Strife - The 100

by barla

"Love is weakness." "I wouldn't know because I have never been loved before." - "I'm a murder; I killed the girl that I used to be."

4. Chapter 3

Anastasia POV

As sad it may seems, I was kinda liking being all by myself. The quietness and the relaxation of just being alone. I was meant to be lonely in this world and I accept my fate as how it is. Who was I to think that I could be quickly branded as an equal, with a red cape flowing over my shoulders as others accepted me? Forgiving me the crimes and the horrors I have committed in my life?

I was at peace. It was just me and Mother Nature out here.

I haven't talked to anybody in three days. For the those couple of days, I've just slept in my tree, got up, and practice with the bow and arrow. I usually wake up before anyone else, walking out of camp towards another tree where I carved a target onto it. I was surprised how naturally it all came to me. Not wanting to brag or anything, but my aiming is off the charts. After a couple of failures and almost having an arrow go through my hand, I haven't missed a shot yet.

Once it was afternoon, I will come back to the camp and handing the squirrels and bunnies that I have collected towards either Bellamy or Clarke, leaving some for me. Before they could even have the chance to thank me, especially Clarke who wants to get in a conversation with me, I would walk off out of camp.

That was my usual routine. Wake up, train, hunt, eat, and rest. Sometimes I stay a bit behind to help with Jasper's condition when no one was around. He wasn't getting better. He still hasn't woken up yet and he's been moaning in pain these days, driving everyone into insanity.

I quickly shook my thoughts away and kept my focus on my target as I crouched behind a bush, my footsteps light as a feather. There it was, a fat and juicy boar right in front of my very own eyes. I've been tracking this thing before the sun even came up, following its muddy tracks until now in the early dusk. If I caught this thing, it would be a week worth of food, if everybody rationed it well enough.

Slowly, I reached behind me and took out an arrow from my quiver. Placing the arrow in the bow, I silently then pulled it back along with the bow string. Feeling the familiar sensation of the feather tickling my cheek, my sharp eyes watched the boar give out a grunt, eating some plants. Taking a deep breath, I let my muscles relax, feeling like I'm in my element.

Right when I was about to release the arrow, I heard a twig snap behind me. The boar quickly scurried off at the noise, making me curse under my breath angrily. Whirling around, I pointed the arrow at the direction of the noise and released it. Hearing a satisfied yelp of surprise, I marched angrily towards the person who made me miss my kill shot. Seeing shoulder length brown hair, I instantly knew who it was. Reaching down to my boot, I whipped it out the knife angrily and pressed it against Finn's stomach as he was pinned to the tree. Sadly, I only struck him by the edge of his clothing on his shoulder, not even landing a scratch on him.

"You got one second to give me a valid reason why you were making so much noise like a brainless giant and causing to scare away days worth of food?" I snarled at him, pressing the tip of the blade closer to his stomach. "Or I swear to God, I will gut out your entire insides out."

I watched him struggle to get the arrow out, which was deep in the tree, and trying not to ruin his clothes as it is.

"You've got some serious sharp eyes," was all could say as he tugged on the arrow. "Have you been practicing?"

I growled in annoyance under my breath, yanking the arrow out of the tree and Finn. Watching him straighten his clothes at the corner of my eyes, I turned around and marched far away from him as possible before I give him a black eye. Much to my great displeasure, I could hear Finn catching up to me from behind.

"So, where are we off too?" I could practically hear the smile on his face.

This just pissed me off even more.

"Well, you're about to see if heaven is actually real if you don't stand twenty feet from my presence," I threatened him as I looked down at the ground, going back to square one.

"You're quite different terrifying, did you know that?" Finn gulped, eyeing me warily. "Good thing we're friends. Remember our blossoming friendship when you saved my life?

"It what helps me sleep at night," I shot him a sarcastic smirk, not wanting to talk anymore. "And we are not friends. I don't want friends, actually. I have this thing, where I don't like people."

Finn just ruined my peace by disturbing me from what I actually like to do and that wasn't okay in my books. I wanted to be alone, how is that hard for people to grasp?

"What are we hunting?" Finn rubbed his hands, changing the subject.

I didn't answer him as I knelt down, my fingers hovering slightly at the sight of tracks that didn't belong to a boar. It was human, for sure. I pursued my lips, knowing already who made these muddy footprints.

"Grounders," Finn breathed out as he knelt next to me.

Biting my lip, I pushed myself straight up as I followed the boar tracks, my bow already loaded for either my next meal or my next murder.

"We should probably head back to the camp," Finn suggested to me.

Again, I didn't answer him as I ignored him, walking past him. I was wishing that he would be too scared to follow me, but of course, I don't always get my ways with things. We continued walking down the woods, continuing to follow the boars tracks. Well, I was trying to follow the tracks if Finn constant blabbering wasn't distracting me at the very moment.

"Who side are you one? Clarke's or Bellamy's?"

"Whats you're favorite color?"

"How did you learn how to track?"

"Do you know what you are doing?"

"I think I saw a grounder, we should probably go."

By this rate, if he keeps it up, he would be the second person I would have killed on my time on Earth.

"Hey, tree girl, you're kinda a bit of a danger seeker," Finn joked, trying to ease the tension. "So, are you just gonna give everybody the cold shoulder? Fine with me, I could do all the talking."

I rolled my eyes for the millionth time today.

"You know Jasper isn't getting better. He's in a lot of pain. Clarke thinks its because some internal bleeding or possibly an infection on the wounds."

I could feel Finn's gaze on me on the side of my head, possibly to get a reaction out of me. Sadly, he didn't as I've perfected the hard, emotionless look since I was a little kid. Instead, I jumped over a fallen tree as I continued the path where the boar most likely headed too.

"Clarke and I had a theory why they didn't kill Jasper," Finn continued, quickly moving out of the way when I let go of the branch that I was holding, almost hitting him in the face.

I groaned loudly in the inside. Jesus Christ, does all he talks about is Clarke? I thought to myself. I don't blame him, Clarke is very attractive but he seriously needs to shut up about her. It was making me reach to a whole level of annoyance that I didn't think I could go to.

"They wanted him alive so they could lure us towards him. We were the targets and Jasper was the bait. That's why we think that they didn't fully heal him, just using enough of the poultice to keep him alive."

Wow, you think, I wanted to say it out loud but just prompted to say it in my head while rolling my eyes.

"The question is, why are they so hell-bent on killing us?"

"Because idiot," I huffed out in annoyance, finally aggravated in hearing his voice. "We landed on their territory. We're the enemies in their eyes."

"But we're not the enemy here," Finn defended but also looked excited that I was finally talking to him.

"You sure about that?"I asked him curtly. "I will be defensive too if some unknown group of people invaded my home-Shit!"

I rubbed my forehead in rage as the the boar tracks went cold. Growling under my breath in rage, I stomped forward, pushing branches of leaves out of my way in hopes of finding a new lead. Nothing at all. Just a stream ahead of us, with red plants floating at the top.

"I fucking swear, if a fucking giant bird took it, I'm about to cut somebody," I seethed to myself angrily as I walked towards the water and filled up my canteen.

Taking a long sip from my canteen, I stuffed it back into my backpack. In a blur, I whirled around and aimed my arrow towards Finn. He quickly raised his hands up in panic, stumbling on his feet with his eyes wide in fear.

"An-Anastasia, whoah, hey, what are you doing?"

I didn't answer him, instead I kept an emotionless face as my face scrunched up in concentration.

"Wait, wait, n-no, no," Finn quickly shook his head when he saw I was about to release my arrow.

It was already too late as I let the arrow soar through the air. I watched in amusement as Finn closed his eyes, preparing for his possible death that he thought I was going to send. When Finn discovered no pain on his body, he opened his eyes and looked behind him. There, sticking to the tree was a squirrel, the arrow going right between its eyes for an instant kill.

"If I was going to kill you, spacewalker," I told him as I grabbed the squirrel before pulling out the arrow roughly. "You would know."

Finn could only swallow in response, looking like he was in a state of shock. Rolling my eyes at his dramatic antics, I stuffed the squirrel with the rest of my small kills, in satchel that I made out of seatbelt and someone's jacket that I stole. It was for a good cause. As Finn still stood there in shock, I just walked away from him since it was about to get dark soon.

I took a couple of steps before I stopped, spotting a familiar herb in front of me. Smirking at founding a useful plant, I carefully pluck it off the ground. Wrapping it around a cloth, I stuffed it in the satchel, standing back on my feet as I dusted off the soil off of my hands.

"You could've shot me," Finn raced next to me in disbelief.

I rolled my eyes, continuing to walk back to the camp by memory.

"Quit whining," I told him rudely. "You didn't even get hurt."

"But I could've, if you missed."

"But I didn't," I told him, not seeing the point. "And I could have been carrying a delicious feast back if you haven't scared it away."

"So this is all my fault?"

"You said it, not me," I shot him a smirk.

"What's wrong with you?" Finn stepped in front of me, a hint of anger in his face.

"What's wrong with you?!" The young five-year old me flinched at the volume from . "Can't you do anything right?!"

