Commander's Redemption | Clexa

Chapter 5

Clarke is sitting at the table flanked by Luna and Nebula, across from Derrick. They are eating a lunch of freshly caught fish, herbs, fresh from the small garden they all were so proud of, and some roots the scavengers and Clarke had brought back on their latest trip. Grounder food would always be one of Clarke's favorite things about having left Space. It was all so tasty and more importantly, it was fresh.

Nebula had grown a bit more friendly and warm towards Clarke. She still eyed her with distrust whenever she thought Luna and Clarke weren't looking, but Clarke had caught her giving side-eye a few times regardless. She understood why Nebula felt the way she felt about her though, so even though she still didn't feel completely at ease around Nebula, she decided it best to send a friendly smile her way whenever she caught Nebula looking at her.

They were all eating in comfortable silence when Luna lifted her head and spoke up.

"It's time for another supply run. I know you have all just returned from the woods a day ago, but the generator has been acting up. Our mechanic has told us we will need replacement parts so she can fix it. It's getting colder outside, so we can't afford to lose power. The back-up generator seems to be working just fine, but it doesn't have enough power to last very long and with winter right around the corner, we shouldn't be taking any chances."

They all nod their heads in unison, continuing their meal.

"Does she have a list of materials she will need? And when are we leaving?", Derrick asks.

"She is working on it as we speak, so the list will be ready by sundown. The cargo ship will leave again in the morning. Like I said, we can't wait much longer, we need the materials."

Luna then looks over at Clarke, concern in her eyes and says, "Do you want to sit this one out, Clarke? We know approximately every person in a five-hundred-mile radius is looking for you and it seems like they have figured out you are with us by now. We have spotted a lot more people in our territory on the land than usual, so it's getting a little dicey for you to be in the woods. What if the other Grounders are nearby? Our exact location isn't known, but the cargo ship isn't exactly difficult to spot when we get close to shore."

Clarke reaches out for Luna's hand once again, the motion having become more and more familiar over the past few weeks, and softly lays her hand on top of Luna's before replying, "I appreciate your concern, Luna, but I can take care of myself. Besides, what am I going to do? Stay on this rig forever, never touching grass again?"

Luna looks into Clarke's ocean blue eyes and says, "You would absolutely be welcome to stay on the rig forever. And if not touching grass is your only concern, I can have my people bring a patch of grass over tomorrow on their run. I can build you a grassy field right here. I'm sure the children would enjoy it as well."

Clarke feels her cheeks heating at those words. Luna would build her an entire patch of grass even though it would be highly inconvenient for her to do so, just because Clarke missed touching grass? That must mean something, right?

Clarke shakes her head, both as a response and to shake those silly thoughts from her brain.

"Luna, I have to go. I'm of more use out there than I am on this rig."

Luna curtly nods her head in resignation. "Okay Clarke, even though I wish you'd reconsider, you are free to go with the others if you please."

--

Clarke had been with Floukru and Luna for close to two months now. Her shoulder had fully healed thanks to Luna's gentle care and the natural medicines that Clarke herself had been able to make with the plants from the garden and using what they had found on the scavenging trips combined.