Oh, and you Amazons have such a reputation...
- If you're gonna kill me, just do it! - Oh, where's the fun in that?
Before you die...
you'll deliver a message for me.
Where are they?
They're watching us.
We come alone!
And in peace.
Varia?
What are you doing here, Xena?
Marga invited us here.
Zana...
What's goin' on here?
One of our warriors went missing in the sacred canyon.
Every time we went to search for her, another one of us disappeared.
Finally, Marga went alone to find whatever was out there.
Perhaps we can help.
We don't need your help.
This is an Amazon problem.
She's been gone for days. We're wasting time.
Marga ordered us not to come after her.
It's been too long. We've gotta do something.
Rushing blindly into the hands of whatever's out there
isn't going to help Marga.
Neither is standing around here talking to you.
Let me go, Varia.
Marga is our queen.
This is our responsibility.
I'll get her.
Marga!
Xena...
Shh, don't talk. Don't talk.
Varia will try to avenge me.
If she dies, the Amazons are lost.
Promise me you'll protect her.
I promise, Marga.
Teach her to be a true warrior... as you are.
The fate of the Amazons...
is in your hands, Xena.
Marga... No... no.
There's a message.
Can you read it?
"Is this the best that the Amazon nation has to offer?"
It's a challenge to all comers.
In the time of ancient gods...
...warlords...
...and kings...
a land in turmoil cried out for a hero.
She was Xena.
A mighty princess, forged in the heat of battle.
The power...
the passion...
the danger...
Her courage will change the world.
Dangerous Prey
It was all internal damage.
It's pressure points, Gabrielle.
Marga was meant to crawl back to camp before she died.
Why would someone do that?
So she'd bring us the message.
Where's Varia?
Gabrielle, try to keep everyone in the camp
till I find out what's goin' on.
Prince Morloch will be pleased.
She looks like she'll give a good chase.
You know...
You should feel honored.
Prince Morloch only hunts the best.
Take her down.
Careful.
We're gonna have some fun with you.
Prince Morloch has to hear about this one.
Get me down!
Wait a minute.
Don't hurt him. Just watch him.
I need some information out of him.
He's gone.
At least we can find out where.
I told you to watch him!
One less to worry about.
These men have a leader
and they are more afraid of facing him than they are of death.
What does that tell you?
All I need to know is where to find him.
There's a whole lot of things you need to know.
This entire canyon is rigged like a hunting ground.
There are traps everywhere.
A few little snares is not gonna stop me from finding Marga's killer.
I promised Marga that I would protect you.
I don't want your protection.
Varia!
Are you crazy?
If you want to find Marga's killer, and remain in one piece
you'll do what I say, when I say it.
Get this off me, now.
And until then...
you're on a leash. Come on.
Don't you knock, Raczar?
You'll forgive my lack of manners, Prince Morloch, when you hear my news.
A fresh sport?
An Amazon...
One of a kind.
Let me go!
Get this thing off me.
Believe me, this chain's the best friend you've got right now.
I lost my queen. Most of my tribe is gone.
And you won't let me loose so I can stop the man who's killing them?
If you don't stop acting like a child and start trusting me
to help you, this man will hunt your people to extinction.
You'd know about that.
You wiped out a whole tribe of my sisters all by yourself.
- I'm gonna let that one go. - I hate you!
Yeah? Well, it won't be the last time you say that.
Come on.
I've hunted almost every creature that crawls
or walks on this Earth, Raczar.
Every one turned out to be an easy kill.
When I set my sights a little higher
I looked for something that might provide a real challenge.
But even these so-called ultimate warriors...
the fierce, cunning Amazons...
I've been disappointed.
If feels like some camping trip.
This one is different.
She has the speed of lightning.
She has the strength of many men.
She thinks three steps ahead.
Only three?
This isn't another of your big build-ups, Raczar.
Trust me, Prince Morloch.
She's a worthy adversary for you.
Well, then...
you'd better prepare the men.
This afternoon I hunt.
I heard Marga say our fate was in your hands.
If you think you're replacing her, you're wrong.
It's not what she meant.
Marga wanted me to teach you about being a warrior.
Well, I can't do that if you won't learn.
I don't need to learn.
Anger makes you vulnerable, Varia.
It's making me do what I should have done
the moment you stepped into the Amazon village.
You gotta control your anger, Varia.
Otherwise, you don't got a chance against the one who killed Marga.
Is this the way you're gonna save the Amazons, huh?
Come on, lesson's over.
- Let's get outta here. - You haven't beaten me.
Marga is dead, Varia.
The village is next.
You can't save them on your own. You've gotta trust me.
Trusting outsiders has done nothing but get us killed...
Varia!
Come on.
Take my hand!
Never.
All right, Varia...
Come on.
You saved me...
For the last time.
I'm not going to waste enery protecting someone with a death wish.
I thought you made a pledge to Marga.
Because she saw somethin' in you.
Look... If you don't want my help that's your choice.
But just know that your sisters
will live or die by what you decide to do.
Xena!
I know that I can learn a lot from you.
And I know that you've helped my people.
I shouldn't have said what I did about you.
Varia, you almost died in there, rather than admit defeat.
You gotta learn when enough's enough and when the fight is over.
Yeah, but you...
I'll work on it.
Good.
This way.
Whatever this is...
one drop of it'll make a nice bonfire.
