Landfall
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's note: I hope you've all enjoyed the story so far. I'm glad that this one has come up so fast. So without further ado I hope you enjoy the story.
"Talking"
Drake hid in the bushes as his prey leaned down to nibble at the grass. With silent movements he slowly pulled his bow taunt and the arrow barely trembled as he aimed and after a half second he fired. The arrow moved in a blur as it passed clean through the deer causing it to jerk in pain as it ran a few paces. Its side bled freely and quickly, as the deer tried to find what had harmed it but instead felt its legs begin to give out and fell down feebly.
Drake stepped out of the brush and walked carefully toward the deer before kneeling next to it as it huffed softly at the ground. Carefully he laid a hand on its neck as he shoved his knife between the deer's ribs and pierced its heart.
"Good boy." Drake whispered as he sighed and with practiced ease he began skinning the deer and began to think.
It had been a long six months since he had landed and every day he was on the ground he spent making his way to this place. During the reentry process something had gone wrong and Drake quickly found that he did not land anywhere near the approximated distance from Mt. Weather. In fact he was pretty sure he had landed on the West Coast in what used to be California. Instead of panicking and giving up hope he dug deep within and began his long journey with a month's supply of rations and only three days' worth of water.
He had found survivors on the third day and on that same day he had killed four of them. He hadn't felt right for a week but in that time his kill count had gone up five more and by that point he couldn't have cared. The journey had taken him across 2, 648 miles of hell itself. Between the radiation storms, mutated animals and insects, the environment, and of course the surviving humans themselves; Drake had been beaten, poisoned, stabbed, radiated, tortured, burned, and drowned; but against all odds he stood here just twenty miles away from Mt. Weather.
Although to be fair, the world hadn't been one long horror story after another. He had met friendly clans, had found comfort in the warm embrace of more than his fair share of women, and had seen things the people on the Ark could never have dreamed of, both the good and the bad.
Drake rubbed at a scar on his cheek that extended from the bottom of his left eye down to his chin and he swore he could still feel the blade that had sliced him. He had received it from a slaver's blade and had used the same blade to disembowel the man and leave him grasping at his entrails. The memory was full of blood and smoke and he pushed it away with a mental shove as he prepared the deer's body for transport.
Without warning, the sky seemed to crack open as a man made object streaked across the sky.
"Oh no." Drake whispered as it fell toward the ground and onto the outskirts of unknown territory for him.
Drake turned from the deer and even left the skin on the ground as he began to run back to a small cave where his gear was stashed. Eventually the Grounders would investigate the site and he knew it would be sooner rather than later. By that time he'd be lucky if there wasn't a war being waged, a war he knew his side would lose.
***Two Days later***
Drake had run all day, night, and a good part of the morning when he first spotted them. A group of five teens from the Ark stood across from the side of the river he was on. To his surprise he saw a familiar streak of blonde hair and as he saw her he felt his blood go cold.
"Clarke, what are you doing here?" He whispered to himself as he watched a lanky teen grab hold of a vine.
With a scream of fear and excitement the teen pushed himself off the ledge and swung halfway across the river before letting go and landing heavily onto Drake's side. When Drake turned back however, that is when he saw them in the trees. Without even thinking about it Drake exploded from his cover and sprinted toward the teen who had picked up a rusted sign and cheered.
"Jasper watch out!" Drake heard a girl scream as he pushed the lanky kid to the ground only to take his place and get speared through his side.
"Holy shit! Fuck! Fuck!" Jasper screamed as he scrambled away from Drake as he angrily pulled the spear out and sighed as only three inches of the blade had pierced him.
"Get to the other side now!" Drake ordered as he dodged an arrow.
"But there's a monster!" Jasper yelled out and Drake did the only thing he could and kicked Jasper in the chest sending him flying into the river.
Drake immediately saw what Jasper was talking about and readied the recovered spear as he dodged underneath another arrow. Without hesitation he jumped at the River Maw, as he had dubbed them, and speared it straight through the head as he landed in the river. He let go of the spear and grabbed Jasper around the neck before pulling him toward the other side of river. As Drake reached the shore an Asian teen was screaming at him but he couldn't make it out as he struggled to keep both his and Jasper's heads above water. The Asian teen grabbed Jasper and pulled him further onto shore as Drake sluggishly tried to stand up only to fall face down on the stone bank. As he began to black out he felt two sets of hands grab his own and begin dragging him.
