It was not a good idea, John Murphy concluded as he was flipped over Aleah's non injured shoulder.

She straightened herself out as she extended one hand, ignoring some of the looks Trikru was giving her and the boy. A flicker of amusement was displayed in her obsidian eyes. "I think you're improving."

He let out a grunt of disapproval. "I think I'm not."

She rolled her eyes as she pulled him up. "You lasted nearly twenty seconds longer that time. That's what my people call improvement."

He shook his head with a smile. "Yeah yeah, sure thing Princess."

"John."

Aleah's smile dropped completely and she glared at the Skaikru adult. She didn't trust him...not by a long shot.

The younger Skaikru male caught her look. "I'll be fine. Like you said: I'm improving. I'll be back for you when I find it." He paused slightly. "Bellamy can come too."

Aleah narrowed her eyes. "You better be back."

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I make no promises." And with that, he sauntered off, leaving Aleah alone once again.

Aleah huffed slightly before her dark eyes landed on Octavia. It suddenly occurred to Aleah that she had rarely properly occupied the same space as the younger Blake sibling, let alone talk to her.

Aleah dusted herself off slightly as she approached the girl. "Um Hi. I couldn't help but notice you don't have a partner. Want to train with me?"

The younger girl's face lit up like a Christmas tree [not that either of them had seen one]. "That'd be great. Thanks. Indra didn't think I could handle her men."

Aleah smiled softly. "Indra always did have an abrasive approach to life. I've seen you handle a sword. You have potential." She pulled to a stop as she reached where she had previously been fighting Murphy. "We should start with what you already know and expand on that."

Octavia flushed. "Umm...I don't really know that much."

Aleah nodded once. "I shall begin with the basics then. Who knows? Maybe Indra will let you join in on the hunt tonight."

The two girls trained for the rest of the day. Octavia had accumulated multiple tiny slices. The younger girl found it adorable how worried Aleah was that Bellamy would hate her for it. And she had gotten in one of her own: one tiny scratch along Aleah's cheekbone of her left cheek.

Aleah winced as Fio landed another rough hit on the girl. The Blake had a lot of fight in her, Aleah would give her that.

Aleah handed the girl to Kane as she reluctantly left, her gaze following the exhausted Blake.

As Aleah entered the med bay with two plates of food, she was practically tackled into a hug by a squealing humanoid. "Thank you thank you thank you!"

Aleah blinked as she steadied herself. "For what? The food? Is Bellamy the only one who feeds you?"

Octavia pulled back, finally noticing the food. She eagerly grabbed the plate and sat down on the bed. "Uh yeah, duh. That's why I'm so skinny."

Her words dripped with sarcasm and Aleah playfully glared as she joined Octavia on the bed. Octavia rolled her eyes and grinned. "Indra's making me her second. I don't think I could have done it without you."

Aleah beamed proudly. "Oh. You're welcome then."

Octavia tilted her head slightly. "You know, I think I get why Bellamy likes you so much. You're complex. He always liked the ones he had a hard time figuring out."

Aleah's brows furrowed slightly in confusion and she subconsciously leant forwards. "Complex. Explain."

Octavia set down her plate. She chewed thoughtfully for a moment or two before answering. "You obviously have a deep background and you're still immersed deeply in your original culture, but you act like you don't belong with them."

Octavia jabbed another piece of meat. "You want to fit in with Skaikru enough to even change the way you hold yourself. I'm not sure if it's because of Bellamy or not, but you smile a lot more now than you used to. When you first joined the 100, you constantly looked on edge and you were prepared to stab someone, sort of like Daryl Dixon."

Aleah tilted her head slightly and went to speak but Octavia continued, silencing her. "Yeah, I know you don't get that reference, but stick with me, okay? You also slouch more and walk differently when you're inside this camp, because you want the adults to trust you, right?"

Aleah swallowed harshly. "Right. No one thinks anything of someone who looks and acts like one of their own."

Octavia finished off her plate. "I think you should stop. Who cares what they think? You shouldn't have to change yourself for anyone."

Aleah set down her plate. Her eyes settled on her fingers, which had intertwined themselves. "I've been trying to fit in for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, it was to hide from the fleimkepa... to avoid the conclave to become commander. I can pretend all I want...but I don't fit in with Trikru, and I don't fit in with Skaikru."

Octavia glanced down at the floor. "Yeah, I know the feeling." Her eyes lit up as she glanced to the other woman. "We can become our own kru."

Aleah smirked. "We are wonkru."