Chapter Text
When the rustling and noise in the alley subsided Elyza felt at a loss. She felt like she was missing something but couldn’t put her finger on what. Her eyes lingered at the door as Phoenix started rummaging round the establishment. Her heart was doing weird flip flops, she chalked it up to just the adrenaline dying out in her system but she rubbed the space at her ribs absentmindedly.
Elyza stared some time longer at the door confused.
‘Um, hello?’ She tries reaching with her mind, unsure of how to go about this. She’s trying to find Claire or Clarke’s presence, she thinks she felt something similar just now. A weird warmth that was present is slowly fading away and she's feeling a little colder despite the thick heat of LA.
‘Clarke, Grandma?’ She tries again. Hopeful someone is there to explain her emotional turmoil right now. She should not be that freaked out by being chased, they’re literally chased every day… just usually by the dead.
There’s just silence ringing back in head. No one’s there. She wonders if she made the two voices up before Phoenix has her remembering she couldn’t have.
“Ow mother-father,” Phoenix hisses when she drops a stool onto her foot.
It snaps Eliza from her pondering and she’s telling her to be quiet. “We don’t know for sure they’re gone, you donkey,” Elyza tosses a rag at her sister.
“You know,” phoenix rummages through some boxes, she grunts and glances back deviliously, “Clyza is a lot nicer.”
Elyza can’t help but laugh and stick her tongue out, good ole Nix, what an asshole. It reassures her but she doesn’t say it - ‘not crazy, just weird,’ she tells herself. ‘Not broken, just bent and bruised.’
Elyza tells her she’s an asshole, only half joking.
Nix makes a playful grab for her smirking, “yeh who got you back in your body ya dick, it sure as shit wasn’t Clarke.”
“Raven,” Elyza counters, answering matter of factly. “It was Raven.”
Absolutely correct.
And that stops her sister's retort. “Damn it, smartass.”
They continue rummaging around and when they’re ready to leave, a couple hidden bottles of shine and a sawed off shotgun found in tow, it was stashed with cash to which they left behind. “Fecking waste, “ Elyza had said disgusted at the fake currency and slamming the safe door.
And on their way out Elyza can’t stop herself from finding the lock that had been (unbenknownst to her) hidden under the dumpster by a stranger.
She doesn’t know why she keeps it.
But she’ll find herself some comfort in it as the next few weeks go on.
She’s often running her thumbs along its hard metal edges and turning it round and round in her pocket multiple times like a worry stone.
————————————————————————————————————
“You’re back, finally!” Bob says when Elyza and Phoenix return to the apartment building.
“Bobert,” Elyza greets him with his nickname she has for him. He smirks back a twinkle in his eye.
“Any goodies out there?”
Elyza squeezes the lock in her jacket pocket, “Nothing special.”
”just some primo bottles of shine and a sawed off,” Phoenix tell him, shoving past him and thrusting the weapon towards his chest. She always tries to step between them, Nix has repeatedly told Elyza mixing it up with him would be bad news.
Elyza’s not so sure. She’s bisexual, tending to lean towards women as she finds males make good bed partners when you need it but lack intelligence and conversation is something Elyza lives on.
But he could kill a night or two for her.
Nothing has happened yet, but there definitely has been some lustful glances shared from time to time. Elyza tosses the shine bottle to Trevor, a young Asian boy who always looks at Elyza funny and his best friend Jeremy catches the second one. He’s a skinny kid, less than adequate stamina and stature for this life.
They know Trev has kept the two friends alive while Jer seems to get the two into problems. They joined up a few weeks ago, Bob had found them in a grocery store high as kites.
”It’s skunky and amazing,” Trev had offered them a joint which Elyza ended up taking. You don’t turn down free painkillers and she’s almost certain they have stashes throughout the city.
They had been living on the roof of the grocery store before the roof had caved in. They almost had landed on Elyza and Bob who narrowly missed decapitation as it collapsed.
The boys state had them instantly laughing and asking them to join them once they got over the rush of trying to figure out if they were going to be threat.
Definitely not a threat. Trevor seemed sweet and quiet, he watched Elyza and Bob a lot like he was afraid to blink. Jeremy was just an idiot but seemed like someone who would bring a good time.
This is what they did, their code was to gather the stragglers, get them safe and then give them the speech. See if they want to join the cause.