***POV Change***
"Clarke come on!" Finn yelled out but Clarke couldn't just leave the unknown teen on the river.
"Monty help!" Clarke screamed out as she grabbed the teen's wrist and Monty followed her and grabbed the other as Jasper ran into the forest.
Together they dragged him into the forest where Octavia, Jasper, and Finn had already run into. The teen screamed in pain and Clarke looked to see his wound reopen as his head rolled to the side as he fell back into unconsciousness.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Clarke screamed in panic as Monty finally turned and saw what she saw.
"He's dead Clarke. We can't do anything for him. Let's just go!" Monty said desperately as he spun around looking for their attackers.
"He's not dead. He just passed out. I have to stop the bleeding or he'll die before we get the chance to help him." Clarke said as she kneeled next to his body.
"Clarke we don't have time for this!" Monty yelled in panic and Clarke whipped her head toward him.
"He saved your best friend! The least you can do is try to save him too." Clarke scolded and Monty seemed to at least have calmed down enough to understand as he shut his mouth and continued to scan the environment to the best of his ability.
"I'm sorry." Clarke whispered as she dug her hands into the dirt and shoved it deeply into his wound.
"Clarke!" Finn yelled as he ran back to us with Jasper and Octavia in tow. "What are you doing? We need to get out of here." Finn whispered harshly.
"He saved Jasper. We can't just leave him to those things that attacked us." Clarke argued.
"He's going to die Clarke. We can't fix this." Finn said trying to sound calm but failing.
"If I die I'm going to die doing the right thing. Or least trying." Clarke's eyes narrowed at him and he hesitantly nodded in agreement.
"Jasper and Monty, grab his legs. Clarke take his right arm and I'll take his left. Come on, let's go before we end up like him." Finn said as we each grabbed our assigned limbs.
"Octavia, guide us home." Clarke ordered and she nodded as she limped toward the general direction of where the drop ship had landed.
***The Drop Ship***
"Bellamy!" Octavia called out as she limped into camp.
Immediately Bellamy, ignoring the fight between Wells and Murphy, rushed over to his sister and grabbed her face between his hands with concern.
"What happened? Are you okay?!" Bellamy asked rapidly.
"It's not important. We found someone. He's hurt bad real bad." Octavia explained and a slew of hushed whispers echoed through the camp as the 100 heard her proclamation.
"You're not making sense O. You found someone? Already here?" Bellamy said in disbelief.
"Octavia! Get some boiling water now!" The familiar voice of Clarke echoed through the tree line and just like Octavia the owner plus three more of the 100 ran into the camp carrying what looked to be a teen dressed in crude leather clothes between them and despite themselves the startled 100 took a few steps away.
"I got it!" Octavia yelled as she ran for a metal container that had collected rain water and went about getting a fire together to boil it with the help of Wells.
"What are you people doing? Who the hell is he?!" Bellamy demanded.
"We don't know. Someone attacked us when we got to a river north of here. It doesn't matter we need to treat him now!" Clarke said urgently.
"I want answers princess." Bellamy ordered.
"And they'll be no answers if we don't save him." Clarke said angrily as she stepped up to Bellamy and after a few seconds of glaring he stepped out of the way.
"Thank you." Clarke said before she, Finn, Monty and Jasper carried the teen into the drop ship leaving the camp to fall into gossip and fear.
***Inside the Dropship***
"Set him on the ground. I need to look at his wound." Clarke ordered and gently they lowered him onto the cold metal.
"Is he going to be okay?" Jasper asked as he shook his arms as the adrenaline finally died down in his blood and he realized how weak his arms felt.
"I don't know." Clarke said unsure and looked back toward the entrance as Wells appeared with a container of steaming water. "I'll do what I can but he's lost a lot of blood." Clarke said turning her attention back to the man.
Clarke pushed the man's patched leather shirt up and inspected the wound. The dirt she had shoved into the stab wound had already turned to mud and began welling up.
"I need something to clean the wound out with." Clarke said aloud.
"Here." Wells said as he handed her a spare rag.
"Thanks." Clarke said as she dipped the rag into the scalding hot water.
With careful motions she began cleaning out the wound and wiping the blood and mud away. As she cleaned she began to see the true extent of the damage. It was a straight stab wound that seemed to have only torn through muscle. The man would need stitches however, or he would die from blood loss.
"Finn, check his bag and see if he has anything to stich himself up." Clarke ordered and Finn ran over to where Clarke had tossed his bag on the ground.
Clarke continued to clean the wound to the best of her ability as Finn kneeled by her side and handed her a roll of brown looking string.
"That's Catgut." Wells said. "It's a string made from an animal's intestines. It can be used for sewing up wounds." Wells finished and Clark nodded as Finn handed her a bone needle he had found with it.
With practiced ease Clarke threaded the needle and dipped the needle in the steaming water. She took a deep breath as she began her work. The going was tough as the needle was dull and she had to push hard to get through the skin. The teen groaned and began to move but Finn and Wells quickly held down his arms and legs respectively as Clarke worked. Jasper and Monty left with mumbled excuses while Finn and Wells grimly watched on. Finally Clarke finished and tied off the last knot.
"I need something to cut the Catgut." Clarke said as she looked around before Wells leaned down and held out a makeshift knife and Clarke took it with a nod and cut the string.
"You guys can leave now. I'll call you if I need help." Clark dismissed them as she grabbed the rag in the container and wrung out pink water.
With care she gently began cleaning the area around the wound and now that the danger had passed realized that this was the closest she had ever been with a member of the opposite sex. She examined his body and was surprised to discover incredibly lean muscles, tested and built by the natural rigors of life. She watched as his toned stomach flexed and moved with each breath. He smelled of natural things but most prevalent was the smell of mint. She looked up at his face and frowned as he looked so familiar. So caught up in her thoughts she hadn't noticed as Drake work up and was startled as he touched her hand gently.
"Clarke." Drake whispered and she froze as his familiar voice triggered something in her.
"Oh my God…Drake?" Clarke whispered as the words of her mother trickled back from her memory.
"My bag. Water." Drake croaked out and Clarke quickly went to his bag and pulled out a metal canteen from his pack and brought it over. Within seconds Clarke held it up to his lips and Drake drank deeply before he pulled back and relaxed on the ground. "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here. The 100…the prisoners. Clarke, what did you do?" Drake whispered as he winced from the pain as he tried to sit up only to give up and lay back down.
"I got arrested for trying to tell the people about the life support systems. My father-no! Wait! What are you doing here?! Everyone said you were dead." Clarke said and Drake chuckled.
"I volunteered. Six months ago, the day you told me about the life support systems…I had already come to that conclusion myself. When you told me what you overheard I knew-I knew it was time. I convinced the council to send me to Earth. To ensure its viability as a livable home. My wristband failed two or three days after I landed." Drake explained as he closed his eyes.
"You idiot! I can't believe you'd be so reckless…how could you? How could you just leave without telling us?" Clarke demanded.
"There was no time and I knew you'd try to stop me. I had to though. I had to make sure it was survivable." Drake said with a slight chuckle.
"Why did it have to be you? You're so young." Clarke said and as she said it his grey eyes which had been soft before turned hard and he frowned.
"If I'm going to die I'm going to do it for something I believe in." Drake snapped at her.
"Oh yeah! And what do you believe in!?" Clarke said back.
"Hope! Hope Clarke. Hope for a tomorrow. Hope that our children can feel dirt beneath their feet, feel the rain on their faces, and the hope that we can begin the world anew." Drake said as he forced himself to sit up.
"What are you doing? You're still too hurt to move." Clarke protested but Drake just batted her hands away as he grabbed a nearby seat and pull himself up and finally Clarke relented. "Come on. I'll support you until you can walk on your own or at least until we can get you something to help." Clarke said as she bent underneath his arm and wrapped a supportive arm around his waist.
"I need to see what the 100 have done." Drake said as they limped together toward the door.
"You'll be disappointed." Clarke warned him as she helped him.
"Yeah…" Drake's retort died off as they stepped into the sunlight and took stock of the camp.
It was little more than chaos. Teens had already formed cliques and were either running about, making out, or doing some other unnecessary activity. Nothing was going toward actual survival and Clarke could feel Drake almost fold in on himself.
This was what he had survived six months for? Drake asked himself before the depression slowly began to turn into rage.
Clarke felt bad about leaving almost immediately after they landed. If she had known what would happen she would have stayed and made sure people knew how serious this was before she left. Now that Bellamy had taken control, the camp itself was just a madhouse of teen hormones and chaos. Almost immediately though she saw something she had never seen before in the Drake. The Drake she had known seemed to be a skinny bookish nerd who was hesitant to even engage anyone. Now, she could see that was just a façade. A mask in order to hide who he really was. Now he seemed to be made of steel as he stood up straight without her help. It was a scream of pain that attracted him and Drake shot off no longer looking to be tired or half dead from blood loss. After locating the source of the scream Drake stormed up and kicked Murphy in the face and away from the young teen girl and more importantly from her wristband.
"What the hell are you doing?!" He roared as Murphy scrambled to his feet, Murphy who had been humiliated by Wells immediately went on the offensive only to find himself doubled over as the stranger punched him in the stomach with a blow that felt like a sledgehammer and he fell over once more gasping for air.
"Get up. I dare you. Get up!" Drake screamed as he grabbed Murphy and began shaking him. "Do you understand what you're doing you dumb stupid son of a bitch?!" Drake screamed in frustration.
"Do you?!" A voice called out and Bellamy appeared from the crowd and Drake took stock of him. "You're a stranger here. Let him go and leave." Bellamy ordered and Drake simply threw Murphy onto the ground.
"My name is Drake Knight. I was sent by the Ark six months to the ground and have survived. Do you even realize what you are doing by taking off those wristbands?!" Drake yelled out as the crowd began to murmur and whisper amongst themselves.
"And what's so wrong with that? We're not prisoners anymore! We're free down here! Whatever the hell we want!" Bellamy cheered and the crowd joined him.
"You fucking morons. You're killing everyone on the Ark. The life support systems are failing! Do you know what that means?! It means your families, your loved ones, and friends are going to die in a metal tin can far from where we can do anything about it. These wristbands are the only thing telling the people on the Ark that we're alive. That it's viable to begin sending people down." Drake declared and Bellamy could tell he was losing his hold on the crowd.
"We're stronger than you think. Don't listen to him. We barely even know this guy. Can we even trust him?" Bellamy asked.
"He's not lying! The systems are dying and he's not wrong about the wristbands. If you take them off you not only kill them but you'll be killing us as well. We were attacked in the woods. There are people here. We're not alone." Clark declared and the 100 began to look confusedly at Drake, Clarke and Bellamy.
"Don't listen to her. She's one of the privileged. If they come down here she'll have it good. How many of you can say the same? We can take care of ourselves. That wristband makes you a prisoner. We are not prisoners anymore!" Bellamy proclaimed and a few strong voices voiced approval. "I say you're not criminals! You're fighters. Survivors! The Grounders should be worried about us!" Bellamy finished and the majority of the 100 cheered and agreed with his speech.
Without a word Drake walked away from the crowd with Clarke close behind him. Wells and Finn were at the entrance of the ship waiting for them.
"Nice speech Drake." Wells said with an honest smile at seeing his only other close friend alive and seemingly well.
"So you are the infamous Drake huh?" Finn asked and Drake paused in his tracks.
"You know him?" Clarke asked.
"Drake's the champion." Finn said and sighed at the blank stares. "It figures you two wouldn't know. Drake here is the bare knuckle boxing champion in all twelve stations." Finn explained as Drake just looked at the ground.
"Seriously?" Wells asked as the image of his friend from the Ark and the one down here contrasted.
"How do you know this?" Clarke asked.
"When you live a troublemaker life style you hear rumors. Some are true and some are not. Nobody knew his last name and there were rumors that he changed his appearance after each fight. If you wanted to see him you had to actually go to the event and only the highest echelons of the Ark's darker side of life could afford to get in. We all just assumed Drake was a nickname. Who would have suspected that he would be someone like you?" Finn said as he tucked his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
"Drake is he right?" Clarke asked.