The five-year old version of myself was wearing an adorable pink, flower dress, with a cardigan over my frame to hide the hand shaped bruises littering across my arms. I was cradling the cut on the palm of my hand, when I accidentally broke a glass picture frame while I was playing around. I was acting to be a knight, rescuing the princess which was my teddy bear. Next thing I knew, my father came in with his guard's uniform and I accidentally knocked over the picture frame.

"I-I didn't mean too," I sobbed. "It was an accident. I didn't mean to do it."

"No, no, " roughly grabbed me by my arms, making me yelp in pain. "You're the accident here."

He painfully applied pressure to my bleeding hand, making black blood to ooze out even more. I gave out a cry in agony, fat tears rolling down my cheeks as I tried to pull from his grasp.

"Please, daddy, that hurts," I cried.

I quickly went quiet when he finally let go of me but I soon received a slap to the face.

"You're a goddamn disgrace," he spit on me. "I am not your father and you are certainly as hell not my daughter!"

I already knew what was gonna happen next as he roughly pulled me away from the mess and he grabbed his belt. Each strike, was like lava running down my spine. Each whip, leaving a brand new scar with the old scars.

"Stop crying!"

"Crying is for the weak!"

"Anastasia?" A hand waving across my face drew me out of the flashback.

Blinking rapidly, I straighten out my posture, hearing his voice in my head to do so. I thought I was over this. The memories, the pain from the past. Apparently not.

I just looked at Finn's concerned look with narrowed eyes before breezing past him. He just brought up unpleasant memories to surface and I can't deal with that at the moment. Forever in fact.

"What was that back out there? You kinda spaced out on me for a second?" Finn was persistent.

"Don't fucking worry about it," I told him angrily, wanting nothing more to just get away from him.

For once, Finn actually didn't questioned me about it and finally gave me the space that I wanted. Once we reached towards the walls, I got the hell away from him as quick as possible. Shoving anyone out of my way, I plopped the bag full of dead squirrels and rabbits onto of a makeshift table.

Placing the palms of my hands on top of the cool metal, I closed my eyes briefly. I clenched my quivering hands as I try to shake away the terror at the pit of my stomach that I haven't felt since I was a child. Damn Finn and his damn mouth.

After taking a couple of deep breaths and collecting my cool, the mask slipped back to my face like a parasite. Clenching my jaw, I opened the satchel. I then proceeded to take out my kills, placing them on the table, leaving a few for myself. Leaving the dead animals for someone to skin them once they see them, I walked towards my tree.

Hearing Jasper's groans and moans of pain was setting my teeth on edge. It makes me want to stuff dirt up my ears hearing the sound. People weren't taking it lightly either as they tried to sleep.

"Go back to sleep!"

"Quiet!"

"Can he just die already?!"

Hearing the last one, I finally snapped. Today has been a very bad day. First, Finn comes following me, ruining my peaceful bubble that I had surrounded myself. Second, I lost a very promising and excellent kill today. Third, Finn just had to open his big mouth, his words triggering haunting memories that I never want to remember. And now this bullshit?

My hair flew around wildly as I tried to locate the person who said that, eyes igniting with a raging fire. I was itching for a fight and possibly some blood spill. My now dark brown eyes, finally spotted the location of the voice. It came from from some young kid, well young to me, sleeping on the ground with a blanket wrapped around himself.

Marching like an angry bull towards the douche, I yanked his blanket away from him.

"Hey, what is your-," I didn't even let him bother to let him finish his sentence as I hauled up on his feet by the collar of his shirt.

His eyes quickly widen in fear once he recognized my face, making me smirk in a twisted, dark way.

"Good, you know who I am," I snarled at him. "Repeat what you said?"

He quickly shook his head, his group of friends that were huddling close to him looked like they want to intervene but they looked too scared to face me. I'm glad I leave an impression.

"C'mon, I dare you," I threaten him. "Say it just one more time. I didn't hear you."

I tugged him closer to me, his eyes darting across the bruises and the small cut on my cheek on my face that I recieved from fighting the grounder. The one that I killed. He shook his head again when he looked back at my eyes.

"Smart," I told him gruffly before shoving him roughly to the dirt.

He scrambled away from me, going back to his friends.

"If I hear you say something like that ever again, I'll cut your tongue out and make sure I don't hear you talk like an idiot that you are anymore. Got it?"

He just nodded his head, the color draining from his face. Taking a threatening step forward, my eyes glistened with amusement when he just scramble away from my reach. Glaring at everyone around, making sure to deliver the message that the threat was for everyone, not just him. Once I was fully satisfied, I walked away from them.

I clenched my fists, this time, to get rid of the rage that made my hands tremble. They just make me mad, people in general. Then again, I get mad at everything. Huffing in annoyance, I ran my fingers through my hair, grimacing when I took out pieces of leaves and dry mud from my hair. Planning to take a dip at a river nearby tomorrow, I braided my hair to the side.

Just finishing braiding my long hair, I felt dread poison my veins when I heard a familiar voice crying out in fear.

"No! No, no, no!"

"Charolette," I whispered to myself in panic, feeling my heart just stopping for second in terror.

Bursting with a new found of energy, I quickly sprinted towards Charolette's cries. I didn't even stop when I stepped on people, focus on finding Charolette. I haven't talked to her ever since I abandoned her. I've always seen her lingering around close to me but every time I caught her looking, she would run away from the other direction. But she would always follow me, like a shadow.

Sometimes, she even sleeps next to the tree that I usually sleep on, when she thinks I don't notice. During the middle of the night, I would climb down and pick her up. Then, I would carry her carefully towards her tent, singing to her sleeping form while running a hand through her hair when she begins to squirm, as if she was dreaming something horrible.

Stumbling towards my tree, I breathed out in relief when I spotted Charolette's small form. My eyes quickly scanned over her body, checking for any wounds or injuries. When they stopped on her tear stained cheeks, I knew she was having another nightmare.

"Charolette," I dropped my bags to the ground as if they weighed a thousand tons.

I didn't notice someone else comforting Charolette until I connected with a pair of familiar sky blue eyes. Before I could compose myself back to heartless person in front of Charolette and Clarke, the kid jumped onto her feet when she saw me.

Next thing I knew, she jumped into my arms, her little legs wrapping against my waist like a freaking koala bear. I stumbled back from the force, not expecting this from her. I thought she would hate my guts after what I did to her. Awkwardly looking at Clarke's shocked expression, I slowly hugged Charolette back, ignoring my bow and quiver digging to my spine uncomfortably.

I tighten my grip when I could feel her little body shaking, my shoulder getting wet from her tears. Clearing my throat, I ignored Clarke's calculating eyes as I sat next to her, still holding Charolette in my arms.

"It's okay kid," I soothed her, rubbing her back comfortably. "It was just another nightmare."

"This happened before?" Clarke questioned me in curiosity and a bit on disbelief from my actions at the moment.

I just ignored Clarke's questions.

"I got you, I got you squirt," I continued to rub her back as her sobbing ease down a bit. "You wanna talk about it?"

After a couple of sniffles, I thought she didn't hear my question.

"It's... my parents," Charolette finally said something.

She pulled her head out of my shoulder but she clutched onto me like a baby animal. She sat on my lap, curled up on my arms as she grasped tightly to my hands. I just cleared my throat at the touchy gesture, Clarke smile softly at us. It made me very, very, very uncomfortable.

"They were floated and they-and I see it in my dreams and I just," Charolette stopped there as a fresh tears appeared, laying her head on my shoulder.

"I understand," Clarke told Charolette softly, scooting closer to her which means she got closer to me.

God, couldn't I have had more days to be by myself? Three days wasn't enough.

"My dad was floated, too," Clarke told her Charolette.

I just looked at Clarke with narrowed eyes, wondering why she was sharing this with Charolette, especially with me close by.

"Nightmares suck," my voice was low, making the two girls lean closer to hear me. "I've had experience with them. I'm not gonna lie to you and say they get better. Because they don't. The key is to learn to endure it."

Clarke gave me a look from my tough love advice as Charolette just gripped my hands a bit tighter. It was the truth. Things never get better. You just gotta suck it up and deal with the pain. Or the pain will consume you and your mind will swirl into insanity.

"So, how did you end up here?" Clarke asked Charolette, hoping to change the subject.

"Well...," Charolette started as she squirmed in my arms to get more comfortable. "We were taking my parent's things to the redistribution center and... I kind of lost it. They said I assaulted a guard."

My eyebrows shot up to my hairline at the new information. I would have never guessed the kid would have the guts to attack someone, especially a guard. Respect right there.

"I can't say I blame you," Clarke smiled at Charolette softly, making the corner of my lips twitch before I pressed them into a thin line.

"Yeah," I bobbed my head. "Sounds like they just stopped you're inner badass."

I had to bite my lip to stop the smile as Charolette smiled up at me. We sat there for a couple of seconds and I thought that Clarke would have gotten up by now, walking off so I can deal with a crying kid by myself.

"See that bright star up there?" Clarke looked up at the night sky, pointing at a large star which was actually the Ark.

Charolette lifted her head off my shoulder and glanced up where Clarke was pointing at.

