Etherea: Lost and Found

Chapter 5

Weeks pass with Bellamy not remembering that night. The two survive as Clarke rests and heals. Bellamy develops a routine, wake and hunt, check on Clarke, keep her warm, then hunt again before night fall. It was tedious and boring, but nothing else could be done in the mean time while Clarke was out of commission. They couldn't explore this planet or get off of it safely if she was in no condition to walk. And so they waited and waited until she was well enough to stand on her own without struggling.

Soon enough she gains enough strength to walk on her own. They test it first, with small hikes in the woods or out to the stream. Each day they travel further, helping her muscles grow stronger. She needed to for the rigorous mission ahead. Climbing a mountain to it's peek.

Today was that day.

They walk and travel, following where the anomaly could be spotted. The floating green mist hard to miss as it floated high and bright in the sky above. They pair attempted to climb the rocks to the path for mountains, but it was no use. The rocks were too smooth and slippery for either to get a good enough grip to lift themselves up higher. The only other option was to heave the other onto the ridge above and toss a rope for the other on the ground. Since Clarke was much lighter, she climbed on Bellamy's shoulders for a boost. Much to their surprise, it works.  She pulls herself on top and ties the rope to a near by tree to help support Bellamy's weight to pull him up. Of course its hard work and leaves the woman out of breath, but it was a success. 

"Why didn't we think of that sooner?" She says, trying to steady her breathing, making Bellamy laugh.

"Come on, Princess." She rolls her eyes and they walk side by side, shoulders brushing against each others as they trek through another acre of woods before reaching the Mountain's side. They make do with what they can as they try to climb, but they find it more difficult than previously predicted. Before they attempt to climb too high, Bellamy grabs Clarke's hand in his and looks at their surroundings. 

"What's wrong?"

"Maybe we should gather some more furs before heading that far up? It'll be freezing. And the last thing we need is for you to get a cold."

"What?" He doesn't meet her eye as he looks around. "Bellamy, I'm fine. The sooner we reach the top the sooner we can get off this God forsaken planet."

"Clarke you do realize with your recover your immune system has weakened?" She gives him an unamused glare. "You taught me that, Princess. We need to be careful. You especially after-"

"Got it" She cuts him off. He blinks in surprise before sighing. She's unhappy.

"Clarke-" 

"Come on. Lets get what we need, gather supplies and food, then climb and get out of here." He knew what she was doing. She wasn't happy with the turn of conversation so she was deflecting him. As always. But she'll just have to get over it. 

Bellamy would never stop trying to keep her alive and take care of her no matter how much she brushed him off. He just couldn't. She knew as much as he did that her system was weak form lack of exposure to the elements and her body fighting off bacteria from expose with her wound. She knew this, but this was Clarke. She was as stubborn, if not more, than a bull. He stops her and their eyes meet. Clarke glares momentarily as the seconds drag on, and Bellamy knows she can't stay angry over this for too long. He's Bellamy and she's Clarke. This is how they work. 

With a sigh Clarke rolls her eyes and Bellamy smirks, knowing he won. She wasn't angry anymore but she isn't happy either. She sees his ego win and shoves his shoulder before walking away. Before she gets to far he chuckles and embraces her from behind. Surprised she freezes but soon enough relaxes against him, relishing in the feeling of being in his arms. But it doesn't last long.

"Okay okay, you win. Now can we get what we need and leave?" Bellamy huffs a laugh, tickling her ear, as he pulls away. 

"As the princess demands." He mocks, and she shoves him away, though the growing smirk on her own lips isn't as easy to hide as she thought. But Bellamy doesn't comment on it. Instead they scavenge for an hour or so, hunt small game, then climb the mountain side. They wrap the extra furs over themselves to insulate heat, hoping to stay warm against the pending cold above. It was better than nothing after all.

The co-leaders climb side by side, having to stop several times in order for Clarke to rest her eg. While it has healed she hasn't worked the muscles out enough for such a rigorous mission as this. Luckily there were small flat platforms on the Mountain side to rest on as they climbed further and further above. If only luck stuck around long enough for them to reach the top.

The further they climbed the colder the air became. Even if it was clear in the beginning, a massive storm raged from thin air. They were trapped. 

"You have to be fucking kidding me." She mumbles, her head ducked down. They were so close, yet so far. Having climbed half way up the Mountain, half way back to their family and friends; only for a storm to put yet another pause in their mission home. Bellamy huffs a laugh of surprise at her profanity before taking her hand in his. 

"Come on, I think I see a cave up ahead." Clarke grasps his hand in her own and lifts her body over the edge, falling against him as she lands. Bellamy holds her, his hand on her easier, as she catches her balance. "You good?" She nods, avoiding his gaze as the flush of heat in her cheeks flares.

The pair trudge through the ever growing snow as they make their way to the cave up ahead. Its tedious, and frigid, but they make it in time before the full blast of the blizzard. It was warmer inside than out, but that doesn't mean either wasn't shaking under the furs they've covered themselves in. The further they walked, the warmer it became, but the cold still lingeried in the air. Bellamy, ever the source of heat, begins to warm faster than Clarke. He eventually relaxes a bit and sets down the bags of supplies he had carried. Unfortunately he was the only one. When he looks to the side Clarke was leaning against the cave wall, her arms crossed over her chest, hands moving up and down her arms for het, as her teeth chattered slightly. She was still freezing from the weather around them. 

Instinctively Bellamy comes to her side, helping her drop the bad slung over her back before uncrossing her arms and intertwining their hands together. She sighs from relief then and shuffles closer, her head resting on his chest, and her arms tucked between them.

"How are you so warm?" It took everything in Bellamy not to laugh at how muffled and small the woman in his arms sounded, but he didn't. Instead he holds her closer and peels her away from the wall.

"Come on, Princess." For a moment he thought she would resist, however she surprises him by doing the opposite. She follows him willingly, her hands still holding his with a vice grip. He felt her shaking still, so, he pulled out a large pelt they had secured and paced it over them as they lied beside each other on the ground. 

Clarke on shivers a hand full of times, leaving Bellamy to pull her closer to him. The pelt was the thickest they had, and he could only hope he was warm enough to keep her alive. She did recover well, yes, but not completely. She needed rest and to stay warm, or else her immune system would not fight off the new elements around them on this planet. Luckily for him she stays close, her breathing evening out as her breath tickles his neck. In almost no time at all she falls asleep in his arms.  

Now they must wait for the storm to pass... and survive the deadly cold blizzard raging outside.