Chapter Text
She knew it had been moments, yet it felt like years. How was she to tell? She had been absent in her own mind for the first month, not wanting to think but rather act upon instinct. Time lost meaning. It was better this way she would tell herself when she began to doubt, which was surprisingly rare for her. She thought she’d miss them more, feel inclined to return to them. How could she though?
She snapped out of her reverie and approached the now dead wolf, she could feel the warmth of its blood from this short distance in the biting cold. She had gotten better at hunting in her isolation, at first they were all failed attempts. For weeks all she had were berries and nuts (which admittedly she took her life in her hands every time guessing on whether or not the berries were poisonous), that is until a rather scrappy rabbit happened to hop right into her camp site. She grinned with pride at now being able to take down wolves by herself, a grand improvement she mused.
She began gutting the wolf where it lay, her motions now repetitive and well versed. She wore the same clothes from when she left the ark still, not able to let them go for even the miniscule amount of heat they procured. With her recent success with hunting she had a few wolf pelt added to her clothes to add warmth, she knew it still was not enough yet she had to make due. Back at camp she had more furs and a fire to keep her warm, but out here she could feel the cold in her bones. She grit her teeth at a pain in her abdomen, she suddenly remembered when the wolf pounced her she clumsily allowed it close enough to drag its claws over her stomach. ‘Damned wolf.’ She thought idly as she drug her knife over her furs to clean it, sheathing it quickly ready to get back to camp.
She winced and nearly dropped the carcass as she stood with it on her shoulders but bit through the pain, it is nothing compared to most of her time down here. By the time she got back to her camp she knew something was awry, but she pretended not to notice. She went on to skin the wolf and put the meat over the open flames, her hand resting near the handgun attached to her thigh. She sat back finally, wanting to attend her stomach but not trusting the ill presence that she sensed. When she heard a twig break off to her left she finally drew her gun and pointed it in the general direction as grounders came out with weapons drawn, she fired off as few shots as required to neutralize the threat. Three male grounders lay dead in the snow, the purity of her small sanctuary now tainted with the red hue of death.
She couldn’t make sense of it, she knew the ark and the grounders have an unsteady peace. Neither willing to strike out at the other, yet neither formally reigniting the old peace. She has passed by a few grounders whom all showed grudging respect or an actual warmth, these grounders however had hatred etched into their faces as they tried they best to kill her. None of this mattered however, the simple truth dawned on her.
She, a sky person, had killed three grounders.
Endangering the volatile treaty.
Which if it did indeed break, would effectively ensure her people’s slaughter.
“Well, shit.” She breathed out at the implication.
Clarke blew out a sigh once the last of her belonging were packed and her stomach was bandaged as best she could manage, she had stacked the furs onto herself for her long journey and taken the dead grounders knives as well as one of their spears. As an afterthought she had taken some distinct pieces of clothing and papers written in a language she did not know, hoping it would help identify them.
She kicked snow on her fire tucking the rest of the wolf meat away for later, she started on her path knowing she was about a day’s walk from Polis. She stayed close knowing she was going to end up travelling to the city soon, she wished it not under these circumstances but she was left no option. She hopes the commander will at least hear her out before she orders her execution. The thought of Lexa was enough to send irrational joy through Clarke, which she quickly snuffed. She knew more than anything, whatever existed between them before the mountain could never exist now.
The cold quickly seeped through her furs and into her bones, with the cold and the fact she was still tired from wrestling with the wolf she started trudging along the path. The day seemed to be passing quicker than she thought possible, when she sensed she was nearing the city she began approaching with more caution. The cities walls came in view and she couldn’t subdue the honest smile, Lexa once said the city would change her views on the grounders. She knew that it could change anyone’s view.
The walls were tall strong oak wood, they towered ominously screaming taunts at all who dared to enter. The dings and chunks from failed attacks still marred the lowest portions of the walls, yet it was nearly artistic in their placement. It rung true, no one gets through these walls alive without the commander’s permission. She took a few more steps toward the walls before she noticed them, she was too late however.
“Clarke, kom skaikru.” A cold familiar voiced greeted without welcome, when she came into view Clarke nearly gasped. Indra and a handful of grounders had her surrounded, but the surprising part was the gash that extended from Indra’s left ear down along her jawline.
“Indra.” She greeted shortly, a thousand questions racing through her mind all of which knew would only anger the warrior in front of her.
“Heda gave orders to bring you in when she heard you were approaching the city.” She replied simply, giving more explanation than she would have expected.
“Is she in Polis?” Clarke dared to ask, stepping forward following Indra as she quickly turned.
“No.”
Clarke kept quiet after that, following mutely with her hands kept where they could see them. She was surprised they had not disarmed her yet, that was when she noticed their faces were curious and full of respect. All except Indra. They were leading her to the only gate in sight which opened expectantly with their approach. Clarke was enamored by the city immediately, she stopped briefly before a grunt from Indra had her moving again.
Upon entering the first thing they came across was the boisterous markets, grounders going about buying and selling food and possessions. She saw booths where they sold furs and thick armor for the winter, blacksmiths were bent over furnaces or actively selling typical weapons, men and women cooking different meats and various foods she has yet to see. Everyone seemed to stop and stare as she entered the city, discomforting her immediately. ‘Do they already know what I did?’ she couldn’t help but fear.
As they proceeded they passed beautiful bright wood buildings, all which had inscriptions on their door frames in Trigedasleng. Various leathers also covered the buildings and huts, each varying in size and grandeur. Just past the housing were rings and inventive courses where the grounder warriors trained, each sparring or competing. Clarke’s observations were interrupted as Indra nearly shoved her into the largest building she had yet seen. Its frames were built from a white wood which she did not yet know the name of, yet the inside walls were covered completely in leather and the floor of furs. Clarke knew immediately this was Lexa’s hut, not just because of the splendor but because of the striking throne which sat directly ahead of her at the far wall.
“You are to rest here, there will be guards outside. Stay until the heda arrives.” Indra commanded, raising an eyebrow in question. Clarke simply nodded in response, knowing better than to argue. She was here to negotiate with Lexa, and could not very well leave. She stiffly turned leaving the tent without further word, leaving her alone.
Clarke stripped her armor knowing it would be at least a day until Lexa would be back in Polis, maybe longer. She hissed as her shirt tugged the make shift bandages off her wounds, she dropped her armor remaining in her jacket and trousers. The cold seemed to fill her body despite the fire in the hut, she collapsed on the nearest bed. Her hands reaching to the rips in her stomach to feel them bleeding thoroughly, at least she walked through the city with her pride intact. She grabbed the wolf pelt she had skinned today and pressed it into her stomach to staunch the bleeding, curling under the bed’s furs she finally let her exhaustion in. She knows she should inform Indra of her wounds, but does not want to appear weak not to mention it wasn't doing too bad. 'I just got a bed, to hell with my wounds. They can wait.' she mused to herself. The last thing she remembers was the heat slowly nipping at her toes, and her lips twitched into a near smile at the first warmth in weeks.