"That's the Ark orbiting above us. I think whatever happened up there, you know the pain...maybe we can get past that now. Maybe on the ground, is our second chance," my entire was filled with shock as I noticed Clarke was staring at me as she talked.

"Do you really believe that?" Charolette voice broke our little intense staring.

Clarke smiled down before looking back up, this time staring confidently into my eyes.

"I'm trying to."

"You just have that much hope?" I asked her, knowing by now we weren't talking about Charolette anymore.

"Yeah," Clarke nodded her blonde head, "Yeah I do."

"People would say thats crazy talk," I remarked back.

"Since when did you care what others say?" Clarke smirked at me. "Besides, its not stupid. Its being wise."

I just rolled my eyes at Clarke but not in a rude way. It was a playful gesture.

"C'mon squirt, lets get you to your bed," before Charolette could even protest, my grip on her tighten as I lifted the both of us up.

Clarke continues to shock me as she followed me while I carried Charolette towards her tent. Pushing the flap to the side, I carefully placed Charolette to the makeshift sleeping bag. I could feel Clarke's presence behind me as I helped Charolette take off her shoes before placing the blanket over her body. I was about to get up and leave but Charolette had other ideas as she grabbed my wrist tightly. I stiffen by reflex before I forced myself to relax.

"Can you sing to me? Like you always do when I have troubled sleeping?" She asked me with wide eyes, almost making me crumble.

Key word, almost.

"I thought you were asleep during those times," I fight off the blush the threaten to appear on my cheeks.

Feeling heat spreading across my face, I cursed for my natural pale skin. Charolette shot me a sheepish smile.

"Not tonight kiddo."

She looked disappointed but nodded her head in understanding. I patted her head one last time before telling her to go to sleep. I couldn't look Clarke in the eye as I left the tent, already knowing she was going to follow me.

"I just don't get it," I could hear Clarke speak up from behind me before she rushes to my side.

"Don't get what?" I told her, playing dumb while picking up my pace. "You gotta be more specific than that, your majesty."

My body went rigid when I felt her hand grab me by my elbow, turning me around firmly to face her. My face hardened by the action, shoulders tensing as if preparing for a fight by instinct. I quickly relaxed my body but Clarke already took notice of my reaction.

"Why do you act like you are a bad person when your not?" Her eyes looked at my face, as the answer would appear the longer she looks at me.

Getting defensive, I ripped my arm from her grip.

"Because I am a bad person," I growled lowly at her.

"I don't believe that," Clarke shook her head.

"You sound like your mother."

Shock was written across her face when I mentioned about Abby.

"You know my mom?"

"She was my therapist, I guess you can call it that. She is stubborn and believes there is hope in everybody, just like you," I pursued my lips.

"If my mother sees hope in you, then you should believe it," Clarke took a step closer to me.

"I'm gonna tell you what I told Abby," this time, I was the one who got closer. "Stop trying to fix something that is already broken."

I turned my back to her, crouching down to grab my bags.

"You don't have to be like this, Anastasia," Clarke told me softly, crouching next to me. "We are on Earth, you are given a second chance. Start fresh, begin a new life. And as much you don't believe this, we all need you. We need to work together if we want to survive down here."

"So the Ark could come down here and then I get locked up again? Like a prisoner," I scoffed at her, standing back up. "I don't think so."

"Then why do you still have the wristband on?" Clarke glanced down at the metal wristband piercing my skin.

I touched it when she mentioned it, cursing her for her observation skills.

"I've grown attached to it," I drawled out sarcastically. "Why d-," I stopped when I finally realized something. "You."

"Me?" She looked at me in confusion.

"You sent Finn after me, didn't you? To check up on me?" I narrowed my eyes at her, anger pouring out of me.

The look on her face said it all.

"Anastasia-," I didn't let her explain herself.

"What, scared that I was going to run off? Go and kill another grounder? Possibly scared of the thought that I could possibly taken someone from the camp and kill them? Its that what you think of me?!"

"No, it's not-," I cut her off again.

"Your just like everybody else," I scoffed, shaking my head. "Always assuming who and what I am. Judging and assuming the worst of me. Thinking that I am just this crazy girl who killed her parents because she felt like it?! That she likes to kill people?! You don't know a thing about me!"

"Because you don't let anyone in," Clarke snapped.

"Because if I do, they'll leave and I don't wanna get hurt!" I blurted out loud without thinking.

I quickly looked away from Clarke's face once those words left my mouth.

"Anastasia," she tried to reach for me but this time, I didn't let her.

I quickly grabbed the tree branch in above me before I hauled my entire body up. Ignoring Clarke's shouts to come down, I continued climbing until I reached my spot. It was something that I have been building while sleeping up here.

When I almost fell off one night, almost breaking my neck if I haven't woken up during mid fall, I knew that I had to do something. So, one day, I grabbed a bunch of logs and tie them together with the rope that I had with thick branches as a support beams. The platform was about ten feet long and eight fee wide, the tree sprouting out in the middle. I did choose a pretty big tree. Yanking out nails from the drop-ship and hammering them down on the logs with a rock, I was proud of my handy work of it stabling my weight. I've practically created my own tree house.

Its still under construction, building rails around the platform so I won't fall off during my slumber. So far, I just needed to built one more rail before deciding if I need to do something else. Possibly build a roof or build another one from the tree across from me, constructing some sort of bridge maybe. But I build my own home by myself. Just with that thought, brought this funny feeling across my chest.

Now, I just felt angry for letting multiple people get to me today. Charlotte, Finn, and now Clarke. Stupid, stupid, stupid, I scolded to myself as I pushed the wooden hatch door above me, throwing my bags in first before I hauled myself up first. Glancing down, I watched Clark throw her hands up in the air before storming off, grabbing a bucket of warm water, and marching back to the drop-ship.

Clenching my fist, I sat on my knees briefly as I closed the hatch. Angrily, I ripped the the bow and quiver off of me, throwing it angrily towards the trunk of the tree. Not caring that I could've potentially damaged a perfectly good weapon that I was really good at, I hugged my knees to my chest, my arms circling around me like some sort of armor.

The stinging pain when I touched the scab wound on my arm or when I brushed against the bruises against my ribs felt good. The pain was familiar to me, not this whole other emotions that I was feeling at the moment. Trying to forget today's events, I leaned the other cheek that doesn't have a cut on the top of me knee while also glancing up at the stars. I started to question myself if being on Earth was such a good thing rather than being floated back in the Ark. Then, I started to hum to myself, the one thing that just makes every bad thing disappear in my life.

Despite having at least five hours of sleep because I kept waking up from Jasper's moaning all night, I woke up feeling refreshed. I started with my morning with skinning a squirrel at my tree, saving the fur for later in the future. Once I fully cooked it down on the ground, I climbed back up to my platform, eating the cook meat and drinking water as I was entertained at the scene below me.

Bellamy was teaching a bunch of amateurs how to throw a knife. Let's just say, that watching Murphy toss his handmade knife like his arm is dislocated just made my day. I gave out a loud snort, slightly choking on my food as I leaned over the wooden rail I built as Murphy attempted to properly throw a knife. It didn't worked out too well.

"It's that damn kid alright," Murphy blamed it on Jasper's loud moans, which still hasn't went away. "Always messing with my head."

"He's not gonna last much longer," Bellamy told him, adjusting this metal axe that he made in his hands. "Better think of a new excuse."

I just rolled my eyes at Bellamy's comment, watching him throw his weapon against the tree with good accuracy and strength. His weapon stuck the tree firmly.

"That's how it's done," Bellamy boasted arrogantly.

Wanting to knock down his ego a bit, I quickly threw away the bones away. Quickly wiping my hands, I grabbed the bow and notched an arrow. Inhaling slowly, I aimed at the same tree that the guys were practicing on. After breathing out, I let the arrow soar through the air before striking perfectly on top of Bellamy's weapon on the tree.

I gave the guys a smirk as they whipped their heads in my direction, wiggling my fingers at their brief scared looks. It quickly changed into anger when they realized I was the one who shot the arrow.

"Now that's how its done!" I shouted down at them.

I stood up in my feet, slinging the bow across my chest and the quiver on my back. Grabbing my satchel and canteen of water, I was prepared to go hunting as I climbed down my tree.

"We searched a half-mile all directions," some guy with curly hair walked up to Bellamy and Murphy, most likely one of Bellamy's minions. "No sign of Trina or Pascal."

"Visit your special tree when you were out there?" Murphy mocked him as I got closer to them to retrieve my arrow.

I just rolled my eyes at Murphy's words, knowing exactly what he was talking about. That day when I killed the grounder and panther, I was walking around to get some more water when I spotted curly hair boy being strung up on the trees by some rope. Apparently, Bellamy didn't approve his lips locking with his little sister. Of course, I let him down by throwing a knife but not before stealing his shoes, knife, and any other things on him that could be useful.

"Atom took his punishment. Let it go," Bellamy barked at Murphy.

"Anastasia, did you find any signs of Trina and Pascal during your hunt?" Bellamy asked me as if I was part one of his little soldiers.

