She barrels towards him and wraps her arms around him. And he returns the gesture.

"It's you," she breathes. "It was really you in there?"

"Who else would it be?" he answers. "Perhaps my voice sounded slightly different with the Trigedasleng."

She cracks a weak smile and replies, "I knew your voice was familiar but I couldn't be sure because last time I knew, you didn't speak any Trigedasleng."

"Things happen when one is absent for three months," he informs her.

"I know this is rather touching but we can save the reunion for later," Roan drawls huskily. "We need to keep going."

"If we stay any longer, it will pose a threat to you and to us," Anya continues stepping forward as she removes the headpiece. "That bounty hunter will arrive back here at first light and we should be gone when he arrives."

"Where are we going?" she asks hoarsely. "Home?"

"The next time you wipe out a entire civilization, don't make the stupid decision of leaving," I inform her. "Otherwise you'll get another bounty on your head."


The five of retrace our steps from the trading post, the cold biting our skin as we trudge through the snow and as the sun slowly rises above the horizon. We stop by a pond of frozen water. To which Roan breaks the ice with a ice pick and Anya boils the water.

"So, what has happened while I was gone?" Clarke asks.

"First, Ice Nation is causing trouble for the Coalition," Wells starts. "Everyone is afraid they will pull something and speaking of the Coalition, we are part of it."

"Lexa made us part of the Coalition?" Clarke asks with disbelief as Anya approaches her with a wet wash cloth.

"Stand still while I wash the berries from your hair," Anya says.

"That won't be necessary," Clarke replies. "I can wait."

Anya snorts. "Stubborn. I could see why the Commander has a interest in you." Anya rubs the wet rug through Clarke's hair without bothering to be gentle. The red fades away slowly to reveal Clarke's natural blonde locks. Scrub. Anya rungs out the rag. The process continues.

"So, does that change anything that we agreed upon?" Clarke asks. "The terms of the truce."

"Nothing is too different, only that since we're under the Coalition," Wells answers, giving a shrug. "The Commander offered us a place because she felt we would be safer that way."

"Though Lexa's poor excuse of an advisor thinks otherwise," I scoff.

Anya puts down the rag after most of the berry juice is cleaned from Clarke's hair. Only that there are traces of pink on her hair. "Much better, though you still reek," Anya says with her nose crinkled. "Hopefully your mother draws you a warm bath when you get back."

There is no denying that. From a distance, she smells like she hasn't washed in more than three months.

"I hate to agree but you do smell," Wells points out teasingly.

Roan boils water and after we refill our flasks, we head on out. With Anya giving her something to cover her face with.

"It's been three months and you decide that now's the time to find me," Clarke notes.

I roll her eyes. I told her that she has a bounty on her head. Or maybe she didn't get the gist right away.

"I thought Costia made that clear," Roan says with an eye roll. "The queen has offered anyone a box of metal items if they could bring her to you."

Predictably he's not going to use the term mother. At least not yet. Though Clarke should be able to place him since she saw him once when the Mountain aimed the missile at TonDC.

Clarke looks at him. "You sound familiar. Aren't you the crown prince of Ice Nation?" she asks. "Because I thought I saw you the day of the missile."

Roan looks sideways at her. "Nothing can be hidden from you, can it?" he asks her.

"If you are wondering why Queen Nia is offering a box of metal items in exchange for you, she believes you have the ability to command death," Anya notates, changing the subject. "They call you Wanheda."

Clarke shakes her head. "Me? Command death?" Clarke asks, her tone full of confusion. "I wasn't the only one and we didn't have a choice. We had to save our people."

"Ice Nation believes in crazy stuff," Wells responds before looking at Roan. "I am surprised that this guy isn't in over his head with this stuff."

"Very funny, ambassador," Roan drawls. Like Wells' age appropriate banter irritates him. Roan is close his thirties after all.

"And because of this bounty, we had to come before someone could bring you to Queen Nia," I continue, "and trust me, you wouldn't have wanted that to happen. The Ice Nation" – I barely contain a chuckle – "believe that when you kill a person, you acquire their talent."

Roan rolls his eyes at me while Clarke is digesting what I said.

"Costia, it's no laughing matter," Anya chastises, her lips pursed.

"Anya, even you know how ridiculous that belief is," I point out.

"So, the Ice Nation queen placed a bounty on my head so she could kill me and therefore acquire my power," Clarke says. "Wow, that's crazy."

"They say that…" Wells starts before looking at Roan, "I might as well change the subject because we can't afford to infuriate our guide."

We watch the position of the sun as we continue on and by the time it's late morning, and we are just ten miles from the border when we see three Azgeda warriors. Lovely.

Anya brushes the handle of her sword as they reach closer while stepping in front of Clarke. I clutch my bow tightly as well.

As the three warriors see us, Roan puts his hand up. "Easy." He wipes the mud from the side of his face, revealing his scars. "We don't want trouble."

The three lower their weapons and come to their attention. "He's Ice Nation," speaks the first one. He looks over to the rest of us. "Who are they?"

"Scouts that our queen sent to travel to the Woods Clan border," Roan answers. "I just accompanied them to make sure they don't encounter problems."

