The Ones On The Ground (sequel to The One Who's Fallen)

Chapter 2

Raven's POV

Anya and Luna are worried about me, about my leg. Sure, it's seen better days, but I'm okay. Really. Or so I try to explain to them, but they don't quite believe me. They know me too well for that.

And their worry, it's different. They don't worry about me becoming a burden or me becoming a strain on resources, like I have heard some of the crueler people on the Ark say about the kids in lockup. They don't worry about having to take care of me, of them losing time they could spend doing other things, like I have heard parents complain about their kids. They don't worry about my health because of what I can do, and how my health, both physically and mentally, can affect my work. They don't worry about me using up limited medical supplies when I need something for the pain in order to do anything, or limited resources I sometimes use when I tinker with my brace.

They worry because they care. About me. About my health, my well being. My happiness. And that, that knowledge has been what's helped get me through this mess. Through the pain, through the discomfort of those weird stretches Abby's been putting me through.

It's been a couple of days since we started working seriously on this. Since Abby started teaching Anya, Luna, and I the stretches and how to check how I'm doing. Since Abby started teaching Anya and Luna about what my leg muscles should feel like, and what to do when they don't feel like that. I mean, on the plus side, I have been getting a lot of really nice massages from my super hot girlfriends.

The stretches still don't feel like they're doing much, but I have been able to get off my horse without Anya and Luna helping me. Of course, they still stand nearby just in case. I can't get off my horse as regally as Anya and Luna, or as smoothly, but I am doing better. I haven't had to take as many of the pain pills I brought since we started.

Abby still checks on me every day, once in the morning, and once after we've finished riding for the day. If it were anyone else, any other doctor, I would feel bad about taking up all of their time. But Abby, Mama G when I'm feeling playful or want to make Clarke groan in exasperation, has a way to make you feel like you're not just worth her time, but like she's happy to help you. And as far as I can tell, she is.

Luna, Anya, and I have been spending almost all our time together. First, it was because of the rockets, and now it's because of us traveling, and next it will be because we'll be staying in the same room in Polis...

I'm getting so used to having them around that I don't know what I'll do when life gets in the way. And it will, I know it will. I'm busy being the best mechanic in the clans, Anya's a general (and from my understanding, could be deployed at the snap of Lexa's fingers), and Luna's the leader of her clan. She'll undoubtably be needed in the clan she rules. And I don't know about me, where I'll stay.

So this, right now, it's amazing. But the future, that's what I'm worried about. I've been worrying about it mainly at night, when I can't sleep, or when we're riding, which is often since we're traveling to Polis. Luna and Anya have noticed, I know they have. We've become so in time with each other that we know when one of us is feeling down, or angry, or annoyed. It's really handy for silent conversations. Which Luna and Anya are currently doing with each other as we ride, probably silently discussing my lack of talking.

It's Anya who speaks to me first, a full hour after the glances from her and Luna start. She may be impatient in many ways, but I've found she had endless patience for those she loves. I think that's why she never gave up on teaching Lexa. Or teaching Clarke, for that matter. But Anya would never admit she cares for her friends as deeply as she does. I find it cute, how she's so hard on the outside and squishy on the inside.

On the other hand, Luna would wait forever for me to be ready to talk about it. Sometimes I think she doesn't want to bring it up because she fears I'll shut them down, of shut myself down and not answer.