Lexa stood next to the tree in the forest outside Polis, and inspected the arrow stuck inside its trunk. She had decided to join some of her people on a hunt today, masking it as a desire to show that even Heda was not above helping the common man find food for his family. In reality, she was on the lookout for an entirely different kind of prey.

Having heard the reports concerning the young woman who was apparently traveling from village to village and accompanied by the matron spirit of her old clan, Lexa was understandably curious. Especially when the odd report of Wanheda being sighted lined up perfectly with this visits from this mysterious nymph, and the pattern indicated she was making her way toward Polis. Her chest tightened as she thought of the blonde-haired Sky Girl, and was reminded of the betrayal she had committed at the Mountain. The decision had weighed heavily on her for the entirety of her return to Polis, despite the constant praise her people heaped on her along the way. No Commander had ever been able to free their people from the Mountain, and it was clear on her people's faces that she had just elevated herself to a near mythic standing among them. Even the ambassadors of the other clans had praised her decision, saying that the Skaikru were not to be trusted and had done nothing but invade and kill their people since crashing to the ground in a ball of fire and steel.

However, most of those ambassadors were quick to change their tune and capitalize on the news that Clarke, leader of the Skaikru had single-handedly slain the Mountain Men, earning her the title of Wanheda. Whispers now spoke of the one woman stronger than the Commander, the one who did what she could not and removed the shadow that had loomed over her people for decades. Luckily, the Skaikru did not seek any sort of retribution for her abandoning of them, and talks had begun to establish a connection with them. It was through these talks that Lexa had learned the extent of Clarke's actions inside the Mountain, and that she had simply disappeared into the woods rather than join the people she had just finished fighting insurmountable odds to save.

Politically, that meant that there was a woman roaming around Lexa's land with just as much clout as the Commander herself. By her people's customs, if one were to find and kill her, they would inherit that power and be free to challenge everything Lexa had spent years trying to build. More importantly, she couldn't stand the thought of Clarke being all alone, hunted every day. It was for these reasons that Lexa joined the party in the woods outside of Polis. The different rumors she heard all led to the conclusion that Clarke was the nymph, and was making her way to Polis, likely having heard that she would not be hunted within the walls of Lexa's city.

"Heda!"

Moving swiftly, Lexa joined Ryder where he was crouched on the ground, pointing to the sets of footprints crushed into the soft earth. Looking around, Lexa was able to find more, and based on the way two of the sets seemed to be somewhat harder to follow, deduced that they were probably warriors – trained in the art of covering their tracks, but not actively doing so at the moment – the third set of tracks had the telltale signs of Skaikru clumsiness (though significantly less so than the denizens of Arkadia). The fourth set, however, were what interested her. Not only were they not human, but the sheer size and depth of the prints meant that whatever was accompanying the three humans was big.

"I've never seen tracks like these," Fio muttered as he and the other hunters joined her near the ground.

"Whatever it is, it's hunting," Ryder replied. "And headed towards the city."

Lexa remained silent as she examined the facts, ignoring the way they lined up with her hopes. "Spread out," she ordered. "We know what direction it's going. Once we've found it, wait until it's surrounded. These tracks show that it is easily as big as the pauna, if not bigger."

This made the oldest of the group nod seriously, while the younger hunters either paled in fear, or smirked at the idea of challenging something of equal size to one of the most dangerous animals their people knew of.

Staying low, Lexa moved quickly through the brush, Ryder not far behind. It didn't take long to track down the massive beast, and she froze as she saw a familiar head of flaxen tresses shining in the afternoon sun, while a pair of figures seemed to be arguing just ahead. A light breeze caressed Lexa's face as she watched Clarke walk contentedly next to the hulking form of Trimani Nomon. It would seem that Lexa had been correct in her assumption that the various rumors circulating through her people's land, and her heart slammed traitorously within her breast as she watched the girl who had quickly worked her way through all the defense Lexa had erected since Costia's death only to betray her when she needed Lexa most.

She watched as the bear walking next to her sniffed the air and Clarke froze, causing her two companions to stop as well while she looked around.

"Come out!" Clarke shouted.

Lexa was tempted to do as she was told, but disciplined herself as she watched Clarke pull out a short blade from her back and whisper in the bear's ear while the two warriors ahead of her did the same.

"We just want to go to Polis!" She shouted once more. "We mean you no harm!"

"And why should I allow you entrance into my city?" Lexa asked as she rose to her full height and strode out of the bushes.

Clarke's eyes widened momentarily, before her returning to her impassive, yet fiery, demeanor while her two companions dropped to their knees.

"Lexa," she greeted impassively.

"Clarke," Lexa returned, ignoring the looks others were shooting them at their informal greeting. "You never answered my question."

"Why shouldn't I be?" Clarke countered. "Polis is a place where all are welcome, isn't it?"

"I see you've found yourself some new companions," Lexa said, avoiding the question.

"Echo and Colste were headed to Polis as well," Clarke explained. "Though their reasons are their own. Juno and I are simply looking for a place to live where we don't have to worry about being hunted."

"I see."

"I guess you do," Clarke replied. "Now, while it was a nice break in the monotony, Heda, we really do have to be on our way."