Throwing a scoff over my shoulder at his direction, I yanked the arrow out of the tree before placing it back in the quiver.

"You don't order me around, Bellamy. I am not one your little bitches," I crossed my arms across my chest. "Besides, they are not my problem. They shouldn't have wander around by themselves in the first place."

"Could be grounders," Atom suggested, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah or they could be in pound town," Murphy drawled out, looking pointedly at Atom. "Lot of that going around recently."

"Or they could be dead," I voiced out blankly, the one thing that nobody wanted to say out loud.

They all got quiet from my words, hearing Jasper's moans continuing and water splashing as Octavia threw a bucket of dirty water over a bush nearby.

"Look, Bellamy, people are scared, and that dying kid," Jasper groaned even louder, to prove his point. "He's not helping the morale around here."

"Morale will go up when I find them more food," Bellamy told him.

I snickered, the thought of Bellamy and his little minions hunting was just too amusing for me. Bellamy looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Sorry," I paused for effect. "Not really, but the only thing you are going to catch if your little bitches throw like Murphy, are going to be cuts that they would receive from each other from their horrible aim."

"What you say about me?" Murphy marched up to my face, holding the knife threatening close to my face.

I just glanced at the knife with a sickening, dark smirk before I grabbed his wrist. Next thing Murphy knew, I twisted his wrist before twisting his arm behind his back, keeping his head in a headlock. I kicked behind his knees, forcing him down on his knees.

"You heard me," I growled in his ear.

"Anastasia, let him go," Bellamy demanded me.

Just to humor him, I tighten my grip on Murphy, making him yelp in pain before letting him go. Kicking his back, he sprawled to the dirt.

"Jasper has a higher chance of living than your little group finding any food at all," I leaned on the tree casually.

"That's why you are coming with us," Bellamy smirked. "Maybe with our help, you can catch something better than little rabbits."

My nostrils flared, my hands clenching into fists.

"I'm not sure if you are suffering from sort of brain damage or if Octavia took all the brains in the gene pool but I am only going to repeat this one more time to you," I stepped up to Bellamy in a threatening manner. "I don't follow anyone. I'm nobody's slave."

Shoving his shoulder against my own, I walked away from Bellamy, my good mood this morning diminishing. I swear, just looking at Bellamy just makes me want to punch him in his face. Filling my canteen with fresh water from one of the buckets nearby, I could feel one of my tooth crack from how hard I am grinding on it when I heard Jasper groaning once again.

When another groan echo in the air, I finally had enough. Grabbing a bucket of water, I marched towards the drop-ship and climbed up the ladder. Surprised and shock looks were thrown at my way when they saw me climb inside, closing the hatch door as I walked up to Jasper.

Dropping the bucket of water next to me, I squatted next to Clarke as she cleaned and examined his wounds.

"Why won't he shut up?" I asked her in annoyance.

"Maybe because he's in pain," Clarke retorted back a bit angrily as she carefully dabbed Jasper's chest with a wet cloth.

"Well, what's wrong with him?" I looked at Jasper, groans escaping his mouth after a couple of seconds, his body covered in bloody scab wounds that looked burnt, sweat glistening his skinny torso.

He looked like he was about to die. His skin was pale and he was nothing but skins and bones by this point.

"I don't know," she snapped out stressfully. "The grounders cauterized the wound. Saved his life."

I glanced down a my own cauterized wound, which now was an ugly scab.

"Saved his life so they could string him up for live bait," Finn walked out of now where and leaned on the metal wall across from us.

"Wonderful house warming gift," I droned out sarcastically.

"If you just came here to criticize me with your sarcasm, now is not the time," Clarke snapped at me.

"There is always time for sarcasm," I smirked before my face hardened. "And as shocking as it may seem, I'm actually here to help. It wasn't because of your little inspirational, group hand holding speech last night. I actually like going to sleep."

Partial lie but they didn't need to know that.

"This is infected," Clarke sighed, surprisingly actually accepting my help. "He could be septic."

"I may not be a pharmacist but I have something to soothe the pain," I told them as I took out the green plant I grabbed yesterday.

"That's from yesterday," Finn piped up when he recognized it.

"What is it?" Clarke asked me.

"It's called a plantain," I informed them as I carefully ripped off the stems and roots.

"You found weed?" Monty asked me incredulously.

"It would take away the pain for a moment maybe even the infection but it looks like its a hybrid with another plant, so I'm not sure if its more effective or not. If I can create a poultice out of this and spread it around the wound like the grounders did, it could possibly give Jasper more time for you to think of a way to save his life."

As I dropped the plant in the warm water, I raised an eyebrow at their bewilder looks.

"What? I read," I rolled my eyes at them.

"That's good, the plant I mean. It's better than what we got. Good thinking," Clarke praised me with a soft smile.

I just pressed my lips into a thin line before focusing on rubbing off any of the dirt and germs on the plant.

"Any progress on using the wristbands to contact the Ark?" Clarke's question was directed towards Monty.

Monty was just staring at Jasper with such a sad look on his face, his hands frozen in the air as he held a tool and a metal wristband.

"Monty?" Clarke asked him again, snapping him from his daze.

"That would be a firm no."

I glanced over my shoulder, hearing someone coming up the ladder. It was just Wells.

"My mother would know what to do," Clarke put herself down.

"Hey," I told her softly, not only surprising her but also myself at the gentle tone that I was using. "If anyone is going to save Jasper's life, its gonna be you, goldilocks. So shut up and stop doubting yourself. I'm suppose to be the one who thinks negatively."

She shot me an appreciate smile. I looked over at Finn to see a smug look on his face, making me roll my eyes.

"How's he doing?" Wells asked us, kinda ruining the moment a bit.

"How does it look like he's doing, Wells?" Clarke snapped at him angrily.

I wanted to say something sarcastic about how to ease down with the attitude but Clarke said my sarcasm wasn't welcomed at the moment. So I just bit my lip and focused on the soaked plants.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help," Wells tries to calm her down.

Finn and I just gave each other awkward looks, the very high tension was thick in the air between them. Monty was too focused on the wristbands to pay attention.

"Right. You want to help?" I was ready for Clarke to say something hurtful that I would kinda say to someone. "Hold him down."

I looked at Finn and Wells, wondering if I was hearing Clarke right. When I saw their expression, my teeth dig deeper on my bottom lip as I wiped my hands on my pants. Crawling towards Jasper, I placed my hands firmly on his feverish shoulders as Wells and Finn each pinned down Jasper's legs. Clarke then grabbed my knife that was sticking from my boot, sticking it to the small fire that was close by. This wasn't going to pretty at all.

"I'm not gonna like this, am I?" Monty asked us wearily.

"Nope," I sighed as the blade started to heat up.

Once the knife was glowing a bright orange, Clarke took it out of the fire by grabbing the hilt of the knife. I could practically feel the heat from here. Clarke glanced at everyone uncertainly before her eyes stopped on Finn's and I. I don't know why she was looking at us, it was her idea. I glanced at Finn before looking back at Clarke. I gave her a reassuring nod to do it as I tensed my arms.

Next thing I knew, Clarke placed the heated metal against the infected wound. She soon began to cut off the flesh. Straightening my shoulders, I pushed down on Jasper's shoulders as he tried to squirm away, screaming bloody murder.

"Ah!"

"Hold him down!" Clarke order us in panic when Wells almost slipped from his hold.

Gritting my teeth, I pushed down even harder when Jasper tried to arch his back. Tears of pain soon leaked out of his eyes as his screaming got even louder, making me hear a ringing sound from the volume. Clarke concentrated on cutting off the infected wound, making sure not to inflict anymore wounds on him.

"Hold him still!" Clarke grimaced, Monty soon jumping in to help me hold him down. "I need to cut away the infected flesh."

"Really don't want the details," I could help the sarcastic remark that left my lips, shrugging my shoulders when Clarke shot me a glare in my direction.

All of a sudden, the hatch door opened and Octavia's head popped out, looking around in panic at the scene in front of her. Jasper soon went limp, his screaming soon ending as his eyes rolled back to his head. Clarke looked up in panic as I quickly placed my index finger against his pulse point. I sighed in relief when I felt a weak pulse. At least it was something.

"Stop it!" Octavia screeched out, kneeling next to Clarke. "You're killing him!"

"Don't worry," I reassured Clarke's, Octavia's, and Monty's panic looks. "He just passed out from the pain. He's still alive."

"She's trying to save his life," Finn defended Clarke.

"She can't," Bellamy all of sudden appeared out of nowhere, making me groan in annoyance.

Wells shared the same annoyance as he stood up, standing in front of Bellamy as he tried to take look at Jasper.

"Back off," Wells warned Bellamy.

"We didn't drag him through miles of woods just to let him die," Clarke voice cracked a bit, the pressure getting to her.

"Kid's a goner," Bellamy deadpanned her. "If you can't see that, you're deluded. He's making people crazy."

"Hey, can you be a douche, I don't know somewhere not here," I shot him a fake smile. "If my sarcasm isn't needed, so isn't your ass comments."

"Sorry if Jasper's an inconvenience to you, but this isn't the Ark," Clarke sassed at him. "Down here, every life matters."

