Shadows

Chapter Twenty Two

            

Previously on Shadows (because yes, I know it has been almost a year since I updated):

Nia kidnapped Clarke and tortured her when she found out that Lexa and Clarke had feelings for each other. Luckily, with the help of Octavia and Roan, they were able to save Clarke before it was too late. Nia was then executed. Lexa made Octavia drug Clarke and take her back to the camp where she would be safe out of Lexa's presence, while Lexa remained in Polis to finish negotiating a treaty that she could bring back to Skaikru. Clarke is distraught at the fact that she caused Lexa to believe that love truly is weakness, and right as she was hatching a plan to prove to Lexa how wrong that statement is, a helicopter arrived. Clarke had a meeting with the leader on that helicopter, Scout, and she left Clarke with a very cryptic letter. Meanwhile, Lexa and a few of her warriors are riding as fast as they can to the camp, worried that the helicopter is a sure sign of attack on Clarke and her people.

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(Clarke's POV)

It had always been assumed that the entire rest of the world was uninhabitable, void of any living presence. That, Clarke now realized, was a very unintelligent assumption to make because if there were survivors here, then there must be survivors elsewhere. Ever since they had first made contact with the ground there had always been some sort of conflict to distract them; always preventing them from even entertaining the idea that maybe there were other human beings on some other continent thousands of miles away. Besides, even if that was the case, its not like there would happen to be some easy way to access them.

Clarke had hidden the letter that Scout had left her with, not even wanting to risk showing Bellamy before she had given a solid amount of thought to it. Right now, there was only one person she wanted to share this information with, and Clarke knew, without a doubt, that she was already on her way.

(Lexa's POV)

They were riding as fast as the wind, Lexa hoping and praying that they would make it to the camp before something bad happened. She knew they were getting close when the sound of deep, continuous thunder materialized out of nowhere. She felt her horse nervously tense but she closed her leg and continued to push him forward. Moments after the thunderous noise began, the large metal beast that they had seen earlier re-appeared, hovering over the camp before turning to the north and proceeding in that direction. Lexa's heart raced and her stomach began to hurt at the thought that they had gotten there too late. Within minutes they were breaking free from the forest, galloping across the clearing and only pulling their horses up when they reached the front gates. No horrific scene awaited them. There was no blood, no bodies, no signs of any struggle or destruction. She was just debating whether or not to dismount when she spotted Octavia briskly walking towards her group.

"What happened? Is everyone alright? Are we at war?"

"There is no need to panic Heda," Octavia reached out a hand to scratch the muzzle of Lexa's horse. "At least not yet. From what we can tell we are in no immediate danger; however, I would strongly advise going to talk to Clarke."

"Very well, bring me to her."

Lexa dismounted, handing the reins of her horse to Roan. "Stay here until I figure out what exactly is going on." She turned back to Octavia, "please bring my riders and their horses some water once you have shown me to Clarke." Octavia gave a nod of understanding before leading Lexa into the camp. They didn't go far before Octavia stopped in front of a door, knocking politely before swinging it open.

"Go ahead Heda, she's in here."

Lexa quietly thanked Octavia before cautiously stepping into the room, at this point more nervous about what Clarke was going to say or do to her, rather than what information Clarke was going to pass on to her. War was something she could deal with, but her heart was another matter entirely. Taking a deep breathe, she nervously called out a 'hello' to alert Clarke of her presence before continuing into the room.