5 MONTHS LATER...
It had been 5 months since Luna came.
After the entire debacle with all the surfacing of the past dredge, they had... cleared out most of it, so to speak. Since most, if not all, of Luna's exploits were brought to the surface, and after inviting her to join their so-called kru, they found it slightly easier to trust her, if for the transparency of it at all. Madi... Madi had gotten quite close and attached to her sister, as anyone would—even if there were pasts to consider.
And though it was as if nothing had changed—save for the sister return and the entire debacle that had followed—things had definitely changed. After Luna had joined their kru, for lack of a better term, things had been different, and their dynamics had shuffled and shifted to accommodate her. Luna had did good on her promise—she had kept her word on hunting food for them, and there were some days where they had more food than they needed to eat. Those nights were amazing; and it was almost reminiscent of the first year after the Death Wave, after Madi had come, where food had been prominent and they could eat like kings and queens for what felt like endless nights.
Though there was always the past to consider, and everything that Luna had done—however, since it had been five months since Luna arrived, they supposed that if she was going to steal all their things with the addition of Madi and made a run for it, she would've gone and done it already.
So, little by little, they had begun to trust her.
Their lives had shifted after Luna had come in—and whether if it was good, or bad, they still had to decide. Madi had been significantly happier than she was before and enjoyed going out to hunting sessions more, especially when it was with a certain another spear-fish loving individual. Lexa had seemed more content, in spite of Luna's presence and the hand which was played in the past—and perhaps it was because of Luna's presence that she had felt better, and had seemed to grudgingly come to like her debates and conversations with Luna, which had always ended on a note inviting for more discussion. As for Clarke, she and Luna had shared hunting sessions throughout the five months, and had discussed their own values and the topic of survival and sometimes peace in the world they had now— and, after the months, Clarke might even call them friends.
Luna was friendly with them all, but always kept a hint of humour to her tone and sometimes sarcasm, if you will. And of course, she was the closest to Madi—for she was still the young Natblida's sister, loved her like she loved her spears, and even if she was friendly to them she was friendlier to her. And Madi definitely reciprocated those feelings.
For even though Madi had still loved them like family, Luna would always be in her heart, for she was, and would always be her kin.
At first, Clarke and Lexa had been slightly distant towards Luna, whether it be because of Madi, or their pasts, or something else. But soon, Lexa and Clarke had grown to know Luna, and despite it, all, became a bit more close to her, too.
Never on the level of closeness Madi shared with Luna. Not to a level where they didn't tense when they saw Luna training with her spear; not to a level where they didn't feel the slightest on edge whenever they saw Luna around their resources and food; not to a level where they didn't feel the urge to go after her whenever Luna announced that she wanted to venture alone into the forests. Not yet.
But still close.
Close enough to share stories; close enough to talk to. Close enough to hunt with; close enough to enjoy her presence. Close enough to feel content around; close enough to confide into; and close enough to, perhaps, even understand things from her perspective.
Close enough to trust.
...
''No, Madi,'' Clarke stated, glaring at the sulking child with as much willpower as she could, as she listened to the river stream's rustle over the forests. ''No way am I letting you go there.''
