that way. If we ever get to Alcmene's, that is. Why, when we fled the evil force thing, we couldn't have headed in this direction, I'll never know, he thought. Then all the detours to avoid the rain damage. Hades, will we ever get there?

They continued to climb higher and higher into a rugged landscape of jagged rock and lightning struck trees. There was snow on the ground in places now. The air was thin and cold as they breathed it into their lungs. Still, Hercules led them on. Sira was quiet as they traveled. She coaxed the mules with her mind, and seemed to be in a kind of trance.

That night, Iolaus insisted on cooking their meal. Despite his claim that he was a lousy cook, he was actually a fair hand at it, and they dined well.

He was afraid that Sira had overdone. She hadn't touched his mind as much today as she had the last few days. He hadn't felt her fatigue, but it was the only thing he could think of to explain her strange mood. Besides, he knew that should she wish, she could shut away these feelings from him.

She worked on her deerskin while he cooked. He had told her to rest, but she hadn't listened. She removed the hair from the hide, and beat it with a rock to thin and soften it. She spread it with the paste once again. The air was cold, and the others had sought their cloaks. Not so with Sira. She insisted she wasn't cold. She even walked through the snow in bare feet and didn't seem to mind.

After they ate, she found a secluded place at the stream they had camped by and bathed in the icy water. Iolaus only shook his head. This woman I have pledged my life to is unbelievable, he thought.

That night, as they sat by the fire, Iolaus tried to touch her mind. And while she wasn't deliberately shutting him out, she wasn't actively seeking his thoughts. The hunter was worried. He insisted they sleep near the fire tonight because of the cold. He wrapped his arms around her. As they lay in their blankets, he again tried to touch her mind. This time, she gladly opened her mind to him. And instead of weariness, he found wonder and pleasure.

"You're all right?" he asked her.

"Yes, Iolaus. I am fine."

"You seemed so distant," he said.

She touched his cheek. "I am sorry, my love. I did not mean to block you out. It is just that it has been so beautiful in our travels today. The natural beauty here takes my breath away. I was communicating with my mother and storing this away in my memory to remember once we reach your people.

He kissed her. "Do you really mind so much going there?" he asked her.

"Not if you are with me, and as long as we can go to the woods once in a while."

"We'll go as often as we can, my love," he reassured her.

"Forever," she mind spoke to him as she fell asleep.

Iolaus wasn't sleeping well. He was having a hard time dealing with the physical needs of his body as well as his mind. Was he doing the right thing, taking Sira to this valley Alcmene called home? While Alcmene's place was isolated, it wasn't that far from a fairly large village. There were other farms around as well. Finally, Iolaus drifted to sleep.

*********************************************

As they slept, an evil thing crept to the place of their first camp, when they first had fled. It seemed to sniff the ground for their scent. Only figuratively of course, because it was a thing of shadow, a force, not a being. Yes, she had been here. It would find her. It had time. It had already waited over two hundred years. I can take my time, it thought. I will, one day, seek them all out. The poison was a good idea. Poison their forest with evil and they will die. It had taken time though, and that had given them time to come together and fight me. Perhaps next time, something faster, it thought.

Letting her get away was not in its plan. Then to trace her down and find Hercules. It hadn't counted on Hercules. But it wasn't afraid. I can handle Hercules, it thought. It laughed. And what about Zeus? To Tartarus with Zeus. He was such a foolish god, chasing after human women, allowing himself to be manipulated by Hera, letting his son Ares do what he wished without any restraint. Not that the force cared that evil had been perpetrated by these gods. It fed on evil. But a god, especially the King of the gods, should be all powerful.

How many times had Zeus helped Hercules save the human race? Fool, it thought. I should be a god. Yes, I have grown powerful enough. The evil thing's hate was a festering sore, twisting its mind. I will have my revenge. I will kill them all.

*********************************************

In the morning, there was frost on the ground and the melting snow of yesterday was frozen again. Even Sira wore a cloak. However, her feet were still bare. Midday found them descending the mountain where they stopped in an alpine meadow. Iolaus, always the hunter, supplied them with meat. He picked flowers for Sira. She blessed them as a gift from her mother and tears came to her eyes at his thoughtfulness.

It was almost dark before they reached Alcmene's farm. Before they reached the farm, Iolaus put the cloth shoes on Sira's feet. She sat at the back of the cart, her feet dangling. She combed her hair with the wooden comb Salmoneus had somehow produced for her. It wasn't easy to comb it by herself. Always before, there had been many hands to help her. Seeing her exasperation, Iolaus climbed into the cart behind her. Taking the comb from her, he gently combed her hair. His touch set her skin on fire. She touched his mind and felt his own desire. He braided her hair in a thick plait.

She wished she had better garments to wear. She was nervous about meeting Alcmene, the woman who had loved a god. Iolaus understood and sent reassurance to her.

Sira had at least touched Alcmene's mind, however briefly.

"Alcmene will love you, Sira."

"What if she finds out that I am yosemin?" Sira asked.

"She probably doesn't know what a yosemin is. Hercules and I didn't."

"Then if she finds out I am not human?"

"I don't think it will matter. Alcmene is a special person, Sira. You'll love her also. We can try to hide your differences at first. Give her a chance to get to know you and to love you. Then she will judge you for you." He smiled and patted her hand. "Trust me. Everything will be fine."

The cart rolled to a stop beside the house. A small projectile flew at Hercules, and with a squeal, leaped into his arms. The big man grabbed a little girl and held her over his head.

"You were gone too long," she scolded.

"I'm sorry, Winnie," Hercules groveled.

"Did you miss me?"

"Every minute."

"Well, okay then. Did you bring me something?"

"Of course I did. I promised, didn't I?"

"What? What did you bring me?"

"A two headed dragon of course."

Winnie giggled. "Don't tease, Hercules. What did you bring me."

Hercules approached Iolaus and Sira. "A new friend, Winnie. This is Sira."

Winnie looked Sira over. "Are you my new friend?" she asked.

Sira smiled at the girl. "I would like to be, Winnie."

The little girl nodded, then she poked at Iolaus. "Hi, Uncle Iolaus."

"Hey, Short Stuff," he grinned at her.

"Hercules said you were hurt. Were you?"

"Yep."

"Bad hurt?"

"Yep."

"Really? she said in skepticism. "You don't look bad hurt."

He chuckled. "I was."

He pulled his jerkin aside and showed Winnie the scar, still red and purple. Winnie's eyes grew large. She touched the scar with a finger.

"Wow!" was all she said.

Alcmene had hugged Salmoneus, and now she hugged her son. "I'm glad your home." She then hugged Iolaus. "Thank the gods that you're safe."

"Thank you, Alcmene," he said. "Now I want you to meet my wife, Sira"

Alcmene was surprised to say the least, but gracefully took the girl's offered hand.

"Welcome, my dear."

Sira was careful to guard her thoughts and to not touch the older woman's mind. She didn't need to touch her thoughts to know that Alcmene was surprised. What is a wife? she wondered.

They were about to enter the house when Winnie's father came to pick her up.

"But I don't want to go father," she objected.

"You can come back tomorrow," her father said. "That's if Alcmene says its all right."

"Can I, Alcmene?" Winnie asked.

"Of course, my dear."

The girl turned to Sira. "Will you be here tomorrow?"

Sira was confused. She had no idea where she would be tomorrow. All these humans were a bit overwhelming.

Sensing her confusion, Hercules answered for her. "She'll be here tomorrow. She is Iolaus' wife."

Winnie's eyes grew large again. "Wow."

Ezekial congratulated Iolaus. He then took Winnie's hand and headed her towards home. She would have chattered there in the yard forever if he hadn't. She did chatter. All the way home, all through dinner, and until she fell asleep.

"Come inside," Alcmene invited. "I'll fix us a meal."

Hercules followed his mother into the kitchen. "Can you put us up for a few days, Mother?"

Alcmene patted her son's cheek. "Of course. You know you don't need to ask."

"Salmoneus and I can sleep in the barn while Iolaus and Sira can have my room."

"It's all right, Son. I love company."

Sira offered her help to the older woman with the preparation of the meal. Alcmene let her bring things to the table. The older woman was a little apprehensive about this young woman. Who was she? How had Iolaus met her and then married her so quickly? She couldn't believe that Iolaus was married. Sira was a beauty. Those strange green eyes. Alcmene had never seen eyes of such a color. And she was so small. No matter what she may think, Alcmene could see the love Iolaus had for the girl, and her love for him.

Over their meal, Alcmene told Hercules about the flash flood that had torn the dam from her irrigation canal. Hercules and Iolaus had dug the canal, and built a dam to channel the water to a gate in the canal a few years earlier. Now the dam was gone, and the canal had gone dry. Water would have to be carried to her garden and orchards.

"Don't worry, Mother. I can rebuild the dam. This time, it'll be with rocks, not logs."

"I'll help him, Alcmene," Iolaus assured her. "It'll be done in no time at all."

Alcmene asked about Iolaus' injury and Hercules coming for him. He gave a convincing story, staying as close to the truth as possible without explaining about Sira and her role in his healing, and saying only that she had taken care of him until Hercules had arrived. He didn't explain how Hercules had known Iolaus had needed him or how he had recovered so quickly, but she didn't ask a lot of questions. She was wise in these things. She was sure that she would find out in time. Still, her curiosity was pricked. Had Iolaus already met the girl before he was hurt? Were they already married? Where had he stayed to recover? Sira wore a peasant dress, but it was one obviously not made for her. Besides, Sira was no peasant, not with her poise and grace. Also, she had a slight accent that the older woman couldn't place. Sometimes the girl had to search for the proper words.

"Hercules," his mother said, Do you remember Chandless' farm to our north? Weise had it before him."

Hercules nodded.

"Can you believe it? Chandless just up and left. He stopped by here the day after you left and said that he had had enough and was going back to Athens." Alcmene shook her head. "It wasn't much of a place, I suppose, but it has potential. With the right person to manage it, I think it could be productive."

Poor Alcmene, Salmoneus thought. She's always trying to get Hercules to settle down.

Sira was only half listening. She is curious, the healer thought. She does not believe the story that Iolaus told her. Sira had touched enough minds around her to know what a wife was. Well, she was that to Iolaus. They had committed themselves to one another.

How long could they fool Alcmene? she wondered. Lies and deception were uncomfortable for her. How soon before I slip, or before I have to do a healing and reveal myself?

That night, Iolaus and Sira lay in each other's arms in a contraption called a bed. Iolaus mind spoke his need to her. But while Sira was enjoying his touch, she was hesitant to perform such an act in such a strange place with strangers only a thin wall away. She sent her feelings to Iolaus so that he wouldn't be hurt or feel it was him she wasn't responding to. He understood. He was frustrated, but accepted her wish.

"What is a wife, Iolaus?" she asked. "I mean, I have the general idea of what it means to be a wife, but is there something special that we should do?"

"Well, people take vows in a ceremony. But we did that," he told her.

"We took yosemin vows. Is that enough?"

"It's enough for me. To Tartarus with anyone else, I say. But if you want a ceremony, we will do it."

Sira sighed. "Would it make Alcmene accept me any better?"

He tightened his hold on her. "Alcmene will come around, Love. A ceremony isn't going to make any difference to her."

"That is what I was hoping. So I am your wife whether anyone likes it or not, and you are stuck with me," she teased.

"Well, I'll just have to make the best of a bad situation," he laughed.

"Sometimes I still cannot believe that you are mine," she whispered.

"Well, you entranced me and put me under your spell."

"I know you are teasing, but in a way, that is exactly what I did do."

He kissed her. His lips were soft and inviting.

"I'm glad you did, my love. Very glad you did." And he kissed her again.

And despite her earlier reservations, it was very late before they slept.

Sira's last words to him as she fell asleep were, "I like making love to you in the woods much better."

Iolaus smiled in the dark. "We'll do that tomorrow, my love."

"Early in the morning?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, early," he chuckled.

"It is already early in the new day," she said hopefully.

Iolaus laughed. "Later, my love. Later.

"Mmmmm. Later," the healer whispered, a smile on her face.

Early in the morning, before the mist had risen, the lovers snuck out of the house and went to the river to bathe. They had had little sleep but they didn't care. They were long in bathing.

Later, Sira helped Alcmene to prepare the first meal of the day. Alcmene found the healer to be quite competent in the kitchen and relaxed a little.

With the meal over, Hercules and Iolaus went to the river to see the storm damage. Sira worked on the tanning of the deer hide. Alcmene watched her and was impressed by her skill.

When Sira was finished, she visited the river to bathe. As she walked home, she sought her Earth mother's permission and picked some flowers for Alcmene. Nearing the house, she saw Hercules and went to him.

He smiled. "Iolaus has gone to check on the vacant farm over the ridge."

"I know,"

He smiled. Of course she would know.

"May I have a word with you?" she asked.

"Of course. Are the flowers for me?" he teased.

"No, Silly. They are for your mother. Do you think she will like them?"

"Very much," he smiled at her.

"I sense that she is uncomfortable with me,"

"I feel that also," he told her honestly.

"She does not believe all we have told her, does she?"

"No," he admitted. "Look, Sira. I think we should be honest with her. She's not going to hate or fear you. Lies never work. She deserves the truth."

Sira nodded.

Hercules' brows furrowed. "Don't worry, Sira. It'll be fine. These things have a way of working themselves out." He smiled to comfort her. "I'll go check on Iolaus."

Sira nodded again. She wasn't sure this would work itself out. But, she thought, I can at least try to fix it.

She went looking for Alcmene. She found her in the kitchen garden and gave the flowers to the older woman. As she handed them to her, she deliberately let their hands touch.

Sira opened her mind to Alcmene, only slightly at first. She must go slow and not frighten the woman. Alcmene frowned in a fair imitation of her son, and set the flowers on the bench by the wall.

"The flowers are beautiful, Sira. Thank you." Then Alcmene took the girl's hands.

Sira opened her mind a little more.

"We've been here before, haven't we?" Alcmene asked.

Sira smiled at the older woman and relaxed a little, then let her mind touch Alcmene's. And with word and the mind's touch, she told her the truth. All the truth. About her life as a healer and her fear of humans. And because of the mind's touch, the older woman was able to feel the healer's fear. Sira asked for forgiveness for the deception, and willed Alcmene to understand. Alcmene accepted the truth without fear or censure. She relaxed and accepted Sira in an open and friendly way. Sira told her of the healing of Iolaus and their souls' touch. She let the other woman feel her loss of family and her flight through the forest, and let Alcmene feel her special feeling for the woman's half man, half god son.

Alcmene was glad for Iolaus, and for her son as well. Hercules was a man of strong feeling and emotions. He would be a powerful friend, and he deserved the same in return.

The two women were long in their communication. Sira suddenly looked up, knowing that Hercules and Iolaus had returned and that they were hungry. She told her new friend as much.

"Hercules is always hungry," Alcmene said, and the two women giggled.

As the men approached, Hercules' mother gave the healer a hug. Sira sent a message to Iolaus, and to Hercules whether he liked it or not. She wanted them to know that Alcmene now knew the truth, and that everything was well between them.

Iolaus felt a wave of relief flood over him. He hadn't liked deceiving this woman. He had too much respect for her.

Alcmene had too often been his friend and ally. She was always ready with good advice or sympathy, and always knew which was needed. How many times had he come to her when he felt inadequate and unequal? And while the hunter loved Hercules as a brother and comrade, being with him could sometimes make his own mortal shortcomings seem monumental.

Alcmene understood. She had always encouraged the friendship between her son and himself, and he often called her Mother.

The hunter came to stand before the woman now and placed his hands on her shoulders. He searched her face a moment. Seeing the truth of Sira's declaration, he smiled at the older woman.

"Thank you for accepting Sira, Alcmene. I love her so much. And... Well... Thank you."

He hugged her. And as he did, his stomach growled very loudly. Both Sira and Alcmene laughed.

"All right you two," Alcmene ordered, "Sit here in the shade and rest. Sira and I will fix a meal."

Sira brought two tall mugs of cider to the men, then turned to go back to help Alcmene. Iolaus caught her hand as she passed, and kissed the palm. Sira sent a message to her lover, and he shifted in his seat, a playful smile on his face.

"What do you think of the old Wesie place?" Iolaus asked.

"I think it has possibilities. With an irrigation system like my mother has here, I think it could be a productive farm."

Iolaus nodded. "That's what I was thinking."

Hercules continued. "It has a lot of fruit trees. With proper care and plenty of water, they alone could turn a profit."

"And if not a profit, a person could live on them, with hunting and a good kitchen garden," Iolaus mused.

Hercules smiled. "Yes, I think the place deserves a second chance. I see great potential."

Iolaus felt disappointment. "So, you are considering taking it on?"

The demigod laughed. "No, my friend. I was only giving you a bad time. I don't want the place."

The hunter grinned. "Good. Because I think I do."

"Iolaus the farmer," Hercules teased.

"Well, I have a wife to consider now. And who knows how long it will be before there are little ones also?"

"The way you keep trying, I'd say it won't be very long at all."

Iolaus chuckled. "Practice makes perfect, you know. But seriously, you're not interested in the place?"

"Of course not. Why would you think that I would be?"

"That's what your mother was hinting at, you know."

Yes, I know. But I'm not ready for that. I don't know if I ever will be."

There was a wistful longing in the big man's voice. Then he smiled at his friend. Nothing more needed to be said. These two understood each other's thoughts and feelings too well.

Iolaus drained the last of the cider from his mug.

"Alcmene makes the best cider around. I hope I can do half as well."

The mother of Hercules prided herself on her cider. She blended several different kinds of apples to make it, then kept it in a jug on a rope deep in the well. It was always cool and refreshing.

Sira came to see if the men needed more cider. Iolaus pulled her onto his lap. He playfully kissed her nose and her ear. She giggled at him and tried to stand up but he held her fast. He kissed her nose again and then her lips. The kiss deepened. Hercules, beside them, deliberately cleared his throat. Sira and Iolaus giggled. Then the hunter released her.

She bounded up and ran to the house. As she did, Iolaus turned to say something to Hercules and found a deep frown on the big man's face. Emotions played across his features. Pain, longing, and sadness were among them.

What is it, Herc?" Iolaus asked in concern.

"Did you see it, Iolaus?" Hercules whispered. "She looks like a deer as she runs."

"Serena," Iolaus answered.

The big man was silent for a moment. Then Iolaus heard him whisper, "They're both of the forest."

Sira and Alcmene giggled and chattered as they fixed the meal, all strain between them gone now. Sira voiced her desire to make a more fitting wardrobe. Alcmene stopped cutting up the squash she was preparing. She took Sira's hand, and without a word, led the healer to her own bedroom.

Alcmene's room was done simply, with pale colors and soft cushions. The window coverings were pulled back, and sunlight filled the room. Walking to a small alcove, Alcmene pulled back a curtain. She stood looking in for a moment, reached in and pulled out a garment. It was a pale green that seemed to shimmer in the light. It was made of short pants and a halter top of silk. Then there was a pale green chiffon wrap around skirt. Running through the chiffon was a thin thread of gold.

Seeing the dress, Sira drew in her breath. She had never seen anything like it. Alcmene opened a cupboard and took out pale green slippers to match the gown. The healer reached out a tentative hand to caress the fabric.

"This should fit you nicely, Alcmene stated. "The color will bring out the green of your eyes." She held out the dress to Sira. "Try it on," she suggested.

Sira looked at Alcmene in wonder. "You would let me borrow this?"

"You may have it," was the reply.

"I could not take anything so beautiful."

"Don't be silly. Of course you can. And I have some other things you are welcome to. Jason spoils me terribly. I have far too much stuff."

Sira, shaking her head, started to back away.

"You will offend me if you refuse," Alcmene stated in a firm voice.

"But it is so beautiful. So... So... It reminds me of the forest," Sira stammered.

"All the more reason you should have it. Let me help you put it on. These wraparounds can be tricky."

The fabric felt wonderful on her skin. The chiffon skirt was a little long but not too much so.

"And now the slippers," the older woman said.

Sira was reluctant to uncover her feet. But bracing herself, she removed the cloth shoes she was wearing. Alcmene said nothing at the brown spots she couldn't help but notice. She simply helped Sira tie the straps of the green slippers around her slim feet.

"Stand up and let's see how you look." She turned Sira around. "You look lovely, my dear."

Alcmene crossed to a cupboard and took out a box. From this she produced a brush and mirror.

