Cobwebs and Flies

Ch10• Flesh And Blood

Clarke was walking through the woods with a steady and serious pace, her mind only focused on one thing: finding food for herself and the rest of the camp. With Bellamy, Atom, and Murphy gone, there were no more skilled hunters left, only a scared group of kids with no one to lead them. She headed straight until her eyes landed on an abandoned zoo that barely remained. There was an abundance of moss-covered metal rods which still stood in the exact place they were a century ago. Clarke walked around, looking around each exposé as if the animals still lived there.

When she got closer to an underground cage, a loud rumble resonated from behind her. She looked back and her eyes landed on what appeared to be a large gorilla with fire steaming from its ears. It was furious and angry, charging towards her aggressively and Clarke was certain this would be the end. A scream echoed within the zoo and Clarke looked up, seeing a girl jump down holding two swords and wearing armor, her hair so beautiful as it fell to her breast, each strand a rich roasted coffee color twisted within each other. The girl landed on her feet, her knees bent and slit the violent beast's throat in one swift movement. Clarke watched the monster fall before her as her jaw dropped, and she was suddenly at a lost for words.

"Thank you," Clarke said with a smile on her rosy cheeks and tears of joy pooling behind her eyes for she could live to see another day, "What was that?"

"Pauma." The girl replied, a little out of breath but she quickly recuperated.

"Who are you?" Clarke asked.

The young woman looked her in the eyes, Clarke's blue eyes resembling a sky on a summer day. She smiled, "Lexa Kom Trikru, I am the commander."

Clarke's eyes widened in fear and Lexa continued, "Are you Clarke, from space?"

The blonde girl nodded, surprised that she knew her name, then she thought back to Lincoln, the grounder she had stumbled upon while he and Octavia were leaning over a bush of white flowers. Lincoln was placing one behind her ear, a large smile on Octavia's face was lighting up the darkness that surrounded them, for now, the moon was their only light till dusk.

"He spoke of a Clarke and Finn, the peacemakers. Where can I find him?"

"Oh," Clarke sighed, remembering the vivid details when she stood over his body and removed the arrow that had pierced his heart, "He was killed by a grounder with an arrow."

Lexa raised her eyebrows, slightly confused by this news. "That's impossible, I specifically requested that no one was to touch Skykru." She stopped to think, "What color was the arrow?"

Clarke thought back to the arrow, remembering the faded blue mixed with dark forest green along with what appeared to be white paint drawn onto the arrow by fingertips. She explained the design to Lexa who hissed, "Azgeda."

"What?"

"The Ice Nation, ruled by Queen Nia, has been at war with Trikru for far too long. She must have sent her spy, Echo, to gather information. When she found out about the alliance he was planning, she eliminated him."

Lexa was caught up bringing Clarke to date with everything that had happened in the last century; it was an impossible task for she had missed everything. The tree above them shook slightly, the leaves dancing upon one another but when Clarke scanned the forest, there was no wind and no other movement from any of the hundreds of trees around them.

"Lexa-"

Before she could finish her sentence, a girl covered in white war paint, caked blood, and dirt on her face jumped down a few feet away from Clarke and Lexa, a daring and wicked smile on her face, "Nau yu na wan op."

Clarke looked up at Lexa, dazed and confused, "What does that mean?"

"It means it's time for you to run."

Lexa blurted the words as she drew her swords, the sound of metal against metal screeching within the air. Clarke took a step back followed by a few more until she found herself running away till she met a large tree trunk, hugging it for safety as she hid behind it, her head slightly poking out so her blue eyes could see what was happening.

"Azgeda will kof gon disha." Lexa was spitting venom through her teeth, Azgeda will pay for this. "Azgeda no mo."

A quick but calculated movement of Lexa's right wrist sent her sword slicing through the air, cutting Echo's stomach lightly, just enough to draw blood. Echo smiled for she felt no pain, "Jus drein jus daun."

She was pointing directly to Clarke when she prepared her bow and arrow, her arm pulling back with great force but before she could release the pent up energy, Lexa sliced her arm, severing an artery and making Echo fall to the ground and bleed.

"Yu laik nou welcomed hir, Azgeda has made a powerful enemy." Lexa had her foot against Echo's throat, Clarke just starring back and forth between the two warriors. When Echo began coughing, Lexa only pressed harder, enjoying a minute of revenge before she let go, and watched Echo crawl back to Queen Nia.

"What just happened?"

"She was sent here to kill you. Your people are not safe anymore."

"What do you mean?" Clarke was seriously scared, not only about her but for the rest of the delinquents. "Where are we supposed to go?"

Lexa looked her up and down and thought, perhaps there was somewhere else they would be safe. For now, her priority was keeping Clarke alive.

"Come with me, Clarke. We have a lot to discuss."

Lexa extended her hand in welcome and Clarke hesitated but decided this was perhaps the only opportunity for peace that they would have. She was the commander which meant she was in charge. Whoever Murphy had met in the woods was a clear threat unlike Lexa who seemed to care for her safety. Clarke grabbed her packsack beside her and threw it on her shoulder before nodding and walking by Lexa's side.

No one else has to die, Clarke. You got this. She was thinking to herself about everybody she had buried since they had landed here, there was far too many and she felt ashamed just thinking about it. She had always done this, she cared for others before herself because she simply can not stand the idea of standing by while someone begs for help. This was her chance to change the world; to do better today than we did yesterday. When you do better everyday, you live your life to its fullest and you will experience much more than joy: satisfaction. Today, Clarke was going to save lives.