Love Me Harder

New Enemies

The NightBloods formed a circle around their Heda. This was a rarity for them. Even if they were brought into any wars the chance to see Lexa fight was unusual. A glimpse, at most, here and there. For this reason, they couldn't peel themselves away. Titus was among the NightBloods, also watching his Commander. He has seen her train with Aden before but this was different. Never has the Heda practiced with an outsider. For that matter he couldn't help but think how the blonde shouldn't even be there. He wanted to confront Lexa about it yet his inner voice stopped him. It wasn't his place to interrogate her. As he observed the brunette he couldn't stop the questions from forming in his mind.

Lexa's grin slowly faded as a more serious look took over. It was like the hunter and the hunted. A game she knew all too well. The Grounder Leader knew how to fight at almost half of Aden's age. Everything in her made her a predator when it came to a battle. How to read her enemy. How to strategize. When to attack. Most of all seeing weaknesses, such as the one presently. She could see the beads of sweat forming on Clarke's forehead. The blonde's guarded stance told Lexa a whole story. That those beads of sweat were from being out of practice, nerves, and a touch of fear. The Heda observed every twitch of the Wanheda's muscles. They were dancing now. Round and round, each one waiting. Lexa knew this is where Clarke would need the most work. The people from the Sky were so used to their weapons. Weapons they barely needed at that time. Here was different. Here wars were fought. On the ground there was no armory making bullets. It was learning how to wield a sword or die. In this Conclave she would turn Clarke from a soldier to a gladiator.

The blonde was worn out. She spent almost all morning training with Aden. For the better part of it she took a bunch of hits. Clarke knew that she wasn't a fighter like they were, but she never considered herself weak. Currently she wasn't so sure anymore. Taking a few hits here and there, fine. Having to throw a few herself, to defend herself or her people, she could manage. The Grounders were at a whole other level. Watching the brunette in front of her sparked a fire inside Clarke. She didn't know what the Heda was doing. Did she think after a few hours Clarke would be able to fight her? It sparked that anger that never fully dimmed out. The blonde agreed to be the 13th clan. She agreed to possibly being a NightBlood, and with that, had to learn all this. The Wanheda didn't do it for Lexa. She did it for the SkyPeople. At least that's what she wanted to believe. That small amount of anger was finding its way to the surface. Anger at Lexa for expecting so much in such a little time. Anger for trying to fight her in front of everyone. Anger for Mt. Weather. For making her a monster.

The Grounder Leader never took her gaze off of the blonde. It was training not an annihilation. There was no need to ambush her. The brunette was observing. Seeing the irritation replace the fear in the Wanheda. It was then she decided to move. Moving in with a fast right hook. Instantly impressed that Clarke managed to block it. She spun on the ball of her left foot. As Clarke blocked the right hook her body would move left. Lexa knew it. Pivoting when she did cost the blonde with a right punch to her ear. The Commander was fully aware of the ringing that was now going on the one side of the blonde.

Clarke kept blinking. The high pitched whistling from her left ear was almost blinding. It wasn't a good time for her sight to get blurry. Lexa moved like lightning back to the original stance they started in. Only this time she moved no longer waiting. The blonde saw Lexa's knee come up but was to slow in protecting her abdomen. She leaned over and her feet were swiped out from under her. Glaring up at the sky for the second time in one morning. Clarke was becoming more and more irritable with each assault. Waiting as she saw Lexa's foot coming towards her shoulder. The blonde put her arms around her ankle pulling Lexa's foot to the floor. Throwing her lower body weight into the air as her legs wrapped around the Commander's leg that she had trapped. Clarke's feet pretty much twirled at the top of Lexa's thigh. She pulled the Heda down using her body weight. Allowing herself to fall onto her back and take a much needed breath.