"Take a look at him," Bellamy told her. "He's a lost cause."

"I am looking at him and I'm saying he's going to survive," I spat at him angrily which he responded with his own glare.

His comments weren't being helpful at the moment, which kinda makes me sound like a hypocrite but its the truth.

"Octavia, I've spent my whole life watching my mother heal people," Clarke turned towards Octavia. "If I say there's hope, there's hope."

"This isn't about hope, it's about guts," Bellamy voice was rough. "You don't have the guts to make the hard choices. I do. He's been like this for three days. If he's not better by tomorrow, I'll kill him myself."

I clenched my jaw at Bellamy's threat.

"Octavia, let's go," Bellamy ordered her as he reached towards the ladder.

"I'm staying here," Octavia didn't look back at her brother as she helped Clarke.

I shot Bellamy a smirk before he climbed down the ladder.

"Power-hungry, self-serving jackass," Monty muttered behind Bellamy's back, making a snort to escape my lips. "He doesn't care about anyone but himself. No offense."

"Yeah," Finn licked his lips. "Bellamy is all that. But he also happens to be right."

"And here, I thought I was the negative one," I drawled out as I finally let go of Jasper. "You want to help, right?"

I directed the question towards Octavia, who nodded her head at me.

"Okay, go grab some bandages or a wet cloth," I told her as I grabbed the bucket that contained the plant. "Clarke, you and I are going to chew on these leaves, spit them out, and spread them around Jasper's wounds."

"Can'y you just squish the leaves into mush?" Finn scrunched up his face.

"No, Anastasia is right," Clarke agreed with me much to my shock. "Our salvia would be more effective if we chew on them."

She nodded her head at me as I handed her half of the leaves for her, leaving the rest to me. Not even thinking twice, I shoved all of the leaves in my mouth. My face twisted a bit from the bitter taste, forcing myself to grind on the plant. When it was all to mush, I cupped my hands over my mouth before spitting it out, Clarke following my actions.

"Sorry bud," I muttered towards Jasper as I placed poultice on his wounds, spreading it with my fingers.

Clarke did the dame thing but mainly towards the infected wound. Once it was all spread nicely, Octavia came back with slightly wet cloths. It was the best that we have so far. Sighing under my breath, I helped Clarke tie them around each poultice so they could work properly.

"Well, what you know?" I joked lightly, when the tensed atmosphere was practically suffocating me. "The gorgeous Doctor Griffin and the sexy nurse delinquent tending to an injured boy. Bet you Jasper is going to have a wet dream about us, Clarke."

I wiggled my eyebrows at Clarke who gave me a look that said 'Now's not the time,' but the twitch at the corner of her lip and the light red on her cheek said a different story. Octavia giggled as the rest of the guys started to chuckle, shifting a bit uncomfortably at the image. This made Octavia laugh even harder, with me joining her.

"You're horrible," Clarke muttered at me as she wiped the sweat off of Jasper's face.

I just smirked in response. I guess my sarcasm and humor was needed after all.

Much to everyones relief, Jasper stopped his groans of pain. For now. I told Clarke that I give it a couple of hours, maybe even a full day until the poultice stopped working on his body. Monty agreed with me about the plant that I picked up is a hybrid, also agreeing with me that it may or may not to be effected for long.

I left after a while when I thought I reach out of my comfort zone of being around people. It was just something I wasn't use to. I was gathering supplies for my hunt such as water and food, sharpening the arrowheads when I noticed they needed to be sharpened. When I was about to leave, I bumped into Finn.

"Don't want any friends, huh?" Was the first thing he told me.

I just rolled my eyes, not wanting to hear this.

"Nope," I popped the 'p'. "Just want to be forever alone."

I stopped when I noticed Clarke looking dejectedly at the dried up poultice that the grounders used on Jasper.

"Sure," Finn hummed as he saw who I was looking at. "C'mon, the key to friendship is to not to fight it."

"What, no!" I argued but it was pointless as Finn dragged us towards Clarke.

Clarke glanced up at us when our height blocked the sun in front of her.

"You're mad," Finn pointed out to her.

"You think?" I smacked Finn upside the head.

"I'm not mad," Clarke sighed out stressfully. "You want to think Jasper's a lost cause, go ahead. You're wrong."

"I hope I am," Finn agreed with Clarke.

"Whatever this stuff is, it has to have had antibiotic properties," Clarke kept observing the plant.

I stayed standing as Finn squatted next to her. I was about to open my mouth to say something, but Wells popped out of no where and squatted next to Clarke who had a sour look on her face everytime Wells was around. Finn and I glanced at each other again, already feeling the awkward tension in the air.

"Before you refuse my help, remember who aced botany in earth skill," Wells grabbed the poultice from Clarke's hands before she could refuse.

"Show-off much," I muttered under my breath but I apparently I said it louder than I meant to because Clarke smiled in amusement, Finn just shook his head, and Wells gave me a glare.

"The grounders used it as a poultice. I'm thinking a tea might be even more effective if we can figure out what it is," Clarke looked at Finn and I, clearly avoiding Wells presence.

I nodded my head at Clarke, agreeing with her.

"Smart," I commented.

"I know what it is," Wells piped up. "Seaweed. Look, no root structure."

I leaned over a bit to get a closer look and realized Wells was right.

"Right," Clarke continued to ignore Wells. "Well, then there must be a water source nearby."

"Yeah, it would have to have a slow current, lots of rocks," Clarke rolled her eyes in anger when Wells started to speak. "The water would probably be more red than green."

I shot Finn a smirk as he sent me a toothy smile. The description that Wells was giving of the area of the plant was exactly what the place we were at yesterday.

"Wait, you know where its at?" Clarke questioned Finn and I.

"We know just the place," Finn smiled.

"We were just there last night, a couple miles from here," I informed them. "I spotted a bunch of them floating on top of the water."

"We did," Finn piped up, emphasizing on we, making me roll my eyes.

"All right," Clarke pushed herself back on her feet. "Let's go."

Finn and Clarke were already walking ahead before Wells shot up on his feet as well, stopping them.

"Hey! I know what this stuff looks like. Do you?"

"I mean, you did just described it and I'm pretty sure Finn and I stated we saw it yesterday," I told him sarcastically.

"What happens if its not there though? I can help locate some more," Wells did give a point.

"He's got a point," Finn told Clarke.

Clarke looked ready to punch Wells before she sighed heavily.

"Lets go, Jasper doesn't have enough time," Clarke gave in.

"Wait, just to warn you guys, you need to watch your step," I jogged in front of them. "Grounders has been laying traps all over the woods. Trust me, you don't want to hang upside down for an hour."

"You're not coming?" Clarke asked me.

I shook my head at them.

"As much as I want to go plant searching, I prefer hunting breathing animals instead," I told her, gripping tightly to the bow in my hands.

"Jasper needs you."

I shook my head again.

"No he doesn't. He needs you and you guys are gonna save him. Because I really, really, want to rub it in Bellamy's face that he was wrong. Besides, you've got an Fabio of a tracker and a persistent, botany know-it-all. Looks like you don't need me."

Clarke pressed her lips together before she nodded her head.

"We'll be back before nightfall," Clarke told me.

"Aye aye, doc," I gave her a mock salute.

She then walked off, with Wells following her like a lost puppy. I looked at Finn with raised eyebrows as I saw him smiling down at me.

"What?"

"Admit, you like us," Finn wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Our badass friendship is happening."

I roughly jabbed him in the ribs, causing him to step away from me in pain.

"Shut the hell up, spacewalker," I told him before shoving him to the ground.

"You're not denying it!" He shouted behind me.

I threw him the middle finger over my shoulder.

"Screw you, Finn!"

"I hate you so much," I mumbled under my breath as I crouched down behind a bush. "You don't even realize the level of hate I have for you."

"Shut it," Bellamy growled next to me.

I just gave him an angry glare.

"Don't tell me what to do!" I hissed quietly. "You brought your little hunting group, who by the way, are making more noise than a herd of bulls, into something I am really good at! You fucking followed me here!"

"Are you done whining?" Bellamy shot me an annoyed look.

I just huffed at him, rolling my eyes as glanced down at the tracks. My anger slowly faded away when I spotted the familiar tracks.

"What is it? A panther?" Bellamy squatted next to me.

"Its a boar," I smirked, taking out the bow and loading it with an arrow.

Not even bothering for them to catch up, I took the lead, barely even hearing my footsteps. I tried to block everything around, imagining myself that it was just only me in the woods. The wind blowing against my face. The calls of the animals. The thrill of the hunt, heart hammering against my chest in anticipation. This is where I belong.

However, my moment was broken when an idiot from Bellamy's little group tripped on his own feet and falling face first to the ground, creating a lot of noise. Birds around us squawked before flying off. I could feel a headache coming along.

"You imbecile," I snapped at him, marching down his fallen body. "Do you want us to starve for a week? You've got to be quiet."

I snapped my head up, glaring at all of them as they cowered from my glare.

"Right now, we are predators. Right now, you don't think like criminals. You think like animals. Think where you place your foot next time. Look around for hints of your new meal. In order for that to happen, you must be quiet, have stealth."

