FADE IN

Xena and Gabrielle run across the dusky clearing.

GABRIELLE:
     Where are you?

DARION (still off-camera):
     Over here!

The camera pans over to Darion, who is standing close to the edge of the woods, making frantic gestures.

Gabrielle catches up to him and pauses, breathless.

GABRIELLE:
     What are you doing? I told you to stay close.

XENA (comes up behind Gabrielle):
     What's wrong, Darion?

DARION (stammers in fright):
     I just wanted to look around... Look at this!

He points down. As Xena and Gabrielle look down, the camera pans over to show the dead bodies of three unicorns.

GABRIELLE (anguished):
     Oh, Darion--

DARION:
     Somebody killed those horses...look, this one has an arrow sticking out of his side!

Gabrielle hugs him, pressing him close to her and patting his head. He wraps his arms tightly around her waist, clinging to her.

GABRIELLE:
     It's all right, sweetie.

DARION (sniffles):
     What if the people who did it are still around?

GABRIELLE:
     Don't worry, Darion. You know we won't let anyone hurt you.

Pan to Xena, who is squatting next to the dead unicorns, examining the bodies. Gabrielle lets go of Darion and comes up to the bodies.

GABRIELLE (shakes her head):
     Who would want to do such a thing? (sighs) You know, we travel all over the world seeing people being cruel to each other...but it just breaks my heart to see people being so cruel to an animal. Maybe it's because animals have no choice in their fate...they're so defenseless against humans...

XENA (looks up):
     These aren't ordinary horses, Gabrielle. Look.

Gabrielle squats next to Xena.

GABRIELLE (looks down, puzzled):
     Gilded hooves?

XENA:
     I don't think they're gilded... I think they're golden. And look at this on their foreheads.

GABRIELLE:
     It's almost like each of them had a single horn that was cut off. (stands up, thoughtfully) I wonder...

XENA (looks up at her):
     About what?

GABRIELLE:
     I've heard stories about a magical animal that lives in Britannia called a unicorn. I always thought it was a fairy-tale but maybe they really do exist...

XENA (gets up):
     Why would anyone want to kill them?

GABRIELLE:
     I have no idea.

Xena looks down and suddenly bends to pick up something lying in the grass. She examines the object.

XENA:
     It's a pendant. Maybe it has something to do with whoever killed these animals...

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     Xena, it's not like anyone is going to investigate this. (looks over at Darion, who stands a few feet away, obviously nervous) We'd better find ourselves another place to camp out.

CUT TO

The next day. Xena, Gabrielle and Darion are riding through the forest again. The camera pans over more dying leaves and branches and wilted flowers.

XENA:
     You're right, Gabrielle. Something is happening to this forest.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion ride out on the grassy beach we saw in the teaser. The camera pans over the rose bushes on the edge of the clearing; many of the roses have wilted. Pan over to the water's edge. The mist that hangs over the water has partly cleared, and through the patches of fog we see a green island not far from the shore.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, look!

XENA:
     An island...that's strange. (she reaches into her saddlebag and pulls out the map again) It's definitely not on the map.

DARION (excited):
     I want to see the island! Come on, Gabrielle, let's go!

He kicks the horse in the sides and slaps it lightly with the reins, making it go forward.

Xena smiles, with a bit of exasperation but indulgently, and rides ahead. The horses trot ahead through the shallow water that rises only to their chests.

DISSOLVE TO

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion come out on the shore of the island. The shore is overgrown with luscious greenery, including apple and orange trees heavy with fruit. A green hillside is visible ahead.

DARION:
     Wow, look at those apples--they're huge! Let's get some!

GABRIELLE (doubtfully):
     I don't know, Darion...I have a strange feeling about this place. I'm not sure we should eat anything here.

XENA (gives her a wary look):
     You think they're poisoned?

GABRIELLE (smiles thinly):
     Or maybe enchanted...who knows. You think anyone lives here?

DARION (gasps):
     Look!

He points to the hill, whose top is visible over the trees.

GABRIELLE:
     Why don't we go up the hill and see?

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion start riding up the hill. Two figures in silvery garb stand at the top of the hill. After a while, they turn and disappear over the hillside.

XENA:
     Let's check it out.

They ride ahead.

