"Your ... What do you call it?"

"Buck said it was a cart when we hauled it from behind the barn, Oriole," the Amazon known as The Gleaner replied.

"It's the first I've ever seen around here!" the Amazon called Oriole enthused.

"It probably won't be the last one, Oriole. It comes in mighty handy in my line of work."

"I should think it would! It looks great!"

"Yes ... Thank you. But you should have seen it when Buck asked me to pull it over to his barn!

"I was ready to put it to work just as it was!
But Buck said that he wanted to patch it up a bit so that it wouldn't break down on me."

"He all but rebuilt the thing!"

"Yes! And it took him a while too!
I was growing kind of impatient there toward the end.
I dasn't say anything, of course!"

"Can I see what you have to trade, Gleaner?"

"Of course! I didn't come here to just show off my cart!"

"You've arrived with quite an assortment this time, Gleaner!"

"I have to take things as the come, Oriole.
But yes. You are quite right.
These various items made themselves available in one way or another, so I harvested them.
Not much in the way of arrows this trip.
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of battle going on these days for some reason.
Most of what you see here I found in an abandoned temple.
I happened to like the fletching on this arrow ...
This set of knives appear to be ceremonial, I think ...
And as to these two bronze blades?
I'm sure that they must have been used in the field of battle ... And just where I found them as like as not."

"I cannot help but admire your selection of knives, Gleaner!
But I'm on the market for a spear, and I think that this one will do nicely!
May I take it in hand?"

"Be my guest, Oriole!"

"That particular weapon suits you to a Tee, Oriole!"

"I think so too, Gleaner!
I'll take it!"

"Just imagine having a pike such as this thrust through your belly!"

"Truth to tell ... I'd rather not!"

Amazon-Warriors Photoset: "Last Line of Defense"

"Can't you just picture me ... A crowd favorite in the arena ... And the crowd goes wild as I make ready to cast my spear!"

Amazon-Warriors Photoset: "Last Line of Defense"

"And a mighty roar from the crowd goes up as my weapon impales my opponent through her belly!"

Amazon-Warriors Photoset: "Last Line of Defense"

"So you intend to inflict gut wounds with your new spear? Did I hear you right"?"

"Sure! Why not? It's as good a place as any, isn't it?"

Amazon-Warriors Photoset: "Last Line of Defense"

"There's many a time when it will be, like as not ...
But there's aways the chance that you've come up against a particularly determined opponent ...
It which case you're quite to have her blade driven through your chest!
Which, I might hasten to add, is just where you should have nailed her in the first place!"

Amazon-Warriors Photoset: "Last Line of Defense"

"The Arena Grounds Keeper will probably be on hand to drive her pike through the chest of your opponent ...
But that isn't likely to do you any good ... And it isn't reckoned to ...
So my advice would be not to take any unnecessary chances!"

"So then I guess that you don't think that a blade thrust through the belly is at all effective, Gleaner?"

Amazon-Warriors - Russlana puts it to Saphyra

"Oh, now wherever did you get an idea like that?
Of course a sword that pierces a body almost anywhere can be more than effective, as you put it!"

Amazon-Warriors: Leikh-Shaar - Naya?

"As a matter of fact, back in my days as a Fighting Warrior, my sword cut quite a swath through those unfortunate enough to confront me!"

Amazon-Warriors

"Still and all, when it comes to hand-to-hand combat it's alway best to kill as efficiently as circumstance will allow ..."

Amazon-Warriors - Himmelswelt stabs MsLadyShot

"Which, to my way of thinking, simply means that you get the business end of your weapon as near your victim's heart as possible!"

Amazon-Warriors - Talanis

"You remember the Warrior Talanis, don't you Gleaner?"

"Certainly! How is she these days?"

"I'm sorry to say that Talanis was killed recently ...'

"What? How did that happen?"

"She was a lone sentry guarding our small herd of horses when she was set upon, killed, and the horses stolen!
She'd been run through from behind, her throat had been cut and a knife left protruding from her navel!"

"It isn't enough to kill a warrior these days ... But the killers must have their sport in mutilating her too it would seem!"

Amazon-Warriors: "Navel Game -4"

"Ah! But you see, Gleaner? Talanis will be avenged!
Her killers have been taken prisoner!
And it is their navels that will provide the target area in out little game!
And so with this in mind ...
Would you care to take a shot at one or another of them?"

Amazon-Warriors: Saramis takes a shaft in "A Bloody Plan"

"I'm flattered! But I wouldn't want to risk spoiling your fun by driving a shaft between her breasts!"

Victrix: Luna is 'fletched' in "Holiday"

And besides which, the Gleaner added to herself. I haven't drawn my bow in years ...
And the last time I attempted a navel-shot I was somewhat wide of the mark!

Amazon-Warriors

No ... This time I'll allow discretion to be the better part of valor and sit this one out ...

Amazon-Warriors - Thyarmis takes her turn dealing with Saphyra

And allow these youngsters to have their little game with no interference from me ...

Amazon-Warriors

But when I chance to find that there is killing that needs to be done ...
Then I shall see to it that it is done MY way!

---

That's abut all for now ...

Thank You for Being Here!

And if anyone has a picture or two that may serve to inspire another "photo-tale," please let me know!

Uncle Buck