ACT 4

FADE IN:

EXT. JUNGLE CLEARING. EARLY AFTERNOON.

Gabrielle awakens, feeling very sore, but remarkably clear-headed. She squints against the sunlight peering through the trees, and turns her head to confirm her suspicions that she is alone on the bedroll.

She senses, however, that Xena is somewhere close by.

That hypothesis is confirmed when Xena walks into the clearing, sweaty and dirt-streaked. She smiles when she notices that Gabrielle is awake, and approaches their bedroll.

XENA
Hey.

GABRIELLE
(grinning)
Hey yourself.

XENA
How ya feeling?

GABRIELLE
Like a whole herd of
Argos ran over me.

XENA
That good, huh?

Gabrielle laughs softly, careful not to jar her severely bruised ribs. She watches with interest as Xena grabs a piece of cloth and mops the sweat and dirt from her face and arms.

GABRIELLE
So...what are you doing?

XENA
Compromising.

GABRIELLE
Compromising?

XENA
(smugly)
Yup.

GABRIELLE
Ok, I'll bite. What are
you compromising?

Tossing the cloth atop the rest of their gear, Xena crosses the slight distance between them and eases herself down onto the furs.

XENA
The answer to last
night's little disagreement.

GABRIELLE
Last night---?

(beat)

Oh. Yeah.
The herbs, right?

XENA
Mm Hm.

GABRIELLE
(softly)
When are you leaving?

XENA
*We're* leaving just as soon
as I check you over and make
sure you're up to traveling.

GABRIELLE
Uh...Xena, I don't
think I can walk.

XENA
Who said anything
about walking?

GABRIELLE
Is the canoe---

XENA
Smashed to bits.

GABRIELLE
Then how?

XENA
You'll find out after
I look you over.

Gabrielle gives in to the inevitable and lays back against the furs, trying not to react as Xena gently probes her injuries.

Noticing the concerned look on her partner's face, Gabrielle raises up on her elbows and meets Xena's stare straight on.

GABRIELLE
I'm fine.

XENA
You're a lot of things, Gabrielle,
but 'fine' isn't one of them.
At least, not right now.

GABRIELLE
(steadily)
I can travel.

(beat, as she looks down at
her splinted and swollen leg)

As long as we don't
have to walk too far.

The clearing is silent, but charged as the two communicate without words. After a moment, Xena sighs, and nods. Coming to her feet, she looks down at her partner.

XENA
Stay here.

Gabrielle watches fondly as Xena retrieves some of their gear and walks toward the river and out of sight.

GABRIELLE
(drolly)
And I was so looking forward
to running to the Marathon.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. RIVER. LATE AFTERNOON.

Xena and Gabrielle are traveling down the river in a RAFT Xena has built from stout tree limbs and limber vines. The river, though still high and muddy from the flood, is much calmer.

Gabrielle reclines on a nest of thick furs in the center of the good-sized raft while Xena stands at the rear, propelling the craft by means of a long, straight pole.

GABRIELLE
(enthusiastically)
Now *this* is traveling!

XENA
(smirks)
Glad you approve.

GABRIELLE
Oh yeah.

XENA
Well, don't get too used to
it. We're almost there.

GABRIELLE
I'll enjoy it while
it lasts then.

(beat)

All I need is a scantily
clad deck hand to attend
to my every need.

XENA
Your deck hand is captaining
the ship at the moment.

Gabrielle grins and looks up.

GABRIELLE
And I've got a great
view of it too.

Xena rolls her eyes affectionately as she continues to pole down the river.

CUT TO:

EXT. JUNGLE. EARLY EVENING.

Xena is walking silently through the jungle, a carry-sack over one shoulder, and Gabrielle in her arms. Gabrielle's pain has returned with a vengeance during the jostling walk, and she is white-faced with it, biting back moans with each step Xena takes.

XENA
(murmurs)
Not much further now.

Gabrielle tries not to gasp as Xena steps carefully over a large, downed tree, and the pain flares through her chest and leg as her body is jostled with Xena's every movement.

GABRIELLE
I'm all right. Really, I---

XENA
Shh. Save your strength.

Gabrielle feels Xena stiffen and watches as her eyes narrow and her head lifts; a wild animal scenting the wind.

GABRIELLE
(whispers)
What is it?

Xena carefully lowers Gabrielle to the ground and crouches beside her.

XENA
Stay right here.
Don't make a sound.
I'll be back.

GABRIELLE
But---

Gabrielle's protest falls on deaf ears as Xena comes to her feet, holds a finger to her lips, and disappears into the thick jungle like a wraith.

GABRIELLE
(whispers)
Gods!

CUT TO:

EXT. JUNGLE CLEARING. EARLY EVENING. XENA'S POV.

Xena glides through the thick jungle and stops just behind a tree whose lush, leafy branches bow almost to the ground. Pulling a branch out of her way, she stares into a natural clearing where a dozen MEN quietly work harvesting a large cache of herbs. Her eyes narrow.

The men are obviously more than garden-variety thugs. Their armor is clean; their weapons well cared for. They work as a team without argument or complaint.

She recognizes them as mercenaries regardless and, drawing her sword, steps away from her cover and into the open.

XENA
Evening, boys.

The sound of weapons being drawn fills the clearing. The LEADER, a clean-cut, well groomed and rather handsome man straightens and takes a step forward.

LEADER
Xena!

XENA
(smirks)
You've heard of me.

(beat)

I'm impressed.

LEADER
Only a fool hasn't heard of the
Warrior Princess who doesn't
know enough to stay dead.

Xena shrugs, and her smirk changes into a coy grin.

XENA
Well, since you're obviously no
fool, then I'm sure you know what
I'm here for. So, are you going to
walk away with your lives, or am
I gonna have to take those too?

The leader laughs.

LEADER
Oh, I know why you're
here all right.

(beat)

Who do you think
caused that rather
fortuitous flood?

Xena bares her teeth in a snarl, and the leader laughs again.

LEADER
These herbs are mine, Xena.
I'm sure you understand why
I really can't share them.

(beat)

Though I'd like to.
I really would.

He looks around the clearing.

LEADER
(cont'd)
Speaking of floods, you seem
to be missing...something.

(beat)

Where's your pretty
little shadow?

XENA
That's my business.

LEADER
Yes, I suppose it is.

(beat)

About that choice
you gave me...

He nods to his men.

LEADER
(cont'd)
GET HER!

Four men rush Xena while the other four wait their turn, weapons at the ready.

Xena quickly locks blades with the first man to approach her and kicks numbers two and three away. With her free hand, she rearranges number four's dental work for him with a hard punch to the mouth.

Then she disengages her sword, steps back, and swings it in a wild circle over her head, causing the men to retreat a step and eye her warily.

CUT TO:

EXT. JUNGLE. EVENING. GABRIELLE'S POV.

Gabrielle can easily hear the sounds of fighting and, grimacing, she tries to stand, only to fall back, gasping in pain.

GABRIELLE
All right, Gabrielle, nobody said
this was going to be easy.

(beat)

A stick. I need a stick.

In the rapidly waning light, her eyes dart around the jungle floor, finally alighting on a long, straight branch about the size of her old staff.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, she rolls to her uninjured side and begins to drag herself across the scattered debris toward her goal.

CUT TO:

EXT. JUNGLE CLEARING. EVENING. XENA'S POV

Six men surround Xena, taking turns feinting and then withdrawing.

Shouting her battle cry, she back flips from the center of the circle and lands behind two men. Jumping again, she kicks both of them in the back and sends them flying into their comrades.

Four men fall in a tangled heap. Four more rush in, hacking and slashing in controlled pandemonium.
Xena knocks the first out cold with the pommel of her sword, then twirls it and plunges the blade into the guts of the man behind her.

The men to the left and right go for her unprotected belly, and she drops her sword and grabs their heads, knocking them together and letting them drop, unconscious, to the ground.

She retrieves her sword and twirls it, grinning fiercely.

XENA
Next?

CUT TO:

EXT. JUNGLE. EVENING. GABRIELLE'S POV.

Head spinning and bright darts of agony lancing through her body, Gabrielle manages to grab the branch and holds it tightly as she wills the pain away.

GABRIELLE
Now comes the hard
part, trying to stand.

(beat)

I can do this. I've been
standing since I was a kid.
Nothing to it, right? Right.

She takes in several deep, slow breaths and releases them through pursed lips. Then, with a nod, she positions the stick butt down into the soft dirt. With a soft grunt of effort, she pulls herself slowly onto her uninjured leg.

The world around her spins for a moment, then steadies as she bites down hard on the inside of her lip. She wipes sweaty palms on the fabric of her skirt, then grips the crutch tightly in her right hand, elbow bracing her injured ribs.

GABRIELLE
Hope you don't mind
company, Xena.

CUT TO:

EXT. JUNGLE CLEARING. EVENING. XENA'S POV.

Though the clearing is strewn with bleeding bodies, six men still stand. They are excellent, experienced fighters, and though winded, look as if they could battle for days without dropping.

LEADER
Looks like dying has
caused you to lose a
step or two, Xena.

XENA
Think so, huh?

Two more men fall quickly, silently, beneath Xena's flashing sword, and lie still on the jungle floor.
The leader gives a mock bow, then pulls his own sword.

LEADER
Let's see how good you
are against a real warrior.

XENA
Find me one and
I'll let you know.

Laughing, the leader lunges forward, followed by his remaining men.

CUT TO:

EXT. JUNGLE CLEARING. EVENING. GABRIELLE'S POV.

Gabrielle reaches the clearing. Her body is obscured by the leafy branches hanging almost to the ground, and a slight smile crosses her face as she watches her partner easily, almost playfully, handle the men facing off against her.

As she watches, however, she notices a flicker of movement in the periphery of her vision.

A MAN, blood streaming from his nose and mouth, stands beneath the canopy of a large tree, a short bow in his hands. The arrow is notched and ready and he's looking for an opportunity to fire.
Gabrielle sees, with prophetic clarity, what is going to happen before it does, and as Xena flips away from the circling thugs, Gabrielle moves into the clearing.

Events proceed as if in slow motion.

Xena lands lightly and immediately engages the men. One man falls quickly to a broad slash across the chest, and the second follows from a kick that sends him crashing into a broad tree trunk. Number three is head butted into oblivion.

She immediately engages the group's leader. A quick strike sends the sword flying from his hand, and an uppercut launches him into the air.

At that exact moment, the archer fires at Xena's unprotected back.

Gabrielle drops her crutch and leaps forward off of her uninjured leg, stretching her body to its longest and reaching out with her left hand, fingers desperately seeking.

Sensing the arrow, Xena turns. Her eyes widen in shock as she watches her partner catch the arrow just inches before it would have pierced Xena's heart.

Xena's instinctively catches Gabrielle as she falls. Dropping her sword, she unhooks her chakram with her free hand and buries it in the archer's belly. The archer drops his bow and falls dead to the ground.

Gabrielle's eyes flutter open, and she lifts the arrow still clenched in her hand.

GABRIELLE
(pained smile)
Who needs focus when
you have motivation?

Xena gathers Gabrielle into her embrace and rocks her slowly in profound gratitude.

END OF ACT 4

TAG

FADE OUT:

DAY. EXT. GRECIAN SEAPORT. DAY.

Xena and Gabrielle smile at the enthusiastically waving merchant as he pulls away with his cart and team of mismatched horses. A cloud of dust follows in his wake.

XENA
Well, that's the last of the herbs.

GABRIELLE
Thank the gods for that. If one
more adoring merchant tried to
kiss me, I was going to have
to give my sais a workout.

Xena chuckles and puts a careful arm around her partner's shoulders.

XENA
Ah, the price of being a hero.

Gabrielle scowls and adjusts the crutch she's still using to help her walk. The crutch can double as a serviceable staff, and she feels a warm sense of familiarity just holding it.

GABRIELLE
I didn't see *you* getting kissed.

XENA
I'm not the kissing type.

GABRIELLE
(smirks)
I'll remember that tonight.

Xena looks down at her in mock horror, then gathers Argo's reins in her fist and begins walking toward the seaport's exit.

XENA
Shall we go see to
your Amazons?

GABRIELLE
Let's.

CUT TO:

EXT. RUTTED PATH. 

Xena and Gabrielle chuckle as they leave the busy seaport and step onto a path between two large huts, stopping as they turn the corner and almost crash headlong into someone coming in the opposite direction.

Both Xena and Gabrielle react as they recognize Varia, whom they last left Queen of the Amazons.
Varia is dressed in non-descript leathers, and seems as surprised to see them as they are to see her.

XENA
Varia!

GABRIELLE
Talk about surprises...
you're far from home.

Varia seems a bit impatient as she walks past Xena and Gabrielle.

VARIA
Yeah, well---life's a funny
thing, you know?

XENA
We've noticed.

GABRIELLE
How are things
with the tribe?

Varia starts to edge past them.

VARIA
Listen, I'd love to catch up
with you and all, but I'm
late for a meeting.

GABRIELLE
Wait...we were just
on our way to see...

VARIA
Great, great. I'll meet you
back at the village, ok?

Xena is not pleased.

XENA
Varia, wait. The plague...

VARIA
Yeah, we know all about it.
Our healers are ready for it---bye!

Varia disappears into the crowd, leaving Xena and Gabrielle standing in the middle of the crowd.

GABRIELLE
When you were teaching
her how to be an Amazon
Queen, you never got around
to the part about social
graces, did you?

XENA
Wasn't in the handbook
you left me.

GABRIELLE
Uh huh. Guess we have
something to work on
when we get there.

Shaking their heads, Xena and Gabrielle resume their slow trek out of the busy seaport and on toward the Amazon village.

FADE OUT

DISCLAIMER
Gabrielle's staff made its long overdue reappearance during the
making of this motion picture.  However, her sais are very jealous.

NEXT WEEK ON XENA