"Sit, and I'll brush your hair," she offered. When she was done, the older woman led Sira to a long mirror on the wall. "Behold."

Sira stared at her reflection in the mirror. Could this really be me? she wondered.

"Oh, Alcmene. It is so lovely. I do not know what to say. Thank you." Sira gave her a quick hug.

Alcmene insisted the empath take a few other things. She gave her the brush and mirror, and when Sira tried to object, the older woman held up her hand for silence.

"Now," Alcmene said, "We had better finish getting the food on the table before the men mutiny.

Sira giggled and followed the other woman into the hall. They safely stored Sira's new treasures in the bedroom she shared with Iolaus, and returning to the kitchen, they soon had the meal ready to serve.

The three men were sitting at the table when Sira entered the room. Hercules and Iolaus were facing her. They looked up in stunned silence. Sira's hair lay over her right shoulder in a golden flow of silken strands. Her skin glowed. Salmoneus, his back to her, turned to see what had so silenced the others. He choked and gulped. He started to rise then sat back down.

Hercules was the first to recover. Rising, he offered the healer his arm and led her to a chair next to Iolaus. He held her chair for her, and when she was seated, he squeezed her shoulder briefly.

"You look lovely, Sira," he congratulated her.

Iolaus took her hand and brought it to his lips to plant a kiss there.

"Stunning is more like it," he said in wonder.

A devilish grin played over the demigod's face. "Don't you think Sira looks wonderful in her new gown, Salmoneus?"

Hercules knew the salesman always appreciated beautiful women. He saw that Salmoneus had been unable to take his eyes off of Sira.

"What?" the salesman said. "I...That is...She is so...Uhh... Yes, she is... Beautiful that is," he stammered in confusion.

Hercules and Iolaus laughed at him.

Sira's eyes shown very green tonight. Her hair caught the firelight and was a red gold shimmer.

Salmoneus was very flustered. He was leaving tomorrow to go to the Sorerous Forest. He would find a partner along the way, he was sure. And I'm leaving none too soon, he thought. My poor nerves can't take much more of this.

Sira excused herself early this evening. She bathed, and when she was dry, she rubbed jasmine on her ankles, behind her knees, her neck, and between her breasts. She slipped a cream colored satin shift over her head and lay on the bed. It was too warm to need covers, and she found the bed too soft and clinging anyway so she stayed atop the covers. She missed her bed of moss.

Iolaus was late coming to their room. He had stayed up to say his farewell to Salmoneus. He found Sira asleep, still on top of the covers. She is so beautiful, he thought. My heart almost stopped tonight when I saw her in that dress.

He stood watching her, still unable to believe someone so wonderful, so lovely, could be his. How had it happened? he wondered. He remembered the bard's tale that Gabrielle had once told him about people having two heads and four legs. How, having been split in two by the gods, they were forever looking for their other half. He had found his other half. He was moved by the wonder of it. Why me? Why has such happiness come to me? He didn't know, but he sent a prayer to the gods of Olympus for his good fortune. Then as an afterthought, he sent a prayer to the yosemin gods as well.

He lay down beside her, and she curled herself around him. Their lovemaking could be animalistic at times, but not tonight. Tonight Iolaus was sweet and gentle, his kisses tender, their minds' touch caressing.

Much later, when they lay in each others arms and Iolaus slept, a tiny tear escaped the corner of Sira's eye. Overwhelmed by their love, she wept.

The next morning, Sira kissed Salmoneus' cheek in farewell.

"If I had known I would get a kiss, I would have left earlier," he said.

So Sira kissed his other cheek. She knew she would miss him very much.

Hercules and Iolaus were beginning construction on the dam today. Sira followed them to the river, carrying a lunch basket on one arm, her other hand holding onto Winnie's. Winnie hadn't come back before today because she had been helping her father pick apples. She had wanted to very badly but couldn't give up the chance to be with her father.

Hercules took a cart to the base of a cliff about a mile from the river. There had once been a stone wall there and this was where the big man planned to gather the stones for the dam. Iolaus helped him with the first load then stayed at the river to start the foundation of the dam while the demigod went back for another load.

The water came to above his waist. Sira loved to watch him work. She never ceased to revel in his body. He had stripped to the waist and his muscles rippled as he worked. The scar from his wound was almost completely gone now. Every night Sira would heal the scar. When a scar was new like this one, she could often heal it so completely that it wouldn't show. It didn't work with old scars like the one on his forehead, which she loved to caress. Sira's own scar was gone now. It was as if it had never been.

She enjoyed being here by the river. It wasn't her beloved forest but being here helped her to not be so homesick. She took up a handful of soil and said a silent prayer to it.

A small bug crossed an open place of sand and Winnie started to crush it.

"Stop, Winnie!" Sira exclaimed. "Do not hurt it."

"It's only an old bug, Sira," the girl said.

"It is one of the Earth's creatures, Winnie. Mother Earth put it here for a reason."

The little girl looked skeptical.

"Mother Earth is a god. She has a purpose in everything she does. She has given us the animals to feed and clothe us, the roots and herbs to feed and heal us, trees and other things of her abundance to shelter us. She brings us water to drink and the seasons to replenish it all for us. Every bug and every plant, even the blades of grass are here for a reason. Some things are just to bring us pleasure in their beauty. Our mother gives it to us, her children, in love."

Winnie was wide eyed.

Sira continued. "See the summer flowers?"

Winnie nodded.

"We can pick them for our pleasure but they have other purposes. They provide nectar for the bees and butterflies. Some plants bring seeds that we can eat or that the birds can eat. People can make dyes from their petals. Some plants make a flower that is a white puff and it can be woven into a cloth. Bees feed on a flower and they spread the pollen to another so that the plants can grow again.

"It is a never ending cycle, Winnie. The bee feeds on the plant, then he makes honey that feeds us. Even little bugs do their part. They turn the soil or they provide food for birds. I do not know what every tiny little bug's job on Earth is, but I know it has a purpose or Mother Earth would not have put it here."

"I'm sorry, Sira. I didn't know."

Sira smiled and hugged her. "I know you did not. That is why I told you, so you could love the Earth and always try to protect it."

The little girl smiled. Then she frowned. "What about when we kill animals? What then?"

"We should only kill after asking our mother's permission, and then only when we must, for food or for our needs, and in rare cases, in self defense. Remember, the animals were put on the Earth to help us. All of this wonder that we take for granted is a gift from our mother. The animals provide food, clothing, or they help in our work.

"My people kill deer for food, but it does not stop there. We eat the meat. We use the hide for clothing and shoes, or to cover us at night. We use it to build our shelters. We make thread from the intestines. We make tallow from the bones. From the fat, we make soap and cooking oil. We also use it to make an oil we can burn. We mix a little of it with wax from the bees and make candles. From the antlers, bones, and hoofs, we make handles, utensils, needles, even gardening tools. We use every part of the deer our mother gave us."

Winnie's eyes were big now. "You're not like us, are you?"

Sira was a little shocked by the question. "I have lived all my life in the forest and off the land. I guess that does make me different."

Hercules returned from the cliff with another load of rocks. Iolaus left the water to help him unload it.

"How much have you gotten done, Iolaus?" Hercules asked.

"Damn little. It's all right for you. You're the strongest man on Earth. But these rocks are heavy. Can't you pick smaller ones?"

Hercules scoffed. "Well, maybe I can get Sira or Winnie to help me."

"Keep that up and you're going to need all the help you can get," Iolaus threatened.

Sira smiled at their good natured banter.

"Damn!" Iolaus exclaimed. He shook his hand and danced around.

Sira knew what had happened by logic as much as by their minds' touch. She hurried to him.

"Let me see it," she instructed.

She could see the pain on the hunter's face. She took his hand in hers, and closing her eyes, she willed her mind to see and feel the injury. A heavy rock had fallen on his hand, pinning it against another rock. The damage wasn't as bad as she had feared. Her mind told her there were two small bones broken and some bad bruising.

Winnie was jumping around. "What happened? Let me see."

Sira uncovered the hand. Not for Winnie's benefit, but so that she could see the damage with her eyes.

"Wow! Ouch, Uncle Iolaus. Your hand's all smashed."

There was fear in the little girl's voice. The hand did look bad.

Sira led Iolaus to the tree she and Winnie had been sitting under. There was a blanket spread on the ground. The healer told him to sit there.

"Will you bring us some water, Hercules?" Sira asked.

Winnie was quiet now. She could see that Iolaus was in pain, and the look of the hand had shocked her.

"It will be all right, Iolaus," Sira soothed him with her mind.

"I know. I have the world's greatest healer for my wife," he joked despite his pain.

She gave him a drink from the flask Hercules had brought her.

"Do you need my help?" the big man offered.

Sira smiled at him. "No, thank you. It is painful but not really serious. Besides, you had better take care of Winnie."

Sira would indeed have liked Hercules' help. The more minds involved in a healing, the better. But she didn't want Winnie to see what she was going to do for Iolaus. The girl was frightened and concerned as it was.

"Keep her away and reassure her. That will help me."

Hercules picked up the girl. "Come on, Short Stuff. We'll throw rocks at the fish," and they headed towards the river.

"Will Uncle Iolaus be all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure. He'll be back wrestling with you in no time at all. Besides, I need him to help me finish the dam before my mother's orchards start to dry up."

"It looks bad, Hercules."

"It'll be all right. You'll see," he assured her.

Sira sat cross-legged on the blanket in front of Iolaus. She held the injured hand as it rested in her lap. She had already taken some of the pain from him.

"Well, here we are again, my love," Iolaus smiled at her. "I can't seem to stay out of trouble, can I?"

The healer touched his mind.

"Sira can you heal this without transfer?" he wanted to know.

"Yes, most likely. It is not as bad as it looks but I do not know how completely it will heal. Broken bones do not always heal straight." She knew why he had asked. He didn't want to cause her pain. She smiled at him. "My love, do not be concerned for me. My pain would only be for a short time."

"I don't care," he stated, his voice firm. "I don't want you to transfer. I can't stand to hurt you."

"I will always feel your pain. We are too closely linked for it to be otherwise."

"Still, I can't stand the thought of you in pain."

"I am already in pain. Do you not believe that I can feel your pain? I cannot stand to see you hurt either," she reasoned.

He shook his head.

"Please understand, Iolaus. I am a healer. I must heal. It is not that I always want to. I quite often do not. I get tired of always feeling pain and illness. But I cannot help but feel it. Most of the time, I could not walk away even if I wanted to. And to try, when I have touched the mind of the injured one, causes me even more pain." she took a deep breath. "They say that when I was a baby, I would cry when a person was hurt or ill. When I could crawl, I would crawl to the person and put my hands on them and they would feel comfort. I did not know what I was doing. It was instinct. I was put on this Earth to heal. I tried to warn you when we took our vows. There may be many healings you will not want me to perform, but I will do them anyway. Not because I am stubborn, although I am that, but because I must."

The hunter sighed in resignation. He had committed himself to a wondrous and unique woman. He had wanted this beyond all other desires. He must come to grips with who she was and what she must do.

He nodded at her and prepared himself for the transfer.

"Open your mind, Iolaus. Relax and open your mind. See tentacles coming out of your feet and into the Earth."

And so the healing proceeded. Sira felt the pain but continued to chant and sway. She led Iolaus in the transfer. The injury was such that it would heal quickly, and the time of physical touch and her healing sleep would be minimal.

Sira's hand began to swell. It changed color and darkened. As her hand became worse, his was healed. She continued the transfer for over an hour. She took the injury from him completely. She could have left some for his body to heal but she knew how much faster her healer's body could do it. When his hand was healed, it was as if it had never been hurt. Sira began to build the barriers needed to halt the transfer.

She brought them back to the present but didn't break the physical contact. In fact, she had not broken the physical bond since she had first taken his hand at the cart.

Hercules had long since gone back to work on the dam and Winnie had fallen asleep on the grass.

"Sira," Iolaus accused, you took too much on yourself. You should have stopped sooner." He shook his head. "Damn it, Sira. If I had known you had intended to take the whole thing on yourself, I wouldn't have allowed the healing."

"That is why I did not tell you," she answered coyly. "Do not look so concerned. It will heal. It has a great deal already."

He gently took her hand in his and studied it a moment. The look he gave her pricked her conscience. She hated to see him hurt. He had already told her he couldn't stand to see her hurt either. The look on his face made her realize that she hadn't been very fair to him.

"I am sorry, Iolaus," she whispered. "You are right. I should not have taken it all on myself. We should have healed it together."

But while she agreed with him, she steadfastly refused to transfer any of the injury back to him. Finally in exasperation, he gave up.

"You're right. You are stubborn," he stated.

Sira smiled at him. "We can break the physical bond anytime, my love."

"So soon?" he questioned. "I'm not sure I want to. I kind of like having you this close."

Sira led them in the break. It didn't take long. The less in-depth the healing, and the more healed the victim, the less time required to break the bond.

When the break was complete, Sira smiled at him. "You can go help Hercules with the dam. I will be fine, I am going to take a nap. The healing sleep will not be long this time."

"To Hades with the dam," he stated. "I'll stay and keep you company."

"Really, Iolaus. I am fine. And I must sleep anyway." The healer smothered a wide yawn.

"I think you're trying to get rid of me," he challenged. He rose to go. Bending over, he placed a quick kiss on her lips. "Lest you forget."

She caught his hand with her good one. "Forever," was all she said.

The hunter returned to the river, a wide grin on his face.

********************************************

It moved like a fog over the ground, unseen but felt by those who cared to feel at all. It stopped at the entrance to the inn. Humans. It hated humans almost as much as yosemins. Human's smell was putrid to it, and the three people it sensed here now were more repulsive than most. I will simply eliminate them. Then I can search for her without being disturbed.

The thing of evil laughed in its twisted mind. How to do it? it wondered. Yes, how to do it? Fire? No, that might make it harder to sense whether she has been here. Poison? No, that would take too long. Not that I'm afraid of humans. They could not fight me like the yosemins. But I don't feel like wasting time now. Still, there were other ways, ways that could be quite entertaining. Yes. An idea came to the force and it crept through the door. Slowly, so as not to alarm them. I cannot be seen, but my power can be felt. I don't want them to flee, not until I've had some fun.

The innkeeper grabbed his middle and screamed. One of the patrons twisted around in his seat.

"What in Hades?" he questioned. Then he bent over, his face twisted in pain and horror.

The third man already writhed on the floor. Blood began to poor from all three of them, great pools of blood.

The evil being laughed. It enjoyed the humans' pain. It was intoxicated by it. It feasted on the fear. Yes, she had been here, but she was gone now. No matter. I will find her. And when I do... Laughter was its answer. I will find her. There really is no hurry. She can't escape. Besides, it thought, I am beginning to enjoy the hunt very much.

*********************************************

Sira woke reluctantly to the insistent humming of a little voice. She opened her eyes. Winnie sat next to her on the blanket, playing with a corncob doll. Seeing Sira open her eyes, Winnie stopped.

"How did you fix Uncle Iolaus' hand so good?" the little girl asked. "What were you doing over here so long? How come I couldn't watch?"

Sira chuckled. "Slow down, Winnie, I have not heard half of what you have said."

"Come look at what I found, Sira," the little girl insisted.

The healer yawned. "How about later? I was sleeping, and could go back to sleep if you let me."

"Come on. It's great. You'll like it."

In resignation, Sira sat up. Winnie jumped up and grabbed Sira's hand to pull her up. The healer cried out. Instantly, Winnie dropped the hand.

"What's the matter, Sira?" she asked.

"Nothing, Winnie. Now show me what is so wonderful."

Sira was in hopes that she could get Winnie involved enough to forget what had just happened.

"How come your hand is hurt?" Winnie asked, suspicion in her voice.

Sira could feel the child's fear. "It is all right, Winnie. Do not be frightened."

But Winnie was. She knew something wasn't right. These things weren't possible.

Sira touched the girls mind. Lightly. She didn't want to frighten her further. But that is exactly what did happen.

Winnie began to back away. "How did you do that, Sira? How did you make Uncle Iolaus' ouch in your hand?"

So here it was, Sira thought. How to explain to Winnie without frightening her? What would Winnie tell her father? Sira had known this would happen. She had dared to hope it might be later. But here it was, and she knew she must face it. Icy fingers of fear touched her heart. The stories from her childhood flooded over her. And Winnie, with the open mindedness of a child, was sensitive to Sira's feelings, and felt the healer's fear.

Hercules sensed something. He wasn't sure what, but he left the river and came to the tree. He had heard Winnie's last question, and he also felt Sira's fear.

"Hey, Short Stuff. Want to go get more rocks with me?" the big man asked.

She ran to him and held on to him.

"Winnie," Sira pleaded, "do not be frightened. I would not hurt you. I cannot."

Hercules picked up the child, and sending a look of reassurance to Sira, he walked to the cart and put Winnie on the seat.

The empath was upset, her mind in a turmoil. Iolaus knelt beside her. "I'm here Sira. Don't be frightened."

"It has started already," she lamented. "I am sorry, Iolaus. I had hoped we would have some time before..." She couldn't complete the sentence.

"What's started? What has you so frightened?"

"They will not want me here now, Iolaus. People are frightened of things they do not understand. They think I can steal their minds and souls, that I will make them think a certain way or act a certain way." She shivered, the fear strong in her. "Your kind has hunted my kind down and killed them. They have burned our villages, and killed our women and children."

Iolaus took both of Sira's shoulders in a firm grip. "That's not going to happen here. No one is going to hurt you. If we have to, we'll leave here. We can go somewhere else."

"And for how long this time?" she asked, tears streaming down her face. "How long before we must flee again?"

"I don't know, Sira. But as long as we're together, does it matter where we live or for how long?"

The girl drew a deep breath, and letting it out slowly, she began to calm herself. "You are right," she said, nodding. "We will do what we must."

"That's my girl," he soothed her.

"Hold me, Iolaus" she whispered. "I need your strength."

When Hercules and Winnie returned from the cliff with another load of stones, Winnie was calmer. None of them mentioned the incident. Winnie avoided Sira, but she wasn't antagonistic. In a hidden moment, Hercules advised her to give the child some time.

"She'll come around," he assured her.

They left the cart loaded and in the field. Winnie rode the mule back to Alcmene's. When they arrived, Winnie's father was waiting for her, and for once, she made no objection to going home.

Sira feigned a headache and went to her room.

"What's happened?" Alcmene asked.

Hercules explained everything to her. Iolaus had told his friend how frightened Sira was and why, and the big man now passed it on to his mother.

"Really, would people really hate her for what she can do?"

But Alcmene knew the answer. People were so easily frightened by things they didn't understand. They were instinctively suspicious of the unknown. How many times had she felt it herself? How many times had she been persecuted because she had lain with a god? People were suspicious of her, and often frightened of her.

Iolaus followed Sira to the room they shared. She had changed into the peasant dress, and her feet were bare. He took her into his arms, and the tears came. He rocked her like a baby, chanting her name over and over. He knew she hadn't completed the healing sleep and he soothed her until she fell asleep in his arms. Then he lay down beside her and held her.

In the early morning, while the others slept, the lovers went to the river. Sira brought her shoes but didn't wear them. She wanted to feel the earth under her feet. At the river, they started to disrobe. "I'll beat you," Iolaus challenged.

"No you will not," she stated, taking up the challenge.

But he did beat her to the water, because she deliberately delayed. When she was naked, she lay face down on the riverbank. She spread her arms out and her fingers wide as if to feel as much of the Earth as possible.

The yosemin prayed to her mother Earth to heal her and bring her comfort. She prayed that Winnie would accept her. She didn't care so much about others, but she had dared to hope that the child would become a sensitive someday. She possessed a strong mind, and had seemed to gain a feel for the Earth in just that one lesson. As the healer lay in the grass, it bent to caress her. Tiny vines and flowers wound themselves around her fingers and feet. The grass wrapped itself around her hair. Not in bondage, but in comfort.

Iolaus understood. He realized that she was going back to the familiar, seeking comfort from the Earth she understood. He sent his own prayer to join hers. He was awed by the Earth's response to her need. How were these things possible? he wondered. He wasn't frightened. The scene before him was primitive and natural, and he found it moving, even beautiful. And when Sira would have risen, the grasses and vines released her, and she rose carefully so she wouldn't harm them.