Lexa watched, stunned as Clarke simply turned around and continued walking, ignoring her companions shocked expressions as they looked between her and their Commander. One of the hunters reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her as he growled lowly.

"You don't disrespect Heda like that," he muttered angrily, reaching for his knife.

Faster than expected, Clarke grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it until he was on his knees, his own knife pressed to his throat. All of the other hunters immediately snapped to action, drawing swords and bowstrings and leveling them at the Sky Girl, only to freeze as a deep rumbling shook the ground beneath their feet and their attention was drawn to the monstrous bear standing next to Clarke.

"Enough," Lexa snapped. "There is no need for bloodshed."

"There's a first," Clarke muttered, releasing the man and tossing his knife to the ground.

"Clarke," Lexa offered. "I'm more than happy to provide you a place in Polis. However, if Trimani Nomon insists on accompanying you, at least let myself and my men accompany you so as not to frighten the people."

Clarke nodded stiffly and turned to embrace the Forest Mother around her furry neck before clambering onto her back. Echo and Colste finally rose to their feet as Lexa took off to catch up. They made their way through the would in tense silence, the hunters, while not as disciplined as Lexa's warriors, were wise enough to keep their mouths shut as they followed them while Ryder walked just behind her, shooting withering looks in Clarke's direction. Several hours of walking later, and the trees thinned, allowing them to see Polis in all its glory.

Lexa smiled at the awestruck look on Clarke's face as she stared at the high walls and stone buildings before focusing on the massive tower in the center of the city. Farmers outside the city stopped in their toiling to watch her go by, bowing in reverence even as they gaped in awe at the small woman riding the massive bear. Lexa leads Clarke through the streets, towards the Tower, smiling and waving on occasion to the many who pause in their affairs to welcome her back. It's as she does this on their way through the markets that she notices a slight commotion near the back of the crowd, and, before she can do anything, Clarke has already slipped off towards it. Cursing under her breath, she sprinted after Clarke and caught up just in time to see her standing over a cowering, emaciated man, holding the blade of a knife in her bare hand as she stopped a large merchant from extracting a punishment from the thief.

"Heda," the merchant grunted reverently as he pulled away from Clarke. "This man stole from me. I am owed justice."

Lexa opened her mouth but was interrupted as Clarke shot forward with speed rivaling her own, and grabbed the man's wrist before using his hand to drag the blade across her chest, just above her collarbone.

"There," she grunted coolly, "you've had your justice." Reaching down, she yanked the loaf of bread from the shaking man's hands and threw it on the ground at the merchant's feet. Lexa watched, stupefied for the second time that day as she led the shaking man back to her bear companion and reached into her bag, pulling out a chunk of dried meat and handing it to him. Helping the man onto the back of the bear, Clarke turned to Lexa and nodded her head.

"Thank you for the escort, Commander. I'll see you around."

*(OoO)*

Clarke couldn't help but smirk slightly as she heard the whispers about her sudden dismissal of the Commander.

"Are there other reapers with you?" She asked quietly, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to the man sitting in front of her as wrapped a bandage around the cut on her chest, grunting when she tightened it. She had recognised him from the Mountain, and made up her mind within moments.

"Why do you want to know?" The man asked.

Clarke didn't reply for several minutes. She waited until the crowd thinned as they entered a part of the city where even the allure of the strange girl riding a bear and disrespecting the Commander could not draw them in. "No one talks about you," she explained. "I was informed that you made it out of the Mountain, and that you had been given treatment, but after that, nothing. I figured, if you went anywhere, it would be here. People who do talk still seem to think that you're the monsters the Mountain Men made you." Sighing, Clarke allowed herself to slouch slightly. "It may be selfish, but I was hoping that, maybe, I could find people who understood why I was trying to get away from it all."

The man didn't say anything for a long time as they approached the outskirts of the city, near a large lakeside, where the forest encroached past the walls. Several minutes passed in silence before he suddenly spoke, breaking Clarke from her musings.

"I still miss it sometimes," the man mumbled. "I wake up in the morning, and have to fight the urge to run back to them for just one more dose of it. Some of my friends still can't eat meat without being reminded of… what they made us eat. Some of us still can't stop our mouths from watering."

They came to a stop outside the husk of what Clarke guessed used to be a warehouse before the bombs, and she watched as the man dismounted from Juno's back and called out quietly. Slowly, people seemed to appear from out of nowhere. Five, then ten, then thirty. All of them with the same haunted look in their eyes that she knew she bore as well. Smiling softly, Clarke slid off Juno as well and went to introduce herself when she noticed one of the women in the crowd sway on the spot. Rushing over, she caught the woman before she could fall, and helped her inside, barely taking in the dilapidated living conditions as she laid her down and got to work examining the infected cut on the woman's side.

Hours later, when she lay down among the former reapers in exhaustion after administering the few antibiotics she had left, she found herself feeling at peace for the first time since she learned that the Ark was running out of air.

Maybe, here, helping the ones that everyone else forgot, she would be able to build something of her life, rather than destroy others'. Maybe, one day, she would be able to say she had done something with her life worthy of the pride with which the grounders watched her.

A/N: I'm a sucker for Clarke picking up strays. I feel like she would be attracted to the ones others abandoned.