The second one with the bow goes over to Anya while the first one says, "We need to see their scars so we could verify their identities."

My heart pounds in my chest as I hover in front of Wells while the Azgeda warrior puts his fingers to Anya's mask. He is about to lift it up when Anya takes a knife from her belt and plunges it into his heart.

He collapses and that causes the first one to react though I take him down with two arrows while Roan takes care of the third.

I take deep breathes as we look at the bodies of the slain warriors before us. that was close. Very close.

"We need to take care of the bodies," Anya points out. She looks over at a cave across from us. "There. We'll hide them there to further delay the fallout."

Wells and I take the first one while Clarke and Anya take the second one with Roan proceeding to lift the third one over his shoulder. When we are close to the clearing, we hear the sound of faint drums.

"Wait," Anya commands. "Stop."

We stop hauling the bodies and listen to the drums coming closer and closer. The blood drains from my skin.

War drums.

"War drums," Clarke repeats.

"We need to hurry," I urge. "Since we're ten miles from the Trikru border, it's not a good sign."

A few miles, we hear voices. Some very familiar. With Bellamy's, Indra's, and Pike's being the most recognizable.

Pike?

I leave the area where my group is standing and Bellamy raises his gun at me. Indra puts her hand to stop him and I can see that with them are Kane, Monty, and a black haired, oriental woman that could only be his mother. Especially given the way she is shielding him while sending me a piercing scowl.

I remove my face mask as do Clarke and Wells. "It's just us, Bellamy," Wells assures them.

Bellamy lowers his gun, his eyes on Clarke. Like he can't believe his eyes and like he thinks this is some dream.

He rushes over to her while Pike looks at both Wells and I. "What are you two doing here?" he asks. He could have just directed that question at Wells, since they both originated in the Ark while I was born on the Earth. Yet, he included me in that question. We corresponded a few times regarding the winters and the planet biology and since they thought I was actually helping the Delinquents, he would correctly assume that I am a great friend of the Sky People.

"Doing what you guys are doing," Wells answers as Anya and Indra exchange a hug. "How did the Vice Chancellor and Bellamy encounter you and Mrs. Green?"

"We'll tell you when we get back," Pike answers as I see the flag with the Azgeda symbol coming from a distance.

"That's a good idea," I point out. "Because the Azgeda army is marching towards that direction."

Kane and Pike turn to see what I'm looking at. The army coming closer and Wells steps back. His eyes widened. "We need to go into the cave with the bodies of the men we killed before they see us," Wells points out.

"Good planning," Pike affirms with a nod.

He follows Wells towards a body while Bellamy and I get the second one.

"We can't go back with you," Indra informs Kane.

"Why?" Kane asks as Bellamy and I lift the body.

"Ice Nation is heading towards the border," Anya points out. "They are marching against our Commander. We have to warn her."

That would be the only reason why they would in the first place. As they have been causing more trouble since last late November and due to the fact that they have beef with Lexa and carried beef with the Commanders before her.

Six of us carry the bodies to the cave, slowly and hunched over so that we could be concealed. By the time we're safe from danger, I drag the body by the foot and rest it at the end of the cave. Taking deep breaths.

Pike arranges wood together before Wells uses a flint to make a fire. Strong enough to provide warmth but not strong enough to draw attention.

"There. That should keep us warm," says Pike as I hear the cracking of the flames while Bellamy and I guard the entrance. Someone has to make sure that there is no trouble from Ice Nation warriors.

I open my provisions bag to access my walnuts when Monty's mother frets, "I have my doubts about her. How do you know whether she can be trusted?"

"We have known her for months," Wells defends. "She's not like those Ice Nation warriors you most likely encountered."

"She also helped your son and his peers survive down here before the rest of us came down," Pike indicates to her. "If not for her knowledge of the biology of the planet, they would be dead from eating the wrong mouthful. Also, most of Farm Station would be dead if she didn't give me that viable information."

Pike thinks that it was my intention to help the Delinquents when I was actually interior intel to monitor their moves. I could tell him the truth but it wouldn't matter. Not to mention that it wouldn't sit well with him considering whatever he experienced from Azgeda. In that case, his mistrust is not invalid.

I pop a cracker in my mouth when I hear Monty say, "I need to know what happened."

Bellamy's head turns towards the direction where Monty and his mother are sitting and I can't help but wonder if there was a prior conversation that I was not present to hear.

"Monty," she replies, hesitation in her voice.

"Please," begs Monty.

She shakes her head slightly and sighs before starting, "We landed in the snow."

Bellamy stands up and leaves his spot while I do the same. Wells, Kane, and Clarke look on with interest, yet Wells and Clarke appear somber. Just by her starting words, one could tell that the story does not have a happy ending. It wouldn't be surprising considering that north of Ice Nation has snow and ice yearlong.

Monty's mother looks downward as she continues, "Your father said it absorbed some of the impact. That's why we survived." She shakes her head and she sobs, "The snow looked so beautiful." She turns her tear stricken face to Pike and weeps, "Charles?"

