The
first challenge was fire....
Dip bucket in well. Pass to waiting hands. Take empty bucket. Dip in well.
His whole world had become this as the acrid smoke filled the air, born on a gentle wind.
Iolaus stopped.
"What's
wrong?" Hercules shoved another bucket at the hunter.
"Why are we putting this fire out?"
"What do you mean?"
Hercules glanced at the burning structure. Their efforts had put a dent in the flames.
"It's Falafel's food stall,"
Iolaus grimaced.
"Oh. You have a point."
They dropped their buckets.
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2nd drabble was reflections....
Perhaps
if he'd been a better teacher, he wouldn't have lost his student. "No, that can't be."
Maybe
it had been the student. "Definitely better." He lifted one leg and rested it over the arm of the chair, at ease. Anyone coming
upon him would think he hadn't a care in the world.
The truth was a far cry from that. Something had gone terribly
wrong, and try as he might-and oh! he tried mightly!-in the end, he couldn't totally fault the doomed fool. The responsibility
was ultimately his to keep what and whom he claimed safe.
Ares bit back a sigh. He'd have to start all over. "Deimos!
You want the job?"
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3rd drabble was eventide....
I titled
this one Twilight since that's a synonym for eventide, as well as the title of episode I wrote used as the basis for my response.
Twilight
Alcmene
was saying her last goodbyes...
I couldn't stand to see the looks on Jason's and Hercules' faces as their world crumbled.
I turned away to hide my own tears. I needed to be strong for them both, yet...
She was my mother too...
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The 4th challenge was bright idea....
"And
who's bright idea was this?" Iolaus grumbled to himself as he carefully worked his way up through the tree's branches.
"I
offered to be the one," Hercules pointed out from the base of the trunk.
"Yeah, yeah. Well, next time, remind me to
take you up on the offer." Iolaus slid along a branch, tossing up a prayer to whatever god handled tree climbers. He stretched
out his hand, hoping the branch would hold.
"Gotcha!" There was the sound of wood splintering. "Uh oh."
Man
and cat tumbled down to land at the feet of one demigod. With a hiss, the feline clawed Iolaus' hand and made its getaway.
"Huh.
That's gratitude for you."
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The 5th drabble challenge was earth
"Hercules! Hercules!"
I did my best imitation of a distraught villager.
"Hold on there, son. Catch your breath," the demigod said as he laid
a hand on my shoulder. I did the ‘catching breath' act, then continued my tale of woe: a village, under attack by a
monster. We needed the famous Hercules' help.
One shared look with his companion, and the two were racing off
to
help a village that was so besieged, they hadn't been able to send for any help.
"Mission accomplished." I sunk back
down into the earth and the waiting arms of my mother, Gaia.
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The earth drabble continues....I
couldn't resist.
"Now pay attention." Ares held his hand out, palm up. "Concentrate all
your godly energies into one spot...and..." A ball of light energy coalesced and he threw it against the wall, taking out
a large section of stone. "You try."
I did as he said, gathering everything that was a part of me and then let fly.
There was a loud 'SPLAT!'
"Mud?! You threw mud?!"
I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm
an earth god."
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Sixth Drabble challenge was Trinity...
Three pair of
eyes regarded the figure before them.
Three sets of lips pulled back in snarls.
Three noses sniffed the air suspiciously.
"Hey, it's just me. You remember
me, don't you?" A hand cautiously extended. With a loud snuffle, the snarls disappeared to be replaced with pink tongues wetly
caressing fingers.
The Lord of the Underworld appeared. "Hercules, Iolaus isn't here and
leave Cerebus alone. He's not a pet."
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Seventh Drabble challenge was Wind...
He leaned into
the gale, but made no headway until a strong arm scooped him up and carried him up the temple steps to the double doors. Not
bothering to drop his burden, Hercules shouldered the doors open before depositing his partner on the ground.
"Thanks, Herc. Just one of those times when being-"
"Short?" This came from Hera's priest, standing arrogantly
before them, backed by the usual crowd of goons the goddess employed.
"You're in trouble
now," the demigod murmured, arms folded across his chest, as he watched a small blond whirlwind lay into the priest and his
men.
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Drabble # 8 Th Hour of the Wolf
The fire crackled, its flame bright against
the near impenetrable dark. A hand reached out and tossed another branch into the flames.
"You think it'll rain?"
The
demigod looked up at the starless night. "Nah."
"How can you be so sure? Don't tell me...it's a half-god thing."
Just
then, the clouds parted to let the full moon shine down on the earth. Iolaus chuckled, shaking
his head as the howl of a wolf sounded afar.
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Drabble
9 Starlight
Gabrielle looked up into the nightsky. A million stars lit their campsite, soon to be eclipsed
by the fire as Xena lit the tinder.
"Gabrielle?"
"Nothing, Xena." The bard turned back to the task at hand,
wondering if her soulmate was looking at the stars tonight...
The hunter leaned against a tree and gazed at the
stars. His partner stopped setting up camp and looked at him, a touch of worry coloring his voice as he spoke. "Iolaus, you
all right?"
"Sure, Herc. Just wondering what Gabrielle and Xena are doing tonight." He squatted down by the fire to
begin skinning his kill. "Herc?"
"Hmmm?"
"Do you believe in soulmates?"
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Drabble # 11...Jinx (I didn't do
# 10 challenge)
"Don't say it!"
"But-"
"Don't! Not a word!" The hunter waved his hands wildly
at his partner, as if that could ward off disaster.
"Iolaus, I was only-"
"No. Every time we go on vacation,
you say it, and wham! Someone comes staggering over the next hill needing help. Last time you said it where'd we end up? Mycenae with a Minotaur. Before that, Thessaly and a warlord, and before that, Corinth and a trade agreement."
"I was only going to say it's a nice, quiet day to start
our vacation. As if on cue, a figure came staggering into sight, shouting, "Hercules!"
It was a long and silent journey
to Thrace.
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Drabble #12...Rivals (a young Hercules
drabble)...
Practice Makes Perfect
"Ready for another fall?" The two youths faced off, quarterstaff
held tightly in each set of hands, bodies making minute adjustments to balance on the wooden stumps hammered into the packed
earth
"You wish!"
"Hey, it's about time I found something I can do better than you, Herc!"
"Other than
stealing?" Hercules realized his mistake a second the words left his mouth. In half a minute he was laying on the ground,
a triumphant Iolaus standing over him.
Yet the victory didn't quite erase the look of hurt the blond bestowed on his
friend.
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