"It doesn't matter. Not down here. Tonight we worry about the here and now. People are hungry." Drake said as he walked into the dropship.
The three looked at each other before following him in. When their eyes adjusted to the dim lighting they were surprised to see a compact looking bow in Drake's hand while his other hand fixed a quiver on his hip.
"Woah! Where did you get that?" Wells asked surprised.
"It's a folding bow. I had it in my bag." Drake said dismissively as he made to leave.
"Drake, you can't go out there. Not in your condition. Look at you. You can barely walk!" Clarke protested and Finn felt a twinge of jealousy as Clarke placed a hand on Drake's chest.
"I can't keep people alive if I have to worry if they have the strength to lift a weapon Clarke." Drake said as he looked in her eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Finn asked.
"You landed on in someone's territory Clarke. The Grounders will come to reclaim their territory and they'll do it violently. You think the guards were ruthless? Where do you think I got this?" Drake said as he traced a finger down a rough scar on the left side of his face. "We need to make sure we can defend this place. If not that we need to know we can run. When I come back have a fire ready and more wood nearby. Try to get some people organized. We are running on borrowed time." Drake said urgently as he pushed past Clarke and ran out of the drop ship.
"I can't believe he can stand let alone run." Finn said.
"He's had to grow tough…it's something we all have to do if we want to survive." Wells said thoughtfully.
"You heard him. Let's grab Monty and Jasper and see if they can start gathering supplies and herbs while we find fire wood." Clarke said and with a nod all three exited the dropship intent on getting something productive done.
***Five Hours Later***
Word had spread around camp as things were wont to do when you have a close group of people. Drake's name was on everyone's tongues as people asked each other what they knew of the newcomer. Jasper had told them how Drake had pushed him out of the way of a spear and took it himself. Monty told them of his mad jump into the river and how he killed the water serpent with that same spear. Wells was surprised that people had actually come up and talked to him voluntarily and Clarke had to run from a couple of girls who had asked more detailed questions as they learned Clarke had seen his body up close. A few people namely Bellamy and his inner circle tried to discourage the talk but you can't silence the gossip mill. It was as the sun was going down that Drake returned dragging a newly killed deer back to the camp. The sight of which caused a lot of the 100 to become excited. Drake paid them no mind as he sat on a nearby log and took out his knife.
Without a care he started skinning the deer and dressing it. The act was done surprisingly quickly and a few of the weaker stomachs retched and would have thrown up if they had anything in their bellies.
"Clarke grab my bag." Drake ordered as he wiped sweat from his brow before continuing his work.
When Clarke came back he reached into his bag and pulled out a small pot and a sealed container. Drake cut pieces off the flank of the deer and tossed them into the pot with the heart of the deer and poured water from his canteen into it. Afterwards he opened the container and strange new smells fill the camp as he opened miniature pouches and added them into the pot. Afterward he covered the pot and placed it on top of the red hot coals of the fire.
"Wells find me a large enough stick to hang the deer over the fire while Finn and I set up something to hold it up." Drake ordered as he and Finn stood up.
It took another thirty minutes to get a new fire going and the deer set up and it took another hour so that Drake could instruct Wells on how to make sure the meat was cook. By that time the camp had filled with the smell of meat and the 100 were waiting impatiently for the deer to be done. Drake finally went to sit when he saw Bellamy and his enforcers approach Wells. With a tired sigh he turned around and step by Wells just as Bellamy approached.
"Why don't you two take a break, we'll handle it from here." Bellamy said dismissively.
"You don't order us around Bellamy. There's enough for everyone. It's not like how it was on the Ark." Wells said defiantly and Bellamy's crew began to step forward.
"You're right. That's why we'll make sure things get shared evenly." Murphy said in a smug tone.
"The meat is my kill. I decide what we do with it." Drake said defensively.
"You know I've had it with playing nice." Bellamy said as he pulled a gun from the back of his waist and leveled it at Drake.
"You sure you want to do that?" Drake asked almost casually.
"Yeah. I'm sure I want to do that. Are you willing to die for this?" Bellamy asked as he thumbed back the trigger.