Even if I gave Pike information, it's like some of them died when they first landed. A terrible feeling settles in my stomach and it churns its contents and even now I can feel the tears pricking from my eyes.

"Some of the children were playing in it, even when we told them not to," Pike continues, standing up. He goes over and sits next to Monty. "They were the first to die. Eight of them."

I could see it. Eight children playing in the snow. Their faces lit with excitement and glee as they played around in the white snow. Something that they have only seen in books. Only to be hacked to pieces moments later. Tears brim from my eyes.

"If not from your father, it would have been more," Pike continues. "He pulled four kids back into the ship. All four including the seven that didn't go out and play in the snow are alive today. They got him when he went back for the fifth. Your father died a hero, Monty."

Monty nods before bowing his head to sob. Through my tears I see that Wells has bowed his head as did Clarke.

Brushing my arm against his arm, I sniff, "I'm so sorry. Sorry that your father and eight innocent children are now among the countless people that Ice Nation has killed."

Pike touches my shoulder and says, "You have nothing to apologize for. Without the information you provided me, it could have been more that died. We have been fighting Grounders ever since we landed but I remember that you helped those one hundred kids out when they first landed, and I have hope that there are others like you."

I nod and say, "There are. I don't mean to fuel your distrust but not all clans are as bad as Ice Nation. Ice Nation doesn't speak for all twelve original clans but considering what you been through, you have every right not to trust us at the moment."

"I appreciate your consideration," Pike acknowledges with a nod.

Somber silence reigns through the cave during a minute. Pike turns to Kane, "I was told that you and the Grounders stopped fighting because you both shared a common enemy. Care to fill me in, Marcus?"

Wells, Kane, Clarke, Bellamy, and Monty take turns telling Pike about the truce, everything that happened leading up to the conflict of the Mountain, and Lexa pretending to take a deal so that she wouldn't break the alliance. I noticed that they didn't mention the TonDC Massacre and the fact that the murderer died for the truce to happen. I guess they want to save that story for another day since it is a very sensitive and delicate topic in my clan, especially to those who witnessed the murders and the family members of the deceased.

"Forty-two of us got out alive," Monty concludes. "We did what we had to."

"You did the right thing," says Pike. "Kill or be killed."

When one comes down to a planet ravaged by a Nuclear Apocalypse that happened two centuries ago, people are going to adapt and pick up that mentality. Even if they hate it.

"So, Mount Weather is ours now?" Pike asks.

Bellamy and Wells look at each other before Wells answers, "Technically, yes and no. Yes, because we use it for supplies and no, because we're not allowed to occupy it. That was the agreement we made with the Woods Clan after the conflict with Mount Weather."

"It's a nuclear hardened underground city," Pike states. Like it was impossible to leave it unoccupied.

He doesn't understand the magnitude of what happened. Sure, I told him it was a danger zone back when before they reached the ground but he wasn't here to witness the conflict and understand it. I can't hold blame for it but he should know but it would be better if someone else explained it. Otherwise Monty's mother would see it as biased. Even though Pike clearly doesn't see me as a "bad" Grounder, he too might see it as biased coming from me.

"We established a truce," Kane points out. "One needs to think about perception."

"Have you ever considered the fact that one day they might break that truce?" Pike asks. "I haven't met this other clan yet and from the early reports before the Unity Day coup, they are not the friendliest type from what I heard."

"They are like honeybees actually," Clarke notates. "They leave you alone if you leave them alone but go after you if you do anything to provoke them."

"Since I only met one of them, I have to see it to believe it," Pike replies.


After a hour and a half, when we no longer hear the drums and the shouts we leave the cave. Suggesting the sun's position it's noon. Or maybe a hour after noon.

I see a group of people standing by the rover. Keeping their eyes peeled for any suspicious activity. A few of them see Pike, Kane, and Hannah (the name of Monty's mother) and step forward, though they put their weapons up in defensive position.

"Put your weapons down," Pike commands. "We found Clarke." He puts his hand to Clarke's shoulder.

"Is that the Chancellor's son?" one asks, gesturing to Wells.

Wells nods. "Nearly five months and I'm still in one piece," Wells answers.

I look at the pile of three down trees as Monty goes into the rover to start the engine. They appear to have been cut down at some point.

"You are free to come back with us," Kane offers to Pike as a couple people eye me suspiciously.

"I like to but I have to inform the others back at base that we don't have to remain here," Pike points out. "Hopefully we encounter no trouble at the border."

"We will arrange a caravan and we'll let the Trikru military higher ups know ahead of time," Kane assures. "They will ensure that the transfer goes smoothly."

"It better be true," Pike says before looking over to Wells, Bellamy, Clarke, and I. "Is Nathan Miller still with you by any chance?"

"Yeah," Bellamy answers. "He was one of the surviving forty-two from the Mountain."

"Well tell him that Bryan is okay," Pike says. "I am sure he has been thinking about him."

Bryan was Miller's boyfriend and Miller has had concerns regarding his welfare since he wasn't among those that arrived in the night of the Ring of Fire.

"We'll give him the message," Wells assures him. "Be careful."

"Don't worry, Wells," Pike says. "We have taught ourselves stealth months ago."