Xenas troubles of her own...

Xena was still relaxing, submerged in the lake, when she thought she heard the Bard cry out. 'Probably nothing..' she thought, but she knew never to make assumptions about anything, especially where Gabrielle was involved. Turning she kicked off and made for the shore, but as she swam something thick and smooth snagged her leg.

"What the..?" gasped Xena as out of the water around her rose a writhing serpentine body. Beneath the surface two slitted green eyes directed the sinuous coils to wrap themselves about her waist, chest and arms. Xena fought back but hindered by being still submerged her efforts to fend her assailant off were for nought, and in moments she was completely immobilised! Bound tightly within she could now see the coils were reptilian and were moving her towards the shore. When she reached it she was hauled from the water onto the low bank and a thick green-brown head rose above her.

'An Amphisbaenae, I should've known!' thought Xena. The bemuscled brunette had heard tales of these gigantic water living snakes, and how they would attack any creature that invaded their pool. She struggled against the coils wrapped about her naked body but the huge reptile merely tightened its grip on her. Slowly the snake moved its head back and forth, its thick tongue flickering as it decided how to tackle its meal. Soon it's head sank down out of view of her eyes, but she didn't have to wait long. Moments later she felt the flickering tongue brushing her feet!

"Oh no!" gasped Xena realising what was happening. Breathing in as deeply as she could she put all her effort into one more attempt to break free. It was, however, futile. The snake had her, and moments later she felt her feet slide into its warm sticky mouth! Agonisingly long minutes passed and the warrior princess' mind raced for a solution to her predicament, but it seemed hopeless with her arms pinned and her legs now sliding down the reptiles throat. The snake even seemed prepared for when it had to release her lower arms from its coils. Instead of smoothly engulfing them it paused and at the critical moment lunged foward so that they slid in straight up past the elbow.

With the roof of the Amphisbaenas mouth now rising to encompass her impressive breasts Xena realised she didn't have much time left. Her mind raced, her thoughts turning to her friend and lover Gabrielle. Where was she? At the mercy of some equally ugly fate? Whatever had happened to her, Xena was powerless to save her.

'I'm so sorry Gabrielle.' she thought regretfully as the snakes powerful throat muscles inexorably pulled her shoulders into its mouth. The giant reptiles jaw closed about her head, shutting out the light, then its throat rippled again and Xena slithered completely down its throat!

.

..

...

All was still in the woodland. The air was still, broken only by the buzz of a dragonfly searching for food, and the ripple of the lakes water against the shore. Suddenly several hollow twangs broke the natural peace and three arrows thudded home into the head the resting Amphisbaena, killing it instantly.

"Whoa, look at this," said a fluid soft voice, "Looks like we're just in time!".

Carefully a knife slitted the beast open and Xenas naked body was dragged out.

"It's ok." came the voice again, "She's still alive, just **** from lack of air. Get the reptiles meat and skin, and then we'll take her with us."