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion stand at the top of the hill that dips down into a valley surrounded by a circle of hills. The valley is a lush, grassy green, rich in trees. Green huts are visible below, and one can see people walking about. Also visible from the distance are the two figures in silver who were seen on the hill before. They stand still in the middle of a circular open space among the huts, as if waiting for Xena and Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE (visibly moved):
     It's...beautiful.

XENA (puzzled and wary):
     It's odd. It looks like they're waiting for us. (pauses) Come on, Gabrielle. Let's go check it out...but we'd better be on our guard.

They start their descent down the hillside.

DISSOLVE TO

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion ride into the village below. The log cabins overgrown with vines, leaves and moss have an odd look, as if they were not built by human hands but grow out of the soil like trees. The people's clothes, mostly green, seem to be woven from leaves and flowers. The people stop and stare curiously at the new arrivals.

GABRIELLE (looks around):
     What a strange place... It must have taken some extraordinary skills to make these houses and these clothes.

The camera pans over to the man and the woman standing in the center of the square. They are both elderly, with long snow-white hair (the man also has a white beard), wearing shimmering silvery capes. They are both holding wooden staffs, crooked and twisted. The woman's staff has a bird head carved at the top; the man's, the head of a growling cat, its mouth open wide showing its teeth.

OLD MAN (nods solemnly):
     Greetings.

OLD WOMAN:
     Welcome to Avalon.

XENA (slowly):
     Hello. (she dismounts and approaches them; Gabrielle and Darion follow suit) Avalon. I have never heard of this place.

OLD WOMAN:
     Tell me--how did you get here?

Gabrielle dismounts and helps Darion off his horse.

GABRIELLE (puzzled):
     How did we get here? We saw the island from the shore and we thought we'd check it out.

OLD MAN:
     The mist--it was gone?

DARION:
     Oh yeah, there was a little mist. But it was no big deal, really.

OLD WOMAN (to the old man):
     Lionel...it's happening!

He bows his head grimly.

GABRIELLE (confused):
     What's happening?

OLD WOMAN:
     This is Avalon, the Isle of Mists. It is an enchanted place--it's supposed to be invisible to anyone who lives beyond its shores. No outsider has set foot here for many, many years.

DARION (excited):
     Enchanted! Who enchanted it?

LIONEL:
     We did, with the help of the spirits of the forest.

OLD WOMAN:
     I am Cordeilla, Protectoress of the Isle of Mists.

LIONEL:
     And I am Lionel, Protector of the Isle of Mists.

DARION:
     Nice to meet you. I'm Darion. (points to Gabrielle) This is Gabrielle (points to Xena) and that's Xena.

LIONEL and CORDEILLA (in unison, flinching slightly):
     Xena? The Warrior Princess?

XENA:
     Yes, that's me.

LIONEL:
     You were on this island thirty years ago, were you not?

Xena's face darkens; she darts a quick glance at Gabrielle, who flinches a little and looks down.

XENA:
     Yes.

CORDEILLA:
     It was then that we cast the enchantment. The land was threatened by a terrible danger from a strange god...they called him the Dark One.

Pan to Gabrielle, who gasps a little and lowers her eyes; Xena, a pained look on her face, squeezes Gabrielle's hand reassuringly.

LIONEL:
     Our tribe lived on the coast in those days. When the Dark One threatened the land, Cordeilla and I cast a spell and asked the spirits of the forest for protection, and we were granted this favor. (quick pan to Xena, who frowns slightly) Our village became an island invisible to outsiders' eyes--a magical place of harmony and peace where the land itself feeds and clothes us.

CORDEILLA:
     But our existence depends on a herd of unicorns that live on the island. The magic is connected to the unicorns.

Xena and Gabrielle exchange a curious look.

GABRIELLE:
     Unicorns!

CORDEILLA:
     The unicorn is a most unusual creature. It looks like a horse--only with a magical horn growing from its forehead. The unicorns are the only ones who can cross the boundaries between Avalon and the outside world--and it's only thanks to them that... (she pauses for a moment and looks at Lionel, then back to Xena and Gabrielle) ...the island continues to exist.

XENA:
     And now, someone is killing the unicorns.

LIONEL (eyes widening in surprise):
     How did you know?

GABRIELLE (sadly):
     We found three of them dead--in the forest out there.

CORDEILLA (gasps):
     Three! I wasn't sure how many it was. (shakes her head sadly) Lionel and I have a special bond to the unicorns--we can feel it when one of them dies. But we weren't sure how many died yesterday. Another was slain two days before. (looks imploringly at Xena) Xena, we have heard many tales of your heroic deeds. If anyone can help us, it's you.