Later that morning, Sira went to the dam site with the men. She again took her shoes but didn't wear them. She enjoyed the feel of the grass on her feet.

While the men worked, she gathered things from around her, such as mint and jasmine for her beauty needs. She was delighted when she found syme. The milk of the leaves helped keep her skin soft and protect it from the sun. She found enough berries to supplement their noon meal and still take some to Alcmene.

When the men left the river and joined her at the tree, they were delighted to have the berries.

"Hercules," Sira asked. "Could I ask you something?"

He smiled at her. He was relaxed and sleepy. "Of course."

"What did you say to Winnie yesterday?"

"Actually, I just told her the truth. At least a child's version of the truth. I explained that your family was gone now and that you wanted and needed her friendship." The big man sat up. "She asked why you were afraid. So I told her that sometimes my people were mean to yours and that you were afraid people wouldn't like you. I asked her if she was afraid of you. She said she was a little. So I assured her she needn't be." He took Sira's hand. "She'll come around. She has a head on her shoulders and she'll use it."

Sira took a deep breath. "Thank you, Hercules."

"Sira," Iolaus said. "If you're really that worried, we can leave now."

Sira shook her head. "I am concerned about what Winnie may have told her father, but we will not leave yet. I can live with people not liking me. We will only go if they would harm me."

"It won't come to that," Iolaus promised.

"It has before, my love. It has before."

*********************************************

Salmoneus was well pleased. Shortly after leaving Alcmene's, he had attached himself to a band of travelers headed in the right direction. Now he didn't have to travel alone. Besides, there was plenty of food and wine. He could play chips at night, winning enough to keep it interesting, but not enough to make anyone angry. Sometimes all he took for his winnings was a meal.

In the group of travelers was a young man and his family. The young man had shown quite an interest in the Prevalian root venture. Salmoneus wasn't all that impressed with the young man, but he was a hard worker. He had a tendency towards bravado and he sometimes drank too much. But a few well dropped hints to the other travelers revealed their trust in Matthew and his honesty. So what if they would never be pals? I can get along with anyone, he thought. The wife was a good cook and she could keep the camp while the men gathered the roots. The salesman could almost feel the gold jingling in his purse.

*********************************************

Hercules called a halt to the work on the dam early today. The heat lay on the land like a blanket. The air was brassy, and heat waves danced in the distance. It was unusual for it to be so hot in this foothill valley, but it did happen sometimes.

Using the cart and barrels, the three hauled water to refresh Alcmene's gardens and orchards. Sira worked as hard as the men, but didn't seem to tire. She insisted that she enjoyed bringing the much needed water to the thirsty Earth. Alcmene came out and helped take buckets of water to the trees.

Iolaus stopped to mop his brow. He looked to the sky to judge the time, shading his eyes from the relentless glare of the sun.

"Damn, it's hot," he stated to no one in particular.

Sira, returning to the barrels on the cart to refill her bucket, found she had left a little water in the bottom of the bucket. She playfully sloshed it on the hunter. He made a grab for her but she bounded away. He chased her. She let him catch her, then squealed as he did.

"I caught you," he stated.

"Only because I let you. So do not get too confident," she advised.

She got several kisses for her trick, then she broke away and retrieved her bucket. She climbed on the cart, and putting only a little water in the bucket, she splashed Iolaus again. He returned the favor this time.

"Hey, you two," Hercules scolded. "Save that water for the plants. I, for one, would like to finish this and take a long bath in the river."

He wasn't really angry and everyone knew it.

Sira splashed him first, then Iolaus. The three of them laughed and played, splashing each other and getting thoroughly wet. Alcmene just laughed at their childish play.

They finished soon after and the young people went to the river to bathe. The men removed their shirts and waded in. Sira removed her dress and joined the men in the cool water. She wore only her underthings. She showed no inhibition and she splashed both men equally. Hercules grabbed her and held her over his head like she had seen him do Winnie. She squealed and laughed.

"Put me down," she begged.

"Promise not to splash me again?" he asked.

"I promise. Just put me down."

He set her on her feet in the water and she immediately splashed him then swam away when he reached for her.

Iolaus enjoyed watching them play. It was a good feeling to have the two people he loved be such good friends. And that's just what they were. Because of their minds' touch, they had formed a bond very quickly.

Hercules dunked Iolaus and they pretended to fight.

*********************************************

That evening, Iolaus and Sira went to the old Wesie place. The house needed lots of work. The fields were dry and choked with weeds, but Hercules had been right. There were good fruit trees and a deep well.

"This is what you want, Iolaus?"

"I don't know what kind of farmer I'll make, but we could try it."

Sira nodded. "Yes, mother Earth is happy here. I could be also."

She smiled at him and took his hand. If this is what he wants, then I will do my best to be a farmer's wife, she thought.

They talked of plans to improve the place. Sira touched the trees and bushes, sending them a silent message. She placed her hand on a trumpet vine growing near the porch. In seconds, it wound itself around her hands. The healer brought water to the vine. Iolaus swore it leaned towards Sira as she worked to loosen the weeds from its base.

They were returning to Alcmene's, walking hand in hand when a rabbit bounded away before them. But instead of continuing on and getting away, it stopped and looked back at them, seeming to enjoy their company. Sira spoke to the rabbit with her voice and with her mind. The rabbit let her come up to it and touch its furry ears. It sniffed her hand with a twitching nose and then jumped ahead, but not in fear.

Iolaus shook his head. How are these things possible, he wondered. Sira never ceased to amaze him, and his grip on her hand tightened.

They continued on their leisurely walk. They hadn't gone far when Sira stopped and fell to her knees in the grass. She gasped and seemed to be fighting for air. Then she screamed.

Iolaus grabbed her. "What is it, Sira?" There was fear in his voice.

"It is Winnie," Sira whispered. "She is hurt. It is confused, but I think she is burned." She stood up. "Iolaus, take me to her. Now."

But Sira had already changed directions to follow the summons of the child's mind.

She sent her mind to Hercules. The big man was sitting in the garden with his mother, and as on the first time that Sira had summoned him, he started. Alcmene felt it also but didn't understand. Hercules jumped up.

"It's Winnie, Mother," he said. "Sira says that she's been hurt. We've got to go to her."

When Sira and Iolaus reached Ezekial's farm, they could smell burnt flesh. They could hear Winnie's screams from the house. Sira burst through the door.

"The river," Sira instructed. "We must get her to the river. It will help. Ezekial get a clean sheet."

She bent to pick up Winnie.

"Don't touch her! Stay away!" Ezekial shouted at her.

He shoved Sira away. Tears streamed down his face. "You're a witch. Get away from her!"

Iolaus grabbed him and wrestled him aside. Sira gently picked up Winnie and ran. She headed for the river, her mind touching the child. I must lessen the pain, she thought.

Carrying the bundle that was not much smaller than herself, Sira reached the river and waded in deep enough to cover Winnie with the cool water. Winnie whimpered in the healer's arms. The empath crooned and rocked the girl, telling her all would be well.

"It is all right, little one. I will heal you. Do you remember how I healed Iolaus' hand? I can do the same for you."

She continued to talk to the girl and comfort her.

Quiet your mind, Winnie, if you can. Remember the tiny flowers we found by the river? Picture them in your mind. See them in your mind. See yourself holding one close to your face. Picture each tiny petal. See the veins, and picture nectar flowing through them. See the color. Smell the fragrance. Feel how soft they are."

And as Winnie began to relax and the cool water lessened her pain, Sira touched her thoughts and took some of the pain to herself. It could be dangerous to transfer with someone not aware of what she did. They could pull their mind away and cause both patient and healer harm, but Sira knew she had to try. She knew she had to relieve some of the girl's fear. So often the fear was worse than the injury.

Hercules and his mother reached the river. The demigod started to wade in after Sira. Ezekial came running up to the river, a club in his hand.

"Get away from her, you witch! You'll steal her soul."

He would have waded into the water to strike the healer, but Hercules stopped him.

"Stop it, you damn fool!" Hercules yelled. "She can save Winnie. Look at her. She's already better."

"She will steal her soul," Ezekial sobbed.

"No, Ezekial. She can't hurt her. Please, my friend. Give her a chance."

Iolaus came running up. "He hit me over the head and got away."

Ezekial had stopped struggling.

"My baby," he sobbed. "I was making wax. I told her to stay away, but you know how she is. She insisted she could help. I told her no. I only turned my back for a minute."

He sagged in Hercules' grip.

"Sira will help her, Ezekial," Hercules soothed the man. "She can't hurt Winnie. You must trust her.

Alcmene went to the distraught man and lay her hand on his arm. "You trust me don't you, Ezekial?" At his nod she continued. "You know I wouldn't harm you or Winnie. You know how much I love her." She waited a moment before continuing. She wanted to be sure the man was listening to her.

"Believe me when I say this. Sira can help. She may be the only one who can. You owe it to Winnie to let her try."

Ezekial nodded, and Hercules let him go. Iolaus and Hercules waded into the water.

"What do we do, Sira?" Iolaus asked.

Sira smiled at both men and let them feel her gratitude for their help.

"Help me hold her here in the water. The cold helps take away the pain."

Sira reached up and touched the lump Ezekial had put on Iolaus' head. She sent healing to him for a few minutes and the bleeding stopped. A few minutes more and his headache was gone.

"Right now, here in the water, we must do a healing. All of us together."

She led them in the healing. And as the healing progressed, night descended. The water flowed eternally by, rushing to the ocean. Sira pictured the burns on Winnie leaving her and flowing down the river with the water. Over and over, she chanted. Her legs grew raw, her hands blistered. Her voice came in whiffs of pain. And Iolaus' heart cried for her.

It was almost dawn when Sira halted the healing.

"Help us to the bank," she told the men.

The healer had managed to keep the cold of the water from affecting them all, but it hadn't been easy. She let her guard down now and Iolaus shivered beside her.

Hercules simply picked up both girls in his arms and carried them to the tree where Sira had healed Iolaus' hand. How long ago? He tried to think. So much had happened. It seemed a very long time ago that Sira had sat here under this tree, helping the hunter. He sat the girls gently on the grass. He did not break touch.

Seeing Sira's burned legs, Iolaus turned away. He couldn't stand to see the evidence of her healing so plainly visible. Both men lay down beside the healer and the injured girl. They were all too exhausted to care that they were wet.

Just after nightfall, Alcmene had sent Ezekial to bring the things they would need to camp here by the river. Now she spread blankets over them. The sun would soon warm them, she knew.

For four days Sira healed the girl. Iolaus and Hercules helped, and the healing was progressing well. Ezekial was quiet. He still grieved, blaming himself for what had happened. He was also ashamed of his behavior toward Sira. He built a crude shelter by the river, but Sira refused to use it.

"The weather is good and I can heal better here under the tree," she had told him.

The weather had cooled a little and the tree shaded them. Alcmene and Ezekial brought them food. Hercules and Iolaus didn't have to maintain the physical touch so they helped the girls with their physical needs. Alcmene and Ezekial took care of the farms. The men didn't want to be too far from Sira since they could never be sure when they might be needed for a healing.

Sira was in great pain, and her burns only slightly healed, when she would again transfer. Slowly, both girls began to get better. When two more days had passed, Sira began to seriously heal herself. Winnie was greatly improved. Her legs were burned the worst since the fire had caught the hem of her dress and had worked its way up. Ezekial's hands had been burned when he had beat the flames from his daughter's clothing. Sira offered to heal him. She told him to place his hands on Winnie and she could heal him at the same time. But he had refused. Sensing the turmoil in his mind, she was just as glad he had. Winnie's long curls were singed, and her hands had been great blisters. These were gone now, and already some of the scars were fading. If Sira were allowed to, she could heal the scars, and there was a good chance that they wouldn't even show.

Winnie was soon tired of the physical confinement and was becoming restless. Sira, fearing the child might break the physical contact, suggested that Iolaus take her place in the physical and she would maintain the mental bond with the girl. He gladly accepted.

He sat next to both girls and took a hand from each. Sira helped him relax his mind. Then she instructed him in what to do. His mind was much stronger now. He had learned a great deal. Sira let him feel her pride in his abilities.

Winnie was impatient to be free. She must stay close to Sira as the healer must maintain a constant mind link with the child. It could be tiring, but Sira knew the time of physical touch was almost over. And being in physical touch with Iolaus had definite benefits.

When Winnie was released, she ran to her father and hugged him. He held her, and great retching sobs shook him.

"I thought I had lost you," he told her.

"Sira made me well, Father."

Ezekial looked up through his tears and made eye contact with the healer. Until this moment, he had never truly believed that Winnie would be well again. A silent message passed between him and the healer. At last he had accepted her. She lightly touched his mind with a message of understanding and healing.

*********************************************

Two weeks had passed since Sira had awakened from her healing sleep. Winnie came everyday so that Sira could heal her scars. Sira's own were gone. The dam had at last been completed and Hercules was now helping Iolaus with the canal for the old Wesie place. Sira and Iolaus had moved into the house, and Ezekial was helping them fix it up. He couldn't seem to do enough for Sira now. He brought her honey and little animals he had carved out of wood. He had gone to the village and brought back ribbons for her hair, and when the kittens in his barn were ready to leave their mother, he brought one to the healer.

She squealed with delight, sounding for all the world like a child. She hugged the kitten to her and it rubbed its face against hers. Sira hugged Ezekial in thanks. It was a little boy kitty all gray with black stripes. Sira named him Salmoneus because he was forever mewing and complaining.

It was a good time as summer slowly gave way to autumn. Jason had returned to his beloved Alcmene and had cheerfully joined in to help the others complete the irrigation system.

What Alcmene had told Jason about Sira, the yosemin could only guess. But he treated her with quiet respect.

*********************************************

The old man limped along the track. His cane bit deeply into the soil as he leaned on it for support. His brown spotted feet were wrinkled with age. He no longer even tried to hide them. To Hades with anyone who didn't like them. His mind reached out to keep his direction. Finding it, he trudged on. It had been a long time since he had felt anything so strong. A hermit he was called, often spit at when he ventured out. Not that he cared. He didn't care about anything. At least that's what he had been telling himself for more years than he wished to remember. Three hundred years now, he had been on the Earth. Somehow, it didn't seem that long. And yet, sometimes it seemed much longer.

He had felt the disturbance like a wall of thought. It was as if a great many minds had cried out at once. After the initial shock, he had tried to tell himself that he didn't care. Why should he? But he had opened his mind almost without meaning to, and it was there.

Evil. By the gods, something was grievously wrong. But what did he care? I do not, he told himself. I am no longer yosemin. I gave that up too long ago to care.

He packed a few things, not really sure why he was going. What could he do anyway? Then he knew. This evil thing would seek them all out and destroy them.

"But I do not care," he shouted.

Still, in his heart, he knew he did care. He always had. They hadn't believed him, but he had cared. Now, after all these years, maybe I can find a way to make up for that, he thought to himself.

So here he was, following a vagrant thought. He often lost it, but then it would be there again. Most yosemins could not have sent this far. Perhaps, sometimes to loved ones, ones of there soul. Whoever sent this call was not even aware they were sending it. And yet, the old man knew it came a great distance. This one is truly powerful.

Once, the yosemins had been a great people. But now there were but a few. The remaining ones were scattered and hidden from others of their kind. Some had so mixed with other races, that their powers were almost completely lost. Healers were very rare now. The empaths were always women, never the men. Many men were as strong of mind as the empaths, but they could not transfer. They could heal. A great deal of healing could be done without a transfer, but some things could only be healed by an empath.

The old man slowed a bit. He was tired. He came to a convenient rock, and heaving a sigh, he sat down. As he sat, he let his mind relax. Unconsciously he let his mind open. The evil was there, ever present now. And faintly behind it was the other one, a healer he was sure. Ah, it would be good to mindspeak with a strong one. He would be honest with this one, lay his sins in the open first before she could feel them and condemn him. If only I had listened all those years ago. The elders tried to tell me. If I had listened, how different would my life have been?

He shook his head. Why now, when his time on this Earth was almost over, why now had Mother Earth brought this to him? Perhaps to redeem himself? He hoped so. Perhaps she had finally forgiven his betrayal of her people. He heaved a sigh and let his mind wander. It felt good to sit here in the sun.

*********************************************

Work on the irrigation system at the old Wesie place was going well. Sira often came to the fields with the men. She brought Little Salmoneus with her despite his protests. She did so because whenever she left him behind, he would scold her upon her return, and then ignore her.

Sira was making soft suede moccasins for herself and Alcmene from the hide she had tanned herself. Only a few steps from the side of Sira's house was a small grove of trees. They were old and gnarled and beautiful. In the first days at the farm, Sira had cleaned and raked the ground under the trees. There was a small trickle of water from a spring and it was shaded and cool.

She loved to come here to rest. She would sit on the grass cross-legged to sew. She often brought her fruit and vegetables here to clean and prepare them. She talked with the trees and grasses. Iolaus brought her flowers and shrubs to plant here to make a haven for herself. He knew she missed the forest and hoped to make it up to her by helping her fix up the grove. He also made a bench for her but she seldom used it, preferring to sit on the grass. Little Salmoneus appreciated the bench however. Ezekial made a small table with antlers from a deer for the legs. Sira loved it here. It wasn't the forest but it was nature, and special because of that. The hunter would often teased her, saying that she liked to talk to her beloved trees more than to him. She would counter by saying that it was because she enjoyed intelligent conversation.

The men had been working long and hard on the irrigation system. The weather had turned hot again. Alcmene had stopped by the river with Winnie to invite everyone to her place for dinner. When Sira and Iolaus left the river, they stopped by the farm to bathe and change. Besides, Sira wanted to get the moccasins she had now completed for Alcmene. She had also made a small woven basket of reeds for her new friend.

Alcmene had made a lovely meal, and the company was good. After dinner, the younger girls cleaned up. The men, along with Alcmene, sat outside in the garden and talked. When the girls had finished, they joined the others in the garden.

Jason kept rubbing his shoulders and neck.

"I'm beat," he moaned. "These old muscles aren't what they use to be."

Sira rose from the ground where she had been sitting at Iolaus' feet. She stood behind Jason and laid her hands on his shoulders. Then she looked to Alcmene to be sure it was all right. Alcmene understood and nodded. It only took a few minutes to relieve the muscle tension and soothe the inflammation. Throughout the healing, no one had spoken a word. When Sira finished, she returned to her place at her husband's feet. He squeezed her shoulder to let her know that he approved and appreciated what she had done for his friend.

"Sira, that was wonderful. I feel great," Jason said as he stretched and moved his shoulders. "The pain is completely gone. No wonder Iolaus has so much energy during the day. He knows he has the instant cure for sore muscles." He smiled at her. "Thank you, my dear."

"You are welcome Jason," said Sira. "If you will seek me out after your day's work, I will heal you gladly. After all, your sore muscles are for our benefit."

"I just may take you up on that. I wish you could teach Alcmene that trick, he teased, winking at his wife.

"She could learn some things. Hercules could be a healer. Not an empath, but a healer. He is very strong of mind. He only needs to learn to give the strength direction."

Hercules, looking embarrassed, said nothing.

"Oh! I almost forgot," Sira exclaimed. Rising in one smooth liquid movement, she ran to the house.

"Iolaus, you're a very lucky man," Jason stated. "That girl's a treasure."

Before Iolaus could reply, Sira was back. She placed two packages in the other woman's lap.

"What's this, dear?" Alcmene asked.

"It is something to thank you for all you have done for Iolaus and myself. I wanted to give you something from the Earth, and something from me."

Alcmene opened the moccasins first. She had seen the ones Sira wore occasionally and had admired them. She was delighted to have some for herself. Most of the time, Sira wore no shoes around her friends. But she always carried them with her just in case.

Next, the older woman opened the basket. It was small, with a lid to cover the top. Sira had woven it in three colors. The golden of the dried reeds, then brown with blue diamonds woven into a strip around the middle.

"It's lovely, Sira. How did you make the different colors?"

"I dyed the brown in strong Tassis tea, and the blue dye is from blue flower petals and blueberries."

Alcmene held out her hand, and grasping the healer's, she gave it a firm squeeze.

"They're lovely, Sira. I know the moccasins are from the hide that you tanned yourself. I'll never understand how you got it so white. And the fact that you made these gifts yourself makes them even more special."

They talked on for a while. It was pleasant here in the garden. Bees buzzed by occasionally, and Sira could smell the jasmine.

