[OLD VERSION]The Saviors

Chapter Thirty-Two: Until Lambs Become Lions

  Half an hour later, Athena and Clarke left Lexa's tent. There was only so much preparation the three young women could do as they waited for Bellamy's signal. Athena and Clarke strolled through the camp in a tense silence.

"I am sorry about what happened in the village, Athena," Clarke apologized softly. "I was only trying to protect Bellamy."
"That's not your job. It's mine," Athena snapped, as she stopped in her tracks and turned to Clarke.
"Well, you haven't been doing a good job of it," Clarke retorted.

  Athena's eyes flared dangerously as she tilted her head, and Clarke stepped back as nervousness plastered her expression. Back in the delinquents camp, Clarke always seemed to secretly care about Bellamy. Now he was always her first priority. Athena quickly connected the dots in her mind.

"You love him too," Athena whispered, her eyes still flaring with rage.
"Don't be ridiculous, Athena. He's my friend and I care about him," Clarke quaked.
"Liar," Athena snarled as she turned away.
"Athena, wait," Clarke pleaded as she followed Athena.
But Athena quickly stopped once she saw Indra sitting at a campfire by Elena. "Indra, I thought you were on post."
"We don't do post. We're to cool for that." Elena smirked as she playfully punched Indra's shoulder who laughed.
"Then where's Octavia?" Clarke asked.
"She should be scouting the mountain with Lincoln," Indra answered.

Athena and Clarke shared a fearful look. They exchanged no words as they ran for the woods. Athena flipped the small blade in her hand as she searched the woods for the person who had been sent to assassinate Octavia. She spotted a tall grounder man, positioning his bow and arrow. Athena quickly but quietly ran to the grounder man.

  Just as the man was about to release the string of his bow, Athena wrapped her arm around his neck. She pressed the blade to his throat. The grounder tensed, but his gaze remained don Octavia who stood far ahead. Athena's eyes narrowed into a deadly gaze.

"You're not killing my best friend, understand?" Athena hissed.
"I have my orders," the man whispered.
"I don't care," Athena growled. "I'm not letting this happen. Lets go."

It was early morning by the time Athena and Clarke entered Lexa's tent. Athena still held a knife to the man's throat, even though she had to stand on her tip toes to reach him. She yelled in anger as she kicked the grounder in the back of his thighs, and he grunted as he collapsed to the ground. Lexa looked at Athena with wide eyes as she paused from applying her warpaint from where she was perched on her throne.

"I told you Octavia's not a problem," Athena snapped.
"Leave us," Lexa ordered to the grounder.
He grunted as he staggered to his feet, but Clarke pointed her gun at him. "No way. He's not leaving my sight."
"I won't let him leave mine," Athena assured. "I'll keep an eye on him, you deal with her."

  Athena shoved the grounder toward the exit. They paused at the entrance of the tent. The grounder glared down at Athena, and Athena gave him a side-eye glare. The grounder looked away a moment later when he realized he couldn't intimidate Athena, but her side-eye glare never left him. She had dealt with much worse than a grounder assassin. It was him who should fear Athena.

After Clarke confronted Lexa alone, Lexa and Athena had began their daily training session. They yelled and grunted as they wildly waved their swords. Both women were swift and skilled. But Athena's mind was far off from battle tactics, so Lexa easily knocked Athena off her feet when she swung her leg.

"Again," Athena winced as she pulled herself up, and adjusted the strap of her black ribbed tank.
"Maybe you should take a break," Lexa suggested.
"I said again!" Athena barked as she swung her sword.

Lexa didn't even flinch as she casually lifted up her sword to block Athena's weapon. Lexa's expression was calm, but Athena's face showed she was full of rage. The young women smacked their swords together. Athena managed to push down her sword on Lexa's and Lexa yelped as she was forced onto her knees. Lexa's arms began to shake. Athena was shaking too, but it was because of her anger.

"No harm will come to Octavia," Lexa assured as her gaze on Athena softened.
"You promise?" Athena growled.
Lexa nodded as her nervous gaze flickered toward Athena's blade briefly. "You have my word, Athena."

Athena sniffed as she stepped back, lowering her sword. Too many Emory were swirling through Athena at the moment: rage, sorrow, grief, hurt, and even fear. The entire process of the war had left a cracked piece in Athena's heart. Without Bellamy by her side, she felt empty. No one else understood her as well as he did, and she didn't want to burden her father or friends with her feelings.

"Are you okay?" Lexa asked.
"What do you care?" Athena sneered.
Lexa inhaled sharply, smoothing down her black long sleeved shirt. "You're too emotional."
"Go float yourself, Lexa," Athena grumbled as she looked away.
"You remind me of myself when I first became commander," Lexa spoke softly, and Athena looked at her in surprise. "I always wanted to do the good thing. I always wanted to save everyone. But the past commanders guided me to a more realistic path. I had to do what was good for my people. It didn't matter if I saved everyone one day, their would always be a new battle the next day. It doesn't get easier. You just have to get stronger."
Athena blinked away the tears that had began to glisten in her eyes. "I don't know how much more I can take."

Lexa punched Athena across the jaw. Athena gasped as her her head snapped to the side, nearly her entire body twisted around. Blood trickled from lips, and into the grass. She turned to look at Lexa with wide eyes, but Lexa quickly performed an uppercut punch. Athena's head snapped up, and more of her blood was spilled. Athena staggered back, sending Lexa a dangerous glare.

"Rise, and rise again. Until the lamb becomes a lion," Lexa hissed as she strode closer.

Athena yelled in anger as she swung her foot high. Lexa cried out as the side of Athena's boot slammed into her head and she toppled over. Athena kicked Lexa in the ribs, hearing a sickening crunch. Lexa gripped Athena's ankle, and yanked her to the ground.

Lexa straddled Athena's waist, and managed to punch her face several times. Athena's eyes began to flutter, and blood poured from her nose and lips. Her head pounded from the intake of punches. She fumbled for Lexa's shirt, and gripped in tight knots as she yanked her down closer. With their faces only a few inches apart, Athena took this as her chance to roughly slam her head into Lexa's.

Lexa gasped as she clasped her hands over her face, and whimpered as she stumbled back. Athena shot up to her feet, ignoring the wave of dizziness that washed over her. She swung her foot to the back of Lexa's head, knocking her to the ground once again.

Lexa groaned as Athena pushed her to lie on her back. Athena gripped the collar of Lexa's shirt in a tight fistful. Her fist was raised high prepared for another punch. But her anger faded away once she saw Lexa grinning like a mad woman.

Lexa's green eyes glowed tauntingly as she wiped a black liquid that trickled from her left nostril. "You're ready."

A/N: Clarke needs to back off from Athena's man if she knows what's good for her
We finally got a scene with Elena and Indra
I decided to give Lexa a bit of an innocent side, my baby deserved it
Athena and Lexa are beautifully brutal babes in their fight scene
And we got to see Lexa's nightblood!