Chapter Seven
The next day, Bellamy took a majority of the guys and a couple of the girls including Monroe from the 47 out to their new home and they began building. They were trying to keep their impact on the forest as minimal as possible so they tried to take trees that were already fallen instead of chopping them down. They couldn't do it forever, but for now that's what they were doing. Lincoln was teaching them how to use the dirt and other things from nature as a type of cement. Combined with the wood they'd been able to find they were creating houses made from nature with real wood roofs. Raven and Wick were tinkering in their workshop at Camp Jaha with metal to make hinges so they could have real doors, something they all didn't realize they needed until they realized it was an option.
Meanwhile, back at Camp Jaha the remaining members from the 47 were working with Octavia and Harper to take the hides of the animals used for food and re-purposing them for blankets. They made a great team. Harper was good with her hands, the work providing a therapy for her. And Octavia was a master at it, finishing more than the other girls combined which didn't surprise anyone considering she'd been helping her mother as a seamstress most of her life. Clarke found a group of them one day four months after they'd begun their project finishing up a large black blanket made from two panther hides.
"Looking good," Clarke exclaimed reaching out to rub a hand across the fur. It would definitely keep its' owners warm during winter months.
"It's for you and Bellamy," Octavia said. "He wanted to make sure everyone else had one before we made one for your cabin. He figured you'd be mad at him if he insisted on making one for his princess first."
"He'd have been right," Clarke replied with a chuckle. He definitely knew her well. "We seem to have mountains of blankets. Plenty for everyone for now. What's next?"
"We were thinking about that and had an idea," Harper said finishing the last stitch on Clarke and Bellamy's blanket. "We thought we could maybe find a way to make mattresses. It would be lots better than the cots."
"We just haven't figured out what we would use to stuff inside it to make the actual mattress," Octavia finished.
"What about leaves?" Clarke suggested.
"We thought of that, but leaves will crumble eventually right?" Harper replied.
"Well what if we stuffed them already crunched up?" Clarke said. "There's plenty of leaves on the ground right now so we might as well take advantage. I know Bell would love having something other than the crappy cot to lay on after a long day and I'm sure the other guys feel the same."
"I know Lincoln does," Octavia agreed. "I think that could work. It's better than any of the other ideas we came up with. The only downside is it might take us a while."
"Well we could have the majority of the other girls crunch the leaves and you and I can sew the mattresses," Harper said. "We already started setting aside hides for the mattresses so we have a jump start on that and you and I are the fastest seamstresses."
"Sounds like you guys have it all planned out," Clarke teased. "I can help crunch the leaves with the others."
"No you should keep training with your mom," Octavia said. "When we eventually move out there we need our doc to have all the answers."
Clarke chuckled and gave a yes ma'am in return. She wandered back to the medbay where Jackson was cleaning a nasty cut on a guard and her mother was taking count of her supplies.
"Hey mom," Clarke said.
"Hi Clarke," Her mom replied distractedly. "What's up?"
"They don't need me," Clarke replied with a chuckle. "Octavia and Harper have whipped the others into shape and have been finishing blankets faster than we expected. They're going to start on mattresses now. They ordered me in here to continue learning."
"Well I can certainly teach you more, but at some point you might have to teach me," Abby said.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we did come down with some medical supplies, but sooner or later I'll run out of it and there's no where for me to replace it," Abby replied. "We'll have to make do with natural medicine eventually."
"Well I guess we can learn together," Clarke replied. "What will you teach me today?"
Abby spent the rest of the day teaching Clarke even more about medicine. Clarke knew the basics like the back of her hand and unfortunately thanks to Finn's stabbing she could make her way through an emergency. She could stitch pretty much any cut and dress most wounds. Now came the more complicated things like major surgery. Clarke left that evening with more medical terms running through her head than she'd ever had. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice someone in front of her until she ran right into a familiar rock solid chest.
"Penny for your thoughts Princess," Bellamy teased gripping her waist.
"Sorry Bell. I wasn't paying attention," She replied with a smile.
"I can be distracting," Bellamy said wrapping his arms around her waist and placing a kiss on her lips.
"Yep you and surgical terms," Clarke replied with a chuckle.
Bellamy smiled and gripped her hand, steering her towards the mess hall. After a long day he was sweaty, tired, and starving. All he wanted was a full belly and his arms around Clarke. Lincoln was following closely behind with his arm wrapped around Octavia's shoulders.