GABRIELLE (troubled):
     Why would anyone want to kill these unicorns?

LIONEL:
     The horn of the unicorn possesses great powers.

DARION (curious):
     Magical powers?

CORDEILLA:
     Medicinal powers. It can ward off poisons, or purify polluted waters. It can cure people of many ailments. (she sighs) But if a unicorn's horn is severed, even if the animal is still alive, it will die very quickly.

Xena and Gabrielle exchange an uncertain look.

GABRIELLE (doubtfully):
     So they can do a lot of good...

CORDEILLA:
     It's true. At the cost of their lives--the lives of innocent, beautiful magical creatures.

LIONEL:
     And at the cost of destroying this island.

CORDEILLA:
     And not just that. If the unicorns die, the forest out there, the Brigantes forest, will start dying too.

GABRIELLE (gasps a little):
     Dying! (turns to Xena) I told you something was happening to the forest! (to Lionel and Cordeilla) We saw some trees and flowers wilting out there... Xena, we have to help.

XENA (to Cordeilla and Lionel):
     Any idea who could be doing this?

CORDEILLA (slowly shakes her head):
     No. We don't have a clue.

XENA:
     Maybe I do. (she takes something off her belt) We found this in the clearing near the dead unicorns.

CORDEILLA:
     What is it?

XENA:
     A pendant. (she holds out the pendant and hands it to Cordeilla)

CORDEILLA (examines the pendant, then gasps slightly):
     It can't be!

LIONEL:
     What?

CORDEILLA (shows him the pendant):
     It was Isabella's.

GABRIELLE:
     Who's Isabella?

CORDEILLA:
     A young girl who came to Avalon fifteen summers ago. She was only five years old, and she told us that her parents had died of an illness and she had wandered away from her village. The unicorns found her wandering in the woods and brought her here. We took her in as one of our own, and she gave us great happiness and joy. She was such a perfect little girl. (she lowers her eyes for a moment) You see, as long as we live here on Avalon, we cannot have children of our own. It's the price we pay for the enchantment.

DARION (scrunches up his face):
     No kids? That's kinda sad...

LIONEL:
     I can't believe that Isabella would do anything to harm the unicorns...

CORDEILLA:
     She loved the unicorns--she loved to sit and watch them, she loved to play with them, and they loved her. Isabella lived with us for a year. Then one day, she went off riding on the back of one of the unicorns, and never came back. We think that she went outside Avalon. The entire island mourned her loss.

GABRIELLE:
     And you're sure this is her pendant?

CORDEILLA:
     Yes, it's definitely her pendant. But--

XENA (abruptly):
     All right. We're heading back to Brigantes and we'll look into this.

LIONEL (hopeful):
     You'll help us, then?

XENA (coldly):
     Let me get back to you on that.

CORDEILLA (looks at her intently):
     Would you like to see the unicorns?

DARION (claps his hands, excited):
     Yes! (turns to Xena, pleading) Please, please let's see the unicorns!

Xena looks uncertain.

GABRIELLE (turns to Xena):
     Surely there's no harm in seeing the unicorns?

XENA (sighs):
     All right.

CORDEILLA:
     Follow us. We'll take you to their watering place.

Lionel and Cordeilla turn and start to walk, leaning on their staffs. Xena, Gabrielle and Darion follow them, Xena and Gabrielle leading their horses.

CUT TO

Lionel and Cordeilla, with Xena, Gabrielle and Darion behind them, walk through a forest and approach an opening in the trees. The air is filled with the buzz of insects and the singing of birds. A wide shot of a beautiful clearing with a crystal-clear lake underneath a rock from which a waterfall comes down, sparkling a bright silver in the sun. The lake is surrounded by rose bushes with roses of various colors, as well as other lush flowers. Finally, we see the unicorns. They are snow white, with cream-colored manes and golden hooves and horns. There are about thirty of them--some drinking, some grazing near the lake, some frolicking nearby.

DARION:
     Wow! They're amazing! Can I ride one?

XENA (smiles a little):
     I don't think so.

GABRIELLE:
     I can see why the people here are so passionate about protecting these creatures. They really are beautiful.

Xena, Gabrielle and Darion watch the unicorns--Darion with giddy excitement, Gabrielle with a dreamy smile, Xena with a small, rather tense, pensive smile on her face, as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO