It was silent and eerie out in the forest. The thick, tall, trees accompanied with dense layers of fog. The odd bird chirping up above, the smell of dirt and nature and uncountable herbs that surrounded them for familiar miles. The early oncoming winter month adding to the tranquil and peacefulness. The only constant sound was the nearby river, calmly battling against the downward dissent in which the stream follows.
This is home to Lexa. This was her element; she knows the surrounding acres like the back of her hand after training and running through the thick woodland maze since she's been old enough to walk. This is her Labyrinth and her people know it. Herself and a hunting party of 5 of her best hunters, stealthily manoeuvre across the leaf littered forest floor; leaving no trace or sound behind them. Lexa wearing her normal attire with the exception of her red cape and shoulder guard, allowing herself more movement, whilst leaving no rustling noise. Instead replaced by a black leather zip up jacket, which holds a varied selection of knifes inside as well as giving a somewhat padded layer of protection, which she is doubtful she will need. Her face stern and deep in concentration, without her war paint on. A minor sheen or sweat and grime covers her face as it does the other warriors around her. They've been tracking the same deer for 3 hours now. Every time they get close to it, a certain noisy blonde haired distraction scares the creature off. But not this time they are too close. Narrowing her eyes at a flicker of movement 30ft in front of them, Lexa comes to a halt holding her hand in the air, immediately stopping the small sea of warriors around her. The deer in her sight. Silently she raises her bow, arrow already in place; she pulls the string of the bow back to the side of her face. Easy does it now Lexa, You've got this. You've done this a hundred times before. Just a little to the left. Perfect! 3...2...1...
'CRACK!'
"Ouch!"
The sudden noise sends the deer hurdling through the trees. Lexa releases her arrow startled but it's too late. The arrow sinks into a tree trunk with a defying 'Thud'. Internally sighing, the brunette turns on her heel to glare at an awkward looking Clarke sprawled on the floor looking up at her with guilty blue eyes.
"Sorry. Again." Came a mumbled response, from the blonde heap on the floor.
"How is it possible to be so...disruptive?" Lexa half shouts with as much self-restraint as humanly possible.
"Well I'm sorry that I've been living in space for the past 18 and a half years and I'm not accustomed to your stupid bumpy ground or your stupid hunting ways" Clarke huffed dramatically, whilst pushing herself into a sitting position. Staring the Commander down with an argumentative look. God she looks so adorable when she's pissed off. Lexa thought. She was snapped out of her thoughts when the group of hunters started sniggering at Clarke and the display she was giving. Clarke whipped her head round to them with a hatred glare, immediately silencing them. The blonde frowned even more making the crease between her brows deepen. Admittedly Lexa also wanted to smirk at the blonde's performance, but she had to keep up her emotionless facade in front of her people, plus she didn't fancy being on the receiving end of that look; the men looked like they wanted to dig a hole in the ground at the feet and never return.
Lexa looked up between the gaps in the leaves, it was only a couple of hours before sundown and they need to set up camp, also they have to catch something to eat before it's too dark. Sighing Lexa strode over to where the angry Clarke still sat and offered her hand to help her up "Come, we have to catch something before it's too dark, then we'll set up camp?" the commander offered.
Rolling her eyes with an apparent bored look, Clarke accepted Lexa's hand "Fine but you better tell them to stop laughing at me or I swear I'm going to s...OW!" Clarke's left foot gave out under the weight she just applied when standing up again. In an instant, Lexa was by her side one arm around her waist, the other still clutching her hand.
"What is it? What's happened? Are you hurt?" Lexa demanded, with clear panic in her voice. The rest of the men now beginning to surrounded the young women.
"Relax, I'm fine. I must have just sprained it a little when I fell. Look I'm fine." Trying to prove a point Clarke continued trying to walk but fell with a painful cry onto her side. She tried to get up again, but Lexa was too quick, within seconds Lexa had gathered the slightly smaller blonde in her arms.
"No, you're clearly not fine. You're not to walk on that foot you need to rest it." Lexa instructed in a stern yet gentle tone. "You're all to go hunt something so we can eat tonight, return to this spot and walk south from here till you find us, I'll start camp."
"But Heda-" the tallest of the men protested.
"Shof op! Now go" Lexa ordered.
The men were gone in an instant, leaving the two of them to it.
"Let me down, I'm more than capable of walking". Clarke spoke to the side of the commander's head as the brunette stared straight ahead, probably looking for a good place to set up camp.
"I can't let you do that". She replied with a stoic look on her face.
"Oh no! You don't get to do that, going all commander on me." Clarke protested. But received no response. Suddenly Clarke stared struggling against Lexa trying to wriggle out of the vice grip she had on her, whilst Lexa carried on walking, not loosening her grip one bit. After 15 seconds of wriggling and flailing her limbs around Clarke gave up and sagged back into Lexa's arms. Lexa still not fatiguing one bit, keeping her current pace.
A minute's silence went by till Clarke broke the silence "You're so stubborn". Lexa didn't respond, but Clarke could've sworn she saw a flicker of a smirk on the tanned woman's face.