FADE IN

A close-up of Gabrielle and Darion, obviously in the saddle of a horse, moving rapidly downward with the blue sky behind them. Darion looks incredibly excited.

DARION:
     Weeeeee! A flying horse! This horse can really fly! It's amazing! (Gabrielle gives him a slightly concerned look; Darion looks down) Look at the ground below! It's really something!

GABRIELLE:
     Now, hold on and don't get too excited....

DARION (waves to someone underneath):
     Look at us! We're flying!

The camera pulls back to show that Gabrielle and Darion are riding Gabrielle's perfectly ordinary horse, riding fast down the slope of a hill. Xena and Eve are riding behind them. As the horse reaches the bottom of the hill, Gabrielle tugs at the reins to slow it down.

GABRIELLE:
     I think we just landed.

DARION:
     Wow, that was fun! Almost like riding that real flying horse you told me about... (scrunches up his face trying to remember the name) Peggy?

GABRIELLE (chuckles):
     Pegasus.

DARION:
     You think maybe you'll get to ride him again someday? And take me along?

GABRIELLE (gently):
     I don't think so, honey. That was just a gift from Athena so that Xena and I could slay a monster.

DARION (wistfully):
     I wish I could have been there. (perks up) You think there are any more flying horses out there?

GABRIELLE (teasingly):
     I thought we were riding one just now.

DARION (impatiently):
     Oh come on, Gabrielle...I mean for real.

GABRIELLE (a little sadly):
     Well, some say that Pegasus was part of a flock of winged horses--but then an evil king decided to hunt them for sport, and now he's the last one left.

DARION (crestfallen):
     Oh. That's really sad...

CUT TO

Xena and Eve riding behind them, too far for Gabrielle to hear what they're saying.

EVE:
     They look like they're having fun. (The camera pans over to show Gabrielle and Darion from a distance; Gabrielle ruffles Darion's hair. Eve's voice drops) You think we'll ever find his sister?

XENA (her face hard and impassive):
     I don't know, Eve.

EVE:
     You want to find her, don't you?

XENA (brusquely):
     Of course we want to find her--what do you think?

EVE (quietly):
     So then, Darion would have a family of his own. How do you think Gabrielle would feel about losing him?

XENA (gives her an uncomfortable look):
     We'll worry about that when we find his sister. (bitterly) Our record at finding people doesn't seem to be very good lately, does it.

EVE (looks away):
     I'm sorry...

XENA:
     What do you have to be sorry about?

EVE:
     You know. It's my fault that Sabina escaped.

XENA (vehemently):
     Nonsense. It was--

EVE:
     --Livia? And where did Livia come from?

A brief pause.

XENA (heavily):
     We'll find her.

EVE:
     So far, all the trails have led to a dead end.

XENA:
     Which is exactly how Sabina wanted it, I'm sure. (thoughtfully) I've been thinking, Eve--maybe we had the wrong idea all along. We thought Sabina was going someplace where she could gather an army.

EVE:
     And--?

XENA:
     I think she may have headed to Rome.

EVE (baffled):
     Rome? But she's--

XENA:
     Under a death sentence? I know Sabina. A little thing like that wouldn't stop her.

EVE:
     So, after I return to Amazon lands, you and Gabrielle will go to Rome?

XENA:
     We'll have to be careful about it. I don't think I'd be very welcome there right now.

EVE (tries to joke):
     Well, at least I'm sure that feels familiar.

Xena chuckles bitterly. The camera pans ahead to Gabrielle, who has stopped.

EVE:
     Now what?

Xena and Eve catch up with Gabrielle and Darion. Gabrielle's horse is neighing, grunting, tossing her head and rolling her eyes.

XENA:
     What's wrong?

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     I'm not sure. It's not like Klio can tell me. Hang on.

She dismounts. Klio neighs again, in obvious discomfort. Gabrielle starts to examine her and notices that she's jerking her front right hoof, gingerly lifting it off the ground. She bends down to examine the hoof.

GABRIELLE:
     She's bleeding... She must have cut her leg on a sharp root or something like that. I'll get some bandages.

CUT TO

Gabrielle finishes up bandaging Klio's foot.

GABRIELLE (pats Klio on the neck):
     There you go. Maybe now you'll feel better.

DARION:
     Is she going to be all right?

GABRIELLE:
     I think so, Darion. She's not hurt that badly. But I think she should take it easy for a while. (looks at Xena) Maybe we can stop in that town we saw from the top of the hill--on the other side of this grove.

XENA:
     All right.

