FADE IN

We open in a large army camp, just before dawn. Here and there torches are burning. The camera pans around to reveal soldiers preparing for battle. A guard beckons to another man quietly and points at something in the distance. The camera pans to follow his line of sight--a large field, and the enemy army camp beyond it. The sun is beginning to rise. The morning is cold and foggy.

GUARD:
     Sun's up. Won't be long now.

The bugle sounds.

SOLDIER #1:
     Here we go. (grumbling) They don't pay us 'nuff for this, I tell ya that. Can't see the end of my nose in this fog. Bitter cold, too.

GUARD:
     Y'know what they say: you want the gold, you take the cold.

Soldiers scramble to form lines. Zoom out to show that the enemy forces have formed up opposite them. The commanders of each army ride out to meet. One, a stocky, broad-shouldered middle-aged man with cropped, graying black hair and beard, is wearing red armor; the other, a taller, lankier younger, blond man, is in black armor. The two men shake hands, then ride back to their own lines.

COMMANDERS (in unison):
     Charge!!

The men charge forward, shouting, while their commanders remain behind them. But as they race forward the fog begins to thicken. They slow down gradually as the fog grows so dense that they can no longer see what is in front of them. Finally they stop all attempts at pursuit.

The men look around in bewilderment at each other, realizing that the other army has effectively vanished from the field. Befuddled muttering is heard amongst the men as they try to figure out what is going on, cuing the sound of ominous music.

We see the commander in red look into the fog, frowning. He rides out among the confused soldiers.

COMMANDER:
     What's the matter, you scoundrels?! Afraid of a little fog? What's white to us is white to them--get in close and cut 'em down! Attack!!

The men look at each other, then back at the commander and finally begin slashing at the fog, some of the men shooting arrows into it. But no matter how they try, there are no sounds that come from behind the fog that would indicate that the other army is there. There is nothing but silence.

SOLDIER #1:
     There's no one there!

SOLDIER #2:
     Something's not right! This is no normal fog.

OTHER SOLDIERS:
     The gods are interfering! Let's get out of here!

COMMANDER:
     STOP! I said, stop! Where do you think you're all going! I say we stand and fight! Stop!

But there's no help for it, the men are panicking. Within seconds they have broken ranks completely, running in different directions, all looking terrified. Finally the commander digs his heels into his horse's flanks and follows his soldiers, looking extremely frustrated.

COMMANDER:
     The gods be damned!

CUT TO

A damp, sunny morning. The air is shrill with birdsong. Two horses are plodding along a muddy dirt track in the forest; the camera pulls back to reveal the riders: Xena and Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE:
     I bet Darion's grown...

XENA:
     In the month since you last saw him? Not likely.

GABRIELLE (ignoring this):
     Do you think he'll recognize me?

XENA:
     I should hope so, seeing how it's been only--

GABRIELLE:
     --one month and two days since I last saw him, yes. I hope he's not mad at me for leaving.

XENA:
     You didn't "leave." You found his sister. They are each other's only family now; it's right that they should be together.

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     I know. You're right. I know!

XENA (smiles a little):
     We'll be there soon.

GABRIELLE:
     Not quite as soon as I'd like. (points) Here comes trouble.

As she speaks, a blonde-haired girl in a green peasant dress half-runs, half-stumbles into view, closely followed by a scattered mob of villagers. They are shouting and throwing things at her; some have pitchforks that they swing in her direction, trying to prod her. She shrieks and tries to block her face, but the bundle of rags she's holding is in her way. Her arms and face are severely scratched and bruised, her dress torn--it's obvious that she's been on the run for a while.

GIRL:
     Help me! Please, help!

Xena draws her sword, sliding off Argo's back; Gabrielle draws her sais at the same time. The villagers shrink back.

XENA:
     All right, that's enough. (a villager swings a stick) I said, enough!

Gabrielle grabs the girl and stands in front of her protectively.

XENA (nodding at the sobbing girl):
     What's she done to get all of you out of bed so early in the morning?

VILLAGER WITH PITCHFORK:
     She's a witch and a harlot! We're going to bring her to justice.

Yells of agreement from the others.

GABRIELLE (disgusted):
     A witch? What kind of witch lets herself get lynched?

VILLAGE WOMAN:
     A sorceress she is, a filthy half-breed who confuses our beasts and couples with horses!

XENA (low and dangerous):
     Know what I think? I think she's not a witch at all. Because if she was, then she might have summoned some protection against all you good folk, don't you think?

The villagers are muttering angrily, but with growing uncertainty. Xena aims her sword at them; they take a step back.

XENA:
     Then again, maybe she is a witch. Maybe-- (she takes another step towards them, sword pointing) --maybe she's summoned me and my friend here to get her out of trouble.

GABRIELLE (playing along):
     Maybe while you're here chasing this girl, your milk's turning sour. (The villagers mutter). Your bread's not rising. Maybe your wells are not water any longer...but are filled with--blood!

The villagers look terrified, they step back as Xena and Gabrielle advance.

Suddenly a young man emerges from the forest and comes around the crowd. He looks very pale. The girl gives a soft cry when she sees him.

GIRL:
     Phillamon...

They share a long look--the girl silently pleading, the man anguished.

PHILLAMON (to the villagers):
     Let her go.

The villagers look from Xena's scowling face, to her sword, to Gabrielle's sais, to Phillamon's pale face, back to Xena's sword...

XENA:
     Boo.

The villagers scream and run, scattering into the forest.

Phillamon holds the girl's eyes a moment longer, then catches sight of the bundle in her hands. His look darkens, and he gives a small shake of the head.

PHILLAMON:
     The gods keep you, Lysippe--for I will not. Go in peace.

He waves a hand and walks away, back into the forest. Lysippe watches him go, sobbing, clutching her bundle. Gabrielle lays a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder; before she can react, Lysippe thrusts the bundle into Gabrielle's hands and tries to run.

Xena catches her by the collar.

XENA:
     Not so fast.

LYSIPPE (struggling):
     Let go of me! Let me go! Phillamon!! Husband, wait!

There is no answer, she subsides. Xena releases her.

XENA:
     You want to tell us what that was all about?

LYSIPPE:
     Nothing.

XENA:
     The entire village comes out to mob you and you call it nothing? Do you start all your mornings that way?

LYSIPPE:
     I don't have to tell you.

GABRIELLE:
     Uh--Xena...?

Both Xena and Lysippe turn; Gabrielle has unwrapped part of the bundle. It is a baby's face. The baby promptly starts wailing.

Lysippe gives a cry and snatches the baby from Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE (to Lysippe):
     I think I understand... This isn't your husband's child.

LYSIPPE (suddenly furious):
     It is! I swear it on all that's sacred, on the altar of my father's gods and my mother's goddess, on everything I have... (bitterly) Well, why should you believe me? He won't believe me either. But this is my husband's child.

The baby starts to wiggle in her arms, the swaddling cloths come loose. Lysippe tugs them into place, but not quickly enough--the baby's lower half is revealed. It has four legs covered with thick chestnut-colored horsehair.

XENA and GABRIELLE (gasp):
     A centaur.

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER