He got up looking at her then at Gabrielle. “You…you hurt it…” Xena turned away ignoring him, as she pressed the cloth harder against Gabrielle’s bleeding wound. “Yes I did…” She leaned easing pulling Gabrielle on to her knees trying her best to ignore her lover’s painful moans. She moved faster grabbing at the one of the bags near the campfire. She opened it tugging out a number of bandages along with a number of cloths and some herbs. She grabbed the leather water skin from its position close to the tree. She emptied the contents on to the cloths soaking them then began the slow process of cleaning Gabrielle’s wounds. She watched as the shaking solider turned sharply. “We can’t stay here! It’ll be back and they’ll be more of them!”

She looked up watching as the soldier slowly sat himself down next to her taking one of the wet clothes from the soaked pile and began to clean his open wound. “Where doomed there going to kill us all!” Xena eyed him as she picked up some herb paste, which she then gently pushed it in to her lover’s deep bite wounds. Her gaze shifted as she pulled out some thick white bandage wrapping it slowly around Gabrielle’s wound in slow motions wrapping it tight. She watched as the soldier did the same though his terror wasn’t helping her situation. She eyed him for a moment. “Where were you headed?” The soldier pointed to her right. “I was heading for the city of Messene its two hours walk from here.”

He put his sword to his chest. “Me and my party…we were meant to be the reinforcements.” Xena turned to Gabrielle who was starting to look ill. She grabbed the second bag pulling out a long brown cloak from it, which she slowly put around Gabrielle’s shoulders to keep her warm. She eyed the soldier again seeing his anguished face. “Can you walk?” The soldier looked up as he tightening his bandage. “Yes.” Xena slowly moved her arms around Gabrielle waist helping her to her feet. “Good then you can lead us to the city?” The soldier pulled back slightly. “Its dangerous there might be more of them!” Xena turned sharply noticing that Gabrielle looked like she was on the brink of passing out.