Then Hercules announced his intention of leaving as soon as the irrigation canal and dam were finished. Suddenly, the sweetness of the evening was gone. Sira would miss him, and she knew Iolaus would miss him even more. The healer understood why the big man felt he must leave. While she deliberately avoided touching his mind, they were too closely linked for her to shut out his feelings and emotions altogether. She often felt his unease around her. She knew that the love that she and Iolaus shared was a constant reminder of his loss. It stirred too many memories, memories that Hercules still found hard to cope with. At times, Sira felt such a loneliness about him that her heart ached.

She often had moments of unease herself. Human emotions were unprotected, and therefore easily felt. But it wasn't really this. A vague sense of something seemed to ride her. She tried to tell herself that it was just the newness of her surroundings. But she remained unconvinced.

She hadn't forgotten the evil thing that had taken her people. She still shivered, remembering the sense of being pursued. Now behind it all, there was a sense of someone else. Not really felt, and yet almost like a word hovering on the tip of the tongue. She was afraid to reach out for it, afraid it might somehow bring the evil crashing down on her. And yet, what she sensed of the other wasn't evil. In fact, she almost felt a comfort in the vague touch.

The little yosemin also attributed some of her feeling of disquiet to her homesickness. She missed the forest. The feeling burned inside her. It grew until at times, she felt she would burst from its intensity. At times like these, she sought comfort in her beloved grove of trees.

While Sira found comfort there, Iolaus said the grove found comfort in her presence as well. She loved the trumpet vine that grew by the porch. It wound its vines up the porch pole and across the roof now. No one could believe how it had grown so much in such a short time. The healer never missed a chance to caress and talk to the vine. Iolaus loved to see the way it curled around her hands within seconds of her touch.

She loved the river and the open fields around the little farm. She loved it best in the early morning just as the sun rose. She had lost count of how many times she and Iolaus had gone to the river at this early time, bathing, playing, and loving in the cool water or on the bank beside it.

But still, the yosemin missed the mountains and the forest. The high up places called to her. The pines and firs, the smells and sounds, she missed the smell of the fire in the pines on a cold winter morning. She longed to hear the wind in the tall pines. She grieved for the sound of her people laughing, their gentle minds' touch as they went about their morning rituals.

Iolaus' love was like a tonic. It soothed and relieved her loneliness and loss. But somehow, it wasn't strong enough to take away her need of the forest, her desire to be once again close to her mother Earth.

Sira wasn't sleeping well. She said nothing, and Iolaus was so tired at night from his hard labor on the canal that he fell into an exhausted sleep as soon as their lovemaking was over. She felt his weariness and was not upset that he slept so soundly. Sometimes, while he slept, she would go to the grove of trees and lay on the grass, and then she might sleep again for a while. Little Sal often joined her there. He would curl himself into a ball at the back of her knees, and his purr helped lull her to sleep. Sira had always managed to return to the house before Iolaus awoke, so he remained ignorant of her unease.

She often dreamed of the high pass they had crossed over in their journey to Alcmene's. She wasn't unhappy. There were many things here to be happy about and to find joy in. Iolaus' love was a great part of that. Sira had also found comfort in Hercules' presence. She loved Alcmene and Winnie. The love and friendship that they gave to her was a comforting thing, like a warm blanket on a cold night.

On more than one occasion, Sira had caught Iolaus looking into the distance, as if seeking the high places, scanning the horizon as she herself so often did. She sensed a longing in him at these times. But then he would talk with such enthusiasm about the farm and the improvements he hoped to make that Sira doubted her perception of his feelings.

The farm was doing quite well. Sira seemed able to make anything grow. She worked tirelessly, bringing water to the plants and trees. Ezekial had completed the repairs on the house, and Sira had made curtains and cushions to decorate it. They had few furnishings, but the house was comfortable despite this, and the lovers had never seemed to notice. Iolaus often joked that the only piece of furniture they needed was a bed.

Sira would counter with, "All we really need is a moss mat on the floor."

By contrast, Ezekial's farm wasn't doing well at all. The well on the property he leased had never been deep, and the farm relied very much on the well for its water for irrigating the crops. His farm was further from the river, and hauling water was a never ending, time consuming chore.

The unusually hot summer had taken its toll. His sheep got the worms from a ewe he had bartered for at the market place. There were not enough fruit trees of good size. And so Ezekial and Winnie were not fairing very well.

Jason and Iolaus often gave the man odd jobs around their places to help him out. He refused what he called charity, but he would take food for his labors. Jason would also pay him in dinars for a day's work. Iolaus and Sira were short on this themselves though they never missed it. Sira caught fish and made Winnie take them home, insisting she and Iolaus could never eat them all.

Somehow Winnie found herself being paid outrageous sums of food for a simple job. She had tried to object once. But seeing the hurt look in Sira's eyes, she had said nothing further. Iolaus and Hercules took barrels of water to Ezekial's trees. Never saying a word, just quietly doing the favor for their neighbor without being asked.

Ezekial still owed on his farm, and the man he was buying it from wasn't keen on trying to dig a canal to the farm. True, it was a great distance from the river. Iolaus suggested that they simply tie into his canal and save several miles. But the owner refused, using the excuse that he would then be beholding to the hunter.

Ezekial had also borrowed money from the mayor of the village to purchase extra seed to plant corn. The mayor charged such an outrageous interest on the loan that the farmer could never get ahead.

Sometimes Ezekial talked of giving up his farm and farming for someone else. He reasoned that since he owed the mayor and the landowner, he was farming for others anyway. But he hung on, mostly because he couldn't stand to take Winnie away from Alcmene. The child loved her and relied on her so much. She had begun to think of Alcmene as the mother she couldn't remember.

Winnie had developed a real feel for the Earth and its treasures. She often quoted the Earth's prayer that Sira had taught her. The child could take a sick and dying plant and bring it back to health. She called herself a plant healer, and in a way, that's what she was.

*********************************************

Salmoneus swore. He soothed Canfuss on his Oliaf sting. He and Matthew had already taken their first load of tonic to the local villages. They had made a good profit, but the Prevailen roots were becoming harder to find. Invariably, they seemed to be buried in choking vines of Oliaf.

This was it for the salesman. While the money had been good, the work was not. This batch of tonic would need to be sold further afield to make a real profit. A traveling salesman was the ticket. And that's what I do best, he told himself. But I have to be here to supervise the gathering at least.

He had been working as hard as Matthew to glean the roots from the soil. Without his constant pushing, Matthew did only enough to get by. The man wasn't out to get rich. All he wanted was to make a living for himself and his family. His wife was pregnant for their third child. Matthew had set up a fairly passable shelter, and Diana his wife, had planted a vegetable garden. They were taking up residency here. This wasn't at all what Salmoneus had in mind. He figured to get in, get rich, and get out.

Matthew drank too much. When he was drunk, he tended to take unnecessary chances. He received more Oliaf stings than he need have, had he been more careful. He also refused to wear the goggles Salmoneus had provided for them both. Twice now, the goggles had saved the salesman serious stings, and perhaps his eyesight. Salmoneus wore long sleeves and gloves. Matthew refused, complaining that it was just too hot. Matthew had already been stung near the eyes once and been out of work for nearly a week.

You would think he would learn his lesson, Salmoneus thought. At first, he had nagged Matthew to wear the protective gear. Matthew had gotten nasty about it so now Salmoneus said nothing. This would definitely be the last batch for the salesman. Diana had learned to prepare the roots to make the tonic. So they can have the operation and good riddance too, the salesman thought. He was thoroughly disgusted with the whole thing.

*********************************************

It had found some of the Earth's people. Not the one it most wanted. But still, these were yosemin. This was a small group of about twenty or so. They were tainted with human blood and not very strong of mind. There were no healers here. It sent its unseen feelers out to search for her, but she was not here. Only these others. Its physical form stayed well hidden in the shadows. Once it would simply have taken on the human form and walked into the village. Not anymore. It had sacrificed that ability for power. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made to achieve a goal. So now it could split into two forms, the unseen spirit and the physical form. Its mother had been yosemin. Its father? It didn't know. The mother had refused to speak of him. The evil thing had once been a beautiful woman of human physical form, but no longer. Now it was more animal than human in form and mind. Deformed as much by hatred and anger as by any reason.

It delighted in the kill. The eruption of blood from these repulsive beings was like a tonic. And now, having become bolder with its success, it allowed its physical form to visit the scene of the carnage. The thing licked at the blood. And smearing it on its face, it danced with laughter in hysterical passion for the kill.

*********************************************

The old man was rocked by the force. Again, a large disturbance, more thoughts sent scurrying through the fabric of space. Perhaps I am too late, he thought. How many yosemin were left? Years ago, when he had first sought out the hidden cave he called home, he had often felt others of his race. But that was no longer true.

At first, he had deliberately shut out the feel of these unknown people of the Earth. Then much later, he had tried unsuccessfully to feel them. But they were no longer there. Their forests were diminishing due to human encroachment and the Earth's warming cycle. There were more diseases in the land now, brought to their shores by the ever growing population. The yosemin people had no natural immunity for many of these diseases. Other yosemins had been hunted down and killed like the ones of his own village. Some of them, especially the women, had been taken and sold into slavery or worse.

How many were left? He had no way of knowing. Now this once proud race, who had once numbered in the thousands, had dwindled to a very few. And these remaining few were being pursued by an evil, something. The old man could feel the evil growing stronger. Had it found the healer? He felt a moment of panic and opened his mind to search for her. He felt her still there and was comforted.

Heaving a sigh, he shoved his tired body up and continued on his way.

*********************************************

Sira also felt the disturbance. She didn't know what it meant, but it deepened her sense of foreboding. She had been working all day in her garden. She gathered the fruits and vegetables and brought them to the grove of trees to prepare them for preserving. The farm would not show a profit this year. They had taken it over too late in the year. But Sira had lived for eighty years, never having heard of a dinar. If Iolaus could hunt and she could glean from nature, they would never go hungry.

The yosemin people had grown corn and other crops. The corn provided their bread and so many other things.

She knew Iolaus would be late. Since Hercules had announced his intention of leaving soon, Iolaus had spent a great deal of time with his friend. She had encouraged him to. The hunter always asked her to accompany him, but she found excuses not to. Not that she wanted to avoid Hercules. On the contrary. But she felt the two men should have time together without her interference.

Besides, she had plenty to do here. She enjoyed the work, and took pleasure in her accomplishments.

She had stayed out in the grove late, wanting to finish the last of the squash. She stood up now and stretched her tired back. The sunset was beautiful. During the day, a few clouds had built up over the horizon. It had made the day sticky but had rewarded those who cared to notice with a show of finery to take to their beds.

Sira knew she should go in. She needed to start dinner. But she was reluctant to leave the scene before her. With a sigh, she bent to gather her things. When she looked to the horizon for one last look, the sky had darkened and the sun was down. Just a slight pink glow was left to remind her of the sky's past glory.

With resignation, she entered the house. It was too warm to close the door. Besides, she was reluctant to close out the beauty of the night. She placed her basket on the counter, humming a tune as she worked. Then sensing something, she turned.

Too late. She had been preoccupied with the tasks she still must perform, and with the beautiful sunset she had just left. She hadn't felt the presence soon enough.

A huge hand grabbed her throat and tightened. He shook her. "Where is he?" he demanded in a harsh whisper. He shook her again. "Where?!"

Sira knew this brute wanted Iolaus, and that he meant to kill him. She shut down her thoughts. She must not let their minds' touch summon him. But in shutting out Iolaus, she must also shut out her mind's ability to fight this man. In terror, Sira blocked her thoughts, perhaps more than she ever had. Her fear gave her a strength she didn't know she possessed.

He slapped her across the mouth. "Where is the little bastard? Where is Iolaus?"

Blood dripped from her split lip. "He is in Corinth," she lied.

He hit her again, and tightened the grip on her throat. "You lie. But no matter. He'll be back. I can wait."

Sira tried to struggle, but all it got her was another slap.

"You're a pretty little thing. You've got fight too, I like that. I heard Iolaus had taken a wife. Say, there aint much to you, is there?" He laughed at his own wit. "I may just enjoy waiting for your man. Nothing like sashaying with a pretty girl to set the mood."

He grabbed the neck of her dress and ripped. Sira struggled again and spit blood in the brute's face. He laughed and calmly wiped the bloody spittle from his cheek and smeared it down the front of her dress. Then he slapped her again.

"Such white skin," he whispered.

He forced his mouth onto hers. He smelled of wine and filth, his teeth decayed and brown. When he tried to force her mouth open with his tongue, she gagged. He slapped her again and she fell to the floor She was up like a cat. For a big man, he moved fast. He caught her again. Then he hit her once, twice, and still again.

"I'll enjoy using you," he sneered.

He tore her dress off both shoulders, exposing the underthings she wore. He reached to touch her. She kicked him and tried to scratch his face. He hit her with his fist. The more he hit her, the more she fought.

She was lightheaded. Her breath came in pants as she struggled to fill her lungs. She fought him like a cornered animal, but he still held her. He touched her and kissed her again. She bit his lip.

Iolaus and Hercules burst through the door. The man tried to throw Sira from him and grab the sword he had placed on the table. Taking up the sword, he again tried to throw her aside. While before, she had fought to be free, now she clung to him.

Iolaus lunged, and the brute would have run him through. But Sira, bending almost double, savagely bit the hand that held the sword. The brute lost the advantage and Iolaus hit him low down, coming in below the sword. The hunter plowed into the man, driving him back to crash against the wall. Crockery fell from a shelf over their heads and shattered on the floor. Sira, still clinging to the man, had fallen back also. Now she scrambled to get out of the way.

Hercules grabbed the man and threw him across the room. He hit the opposite wall. The house shook, and more crockery fell.

Sira, sprawled on the floor, still dizzy and muddled, whispered, "If they keep that up, I will not have anything to feed them dinner on."

Even through the fog in her mind, she realized it was a foolish thing to be concerned about at a time like this.

"Iolaus, take care of Sira," Hercules ordered.

As he stepped toward the man on the floor, the brute rose to meet him.

"Well, Tassasin, we meet again," the demigod sneered.

They circled, sizing each other up.

"So, Hercules, now I can kill you and that little bastard who killed my brother. Then I will take that little spitfire of a woman for myself."

Saying this, he lunged.

Hercules sidestepped, and received only a glancing blow to the ribs. The half man, half god threw a punch to the face, and followed it up with a left to the belly. But despite the force behind the blows, Tassasin didn't seem fazed. He grappled with Hercules, getting in two solid blows to the big man's ribs. Hercules threw him aside.

They circled each other again, and when Tassasin lunged this time, Hercules threw him over his shoulder. The brute landed on the table, smashing it. Hercules stepped in, and jerking Tassasin up, he threw two quick jabs to the ribs. The killer broke away and went for the demigod. The momentum knocked Hercules to the floor. But instead of rising, Hercules swung his leg around from where he crouched and knocked Tassasin's legs out from under him.

The brute fell with a thud. Hercules picked him up and punched him in the middle. Then he jabbed a quick left to the chin that sent Tassasin out the door to smash through the porch rail. He fell hard, and for the first time, realized that he might lose this fight.

Tassasin got slowly to his feet. He lunged again. For a moment, both men stood toe to toe, punching each other. Every punch from Hercules shook the warlord to the bone. He broke away and started to back up. Hercules came after him.

The killer's breath came in rapid puffs, and every breath hurt. He had lost a tooth or two. Now he just wanted to be anywhere but here. But when he would have run, Hercules grabbed him again and threw him. He landed hard near the grove of trees. Stumbling, he staggered up and turned to run. A tree root seemed to rise out of the ground to clutch at his feet. The brute stumbled and fell forward, landing on the table Ezekial had made for Sira. He fell through the top and was impaled on the antlers below.

The moon had risen, and just enough light filtered through the trees to make it possible for Hercules to see what had happened. He made sure the killer was dead then returned to the house. Iolaus and Sira were still on the floor where Iolaus had gone to her. The hunter cradled her to him and rocked her like a baby.

"I'm sorry, Sira. I'm sorry he hurt you."

He looked up at Hercules, a pleading look on his face.

"Let's get her into bed, Iolaus. I think we got here before he could hurt her too bad."

Sira was still lightheaded. The reaction to the attack had set in and she was now in shock. She said nothing as Iolaus picked her up and took her to their bed. He laid her down and started to rise. She grabbed at him.

"Do not let me go, Iolaus," she begged.

"Never, Sira," the hunter said, tears welling in his eyes. "I'll never let you go."

The healer was caked in blood from her lip and cheek where one of Tassasin's punches had cut it to the bone.

"Let's get this dress off of you and see how bad you're hurt," Iolaus suggested.

"No!" Sira screamed. "No. Please, not yet."

She was shivering

Iolaus held her shaking form. Slowly, she began to lower the barrier she had put on her mind. But with her thoughts freed, she began to remember and quickly put the barrier back up.

Hercules was concerned for the healer.

"Iolaus, can you handle this alone while I go for my mother? Sira might be more comfortable with another woman here."

"Yeah, that might be better." Then to the whimpering form he was cradling, "Shhh. I'm here. Everything's going to be all right. Alcmene is coming over. And if the mother of the great Hercules can't make things better, I don't know who can."

Sira smiled despite her fear and shock.

When Hercules returned with his mother, Alcmene took over. She shooed the men out. The older woman quickly cleaned Sira up and made her more comfortable. She was convinced that the healer had at least a couple of broken ribs. She was bruised and sore but Alcmene was certain that her young friend wasn't seriously injured. Throughout Alcmene's ministerings, Sira stared up at the ceiling and said nothing.

"Where's Tassasin?" Iolaus asked in a choked voice. "He and I have some unfinished business."

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait until you get to the other side before you finish that business, my friend," the big man answered.

"What do you mean by that?"

"He's dead, Iolaus. He was trying to get away and fell on that antler table in the grove." Hercules shook his head. "It was the strangest thing. It's as if that root reached up to trip him."

"What root are you talking about? Hercules, this is no time for jokes."

"I'm not joking, Iolaus. Come on. I'll show you."

Hercules took a lamp from the mantle, lit it, then headed to the grove. Iolaus followed. The big man examined the ground where Tassasin had tripped. The soil was disturbed but there was no protruding root that the killer could have tripped over. He looked again, searching the spot, and still found nothing. But plants and trees don't move on their own. Or do they?

"What is it, Hercules?" Iolaus asked.

"It would seem that Mother Earth protects her own," Hercules mused.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Iolaus questioned.

"Nothing, Iolaus. Nothing. You go ahead back to the house and I'll dispose of this rubbish."

Alcmene stayed the night, although Sira wouldn't let anyone touch her except Iolaus.

"I'm so sorry," he told her as he held her. "Please forgive me for bringing this on you."

"She hugged him tighter. "It is not your fault, my love.

Iolaus only shook his head.

"Where is he?" the healer asked.

"He's dead. He can't hurt you anymore." Then he told her what had happened.

Sira knew that she should be upset to hear of a life gone. But somehow, she couldn't feel anything but relief.

"How did you know to come? I closed my mind so that you would not know."

"Not fast enough, thank the gods. Hercules and I were on our way here. It was like a physical blow. I was blinded by a bright light and my mind actually hurt with the intensity of the call. Hercules felt it also. We got here as soon as we could."

Sira shivered. "He might have killed you, Iolaus."

Tears filled her eyes. She cried silently. And with the tears, the healing began, physically and mentally.

*********************************************

Hercules had been gone three days now. Iolaus missed him and was quiet and distant. Sira missed the demigod also, more than she had thought she would. He had been very sweet to her after the episode with Tassasin. He had told her about the root appearing to trip the killer. Sira took comfort in the knowledge. She had said her good-byes then. Despite knowing the big man didn't like her to touch his mind, she did so now. She let him feel her love for him. Her feelings for Hercules ran deep, and it was a hard thing to let him go.

Sira understood his pain, perhaps better than anyone else. These two had a lot in common. They were both different. Hers was a different race. Even with her own people she had been different because she was an empath and so very strong of mind. Some of her own people had been a little distant with her because of this.

Hercules was different because of who had fathered him. Both of them were strong of mind, and they were both a little uncomfortable with these things about themselves. They both had a deep seated compassion for living beings. Injustice was something they both loathed.

Sira, loving Iolaus so much, could understand the pain of the big man's losses. Then they had touched in a way Hercules hadn't dreamed was possible. It wasn't a thing of body or even of mind, but of soul. Their souls had touched and mingled and had found a common ground to grow in. What they had found in the other, they both liked.

Sira would gladly have helped Hercules if only he had asked. He hadn't. To force such a thing was not something she could or would do. His private thoughts were just that, private. Besides, Sira sensed that he wasn't ready to let go of his grief yet. He needed it to shield his feelings from further hurt.

When Hercules left, Sira sent her mind to him and he had responded.

"Call if you need me," she had mind spoke to him.

"And call if you need me," he had mind spoke back.

Sira was restless and moody. She wasn't sure why but she couldn't seem to shake the feeling. Iolaus was worried about her, He didn't know what to do to make her happier.

Then Ezekial lost his farm. He had in desperation paid the mayor off. And in doing so, he had been unable to pay the owner of the land. He had hoped for some more time, but the owner had a buyer. And since Ezekial was behind with the payment, he simply sent him packing.

The farmer took it well.

"It's a relief, really," he had said.

But no one wanted Ezekial and Winnie to leave. Winnie cried and cried. She was ten years old this month and she was sure her life was over.

Iolaus was as restless as Sira. He was sitting on the bench in her beloved grove of trees. He was relaxed and sleepy. His mind was drifting. He wished he could find a way to make Sira happy. It was as if the trees talked to him.

"Take her to the forest," they said. The wind stirred the trees, "Take her to the forest."

He jerked up. He would take her home, back to the place he knew she longed for. He realized at that moment how much he missed the high country himself.

What about the farm? It would need someone to work it and take care of it.

"Ezekial," he said aloud.

He said nothing to anyone. First he wanted to talk to Alcmene. She gave her wholehearted approval. Jason also agreed.

"If you think that's what Sira needs to get back to her old self, then you must do it," he stated. "I think Ezekial will take wonderful care of the farm, and Alcmene and I will keep a eye on things as well."

Next he spoke to the farmer. Ezekial was overwhelmed. He swore he would take good care of the place and that Iolaus shouldn't worry about a thing. He promised not to make any decision without first talking with Jason and Alcmene.

"I'm a good farmer. I don't always make the best decisions about money, but working for someone else, I'll be fine."

"I know you'll do a good job, my friend," Iolaus told him.

That night, after their evening meal, Iolaus took Sira to the grove of trees. He sat on the bench and she sat at his feet.

"Sira?" he asked. "How would you like to go on a little trip. I thought we could go down by Sorceress. There's a nice forested area there and it's far enough south that the winter is mild."

Sira got on her knees to face him. She looked into his eyes, searching his face for a moment.

"We really could, Iolaus? We could go to the forest?"

He nodded, and Sira laid her head on his lap and wept. He smoothed the hair from her cheek. He was touched by her depth of feeling. He explained about Ezekial and Winnie staying there to look after the farm.

"We can take Little Sal with us, and there need be no hurry to return."

They stayed the night in the grove of trees. Sira just couldn't stand the thought of smothering her joy inside four walls. Their lovemaking was sweet and tender. She forgot about Tassasin. She was going to the forest. Her joy spilled into their lovemaking. It was turning pink in the east before they slept.

*********************************************

They had made a camp near the edge of a meadow. There was a sizable river near them. When Iolaus had announced his intention of camping here for a time, Sira had fallen on her knees in the grass and blessed the soil. She said the Earth's prayer.

The two lovers swam and bathed in the river. There was a quiet pool near their camp. The weather held even though it was late in the year. Sira ran around in her underthings most of the time, her feet bare, her hair in a golden cascade down her back. They saw no one and were glad. At first, Little Sal scolded them for taking him away from his home. But now he seemed to be enjoying the adventure as much as his people.

Sira and Iolaus seldom left each other's side. As when they had first found each other they couldn't seem to get enough of each other.

Days passed. The weather had cooled and there had been a couple of days of rain. This only made it better to Sira. She forgot her feelings of unease. She shut out everything but the here and now, feeling only the forest, only Iolaus.

*********************************************

Salmoneus was tired. He had worked hard today. He wanted enough tonic to sell so that he could make enough dinars to keep him through the winter.

Matthew knew that the salesman was leaving soon. He didn't really care. They never had seen eye to eye. The salesman was always complaining and nagging about the stupid goggles and the gloves. Why couldn't he just relax and enjoy life? Matthew wondered. They could make enough money here to keep them in food and drink. Why couldn't that be enough for him?

The vine slapped across his eyes. Searing, stinging pain shot through his eyes and face. Matthew gasped and went to his knees. He couldn't see. He put his hand down on the vine and jerked it away. The pain was intense. He had to get out of these vines. He began to crawl.

He felt sick and lightheaded. Panic began to overtake him for he knew he was going to pass out.

Salmoneus found him just as night descended. When Matthew hadn't returned from the forest, the salesman had gone searching for him.

*********************************************

Sira, laying in Iolaus' arms, started.

"What is it, Sira?" Iolaus asked.

"Salmoneus," Sira said. "No, not him. Someone he knows. I feel him. He is close by. South of here, I think."

"Yes, he was coming this way," Iolaus confirmed. "He was looking for Prevalian root."

"Someone is hurt, Iolaus."

"Sira, you don't mean..."

He let his question trail off. He knew what she meant all too well.

"I cannot help it, Iolaus," she whispered. "You know that."

"I know. It's just that we were having so much fun, just the two of us." He sighed. "I like Salmoneus. But right now, I could do without him quite nicely."

"I know, my love. But I cannot ignore it. He needs me."

Iolaus groaned. "We can be ready to leave within the hour."

"No, I feel no real urgency. Tomorrow will be soon enough." She kissed him and sent her mind to his. "I have other plans for now."

He rolled her over, pinning her beneath him. He kissed her nose, her chin, her eyes. Her lips parted on his, and they both forgot about Salmoneus.

*******************************************

Hercules sat at a bench at an inn. He had traveled far on this day and was tired, hungry, and thirsty. He had deliberately avoided civilization when he had first left his mother's place. He had enjoyed the solitude. But now he had sought company.

"Innkeeper!" shouted a belligerent voice. "Hey, innkeeper! How about some service here?"

There was loud laughter.

"Send that daughter of yours. She's a lot better looking than you."

More laughter.

"Her face aint, but her body is."

There was more laughter, and a mug went crashing against a wall.

Hercules sighed. He hated men who acted like this, men who couldn't hold their drink and thought they had to show off for their friends.

A girl hurried to bring them more ale. One of the group tried to fondle her and she slapped his hand away. He came off the stool, ready to hit her. He never landed the blow. Instead, he found himself lying up against the wall.

"Hey! What the Hades did you do that for?" the loudmouth whined at Hercules.

"Because you annoy me. That's why," was the demigod's reply.

"Why, I'll..." The loudmouth started to rise.

"No!" one of his friends shouted. "That's Hercules."

The loudmouth slumped back to the floor, all fight gone out of him.

"I'm sorry, Hercules," he whined. "I didn't know it was you."

"Why don't you find some place to sleep it off?" Hercules suggested.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's what I need, to sleep it off."

Hercules deliberately turned his back on the man. If he still felt like making an issue of it, he could have at it.

The demigod sat back at the table he had vacated moments ago. The loudmouth and his friends stumbled out the door, singing some off key tune. Hercules, taking a sip of his ale, let his muscles relax.

A man approached the demigod.

"You're Hercules?" he asked.

"Yes," was the reply.

The big man could feel what was coming. It had happened too many times before for him not to.

The man pleaded. "Please, you've got to help."

The son of Zeus could feel his blood start to stir. Here it was again. "Help me Hercules." What could it be this time? A village in trouble? A new monster to tame? Hera up to her tricks again?

Yes, this I understand, the half man, half god thought. Helping those in need. Using his physical strength, not his mind. No mind's touch. Only physical touch, and then only in the form of a punch, most likely. The big man smiled to himself. He recognized this feeling. The urge to fight. The need to hit something. To make something move. Not in destruction, but in the love of a good battle. Plotting wit against wit. How many times had he and his opponent later shared a drink over the very tables they had just smashed.

He enjoyed using his fighting skills. Perhaps Sira was right and he could be a sort of healer. But he was also a warrior. A fighting man.

He realized that he had been lost in thought a long time, and the stranger was looking at him in a questioning way.

"What's the trouble, stranger?" Hercules asked at last.

"My village. People are dropping like flies." The man wiped his hand across his eyes as if to wipe the scene he was picturing away. "There's no reason for it. Just pain, then they start bleeding and they die."

"A disease," Hercules concluded. "I can't help you with a disease. There's nothing I can do about sickness."

The man shook his head. "No, it's no sickness. You can feel the evil there. It's someone or something that's doing this. It's like a force of evil. It touches you and you're dead." The man took a shuttering breath. "It's no sickness," he repeated.

"You felt it and you're not dead," the demigod challenged.

"It didn't touch me. A bunch of us fled. It was so terrible. Like sheep we ran from it. There was no way to fight it. We couldn't see it. It was evil. That's all I can say." He took a deep breath. "We're afraid to go back," He choked on a sob. "We need to bury our dead."

"Has anyone been back there since?"

"A woman went back the next morning. We tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen. She couldn't find her daughter. The woman never returned."

Hercules hesitated. He couldn't do anything about a sickness. He didn't want to go striding into some disease ridden village and get sick himself. But it was as if he had no choice. He knew he was going even before the man had finished talking.

He stood up.

"I'll probably regret this," he said as he motioned for the man to lead on. "What's your name, stranger?"

"I'm Vertous. My daughter and her family lie dead in that village. We just want the evil gone so we can bury our dead and try to go on with our lives."

"I'll do what I can, my friend."

The big man laid his hand briefly on Vertous' shoulder. He never knew what to say at times like these.

*********************************************

Iolaus and Sira were on their second day of travel. The further south they traveled, following the salesman's summons, the drier the country became. The forest was made up of oaks and scrub brush now rather than pines. There were thickets of thorns, and plants with needles that bit into the skin.

Sira often lost the trail of Salmoneus' thoughts. She realized he wasn't consciously calling her. He had simply allowed his thoughts to dwell on the healer and her healing powers. His anxiety had given his thoughts strength, enabling her to sense them.

She had tried unsuccessfully to contact him. She felt no real urgency in the thoughts and feelings she received. Whatever had caused the salesman to feel the need for a healer, it wasn't life threatening.

Out of necessity, they traveled slowly. Sira kept her mind open, but the thoughts were not strong, and not always there. She was afraid that they would go too far and add miles to their journey.

They found Salmoneus more by chance than design. His camp was in a small valley near a huge grove of tall trees. The smoke of the fire clung to the ground, the cool damp air holding it there. A dog barked at their approach and Little Sal raised his fur.

Salmoneus stepped out of a hut and came towards them.

"Praise the gods. Sira, Iolaus, what are you doing here? I can't believe this. I've thought of you so much lately."

"I know, Salmoneus," Sira smiled at him. She gave him a hug. "It is good to see you, my friend."

"Do you mean I called you here?" At her nod, he continued. "I didn't mean to. But I'm very glad you're here."

Iolaus grasped the salesman's hand. "What happened to make you need Sira, my friend?"

"Come to my hut and I'll fill you in. I'm really glad you're here," he repeated.

Sira noticed two small heads poking out of the entrance to the other hut. Four small eyes watched her as she passed.

Salmoneus lived well despite the remote location of his camp. The salesman enjoyed comfort, and had made a small oasis in his hut. The hut had a wooden floor and a wooden frame, the sides and roof were of tarps fastened to the wooden sides. There were mats on the floor, thick fur rugs, and overstuffed cushions to sit on. The only furnishings were his cot and a small table.

"Sit, my friends," Salmoneus invited. "Shall I get us some wine?"

Sira refused the wine but gladly accepted a mug of cool water.

When the salesman was settled, he pointed to Little Salmoneus. "What's this?" he asked.

Cat and man eyed each other in mutual suspicion.

"This," Sira said, "is Little Salmoneus."

Salmoneus the man, looked pleased. "You named your cat after me? No doubt because he is a superior example of the male race."

Iolaus laughed out loud. "No. Actually, she named him that because he moans and complains as much as you do."

Sira tried to hide her laughter but was afraid she didn't do a very good job.

Salmoneus changed the subject. "The reason I called you here, no matter how unconsciously, is because of Matthew."

The salesman told them about Matthew and the Oliaf sting.

"The sting can be very painful, and it often makes a person sick for days if the sting is bad. Matthew's stings are bad. We've been bathing his eyes, hand, and arm in Canfuss. It's taken most of the pain out of the sting, but Matthew is quite blind." The salesman sighed. "He brought this on himself by being stupid and mule headed. But despite our differences, I still wouldn't wish this on him.

"There's his family to consider as well. They'll never make it on their own. His wife is a nice person, but maybe just a bit slow on the uptake." He shook his head. "I wish I had never started this business."

Sira laid her hand on his arm. "You must not blame yourself, Salmoneus. I will do what I can to help. But I must ask a favor of you." She paused. "I want you to talk to Matthew and his wife. Tell them about me and what I can do. You know that some people are frightened of yosemins. I cannot help him if he will not trust me."

Salmoneus nodded. "Right now, I think they would walk across the desert on their hands if they thought it would help."

The salesman proved to be right. Both Matthew and his wife were anxious to have Sira help them. Salmoneus introduced them. Matthew's wife Diana proved to be a friendly type. Her mind was slow, and Sira, after her first attempt to touch her mind, gave up. Matthew was intoxicated.

"He must be sober for me to help him," Sira explained.

"It's only because he is in such pain," Diana explained. "It's hard to live with that and the blindness. The drink helps him forget."

"Do not give him anymore. When he is clear headed, I will try to help him."

It was the next day before Sira felt safe in touching her mind to Matthew's. It wasn't an easy healing. His mind was so chaotic. He couldn't seem to stay with one thought. Sira explained over and over again the importance of staying with her and helping in the healing. She couldn't transfer until he could focus his thoughts.

Until She could do the transfer, there was no need to continue the physical touch. She took several breaks. Trying to corral Matthew's thoughts was a stressful process and the empath couldn't let herself get too tired. If she ever got the chance to transfer, she would need her strength.

Matthew was cranky and blamed the healer for her inability to truly help him. She tried to explain the danger to both of them should the bond be broken after she had transferred.

After three days of healing, Matthew's eyes were only a little better. He was in no pain. The stings were healed but his eyesight was still not good.

Sira told Iolaus that this would be the last healing.

"If I cannot transfer, I can do no more for him."

"I'm sorry Sira," Iolaus told her. "I know how much it hurts you. I know you wanted to help him. But you can't blame yourself."

"I know, my love. But you are right. It hurts. His family deserves better. But I really think Matthew is enjoying the attention he gets as a blind man. He likes people waiting on him."

Iolaus held her. There really wasn't anything he could say to help her feel better. But he could give her some of his strength, and hope his love would help.

Salmoneus and Little Sal had become fast friends. Salmoneus carried the cat draped around his shoulders. The salesman was busy finishing up the last of the Prevalian root so that he could start the tonic. Sira knew there was really nothing medicinal about the tonic. It was a pretty red color and it was intoxicating, like a strong wine, but it did nothing to heal. Of course Salmoneus didn't care if people got well drinking it, as long as he made money selling it.

**********************************************

Hercules smelled the village long before he could see it. He took a bandanna from his pocket and covered his nose and mouth. He went slowly on. This is foolish, he told himself. This is some kind of sickness. Get out of here before you get sick. But he didn't stop.

The first body that he and Vertous came to was that of a young woman. Her body was torn and broken as if an animal had attacked her.

"That's the woman that went looking for her daughter," Vertous explained. "What in Hades happened to her?"

Hercules approached the body. He didn't want to, but he knew he must. Then it hit him. Evil, almost like a wall. He backed away.

"Vertous, maybe you had better go on back to your camp. I'll come for you when I have something to tell you."

"You felt it, didn't you? Now you see what I mean. This is no sickness."

"All right, Vertous. Go on back. I'll do what I can," the demigod promised.

Probably some animal had attacked her. She was most likely already dead when it happened. The animals would have been attracted by the smell of death. Hercules looked up. That's odd. No vultures. He took a deep breath. There was something very odd about this whole business. He remembered well where he had felt this evil before, in the clearing where Iolaus had been left for dead by Tassasin, the evil Sira had feared so much.

He was close to the village now. He saw a body near a shed. This body lay unmolested. No animals had touched it. He continued on, and began to see more of the dead. He didn't get too close to them but he could tell that they were like the second body he had encountered. These were unharmed by scavengers. This in itself was ominous. These people had fallen where they stood. The body by the well still clung to a bucket. A couple by a cottage were still holding hands as if they had just stepped out for a stroll. There were great stains of blood surrounding the corpses, like their bodies had just opened up and let all their life giving fluid flow from them. The body of the unfortunate mother had had no stain around it. It looked as if she had died differently than the others.

The demigod's skin crawled, and he shuddered. He was filled with revulsion but he forced himself to approach the body by the well. Swallowing his nausea, he turned the body over. There were no wounds or injuries. The blood seemed to have poured from their mouths and noses. He stood up. "What in the name of the gods on Olympus has caused this?"

The half man, half god walked on. He could sense the evil here as well. It hung over the village with a stench that mixed and mingled with the smell of death and decay.

Hercules retched, then retched again. He wanted to be anywhere but here. He had to force himself to continue on. When he was almost through the village, he found that a few people had already ventured back to their homes and were already digging graves.

He gave a few coins to a boy and asked him to let Vertous know it was save to return.

The evil seemed to grow weaker the longer he was in the village. Or maybe I'm just getting used to it, he mused.

An old woman, bent and crooked with age, was trying to drag the body of an old man out of her cottage. Hercules went to her and offered to help.

"Oh yes, young man. Please help me," she sobbed.

The demigod couldn't bring himself to touch the body. He had seen how the dead flesh had come away in the old woman's hands. He took a blanket from the cottage, and wrapping the body in it, he carried it to a grassy knoll behind the cottage and laid it gently on the ground. He took the shovel from the old woman and began to dig a grave. The old woman folded herself slowly to sit on the ground next to the bundle lying there. Tears rolled slowly down her face as she gently caressed the blanket like she might have soothed a sick child. Hercules felt the heaviness of grief in his heart.

When the body was lowered into the grave, he waited while the old woman said a few words. Then he began to shovel the dirt over the body of the man.

"I can cover the grave with stones so the vermin can't get to the body," he offered.

"Haven't you noticed?" the old woman asked. "There are no vermin. No vultures, nothing. Even the songs of the insects are silent now." She shook her head. "They all fled when the evil came. This ground is tainted with the stench of the dead, and with evil and sorcery."

Later, Hercules sat on a rock. He stretched his muscles then let his head slump forward to rest for a moment on his chest. He was tired. Weariness lay heavily in every muscle. He had helped so many people bury their dead. Vertous had sought him out and the big man had helped him dig three graves for his family.

There was so much death here. The air was filled with grief and the cries of those left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.

**********************************************

The old man walked along slowly. He was repulsed by what he saw, his sensitive mind overwhelmed by the pain and suffering he couldn't seem to shut out. And over it all, the evil was there. The force was gone but its smell seemed to permeate the air.

The old one approached Hercules.

Hercules watched him approach through squinted eyes. The ancient one was stooped with age. His hair, completely white, hung to his knees in two even braids down his crooked back. He carried a cane as if it were a part of him. He leaned heavily on it at each step. The stick was made from a gnarled and twisted piece of root. The burl handle was worn smooth by time and much handling.

The old man stopped just before the son of Zeus. The demigod looked down at the old man's bare feet then up into the still clear blue eyes.

*******************************************

Sira explained again to Matthew the importance of staying with her. She explained to both Diana and Matthew that this would be the last time she would do a healing, and that Matthew's eyes would not get better.

Diana took Sira aside. "Isn't there something more you can do?" she begged.

"Not if he will not help me, Diana. It is just too dangerous." What Sira didn't say was that, with Matthew's mind so chaotic, he could really hurt her.

She started the healing. But as on the other occasions, his mind was not with the healing. She shook her head at Iolaus. Diana went to her knees at her husband's side and took his hand.

"Please, Matthew," she pleaded. "You must try. We need you so much. I love you. Please try."

