Fueled by rage and the desire to save Gabrielle and Aurora, Xena moved fast as she lept at Celine. The Amazon quickly moved out of the way as Xena raced to Gabrielle's side.
XENA
Gabrielle?
Xena gently and hesitantly touched Gabrielle's blood smeered face, but got no reaction as Gabrielle layed there unmoving. Xena quickly felt for a pulse and felt a bit of relief that Gabrielle was somehow still alive. At least for the time being. Her pulse was weak and blood was beginning to pool under her from where Celine had stabbed her. Not to mention all the other injuries she clearly had. All of which ment that unless she got serious help fast, it was practically guaranteed that Gabrielle would not survive to see another day. Xena quickly stood up as she looked for anything that could slow down the bleeding. She looked at Aurora who layed there looking up at her. Then Xena saw the blanket under her. She gently picked up the baby and grabbed the blanket before laying her back down.
XENA
Sorry little one but your mommy needs this. You just sit tight while I help her. And we'll be out of here soon.
Xena quickly returned her focus on Gabrielle as she knelt next to her as she riped a piece of the blanket and folded it a couple times before pressing it against Gabrielle's wound to try and slow the bleeding. Xena then took the rest of the blanket and tied it securely around Gabrielle to hold the piece over the wound in place. As she worked Xena spoke to the unconscious Gabrielle.
XENA
How many times am I going to be here, just hoping that I don't lose you? I need you to just hold on for me and for Aurora. You did it Gabrielle, you saved her. And once this is done she's gonna need both of her mothers to raise her. So you have to keep fighting. You hear me? I'll get us out of here soon I promise.
Gabrielle just layed there as Xena finished doing what she could in the moment.
CELINE
I don't know why you're bothering Xena. She's as good as dead already. You're just wasting your time.
Celine smiled as Xena glared up at her.
CELINE
But this is what you get for you and Gabrielle taking my mother.
Xena stood up.
XENA
(Cold tone) I'll be fixing that and you'll be reunited with her very soon Celine.
KAI
There's the dark side that I knew was still there.
Xena looked to see Kai had gotten up from having her head smacked into the rocks. The Amazon held her head for a moment before looking at her hand and seeing a bit of blood from the small cut that Xena's attack when she first escaped. She scowled at Xena as she moved in closer. Xena didn't say anything. She was done talking. She needed to deal with Celine and Kai. And she needed to do it fast. Gabrielle's life depended on it.
KAI
I guess Xena's done talking.
CELINE
Fine with me. I have no desire to listen to her anyway. All that yelling and begging me to stop. This is far from the so called legendary Xena that I've heard people about. Between her and Gabrielle's pathetic attempts at fighting me off, It makes me seriously wonder how they managed to kill a great Amazonian fighter like my mother.
XENA
I'll show you.
Xena rushed in and punched Celine in the face. She then quickly followed up with several quick blows to Celine's midsection and finished the flurry with a hard uppercut to the Amazon's jaw. Celine was knocked back and hit the ground. Though she didn't stay down for long as she used the momentum and rolled back and landed crouched on one knee. She stared angerly at Xena as she rubbed the spot where Xena's fist had connected with her face. Xena stood ready for Celine to come back at her. She moved to the side when instead of Celine, Kai came at her with a sword that she had with her. Kai swung the blade again, Xena caught her wrist with one hand and drove her other elbow into the side of Kai's head. Hearing Celine yelling from behind her as she swung her own sword at her, Xena drove her boot back and into Celine's stomach. She then pushed Kai away and turned towards Celine with a high spinning kick. It knocked the blade from Celine's grasp, sending it sliding a little across the cave floor out of all three's immediate reach. There was momentary standstill as Kai slowly moved closer to Celine all the while not talking her eyes off Xena.
KAI
As much as I hate to admit it, we'll never beat her like this. We're both gonna have to go in. We can't give her room to breathe.
CELINE
Whatever we have to do is fine with me.
Hearing the exchange Xena readied herself. Raising her hands to her typical unarmed fighting stance. Celine and Kai spread out as they each moved around Xena in an effort to split her attention. Then Kai attacked swinging her weapon. As did Celine. Xena repeatedly dodged and blocked their strikes. Throwing in her own offense every opportunity she got. But fighting two skilled fighters simultaneously with no weapons was going to take too much time. As skilled of a fighter Xena was, time was one thing that she couldn't fight. And that was something she knew that Gabrielle was very rapidly running out of. Xena knew that she had to get her hands on a weapon if she had any hope of saving Gabrielle, if it wasn't too late already. She blocked another shot from Kai. Then shoved her back as Celine landed a glancing hit. Her blade cut Xena's arm. The pain only served to enrage Xena further as she let out an angery yell and landed a hard punch right in the middle of Celine's face. Celine yelped in pain as she backed off holding her face. She glared at Xena as she felt the blood running from her nose that was definitely broken. Kai threw herself at Xena from behind. Latching onto her back as she raised her dagger to stab Xena. Xena reached up and caught Kai's arm, but received a hard punch to the face and a kick to the ribs from Celine. As she instinctively doubled over from the shot to her side, Xena used it as leverage to flip Kai off her back and on to Celine. Both Amazon's went down. While Celine and Kai were getting back up Xena took the opening she had just created and made a mad dash for her weapons. As Xena went for her sword Celine had gotten back to her feet and was racing after her swinging. As Xena got close to where her sword layed, she slid in. Taking a knee as she snatched up her swords handle and turned swinging the blade, blocking Celine's attack. With their blades locked Xena then used her superior strength to push her way back up to a standing position. The steel scraped together as the Xena and Celine fought for dominance. The struggle was broken up by Kai who landed a cheep shot to Xena's back. Celine used the distraction to her advantage and shoved Xena back as she followed up with a swing of her blade that caught the off balanced Xena in her side. Xena backed away a bit further as she held her side. The wound hurt but Xena didn't think it was anything too serious. She could still fight just fine. Though she was reminded of her need to hurry when her eyes were drawn to Gabrielle who was still lying in the same place she fell.
XENA
(Thinking to herself) A few more minutes Gabrielle. That's all I need to finish this. Then I'll get you and Aurora out of here and get you help. Please just make it a little longer.
TO BE CONTINUED…