"And how do you know what you are doing?" A brave girl walked up to me, placing her hands on her hips.

I just cocked an eyebrow at her, not believing that she has the guts to stand up to me. I glanced at Bellamy and he just shrugged his shoulders. I chuckled bitterly under my breath, placing the arrow back in the quiver on my back. Faster than anyone can blink, I smacked the bow across her face with so much force, that she was quickly knocked to the ground. I could feel the adrenaline coming along when I saw a trickle of blood on the corner of her mouth.

"Anyone else?" I glared at everyone.

Silence. I just huffed in approval before I glanced back down to the girl I just knock down. Tilting my head to the side, I watched as something that looks like mud plastered against her cheek. Squatting down, I got closer and that's when the smell hit me. It defiantly wasn't mud.

"Well, would you look at that?" I drawled out sarcastically. "You may be useful after all."

Looking down, my eyes followed the tracks. Pushing myself by my knees, I loaded an arrow again and continued to follow the tracks. After a while, I heard the group follow behind me, with Bellamy by my side.

"This is still a bad idea," I muttered to him quietly as we continued to walk down the woods.

He didn't say anything but I could feel his gaze at the side of my head. After about half an hour, did we finally reached our goal. I heard it first before I could see the thing. I could hear its heaving breathing, snorts and little oinks its making. My eyes gleamed with concentration as I finally spotted the boar from yesterday. It was fat and juicy, just like I remembered it.

I quickly lifted my hand up in the air, signaling everyone to be quiet and to stand still. I cringe at every noise they made, like the rustle of leaves or their slightly out of breath panting. Spreading my feet, I lifted my bow up and pulled the string. The feather tickled my cheek as my sharp eyes took aim. Right when I was about to shoot, Bellamy's hot breath tickled my ear as he got closer to me.

"She's mine," he ordered me before he got in front of me, bouncing his metal axe in his hands.

I shot him a very disbelief look, scoffing at his words. I've been hunting this thing since yesterday and now that I finally found it again, Bellamy thinks he can boss me around and take away my kill. When hell freezes over.

"Like hell," I muttered under my breath.

As I watched him reared his arm back, my body went rigid when a twig snapped behind me. Bellamy whirled around and I didn't even flinch as I felt the axe whirl past me, hitting the tree behind me. My eyes widen when I saw the boar tried to scurry off. Before the thing could go, I shot my arrow. I cursed under my breath when my aiming was off when it moved, managing to hit it on the legs.

"Go after it!" I barked at everyone. "It won't manage to get far! Go!"

Everybody quickly sprinted after the injured animal, weapons held tightly in their hands. Whirling around, my hair hitting my face, I was ready to kill the person who scared away MY boar for the second time these two days. I was shocked to see it wasn't one of Bellamy's slaves who did this.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Charlotte?" I hissed incredulously, marching my way towards her.

"You know her?" Bellamy asked me, sounding kinda pissed for missing his shot.

I just ignored his questioned as I crouched down to her level. She was giving me a sheepish look but I could see the fear in her eyes as she stared at the weapon sticking to the tree close to her. The one that Bellamy threw and almost took her head off.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed at her angrily. "You could've been killed! Were you following us?"

"Why aren't you back at camp?" Bellamy questioned her as he wrenched out his axe from the tree.

"Y-You promised me you'll teach me how to fight," Charlotte stuttered out. "And I don't care that you think I'm just a weak kid, I want to learn how to fight."

I bit my lip as I studied Charlotte. Kid got guts.

"There's grounders out here," Atom scolded her. "It's too dangerous for a little girl."

"I'm not little," Charlotte defended herself.

The corner of of my lips twitched up a bit from her words.

"Fine," I spoke up, pushing myself up. "You want me to teach you?"

Charlotte nodded her head.

"Follow me," I motioned her with my head to follow me.

Taking a couple steps forwards, with Charlotte right behind me, we stopped because of Bellamy.

"Wait," he shouted at us.

He walked up to Charlotte who stood close by my side. I watched him with narrowed eyes as he reached down in his pocket before taking out a handmade knife.

"You can't hunt without a knife," Bellamy smiled at Charlotte as she grabbed the weapon in his hands.

"We'll go around you guys, possibly even trap the boar as the rest of you chases after it," I told Bellamy as I dragged Charlotte along with me.

"Who's bossing who now?" I could hear Bellamy's cheeky remark behind my back as Charlotte and I ventured through the woods.

"Hey, you don't faint at the sight of blood, do you?" I asked Charlotte as we walked down the woods.

Her face quickly pales but she put on a brave face as she shook her head weakly. This made me smirk.

"Good, cause your gonna be seeing a lot of it."

I would have never guess that for such a littler person, they could talk their entire heart out that by just hearing Charlotte voice, was driving me insane. She talks even more than Finn and thats saying something. Rubbing my temples to try to ease the headache building up, I whirled around and faced her, stopping her in mid question. Her tiny body slammed against mine before she stumbled back, looking up at me as she held her handmade knife.

"Charlotte," I groaned. "For the love of God, please shut up."

"Sorry," she squeaked out, her face turning read in embarrassment. "I talk a lot when I'm nervous."

I sighed softly, tilting my head to the side as I analyzed her.

"You're nervous to be with me?" My tone was harder than I meant it to be.

She quickly shook her head, making me relax a bit. I don't know why but I didn't want Charlotte to believe what others say about me. Jesus, this kid was turning me soft.

"I-I'm just scared of the grounders," her eyes looked around, as if a grounder would jump out any second after she said those words.

"Don't be," I crossed my arms across my chest. "You can't let fear control you."

"I wish I could be like you," she looked up at me with wide eyes.

I shuffled uncomfortably, biting my bottom lip from her words. That touched my cold heart, feeling kind proud but I quickly stomped on them when I remember who I was. Who Charlotte wants to be. A murder. A killer. A psychopath. A mistake.

"You don't wanna be like me," I told her firmly, turning around and continued on our trail. "Trust me, I'm nothing special."

"But your so fearless, so brave," she panted as she raced to my side, tripping a couple times but she caught herself in time.

"You're mistaken me for someone else," I grunted, bouncing on the balls of my feet. "Now stop talking."

Hurt flashed across her face at my words but she did what I told her to do.

"Now, you came out here because you want me to teach you how to fight?"

She nodded her head as I stopped us, facing her again.

"Hold out your knife," I ordered her.

She raised her knife up and the next thing she knew, I slapped it out of her hands. She gasped out in pain, quickly dropping the knife to the ground as she cradle her wrist. She shot me a look of disbelief as I gave her an unimpressed look.

"Why did you do that for?" She rubbed her wrist.

"You grip was weak," I told her, my face hard. "You need to have a strong grip. Now, pick up your knife."

She looked at me for a moment before she grabbed the knife once again. This time, she had a firm grip on her knife. I crossed my arms across my chest as I circled around her. I shoved her feet apart when they were too close, earning a squeak from her in surprise.

"Feet spread apart. If they are too close, you are gonna fall on your face during a fight. Not too far apart either. Enough where you could move around easily," I informer her as I faced her again.

She soaked in all the information I was giving her, nodding her head despite the nervousness clouding her eyes. I slapped her shoulders before hitting her back.

"Relax your body," I warned her. "Don't be stiff. Let instincts and reflex come natural to you."

Faster than she could blink, I whipped out a knife from my boot before slashing it towards her. I smirked when she jumped back quickly but not before falling on her ass.

"Good," I nodded my head. "But you gotta be quick on your feet. You fall, your vulnerable."

Lifting the knife above my head, I quickly stabbed where Charlotte's shoulder was before she rolled away. The knife dig through the soil as Charlotte scrambled back on her feet. Her hands were shaking as she looked down, spreading her feet apart.

"Your quick," I wrenched the knife out of the ground. "Use that as your advantage. If you're opponent is bigger or stronger than you, then you must be faster than them."

I slashed at her arm, making sure to give her just a small cut but enough for it to bleed. Charlotte cried out in pain, pressing her hand on cut.

"You gotta be agile."

I kicked the knife out of her hands.

"You gotta be smarter than your opponent."

I dropped down, sticking my leg out before hooking behind Charlotte ankles. Tugging forward, Charlotte gave out a groan as her back slammed against the ground roughly. Next thing she knew, I had a knife placed against her throat. I clenched my jaw when I saw a bit of fear in her eyes when she looked at me but I just ignored the hurt. This was for her own good.

"If not," I whispered darkly to her. "You will die."

She gulped, looking down at the knife that was place against her throat. After a moment, I sheathed the knife before standing back up. I held a hand out to her for her to grab and she happily accepted it. I grabbed her arm, examining the cut. Furrowing my eyebrows, I ripped a piece of cloth at the bottom of my shirt before wrapping tightly around her arm.

I ignored the pain looks she gave out as I knotted it very tightly.

"You could be good," I told her, my face stone hard as I looked at her. "But you were too nervous. Too scared to use the knife."

"I don't want to hurt you," she admitted, cradling her arm once she was done, pocketing the knife.

I shook my head.

