Plot summary
Xena, Gabrielle, Joxer and Amarice free an injured wild horse and take it to Spamona for treatment. Xena's unusual tiredness and food cravings worry Gabrielle, while the town's sheriff Talia, an old friend, welcomes them.
Talia soon learns that the warlord Darcon is approaching. He is also her husband, whom she fears and no longer loves. Xena encourages her to stand her ground rather than flee, but Talia is reluctant to let someone else fight her personal battle.
A healer then tells Xena that she is pregnant. She is astonished, having no explanation for how it happened. The news eventually comes out in front of the group, prompting congratulations and Gabrielle's concern when Xena admits that she does not know the father's identity.
Other relationships develop around them. Amarice meets Arman and is drawn to him, but embarrassment repeatedly turns their attraction into arguments. Gabrielle patiently works with the frightened horse, while interruptions from the others make that task harder.
When Darcon reaches Spamona, the friends help prepare the defense. Xena is ready to fight him, but Talia returns after briefly disappearing and insists on facing him herself. She defeats him and regains control over her own life.
One of Darcon's men tries to burn the stable. The horse Gabrielle has been helping breaks out and tramples him, surviving the attack. Xena and Gabrielle leave with their horses and a new future to consider, while the mystery of Xena's pregnancy remains unanswered.
Credits
Adapted from Legendary Journeys Wiki contributors, Animal Attraction. Complete episode narrative, rewritten and condensed for clarity; causal developments and the episode's ending retained. Illustrations, dialogue quotations and non-story metadata omitted.