Finally Matthew did try. Sira was at last able to do the transfer. She could finally reach deep enough to touch his mind and make the bond. She felt no pain. The pain of the sting was gone. Sira looked up, and try as she might, she couldn't see a thing. She was quite blind now. She knew a moment of panic, then calmed herself. This would pass.

She led the young man in the transfer and the return to his own mind. She sent healing to Matthew to help him with his need of drink, and sent strength to him. She doubted she could make any real difference in this but she tried anyway.

Now she must continue the physical contact. She felt confined in the cramped space of the hut. She had Matthew on the dirt floor of the hut so that she could enlist the help of her mother Earth. She wished now that she had started this outdoors.

Little Sal came to visit her once. Sira couldn't see him but she could sense him and could enjoy the feel of his fur under her hand. She talked to him and heard him purr at her side. He only stayed for a few minutes then went back to Salmoneus. These two were becoming inseparable. If Little Sal wasn't there all the time, the salesman went looking for him. If Salmoneus got too far out of Little Sal's sight, the cat went in search of him.

Sira healed Matthew for three more days before she began to heal herself. Iolaus helped her with personal needs and was always there for her. Helping with the healing or just touching her so she wouldn't be so frightened by her blindness. Sira felt remorse that she had been so hard on Matthew. She hadn't realized just how frightened he had been by the darkness he had suddenly found himself in. Slowly her eyes began to improve. Matthew's eyes were much improved. Sira would be glad to break physical contact. Matthew's confused thoughts were very hard on her. Any disruption and he lost his focus. Finally, out of self defense, Sira had ordered Diana and the children to stay away until after the physical break.

When Sira made the break finally, she was exhausted by the constant struggle to keep Matthew's mind focused. Matthew's eyes were greatly improved but not completely healed. He would never have as keen an eyesight as before the sting. His mind was just too out of focus to allow complete healing. Iolaus helped Sira to her feet and then led her to a spring near the camp and helped her bathe. When they were done, he took her to Salmoneus' hut where she fell into a deep healing sleep almost at once.

*********************************************

"You sense the evil?" The old man asked of Hercules.

"Yes, I feel it," was the suspicious reply.

"Come walk with me," the old one said. "I would have a word with you."

Hercules did as he was bid and followed the old man. The ancient one had not waited to see if he was followed.

The demigod's brow furrowed at the old one's back. "Where are you taking me, old one?" Hercules asked.

"Away from the smell and away from what I sense here."

Finally he stopped. He took his time getting comfortable on a log he had stopped by.

"Sit, my son," he motioned to Hercules.

The old one sensed a strong mind in this one. He also sensed the healer's thoughts somehow attached to this man.

"What is it you wish of me, old one?" the half man, half god asked.

"You wish to find the cause of that back there?" he asked as he motioned his head to indicate the village they had just left.

"Yes. It needs to be stopped. Somehow I don't see it ending here."

The yosemin nodded. "Our minds are as one in that, young man."

"And so?" the big man asked.

The old one hesitated. He was on uncertain ground here. This was a human he sensed, although there was something more. He definitely sensed something of the healer he searched for here.

Making up his mind he said, "I search for someone. A healer of my people. I sense her about you."

"Sira."

The old man nodded. "Yes." The old yosemin sensed that this Sira was the one he sought. "I search for this Sira."

"Why?" Hercules asked.

"Because we are of a kind. Because this evil you have seen and felt here today searches for her and all our people." The old man sighed. "It must be stopped, and it will take strong minds to stop it."

Hercules knew the old one spoke the truth. He had known this was the same evil he had felt before. Sira had been right then. It was looking for her.

"Yes, young man. It will find her. You have seen what it is capable of."

Hercules didn't notice the intrusion on his mind. He was too absorbed in thought.

"Can it be stopped?"

The old man sighed. "I must be honest. I do not know. I do not know yet what we are dealing with. I need to speak with the healer. We must find out what this evil is, and why it wants us dead."

"Not just you yosemin dead, it would appear," Hercules said, looking back toward the village they had just left.

"I think it does that for sport as much as anything. It has no regard for life."

"You call that sport?" Hercules shouted, jumping to his feet. What I saw here today will haunt me forever."

Unperturbed by the demigod's outburst, the old man nodded.

"I feel the pain also. I am simply saying that this evil does not. Or if it feels the pain, it likes what it feels. Which is all the more reason to stop it, if we can." The old one lifted his eyes to look at the half man, half god standing before him. "You will help us?"

Hercules calmed himself. He studied the old one's face a moment. Now he felt the light touch on his mind. It reminded him of Sira's gentle touch.

"Yes, I will help in any way I can," was his reply.

*********************************************

Sira woke from a two day sleep. She felt refreshed and her sight was fully restored. She held Iolaus' face in her hands a moment, studying it. The angle of his jaw, the texture of his skin, the little scar on his temple were so beautiful to her.

"What is it, Sira?" the hunter asked.

"I wanted to be sure I could never forget your face," she whispered.

He held her. "I'm glad your back. Let's go home."

"To the farm you mean?"

"Only for a little while. Then to the forest. That's your real home. I had no right to take you from it."

Sira tried to interrupt but he continued on.

"I thought you would want a home near people. I thought you would want to make money to buy the little fancy things women want. I forgot for a time that you're not an ordinary woman."

He smiled and sent his love to her so that she would know there was no malice in his words.

"You would do this for me?" she whispered.

"Not just for you. For me also. I'm no more ready to be a farmer than you are to be a farmer's wife. I miss the wild high places. We will never be completely happy away from them. You told me that not so long ago. I just forgot."

Tears filled the healer's eyes. "I will take very good care of you, my love. We will never go hungry." She smiled at him.

"We'll never be rich. But you're right. We won't starve. And somehow, riches don't seem very important. Will you come with me?"

"I will follow you where ever you go, and live with you where ever you choose to live. Forever, my love. Forever."

*********************************************

Little Sal was not a happy cat. He knew his people were leaving. Sira and Iolaus were going to return, at least briefly, to their farm. They had agreed that they would give the farm to Ezekial and Winnie. Salmoneus was soon off to find a likely place to sell his tonic.

Sira for one, was most ready to leave. After she had awakened from the healing sleep, Matthew had avoided her. He was drunk most of the time now. Diana had sought Sira out. She had cried and clung to Sira's hand.

"He was like this before. In fact, Matthew had gotten into some trouble. That's why we left our village. But once we got away, he was so much better. I thought he had changed. Somehow I guess I never really believed it."

Sira couldn't help feeling remorse that she had been unable to help the man with these things. But he really didn't want to be helped. Iolaus had threatened to clean his plow but Sira had discouraged him in this. It really wouldn't change anything.

"It does not really matter," Sira told him. "I know I did my best."

"He almost seems to hate you," Iolaus stated. "Why, when you tried to help him?"

"Because he knows that I understand him. We have touched feelings he would rather keep hidden. Human emotions are so complex. It happens like this sometimes."

"No wonder you avoid humans. They want you to heal them then resent it when you do."

"There are those of weak will in any race." She smiled. "I know one human I would never avoid."

He hugged her and they both forgot about Matthew and his problems.

Later, Little Sal came to Sira where she knelt on the ground, packing their bags. She picked him up. But rather than enjoying it as he usually did, the healer sensed the cat's unease. She opened her mind to the cat and let her thoughts flow to him. She smiled a sad smile.

"All right, Little Sal. I love you and want you to be happy. You may choose whom you wish to stay with."

She set him on the ground and stood beside him. He rubbed his face against her legs. Sira bent and rubbed behind his ears.

Iolaus came up to her. They had said their good-byes to Salmoneus already.

"Ready to go, my love?"

Sira nodded. Little Sal walked to Salmoneus and jumped into his arms.

"Take care of Little Sal for me, Salmoneus. He has made his choice."

"What? No, wait. I don't want a cat. Sira, wait," he shouted.

But Sira didn't wait. She waved to Salmoneus and walked on so that he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes.

"Well, you stupid cat, you've done it now," Salmoneus scolded. "What am I going to do with you?" .

But Sira could hear the pleasure in the salesman's voice. He had hated to see the cat go. Not that he would have admitted it.

Iolaus took Sira's hand. "I'm sorry, my love. I know he meant a lot to you."

Sira smiled through her tears. "It is all right. He made his choice. There will be other pets. It would have been selfish of me to try and keep him when he would be more happy with Salmoneus."

Iolaus brought the hand he held to his lips and planted a kiss on her knuckles.

"I think the cat must be daft to pick Salmoneus over you. I never would have," he grinned at her.

*********************************************

The old man eased his position on the log. "Do you know where Sira is now?" he asked of Hercules.

"At their farm, I believe," was the reply.

"How long would it take to reach this farm?"

"Less than a week, I would say."

Hercules had added a couple of days to the travel time. If the old yosemin was going to travel with him, he would slow things down a little.

"Why don't you just call her with your mind, old one?"

"You know of these things then?"

"Yes, I know."

"I have tried. But I have never mindlinked with her before. There seems to be a barrier of some kind on her mind."

You have never mindlinked with her, but I have," Hercules offered.

"Yes. With your permission, I could channel my thoughts through your mind link with her."

I don't know that we have a mind link, but I want her and Iolaus warned. If we can somehow achieve this through my mind, then we must try."

"There is a link between you two. I can feel her about you. She may have closed her intrusion on your mind, but the link is still there." The old man rubbed a knuckle across the stubble on his chin. "You are right. She needs to be warned, and as quickly as possible. I feel she holds the key to this evil thing's destruction."

The old man laid his hand on the demigod's arm. He closed his eyes and began to sway.

"You are very strong of mind, my young friend. You should not put such a lock on the mind's touch. It could soothe and heal your troubled soul."

Hercules began to feel uncomfortable with the touch of the old man's mind on a part of his that he wished to hide away.

"All right," said the old man. "You are right. It is none of my business. But I must use a part of your thoughts to make this work. And in humor now, "Do not worry. I will not storm the locked gates. Relax now, young man. Let your mind be still and open. Think of your thoughts touching Sira. See them moving out over the Earth to seek out their destination."

*********************************************

Sira was washing roots in a small stream. She dropped the roots and closed her eyes. Iolaus was watching her, and he saw the look on her face. He went to her but didn't disturb her. He knew she was touching another's mind. Not another healing, I hope, he thought to himself. But she didn't seem distressed.

He knelt beside her and touched her arm. Using some of the techniques she was teaching him, he opened his mind to her. She pulled it to her and guided it to the thoughts she perceived.

Sira felt the thoughts of the old man and knew them for the vague feelings she had felt behind the evil. She now realized that he was not a part of the evil. And realizing this, she opened her mind to him. She felt Hercules and knew these two were together. She let her joy of this union of the four minds linked as one, flow to the others.

She felt the thoughts about the village Hercules had just spent so much time digging graves in and sent her own grief to mingle with that of the others. She again felt the evil, and knew it for what it was. She hadn't forgotten the evil thing that had pursued her. She had tried to but it was always there behind her conscious thoughts. It had remained with her like a bothersome itch.

She took strength in the communication with one of her own. She hadn't realized how much she missed the freedom of mind it afforded her.

"We must come together to stop this thing," the old yosemin told her with his mind.

"I am not sure if we can stop it," Sira mind spoke. "My people could not stop it even with their collective minds."

"Still, my daughter, we must try."

He had used the yosemin address of clan to her, and it was like a salve to a wound.

Sira sent her agreement to him. "Yes, we must try, my Father."

Somehow, Sira had known this day would come. Somehow she had known she must battle the evil. Why her mother Earth had spared her for this, she could never guess. But that it was for her, she believed.

Sending added strength to her thoughts, she brought the thoughts of Hercules and Iolaus together so that they might find each other by the land they would cross. She and the old yosemin would find each other by mind.

Sira felt an urgency. The thing was growing in strength. She must battle it now before it became even stronger, and before it could harm anymore innocent people.

When they put up their barriers, Sira and the old man kept their minds linked. It was necessary to help locate each other, but Sira also kept the link open because, having once felt another of her kind, she couldn't bear to lose the touch. And, she admitted to herself, she was afraid. Afraid of the evil, and afraid that she might not be strong enough to stop it.

And if she couldn't stop it?

No, she told herself. She must not think of this. No matter what it might take, it must be stopped. No matter what, she repeated to herself.

With this in mind, Sira began to exercise her mind. She began to build her strength. A yosemin's mind was strong by nature, their telepathic powers inbred. Strength of mind differed with the individual.

The strength of the ancestor often determined the strength of the present generation. Sira's ancestors were those of strength. Her grandparents' mating was arranged to produce offspring of strength and empathic powers. Sira's own parents were very strong of mind. Sira had never known her father except in the stories she had been told. He had died young, killed while trying to turn the direction of a raging forest fire. Her mother had been very strong of mind while not an empath.

But even with the natural strength of mind born to the people of the forest, they could enhance these powers with exercise.

Over the distance that separated the two yosemins, came instructions from the old one to the young one. His mind was disciplined and channeled with time and experience. Sira grabbed onto the offered assistance like a lifeline and gladly accepted the guidance.

Iolaus sensed Sira's fear. "You're sure about this, my love?" he asked.

He couldn't hide his own fear for her. It crept into his voice despite his effort to keep it out.

"I cannot run anymore. Too many have been hurt by this creature. Not only my flight from it when I left my village, and again when we left the clearing where we found each other, but even before this, when my grandmother refused to stand and fight it. For you see, this thing started with her."

"Why does it search for you and the other yosemin?" he asked her. What is it after?"

The healer took a deep breath. "Revenge," was her whispered reply.

The time had come to be honest. Time now to include the others in the story her grandmother had told her as she lay dying.

Sira opened her mind and let the other yosemin feel her thoughts. She lightly touched the mind of Hercules. Finding it open, she brought his mind to hers so that he might understand. She let Iolaus feel her mind as well, and then because he sometimes found her mind speech difficult to follow, she also used her voice.

"My grandmother was a great healer, the best my people had seen in many generations. There were stories of yosemins of old who possessed the strength of mind she had, but no one lived now who could say for sure. Our people have their legends and myths as all people do. Some of our own village doubted the power my grandmother could bring to bear. But the elders did not doubt. They saw in her a second chance for our people.

We were slowly dwindling, and our powers were growing weaker, it seemed, with each generation. So when my grandmother was of an age to take a mate, one was chosen for her, one who possessed unusual strength of mind himself.

"When my mother was yet a baby, my grandmother was called upon to do a healing. The healing was on a human who was gravely ill. His wife was part yosemin and had come to our village seeking help because she had heard of a great healer there. The woman was a sorceress. She had tried to help her husband with her magic but it had failed."

Sira took a deep breath and took a moment to gather her thoughts. "Grandmother did not want to do the healing. She sensed something that she did not like. But she had led a very sheltered life and knew nothing of sorcery and witchcraft.

"Then she made the mistake of allowing her mind to touch the mind of the sick man. You know how it is. She could not say no. Just as I could not turn my back on you, Iolaus. My grandmother had no choice. She had to heal. She was drawn to the healing by a force she did not understand. So she agreed to come with the wife to the remote island that the witch called home and heal the husband.

"My grandmother was frightened. She had never been away from home. She had never done a healing alone. Always before, there had been other healers and elders of the clan to help her. Still she felt compelled to go. She could not say no to this healing.

"Now you must understand how it was for her. She was young, and her training was incomplete. She was mated with one who was not her soulmate. A healer must be very careful in things like this, because she could never know when she might find her soulmate in a healing and be left with only half a soul should she turn her back on the soulmate.

"My grandmother took one look at the man and knew. She asked to be taken back to her village. If she did not do the healing, there was still a chance for her soul to stay intact. Not so, should she open her mind and soul completely to him in the healing. To save him, she knew her commitment to him must be a total one. But the wife insisted. And her powers tended to the evil. My grandmother was afraid for herself. She was alone on this remote island. Besides, she knew she could never really turn away. Already she was mindlinked to this man.

"When she began her healing, she realized his illness had come from the wife's own sorcery. The wife had not meant him harm. But somehow, her attempt to make him bonded to her completely had gone wrong, and he had been left ill."

Sira stopped long enough to take a drink from her flask. She was unused to using her voice for such a long time. Then she continued. "My grandmother did her best to try and keep her feelings out of the healing. She had been trained in this. Of course it was no use. The man was gravely ill, and my grandmother must battle the evil sorcery that had made him this way as well as the illness. Iolaus, you understand how it can be. It is impossible to resist, really. You remember how it is. Could you have resisted?"

"No, my love. I think I must have loved you even before I met you. I felt as if I had been searching for you all my life." He took her hand. "I will always remember that first touch. Sick as I was, I felt it even then."

Sira nodded. "So it was with my grandmother and this man. She could not help it. She tried. But it just happened."

"Sira, I understand. You don't have to justify her to me."

Reassured, Sira continued. "It took weeks for the healing itself, and several more weeks before my grandmother could or would make the physical break. She knew she must leave him when the healing was over and she could not bring herself to. She could not stand the thought of losing him. Of course, when the physical break came, there was no hiding how the two lovers felt about each other.

"The wife went mad. She was unstable to begin with, but with the evidence of her husband's infidelity so apparent, she went insane. While my grandmother slept the healing sleep, he spirited her away. Somehow, while the witch conjured up something evil in her chambers, he was able to get my grandmother away.

"They fled to the mainland, but the sorceress followed. Grandmother sensed her coming and they ran again. Over and over, they would lose her, and over and over again she would find them. They could never stay for long in any one place. Always, they must watch and fear. My grandmother could not return to her village. She had deserted her husband and child to be with her lover. She was also afraid she might lead the evil to them. Perhaps if she had returned, together, they could have stopped the witch. The collective mind can be very powerful.

"Over the years, the sorceress grew stronger. My grandmother realized that she must stop her before her powers grew any stronger. The problem was, she was a healer. To harm someone deliberately was very hard for her. And she felt guilt for having stolen her husband. We yosemin, especially the healers, can do great harm to another's mind if we are not careful. Not all the prejudices your people have for mine are unfounded. There have been times when we have defended ourselves and caused harm to another's mind. My grandmother knew she could do so. But it is very hard to set aside all the training and the generations of compassion that have gone into the conscious mind of a healer."

Sira paused. This part was hard for her. But they must understand if they were to help her. Taking a breath, she continued. "The next time the sorceress found them, my grandmother fought her. She used her mind to hurt her. My grandmother had planned to kill her, but when the time came, she could not bring herself to do so. She did hurt her however, and the witch fled.

Rather then pursue her with her mind and eliminate her completely, my grandmother let her go. But within hours, she was back. And this time, my grandmother felt the insanity in her. She had gone completely mad. What little sanity may have remained, my grandmother's first attack had eliminated. My grandmother fought her again, and again could not bring herself to kill her. The sorceress vowed revenge on my grandmother and all yosemin. Unable to do any real harm to my grandmother, she fled again with a promise to return when she had grown stronger.

"When Grandmother's lover died of old age, she returned to her village. She had not meant to stay because she wanted no harm to come to her people. She had returned to the only possible comfort she had remaining. Her soul was torn at the loss of its mate. In a way, she almost wished her people would shun her, punish her for all the things she had done against the Earth mother. But the people were not angry with her. They welcomed her back with joy. The elders knew how it could be for a healer having once found her soulmate.

Grandmother stayed a summer, and her soul began to heal. This turned into another summer, and still she remained. She was afraid to send her mind out to search for the sorceress for fear the witch would find her and the village. So she kept her thoughts safely hidden behind a barrier and the many thoughts of the other yosemin.

"My grandmother had returned to find her daughter grown, with a baby of her own. It was my grandmother who had first felt the healing power in me. Our minds were linked from that first time she had touched my hand with a finger and I had grabbed a hold of it and smiled at her.

"She could not bear to leave her people so she tried to forget about the threat of the sorceress and be happy.

"Then just before I found you, Iolaus, the witch found my grandmother. She poisoned the forest and the water with an evil spell of some kind. I was in the sleep following a healing and had taken no nourishment. Therefore I was spared. I woke from the sleep to find my people dying and I couldn't help them." Tears welled up in the empath's eyes. "I am supposedly the greatest healer in over two hundred years, and I was unable to help my people. Some healer, huh?" She wiped her eyes as Iolaus embraced her.