"Don't be."

I took out her knife from her pocket before placing it in her hands. I looked deep in her eyes.

"This a weapon that is meant to protect. Use it against anything you feel threaten against. Don't think, just do. Don't fear it. Embrace it. Learn from it. Wield it."

She straightened out her shoulders, gripping tightly to the knife as she gave me a nod. I pressed my lips into a thin line, feeling proud at this kid determination.

"C'mon," I ruffled her hair. "I'm gonna show you some berries you should and should not eat."

"Why?"

"Because, if you eat the wrong one, you would be dead in seconds," I snapped my fingers for effects.

I smirked at the scared looked that crossed her face before I pushed her to walk. We wander around the woods like this for a while, showing some useful plants to her as I made sure to remember where we are. After grabbing some important herbs and gathering some nuts, I pointed at Charlotte towards some familiar tracks. I couldn't help the smirk that blossom crossed my face when I recognized it.

"Are those boar tracks?" Charlotte asked me.

"No, look, they are too big," I crouched down, pointing at the muddy tracks towards her. "These are more of a 'U' shape while a boar tracks point more."

"Then what is it?"

"A friend," I smirked at her confusion.

Dragging her deeper in the woods, my excitement continue to grow by each step as we followed the tracks. That's when I saw him. There was Apollo, with all of his glory as he was eating some sort of fallen fruit.

"That's a big animal," Charlotte breathed out in astonishment.

"Just wait until you ride it," I smirked.

I grabbed Charlotte by the arm and before she could protest, I dragged her towards the white stallion.

"Wait, wait, wait," Charlotte panicked but I didn't budge.

"Relax," I reassured her, a bit annoyed. "Its friendly."

Turning back to the horse, I clicked my tongue before giving out a high pitch whistle.

"Apollo," I breathed out in amazement, my body already shaking with adrenaline as I imagined racing through the forest again.

I watched with a smirk as the horse lifted its huge head, giving out a grunt as he looked in our direction. He neighed when he quickly spotted me. I felt Charlotte hide behind me as I held out a juicy apple towards Apollo. I smiled as I watched him trot towards me until its gigantic figure was standing right in front of me, blocking the sun. His big teeth quickly chomped on the apple, eating right out of the palm of my hand.

As it chewed the remains of the fruit, I excitedly ran my fingers through its mane, feeling its powerful muscles under my fingertips. I laughed when its tailed swished in happiness, nudging his head with mine gently.

"I missed you too big guy," I wrapped my arms around its thick neck, hugging him tightly.

Letting go, I looked aver at my shoulder at Charlotte before I motioned at her to pet Apollo. She quickly shook her head, taking a step back. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed her hand before I guided it towards Apollo. I felt Charlotte stiffen when Apollo gave out an uneasy neigh, stomping a hoof to the ground when he spotted Charlotte about to touch him.

"Easy there stud," I warned him. "She's not going to hurt you."

Apollo still looked unsure but he trusted me as I placed Charlotte's hand on his mane. I then guided her how to pet him until I spotted a ear splitting grin spreading across her face.

"How did you find him?" Charlotte breathed out as she stared at Apollo in awe.

Apollo, enjoying the attention, puffed out his chest proudly. I just shook my head, chuckling underneath my breath.

"I didn't," I answered her. "He found me."

As if understanding me, Apollo nudged his head with my shoulder. His big eyes looked into mine and an instant connection was made between us. I couldn't explain it.

"You said he's fast?" Charlotte asked me.

"Like a bullet," I stated proudly as petted his head.

Apollo neighed in agreement.

"Ca-Can I...?" She trailed off in doubt.

"Wanna go for a ride?"

She nodded her head in excitement. I looked at Apollo.

"What do you say bud, ready for another race?"

But Apollo wasn't looking at us. He was looking at something behind us. When I felt the hairs at the back of my neck stand up, I knew something bad was going to happen. Not even thinking twice, I tackled Charlotte to the ground as I felt something fly past me.

Hearing Apollo neighing in anger, I whipped my head up, looking wide eyed at the spear that was sticking at the exact same spot I was previously standing on.

"Grounders," I growled out in annoyance.

Hearing fast footsteps racing towards us, I quickly scooped Charlotte in my arms before placing her on top of Apollo. Quickly jumping up, throwing my leg on the other side as Charlotte pressed her back to me, I gripped Apollo's mane before kicking his sides. We were off before the Grounders could reach us.

Gripping tightly to Charlotte to make sure she wouldn't fall off, I looked over my shoulder, shaking my hair out my line of vision as I looked behind me. I cursed under my breath when I spotted them in horses as well. Where the hell did they come from? They were three of them, each on a horse. I ignored the shiver that want to slither down my spine when I noticed the deformed looks on the horses, as if the radiation effected them. Their horses were different than Apollo. The Grounders horses has marking all over the horses while Apollo didn't have a speck of brand on him.

I bit my lip, my brain quickly trying to work to form a plan before it finally hit me.

"C'mon buddy, let's show them how fast you really are!" I shouted at the white horse, squeezing my legs tighter around its body.

Apollo snorted, shaking its head before a burst of new energy hit him. The white horse picked up the speed, the trees blurring past us as the wind roared behind my ears, the wind blowing my hair back. I leaned forward, grabbing his mane gently in my hands. Looking around, I quickly turned us to a sharp turn. I ignored the Grounders chasing behind us, my eyes glancing at the now familiar trees. When my sharp eyes finally caught something ahead of me, I leaned as much as I could forwards so Apollo could hear me.

"Jump," I ordered Apollo firmly.

I felt silly talking to an animal, as if he could understand each word that I was saying. But like I said before, the horse and I have this connection that I can't describe. I just know that Apollo could understand what I was telling him. Well, I was hoping so or my plan could possibly kill Charlotte and I.

I smirked when I felt Apollo lift his entire body with our weight, his powerful hind legs pushing us up in the air. Leaping over, I braced Charlotte and I as Apollo skillfully landed back on the ground with such grace, that I was kinda jealous. Whipping my head behind me, my smirk widen when I saw the leading Grounder fall for my trap.

Right in the small area that Apollo leaped over and avoided, was a trap that Grounder's built up. If anyone took a step to the false floor, they will fall into a hole full of sharp sticks that will immediately kill someone. The horse just tripped but the Grounder fell right into the hole. By his screams of pain, I knew my planned worked.

My grip tightening on Apollo's mane, I quickly let go as I held myself up by clenching my thighs together tightly. Taking out the bow, I reached behind me and grasped an arrow. Blocking out how my body was jumping from Apollo racing down the woods, I pulled the arrow back with the string, taking in a deep breath. Taking aim, I exhaled slowly before letting go. The arrow soared through the air before cutting a trip wire that people wouldn't be able to see if they didn't have sharp eyes, like me.

Grabbing Apollo's mane with one hand, I gently tugged it to the left.

"Turn," I urgently told him as I pushed Charlotte and I down, just in case.

I thanked anyone who could hear me, for Apollo's fast reflexes as he took a sharp turn to the left. We barely missed a spear being launched at the spot we were just at, hitting one of the Grounder's horse dead on its deformed head. The horse instantly died, crumpling to the ground, the Grounder going airborne in the air before his body landed harshly to the ground. I winced when my ears picked up a loud Crack and I then noticed his neck twisted in odd angle.

Two down, one more to go, I sighed in my head as the last Grounder continued to chase us down the woods. Unfortunately, this one was smarter than the rest of his friends. Every trap I lured him in, he would dodge it with ease. It was pissing me off.

"What now?" Charlotte asked me in despair, her cheeks stained with tears in fear.

I bit my lip, hating the idea that I planned. It was stupid and reckless, something that describes me perfectly.

"This," before I could talk myself out of it, I turned around, braced myself before I rolled off of Apollo's back.

The world went upside down as I braced my shoulder for the impact, pushing my body forward to roll before I stopped myself. I bit down the groan that wanted to escape my lips as I could already feel the bruises appearing all over my body but the adrenaline was helping me ignore it. Kneeling on one knee, I quickly aimed at the last Grounder with an arrow, ignoring my body aching and Charlotte screaming my name.

The sting of my fingers hit me once I released the arrow, watching it hit the horse dead in one of its leg. I stared as the horse tripped, neighing in pain before its large body impacted on the earth ground. Just like as I anticipated, the Grounder managed to tumble off before he could have fallen like his horse. Boy, did they looked pissed as he took out this very lethal sword that could easily cut my body in half.

Slinging the bow across my chest, I jumped back onto my feet. Pivoting, I pumped my arms up as I pushed my long legs forwards. Feet slamming against the soil, I didn't need to look behind me to know that the last Grounder is chasing me. I just killed two of his people. He would want revenge on me by killing me and the only way to do that was to chase and capture me. And I'm going to give him the chase of his life as I embraced the speed I was going.

I felt like I was flying as I jumped over a fallen tree with ease, practically feeling the Grounder behind me struggling to keep up with my speed. But I knew my body couldn't last this long as I could already feel this burning pain stabbing me against my side, my legs already aching as sweat rolled down my face. My body was weak as it burned the last energy that it has stored inside of me.

