The group is forced to stop and make camp once more on the journey back as night falls.

Lexa slides off her horse with grace and heads toward a struggling Octavia. The girl's attempts at dismounting are awkward and clumsy, and apparently quite humorous to the others. The group of warriors, Indra included, stand motionless watching Octavia struggle with glee-ridden faces. Smirking and snorting harder as Octavia's foot falls through the stirrup on her descent, causing the girl to fall and crash to the ground in a twisting heap, her leg still twisted and foot caught in the stirrup.

Lexa quickly rushes to her aid, freeing the limb from the stirrup first and gently lowering the leg to the ground. The warriors burst out laughing at the scene before them. Anger surges through Lexa at their disrespect. Octavia was not for their amusement. Why she felt so protective of the girl, she didn't know.

The commander quickly shot them her best death glare. Their expressions dropped in an instant, and they resumed the task of setting up camp.

"Are you alright?" Lexa asks with real concern.

Octavia sits up with a grimace on her face.

"Fuck, I'm such a klutz. I'm not sure. I think I might have sprained my ankle; I felt it pop on the way down."

Lexa looks down at the injured limb, carefully lifting the pant leg to reveal a very swollen and angry looking ankle, a nasty bruise was already forming. Gently, Lexa pushes her fingers around the puffy ankle causing Octavia to wince in pain. It felt normal as far as she could tell.

"Can you move your toes?"

Squeezing her eyes shut, Octavia forces her toes to curl and uncurl.

Good. It wasn't broken. The commander was grateful for the well-trained horse, had it spooked; this could have been much worse than a sprained ankle.

"Put your arms around my neck," Lexa orders.

Octavia's eyes narrow in confusion. "Oookay… why am I doing this?" She asks as arms wrap around the commander's thin muscular neck.

Without an answer, Lexa scoops Octavia up into her arms bridal style and carries her away from camp. Neither speaks but the silence is a comfortable one. Lexa secretly enjoys the way Octavia clutches onto her so tightly; their bodies pressed together. Octavia's head falls against Lexa's shoulder; her heart begins to race once more as it always seemed to when in close proximity with this girl.

Finally, a few moments later they arrive at their destination.

"A river? Trying to tell me I stink, Commander?"

A smile breaks across Lexa's face as she lets out a small laugh. "You smell divine. I brought you here to soak your ankle. Of course, I can help you bathe if you wish."

Lexa likes the idea of helping a naked Octavia wash. She wouldn't mind one bit.

"I can wait until we get back to Ton Dc tomorrow. Then I can use that bathhouse."

"You could do both. I'd also be happy to help you bathe in both environments." Lexa replies as she lowers Octavia gently to the ground and carefully pulls off her shoe.

"I bet you would," Octavia says with a smirk.

Lexa can feel her cheeks grow warm but does not confirm or deny the accusation. Instead, she gives Octavia a small smile and lifts the pant leg on the injured limb.

She runs her hand up the prickly leg, but Octavia's hand suddenly shoots out to cover her own. Lexa looks up to meet mortified eyes. Octavia looks horrified at something.

"What's wrong Octavia? Have I made you uncomfortable?"

"No, I just…uh, haven't had any time to shave my legs."

"This does not bother me, Octavia. But if you wish I will get you the things you need to smooth them when we return to Ton Dc."

"Thank you, Lexa. I would very much appreciate that."

Lexa loves how her name sounds on Octavia's luscious lips.

"Does it really not bother you? Not even a little?" Octavia asks, grinning now.

Lexa smiles wildly and guides the leg closer to her face. With one long stroke of her tongue, she licks Octavia's prickly path from ankle to knee.

This earns a cluster of giggles from Octavia. It's music to the heda's ears.

Lexa climbs her way up Octavia's body, toward the laughter until she is close enough to kiss the giggling mess. But she does not close the gap. She wants the choice to be Octavia's.

It doesn't take long, Octavia stares deeply into the commander a moment before crashing their lips together hungrily. Lexa kisses back just as hard, just as wanting. She's wanted this girl the moment she first laid eyes on her. This couldn't be going better.

Flashes of Costia pop into her mind and she breaks away from the encounter. As much as she wants Octavia, it would not be wise. Becoming the lover of the Heda makes you a target of her enemies. She doesn't want that for Octavia. But how long could she really resist a beauty such as this one?

Panting hard, Lexa crawls off Octavia and gets to her feet. She's so turned on, the girl beneath her seems to be quite disappointed with Lexa's abrupt extraction as well.

"What's wrong?" Octavia asks worriedly.

Lexa isn't sure how to respond. Perhaps truth is best. Slowly, she lowers herself beside Octavia and finally guides the swollen ankle into the cold river before speaking.

"I think I could use a bath," Lexa says instead.

Rising to her feet once more, Lexa strips herself of all articles of clothing and treads into the water quickly, in hopes it will calm her growing arousal. She can "feel" Octavia's eyes on her ass as she walks away.

.