"Grandmother was the last to die. I was with her when her time came. She told me her story and begged me to flee, to get away from the evil. She told me she was weak willed, that had she had any real strength of will, she never would have let the elders mate her with one who was not her soulmate. If she had had any will, she would not have done the healing on the man and therefore not brought this evil to her people. 'I could have been honest with the witch and told her why I could not do the healing,' my grandmother told me. 'But I was selfish. Then when I found that he had taken us away and the sorceress had followed us, I should have stopped her then. I never should have come back here. I should have lured her to me and eliminated her once and for all. But I was frightened and weak. It takes much more than a strong mind to make a strong person. I am not strong. But you are, Sira. You have the strength and the power. I must now leave it with you. Run, Sira. Get away from it. But remember, someday you will have to do what I was too afraid to do.'

"She died then, and I could do nothing to stop it. I tried but it was no use. I began to think I was weak also. Maybe my grandmother was wrong and I was weak and selfish. I could not think straight. My mind and soul were filled with grief. I had already been made sick myself in trying to help those around me.

"When Grandmother died, I ran. I had no idea where I was going. I just ran. Now it pursues me. It must be stopped. My grandmother should have stopped it a long time ago. It can no longer be considered human. That part of it was traded away a long time ago for the power it craved. So now it is up to me to do this, no matter what. I will not run again."

*********************************************

Hercules walked slowly in deference to the old one's age.

"How much do you know of this thing we must fight?" he asked.

"Very little, really. It guards its thoughts well. But I sense it is two things we must fight, not one."

At the half man, half god's raised eyebrows, the old yosemin continued. "I sense a physical being. Animalistic, I believe. But I also sense a spirit form that is not seen, only felt. It is my belief that both have been in this village."

The woman I found first, Hercules thought. "Would this physical form also attack people?"

"Oh yes. I believe so. It must eat. And it is as evil as its counterpart. Yes, it would attack people."

The demigod felt revulsion in the pit of his stomach. "Can this physical form be killed?"

His mind was busy with methods of elimination. He had yet to find a physical being he couldn't handle.

Reading his thoughts, the yosemin chuckled. "Yes, we must kill the physical form. But more important, we must kill the spiritual being. Stopping one will not guarantee the stopping of the other. And the spirit form is the most dangerous. You cannot fight one without fighting the other, Hercules. You may be strong of muscle, but Sira is strong of mind. Both will be needed here, my son."

Hercules chuckled. "So, like Sira, you read my thoughts and pick my name from them. I don't much care for the intrusion. But since we are agreed this, whatever it is, thing, must be stopped, and we are agreed that we must help each other, I will not object to the mind's touch. I will do what must be done to stop this and to protect Sira." He grinned. "When this is over however, you and I will have a talk, with voices. That I can handle, and I think you and I will be friends."

The old yosemin smiled. "Yes, I would enjoy a talk very much. I find your strong mind stimulating."

"What is your name?" the big man asked.

"I am called old man or hermit," was the reply.

"But you must have a given name," Hercules insisted. "Something that would show my respect for you. Old man does not."

"It is not important," the yosemin stated. Then sensing that to the demigod, it was important, and that he was sincere about respecting him, he nodded. "Thysis. I was once called Thysis."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Thysis."

*********************************************

Thysis. How long has it been since I thought of myself as Thysis? The old one shook his head. He had left that name behind when he ceased to be a child of the Earth. It had been decades since he had allowed himself to think of that time. He no longer considered himself a yosemin. And yet despite this, he had struggled long and hard to bring his mind to the controlled state found there now. He had continued to practice the rituals and ceremonies he had grown up with, and never a day went by when he did not pay homage to the Earth, the sun, and the sky. His struggles to once and for all have power over his own mind was for himself. He must prove to himself that he could do it. And he had. No one could deny that.

He had always been strong of mind but his thoughts were not controlled. He had always needed stimulation and diversion. His remote village offered very little of either. He was bored and restless. His apprenticeship had been a lark. He was the best at his chosen trade. But making tools was boring. He had invented many things that had made the hard forest life easier. He had been highly praised for these inventions. But the good feeling he derived from this was so short lived. His teachers were after him constantly. Despite wishing to please them, he simply found it impossible to keep his mind on the task at hand.

On a dare, he went to the nearby human village. There was a traveling show there that day and he found it amusing. The village was filled with chaotic thoughts and confusing emotions. He had found it irresistible. He began to visit the village more often. He was careful to keep his origin a secret. He found that people would pay him for the tools and things he made. With the money, he played chips. He could so easily have cheated by using his mind to see what the other players had. But he didn't. There was no challenge in that. He set out to be the best chips player ever. He seemed to have a natural ability to remember what had already been played and therefore calculate the odds.

Then there was the wine. He wanted to experience everything. He wished to see what the humans found so wonderful about the stuff. At first, with just a little, his perception seemed to become even keener. Then a little more and he found his thoughts dulled. That could be a pleasant feeling also. He began to come to the village more and more often.

The elders of his clan forbade him to go. Still, he went. He couldn't seem to stay away. There was a girl in the yosemin village he was interested in. Nothing had been spoken between them, but many seemed to feel it was only a matter of time. She begged him not to go to the human village. He went anyway. It bothered him, because he really did like this girl and he had no desire to hurt her. But no matter how hard he tried to settle down to the life he had been born into, he simply couldn't.

On one of his visits to the village, he met a group of men. They were warriors and their minds were stronger than the minds of the simple farmers. Their thoughts were exciting and stimulating. The leader was a very good chips player. These men welcomed Thysis into their group. They included him in their fun and encouraged him to drink with them. He drank too much.

He awoke the next day in a room of the inn and had no recollection of how he came to be there. He had stayed a few times before so he wasn't overly concerned. He found his warrior friends still there. They were enthusiastic in their greetings, and the chips game was soon on. Again Thysis drank. The leader of the group invited him to join them on their journey when they left in a few days. He gladly accepted. He felt he had finally found a friend in this man. He had longed for a friend. The other yosemins his age were not interested in having fun, and Thysis found them boring. But the warlord's friendship promised to keep him entertained.

The warlord said they were going to a place he knew of where the girls were quite accommodating. Thysis wanted to experience this also. He was in a drunken state of euphoria and readily accepted the idea.

When he left later that day to return to his village, his head was in a fog. He stumbled as he walked but he didn't care. He was going to get away form the yosemin village once and for all. He would miss no one there save little Mela. She would be better off with a true man of the clan. Thysis admitted for the first time he had never really been that. It used to bother him, but no longer. To the humans' god, Hades with them and their better than you attitude.

Twice on the way home, he felt or thought he heard a noise behind him. There is nothing there, he told himself. But there was. He had been followed. The warlord and his men followed closely behind him.

They attacked the village. Thysis couldn't take it in. They were supposed to be his friends. He soon realized the truth. They had never cared for him. They had used him to find the village so that they could destroy it. He had wondered why a warlord and his men would visit the small human village. Now he knew.

They had come there by request. Someone had brought them there to destroy the yosemin. Thysis knew the village people had known of the yosemins because of him. He had brought this on his people. He had turned to fight but had been clubbed over the head and knocked unconscious.

When he awoke, the life he had known was over. It was at that moment when he ceased to be a yosemin, at the moment that he truly wished to be.

So many of his people were dead. Not even women and children had been spared. Some of the women that had survived had been raped and beaten. Thysis' mind, muddled by drink and the blow to the head, was unable to lend his mind to the collective minds of the others to rid themselves of the menace he had unwittingly brought to his people.

After the warriors had fled to save their sanity from the yosemins onslaught on their minds, Thysis found Mela. She had been used and discarded. She had been one of the first to die. And finding her gone, Thysis realized how much he had cared for her.

He was brought before the elders. They did not punish him. Instead, they gave him what he had so coveted only hours ago, his freedom. They stripped him of his clan right and any protection or privilege it had entitled him to. He was told to leave them and not return. So while those few that remained made ready to move the village, he had walked away from the people of the Earth. To be stripped of clan was to never again be allowed mind link with his people. Never to be allowed to break bread with them. He was no longer a child of the Earth.

When he had first left his village, he had wandered the high country for a time. He deliberately avoided humans and yosemins alike. His mind and soul were sore and bruised.

He found his cave as much by chance as by design. Liking what he saw, he decided to make it home. He enlarged the cave by picking away at the natural fissures and crevices in the rock. He bored a hole in the roof of the cave for his fire. Then he built a rock wall to enclose the entrance to the cave. He left a large opening to the cave. A small one that could easily have been covered would have been warmer, but he couldn't bear to close away the view from the front of the cave. He lived outside in front of the cave most of the time anyway.

He planted a garden for food, then flowers and bushes to make his home comfortable and attractive. He hunted rarely, preferring to eat the vegetables and plants of his garden or of the forest. When he did hunt, he went far afield. He enjoyed the animals around his cave too much to kill them.

One year had passed into another. There were some pleasures in his solitary life. He had worked hard to be able to control his mind. Never before had he been able to meditate for any length of time. But slowly, he was able to lengthen the time to include hours or days. Much like an empath, he had learned to slow down certain bodily functions. There was satisfaction in inventing the little things that made his life easier.

At first, he had closed his mind to others. But in time, he had allowed the barriers to lower. He was astonished by the lack of yosemin thoughts he perceived.

He often wandered the forest. He found comfort in its cool green depths. When he had occasionally crossed paths with humans, they said he was a hermit and unclean. This couldn't be further from the truth. He was almost meticulously clean with his person and his domicile. But of course, people refused to overlook the fact that he lived in a cave alone in the woods. He didn't care. His mind had progressed beyond the need for acceptance by strangers.

*********************************************

Thysis took a deep breath. Perhaps all these years had been leading up to this moment. His almost fanatic struggle to strengthen his mind, the fact that the force of the thing had come to him over the miles. Could the Earth mother have forgiven him at last, and thus given him a second chance? He hoped so. It would be good, before he died, to know he was yosemin once again.

********************************************

Sira and Iolaus stopped for only a few hours to eat and rest. Sira was frightened of the evil, and yet she wanted the confrontation to begin. She was impatient and restless.

"Where does a sorceress get her power anyway?" Iolaus wanted to know.

"My grandmother said this one received her powers from the human gods, at least the evil ones."

"Evil ones like Hera, you mean?" was his suspicious question.

"I am sorry, my love. I do not know your gods by name or reputation."

"Great. Just great," was the hunter's exasperated reply.

********************************************

It was two days more before the four came together. They met on a knoll in a grassy valley.

Sira knelt at the feet of the old one and gave the prayer due an elder of the clan. Shock crossed the face of the old man.

"Come, my child. I do not command your respect. Rise, and greet me as a friend."

They held each other's forearms and let their feelings and minds mingle.

Iolaus and Hercules grasped each other in a warrior's grasp, and grinned at each other. Sira was not so reserved. She hugged the big man and clung to him a moment.

"It is good to have you here, my friend," she stated.

"Likewise," the big man answered.

They found a place to make a camp. And while Hercules and Iolaus made it comfortable, Thysis took Sira aside. Holding her hands as they sat cross-legged across from each other, he opened his mind to her. He would be honest with the empath and hope she would still allow him to help her in this mission.

Sira felt his thoughts. She felt no censure. She sent him understanding and sympathy. She opened her mind to him fully and felt his shame. And with the feeling, she wept. She sent healing to his still troubled soul. She knew he was no longer shunned by the Earth. Now she had to convince Thysis. She could feel the Earth's power surge through him. She led his mind to the reality of this fact.

The old man felt astonishment at this. He had closed his mind to the Earth for so long that he hadn't known that the Earth had forgiven him.

"And now, my father, you must forgive yourself," Sira told him with her mind.

"Not so easily done, my daughter," his mind told her. "But now, we will fight together to stop the evil that stocks your people."

"Your people also, my father. You are truly yosemin. Our mother has called us together for this."

At her words, tears filled the old man's eyes, and his soul opened in a way it never had before. It was a bittersweet victory for the old one, because now, he could truly feel what he had lost so long ago.

Their minds mingled and touched, and a bond was formed. And in this bond, their success might lie. Their minds together could fight this thing of evil. Perhaps their combined strength would be enough to stop it. But there still remained the physical form.

When Sira and Thysis came back to conscious mind and joined the others, it was to find they had been making war plans.

"We should bring it to us," Hercules said. "Fight it on our own ground and our own terms."

"How will we battle this?" Sira asked, the fear evident in her voice.

Hercules grinned. "Leave the physical form to us," indicating himself and Iolaus. "You two take on the spirit form."

"Can we get the two of them here at once?" Iolaus asked of

Thysis.

The old one looked at Sira who nodded. "Yes, I think the chances of that are excellent."

Iolaus looked from one of them to another. "What have you got in mind?"

Hercules changed the subject. "If we got the thing here, would it come as one, or as separate beings?"

"Most likely, as separate beings," Thysis said. "The spirit form would come first, then the physical."

"Could we fool it about how many are here, and coax the physical form close enough to battle it?"

"Yes, I see what you have in mind. You would hide from it in the hopes of a surprise attack."

"It's a sound maneuver," Hercules added.

"Yes," Thysis nodded. "Yes, it might work. But we must battle both forms at the same time. It would weaken the being as a whole. Yes, it just might work."

"All right," Iolaus nodded. "We get it here, and we wipe it out. That's all well and good, but how do we get it here?"

"Sira will send her mind out," Thysis stated. "Not in a summons, but as if by chance. It will know whose thoughts it perceives."

"Now wait a minute," Iolaus countered. "If you think I'm going to let you dangle Sira under that thing's nose like a piece of meat, you're out of your mind."

"We will be here also. While I could not be in touch with her mind for fear of being felt, she would be able to touch mine in a heartbeat, and I would send my thoughts to strengthen hers."

"Forget it!" Iolaus insisted. "That thing could have her bleeding to death in a heartbeat, and there would be nothing any of us could do."

Sira lay her hand on her husband's arm to calm him. Her mind went to him with love.

"I do not think it will happen in this way," was the old one's calm reply. "It feeds off the pain and suffering of its victims. It has searched for Sira. She is the direct descendent of the woman it has committed its life to eliminating." He shook his head. "No, it will want the kill to be long and painful."

"Iolaus is right, Thysis," Hercules said. "We can't put Sira in danger. There is no way of telling what this thing will do."

"But I am already in danger," Sira whispered, looking toward the unseen enemy. "This thing will not stop." Then with strength in her voice, she continued. "There are others in danger also. Surely you have not forgotten the village." She paused and looked into Iolaus' eyes first, then into the eyes of Hercules. "It is up to me to make sure this thing that started with my grandmother ends with me." The healer turned to Thysis. "I am ready when you are."

"Damn it, Sira," Iolaus objected. "You can't do this."

Sira took his hand, and without saying a word, she took him aside.

"Sira you can't do this," he repeated.

Sira smiled at him. "When this is over, will you take me to the forest near my village?"

"Sira."

"I will need the peace and healing of the Earth," she smiled, a devilish look in her eyes. "And we do have fun alone in the woods."

"Sira." The despair in his voice twisted her heart. "If something were to happen to you..." But he left his thought unvoiced.

Sira's mind caressed his as she continued to lead him deeper into the grove of trees that surrounded the valley. It was a long time before they joined the others back at the camp.

Night had come on velvet wings of black. The moon was not yet up, and Iolaus had to rely on Sira's sense of the forest to keep his feet in the almost complete darkness under the trees.

Hercules and Thysis were deep in conversation when the lovers returned. Hercules looked up at them as they approached. He didn't need to ask what Iolaus' decision was, as he felt it from Sira's mind.

"You're both sure about this?" he asked.

When they both nodded. He let out a sigh. He wanted the sorceress stopped, but he hadn't really considered the danger Sira would be put in to stop it. Not until Iolaus had voiced his objection. His mind had been so absorbed with the horrors he had so recently witnessed that he simply hadn't thought the whole thing through. It was not a good way to go into something like this. He must have a clear head if he was going to help Sira and stop the evil.

His feelings were in confusion. He knew what would happen to his friend if he were to lose Sira. That in itself was reason enough to feel the depression, he was honest enough to admit, had plagued him since Iolaus' first objection. But there was something more behind it. He liked Sira, himself. He had since he had first felt her mind's touch. But.. Yes, there was more to it than that. The bond that had been forged by their minds' touch went beyond the friendship expected in such a short time span. There was a trust that usually came with years of shared experiences.

"Sira, I think Iolaus' objections were valid," Hercules voiced. "We can find another way to find this thing and eliminate it."

Sira felt the feelings behind the big man's statement. It warmed her heart, and she sent her own feeling to join his.

"No, Hercules," Sira told him. "This is for me. It is something I must do."

She took a deep calming breath. Despite her decision, or more accurately, because of her decision, Sira was filled with fear. But she swallowed the fear now.

"My grandmother could not help who she fell in love with. That was a thing beyond anyone's control. But she could have stopped this evil. She did not have the courage to face what she had done. Therefore, I must. I do not like killing. It goes against all that I am. And yet, to leave this thing to kill others, is also against my beliefs." She rose and helped herself to more tea from the pot set on a rock close to the fire to stay warm. "My people are threatened by this, and the people I have chosen to call mine are also threatened.

"You, Hercules above all others, should understand my need to attempt this. You have devoted your life to helping others and fighting any and all that threaten those you hold dear."

Hercules nodded. "All right, Sira. We'll do this your way. But I don't think we should close our minds to one another. Our defense lies in our ability to do this as a whole."

"Yes, I agree. But for a short time, until the physical being is within our grasp, we must try it. Then if I should call for help, perhaps a concentrated blast of the mind will draw the physical form in to help the spirit form." She smiled at the man she called friend to his face and brother in her mind. "Then we will see what must be done."

"You have already made contact, haven't you," he accused.

"Yes," was her whispered reply. "It approaches as we speak."

Iolaus reached for her hand. "I had hoped to have more time. Sira, if something were to happen to you, I would not wish to go on." The hunter's voice broke.

"I feel the same, my love."

Hercules walked away. The depth of feeling in the lovers' simple declaration was too painful for him. It opened wounds still unhealed and raw beneath the fragile cover he had erected there. And it opened his heart to his own concern for these two people he cared so much for.

"It will not be here tonight. But soon," Sira told Iolaus.

"I will keep my mind open to it as long as possible, my daughter," Thysis stated. "Thus far, it is unaware of me. And we will want plenty of warning, I think."

When Sira lay down that night to sleep, and Iolaus at last had fallen into a restless sleep, she again let her mind drift to the evil force she had first felt so many months ago. She recoiled from the contact. It left her skin feeling dirty, and her mind feeling tainted. She forced herself to let her thoughts rest for a brief moment on the creature. It must find her before it killed again.

The thing was closer now and Sira could feel its thoughts probing and searching. The healer sent her mind to Thysis. He sat now by the fire. He had no intention of sleeping. He must be ready to warn the others. He felt the healer's thoughts.

"My father, I must close my mind to you now. It feels for my thoughts. May the Earth be with us both in this."

"In the name of the Earth, the sun and the sky, we will be victorious."

Sira couldn't help but smile at the warrior's decree. In the early time of the yosemin, when the Earth and the heavens were still young, the Earth's people had been warriors, battling the titans for a place on the surface of the Earth that had given them life. Tales of these great battles lived on only in their legends. The warrior's cry was more myth than reality, but it served its desired effect. The doubt that had crept into the empath's mind at her second mind touch with the creature was lessened.

Hercules had returned to the camp. He was also awake. He didn't doubt for a moment that he and Iolaus would find a way to stop the physical part of the witch, but the mental or spirit part he wasn't so sure about. Thysis had said it was the more dangerous of the two, and he had said killing one wouldn't insure the death of the other.

He felt Sira's mind on his and opened the link to her. He still found it a hard thing to do. He was unused to using his mind in such a way. He wondered if Sira were right, and it would become easier for him if he let it. But this he would never know. When this was over, his mind must again be closed. It was his only defense. She was just too good at this thing, and he would never feel comfortable with it.

"I must close our mind's touch now," she told him. "If you can, keep your mind open so that you will hear my call."

Despite her effort to keep the fear from her mind's touch, he felt it.

"I will keep my mind open, and I will be ready should you call."

She sent her gratitude, then built the barriers needed to close her mind to him.

As her mind closed, the big man felt a moment of panic. Only with an effort was he able to bring it under control. Again, as on the first time she had broken the mind link with him, he felt a loss. How these things were possible, he did not know. But he was beginning to understand the power of the possibilities.

