Chapter 4: In-act
Clarke let out a frustrated sigh as she changed yet another bandage on Jasper's arm. If the bleeding wasn't stopped soon they ran the risk of either a tourniquet or severe blood-loss setting in. Shuffling at the ladder caused Clarke to flinch and grab the closest sharp object at hand - the makeshift scissors she'd been using to make bandages.
"It's just me."
Hearing Octavia's voice settled her nerves. Some. She'd sent Wells away in anger earlier. Monty had needed something to keep him occupied so she'd asked him and Finn to retrieve some fresh water for their small group. Octavia had been gone just as long.
"How is he?"
The question startled Clarke out off her thoughts. Octavia now crouched next to her, examining Jasper's arm. Suppressing her inner irritation Clarke focused back on undoing the bled through bandage.
"Bad if I can't get this bleeding to stop soon."
For a moment Octavia studied Clarke's frustrated scowl and drawn shoulders. Clarke didn't have the patience right now to deal with the silent observation. Just as she shifted to snap at the other girl Octavia spoke.
"Use this. It should seal the wound and speed up the healing process. Probably not enough to return full use but... it should help."
Clarke was really getting tired of being surprised today.
When Clarke made no move to retrieve the object held out to her Octavia huffed out her own frustration. Moving forward Octavia budged Clarke's surprised form out of the way before attending to Jasper's wound. Glancing up Octavia couldn't help the chuckle at Clarke's gob-smacked expression.
"You're not the only one with basic medical skills Clarke. Comes from not being allowed to visit a doctor growing up."
Closing her mouth Clarke pouted a little. The slight teasing making her flush. Glancing at Octavia's leg Clarke noticed a similar paste on her bite wound.
"Sorry."
"Don't be, I'm glad I can help. It's nice to finally feel useful ya know?"
"Um... yeah I guess."
Awkwardly, Clarke tried to focus on something else as Octavia finished applying the paste. Honestly, Clarke had never given it much thought before. Now that it'd been pointed out to her Clarke realized it made sense. The desire to have a purpose, to be able to contribute or help in some way.
Wasn't that why she'd thrown herself into her medical studies after her soulmate's death?
Subconsciously her eyes drifted to the paste Octavia had. It looked to be some sort of plant massed in with something else to give it the texture and consistency needed to-
"Octavia?"
"Hmm?"
"Where did you get that paste?"
The other girl's movements jerked slightly from where she was wiping her hands clean. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
"Oh. I was by the river and I saw this red seaweed. Made me think of our Earth Skills classes and-"
"Bullshit."
Emotions began to wag war inside Clarke. Hope and determination. Concern and anxiety. Frustration.
An anger that wasn't her own soared into Clarke's consciousness.
Edged on by this foreign anger Clarke leveled a sharp glare at Octavia, her entire body coiled with tension. Octavia remained frozen with her back to Clarke, as though that would shield her from the coming accusations.
"You met one didn't you? They gave it to you. At what price? And how did you-"
Memories, little things Clarke had noticed during their ill-fated journey rushed back to her. A sharp inhale of breath betrayed Clarke's moment of epiphany. Octavia nearly over balanced in her rush to turn around.
"Clarke-"
"Soulmate."
"Clarke I can explain. He-"
"Of course. Why I realize? You kept looking around as though expecting to see something after the snake bite-"
"-gave it to me as a sign of good faith-"
"-I thought you were just stressed from being injured but you weren't-"
"-said they didn't want to hurt us but Mount Weather is dangerous-"
"-you were trying to follow the bond. Oh, I should have noticed considering-"
"-that they've been at war and only wanted to protect us-"
"-I had been doing the exact same thing! I should have known there'd be others but I let myself get distracted-"
"-from getting taken and- Wait, what? Others?"
There was a pause of near silence as the two finally stopped to process what the other had been saying. Both girls stared wide-eyed and confused, then the babbling picked up with renewed intensity.
"You have a soulmate on the Ground? Why didn't you-"
"What do you mean Mount Weather is dangerous? We-"
"-say anything? Wait of course you wouldn't have! I-"
"-were told it was abandoned! Why would they have-"
"-didn't say anything and... Okay, this isn't working. Clarke. Clarke!"
"-taken us? How do we know we can- What?"
Octavia just grinned at Clarke, happiness radiating from her. Frustration continued to build in Clarke but Octavia's smile was doing an admirable job of dampening it.
"What?"
So maybe some of that frustration came out in her tone.
"He said there was at least one more with a bond. I bet he knows who your soulmate is!"
The color immediately vacated the premise of Clarke's face. Her hands started shaking as the knowledge of just how close to her living soulmate she really was sunk in. Flashes of the week Clarke had spent curled up in her room over the agony of half her bond being ripped away and the pain that had proceeded it caused her breathing to increase sharply.
She wasn't ready.
"Clarke! Clarke! Hey, it's okay deep breaths. That's it."
It was only when she became aware of Octavia's panicked voice that Clarke recognize the blackness at the edges of her vision as having accompanied a minor panic attack. Hands hovered worriedly in front of her. Lashing out with shaking limbs, Clarke latched onto on hand and drew it into her lap, squeezing it tightly for support.
"I'm- I'm okay." Deep breath, that's it. "Tell me- tell me about your soulmate. What happened?"
Concerned eyes watched her warily before their owner consented.
"His name is Lincoln. He's a scout among their warriors. Only those trained to be warriors for the military or negotiators learn English, otherwise each clan has it's own language. He promised to start teaching me the next time we meet."
Octavia let out a slightly dreamy sigh.