The two boys joined up instantly, Jeremy choosing to agree as soon as he saw Phoenix. He now follows her around like a lost puppy and she’s joked that he made a good dog. She tends to set him to work more often than actually speaking to the boy.
There’s third member was a large black man, he went by Leroy. He was bald and built like a machine. Someone who looked like you would not want to mess with, but he had the sweetest soul Elyza has met on this earth.
He’s often found by a window or fire writing in his journal. Elyza enjoys the quiet safety he provides. He doesn’t say much but he’s proven to be willing to die for any of them since the day they met - a week before the other two joined.
So their crew of six was small but they had a purpose thanks to Elyza and Phoenix; the goal was just to help people in the world to make it to tomorrow. Do some good, any good and prevent people from getting hurt or worse. They had molded themselves into tiny vigilante’s going out into the city to find people, too take out walkers and to make it somewhere safe. There had to be somewhere.
Night has fallen and they're passing around the shine in the small apartment and getting ready to call it a night. Elyza gets comfy on the ground beside her sister and starts rolling the lock between her fingers as she falls slowly asleep to quiet conversations.
Tomorrow they move to clear floor five above them. Tonight Leroy keeps watch and they are safe. His kind eyes watching the street and over his counterparts equally, like it was a privilege duty.
_____________________________________________________________________
When the crew in the rover finally got to the ark it was mid morning and Bill had met them - turns out Abby really did send the werewolf out after them and Lexa couldn’t help but smirk with the corner of her mouth. Clarke joined her when she asked why with a little chuckle.
The air there was tense with the previous arrivals but Bellamy filled them in as to why exactly it felt so heightened. Clarke would say everyone panties are in a bunch, Octavia takes a different approach;
“What’s going on, why does everyone look like they’re gonna shit their pants,” she asks with all her graceless tact.
“Oh that’d be because of the bear.” He nodded his head matter of factly, his tone surprisingly light.
“The what?” Lexa and Clarke both hear themselves asking.
“Bear, big white and burly, got a big scar on his gigantic head.”
“Why do you sound like you’re enjoying this?” Octavia punches him in the arm.
“Because in all the time I spent in Azgeda, I never got the chance to see one up close let alone the king of bears,” he says with a bit of awe. “Add to that Luna came in riding him-“
“Luna was riding the bear?” Clarke cuts him off, stepping in front of him with a hand on his chest to stop their march inside and looks at Lexa worriedly.
He looks back and forth from the two leaders quickly.
Then he looks at Lexa concernedly before he says, “Yeah, I’m sorry Lexa, she barely got to the gate before she passed out and he actually lowered her to the ground so we could get to her.” Bell divulges, “it’s not good you guys, she’s pretty…”
Clarke stops him with a glare, she can tell Lexa is tensing even more the longer they delay and she can’t take on all the problems at once either. Clarke’s worried about Luna of course, but she is also concerned as to why Bamse is here without his rider.
“We’ll deal with the bear after,” Lexa chooses the priority as if she could read her mind. Then again, Clarke’s never been fully convinced she can’t. She frowns deeply at Clarke as she ushers past her, ‘fuck,’ Clarke says to herself, she definitely knew the worry she was feeling wasn’t just about Luna. Clarke rolls her eyes, ‘if she goes jealous Lexa I’m going to scream.’ She smirks after, like that’s a possibility at this point here between them. There’s no chance.
Clarke’s concern was more for what this meant for things going forward. Okay, maybe a small bit for the rider Ontari, but it’s like the smallest bit - it feels like Clarke owes her that much. What if she was eaten by one of those things or she’s gone missing and Luna could have been there.
Lexa is wondering why Luna would be coming across Azgeda. Last she heard, they weren’t patrolling their forces anywhere by the sea; That’s what Ontari had told Clarke on the last radio check in, which just happened to coincide with Lexa’s little trip away she found out.
Clarke quoted with bunny ear fingers and all, saying she figures: “The Pirate (Luna - who by the way LOVES her new name) had it covered with her people, much more suited for the delicacy of passing through those lands unseen,” apparently.
But then again, ‘ice bitch probably lied’, she’s not even sure who’s voice that was but it was one of the past commanders. She’s guessing the previous commander who had been killed by Nia’s fathers forces during the wars. Another reason she hated Lexa so much, the spirit chose her and not the Azgeda nightblood.