CUT TO

The entrance to the walled town. At the entranceway, there is a stone arch held up by two large polished marble statues of white horses, facing inward toward each other. They are rearing in the air, supporting the arch. On each one of the horses' reared hooves perches a white dove, it's wings spread and sitting beside each horse is a white cat, with one of its paws in the air. An ornately carved wooden sign hangs from the archway that says (translation shown across the screen), "Welcome to Anderida".

Xena, Gabrielle, Eve, and Darion approach. They are all walking, with Xena, Gabrielle and Eve leading their horses; Gabrielle's horse is limping a little.

DARION (looks in awe at the size of the marble statues):
     Look at these! They're huge!

He walks up to one of the cats; it's a little taller than he is. Xena, Gabrielle and Eve walk through the arch, leading their horses; Darion lingers for a moment looking at the statues before running up to catch up with the others.

CUT TO

Inside the town. It's twilight but the streets still seem busy with people going about their lives. As Xena, Gabrielle, Eve and Darion walk down the street, the camera pans over the sights they see, moving over the houses and up to the rooftops. On each side of the street, alongside the stone houses (many of them two- or three-story buildings), there are pens housing horses, goats, sheep, rabbits and other animals. Chickens, ducks and geese wander around. There are also cats sitting on some of the windowsills and walking along the rooftops. By almost every door, there is a tall wooden perch with a birdhouse or a bird-feeder as well as a stone birdbath. There are birds sitting on perches, pecking at birdfeed, or splashing around in the birdbaths. The noises made by various animals and birds fill the air.

EVE:
     They're really into horses and cats and birds here.

GABRIELLE:
     Not to mention ducks and goats and geese.

Two dogs come racing out of an alley and into the street right into Xena's path, making her stop abruptly. Barking playfully, the dogs race around, almost tripping up some of the people in the street, before disappearing into another alley.

GABRIELLE (points ahead):
     There's the inn.

The camera pans over to the inn, which has animal figures carved into the wall. The stable next to it has two brass statues of horses at the entrance.

XENA:
     Hmph. The stable looks nicer than the inn.

EVE:
     I'll go get us a room, you take care of the horses.

CUT TO

Inside the stable. Xena comes in, leading Argo and Eve's horse, while Gabrielle is leading Klio. They are greeted by a short, round, balding middle-aged man, the stableman.

STABLEMAN:
     Three horses?

GABRIELLE:
     Yes. This one has a cut on its leg and a little bit of a limp.

STABLEMAN (unctuously):
     Oh, not to worry, miss. We'll take good care of the poor thing. Change the bandages, put some healing ointment on it--the works. (to Xena, indicating Argo) And that must be your horse. What a very beautiful animal.

XENA:
     Thank you.

STABLEMAN:
     You know, with an animal like that, you should definitely stop by the tack shop while you're here. There is one just a block from here--one of the best anywhere.

XENA:
     Thanks, but I've already got all the equipment I need.

STABLEMAN:
     My dear lady, a beauty like this one deserves more than any ordinarily bridle or saddle. You should check out some of the things they have. Saddles specially embroidered with gold thread. Jewel-studded bridles and such. It'll give your horse that extra... (pauses, looking for the right word) ...flair.

XENA (coldly):
     Argo has all the flair she needs.

STABLEMAN:
     Argo. What a beautiful name.

XENA:
     All right, mister, enough with the compliments. How much will it cost to stable the horses here?

STABLEMAN (puts up hands):
     Oh, no one has to pay to stable horses in Anderida. (Xena lifts an eyebrow) It's the law in this town. All animals get room and board free of charge.

GABRIELLE:
     Room and board... How--interesting.

STABLEMAN:
     Don't you worry, they'll be well-cared for.

He leads Gabrielle's horse into a stall. Xena gives him a rather hostile look.

XENA (rubbing Argo's nose):
     I'll see you later, girl. (She pats Argo's neck, then chuckles) You don't need any jewel-studded bridles to look good, do you? (Argo whinnies, Xena smiles) No? Didn't think so.

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle coming out of the stable.

GABRIELLE:
     That man really rubbed you the wrong way, didn't he? Come on, he was just being friendly. Besides, they obviously like animals a lot in this town.

XENA (shrugs):
     Obviously.

CUT TO

Inside the inn, where a lot of people are sitting at the tables, talking, eating and laughing. Gabrielle, Eve, and Darion are sitting at a table, looking over some pieces of parchment with writing scribbled on them.

GABRIELLE (reading):
     Baked eggplant, corn bread and walnut salad: two dinars. All veggie casserole: three dinars...

Xena comes up behind her as Gabrielle continues to speak.

XENA:
     What's for dinner?

GABRIELLE (sets the menu down and looks at Xena):
     No meat.

The camera pans to Xena's shocked face as we:

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER