Disclaimer: Own nothing
Clanya or Anarke-AnyaxClarke and Lunarke or Cluna-LunaxClarke
Warnings for trauma and attempted murder, and previously occurring genocide, including of children.
Needless to say in this fic, Luna and Anya live in this fic. So do Wells and Finn.
What the Ocean found: Chapter one: The found feral
Luna of the Floukru tribe, had seen many unpleasant things in her life. Born and raised in the Tri tribe, and having nearly been killed, or having nearly won in the conclave against the other Nightbloods-it was killed or won, depending on who you asked, she lost her brother, and after that? She ran. She ran to the Flou tribe, and formed a life there. And one day, she had even ascended to be the leader of the tribe.
Nonetheless, Luna would acknowledge that she had bore witness to a great deal in her life. The death of her brother. The deaths of many other children who she had been taught to see as her friends and who she had eaten with. Had seen wars and brutal deaths and destroyed lands and villages.
But she had seen many truly heartbreaking sights of another ilk as well. Proud, strong warriors crippled by grief and pain. Too heartsick to move on. That was where her tribe came in. She herself had buried her grief in working on her tribe, building it up from her peoples' pain so they could all carve lives out for themselves.
But she had no idea how heartbreaking a sight it would be when she would come upon a lost, malnourished, broken young woman in her territory.
A feral young woman it seemed, who was fragile, but dangerous. If the dead pantha at her feet was anything to go by.
Luna stared at the woman, practically gaping at how gangly she looked. The woman was clad in black, with dark brown shrouds covering her back and arms. Her long hair was extremely light blond, dirt speckled and knotty. Her blue glare, focused on Luna held so much pain, so much torment that Luna could feel it twist her heart. The woman, seeming now to be fully aware of Luna's presence, did not seem to appreciate it. The woman, much to Luna's surprise, let loose a hiss, snapping backwards when Luna took a step closer to her.
Luna then noticed the rock in the young woman's left hand. The bottom of that rock was covered in blood. Obviously what she used to dispatch the pantha with. Luna tried to speak in a voice that calmed the young woman. She spoke in her tribe's language, though she doubted that the woman was from Floukru, "Hello. Are you alright?" When the woman's eyes flashed with lack of recognition, Luna nodded, deciding to speak in the most common language, Trigedasleng. "Shh, I'm not going to hurt you-"
The woman dropped the rock and Luna smiled, hoping that the woman was going to cooperate. Maybe she could get the woman to come with her to her tribe. She could help feed this woman and find out what was wrong. At least, that was what Luna had hoped. Until the woman reached down and grabbed something from her right boot.
The woman held it tightly in her right hand, the body of what she held gleamed silver in the sunlight.
Luna's eyes widened and didn't move. A knife. The woman had a knife.
Luna steadied herself and held her hands up. "Now, wait-" She began softly in Trigedasleng. The woman didn't listen. She snarled, lunging forward, knife swinging. Luna swooped out of the way and dodged the knife's blade. The knife was inches from her eyes and she ducked out of the way just in time. Moving fast, she reached out and grabbed Clarke's wrist, twisting the woman's arm.
Luna twisted downwards, grabbing the woman's other arm, twisting and raised her left leg, slamming it down against the back of the woman's legs. The woman's legs collapsed under the blow of Luna's foot colliding down. The woman cried out in pain as she dropped, knees to the ground. Luna restrained the woman's arms behind her back and twisted enough that the woman was forced to release the knife. The knife fell to the grass. The woman hissed, turning her head, snarling at Luna.
Luna stared right into the woman's eyes, holding the woman down with her hands. "Stop!" Luna ordered the woman, shaking her a little, trying to get the woman to break out of her feral state, "Stop this now." This was useless, as Luna found. The woman snarled again, trying to bite at Luna's throat. Luna turned her head, getting out of range. She sighed. If she wanted to help this very clearly unwell woman, she would unfortunately have to employ force.
"I am sorry." She told the woman, gathering both of the woman's hands in her left hand, securing them and swinging her right arm back. Before the woman could try to bite at her again, Luna slammed her right elbow into the back of the woman's head hard. The woman cried out, making Luna wince and the woman collapsed from the blow. Luna held onto her tight, making sure the woman didn't fall to the ground. She carefully cradled the woman's head in her right hand, and while still holding the woman's arms, turned the woman so that she fell back against Luna's body. Luna swept her left arm under the woman's legs and kept her right arm under the woman's back, hoisting her up, carrying her.