"I'm willing to kill you if that's what you mean." Drake snarled and Bellamy smiled at the boy nearly half his height.
"That's enough Bellamy!" Octavia yelled only to be pulled back by a boy.
"She's right Bellamy. This has gone on long enough." Clarke said as she came upon the scene.
"You're not in charge here princess." Bellamy said looking at Clarke making his first mistake.
In a blur of motion Drake grabbed Bellamy's wrist and pulled him down causing Bellamy to smash his face against the top of Drake's head. With him stunned, Drake tore the gun from him and flipped it around in his hand. With contemptuous ease he smacked Bellamy in the face once with the butt of the gun before bringing it back and smacking him again causing Bellamy to fall in a heap and Octavia rushed to his side to check on him.
"You just don't get it." Drake said in deadly tone. "While I was out there I was thinking how many of you am I going to have to beat up for you to realize that we're in this together? How many am I going to have to kill?" Drake roared as he twisted to look at every face around the camp.
"Then I realize that that would accomplish nothing. You are going to change. I'll show you how. Teach you how to survive. Make no mistake boys and girls we are not on the Ark anymore. Now more than ever we need some fucking solidarity. No more wasting our days away. Tomorrow we start building a wall around the camp. We need latrines dug and we need dedicated hunting parties and training courses. There's a million ways to die out there but it only takes one to kill you. For tonight though rest, eat some food, and get some sleep. Tomorrow we start the hard slog and each one of you are going to earn your meal tomorrow. If you don't pull your weight I will beat you within an inch of your life. And no more taking off your wristbands." Drake declared causing the teenagers to look unsure at each other.
"You're just hiding behind that gun." A random voice called out and without warning Drake fired into the ground nine times until he heard a click and tossed it away.
"Say that again." Drake dared and this time all were silent as he stepped toward them and like the Red Sea they parted and gave way to him. "Wells! The meat is done. Remember, fair portions. Save some food for Bellamy and send Murphy over my way." Drake ordered and Wells simply nodded as the crowd drew close for their portion of the deer.
Drake sat on the log a little bit away from the crowd and stuck a green stick into the flames and began fishing out the pot that had been buried under ashes. He tried to pull it out but frowned as his arms seemed to not want to follow his orders and for the first time he noticed his arms trembling. Suddenly he saw slender fingers touch his arm and he looked to see Clarke next to him.
"I got it." Clarke said and took the stick from his hands and pulled it out with an ease that caused Drake to glare at his arms in betrayal.
"You've really shaken up the place. You know that right? And it only took five hours." Clarke said as she placed the pot on the dirt.
"It needed to be shaken up. These kids…most of them are good kids caught in bad circumstances. They're not bad. Even the murderers. They just need a guiding hand." Drake said tiredly.
"When did you become an old man?" Clarke asked in jest but found she could smile as Drake looked calmly into the fire and let out an old sigh.
"I was an old man on the Ark. The overseer is a decrepit old lady and when she isn't drinking, she's in the forbidden sections gambling what rations she gets for the kids away. She got me in the first fight I ever had. She had bet on me losing." Drake chuckled darkly and Clarke could almost see a scared stick of a kid begin thrown in the ring and she shook her head to rid herself of that image. "I won that match and I got a taste for fighting. Been doing it ever since. As long as I throw the overseer a few ration chips she was satisfied to just leave us alone. I took care of the kids." Drake finished as he dug into his bag and brought out two carved wooden bowls.
"Wow…I never knew that." Clarke said softly.
"Nobody does. Part of the deal of me coming down here was that Jaha would look after the orphans after I left regardless if I died or not." Drake shrugged as he opened the pot and the smells that emitted from it caused Clarke's mouth to water. "There are some benefits to living on an incredibly radiated planet and one of which is learning how to actually cook." Drake said proudly as Clarke closed her eyes and took another deep breath.
"That smells delicious." The arrogant tone Murphy seemed to always speak in actually lightened as he sat down. "I heard you wanted to talk to me." Murphy said.
"First. Eat." Drake said as he took the handle of the pot which had cooled down enough to touch and tipped it slightly letting the contents spill into the wooden bowl until it was nearly full and handed it out to Murphy who took it cautiously.
