Chapter 6:
Clarke looked down on the scene below her. What is she doing here?
Clarke's shock engulfed her. She never expected to see the grounder beauty again. The shock quickly switched from shock to anger. What is she doing here? she wonders, this time seething. Clarke watched as Lexa searched the camp. She heard the growling and the rustling in the trees to the North. Clarke's anger began to lessen as she looked to Lexa again. She was pulling out her sword and lighting the torch she made. Clarke bit her lip, she thinks she's going to fight it off?! Clarke shook her head, no, no Lexa, no, leave.
The growling was getting closer; it was too late now. The beast knew where she was and Lexa was obviously not going anywhere. Panic set in, as her heart pumped faster and her eyes widened just as the growling intensified and a crashing blur came through the trees.
The Pauna.
It landed and reared on its legs as it took in the sight of the fire along with Lexa. Growling again the beast smashed its fists into the ground in a display of dominance. Clarke watched in horror as Lexa gracefully braced herself both ready to attack and defend. The beast flung itself to the right as Lexa fluidly changed her stance to the left, putting the fire between them. She kept moving: slow but determined. The beast made its move launching itself into a tree for leverage and using the momentum to close the distance between her and Lexa. Clarke's breath caught in her throat. Lexa swiped the torch and the beast hesitated for a moment, Lexa took her chance and struck the beast's arm. A terrifying sound came from the Pauna as it took the swords edge.
Lexa made her next move swiping the torch again at the beast landing the fire on the beasts leg. The beast reacted, catching Lexa off guard and thudding a deafening backhand to the commanders side. Lexa went flying backwards feet from the fire. Clarke gasped Lexa's eyes flew open at the sound when she landed. Clarke locked eyes with her, widened in fear, horror taking over her features. Her heart painfully beating in a hurried manner. No! Get up! She looked over to the beast that was now rounding on the commander, Clarke looked back at Lexa and locked eyes. Get up Lexa! Clarke's adrenaline was pounding she couldn't think straight, she had to do something – anything! Eyes wide with fear Clarke took in the sight of Lexa, determination quickly filled her, to Clarke's surprised Lexa subtly shook her head signaling to Clarke to stay where she was. Clarke shook her head in disbelief she couldn't just sit on her perch and watch this horrible scene occur. Clarke swallowed as her eyes stayed glued to Lexa's as the Pauna made it's move to eliminate the distance between them. Lexa had a serene look on her face now, a small twitch at the corner of her mouth as if she was going to smile at Clarke – and that was all the motivation Clarke needed.
"No!" Clarke shouted and she made her move. She dropped from her perch, dagger uo and ready. Stab, don't slash she reminded herself of Octavia's advice from camp Jaha before the war. Clarke landed with a thud on the back of the Pauna, air escaped her lungs as she took the brunt of the force landing awkwardly but dagger down in the beast's neck. The beast realed backwards, howling in pain and making wild grabs towards the new threat on its back.
Clarke grabbed the fur with her free hand attempting to drive the dagger deeper as she was tossed around. Clarke squeezed her thighs as tight as she could just to hang on. Lexa made her move, no longer the beasts main target she painfully rose to her feet and grabbed her torch. Sword in her right hand, she lunged and caught it's thigh as blood came squirting out between the flesh and fur.
"Clarke!" she screamed, not attempting to hide her panic. She lunged with the torch. Hitting her mark, Lexa shifted her stance and swung the sword again connecting with another satisfying slice. Clarke took her chance and twisted the dagger, the beast now flailed its arms viciously at Lexa. Clarke adjusted her grip on the fur and ripped the dagger out before plunging it again into the meaty flesh. Blood splattered on out of the wound onto there face, spitting out the metallic taste she screamed "Lexa move!"
Lexa wasted no time, she heard the desperation in Clarke's voice, urging her out of harms way. She side stepped again placing the fire between her and the beast. "Clarke let go!" she screamed as the beast groped behind itself again trying to remove Clarke like a parasite. Clarke wrenched the dagger from its second position and released her grip on the beasts back. Falling backwards with the momentum of the twisting Pauna Clarke landed hard against a tree trunk. Gasping for breath Clarke quickly scrambled to a crouch just as Lexa came running at the animal. A war cry escaped her lips as she twirled her sword and blocked the beasts defensive strike, slicing it's forearm, blood escaped the wound splattering everywhere. She thrust her torch again and connected with the side of the animals head. Lexa was left vulnerable to the beasts right arm as it connected with her sending her flying into the brush beyond the light.
"Lexa!" Clarke's blood curdling scream echoed through the trees. Clarke was wide eyed in horror as made her move, grabbing the dropped torch as the beast made its way towards Lexa. "No!"she exclaimed realizing she had no time to attack with Lexa's torch. Instead, Clarke flipped the dagger's blade into her finger tips and flung the weapon as hard as her body would allow.
CRUNCH
The beast halted its death march toward Lexa's position, it staggered and swayed in its spot, the dagger sticking out of its head. Deep but not deep enough, Clarke took her chance finding Lexa's sword crossing the distance between her and the pauna and finally, ending its life by thrusting the commanders sword through the back of its neck and into its skull. The noise of it all curdled Clarke's stomach as she pulled the sword out and the beast fell to the ground. Clarke froze in the wake of the scene before quickly gaining herself back and looking up for Lexa.
"Lexa?" She called out.
Silence followed except for the crack of the fire behind her.
"Lexa!?" Clarke screamed, desperation engulfing her. A whole new wave of panic was setting in. She looked around wildly and began moving forward to where she thought the girl fell. Her pace quickened as the silence ensued, Clarke tried to push the nausea she was beginning to feel away, sucking in air she tried to calm herself. She wildly searched the area before her for any sign of the young brunette. Clarke didn't even notice when the tears began to fall, she was so focused on urging her feet to move forwards regardless of what she found.
Then she saw it, the red piece of fabric that hung from the commanders shoulder piece. She followed the red fabric up until the found the still body lying in the bushes and earth. "NO!" She screamed.
She closed the distance in an instant, falling to Lexa's side. Her hands found themselves around the commanders face, cupping her cheeks Clarke gulped back tears. She noticed a trail of blood from the commanders lips. It sucked the breath from her lungs. She wildly began to observe any visible injuries, she couldn't see in this dark. Fuck she thought as she moved her hand to cup Lexa's head off the ground and search for a pulse with her free hand.
Thank fuck. She had a pulse. It was strong. Clarke's chest rattled with silent thankful sobs. "Why are you here?" she asked aloud, "why did you come?"