Murphy was pleased at the direction of the vote. All but three kids voted Clarke in as leader. He dropped provisions off with Bellamy, some water and a few nuts they found then returned to the fire to keep it going.
Clarke used the back of the useless map to list out plans using a piece of burnt stick as her pencil. The hunting parties weren't back yet, and the sun was setting, but she wasn't worried about anyone yet. "Murphy?"
"What's up?" he asked as he speared the fire.
"Don't throw your weight around. Let's keep the violence to a minimum for a switch."
"Hey, I never started any of those fights."
"Except the ones you did start which was most of them." Clarke quirked an eyebrow at him and he laughed.
"Yeah, except those." He glanced at the dropship. "Think that Monty kid can get communications up?"
"I hope so." Clarke eyed the kids making tools from the metal of the ship, and others working to build a smokehouse.
Octavia walked up to them. "How long are you going to keep my brother locked up?"
"No longer than we have to," Clarke said as she stood up. "I can take you to see him if you want."
"I'll see my brother, and I don't need you to do it." Octavia tried to walk off but Murphy blocked her way.
"What you'll do is cooperate. Unless of course you want to die down here." Off Clarke's look, he said, "I'm not going to hurt you, but we can make sure no one helps you either. Think about working with us rather than against us."
Clarke recognized Johnny's lustful gaze and rolled her eyes. "Octavia, please. Talk to your brother and get him to calm down so we can let him out."
Murphy snorted. "Yeah, before it smells like a septic system up there."
"You're a pig," Octavia spat.
"I'm a loveable pig, right, Art?"
"You know I'm the only one that loves you," Clarke said with a smirk. "Come on, Octavia, let's go talk to your brother."
Murphy slipped the gun into Clarke's hand as she passed him. "Watch out for him."
"I will."
The women walked away from the fire. "Your friend's an asshole."
"Not going to argue with you." Clarke sighed. "John's had it hard, but he's family."
"What about Wells?"
"He betrayed us, Johnny and me. But he's smart, so he's useful and that's good enough right now." Clarke climbed the ladder as soon as they got into the ship. When she got through the hatch, Bellamy took a swing at her with a piece of pipe he'd broken away. But Clarke wasn't an idiot and expected something like that and ducked so the pipe hit the edge of the opening sending a bone rattling vibration up his arms.
"Fuck!" he yelled as he fell onto his ass.
Clarke rolled her eyes and finished climbing into his cell. "I brought your sister with me."
The relief that swept across his face tugged at Clarke's heartstrings. When the siblings hugged, Clarke smiled slightly. "You ready to talk reasonably?"
"Bell give her a chance."
"Why should I?"
"Because, she's smart and getting things done that will keep us alive. You too." Octavia pat his chest then sat down. "Please."
Bellamy sat down and whispered something to Octavia about how Clarke would kill him if she knew what he did to get on the ship. He wasn't quiet enough to keep his concern from Clarke.
"I'll be more likely to leave you alive if you tell me what you did."
He eyed the hilt of the gun in her waistband. "I killed someone to get on the ship."
"A guard?" Clarke asked.
"Worse."
"A counselor?"
His expression got even more grim.
Clarke nodded. "Thelonous." Her lips were set in a line as she thought through the problem. "What would you do if I let you out of here right now?"
"What needs done?" he asked.
"Nothing more tonight. But tomorrow there'll be plenty. However, I can't let you out yet. You're going to be put on trial first for trying to take leadership before a vote, not for murdering Thelonous. I'll keep that to myself. Arguments start at first light." Clarke waited for Bellamy to nod before saying one last thing. "I won't speak against you. That's all I can promise."
Octavia squirmed. "I guess that's better than you passing judgement."
"It is." Clarke gave the pair one more look over before returning to the hatch. "You staying up here with your brother tonight?"
"I can?"
"I don't see why not."
"Thank you." Octavia squeezed Bellamy's hand.
His thanks were sarcastic though. Clarke shrugged before climbing down and locking the hatch behind her.
When she got outside the first of the hunting parties returned. They had a deer strung up on a tree branch as they walked into camp. The deer had two heads, but would serve well as food. They couldn't increase their chances of radiation poisoning, breathing the air didn't already cause. The next party was on the first's heels but this they didn't have food, they had a dead kid. The one with goggles was laying on a makeshift stretcher. Clarke ran up to them.
"What happened?"
Finn answered her. "When the last grounders died on the Ark, they weren't the last grounders. The good news is we can survive, but only if the grounders don't kill us first."
"I see." Clarke breathed in deeply. "Take him around back to be buried. Monroe made a shovel, see her about using it. When you're done, come back and tell me everything."
Wells walked up. "I'll bury him."
"Thank you, Wells." Clarke paused then added, "You should get Monty. I think they were friends."
Jaha nodded and walked off.
"What happened, Finn?"
"We were doing what you said, tracking a boar for food when we came across a river. We weren't being quiet. But nothing happened until Jasper crossed to the other side of the river. Then a grounder hit him with a spear from three hundred feet with pinpoint accuracy. We're not alone down here."
"Sounds like the river was a boundary. We'll have to let everyone know to steer clear of it." Clarke shoved his shoulder. "So tell people, while I make sure everyone has food tonight."
Murphy already had the deer half skinned. His fingers nimble as they used the makeshift knife to separate the skin from the rest of the flesh. A remnant of his job on the Ark.
The last of the parties returned then with bags of mushrooms, nuts and berries, so Clarke kept busy by dividing the provisions. She passed on the news of grounders as they worked and the camp was quiet as they cooked and ate.