Testing: Clara Oswald

Chapter 11

So sorry that I haven't updated in over a month to anyone that is actually reading this. I still have many chapters to post, I've just been really busy with school. First year of high school has been interesting so far. But, in the meantime, before I can update again, enjoy this next part. I quite like it! :) 

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, Clara was woken by the sound of branches brushing together. She slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the sunlight that beamed down on her. She could still hear the noise so she turned over in curiosity.

Next to her was the Doctor, piling broken branches together in a pile. Clara smiled at the sight. It lifted her spirits just a little bit.

The Doctor didn't notice that Clara was awake. He just kept moving around his pile, making sure everything was neat and tidy. Earlier that morning, he had gone back into the forest to find something for him and Clara to eat. After searching for a fair amount of time he had managed to get a squirrel that had been up as early as him. He also had found some herds and stuff to make a salad of sorts.

After a few moments of her watching, Clara decided to make herself present. She cleared her throat and instantly the Doctor turned around to face her. He opened his mouth before she could even get a chance to say anything. "Good morning, Clara! Do you want brunch?" He asked her. Clara sat up carefully, her eyes still on the Doctor. "What do you mean by that? We don't have any food, Doctor." She told him. The Timelord shook his head before he went back to the edge of the forest. He bent over to pick up the dead squirrel. He returned to Clara with a smile. Her eyes widened when she saw what was in his hands. "Why do you have a squirrel?" She asked him, her voice full of concern. The Doctor pointed to his prize. "This is breakfast!" He announced. Clara's eyes widened even more as she began to shake her head slowly. "I'm sorry, Doctor, but I'm not eating that."

The Doctor's smile faded from his face very quickly. He lowered the squirrel so that it was down by his hip. But he didn't stay sad for long. He turned again to go back to the edge of the forest. He returned with the plants that he had collected. "We can make a salad!" He told her. Clara smiled and that then led to her nodding her head in agreement. "Yes, that sounds far better than squirrel." She laughed a bit, realising how silly what she had just said was. The Doctor grinned.

As the Doctor got busy preparing the salad for the two of them Clara stood up from her spot on the ground. It was nice, standing, as her legs were quiet stiff from the night before. A little bit of tiredness was still present in her body but for the main part she felt a lot better. Sleep was definitely what she had needed. Especially if she had to continue with this insane journey.

To stretch her legs even more, and to be quiet frank, she was just curious, she made her way over to the wall. As she got closer and closer she realised just how big it was. It certainly wasn't small. When she was standing in front of it, just a mere inch away, it seemed like a skyscraper. It was massive. And that was coming from someone who had seen mountains and called them small.

She reached out her hand to touch the wood. It was smooth for the most part but there was small splinters sticking out at some bits, making it seem more dangerous. Also, between the planks of wood there were branches with small leaves on them. By the time they made it over they would be in another forest.

The task seemed impossible. There was no easy way over the wall. Maybe there was some sort of secret door? Maybe the Doctor could use his screwdriver to help them find it or even make it smaller? Wait, of course, the sonic doesn't do wood. Clara sighed with realisation. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to sit in her apartment and watch television and drink her tea. She wanted to be comfortable and here, that really wasn't an option.

"Clara, it's ready!" She heard the Doctor yell from back from their camp. She turned around to look at him. He was waving. Clara smiled at him before answering, "Coming!" She turned back to the wall, giving it another once over. She hated it and that was decided.

She hurried back over to the Doctor and the salad. Her hunger was starting to bother her now. She had been trying to push it aside as much as she could.

When she got there she sat down in the sand. At once she could feel the itchy sand make its way into her shoes. She brushed it off quickly. The Doctor turned to her holding a bowl of the salad that he had made. He offered it to her and she gladly took it. When she got it in front of her she looked at the bowl carefully. "Where'd you get this?" She asked the Doctor. The Doctor sat down next to her, shoving the salad into his mouth as he did so. Between breaths he was able to talk. "It's the squirrel. I used the sonic to do it." He told her. Clara's eyes widened as she looked at him. "Don't worry, it's sanitary." He continued. "I checked."

Clara, hesitantly, started to pick at her salad. It wasn't that bad once she got going and plus, her hunger over took her. She could and would eat anything that was put in front of her.

The two of them ate in silence, savoring as much as they could of the meal. Once they were both done the Doctor looked up at Clara. "Are you ready for this?" He asked her. Clara turned to him, a small frown on her face. "I don't really think we have a choice." She mumbled. The Doctor smiled sadly before getting up to help his companion off the ground.