After finally managing to prevent any deaths, the day still repeated. Disheartened by this and unsure of her next step, she asked Clarke to join her for a ride out of Tondc. Knowing what she did now, Clarke agreed to such a scheme.

To the consternation of her people, specifically the clan leaders, they set off early that morning, with supplies enough for the whole day. Lexa ordered Wes to stay, as did Clarke to Byrne. The only person's presence she could tolerate right now was Clarkes'.

Clarke didn't bother asking where they going. Even if she had, it would have been fruitless because Lexa herself didn't know the answer. Therefore, their journey was mostly in silence, for which Lexa was grateful. She had been in too many heated conferences the past week, and this blessed quiet was a welcome relief. She delighted in the simplicity of nature and all of the curious sounds it had to offer. Briefly she closed her eyes and allowed them to envelope her senses, focusing on this one and that only long enough to determine its author before moving on to the next. Beyond being a useful tool for a warrior and hunter to possess, it was her primary way of relaxing when the strains of her position became too much. Lexa had never taken off like this, abandoning her people, leaving even her guard behind. Far from upsetting, she found it liberating. The freedom to do what she wanted, when she wanted, had never been a luxury endowed to her. At least, not for a very long time, before she started her warrior training, before she was chosen by a higher power.

They meandered along the reasonably well kept path leading away from Camp Jaha for hours, never going faster than a trot. Clarke had only just learned how to ride the previous day, (well, the day after Gustus' demise anyway) and Lexa didn't want to risk injuring her...or worse.

As if reading her thoughts, "Go for it, Lexa. Blow off some steam."

Lexa just stared at her.

"If you want to go faster, go faster. Don't let me stop you."

She nodded and whipped her horse into a gallop within seconds. She charged down the path like the pauna was after her, like she was recklessly going into battle without a plan of action. A few minutes of this was enough to sate her listlessness, and she prepared to slow and head back to Clarke. However, as she did so, she heard the thundering of hoofs behind her, followed by Clarke racing passed, a smirk on her lips.

"Clarke!"

Quickly Lexa got her own horse going again and chased after the idiot girl to stop her before she broke her neck. Her fears seemed to be for nought. Clarke had complete control over the beast, intuitively manoeuvring this way and that around the various footfalls that would send her flying. It was as if she were born to it and Lexa's admiration for the girl grew further still. In fact, Lexa was so busy stealing glances of her remarkable companion as she majestically rode along beside her,* that she just barely had time to veer off from a fatal collision with a tree. Flustered by her mistake, she kept her eyes on the road from there on out, ever cognisant of the amused glimmer in Clarke's eyes, as if she knew how easy it was to make Lexa lose focus.

It had been the same way with Costia. The thought caused a tightness in her chest, one that she forced down as soon as possible. Today was not about reminiscing on the past. Today was about simply enjoying the present, however irritating it may be.

When the horses needed a break, they got off to lead them slowly to the nearest clearing where they could graze. Lexa was hyper aware of the fact that Clarke kept clutching at her inner thighs. Clarke caught her staring and Lexa hastily glanced away.

"How long does it take before the chaffing ends?"

"That is dependant on how often you ride, and for how long when you do. I remember my own discomfort as a child. It was very unpleasant. Eventually you will develop a thicker skin and it will not bother you so much."

"Well, until then, do you have anything I could use to cool this fire?"

To prevent herself from offering to apply a salve to her thighs, Lexa practically bit clean through her tongue.

"Not with me, Clarke," she said, tasting blood, "no."

"Where's this clearing anyway?" Clarke grumbled. "I need to sit down."

"Not far. It's just up ahead."

Once they were in the field, Lexa retrieved one of their bags, the one full of food, and gestured for Clarke to join her a short ways from the grazing horses. With some difficulty, Clarke managed to squat and sink into the soft mid calf high grass.

She sighed. "Much better."

Lexa took out the food and drink and handed some to Clarke. They partook of this serenely, Lexa vaguely wondering how many times they had shared a meal that Clarke couldn't remember. This depressed her.

"You'll figure it out eventually," said Clarke, after taking a sip of water. "I'm sure of it."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Because I know you," Clarke said, looking at her keenly. "You won't give up until you do."

The way Clarke was staring at her now made Lexa gulp and break eye contact. "I'm afraid you have more faith in me than I have in myself."

Clarke nudged her arm. "Chin up, soldier."

Lexa shook her head, smiling slightly. "You sky people have the most unusual sayings."

"That's nothing," Clarke said. "'I know it seems like you're a fish out of water, beating a dead horse, Lexa," - she blanched at the confusing and barbaric imagery – "or that you're stuck between a rock and hard place," - past experience told her this was very unpleasant, "taking shots in the dark, but maybe you've been barking up the wrong tree," - barking? - "and you need to go back to square one and try to ring some bells and find what's been right under your nose all along." Clarke grinned. "Piece of cake, right?"

Lexa looked at her blankly, somewhat concerned for Clarke's sanity. Apparently her expression greatly amused Clarke for she let out a short laugh. It was fleeting, and Lexa made sure to hold onto the sound for as long as she lived, and to bring it, and Clarke's laughing features, to her minds eye when she needed it most.

"But seriously, when you want to talk about it again, I'm here for you."

Lexa's throat had constricted so she simply gave a curt nod.

"For now, just relax. Recharge your batteries."