Carrying the unconscious woman in her arms, Luna looked down at her, studying the woman as she walked back towards the premises of her tribe's land.
Through the dirt that clung to the young woman's face and knotty hair, Luna could tell, the woman was indeed beautiful. She couldn't help with a wounded heart, wonder what had happened to make her so distrustful. To destroy this young woman so completely that she had descended into such a wild state.
Luna carried the young woman over to the river, where she found some of her companions, Rodar, Veshkla and Poren, who looked at the young woman in Luna's arms, curious.
She spoke to them in Floukasleng, telling them to help her bring the young woman to their tribe, for healing.
Her three companions didn't protest, they all moved forward off of their horses, and helped lift the young woman up onto Luna's horse, and Luna got up a second later, allowing the young woman's arms to be tied around her stomach, securing the young woman from falling off of the horse.
Luna's horse, Grojen, large, dark brown stallion, was unbothered by the added weight-which was barely any weight at all, as Luna suspected that this woman barely had eaten lately.
Luna made a sharp release of noise, indicating both for her horse and her companions to go back to the villages where their tribe lived.
Rodar, Veshkla and Poren answered back with their own words, and followed after Luna as she rode off with the young woman tied behind her.
They reached the main village of the Floukru, where Luna first made her home after running from Polis after the conclave, when she was only of nine years.
She knew that there were many disagreements about who people would have won the conclave, had Luna not fled.
Had Luna stayed, would she have won against Leksa? Or would Leksa have killed Luna?
Luna herself, did not know. But all she knew, was that she was happy she had left. She had a life here, one that helped people find solace, when the world was too threatening and destructive for them.
It was the life she had wished for her brother. And had Luna had the foresight to leave before the conclave started? She could have saved both her and her brother.
So, now, Luna was trying to help those who couldn't help themselves.
Luna hoped to help this young woman tied behind her, hoped she could show this young woman that there was a life of peace, beyond the life that had clearly haunted this woman so severely.
Whatever had caused this young woman to get this way? It was severe. It had strained the young woman to horrific lengths.
Luna would try to help this young woman, of course.
Luna and her companions, reached the village where they lived; the village of Juyvack, and brought the horses to a stop, dismounting and carrying the young woman on Luna's horse down and carrying her to a hut to be looked at.
All of the horses were led away to the stables, and the young woman, when brought to the hut, mumbled slightly, but didn't stir beyond that.
Luna followed those that were carrying the young woman into the hut, curiosity getting the better of her.
A thought stuck out at the back of her mind.
This young woman had very light blonde hair. Not impossible for others in the tribes to have, but still, rather rare, including rare around the Floukru tribe.
Usually, you'd expect such coloration from the Boudalan or the Poda. But even then? The clothing wasn't right. The Boudalan and the Poda bore very specific sort of clothing, which didn't match this young woman's clothing.
Luna remembered the description of a young woman, like this very young woman. A young woman with very light blonde hair, bright blue eyes and was one of the Sky People.
Klark.
Wanheda. The destroyer of the Mountain Men.
But it couldn't be, could it?
But then, hadn't Wanheda gone missing five months ago? There had been many that were looking for Wanheda.
Luna presumed either to kill her or to make her into one of their tribe, so that they could have Wanheda protecting them.
But no one had found Wanheda. Yet.
Could this malnourished, haunted young woman really be Wanheda, herself?
Luna tried not to get ahead of herself. She didn't know that for sure.
It might be Klark, might be Wanheda. But then, it likely wasn't. Because what were the chances?
The young blonde woman was taken to a cot with furs atop it and was placed down on top of the cot.
Some of the people present, soaked cloths and pressed them to the young woman's face, cleaning the dirt off of her.
Water and soup were brought in and both were poured down the young woman's throat, hydrating her and feeding her.
Luna watched the young unconscious woman's face.
What could have happened to this woman?
This woman clearly was a force to be reckoned with, even when malnourished and exhausted. Which brought Luna to say to her companions in Floukasleng, "Bind her. Tie her arms and legs, before she awakes."
At the startled looks she got, she sighed, "She is much more dangerous than she looks."
Her companions nodded then. They all supposed they understood and Luna knew that they did.
That they'd have to.
Everyone tended to be more dangerous than they looked. That was just life.
This woman likely was no different.
So, carefully, so as not to harm this young woman, pieces of soft cloth were used to tie the young woman's arms to the sides of the bed and so where her legs.
Luna sighed. She hoped that this young woman could come to understand why they were taking these precautions.
Soon, the young woman woke up, her blue eyes snapping open and she looked around the room, trying to move, yet unable to, which brought growls and yells from her as she struggled against the bindings.
"It's alright, it's alright," Luna tried to soothe, speaking in Trigedasleng, "You're safe. I promise, you're safe."
Her words were unfortunately, having no positive affect on the young woman. The young woman just snarled more and struggled harder. Her hands, clenched into fists, rammed up, pulling at the bindings, but not making them budge. But the force of her struggles did make the cot budge a good deal.
Luna's eyes widened. The force of this young woman's anger, alone, was impressive.
Luna tried to soothe this young woman again as she said, "Please, let me help. You're malnourished and need healing." She meant both physically and mentally, but she doubted the young woman would take hearing about the latter of the two very well.
Rodar, who was closer to the cot, leaned forward, a nervous expression on his face as he raised his hands, contemplating whether or not to hold the young woman against the cot to try to get her to stop struggling, but then the young woman caught notice of something on the man's left arm that made her eyes grow huge and caused her teeth to bear, as if showing them off the way an enraged wolf would.
Luna stared at what the young woman was staring at. It was a wristband that Rodar had found in the woods, one day, a few months ago.
Rodar, Luna and the rest of the Floukru presumed that these wristbands were from the Sky People, as all of these wristbands could only be found near the Sky People's campsite, not to mention these same wristbands only started showing up, when the Sky People did.
The young woman stared at the metal wristband on Rodar's arm, the blood draining from her face as she did.
Luna watched this and the thought that she had that this young woman just might be a Sky Person, doubled.
Suddenly, chaos returned.
The young woman thrashed around in the cot harder, her teeth snapping as she stared at Rodar with a look that practically screamed that she wanted to gut him with a knife as she spat out in Trigedasleng, "Where did you get that?! Where did you get that?! Where did you get that?! Where did you get that?!"
Rodar actually stepped back, obviously disturbed by this more advanced violent reaction. He understood that this young woman wanted to kill him now. And she might just tear out of her restraints to do it, too.
"Please," Luna tried again, but the young woman's attention, was now totally on Rodar, and she was furious.
"Where did you get that?!" The woman screamed in Trigedasleng again, "I swear, if you killed anyone to get it-"
"I killed no one to get this," Rodar protested, hand going to the wristband on his left arm, "I found it. In the woods in the Trikru's territory. I swear."
"Found it?!" The young woman spat, "You Grounders never find anything. You just take!"
Luna gasped, hearing one of the words that this young woman said.
"Grounders." While the word sounded odd in any language that belonged to the tribes, Luna was not unfamiliar with the origin of that word.
"Grounders" was a word that the Sky People used for people of the tribes.
That more or less convinced Luna. This young woman was a Sky Person.
Whether she was Wanheda, or not, remained a mystery, but Luna was certain that this woman was a Sky Person.
"I promise you," Luna spoke up, stepping next to Rodar, so that the young woman would have to look at her, "We have not killed anyone to take any possessions. We just scavenge. If anyone found anything that you recognize? Then it's because we found it. We would never kill anyone to steal from them. Only in self-defense."
The young woman then startled both Luna and Rodar, as she threw her head back and laughed, still grinning that feral grin, "Self-defense?!" She demanded, as she ended her laugh, "Self-defense?! Are you fucking serious?! You call anything you Grounders do, 'self-defense?!' You're monsters. All of you! Traitorous, backstabbing monsters!"
Luna stepped back, her mind comprehending this.
More and more, her suspicion of who this young woman was, began to intensify.
Klark of the Sky People-Wanheda, had been betrayed by Leksa, the Commander, at Mount Weather.
And Klark had been forced to kill the entire race of the Mountain Men.
What other reason could there be for this woman to act like this?
Luna, deciding to take a risk, said the name that was on the tip of her tongue.
"Klark?" She asked, "Klark of the Skai People?"
Suddenly, the young woman stopped struggling, and she paused, slowly turning her head to stare at Luna.
It wasn't exactly a glare, but it was a look that would make just about anyone hesitant to place their fingers anywhere near the young woman's mouth.
Luna did not flinch as she said softly, "Is your name Klark? Are you Wanheda?"
After almost two minutes of this young woman just staring at them, she finally snickered at them as she flashed her teeth again and asked, "Why don't you untie me and find out?"
