First, of all sorry for this chapter being a month late but in my defence, I have been busy. Also sorry for any mistakes in this chapter. it's kind of rushed. I will be going back over it in the next few weeks to properly spellcheck it. Anyways hope you enjoy it. Just four more chapters remain until this story ends. be prepared. that's all I will say.
The wind whipped at her face as Clarke raced after Anubis the distance sound of gunshots and war cries dying down. Vaguely she can hear the distant sound of horseshoes racing after her. Dusk storms after Anubis weaving through the dense forest trying to keep up with her wolf friend who is gaining more and more space ahead of them. A wolf can move through the forest far quicker than a horse can. With each gallop, Clarke can feel Dusk's muscles being pushed to the brink but she refuses to slow down. To lose sight of her smaller four-legged friend.
When the sight of a drop in the landscape appears in her view Anubis stands at the top of the embankment crouching down stalking the scene in front of him. The distant sound of screaming and swords clashing alert Clarke to the danger up ahead. Not stopping she pushes Dusk into the combat. Anubis following right behind her.
Around twenty feet in front of them is a group of floukru members who seem to be fighting on their last leg. Azegda warriors surround them. As she approaches, she leaps of Dusk who runs straight through the battlefield causing Azegda warriors to break up their attacks to doge the charging horse. Taking advantage of their shock Clarke wastes no time in sinking her sword into the closet warrior. Blood gushes from the new found hole in his chest. Pulling out two of her throwing knives she flicks two through the air taking out two ice nation warriors who were closing in on a down member of floukru.
Anubis wastes no time sinking his teeth into a female warrior trying to attack Clarke from behind. Her scream ring out louder than the battle around them but Clarke pushes past that focusing on her next target. Ducking under his swing she slice up his exposed stomach moving on leaving him to bleed out.
She parries the next warrior's attack and the two of them begin the dance of survival. Each step is carefully organised in order to keep them safe. Blades twirl in the air clanging off of each other. They could have been fighting for seconds or minutes. Who knows. In combat like this time just evaporates. Nothing else matters but what is happening in that single moment.
Sensing someone approaching from behind Clarke twists just in time to dodge the aimed attack to her back swinging her blade perfectly to catch the enemies throat. Another one dead she once again turns her attention back to her first friend who at seeing their clan warrior falls lets out a roar of anger. Their attacks filled with more rage and power then skill. Their battle dance turns into more of a frenzy.
Their anger clouds their judgement which allows Clarke to fake left. As the enemy follows her movement moving to attacker her she easily disarms them pushing her blade through their chest.
Breathing heavily Clarke scans the battle ground looking for her next kill. However, before she could zone in on one specific person gunshots start to ring around her and arrows pierce the chest of the rest of the ice nation warriors. When everyone from Azegda has fallen Clarke turns to see Anya and Riley standing on top of the hill she had just raced down. Riely holding his smoking gun and Anya with her bow in hand.
"The backup has arrived." Riley beams lowering his gun while Anya rolls her eyes at his childish gloating.
"Ste en klir."Anya ignores Riley focusing on the clump of people wearing the colours of Floukru.
"Sha mochof." A deep and familiar voice answers.
Snapping towards the sound of the speaker Clarke's eyes meet Denlano's. His short blonde hair is filthy that you couldn't even tell he was a blonde. Dirt and blood cover him from head to toe as he leans heavily on his left leg holding his shoulder. "Delano." Clarke breaths out in relief.
"Klark." He says back equally relieved to see her. "We weren't sure if you has survived the initial assault."
Clarke just laughs shaking her head. "Me. You're the one we thought had perished when the villages fell." She moves forward pulling him into a tight hug. "Where have you been all this time."
The leader of Lotade pulls back from the hug wincing slightly when he moves his shoulder. "When Lotade was attacked many of us were able to flee into the woods while the ice nation warriors were too busy burning down our home." His justified anger peaks through in his voice. But in all honestly, he sounds more tired than angry. A feeling Clarke can relate to on some level. "From there we've just been trying o stay alive. We know these lands better then anyone else and have used that to our advantage. But times have been tough."