"What do you want?" Murphy asked suspiciously.
"I would like to apologize for hurting you. This would be the first step." Drake said calmly as he filled the other bowl and handed it to Clarke.
"Really? Apologize? This isn't grade school Drake." Murphy said patronizingly.
"No. It's life. I just want you to know that I didn't take pleasure in hurting you. I did it as a last resort." Drake explained and Murphy scoffed.
"Well you sure know how to use it." Murphy grudgingly admitted.
"I could teach you." Drake offered much to Clarke's and Murphy's surprise.
"You? Teach me?" Murphy said with a little laugh.
"Nah. I'm good." Murphy chuckled as he finally got the nerve and drank a little of the soup. Immediately his eyes went wide as the shock to his taste buds made him want to gag but he forced himself to swallow and looked down at the bowl in amazement. "Now if you teach me how to make this, that's something I need." Murphy said as he tilted the bowl back and slurped the rest of soup down quickly before sighing contently.
"Deal." Drake said as he reached out for the bowl and Murphy hesitantly handed it back but did in the end. "Good night Murphy. Like I said get some rest we have work tomorrow." Drake said and Murphy nodded with something like respect before turning away.
"Wow." Clarke said unable to think of anything else to say.
"You should eat too." Drake said as he took the pot and placed it on his lap and began to slowly eat it.
Clarke carefully blew on the soup and after finding it at an edible temperature took a mouthful and nearly gasped in shock. Compared to the food rations on the Ark this stuff was nearly Heaven on Earth.
"Oh. Oh. This is-so good." Clarke said in amazement and Drake chuckled.
"It's amazing what we've forgotten. Even the simple things like making your own meal or tasting something with some flavor. You know what I like best about this Clarke?" Drake asked and Clarke shook her head. "Food like this reminds me that life is worth living." He said with a sad smile on his lips and ate the remainder of the soup.
"How'd you know that Murphy would be interested in cooking?" Clarke asked curiously as she drank a little more soup careful not to waste a drop.
"Do you know what violent offenders eat?" Drake asked.
"The same thing as us right?" Clarke asked and Drake shook his head.
"No. They eat half portions that were designed with no taste in mind. It's meant to be a double punishment. Basically the inmate is always hungry and every time he or she eats there is no pleasure in it. It's a tough punishment." Drake said sympathetically.
"That's cruel." Clarke said looking at the bowl and realizing how good she had it on the Ark, at least she had luxuries like ice cream to remember.
"Why did you give this to me?" Clarke asked finally as Drake placed the pot on the ground.
"Because you saved my life." Drake said as he stood up.
"Where are you going?" Clarke asked surprisingly worried about a teen who was technically nearly two years younger than her.
"I need to establish a guard rotation. I don't want any surprises coming our way." Drake said as he walked away and toward Finn and Wells who were the last to get some of the deer meat.
Clarke watched as Drake passed through the sitting teens and she was surprised at how many of them looked at Drake in admiration and respect as they licked their greasy fingers. Bellamy had woken up and despite being angry at having the tables turned on him, the loss of his gun, and the humiliation of being beaten like a dog, his own hunger overcame him and he had eaten the portion of the deer Octavia had saved.
Drake, Finn, and Wells seemed to have agreed on something as Drake left them and walked over to where Monty and Jasper were eating and talked to them for a bit. After a few handshakes Drake finally walked back and sat down just as Clarke had finished her soup.
"You should get some rest Clarke. Tomorrow is going to be long." Drake said as he pulled out a hide blanket and handed it to her earning her a few glares from some of people in the camp which she tried to ignore, especially Finn's introspective glare.
"Why?" She asked as Drake pulled out a blanket for himself and wrapped himself up.
"I can't have our doctor get sick." Drake said as he tucked his pack underneath his head and laid down.
Clarke watched as he fell asleep and saw how his body remained tense even underneath his blanket. She had no doubt that if anything should happen or someone tried to sneak up on him he would be ready to fight. She took comfort in this as she made herself comfortable and closed her eyes as the rest of the camp began to follow their lead.
Another chapter done. Feel free to review or follow the story.