"I don't think so," Luna answered. Even before having been sure that this was Klark of the Sky People, she would not untie this young woman. There was no way she would risk that.
It was clear, that even if this woman weren't Wanheda, she was still extremely dangerous.
Again, the young woman chuckled-not that unsettling, empty laugh that she had let out before, but a cold snicker, "Just like a Grounder. Cowardly. I swear, Lincoln is the only one of you with any redeeming qualities."
Luna thought about this. Linkin? As in that Tri man that had helped the Sky People against the general, Onya's army?
Luna asked carefully, "Please, tell me what it is you need, so, I can help you heal."
"What I need right now, lady," the young woman said, this time in Gonasleng, "Is to be unrestrained. To be allowed out of this place and back to my damned cave."
She spoke of escape, but her eyes remained on Rodar, and remained murderous.
Luna sighed. She would never keep anyone here against their will. But…
"It's your choice whether you go or stay," Luna said, "But you would gain a lot by staying here willingly."
"Yeah," The woman snorted, "Staying with Grounders. I'm sure that will fucking help me a lot."
Luna wanted to protest, but held her tongue. This had to be this woman's decision.
Luna added then, "I will untie you. And you can make your decision then. But I must ask you not to attack Rodar or any of my people before or after you leave."
The young woman's enraged blue eyes stayed on Rodar. But after a few seconds, she nodded.
"Fine," she sneered, "Not that it makes a difference. You Grounders always decide when something's an attack. Even when we Sky People are doing nothing."
Luna tried not to groan in aggravation. This was going around in circles. She had no doubt that the Tri people had done their share of problems, even when the Sky People had done nothing.
But this wasn't helping anyone. Going around in circles in this argument, wasn't going to help this woman.
All the more reason why she had to give this woman the choice of whether or not she wanted to stay. It had to be her choice.
However, Luna had one thing in mind before she had this woman untied.
She turned to the other Floukru in the room besides herself and Rodar, the woman, Fusola, and said to her, "Fusola, please get us canteens of fresh water and some of the rations and medicine."
Fusola looked at her, startled, then nodded, and went to the further rooms within the small hut and pulled out several things that Luna hoped this young woman would take with her, before leaving.
These things specifically, were canteens of fresh water, as Luna had said, dried and pickled meat, dried fruit, safe to eat nuts, and grains, all in portable containers, not to mention, portable containers of bandages and medicine for both illnesses and potentially infected cuts.
"Please take all of this with you," Luna said, gesturing to these things, "Before you leave."
The young woman looked at Luna, then at Fusola, then at all the things that Fusola had brought out.
Since the young woman said nothing in protest, Luna hoped that was a good sign.
Luna then added, "We're near the water, off the coast of where the Trikru tribe is. I hope knowing that, helps you get to where you want to go."
After the young woman didn't respond, Luna spoke again. "Rodar," Luna said, "Please release her from her bindings."
Rodar looked at her, now nervous.
Luna nodded to him. "It will be okay," she assured him. She would restrain the young woman, should she try to lunge at Rodar.
Rodar hesitated again, but then leaned forward and untied the young woman, watching her nervously.
As soon as the cloth ropes were off of the young woman, Luna prepared herself, but to her relief? The young woman made no lunge for Rodar.
She instead, slowly lifted herself up off of the cot, her eyes still glaring hatefully at both Luna and Rodar, then after a few seconds, she grabbed the items that Fusola had brought out, then jumped off of the cot, then ran for the door, running out of it.
Those near the door, Veshkla and Poren, tried to stop her, until Luna snapped at them to let her leave and they halted, even if they appeared bewildered.
As the woman left and ran from the village, to the forest, Luna stepped next to the doorway, peering out of the window.
She hoped the young woman would come back. Clearly, that young woman, who Luna increasingly was believing to be Klark of the Skai People-Wanheda, deeply needed healing.
But it would only work if she chose to stay of her free will.
Luna would not force that young woman to stay here. She was not the commander. She didn't force someone to stay somewhere, where they didn't want to be.
If the young woman was to stay in this village and be healed? It would have to be the young woman's choice, not Luna's.
Author's note
Since as far as I can tell, everything location wise in the series is frigging vague as hell, (like everything else in The 100), and completely non-descriptive whatsoever about everything, I'm just having the Floukru be along the coastline along North America, from Virginia to the coastline of Georgia.