Clarke nods in agreement. "I can't even imagine what you and the rest of your people have endured." Staying alive out in the wild is vastly different then being trapped in Delphnea. There was a strange sense of safety back in their capital. Their walls forming a protective barrier cutting them off from an all out war. Raid and attacks trying to breach the city were always cut short. But with each attack, they started losing more and more people as resources became harder and harder to come by. Azegda knew all they had to do was wait for them. The last standing village of Floukru would either crumble from within or they would of out in one last attack in the hopes of taking as many ice nation warrior's with them. All they had to do was wait.
Delano asks the question he seems almost too afraid to hear the answer to. "Did anywhere else make it."
Clarke sends him a mournful look. Her voice matching the mood of the conversation. "The Rigg was taken out first. Burnt to the ground. Lotade was completely destroyed in the first attack. Milwak was wiped out on the first night. No survivors made it as far as I know. Baltic held better with most of its people managing to escape back to Delphnea but it fell as well."
She remembers riding with Dusk on the outskirts of the tower when she was first heading towards Polis. It's one thing to hear that a place you once called home was gone. It's another to see the ruins. The black scorch marks replaced the place she and her friends would drink and hang out. To see the rotting bodies off your people left out for animals to snack on. Azegda refused to burn the bodies deeming the people to be forever trapped. A fate worse than death to many grounders from all the clans.
What Azegda have done here is truly vile. A monstrosity. For what. So, Nia can feel powerful. It's sick and a complete and utter waste of life. Then again isn't all war.
"But Delphnea still stands," Delano asks hope creeping into his voice. Other members of floukru look towards Clarke with the same hope reigniting within them. Maybe their clan isn't completely gone.
Channelling her inner leader Clarke addresses the masses. "Delphnea has survived these past months under siege from Azegda. Luna kom Floukru has been leading the resistance since then and has kept Azegda at bay. Luna sent me out a week ago in order to bring aid to our clan. And I have. Heda Lexa has called upon the eleven clans and is bringing warriors to fight back Azegda before leading her people into their territory in order to bring justice for all that Nia has done and still aims to do. Floukru has not fallen."
The wandering members clap and cheer. For the first time in months, they have hope. And that means more to them and to Clarke than anything else.
Anya tells Clarke she is going to head back and check on the rest of the army to see how they fared with their own attack. Clarke agrees saying she will escort the remaining survivors to Blatic. The closet village and they can regroup there as many of the people here are wounded and need aid. No doubt the same can be said for the rest of the army. Riley agrees to stay to help protect the members of floukru which Clarke is grateful for.
He sends her a small comforting smile. Seeing the wreckage up close is going to be hard for everyone. She just Pray's that when she gets back to Delphnea she won't be met with the same sight.
"This is a horrible plan sister," Wells states sitting against one of the many trees that surround them. Luna stands next to him leaning on the same tree with a look of concern on her face while Wells looks on with a giddy grin waiting for this plan to fail.
Clarke scoffs at hearing Wells disbelief in her. "Please we've done worse plans and still succeed."
Wells raises an eyebrow at her response. "For someone as smart as you your logic on this situation is terrifying."
Clarke lets out a small chuckle waving him off. It Luna who looks between members of skaikru in wonder. Not the magical kind but the kind where you wonder how in the hell have, they survived this long.
"Please the worst plan we ever made was when we tried to sneak in and see Eliza for her birthday even though she was under quarantine when we were twelve." Clarke shoots backing remembering her fond memories back on the ark with her best friends.
"That was all your idea," Wells argues.
Outrages at her accusation Clarke spins around careful not to trip other the three wolf pups climbing all over her feet. "That's a lie, you bastard. It was your idea to sneak in. I was just the one to make it possible."
"That's not what our parents believed." He sing songs joyfully and smugly. If a glare could kill Wells would be five feet under right about now.
Luna breaks up the fight before it can start. "The more I learn about the two of you the more worried become."
Wells and Clarke share an amused look before both saying at the same time. "You should be." Luna just rolls her eyes at what the two of them call sibling telepathy. Whatever that means. Sometimes she wonders why she spends so much of her free time with these two. Then she takes one glance at Clarke who is on her knees talking with the wolf putting who are all sitting down tails wagging taking in every word she says as if they understand what she's saying and she smiles to herself knowing full well why she outs up with their crazy and unusual ways so often.