Clarke glanced up at the partially cloudy sky and then lay down on her back, hands behind her head, continuing to admire it.

"Come on, Lexa, join me."

She hadn't done something like this since she was a child. It was strange to be doing it again with the girl she had rapidly developed feelings for, feelings that could never be reciprocated, that she wouldn't let be reciprocated, that this time loop wouldn't allow even if she did.

Still she joined Clarke, laying close enough that she could reach out and touch her if she dared. She didn't of course.

They remained like this for a time. Her eyelids grew heavy. When she opened them again, Clarke was no longer in sight. Lexa panicked and hopped up, only to find Clarke over by the horses, stroking their manes.

"How long was I asleep for?" she asked as she approached, hopeful Clarke hadn't noticed her behaviour.

"I'd guess about an hour." Clarke patted Lexa's horse. "These gals are well rested now. And my legs feel a lot better. We can keep going if you'd like."

"I would."

She wanted to see if perhaps there was a physical limit to how far this time loop could occur. If she got far enough away from Tondc before the 'reset', would she remain unaffected? Would she break the curse?

Granted, she didn't think it likely, but she had to try all the same.

Horse bound for another few hours was all Clarke could take. It was just as well. The sky was beginning to darken and Lexa wanted to set up camp before then. With the fading light, came a bit of a chill, so she decided to put the tent up for Clarke.

While she busied herself with that task, Clarke said, "I'll go get some wood."

"All right." She thought about it a bit more. "Be careful, Clarke."

Clarke patted the grip of the gun poking through her pants and stepped into the trees surrounding them.

Concerned about Clarke's well being, it took longer than it should have to complete her self assigned task. (It didn't help matters that she rarely had to do this for herself anymore and had somewhat forgotten how; there were a lot of parts to tie down).

Again, she had worried for nothing. Clarke came back bundled with plenty of branches for the coming night. She dropped them in a good spot and set to starting the flame with the tools Lexa had brought.

Starting a fire with a flintstone and a striker was relatively easy, so she was unsurprised when Clarke succeeded in her goal. The night they escaped the pauna's den however, she had been absolutely hopeless with the stick rubbing method, claiming not to have the patience for such a thing, nearly throwing a tantrum. But it was cold and Lexa had been unable to make it herself, so Clarke had persevered until she finally got it to smoke. The look of joy on her face had been breathtaking. And it was in that moment that Lexa had acknowledged to herself that she did indeed have feelings for Clarke, and that she had to keep them in check from there on out or risk exposing both of them to danger.

They sat around the small, yet merry fire, sitting across from one another like one of the days before. Lexa allowed herself to be transfixed by the flickering flame and for a time her mind was quiet. Clarke called her back to reality.

"Do you know what Hell is, Lexa? As in Heaven and Hell?"

"I have heard tell of such things...from captured Ice Nation warriors. The King and Queen believe themselves God fearing Christians. We are savages in their eyes for not following their chosen path. This difference of belief is the basis for most of our strife. Why did you ask this?"

"Never mind," she said, poking at the fire.

"Clarke."

"Okay, well, let me just preface this with, I'm not saying your belief in reincarnation is wrong, or that I agree with the Ice Nation...I'm just trying to give you another point of view." Lexa nodded stiffly, not liking where this conversation was headed. "Well, Catholicism, which was...and maybe still is, a branch of Christianity, believed in a third category. Purgatory."

"Purgatory?"

"A place between Heaven and Hell. A person was stuck there until they achieved a certain level of purification."

After a beat, "Are you implying that I am currently in purgatory, Clarke?"

Because if you are, then you are most certainly implying my belief system to be wrong, no matter your protests to the contrary.

She was quiet for a bit before responding. "Are you sure you didn't die when the pauna attacked us in the cage?" Clarke looked at her. "Can you say for certain?"

Through clenched teeth, "Yes."

Because if I died, then so did you, and I could not bear that.

The next thing she said was the most chilling of all. "If your body was never found and burned, what happens to your spirit?"

Ignoring the cold sweat that threatened to break loose, Lexa swallowed hard before saying, "It would be trapped in my body, unable to find its next host."

"Kind of like purgatory."

Clarke let that terrifying prospect soak in while she poked at the fire some more. They sat in strained silence for what seemed like ages. Certainly some time had passed because the fire had mostly died down once she next spoke.

"Let's say for a moment that you are right," said Lexa haltingly. They shared a look. "What does that make you then? You are real, are you not?"

"I feel real enough...but that doesn't mean I am." Clarke shrugged. "Real is just a matter of perception."

"If you aren't really here," she said with a pang in her heart, "then how could I possibly know all of those confusing expressions?"

"Maybe...maybe we're both stuck in," she gestured around vaguely, "whatever this is together? Maybe we both died when the pauna attacked?"

"No," Lexa said, shaking her head with finality. "No, Clarke, what you speak of is nonsense. I refuse to believe it."

"You're right of course. That would be ridiculous." She caught Lexa's eye. "Almost as ridiculous as a time loop."

*In case it's not obvious, I'm kinda making fun of the fact that Clarke could gallop to Tondc for hours after what could only have amounted to a few days of riding lessons. Then again, Octavia went from 'follow the butterflies' to 'imma cut you up like a badass motherf**ker' in like a week. And yes, I know that's an exaggeration...but not much of one. :p