Luna was in the med bay. Lexa had quickly gone to polis for Abby once everyone was settled and brought her back via her power.
Bell took the kids off to see the bear, “from the fence!” Clarke ordered to a small chorus (including Bellamy) of reluctant ‘yes, Wanheda’
Abby’s conducting the exam with Clarke’s assistance while Lexa paces a few feet away. Luna still hasn’t woken up, she finds Abby is sedating her until this evening now.
”Why?” Comes out forcefully loud, Lexa stops pacing and Clarke shoots her an eyebrow up, the tone was very much Heda speaking and Abby flinched and then sighed apologetically. She looked at Lexa with worry for the young woman before her and Lexa instantly felt ashamed for yelling. Well, Heda’s version of yelling anyways.
“Sorry,” she says truthfully. Abby waves it off instantly, “Don’t worry about it you should have seen me with the yelling patients on the ark sweetheart, that was hardly inappropriate,” with a pat on the arm. She looks at Luna’s chart one more time and says to Lexa, “I have to keep her sedated because I have no idea what we are dealing with…”
Lexa tilts her head and Clarke worries on her top lip. “Lex,” Clarke steps in, “It’s not good news, this is going to be difficult.”
Lexa swallows and nods, her eyes well and worry fills them and none of Lexa’s features. Heda is now on guard, protecting her by taking control, but her eyes always showed Clarke the truth. She’s seen her do this too many times to count right before her and it breaks her heart for the softest squish commanding armies that there’s ever been.
Clarke grabs her hand and leads her to the gurney Luna is on. Abby takes Clarke’s nod and lifts the sheet from Luna's shoulders and down to her hips.
Lexa can’t help but suck in air that doesn’t satisfy as a small gasp escapes Heda.
”Is that?” She asks unbelieving.
”Yeah babe,” Clarke is rubbing her back with one hand and squeezing the other.
”Where the fuck is her hand Clarke?” Lexa’s next question comes out quickly and a bit frantic. She wouldn’t normally be allowed by Heda for such a response from a warrior point of view. But this is different, it’s Luna. Also, the wound doesn’t look or smell right at all.
“She, um, well according to the chart ‘she didn’t bring it with her.’” Abby says, closing the clipboard charts with a hard metal flap.
”Mom, not the time for jokes.”
”That’s what it says, Harper was helping fill the report out, don’t give me shit, it’s not like I approve but it is accurate...” Abby says handing the file over.
Clarke rolls her eyes at her and Lexa clears her throat, Heda fully in control once more thanks to their deflection.
She squeezes Clarke’s hand tightly, “And those, Are those?” She can’t get the words out but she’s repeating her earlier question. She knows them but the implications are terrifying her.
Again, Clarke confirms quietly, “Yeah Lex, it looks like she was bitten, but it also looks like a weapon wound so we’re not sure. Mom sedated her further to help her heal, she’s got a nasty bump and some other injuries but the missing hand is a big one…”
She rambled, damn it Clarke. ‘Have a little tact,’ she hears Claire in her ears. The blonde mentally winces at being scolded in her own damn head but then again it’s her scolding herself. It’s very confusing, she much prefers when she’s encouraging her and cheering her on.
Lexa lays a hand on Luna’s shoulder and whispers to her in trig. Luna makes no moves, Lexa doesn’t know if she can even hear her.
”Is she out of the woods?”
"That's why she’s sedated, she’s got a fever and needs more fluids. I’ll wean off the medication later and then we’ll see if she wants to wake up.” Abby tells her, removing her reading glasses and pocketing them. “Sorry kids, it’s the best we can do right now. It’s a monitoring game now. I am concerned about gangrene, the wound smells horrendous. I’ll have to spend some time cutting away at the diseased flesh and to see the dept of it in the meantime.” She squeezed Lexa’s shoulder once more, “I’ll let you know as soon as I have news.”
“Mom, take all the precautions,” Clarke says, hinting with her eyes at the stump end. Abby fully catches on to her fear of the real disease she is worried about and it’s definitely not gangrene. She’d prefer gangrene actually but she can’t make that call yet.
Lexa nods and gives Abby a quiet thank you before she’s practically dragging Clarke by the hand and out the med bay doors before the blonde even knew what was happening.
