345 days since Praimfaya (287 days since Madi).
''Lexa's taking so long!'' the Natblida whined, swinging her legs from her seat on the log. ''She said it was just gonna be a quick hunt. Like twenty minutes ago. She's still not back yet.'' the Nightblood moaned, as she stared longingly at the fire, as if waiting for the rabbit meat to magically finish cooking on the rack.
Clarke almost chuckled at the Nightblood's antics. ''Calm down, Bear Trap Kid.'' she soothed. ''She needs some time to get back. Not everything can go on schedule down to the last minute. And if she's super late, then we'll have dinner first before her.'' Then, cheekily, she said: ''Don't tell her, though. It'll be our secret. Agreed?''
However, if there was any indication that Bear Trap Kid heard her, it was when she quirked an eyebrow at Clarke, as she swung her legs up and down in a rhythm in front of the fire. ''Bear Trap Kid? Really?''
Clarke shrugged, hiding an emerging grin that began to form on her lips. She feigned a yawn. ''Not like you've given me anything better to work with, kiddo.''
Bear Trap Kid scowled at Clarke.
Silently, Clarke wondered if riling up the Natblida was really a good tactic to get her to drop a name. Probably not. But still...
''So, Bear Trap Kid...'' she began slyly, much to the scowl of the Natblida. ''What's the deal with you and the bear traps anyway?''
(Clarke didn't add trebuchet. Trebuchet would just spiral the Nightblood into a passionate rant about the said medevial weaponary. Which wasn't exactly the topic she wanted to stray on for now.)
''They're good.'' she huffed, crossing her arms and staring into the fire. ''I like 'em.''
''More than my leg?''
''More than your leg.'' the Natblida huffed out, pushing her crossed arms further into herself, as she stared sulkily into the fire.
Clarke sounded a mock gasp. ''That hurt. Why the mechanisms and not me?''
Bear Trap Kid momentarily paused in her sulking to glare at Clarke. ''Mechanisms don't call me names.'' But then, her gaze lingered uneasily at Clarke's leg, as if still unsure whether if it was safe to talk about the whole bear-trap debacle that happened. Even if it had nearly been nine months since then. ''Well... I might rank you above bear traps, if you stop calling me Bear Trap Kid. And that's a MASSIVE if.'' Bear Trap Kid stated, glancing at a seemingly-contemplating Clarke.
A grin crept unto her features. ''Okay, so... not-Bear-Trap-Kid, what's your name, then?''
Clarke looked expectantly at the Natblida, expecting to see a scowl or a glare, but only to find the Natblida's gaze drop to her foot. Almost as if shrinking into herself. Her crossed arms no longer seemed to be there for the sake of anger, but seemed more like she was hugging herself, for a comfort to her saddened expression.
She felt bad. ''Hey...'' she began, and slid towards the Natblida from her side of the log. The Natblida didn't meet her expression, but instead was staring at the ground. Now, being closer to the Natblida, she saw that the playfulness had long drained out of her expression, her features contorted into sorrow, her eyelids blinking slowly, as if pushing something back.
Okay. Clarke officially felt terrible.
''You don't need to tell me, if you don't want to.'' Clarke quietly said, her eyes mirroring the crackling fire that the Nightblood had stared at. ''I was never a huge fan of names. Sure, it's important and it's what makes you you, but at the end of the day, we could all have our names switched around and it wouldn't matter. We're still... us, and our families are still our families. I don't think... well, nothing can change that.''