"Did you tell him Clarke?" Octavia asked when they all reached the end of the food line.
"Tell me what?" Bellamy asked a slight frown on his face.
"It's nothing bad Bell so loose the sour face," Octavia said.
"Octavia and Harper and the others are finished with the blankets for everyone already and they came up with a great idea for what to do next," Clarke explained. "They're going to start on making mattresses."
The smile that graced Bellamy's face at that statement was usually just saved for Clarke in the privacy of their tent. He pulled a stunned Octavia into a tight embrace not missing the chuckle from Lincoln at the gesture.
"I'm going to say you like our idea?" Octavia teased knowingly.
"You have no idea how amazing a mattress sounds," Bellamy said looking to Lincoln for agreement.
"I'm just sad we won't have one tonight," Lincoln agreed.
Clarke and Octavia weren't all that surprised at the excitement the guys showed. Even though they had been working hard on their projects, they weren't out in the sun all day long. Doing this was a gift not just for themselves, but also for their men who were working harder than most.
"Well your fingers will have to fly sis because we're getting close to finishing most of the cabins," Bell said surprising both girls. "We'll be able to move out there in a few weeks and then start on the medbay."
"Why do my area first? Why not start on the mess hall first?" Clarke argued.
"Because our doc needs her own space," Bellamy replied. "Besides do you really want blood all over our kitchen floor?"
"Yea I guess you're right," She agreed. "But half the guys work on something else too. Not just mine."
"Fine we'll split the work," Bellamy said as he handed her a plate with a smirk.
"Clarke?"
Clarke turned to find Jasper standing nearby looking slightly scared. He was wringing his hands together and shuffling his feet.
"Hey Jasper," She replied. "What's wrong?"
"I don't want to stay here by myself. I'm still pissed at you for killing Maya, but I can't stay here with the arkers all alone," Jasper said. "All the 47 are going with you including some others and I don't want to be stuck here with no one who understands what we went through."
"You don't have to Jasper," Clarke said reaching a tentative hand out to him. Jasper took it and sighed. "I know you still need to be upset with us because of Maya and you have no idea how much I wish I could take that back. But you will always have a place here with us Jasper. Miller has been building you a room in his cabin just in case you changed your mind. You don't have to be alone."
"It's ok to be mad Jasper," Octavia chimed in. "All families fight. But you are not alone in this."
True to his word, Bellamy came back to Camp Jaha with the others and told the 47 to start packing. There was only one more days work left before the cabins were completed. There wasn't much for them to pack, just the few extra pieces of clothing they all had. Octavia was overseeing a group packing up the blankets they'd made and stacking the mattresses they'd made so far by the front gate. Clarke was with her mother trying to sort through the remaining supplies to see what she could take to get them started. Her mother had brought down an extra set of surgical knives and handed over some other supplies including some bandages and suture kits.
"That's about all I can give up honey," Abby said.
"I understand," Clarke replied as she stuffed the items in her bag. Bellamy had put all their other belongings in his bag earlier that night. "I appreciate you giving even this up."
"I'm so proud of you. Of all of you," Abby said pulling her daughter into a hug. "I wasn't sure if you'd be able to pull this off, but you did."
"I didn't do anything," Clarke said as she pulled back. "Bellamy's the one that did it all. He's been doing the building, gathering the supplies, motivating all those kids to build cabins. I can't believe the day we move is already here."
"You put a fire back inside him Clarke," Her mother said. "He was a little lost when you left. He needed to find his purpose again and you gave that to him."
"I didn't expect him," Clarke said smiling as she thought of him. "I can't be half the leader, half the person I am without him."
"I know," Abby said hugging Clarke again. "I'll see you in a few days right?"
"Of course mom," Clarke said throwing her backpack on her shoulder. "This is not goodbye. This is see you later."
Clarke left the medbay and made her way to she and Bellamy's tent. She found him snoring on their cot. With a chuckle she set the backpack full of med supplies aside and stripped. She tossed her clothes on top of the bags and crawled in under the blanket in just her underwear. Even fast asleep Bellamy lifted his arm to let her snuggle into his chest. She rubbed a hand up his side and placed a kiss on his chest before snuggling in and going to sleep.