Clarke holds out a red and orange leaf and waves it in front of the wolf pups who follow the hypnotising movements with their eyes. "Now when I let this leaf go you." She points to the male wolf. "Will leap and try at catch it in your mouth mid air." She faces the two female wolves. "You two will have to wait your turn."
Clarke continues to give them instructions while Luna sits down next to Wells watching in fascination. The wolf pups yip eager to do as they are told. Clarke releases the leaf and the blue roan (according to Wells) wolf eyes zone on the floating leaf pouncing in the air teeth gleaming towards the unsuspecting leaf. The first jump fails as the wolf pup could jump high enough. Clarke gently strokes his head praising his effort before trying again. His sibling let out their own barks of encouragement.
"I'm not sure which is most unbelievable," Wells says quietly to Luna so Clarke can't hear. "The fact that Clarke is training wolves to hunt by having them catching leaves. Or the fact that the wolves seem to understand exactly what she is saying."
The prospect of wolves beginning able to understand them is a strange phenomenon that hasn't really been heard of before. Wells told her about how humans domesticated dogs but even Luna can't believe that they were trained to understand more than simple commands. The level of understanding between Clarke and these wolves is almost mystical. Luna theorised that maybe it was an aspect of being Wanheda. Either that of Clarke is just naturally gifted with animals.
"Your sister seems to defy everyone expectations," Luna remarks with a loving smile her eyes trained on Clarke who is cheering and hugging the young dark wolf who caught his first leaf.
She can feel Wells eyes boring into her. "You know I like you, Luna." His statement takes her off guard for a moment. Where is this coming from. Unsure, where this is going Luna, nods her head. Her relationship with Wells has grown significantly since he and Clarke both became members of her clan. Also, as Clarke's brother in name the three of them tend to spend a lot of time together. He lets out a deep sigh his eye flicking back to Clarke. "I may like you, Luna. I may respect you. But..." He lets his words hang in the air turning back to face her his face turning to steel. The last time Wells had looked at her like this was when he first stumbled upon Luna saving Clarke but him thinking she tried to harm his sister. "If you harm my sister in any way, make no mistake. I will kill you and bury your body somewhere where nobody will ever find you. Understand."
"I understand." She agrees. And she does. Clarke has been through so much already and she refuses to be another name added to the list of people who have hurt Clarke. Who has pushed her past her breaking point without a second thought to her own wellbeing. "I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure she is never hurt as she was before."
Wells's face softens as he nods. "I know you will. I do trust you with her. Far more than her ex's."
"Even Alex," Luna asks unable to stop herself. She's heard a lot about Wells and Clarke's old friendship group. Riley Alex and Eliza. From what she can understand Clarke and Alex were together for a while before breaking it off but remained very close friends.
Luna chastises herself for feeling jealous about a girl who was killed trying to return to earth as far as they are aware. Even after she and Derrick ended their relationship, they have still maintained a working relationship. She has no right to ask. Does she. Skafa does she even want an answer to that.
Yet here she is eagerly waiting to hear what Wells says.
"In a way yes." He replies thinking over his words carefully. "She and Alex were a good couple. They pushed each other to be better and were happy together. However, it was different. On the Ark Clarke was a very different person. Yeah, she and Alex worked but Clarke could also be perfectly fine without her. On the ground it's different. Clarke has had to endure so much in so little time. She barely had any time to deal with her own emotions because she had to deal with everyone else's or they would verbally assault her. They broke her. The ground shattered her." He looks back at Luna. "You were the one to bring her back. The one who made her smile and laugh again. She needs someone who can understand her pain. Alex couldn't be that. They would be good friends but they wouldn't be a couple again. She loves you, Luna. So yes, I trust you more with her then Alex. Then Finn. Then Lexa with the others who we will not name. I trust you with her because you make her happy."
