Training was hard. Well not exactly difficult, while Mack was always athletically inclined, she just hated doing anything that took effort. And, boy, did training take effort.
They had basically had a quick meeting at first, laying out how the Junior Cadet program would play out. After that was an obstacle course of sorts, then some cool down workouts.
Being the smallest, and also one of only two girls that had shown up, Mack was the butt of a lot of jokes. She had proven herself on the obstacle course, but that had done little to settle the boy's egos.
After all the instructors and other junior cadets had left Mack stayed behind. The stress that was Wick, on top of the endless teasing she had endured the last three hours had gotten to her.
So there she was, sloppily throwing angry hits at a punching bag. She didn't care for form right now, she just cared about picturing everyone's face and hitting it as hard as she could. She was so focused on this task that she hadn't even noticed the door open.
Bellamy chuckled at the strange girl. She was short and thin, he didn't think any of her punches had much power behind them, even if she had been in the correct stance.
He cleared his throat, "You're not going to do any damage like that."
Mack jumped and turned quickly. She wasn't entirely sure if she was allowed to be here this late. She had permission to stay behind for a little, but had lost track of time.
She looked the boy up and down, what did he know? She rolled her eyes, "Whatever," and turned back, completely focusing her anger to the punching bag, not paying attention, or caring for that matter, to the intruder.
Bellamy smirked, this girl had an attitude. He walked up behind her and put his hands on her hips with the intention of helping her form.
Mack whipped around and punched him square in the chest, not putting her full weight behind it. He simply shook off her hit, "Easy there, Tiger. I'm just helping your stance," he told her with a smirk.
Mack rolled her eyes again. What was it with people thinking she had no idea how to do anything? But she nodded at him and turned around, allowing him to do what he thought was helping.
She couldn't help the warm feeling in the pit of her stomach as he gripped her hips again, tilting them so she faced the punching bag at an angle. Instead of letting her do the rest, he ran his hands up her sides to her ribs to set her up. Mack had to shake off the blush, before smirking at him.
"This would be great and all, but I'm a lefty, smartass," she brushed his hands off and switched her stance, throwing a couple punches once she was comfortable with her form.
"She's feisty, and a southpaw," he mused at her, laughing slightly.
"She has a name," she pouted.
Mack walked in the middle of the group, trudging along between the two pairs. The boys were gaining on Clarke and Wells quickly, effectively sandwiching Mack between the four of them. They clearly had a plan, which irritated the little redhead, they didn't have time for bullshit.
"Hey, hold up," Bellamy called, holding his gun up, "What's the rush? You don't survive a spear through the heart."
"Put the gun away, Bellamy," Wells was ever so quick to protect his Blondie.
"Jasper screamed when they moved him, if the spear struck his heart he'd of died instantly," Clarke defied, "it doesn't mean we have time to waste." She went to turn away, but Bellamy was quicker.
"As soon as you-" Mack's first collided with his face. She wasn't up for the petty argument that was about to take place. If she wanted to waste time, she would've stayed back at camp.
"Jesus, Southpaw. What the hell was that for?" He mumbled, taken aback. It had been a long time since she had first hit him, and he had grown comfortable then distant. It was easy to underestimate the short girl. Murphy moved to hit her back, but Bellamy blocked him off.
Clarke finally distanced herself, beginning to walk off back in the direction to Jasper when the broody brunette revealed himself.
"Lets go, Princess, we don't have time to waste," he smirked at the blonde.
He took charge instantly, having the group split up. Unfortunately that move left Mack with Murphy.
The two of them fell in step easily, neither of them feeling particularly up for conversation. Mack could hear Bellamy and Wells talking behind them, but she paid them no mind, instead thinking about Bellamy calling her her old nickname.
It was refreshing, but she was still angry with him. And on top of that, her knuckles were itching with pain.
"That was one hell of a throw back there," Murphy commented, eyeing her as she shook her hand out.
"Yeah," was all he got back though.
Silence fell over the two again as they hiked on, the heat nearly suffocating both of them. Mack removed the light hoodie she was wearing and tied it around her waist. It was a huge relief to the heat, but it did make her slightly uncomfortable being in only a tank top around Murphy.
The two kept going almost missing Clarke's call. They looked at each other briefly, both of them seemingly annoyed by the blondes existence before going towards her voice.
As everyone regrouped, it became clear what was going on. They were following blood. Jasper's blood. The thought chilled Mack, but she tuned everyone out as they walked. She completely missed the noise that had everyone on edge and was surprised when she heard Clarke suggest Bellamy get his gun out.
Still they continued to follow the noise, and as they reached a clearing Mack stopped dead in her tracks.
There he was, tied on a tree with a giant gash in his chest. She couldn't bring herself to go any closer, completely frozen in fear and guilt.
The group walked around her, and Clarke made a dash for the boy. Mack let out a gasp as the ground gave out below her. She had to hold back a sarcastic one though when Bellamy was the one to save her.
She still didn't move as Murphy and Spacewalker began to climb the tree to get her friend, lost in her thoughts.
Her attention was torn though when she heard Clarke yell for the gun. She frantically scanned the area before seeing Wells shoot a giant black... cat? It hesitated but continued towards the group that was left on the ground. Mack closed the distance between her and the others, subconsciously inching towards the familiar tan boy.
The shrubs around them shifted, and Mack's breath was caught in her throat. Bellamy pushed her back gently as the bushes stopped moving, unknowingly placing her in front of the cat.
Mack's eyes widened as she turned, the cat roaring and jumping straight at the pair. Pain shot through her arm as the cat's claw locked on, getting caught on her wristband.
She was sure she was going to die and was surprised when she realized the cat's body was completely limp. She looked to Wells and saw the smoke rising from the gun. Bellamy was back on his feet behind her, and the two behind them were still.
"Now she sees you" he muttered to the darker boy before moving towards Mack. She waved him off, trying desperately to dig the claw out of her arm from underneath the wristband.
Bellamy crouched besides her, shooting her a sympathetic look before brushing her hand off and grasping onto the beast's paw. "This is gonna hurt," he told her.
She looked at him confused, but instantly understood as he snapped her wristband with its claw, ripping both the claw out and her wristband off. Wincing, she took her jacket and wrapped her arm tightly, whispering a thank you to Bellamy.
Murphy and Finn scrambled down the tree, Jasper in tow, a quick reminder that the group still had work to do.
The boys had rigged up a stretcher for the cat, and Finn and Bellamy grabbed Jasper. Without so much as a word they all headed back to camp in silence.