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Production
#V808 - Episode 08 |
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WRITTEN
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DIRECTED BY PRODUCED
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SCREENGRABS ARTWORK EPISODE
TITLE GRAPHIC |
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TEASER
FADE IN:
EXT. ROAD - EVENING
XENA is holding ARGO II’s front left foot. She’s using a small knife to pick dirt and stones from the horse’s hoof.
GABRIELLE is holding her bridle, stroking her face and soothing her while Xena continues to work.
GABRIELLE (to Argo) It’s okay girl. We’ll get you all fixed up. (to Xena) What’s the verdict?
XENA The shoe is shot. We need to find a blacksmith. I can’t fix this mess myself, at least not out here. She needs to have a new one forged or her hoof will split.
Gabrielle looks around at the forest before them. It’s dark, thick and the tall trees seem to loom over them, as if they’re watching every move Xena and Gabrielle make. The sky is dark with heavy clouds swirling in the distance and blue flashes of lightening striking behind the trees.
GABRIELLE (to herself) It was a dark and stormy night....
XENA What?
GABRIELLE Nothing. Just talking to myself. So where do you think we’re going to find a smith?
XENA Well, if we stay on the main road, we can be in Sikyon in three days. If we do that, we risk Argo going seriously lame.
GABRIELLE Options?
XENA If we cut through the forest we can be in Phileious in half that time, but....
GABRIELLE (to Argo) There’s always a ‘but’.
Argo whinnies and nods her head in agreement.
XENA But we have to get around the base of the Kyllene mountain range.
GABRIELLE You mean the supposedly ‘cursed’ Kyllene mountain range?
XENA That’s the one.
GABRIELLE Oh goody.
Xena chuckles at Gabrielle’s lack of enthusiasm and tucks her knife away before taking Argo’s reins.
XENA Sorry sweetheart, but we really don’t have any choice.
GABRIELLE I know.
Gabrielle takes Xena’s hand as they start walking from the road toward the forest.
GABRIELLE (cont’d) So what are we having for dinner?
XENA Whatever we can scare up.
GABRIELLE Oh, ha, ha.
CUT TO:
EXT. CAMP - NIGHT
There is a lovely fire going. Xena is fixing a piece of tack and Gabrielle is scribbling something on a scroll. The remnant of a roast rabbit is still on the spit. The bedrolls are placed under a tarp to ward off the rain that is threatening to fall. Gabrielle isn’t writing; she’s drawing. After placing a finishing touch on her artwork she looks up to Xena.
GABRIELLE Okay, try it now.
Xena just sighs and her shoulders slump slightly, then she smiles and straightens. She takes a deep breath carefully, almost as if she is studying Gabrielle who is diligently hiding the drawing. Xena closes her eyes and concentrates. Her head tilts just slightly as her eyebrows slowly rise.
XENA A bunny.
Gabrielle only sighs as she turns the parchment around and shows Xena the drawing of the bow and arrow she has just completed.
GABRIELLE Does this look like a bunny?
XENA Obviously not. I’m sorry, Gabrielle. Mind reading isn’t necessarily one of my many skills.
GABRIELLE Then how do you explain that we seem to know what the other is thinking or doing? What’s driving me really nuts is that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I’d like a little consistency here. That’s why I’m testing this theory.
Xena places the bit she was working on in her saddlebag, then stands and stretches.
XENA It is consistent in the fact that sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.
GABRIELLE I knew you were going to say that.
XENA (chuckling) See?
Gabrielle rolls her eyes and puts the parchment away as they get ready for bed. Xena is careful to make sure the tarp is secure on three sides to protect them from any storm that may blow in. Gabrielle joins her and begins unlacing her boots.
GABRIELLE The legend says the mountains are cursed, but the forest is pretty creepy too. Have you noticed there are no animal noises?
XENA Yeah, I noticed. I actually caught our dinner at the edge of the woods. I didn’t see any sign of any game at all in the cover of the trees. No droppings, nothing.
GABRIELLE I think it’s just the thickness of the trees that keeps light and wind from traveling in here that makes it so creepy.
Xena lies back on the bedroll.
XENA No it’s not.
Gabrielle turns and crawls up next to her and lays her head on Xena’s shoulder.
GABRIELLE Enlighten me.
XENA It’s the ghosts and monsters.
GABRIELLE Oh, you’re funny.
XENA Thanks, I try.
GABRIELLE You get to sleep with one eye open tonight.
XENA Don’t I always?
Gabrielle snuggles closer and Xena pulls a heavy cover over them. Lifting her head to look at the fire, she’s satisfied that it will burn through the night. She lays back and holds Gabrielle closer.
XENA (cont’d) Goodnight, Gabrielle. Don’t let the bacchae bite.
FADE TO:
EXT. CAMP - MORNING
Xena stretches and the very first thing she notices is that Gabrielle is gone. She is up immediately, also noticing that all of her partner’s belongings are gone too. She is immediately on her feet.
XENA GABRIELLE!
Moving around their campsite, Xena also finds that Argo is gone, but her tack is still piled next to the shelter they had been sleeping in.
XENA (cont’d) GABRIELLE!
When silence once again meets her yell, she quickly begins gathering her gear. Then she starts looking for any signs of her partner or her horse.
FADE OUT.
END OF TEASER
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