"No. I mean, why do you eat? You said you don’t get hungry or thirsty. So why bother eating at all?"

"Well, for one thing, I like the taste of most foods. Just because I don’t need to eat, doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it. And for another, it’s something we’ve always done together, and I guess I just like the companionship of us sharing a meal. I like doing everything with you, Xena. Just like yesterday evening when we took that swim after supper. I wasn’t dirty, I didn’t smell, but I enjoyed the coolness of the water, and the way it felt on my body as we swam. And we were doing something together."

"Well, I just wondered. What about sleeping? You do get tired I’ve noticed."

"I do. But mostly after I’ve had a difficult or extended Healing session. I think sleeping is my body’s way of restoring my energy. Although, I’ve noticed that I sleep less now than I did when I first got my powers."

"Getting used to them?"

"I think so. It’s like . . . well, it’s like learning to ride a horse. The first time you’re mainly just along for the ride. And after it’s over, your back aches, your butt hurts, and you might have a headache from all the bouncing around. But every time you get on the horse, you learn a little more about riding, and you get better. Every time I use my powers, I think I learn a little better way of managing the energy, and I don’t get as tired."

"Makes sense. So one day you won’t have to sleep at all, huh?"

"Actually, even now a lot of the time I don’t really sleep. But I use the time to make myself more aware of the world around me, expanding my consciousness to all the animals and insects and plants. Haven’t you noticed that we haven’t been bothered by flies or mosquitoes, or wolves?"

"Now that you mention it, I have. But I just thought there just weren’t any around."

"Oh, they’re around all right, just not around us."

"Well, thanks, I appreciate it. And I’m sure Argo amd Milkspot do too."

"Your welcome. But you really don’t have to say thanks, I know how you feel."