Lexa peered around the boulder and then slid back. She indicated that Clarke should now look, Clarke moved silently past Lexa and looked around the boulder. She didn't see anything immediately but as she widened her view she saw two Lionesses laying in the last rays of the day's sunshine on a ledge beneath them. She moved back and Lexa motioned for her to calm and pointed to her nose, Clarke understood, if Lexa could smell her fear, the lions could too.

Lexa took her bow so Clarke did likewise and the pair squatted together and waited. Clarke knew without having to be explained that taking on one mountain lion was a calculated risk, taking on two was suicide. Lexa indicated that she was moving and the plan they had discussed was now in motion, minus the baiting, Clarke remained where she was, arrow nocked, bow at the ready. She mentally rehearsed, pulling back the string, aiming, letting out her breath and taking another arrow immediately, as she waited for Lexa to get into position.

The plan was simple, Clarke understood hei role, she waited and watched. It was a long wait but as the sun sank and part of the ledge fell into shade, the first lioness felt the chill, rolled over, hoisted herself up and wandered away. The second was making the most of the last rays of the sunshine. Clarke knew that this was such an opportunity they had been waiting for, she tried not to hold her breath, she had to work quickly. The plan was to find Lexa, confirm her go ahead and start piling arrows into the lion.

Her eyes scanned to her right for Lexa, but she couldn't find her, 'keep calm, do not panic' she scanned again and again, and then she caught sight of a flash, Lexa had drawn her sword and flashed it at Clarke to identify her position. She was squatting on a branch in a tree nearby, Lexa had been watching Clarke the whole time, her well trained eyes moving between the lions on the ledge and Clarke, watching her watching them. When Clarke caught her eye, Lexa nodded and Clarke looked back at her prey and pulled the string back tightly.

She was shaking but there was nothing to be done about that now, she tried to be calm, let out a long steady and as it turns out fortifying breath and let three arrows go it swift succession, all hitting their target in the back of her neck but none of them lethal, none were expected to be, Lexa had pre warned her. The lioness had immediately known the precise location of the source of danger without looking or turning, She leapt up with a ferocious snarling growl and how she covered that distance in a heartbeat, Clarke will never understand.

Clark was practically deafened by the silence and the pressure in the environment was intense, she felt immobilised. Like Clarke and Lexa, the lion's senses were heightened, she surveyed her environment keenly, but focussed on Clarke she missed Lexa above her. By the time Clarke turned back to hoist herself up onto the boulder she already knew it was too late, she had panicked and paused, and now it was too late, the lioness was zoning in on her.

Lexa came down on top of the lion as it passed under her, she fell plunging her sword deeply through the back of its neck, had Clarke been facing the other direction she would have seen the silver tip poking out the front of the lion's throat. As it was, the sword blow was fatal but not quite enough to interrupt the lion's powerful momentum, she continued sailing through the air at speed, paw out, claws poised, in an attempt to grab Clarke.

The lion probably died in mid air but the counterattack had already been launched and there was no way Clarke could have avoided, or Lexa could have successfully mitigated the contact of the massive paw as it made with Clarke's right hand shoulder. Clarke was dragged backwards off the edge of the boulder and landed heavily on her back. The lion landed paw out, about the same time, thankfully not on top of her.

Lexa clung on her weapon and pushed it through, down to the hilt, an action she had been mentally rehearsing and now was not able to cease the action even though it was completely unnecessary. It was as though all three hearts ceased beating at the same moment. The lion fell dead, Clarked felt dead and Lexa's heart was in her mouth having seen Clarke's shoulder ripped open as she watched her fall back.

Clarked realised that she was actually not dead and despite the burning in her shoulder, leapt back on to her feet to complete the plan. The adrenalin surging through her system served to dull her pain receptors, when Lexa moved to provide assistance, Clarke hissed at her and ran to get the tray. Lexa scanned their location for danger and was keen to get away from the area forthwith.

The lioness was so heavy, Clarke had not really factored that into her plans but Lexa had, they had to move quickly and quietly before the other lioness or anyone else came into their space. Lexa laid the tray downhill of the carcass, spread the fur they had brought and together they rolled her over onto it, sword still wedged in her throat. Lexa did another quick scan, while Clarke began unwinding the rope from her middle and lashing the carcass to the tray. Lexa returned to help, pointing and murmuring instructions and tying the other side like a professional.

The pain in Clarke's shoulder now began to present but more pressing was the lack of power in the limb, it was desperately needed to tie the ropes and help drag the tray back down the mountain. Lexa breathed, "think you way through pain" into her ear and grabbed the ropes completing the task herself. She didn't mean to be unkind but this was a precarious situation and she wanted to get Clarke away quickly and safely and Clarke's prize too if she could.

Clarke was unused to pain, she was not a trained warrior. Lexa expected pain, she embraced it and was trained to manage it, to ignore it or use it as needed. But Clarke, like most people, avoided pain, interpreted it as negative, something requiring attention and a solution. She trusted Lexa, if Lexa indicated this was a manageable situation then it was, she just had to do her part. She was yet to understand Lexa's message but she let it repeat in her mind, as she tried to settle herself, keep breathing, you're ok, she reminded herself.

When Lexa moved to the front of the tray, Clarke moved too, and used her non preferred side to pull with all of her might. It was necessary for her to clear her mind of everything, the priority right now was breathing in and out, harnessing every bit of effort and strength to move this fucking beast, keep putting one foot in front of the other. She focussed, watching the ground several feet in front of her, she breathed in and out with the movement of her feet and blocked all references to the pain. Then she understood, she was thinking her way through the pain.

As soon as Lexa thought it was safe to stop, she demanded to see Clarke's shoulder, a sharp intake of breath was all the reaction she allowed herself, because it was done and she still needed to get the three of them back to camp. Clarke remembered her healing supplies, Lexa took what she needed. She poured water over the four claw marks that curled their way from her shoulder at the base of her neck and continued well down her shoulder blade and faded away to the side of her waist. The water washed away the debris that had clung to the blood when Clarke fell.

She pressed gauze to it to staunch the bleeding. Lexa was annoyed with herself. What had made her think was a good idea? She risked Clarke's life for a thrill, for her ego? Clarke's shirts were ripped clean apart and there was no covering the wound now. Bandaging was completely useless until they got back to camp because there was no doubt Clarke's physicality was still required until then. "Lexa. Lexa?" Lexa didn't hear Clarke calling her, she was too busy berating herself, Clarke grabbed her wrist,

"Lexa, beja?" "Clarke?"

"You can be mad later, for now smear this ointment on, give me something for the pain and let's move. Ok?"

"Sha, Clarke" She did as she was bid, gave Clarke some water, Clarke demanded a kiss and they were off. Each trying to spare the other from as much weight as possible.

It had taken them something like eight hours to scale that mountain, tracking for most of the second half of that time, they had rested for about an hour on top of that but they had made it back to their camp in two, despite the injury. The tray they dragged behind them was a pain in the ass, getting caught up in the undergrowth, snagged on bushes, wedged between trees, but they would never have been able to move that lioness without it.