The next morning, Iolaus and Hercules scouted the area they had chosen for their battlefield. Sira said it approached from the east. They planned to hide in a grove of trees and brush. Their hope was that the thing would follow the natural contours of the land and go right up the slight ravine at the end of which Sira would be waiting.

Sira ate little. She was restless and jumpy. She had again felt the evil thing's thoughts. It was much closer now.

*********************************************

I have found her at last. After all this time. Vengeance will be mine. The physical thing laughed in a roar more of beast than of a human. The old woman's death had been unfulfililng. She had died so easily and with so little suffering. But this one had the smell of the old woman on it. She would do. Her death would be long in coming.

Time had long ago ceased to exist to the sorceress. She had not realized that so much time had passed in building her strength and power. To find the center of her hatred so old and feeble had been a shock. This young one would do much better.

It sniffed the air. Yes, it smelled her now. And the spirit form moved ahead, searching with unseen eyes for its prey.

*********************************************

"It is time, my daughter," Thysis told her. He had come to her, and he took her hand now. "Come. We must be ready."

Sira pulled away and ran to Iolaus. She kissed him. She wanted to touch his mind but could not for fear of alerting the creature to the presence of the others.

"You and Hercules must get in place. It will soon be here."

Iolaus clung to her. He couldn't seem to let her go. Hercules finally laid a hand on his shoulder. The look on the hunter's face as he turned away from Sira was like a knife going into the big man's heart.

Thysis and Sira hid at the end of the ravine. Thysis knew when the men were in place.

"Now, my daughter. Call it now."

"I am afraid, my father. What if I cannot do this?"

Thysis lay his hand on her arm. "Call it, my daughter. You said yourself that the Earth had called us here. Have faith in her. Anchor yourself and enlist her power, and call the witch."

Sira nodded, and closing her eyes, she took a few moments to calm herself and build her strength. Then she pulled the power of the Earth and of the blue light to her and anchored herself.

As she stood concealed in the brush, her eyes closed in concentration, night fell. As a creature of the forest, Sira knew when it did and opened her eyes.

She lowered the barrier on her thoughts. It hit her with such force that she staggered. Not a physical blow, but a blow to the mind. She spread her feet wide apart and braced her body as she braced her mind for the onslaught.

In that first contact, her mind had shouted out, and all three men had felt it. Iolaus started to rise but Hercules pulled him back down. "Not yet, Iolaus. She's all right. We must wait here to battle the physical form. We can do more for her here."

"Why must you do this?" Sira's mind shouted. "I would help you if you let me. It need not be like this."

Pain washed over her. Real physical pain as well as mental. She strengthened her mind.

"You have killed the one you had searched so long for. Can that not be enough?"

"Oh no. She died too easily."

The sorceress' spirit form moved up the ravine. It moved slowly and cautiously forward. "You're alone here?" its mind asked of her.

"Yes. I came here to confront you. To ask you to stop this madness."

Sira felt rather than heard the laughter.

"How foolish you must be. Killing you won't be half as much fun if you are so foolish."

A new wave of pain rocked the empath.

"If you go now and stop the killing, I will spare you. Please do not make me do this," Sira pleaded.

Again it laughed. "You think you can stop me?"

The physical form moved forward. It could almost think independently of the spirit form. It wanted to be in on the kill. It lusted after the flesh of its adversary.

A little closer, Hercules mind shouted. He could feel Sira's pain. He knew they couldn't wait much longer. Just a little closer.

A wall of pain hit Sira and she went to her knees. As she did, her mind called to the others. Their minds joined hers as she threw aside the barriers and bombarded the witch's mind in a powerful blaze. At the same moment, Hercules took a swing at the creature's legs with a large tree limb. The beast looked like a very large dog. Its jaws powerful and cruel in a narrow head. It stood on its hind legs and walked upright. Its front feet looked small and almost deformed against its bulk. The skin of the thing was gray and scaly like a large lizard. The limb hit the creature making it stagger, but it didn't fall.

Sira, still on her knees, strengthened the mental barrage she hurled at the spirit form. She pulled the strength of Thysis' mind to her. It joined with hers to battle the evil that now surrounded the healer.

Iolaus the hunter drew the bowstring back with all the strength he could muster. The arrow went true. And with its impact, the creature roared with rage. With a mighty sweep of its front paw, it sent the hunter sprawling.

Hercules hit the beast on the back with the limb and narrowly missed being kicked by the thing's powerful hind legs.

Iolaus, unhurt, quickly recovered and sent another arrow at the beast. But this time, he wasn't deceived by the useless look of the undersized front paws and was gone before the beast could land a blow.

Sira heard the animal scream and felt the hesitation in the evil she fought.

"My Earth mother, give me strength," the yosemin prayed.

And letting another barrier down, she brought more pressure to bear.

Now however, she had left her mind open to real damage. The natural defenses so strong in an empath were almost gone, sacrificed in an effort to bring more strength to her battle.

"Stop now," Sira told the thing. "There is still time for you. But know this. I will not let you kill again. Go back to where you came while there is still time."

"No!" it screamed. No, I will not let you win. I am all powerful. I have given up everything to once and for all eliminate all yosemin from the Earth. I should have been a healer. My mind was strong enough. But the Earth held back the one thing that would have made it possible. I could not transfer. Then I found that I could strengthen my powers with sorcery. But my attempt to make the only one I ever cared for be bound to me and me alone failed. I lost him. A healer took him from me. He would have stayed mine if I had been granted the power of the Earth. No, I will die before I give up."

Sira felt a great wave of despair sweep over her. "So be it." And the healer let the last of her defenses down.

The mind's blow on the witch was the strongest she had ever felt. In the attack from the grandmother, there had been power, but nothing like this. Not even in the combined power of Sira's people had the sorceress felt this force.

The beast lunged toward Hercules. He picked up a large rock and brought it crashing down on its foot. The demigod saw Iolaus climb the tree and motion for Hercules to push the beast toward him. Hercules drew his sword and slashed at the beast, landing a glancing blow to its middle that showered the big man with foul smelling blood. Slashing again, the beast was driven back, allowing Iolaus to jump from the tree to the thing's back. The beast tried to reach him but its impossibly short arms couldn't reach the clinging menace on its back.

Hercules slashed again and laid the animal's leg open to the bone. With a quick kick, the beast sent the son of Zeus flying. Iolaus had lost his sword but he thrust his knife into the thing's head. The knife was long and wicked, and the hunter sent it to the hilt. But the beast seemed unhurt by it. With a mighty buck from the creature, Iolaus lost his hold and fell hard.

The beast tasted victory. Stunned, Iolaus couldn't rise. The beast picked the hunter up in its front paws and started to bring him to its mouth.

Sira felt both Hercules and Iolaus' fear and panic, and from somewhere she found a hidden power she had never tapped before. Her mind was a blur. She would never remember later how it had happened. She knew Iolaus needed her.

She cried out. And with her cry, the spirit form began to retreat. It was going to the physical form to join forces. Sira sensed this and sent her new found strength to pursue the witch.

A human cry of "No!" came from the beast.

Sira ran forward. She couldn't see where she was going. The night and her struggle to stop the creature had rendered her blind. But she did not stumble. She came up to the beast just as it started to put Iolaus in its powerful jaws. The blast from the empath rocked the beast and it roared again.

At the same moment that Hercules swung his sword, he threw his mind out to Sira and added his strength of mind to hers. The blow of the sword was delivered with all the strength his godly half empowered him with and the beast's throat disappeared in a bloody gash. Iolaus rolled from the now slack grasp and landed in a heap at the beast's feet. Thysis helped pull him away.

"It cannot be," a very human and very feminine voice screamed from the beast's mouth.

The creature fell to the ground.

"Who are you?" its mind demanded. "How can a yosemin have such power. These things are not possible."

"I am Sira. Granddaughter of Questa, of the clan of the wolf and the lion," was the empath's proud reply.

The touch on Sira's mind began to fade. "How is it possible for you to possess such power?"

Sira needn't answer. The touch on her mind was gone. She didn't know how she could have answered anyway for she had no idea where her power came from other than from her mother and the gods of the sky and sun. She had no way of knowing just how much power she had thrown at the sorceress at any rate.

But Thysis knew. He had felt her power and he too was astonished by it. He stood now, his hand still holding the arm of the hunter to steady him. He looked at Sira through narrowed eyes, his concentration on the healer complete. How was such power possible? he wondered.

Sira ran to Iolaus. She clung to him. And as her arms went around him, her legs gave out. He had to hold her on her feet.

"Look," came the whispered sound from Hercules.

The others turned to see what had so unnerved the half man, half god. On the ground, where moments ago a beast of hideous form had lain, was a beautiful woman, her raven black hair gently blowing in the night breeze that had sprung up. As they watched, she began to age before their eyes. Her hair turned gray. The smooth pink skin became wrinkled and withered. The flesh began to recede. Older and older she became. Her body curled in the form of an old bent woman. Then she began to turn to dust. And before their eyes, the dust began to blow away. What didn't blow away seemed to be absorbed by the very earth she lay on. Within a matter of seconds, there was no evidence that she had ever been there. Even the tracks of the creature disappeared.

Sira gave the yosemin prayer of death. As she spoke the last word she fainted.

"Sira? Sira?!" There was despair in the hunter's voice.

"She will be well, my son," Thysis comforted him. "Sleep is all she needs. She will heal in sleep, and she will rebuild the barriers needed to protect her mind."

"Let me take her Iolaus," Hercules offered. "We'll get you back to camp and clean up that leg."

Until the big man mentioned it, Iolaus was unaware his leg was injured. But now he felt the pain. And he could feel the blood inside his pant leg. His leg had been torn on a jagged rock.

"I've got her."

The hunter couldn't bear to let her go. He had felt her pain in battling the sorceress. He had wanted to go to her. Not being able to hold her and help her with the mental battle she had just fought had been very hard for him.

"You're sure she'll be all right, Thysis?" Iolaus was unconvinced.

"Yes, I am," was the reply. "Please trust me on this."

Iolaus took a step. But his leg refused to cooperate. Without a word, Hercules took Sira from him.

"Give Iolaus a hand, Thysis."

Hercules lay Sira gently on her blankets. He took a moment to smooth her hair from her face then covered her with his own blanket. Then he went back to help Iolaus to the camp. The hunter's face was etched with pain.

Hercules helped Iolaus to the ground. And taking his knife, he cut the pant leg away from the wound. Thysis brought water and the demigod bathed the leg. As he did, Thysis laid his hand on Iolaus' arm and sent healing to him.

"It's not too bad, my friend," Hercules told him. "But it will be painful for a few days."

When he was done, Iolaus asked him to help him to where Sira lay.

He lay down beside her and laid a careful finger lightly on her cheek. She turned to him and stretched her body along his. But she didn't wake. He kissed her lightly on the lips and closed his eyes.

A predawn breeze stirred the leaves of the trees. The stars were gone now and there was a hint of gray in the east. Iolaus sighed and relaxed slowly. His leg throbbed in a rhythm with the pain he felt in his head. He had strained so hard to try and send his mind to Sira that it had left him feeling weak and shaky.

*********************************************

Thysis and Hercules sat by the fire. They sipped Tassis tea in silence for a moment. Both were lost in thought.

"Sira is going to be all right?" Hercules repeated the question that Iolaus had voiced earlier.

"Yes, Hercules. She will sleep for a time, but when she wakes, she will be herself again."

"Like a healing sleep, you mean?" the big man asked.

"Yes. What Sira did tonight was very draining. She had to lower all the mind barriers that we yosemin have as a natural defense. It was a very dangerous thing to do. She was willing to sacrifice herself to stop the evil."

"Thank the gods that it didn't come to that," Hercules concluded.

"No, it did not come to that. Sira's mind was strong enough in the end to stop the evil. I have never felt such strength."

The old one shook his head. Perhaps the old legends are true, he thought.

Sira slept through the day. Hercules bathed Iolaus' leg in hot water and was gratified to find no infection. Thysis lent his mind to another healing and Iolaus felt better.

It was well into the night when Sira woke. She curled herself around Iolaus. Instantly she knew he had been hurt. She let her mind feel for the extent of the wound. Finding it was not a serious injury, she relaxed a little. The moon was full tonight and it shed a silvery light over the camp. Iolaus' face, in sleep, was peaceful. The healer took a few moments to assess her own health. What she found was to her liking and she relaxed even more.

She lightly kissed Iolaus' chin. His eyes flew open, and he pinned her to him in a tight grasp.

"You're well, Sira?" he demanded.

No words left her lips. She sent her feeling to her husband instead. She wanted him to feel that she was indeed well.

He kissed her. A long tender kiss. "My love," he voiced, "I was so afraid I would lose you."

"The Earth was with us, my love." And Sira opened her mind to the hunter and sent him healing.

"You may heal me, Sira. But do not transfer. I want you awake so that I can talk to you and hear your voice. No healing sleeps for a while," he teased.

But behind the teasing was a plea from the hunter's heart. A plea that she not leave him. A plea for her that stemmed from the fear he had known. Sira, always the sensitive, felt his plea and sent her love to him. Their minds touched and mingled, and in their mind's contact, they found comfort.

*********************************************

Iolaus' leg was much better. He hobbled to the fire in the morning and stood cradling the cup of Tassis tea Hercules offered him. The hunter sent a smile of thanks to the big man.

"Beautiful morning," Iolaus commented.

Hercules knew that Sira was no longer in her healing sleep. His mind was still linked to her and he had not been sleeping when the healer had awakened in the night.

"Yes, it is a beautiful morning. It's beautiful here, but I for one, will be glad to get home."

Iolaus nodded. "When we leave here, Sira and I are only going to the farm for a short time. We decided even before this that we just weren't cut out to be farmers."

Hercules searched his friend's face. He had known this was coming even before Iolaus did. He had seen the wistful homesick look on both of the lovers' faces.

He nodded. "I can't say that I'm surprised. What will you do with the farm?"

Iolaus grinned. "Do you want it?"

"You know I don't," was the big man's reply.

"Then we'll give the farm to Ezekial and Winnie. I'm sorry, Hercules. I know you liked having us there to help keep an eye on your mother. But Ezekial will be there. And with a well producing farm, I think he'll succeed."

"I think so also," Hercules nodded.

Iolaus had finished his tea. He refilled the mug and took it to Sira. She gladly accepted.

"Food will be ready in a little bit. You must be starving," he suggested. He knew how hungry she was after a healing sleep.

"I need something else right now. Do you think you could make it to the woods?"

"Now, my love?" he teased. "Really, Dear. You just woke up."

"That is not what I meant and you well know it. Although that would be very pleasant also."

"Well, if not that, what?"

"If you are going to sit there and tease me, I will go without you," the healer said.

"All right. All right. Come on." he said. "I'll lean on you."

And as they moved away, Sira sent her mind to him. He laughed. "I'm sure we can find a way for that also."

Hercules watched their slow progress to the trees at the edge of the clearing. Sira must indeed be better, he thought.

The lovers went to the river. Sira had pulled some leaves from a plant as they had passed it. She waded into the water and lowered herself to submerge even her hair. She never seemed to notice the cold water. Iolaus joined her after a few minutes hesitation on the bank.

The yosemin broke the leaves in half and rubbed the leaves between her hands to make a lather of the juice and pulp. She put it into her hair and began to wash it. Her hair hung to below her knees and it wasn't easy to wash by herself. Iolaus took over for her. When he was done, she dunked herself again. When she came up, she took the leaves from her lover and began to wash him. They bathed each other and the simple need to be clean was soon replaced with a different need.

Iolaus held Sira to him. "Forever, my love," he whispered. "We will go to your forest. And there we will be, together forever."

Sira took his mouth. Her hunger engulfed him and he felt himself tremble with the emotion he felt flow between them.

*********************************************

Thysis indicated the empty blankets of the lovers. "Where are they?"

Hercules grinned despite trying not to. "In the woods." His attempt to sound innocent failed.

"Ahh, yes. The mind's link does seem to stimulate certain bodily needs."

Hercules laughed out loud. "Here's to certain bodily needs," he saluted with his mug of tea. "Yosemins and their sensitive minds are not the only ones to have them, my friend."

Thysis only grinned at him.

*********************************************

It was afternoon before the lovers returned to the camp.

Iolaus went to the fire to scrounge for food. Sira had provided them with some roots to munch on in the woods, but the hunter had an appetite that mere roots wouldn't appease.

Sira went to Thysis where he stood and knelt at his feet.

"My father, I ask permission to join your clan. And should I prove worthy, to be granted the protection of your banner."

Thysis stood silently for a moment. Shock was plainly written on his face. He reached down and pulled the girl to her feet. And with an effort he lowered his old body to kneel before her.

"No, my daughter. I have no clan. It is I who must ask permission to join yours. Will you grant an old man, once shunned from the people of the Earth and their mother, permission to claim protection under your banner?"

Sira knew only an elder had the right to grant protection of the clan. But Thysis and she were both alone now. She never doubted that there were others of the wolf and lion clan out there somewhere. But now a request for entry had been made. She, as the only remaining yosemin of her village, laid her hand on the old man's head.

"The Earth and her people will be enriched by your strength to the banner of the wolves and lions. You are granted permission to claim it as your own and to be granted all the privilege and protection of the Earth and her people."

Sira helped the old one to rise. Tears stained his cheeks. She laid her hand on his arm.

"You are truly my father," she said.

"And you are truly my daughter. A daughter of true strength and Earth power. I am proud of you."

Hercules and Iolaus had watched the exchange. They both turned away. The emotion in the ceremony was a touching thing and should be private.

The yosemins joined the others at the fire and Hercules handed each of them a bowl of stew. As Sira ate hers, she sent her mind to the half man, half god.

"Thank you, my friend, for your help and your strength. I will miss your mind's touch very much."

With that, Sira released him from the hold she had maintained with him since he had brought Thysis' mind to her.

He seemed to hesitate in his mind. Is this what he really wanted? He wasn't sure anymore. He would miss the mind's touch also. It was like having a friend and ally always with you. But if he didn't close her mind from his, she would sooner or later gain access to his hidden emotions.

"All right, Sira. I'm ready."

As she let him go, she felt his thoughts. "I will miss you also."

*********************************************

It had been eight months now since that night in the woods when four people had battled so hard to rid the world of such evil.

Sira sat on the ground, her brown spotted feet in the grass that bent to caress her. Iolaus napped in the shade.

Hercules and Thysis sat near her. They had been having a heated debate about something. They always were. Their strong minds enjoyed the stimulation.

Hercules had just arrived. He had been off ridding another village of yet another tyrant. Iolaus and Sira had been here for a few days. They had come for a visit. Of course Thysis had known they were coming and had greeted them with a fresh pot of tea and a delicious stew.

He was delighted to see them. Sira sensed that the old one had finally found some peace in his mind.

"You are well, my father?" Sira's mind had asked.

"Yes, well, my daughter. The Earth has truly forgiven me. I can feel it in the plants and the grass beneath my feet."

"And have you forgiven yourself?"

Thysis sighed. "That, I am afraid, is a little harder. But I work on it every day. Perhaps if I have not forgiven myself, I have at least accepted who I am now and who I used to be."

The three travelers were leaving in a few days. Iolaus and Sira to return to their cabin in the woods. Hercules would go to visit his mother. None of them had been there in eight months. Iolaus and Sira had returned from their battle with the sorceress only long enough to give the farm to Ezekial and Winnie. They planned to go to their hidden cabin for a short time and then go to Alcmene's. Iolaus had insisted.

Sira had said good bye to her grove of trees and to the other plants around the farm. She would miss the farm but it would be a pleasant feeling. And now she would be seeing it again. She thought it was a little foolish to insist on going there but she knew Iolaus would feel better if they did.

As if feeling her thoughts, the hunter came to her now. "All right, my love?" he asked.

"Yes, Iolaus. I am fine."

"Need anything?"

Sira gave him an impish grin as she sent her mind to him. He offered her a hand up. Her bulk made it harder for her to rise now. He placed his hand on her swollen stomach and grinned back at her.

"Come on. I'll help you bathe in the spring," he offered.

They walked hand in hand to the spring.

Seeing them walk away, Hercules smiled to himself.

Watch For More Exciting Adventures Of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys When We Experience More Of The Empath Chronicles.

Coming Soon: "Acubus" The Second In The Empath Chronicles

Comments? E-Mail Me At [email protected]

It was my first fan fiction so remember the words of the Warrior Princess: Be nice.