Is that right?
Now we'll find out exactly what we need to know.
What can we find out when he's got a gag on?
Exactly who's hunting Amazons out of season.
I don't know how he got up there, but somebody's gotta get him down.
What about that tall one?
He's not the leader.
How about that other guy?
Couldn't hunt butterflies.
- Why won't he show himself? - Be patient.
He'll play his hand at some stage.
You could be right, Raczar.
She's a clever one.
She's in a perfect position to strike, but she doesn't.
She doesn't want them.
She wants me.
What is it?
Something's not right.
Varia, this is where you get to do exactly what I say...
when I say it.
Just give me the word.
Get ready to take your clothes off.
That's the weapon she used to attack us.
It flies like it's got a mind of its own.
I'll add it to my collection.
What are they doing?
Where'd the other one go?
I don't care about her. I want this one.
Where's her weapon?
Something's not right.
Bravo!
Come on in.
All right. Let's go.
Where do you think you're going?
- I'm goin' in there to help you. - No, we had an agreement, remember?
You stay here.
If I'd known how much fun you Amazons'd be
I'd have come to this country years ago.
I'm not an Amazon.
But you're so tall.
It's the boots.
I don't usually do this,
but I'd like to know your name before I kill you.
You first.
I'm Prince Chesnick...
Bloodicarr Morloch...
Upper Scheherazadestan.
Oh, Xena of Amphipolis...
Warrior Princess, Warrior Mom...
who conquers Prince Chesty Forlock of Upper Whateverstan.
Ah, impressive.
Very impressive.
Come on...
Those Amazons you murdered were good friends of mine.
I'm not a murderer, Xena.
The gods make some men poets.
They make some men seers.
They made me a hunter.
A hunter hunts animals, not people.
In this world, there is only the hunter and the hunted.
Varia!
Get down!
Varia!
You're not worth adding to my collection.
Varia!
Go, Varia, go!
Varia...
I just wanted to see the master in action.
They're here, somewhere.
This way. Go.
Kill the girl.
Leave Xena for me.
You two.
Follow me.
There she is!
Fire!
Run!
Why'd we have to use my boots?
'Cause Amazons have tougher feet.
- Do you think the fire killed him? - Nah, this guy's not easy to kill.
Neither are we.
You know what, Varia?
I'm tired of being the prey.
Maybe it's time we hunted him. Come on.
Oh, well done!
This Xena is the kind of prey I've searched for.
She's always anticipating.
She creates situations.
And just when you think you've got her...
We're down to four men.
If you insist on continuing this hunt...
Insist?
This is the kind of quarry I've been searching for my entire life.
Her skill nearly matches my own.
Well...
He'll see us coming a mile away.
We'll go around the hill, sneak in back.
Let's go.
Xena!
Varia!
Varia...
I thought it was gonna hit you.
I can take care myself, thank you.
If this had happened earlier today...
I bet you would have just left me here.
Don't get too cocky.
I still might.
I think I'm startin' to grow on you.
Varia, Marga had a lot of faith in you.
I'm beginning to see why.
A forest fire... They're flushing us out.
- Can you walk? - Yeah.
Come on.
Let's go! We're lighting it!
They can't hear me.
Light the fire.
They're right in the middle of it.
Oh, that's a shame.
Do it!
Come on, come on. The fire's moving faster.
Lean on me.
I'm slowing you down.
They're squeezing us between two lines of fire.
He wants us to run right down the middle, right into his camp.
I'll never be fast enough.
We won't make it.
But you will.
My sisters need you. Just go.
Not a chance!
Varia, saving you is saving the Amazon people!
You've just gotta have a little faith.
Varia...
I want you to get on.
- Get on? - Come on.
There's a marsh on the other side of the fire line.
Wait for me there till I've dealt with Morloch.
What am I supposed to do about landing?
Tuck and roll.
Now!
Varia!
Let's go.
Varia!
Take her to the arena.
She is nearly dead!
What good is she to us?
Do what I say.
I have plans for her.
Take her.
Varia!
- Varia! - Xena!
Face to face at last!
What's the matter, Xena?
Don't like seeing your friend up there?
Why don't you go and get her?
Why don't you come and get some of this?
Know what I like about swords?
When I kill you...
I get to see the look in your eyes.
Oh, I nicked you!
Where'd you get that? Shaving?
No one ever drew my blood before.
There's plenty more where that came from.
I enjoyed making your friend beg for mercy.
But it'll be even more fun...
I get to watch you die.
You're the one that's gonna die!
Xena!
- You all right? - Yeah.
Good.
Ok, Varia, take off.
Not until he's dead.
Varia, don't fight me on this one, not this time.
Your skills match mine on every level.
We could do this all night long.
But sooner or later, I will get the upper hand.
- You know why? - Tell me.
Because I'm enjoying this.
This fight is the fight I've been searching for my entire life.
You're right.
So why would I give it to you?
You will fight me!
Watch it!
You will fight me!
You lose.
Here.
This whole time, all I could think about
was avenging Marga's death.
But I'm here.
He's gone.
I guess that's revenge.
That's right.
Varia...
Marga wanted you to have this.
She chose you as her right of caste.
You're the new leader of the Amazons.
I still have a lot to learn to honor Queen Marga's memory.
I will always be in your debt.
You don't owe me anything.
I will make you proud, Marga.