Four howls fill the air as their heads snap back to Clarke and the wolf pups who are letting out ear pricing howls. Clarke has come a long way since Luna found her lying on that beach. She promises herself that she will do whatever it takes to keep that smile on Clarke's face shining bright. She and Wells make a silent promise to each other. They won't let her go back into that darkness again. Not without a fight. And even if she does. They will drag her back out kicking and screaming if they must.
Clarke comes running over the pups stumbling after her as she throws herself to the ground allowing them to climb all over her. "We need to name them."
"Oh really. What's wrong with just pointing and saying you." Wells jokes picking the black and tan pup up who whines at the beginning taken away from Clarke but settles once Wells rubs her belly.
"Everything," Clarke replies sitting up the blue roan one scrambling to her lap and Luna picks up the last dark coated one. "We should all pick a name."
"And what would you call your little furball," Wells asks with an excited tint to his voice. Sky people seemed to get easily excited by small things on the ground Luna has come to realise.
Clarke in turn picks up the wolf holding him up in front of her so the two of them are facing. "Anubis. I'm going to call him Anubis." Anubis lets out a gleeful yip at his new name showering Clarke in wolf kisses.
The two women sat on opposite sides of the table in silence. Luna lost in her own mind eyes glued to the cup of water Clarke placed in front of her at some point. She doesn't dare to look up. Doesn't dare to meet Clarke's gaze after what just happened. What she just did to the one she claims to love. The scratching sting on her jawline is already too much of a reminder of what took place. She couldn't bear to see the marks she left on Clarke skin as repayment.
Clarke watches Luna wanting to reach out and comfort her but understanding more than anyone that she needs time to process what just happened. She moves her hands around forming fists or rolling them over each other. Anything to stop them from moving to touch the sore bruising that is now no doubt forming along her neck. She's already stopped her nose from bleeding but the bruising around it will take a few days to fade as well.
The silence drags on with neither woman sure on what to do next. Clarke debates trying to talk to her but the hoarseness's of her voice would only increase her own guilt. So, the two just still there stewing in their own minds.
Glancing out the window Clarke notices the darkness is still consuming the night sky. It can't be any later then two in the morning. It normally starts to get lighter around four during the summer months. She looks down at her father's watch where the hands stay frozen on ten past ten. It stopped working a long time ago. Now it's just a reminder of her old life. Of a simpler and happier time.
A time where Wells Eliza and Riley would poke fun at her and Alex about their relationship. Where she would follow her mom around the med clinic desperate to learn everything she can and become a doctor herself. Her dad would pretend to be hurt that Clarke didn't sure any interest in his line of working which would just make her mom send him a smug look filled with pride and happiness that her daughter if following in her footsteps. Where she and Callie would curl up in blankets on the sofa and watch from coms and make fun of the characters and the plot of the film but secretly love every second of it. There may have watched the Twilight far more times than is healthy.
Everything was simpler back then. Before the ground and the wars. Before the death and violence spilt into her and opened a part of her that she wished she never knew existed. The part of her that could kill so many people without a second thought. A part of her that seems to be sleeping below the surface resting for the moment Clarke will need it again. A time where Clarke will once again become the monster that haunts her dreams. The person who committed genocide. The one she tried to lose in those woods with Wells.
No matter what she does that side will always be a part of her. The part that will do anything in order to survive. In order to protect her people. The same side that lives within Luna. Who like her battles the darkness that has taken a hold of her. Who fights against the nature she was brought up in order to find peace within herself and help others battle their own demons. They can suppress that part of them as much as they like but there will always be times when the cage, they built around it crumbles. Where the darkness can escape and latch onto others. Which can influence them even if they aren't aware.
When Luna is sleeping peacefully one moment and the next thing she's been attacked and springs into action fighting off her would be killer. Striking them in the nose to disable them and force them back on to the bed. Unable to defend themselves from her next attack Luna surges forward wrapping her hands around her enemies' neck and begins to squeeze the life out of them. She does all this while trapped between the reality of the situation and the imaginary. It was only when she felt the pain of being scratched on her neck that reality really came back into focus.
Horror takes over as Luna snaps out of her own mind realising nobody is trying to kill her. That the person she is choking and who is fighting against her unrelenting grip is Clarke.