She waves to her mom in a confused salute and turns to properly speed walk with Lexa. She’s got a vice grip on Clarke’s hand but the blonde isn’t pulling away, she just squeezes back. Lexa is clearly using her as a grounding zone at the moment. Clarke does the same and it helps them both immensely knowing they're not alone in it all.
She just lets her pull them, her walk slows a little as they get outside and Clarke can see her finally taking a deep breath. It was like she was holding it since she saw Luna was only 95% there with the rest somewhere to the wilds.
She has some riders sent out without stopping the walk. “Look for her hand, follow the tracks, ignore the bear, do not encroach on him. Gau Nau!” If they find the limb they may know what happened. It’s possible the dead got her, it's possible an animal or an enemy attacked Luna.
“The bear?” Clarke questions as they cross the courtyard to the fence and have them open the gate. Two horses are brought before them at Lexa’s command from the Trikru who are stationed with the Arkers. Her only response being a nod to Clarke. She still hasn’t spoke since they left the Ark.
Saddling up Lexa is off on a giant black beast of a horse Bellamy had been using and Clarke is just able to get on in time to be right behind her on Echo’s painted horse. Bellamy follows behind in the rover, after he got a signal to come from Clarke, his sister gripping onto the back bars and bumper steps as it passes her. Neither know what Lexa has in her mind but she’d feel better with the tank with them and Bellamy is as good behind the wheel as Raven in it.
Bill quickly joins them running and stripping off his light t-shirt, seconds later he’s full wolf and Béland is galloping on a horse behind him.
A hunting party.
They go to where Bell and the kids last saw the bear. He hasn’t left they think as there are fresh tracks all along the treeline.
”It’s like he’s patrolling,” the young man says, kneeling to compare the size of the paw print to his hand in awe. He looks very much like his younger self when they first got off the drop ship, military grade rifle on his shoulder and everything. The childlike wonder of the Blake kids will always be endearing to Clarke in the warmest way. “He’s gone this way at least 4 times now I’d say.”
Lexa nods on the horse seeing the tracks Bellamy sees as well. “Then I wonder where he is…” her eyes roam the woods and her one hand remains on her sword. He joins her at her side and glances at Clarke.
“Geez, he’s gotta be the size of the rover.” And that’s a Blake for ya, trying to lighten the mood, find the good or whimsical in the world.
”He is,” the leaders say dryly in unison, remembering seeing him the first time up close.
Clarke chooses not to divulge that she’s actually cuddled up to the beast to prevent hypothermia. She’s not sure if Bellamy will be an adult about it or how Lexa would react.
She keeps that tidbit tucked in her back pocket. Definitely seems like a if they need to know type deal. Octavia is already smirking at Clarke and doing a shit job of hiding it because she knows exactly what the blonde is thinking. She silences her with a glare.
”Bill?” Clarke says from her horse and then glancing to Béland.
“The sent is strong he’s been here maybe twenty minutes ago Heda’s.” The brother answers for him. “He suggests Octavia’s aid in searching the thick of the woods while we check the ridges.”
Lexa takes a deep breath mulling it over and looking along the treeline. “Agreed, you and Bellamy take the Rover to the West edges and we will search the east ridge.”
”Sha Heda,” with a nod he says and clasps Bellamy by the forearm.
“Let’s go for a hunt,” Bellamy grins.
They’re in the rover and rolling away as Clarke watches Octavia chuck her her clothes and struggles to catch the flying boots. “Damn it Octavia I am not your bedroom chair,” Clarke grunts, getting down to grab the one she dropped.
She swears she hears the wolf laugh and ends up just chucking the boot after her. “Fetch that,” Clarke says, mounting again after she shoves the clothes into the saddle bag.
Lexa trots up closer, “she’s getting worse,” she says with a smile.
”I think she’s milking the whole ‘I’m wild innately Clarke, I can’t help my nature’” she mocks her friend.
Lexa huffs, “Did you expect anything less for a warrior to find the advantage of such a thing?”
”Good point,” Clarke agrees and kicks into motion. Lexa whirling her steed and following suite.
It’s a couple hours later they hear roars coming from the woods across two fields from them.
I takes a split second look and they’re bolting through the thickets from their search area.
Seems someone had some luck.
Good or bad remained to be seen.