Chapter 3
It had been two weeks since Clarke arrived at Polis, and she was surprised at how easy it was to adjust. Lexa had given her a house by the shore near the woods, but after that she seemed to have disappeared. Echo had told her that Lexa had many duties to see to, but she pointed up the hill in front of Clarke’s house at the large building sitting at the top and told her that the Commander’s quarters were there. She smirked knowingly when she told Clarke that the Heda wanted to keep her close, and laughed loudly at the pink that dusted the blonde’s cheeks.
Echo lived just down the road in a slightly smaller stone house, and visited Clarke every day. Apparently she was to guard Clarke and help her with what she needed to set up shop as a healer.
As time passed, Clarke found herself greatly enjoying her new life. She woke up at dawn and met Echo either at the market to buy supplies or they would join Juno at the woods to hunt and gather what they couldn’t buy. Afterward, they would eat breakfast before heading for the practice circle, where, at Clarke’s behest, they would practice combat. The other warriors were eager to help her where they could, while off to the side Juno lay on the ground sunbathing as various children played around her. The people were initially wary of approaching the massive beast, but they soon warmed up to her once it became clear that she meant no harm so long as her cub was safe. After lunch, Clarke and Juno would head home and relax between the growing number of patients who came asking for her help.
It was rare for her to hear anyone call her Wanheda, as people quickly noticed how uncomfortable she was with the title. Instead the name Fisa Klark had started growing in popularity, and she found herself smiling whenever people called her such.
All in all, it was exactly what Clarke was looking for, and before she knew it another month had passed. She saw Lexa almost every day, they usually didn’t say much other than a short greeting or a few pleasantries, the Commander always had somewhere to be, but she always tried to make time to see Clarke at least once a day. Thinking about the betrayal at the mountain still stung, but she found that the more she saw the Commander, the more she was able to keep herself from automatically flashing back to the Mountain. She still thought of the people from the Ark on occasion –usually only in the dead of night while cuddled up to Juno- and while part of Clarke ached to see her friends, she knew if she were to go back now they would ask questions about why she left, and she doubted they’d like the answers.
“Fisa Klark!”
Her attention was brought back to the present as Lindol ran between the merchant stalls toward.
“What’s wrong, Lindol?” She asked as he skidded to a halt in front of her.
“Wolves!” He panted. “By the woods!”
She frowned as she listened to him. Wolves rarely came into the city, but when they did they never came alone and someone always ended up injured.
“Thank you Lindol.” She said calmly. “I need you to go find Echo and let her know what’s going on. I’m gonna go see if there’s anyone who needs my help.”
She watched the boy nod and run away before turning and dashing toward her house. She was the closest house to the woods and she currently had a man resting in her guest room after a nasty fall off his horse.
She made sure to grab a sword from the practice pits and cursed as she finally came to a halt only to look upon four large wolves sniffing around her house and the ones nearby. She needed to get them away from people’s homes, and so without thinking she ran right past them toward the shore, shouting to get their attention.
She pushed the sound of snarling and barking away from her mind and tried to focus only on pumping her arms and putting as much distance between herself and the houses behind her.
She stood ankle deep in the water and watched the wolves run toward her before slowing and circling in front of her. She may have been training with the warriors of Polis, but even they wouldn’t like the odds if they were in her place.
She just had to hold them off long enough for Juno, and maybe Echo, to find her. She shouted at the wolves, trying to make herself look bigger when the first wolf pounced. She braced herself and waited until the last moment before shoving her blade into the beasts open mouth. She ignored the burning pain in her arm as its teeth clamped down while her sword sliced through the back of its neck, severing its spine just below the skull.
She pulled her sword out and spun as another canine jumped at her, falling to her knees with a cry of pain when the wolf managed a swipe at her, raking her back with its large claws.
She let loose a steadying breath and watched the wolf carefully trying to predict its next move while also keeping an eye on the other two circling around her. It lowered itself it pounce when out of nowhere an ear-splitting roar came from the woods as Juno erupted from the trees and sprinted toward the wolves with surprising speed considering her size.
“Juno!” Clarke smiled as she watched the bear swat aside one of the wolves, killing it instantly, before standing in front of the remaining two and unleashing another thundering roar.
The last two wolves seemed to reconsider their position before tucking their tails behind them and running back towards the woods.
All of Polis seemed to have appeared when they heard Juno’s roars and halted a safe distance away as they were reminded that favourite healer’s big furry friend was also her most able protector.
Juno huffed angrily toward the forest once more before turning and nuzzling her snout against Clarke, inspecting her cub for injury.
“I’m fine, Juno, it’s just a scratch.” Clarke whispered as she scratched behind her friend’s ears.
Satisfied, the giant bear gave her cub a long sloppy lick from chin to eyebrow and just like that the tension was broken and the crowd surged forward to congratulate the girl on her fight.
There were plenty of people patting her on the back, mindful of Clarke’s injuries, but before Echo could properly escort her home, her eyes fell on a pair of green ones watching her intently.
The crowd quickly dispersed as the tension between the two girls made itself known. Sure they had been civil over the course of Clarke’s stay, but the look in Lexa’s eyes told her the brunette meant business.
“Lexa, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Clarke asked cordially, ignoring the slight gasp from Echo at her lack of formality.
“I came when I heard there were wolves inside my city.” Lexa answered calmly.
“Maybe at first,” Clarke replied as she crossed her arms and leaned against her door frame, ignoring the pain coursing across down her back. “But you’re also here for something else.”
“You’re as perceptive as ever, Clarke.” Lexa replied with a soft smile.
“Have to be when I don’t know who I can trust.”
Lexa paused at the hardness in Clarke’s eyes. She was surprised to see it after so many weeks of what she thought was progress.
“You’re coldness is surprising, Healer, especially considering your warm reputation.” Lexa offered.
“My apologies, Commander, I’m just wary of the ulterior motives of one such as yourself.”
Lexa bristled at the blonde’s words, more from having been read so easily than any actual disrespect.
“I’ve come to ask if you would like to join me at tomorrow’s clan meeting.”
“No. Thank you Heda, be sure to stop by if you’re in need of any medical assistance.”
And with that the commander of the Twelve Clans watched as the only girl to ever challenge her followed her bear companion inside and slammed the door in her face.