Breaths coming out heavier with each step, I pushed myself faster as I could see I was close to my destination. Pretending that I was tiring out, which wasn't difficult, I let the Grounder behind me think that they had the chance to capture me. When I felt his fingers ghostly hovering behind my back, I screamed out as I jumped forward, my body rolling harshly on the rough ground.

My body begging me to rest, I gulped fresh air in my lungs as my ears perked when I heard a quiet Snap followed by a surprised Yelp. I couldn't help the strings of chuckles that escaped my lips, placing my weight on my elbows as I glanced up. My laughter grew louder as I watched the angry Grounder thrash around inside a net, being trapped high up in the air, his sword laying perfectly in front of me.

"No way," I shakily pushed myself back on my feet. "I can't believe that work."

The Grounder just yelled at me angrily, talking in the same language that their people talk in. The one that I never heard of. Grimacing as the adrenaline slowly started to fade away, making the pain hit me even harder but it was nothing that I couldn't handle. I've dealt with worse. Fixing the bow and quiver, I reached down and grasped the sword that was laying on the ground. The Grounder words became even angrier as I held it up by the handle, examining it in the light.

Still holding to the sword, I turned around when I heard hooves behind me. I smirked when I spotted the white horse and the kid riding it. Charlotte was staring with a shocked look at me then at the Grounder that was trapped in the net up in the trees.

"Whoa," she breathed out as Apollo stopped in front of me. "Can you teach me how to do that?"

"No," I told her bluntly, stretching my back a bit as I dropped the sword to me side.

"How did you know there was traps around the woods?"

Still a bit winded out, I tapped my temple with the side of my head.

"It's good to know your surroundings," I told her. "Remember, you gotta be smarter than your attacker."

She nodded her head, remembering the words that I told her before.

"What are we gonna do with the Grounder?"

I tilted my head back, my eyes narrowed as I finally took a good look at the Grounder. I took a double take when I noticed that the Grounder wasn't actually a male, but in fact a female. A very pretty girl, to be exact. Her small figure, curves, and of course her breasts made it pretty obvious that she was a woman, looking to be about my age. If not, a bit older. Her perfectly tanned skin was smeared with sweat and dirt. She was clearly fit.

She wore dark, tight pants that had tears in them here and there, with a black long sleeve shirt with metal and leather strapped onto her. A empty sword holster was strapped on her back and I start to question myself of the possibility of her having another weapon hidden in her. Black, muddy, worned out boots were adorned on her feet.

I'm not going to lie, this Grounder is gorgeous. She has these plump, pink lips that were pulled back into a snarl, showing off pearly white teeth. Round, cheekbones that would make any girl jealous of. Her long brown hair was done in this sort of complicated braid, that made it look like she was some sort of royalty. But her best features were her eyes. They were a startling green, with flecks of gold in them from what I can tell from my spot. They were without a doubt, the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen if they weren't settled into a heated glare in my direction.

I quickly snapped out of it when I realized I was practically checking her out, when she was literally about to kill me not a second ago.

"I-," I didn't get to finish my sentence.

A loud horn bellowed into the forest, rattling my bones with a horrible feeling settling in the pit of my stomach. I twisted my head around, my eyes darting across from every direction as I prepared myself for an attack. Finally, the sound of the horn ended, leaving the woods to go silent. That was never a good sign.

"Wh-What was that?" Charlotte asked me fearfully.

"Something not good," I muttered to her, not relaxing as I gripped tightly to the sword in my hand.

I quickly glanced at the female Grounder in the net and noticed how she was now frantically trying to get free. By her reaction, I knew I should be scared for what was coming. I jumped a bit in the air when a flock of screeching birds flew over our heads, flying away from something with such frantic state. Charlotte looked at me with fear in her eyes.

That's when I finally saw it, what was making everything go crazy. This ugly, yellow color like fog was rolling towards in our direction. It just appeared out of no where. It smelled horribly. It reeked of sulfur and other chemicals that made my eyes burn. Taking a step closer to Apollo and Charlotte, my jaw dropped when I saw a poor bird that was flying too slow to get away from the mysterious fog. Soon, the mist engulfed the bird. It gave out a agonizing screech before it just dropped to the ground, not moving at all.

Right there, I knew we had to get out of here.

"There's a cave a couple of miles from here," I panted towards Charlotte as I guided her hands to grab Apollo's mane. "Get inside and don't come out until I come for you."

"What about you?" She asked me with wide eyes.

I didn't respond to her. Instead, I glanced up at the trees and stared at the Grounder up at the trees. I couldn't just let her die. I could use her and get information from her. We could get information on what we are actually dealing with, their strengths, their weakness, everything about them. Even if I have to kill her to get the answers from her. I can't let this opportunity go to waste.

I looked back at Charlotte with hard eyes.

"Don't let fear control you," I reminded her before I slapped Apollo's behind.

Apollo jumped in surprise, giving out a slight neigh but he understood what I was telling him to do. Take Charlotte to safety. Without hesitation, Apollo nudged his head with my own before he sprinted down the woods.

Exhaling, I didn't waste anymore time as I dropped the sword and replaced my hands with the bow. Loading an arrow, I pulled it back before I let it soar through the air. The arrowhead cut clean through the rope holding up the net. The Grounder dropped to the ground in an instant. Slinging the bow across my chest, I snatched the sword back in my hands before sprinting towards the fallen Grounder.

I helped her untangle herself from the net before I threw one of her arms over my shoulders when I noticed she was clutching her ankle. She probably sprained it during her fall. Great, just what we needed. Ignoring the heated toned words being thrown at me, I quickly carried her through the woods as the acid fog continued to make our way.

"Nau osir laik both gonna die, yu idiot," the Grounder growled at me.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, your gonna kill me, blah, blah, blah, your gonna skin me alive," I told her sarcastically as I picked up our pace. "Can we have this conversation another time?"

Of course, I knew my luck would run out at the worst time possible. I would have never guessed that I would die from a poisonous gas. I always visioned my death to be in a theatrical way, like an explosion or giving everybody the middle finger before I get floated. The Grounder accidentally applied pressure on her injured foot and she cried out in pain. Next thing I knew, she was crashing to the ground, bringing me down with her.

I winced as I landed on my elbows, hitting something metal to absorb the impact. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Metal?

Fumbling through my hands, I quickly scraped off the dead leaves, twigs, and soil from the ground. Not caring that I have mud caked under my nails, I breathed out in relief when I saw a metal hatch door underneath me. I quickly began to dig more. The Grounder didn't even noticed what I discovered as she stared fearlessly at the fog that was dangerously too close to us.

"Ai gonplei ste odon," I heard her mutter to herself.

Not even caring what she just said, I gave out a grunt as I turned the small wheel, my fingers slipping a couple of times cause they were slicked with soil. I started to cough violently when I can taste the chemicals crawling down my mouth, burning my throat. Eyes burning, I threw the hatch open.

Grabbing the Grounder behind her shirt, I caught her by surprise as I dragged her towards the hatch. Not even thinking, I threw her inside. Feeling my skin blistering and turning an ugly red as if I caught an nasty rash, I threw my body inside the hatch, the sword clutching tightly in my hands. Coughing, I quickly closed the hatch door above me, sealing it tight as I balanced my body on the ladder.

I sighed in relief, inhaling fresh air as I leaned my fevered forehead against the cool metal of the ladder. I then proceeded to climb down the ladder, my boots landing on metal floors. Everything was engulfed in darkness. Still holding onto the sword, I reached for a flashlight that I stored in my satchel. Raising it above my head, I turned it on. I blinked my eyes a bit as a bright, white light streamed in front of me, letting me see dust particles.

I turned the light around, analyzing where I was at. It looked like some sort of bunker. I pressed my lips into a thin line, the bunker oddly feeling like I was back at the Ark. I didn't like that. It looked like nobody was here for ages as everything seemed untouched. The tables, couch, shelves, and bunk beds were covered in a thin layer of dust.

Turning my head to the side, I spotted cans of food that were most likely expired, an electric stove, lamps, plates, clothes, hell their was even a bathroom in here. My gaze however settled on the stacks of books that were placed neatly in the shelves, feeling like I just found a treasure filled with gold.

Before I could take a step forward to eagerly grab a book, the hairs at the back of my neck stood up as I felt someone behind me. That's when I remember too late that I wasn't by myself down here. Gripping tightly to the sword, I whirled around, ready to use the weapon. But I never had a chance as I felt something hard and cold slamming against the side of my head.

Hearing the distinct sound of glass shattering, and the trickle of warm liquid going down the back of my head, my vision went blurry. There was a slight ringing sound traveling through my ears. Feeling the world turning, I dropped to my knees as dizziness hit me. The sword felt too heavy in my hands so I had no choice but to let it go, the metal clanging against the floor, echoing in the bunker. Blinking back the black dots from my vision, I glared weakly at the figure hovering above me.

"Bitch," I growled feebly.

I watched her rear a fist back before punching me square in the face. My body went limp and then, everything went black.

Follow, comment on what you think, and vote for this chapter plz. On the next 50 votes will I publish the next chapter.