Surviving | A Clexa AU

Chapter II: The Lion And The Racoon

Pov: Lexa

It was the height of summer. The year was 2019—must have been 14th or 15th of May. You see back then, towards the beginning of the outbreak, we still kept track of days and dates. We had some misplaced notion that maybe the military somewhere had figured out a cure. Maybe Russia, or India. Our ideas are still as vague as ever. For example we will never know if the Indians found the cure (there was some chatter in the military radio regarding it, before the blackout started) and if they have established society all over again. You see, we were as doomed as ever. By the end of 2018, we had realized that we were on own own and this was our life now.

Gustus and I were poring over the list of supplies. We were still short of antibiotics and bandages, and we would need some much needed animal protein.

Indra and Anya entered the room dragging a few sacks. I looked up and grinned. Anya was covered in discolored, almost coagulated blood from head to toe—the ploy had worked.

"I'm guessing it worked" I asked, straightening up and pushing the ledgers aside.

"Like a charm, kid," Anya grinned back at me, her teeth gleaming from under the layers of blood on her skin.

"This shit stinks!" Indra grumbled from beside her. She had already washed off all remnants of blood from her skin, and was frowning disapprovingly at my mentor.

Though Indra never really was the one to go ahead and display her affections, we all knew how fond she was, of Anya. Before the outbreak, they had been neighbors—Anya was the Sheriff's Deputy, living with her step-father Gustus, a war veteran. Indra was what you usually call the "crazy cat lady" next door. Anya had mostly ignored her until one day one of Indra's cat went missing and Anya entered her house to find the walls adorned with swords, katanas, and machetes of all sorts—Indra was a trained Taekwondo and Kalariapattu practitioner with an unhealthy fascination for all things with a sharp edge or two. The two had bonded quickly over their shared dislike and distrust of the rest of humanity, and following the outbreak, they had set out together.

"Well you have to give it to the the kid here," Anya grinned, dumping the sacks on the ground. "That Walker blood camouflage worked like a charm!"

"I want details" I laughed. "But after you have washed, please!"

"What did you get?" Gustus asked, beginning to rummage through the sacks.

"We got meat to last the camp for at least a week. And we got a blondie," Anya said nonchalantly.

"What does it matter if the Walker is blonde or ginger!" I said exasperatedly. Anya always did these weird things that I will never understand.

Anya shrugged, and Indra made a 'tch' noise, looking at Anya disapprovingly again.

"Go give the blondie some love" Anya said.

"Really? You haven't cut its arms off yet? And you brought it to camp?"

"I liked its jacket. I didn't want to cut off its arms with the jacket!" Anya said as if it explained everything.

I shook my head, unsheathed my sword, and walked out, sword raised. 

It was standing with its back towards me, covered in blood, with an unusually quiet and unagressive stance. I wondered if Anya had chopped out its jaw or something.

I raised my sword to swing, and as if in sudden awareness, it turned around to face me—sparkling blue eyes filled with confusion, from under the layers of grime and muck.

My sword literally screeched to a halt, nicking and drawing blood from the shoulder. 

"What the fuck!" she stepped back in confusion and alarm. 

"Who the hell are you?" I asked, in equal confusion. 

"Who the hell are YOU!!" she mirrored with alarm in her tone, crouching back into a defensive stance. 

"I..." I tried to find my words, my anger at Anya rising with every passing second. "I am sorry. You are not a Walker!" 

"Happy realization, racoon!" she almost spat out the words at me, rubbing at her shoulder. "You thought I was a zombie!" 

"It's..a joke..." I managed awkwardly. 

"A joke?" she exclaimed. "You almost cut me down you freak!" 

"Watch how you talk, girl!" Indra had come out and was standing right behind me. I could hear Anya sniggering uncontrollably from behind me. I turned a fraction, and glared at her, before turning to the girl in front of me. 

"It's okay Indra," I mistook her to be something else. "Why is she here?" 

"I got you a pet lion, racoon" Anya laughed, walking towards me. I groaned at the nickname she had picked up from the girl, obviously.

"I was told you might need my services in return for supplies," she finally said, still glaring daggers at me. 

"Why would I need your services? Who are you?" I asked, still confused as to what she was exactly doing in our camp. 

"She's a doctor of sorts, Lexa" Anya offered, finally getting over her fits of laughter. "They are camped out along the eastern forests. Three camper vans and medical supplies."

"How many?" I asked, not taking my eyes off her. 

"There are around fifty of us. Look, Anya said she wanted some medical supplies in return food. And someone to check on the stitches and stuff," she said. 

"You are a doctor?" I asked skeptically. She looked like she was about my age or a year younger.

"Not really. My mother is. I am a second year medical student. So yeah...whoever you are, let me know or I'll be on my way."

I regarded the situation carefully. We had plenty of food supplies, and nothing to lose. 

"We will help you with food. Indra will show you to the wounded."

"Can I take a shower?" she asked. 

"What?" 

"I am covered in zombie blood, in case you haven't noticed," she rolled her eyes. "I would like to freshen up before even touching someone."

I gave a brief nod to Indra, who nodded to show she was on it. 

I looked at her once more before turning to leave. 

"I am Clarke by the way. Clarke Griffin," she called after me. 

"Good to know," I replied curtly, without turning back, and headed inside. 

Trust Anya to pick up random strangers out of nowhere and bring them to camp! Atleast this one knew some medical and might come to use.