Disclaimer: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Varia, or Ephiny. I do own Helia.
Xena and Ephiny met at Gabrielle's hut at the same time and presented their catches to the other. Xena had picked up two squirrels, two trout and a rabbit. Ephiny had caught a fox, two bluebirds, and a vole. Laughing heartily, the two warriors entered the cabin... and nearly screamed.
Everything was covered in blood. The two women made their way to the bedchambers. Ephiny covered her mouth and turned away while Xena fell to her knees.
Lying on her bed of furs and bleeding heavily was Gabrielle. "Gabrielle?" Xena choked out, crawling to the bed and checking for a pulse.
Gabrielle slowly opened her eyes and whispered hoarsely, "I was mauled by a bear; a black bear." She attempted to stand, but went into a coughing frenzy and fell back onto the furs.
Xena turned to the other Amazon. "Ephiny!" she called. "Go get a medicine person or someone who can treat her."
Ephiny turned to her. "But Xena-!"
"No!" Xena roared. "Just go!" Ephiny turned and ran out of the hut.
"The bear is just over there." Gabrielle lifted a blood-covered hand and pointed to a nearby heap of black fur. "It attacked me when I shot it with an arrow. I managed to knock it out and I thought I had killed it. I dragged it back here to the village and left it outside of my hut for a moment. While I was cleaning up, the bear came up behind me and attacked me again. This time I'm sure the bitch animal is dead, but he left me with some very bad marks. It's gonna take awhile for these to heal." Gabrielle offered a dry chuckle, but it came out more of a gurgle.
In ten minutes, Ephiny was back with Varia and a black-haired Amazon that Xena didn't know. The black-haired Amazon went to work healing Gabrielle.
"What happened?" Varia demanded.
"She was mauled by a bear." Xena explained, pointing to the pile of bear. Ephiny went over to examine it and proclaimed it dead.
"She will live." the dark-haired Amazon said. "She just needs a few days' rest. I will check on her periodically."
"Thank the Gods." Xena breathed.
She extended a hand to the unknown Amazon. "Xena, Warrior Princess. And you are...?"
"Helia, the medicine Amazon for the current time."
"Thanks, Helia." Xena told her. She sat next to Gabrielle and the other Amazons let them alone.