"He didn't mention the bond at all although I know that must be how he knew to approach me over someone else. Taught me about the paste for wounds too. Explained why they attacked us at the river. Apologized for Jasper getting hurt but explained their leader - someone called Heda - had given the order that no one must cross the boundary.
"That's the river we were at by the way. It marks the start of the territory belonging to the Mountain Men. Apparently they've been doing horrible things to the Grounders since the bombs dropped. They have this fog they use that basically boils any skin it comes into contact with and-"
"Octavia. Their leader? Less about Mount Weather and more about what the Grounders want with us?"
"Oh, right. This Heda gave Lincoln explicit orders to 'inform the blond one' - his words, not mine - that they did not seek conflict with us but would attack in self-defense if provoked. He said something about 'blood must have blood'. Doesn't sound good so I vote we don't attack."
Sighing Clarke leaned back against the nearest surface - the hatch cover - and tried to process everything Octavia's soulmate had told them.
Soulmate.
She felt so weary compared to Octavia's positive giddiness.
"Okay. Here's what we'll do..."
It was only the third night on the ground and Clarke couldn't sleep.
Deciding to go for a walk around the camp the last thing she expected to see was a young girl, maybe 12 or 13, in the midst of a nightmare. Immediately Clarke changed her direction to check on the girl. The need to look after others' health instinctive guiding her.
Finding out Charlotte had been locked up because she freaked out after her parents were floated was not what Clarke was expecting.
Although, she couldn't say she was that surprised.
"I can't say I blame you... You see that bright star up there? That's the Ark orbiting above us. I think whatever happened up there, you know, the pain... maybe we can move past that now. Maybe being on the ground is our second chance."
"Do you really believe that?"
"I'm trying too."
Looking back up at the Ark lights Clarke fought back thoughts about her parents. A warm body leaning into her made her smile slightly. Wrapping her arm around Charlotte to bring her closer brought a slight sense of peace to Clarke, like she was making a difference.
Inspiration struck.
"Hey Charlotte, how would you feel about helping me out tomorrow?"
After leaving Charlotte in charge of caring for Jaspers wound and getting Monty parts for the radio, Clarke set out for fresh seaweed.
Rather, Wells, Finn, Octavia and Clark set out for fresh seaweed.
And then Bellamy showed up.
She couldn't decide whose reaction she liked better: Wells or Finn's. Granted, she was still mad at Wells for her dad, so Finn won by default. A brief head nod exchange and Octavia slipped offed into the woods after they left Bellamy and his crew at the camp walls.
Wristband still secure Clarke continued with the boys towards the river.
Then the acid fog Octavia's soulmate had cautioned about trapped her in the car with Finn and Wells overnight.
Of course she took some alcohol.
Glaring at both Finn and Wells as they left the 100-year-old car they had sheltered in Clarke honestly kind of expected the scream. It was the type of day she was having. Especially after the conversation she had with Finn about Wells.
She'd been scrubbing at the blood on her hands for a solid five minutes when Octavia finally approaches her.
"We... we finished burying him next to the others."
"Good... That's good."
Silence fell between them filled only by the sound of Clarke continually scrubbing at her hands. Finally-
"Clarke that's enough." Lithe hands latch around her own, stilling her actions.
"You helped him. Bellamy wouldn't tell me what happened but I'm not dumb. Lincoln described what the acid fog does pretty clearly. Atom would have been in a lot of pain. The burns certainly looked painful."
Clarke allowed the other girl to ramble. Methodically she stared ahead as Octavia dried her hands for her. The words slowly penetrating the haze that had settled over her after she'd checked on Jasper and sent Charlotte to get some food.
Lincoln. Grounder. Octavia's soulmate.
"Did he say anything about whether they'd agree to a treaty or at least negotiation?" Eye's focused and vision sharpened. Octavia blinked at the topic change.
"Yes. Heda told him when she first sent him out that if we didn't express interest in setting up some sort of treaty he was to bring it up. He went back to report to her now that we've brought it up."
She paused. Even though they'd only known each other a few days Clarke could tell the girl was holding something back. Slightly narrowing her gaze seemed to do the trick though.
"He- Lincoln said that for any sort of treaty to be established both sides must gain from it. We'd have to offer something in trade for anything we ask from them."
Panic lanced through her as ice settled in her veins.
"O-"
"There's no hurry!" the cut off was rushed, panicked, "He said we'd have a few days at least before any sort of agreement can be reached on their end about meeting with us. Heda apparently supports peace above all else, but we're on Trikru land so the treaty would be with them first and foremost."
"Trikru?"
"Lincoln's people, the Woods Clan. We landed in their forest, burned a bunch of it up in the crash too. Said Heda convinced their Chief not to hold that against us as an act of violence."
"This Heda seems to hold a lot of sway with them."
"Well Lincoln didn't say much other than that the Commander - that apparently what Heda means by the way - is the uniter of the Clans and so the final voice of authority. At least that's what I got from his answer."
Clarke nodded. Clans, burned land, potential violence dependent upon what they could possibly offer complete strangers who've been surviving on these lands for decades. All these unknowns made her wish she had someone to talk to. Her dad used to be a great sounding board before-.
Right.
Shaking her head Clarke stood.
"Thanks Octavia. You've been a great help. I'm going to go for a walk. Hopeful I'll be able to give you an answer for Lincoln sometime tomorrow."
"Okay Clarke. I'll stay here with Jasper."
Clarke smiled slightly at her. Some of the pressure in her head and chest seemed to ease knowing someone was on hand in case Jasper needed anything. Monty hadn't shown signs of needing anything while working on the radio other than reminders to eat.
The last thing Clarke saw as she ducked down the ladder was Octavia's face split between worry and happiness.
All Clarke felt was numb.