Instantly Luna throws herself back falling off the bed in her mad dash to get away from Clarke. To stop herself from harming her anymore then she meant to. Loud painful wheezes fill the room as Clarke gasped in the air she was deprived of as Luna understands what just happened. "I'm sorry. "I'm so sorry." She mutters on repeat over and over again as she makes her way on shaky feet to leave the room unable to stand been around Clarke.
She had promised to love and protect her. And then she almost killed her in her sleep. Terror of what could have happened fills her and she sinks into the chair in the kitchen. Disgust at herself is a close second, she still can't quite believe what she had done. She feels trapped in her own mind as the scene of seeing the fear and pain in Clarke's eyes plays on repeat in front of her. The way blood poured from her nose and how her throat twitched desperate to find a way to breathe in any air.
She's so lost in her own personal hell that she doesn't notice Clarke re-enters the room clean of blood until the glass of water is gently set down in front of her. Even then she doesn't react. Because what can you really say after what just happened. How can she even look Clarke in the eye after what she just did.
Unable to break herself to break the silence the two bask in the silence. One might call it the call after the storm. The part where you look around and see just how fucked everything has become in just a matter of moments.
Neither woman is aware of how long has passed before Clarke swallows thickly wincing at the sudden pain of her action before opening her mouth to start the much needed conversation. "I don't blame you, Luna." Her voice breaks as she talks. Whether that was due to the bruising or the raw emotions she felt she can't know for sure. Luna refuses to meet her eye instead sinks more into herself. "It wasn't your fault." She tries to say more forcefully but her throat can't work with her. Instead, she croaks it out.
"Then who's fault was it." Luna snaps back her voice holding no anger but sorrow. Her eyes glare holes into the table as tears start to stream down her face. "I could have killed you, Clarke. And that would have been more my fault. I attacked you. I hurt you... I wanted to kill you." She admits her hands moving to warp around her head as she hangs it in defeat. "I tried to kill you." She whispers to herself but still loud enough for Clarke to pick up.
Now Clarke's no expert in the matters of the mind. But the one thing she does know is that Luna would never internally hurt her. It's a fact that holds the same value as someone saying the sky is blue or that the earth is a sphere. "No, you didn't. You saved me." Luna scoffs at hearing this. "What happened was horrific and terrifying. I'm not going to deny that. But Luna when that happened that wasn't you. You weren't in control. What was you Luna was you throwing yourself as far away from as you could in order to protect me. It wasn't your fault."
Having her own experience with dreams Clarke can understand what happened. There have been many times she's woken up thinking she was someone else around here. That she was somewhere else or something else was happening. She experienced too much violence and suffering not to have it ingrained into her mind. At the start, Wells would try to wake her up and she would struggle and scream against him thinking he was a grounder trying to slit her throat. Or a mountain man who comes back for revenge.
The mind can be your greatest asset or your worst enemy. Trauma affects it more then we can ever really begin to understand. So can she really blame Luna for attacking her. No. Not really. Because I that moment it wasn't Luna who was hurting her. It was someone else. Someone who was afraid and desperate.
What happened, happened. They can't take it back. The only thing they can do is try to move forward. They are a team and together they will make their way through this. It may take some time for either of them to get back to where they were. They might never be the same again. But all they can do is try.
Luna won't trust herself to sleep around Clarke due to fear of losing control again. And Clarke won't just be able to sleep next to Luna straight away without remembering what happened. Remembering that fear and hopelessness she felt in that moment. It will take time. But they are worth all the time in the world to each other.
"I know you two were born from the sky. But here on the ground jumping from certain heights will kill you." Luka snarks towards Clarke and Wells who are standing on the edge of the cliff looking far too delighted for their own sanity.
"It's fine people used to do this all the time." Clarke waves him off giddily standing on the edge of the cliff surrounding Blatic. "We're at a safe height. We could go up high but we're being cautious for our first time."
Luka scoffs looking around at the rest of the group in disbelief at Clarke lack of survival instincts. "You can the word cautious do not go together... Especially when you're talking about jumping off a cliff."
"Into the water," Clarke argues back with mock annoyance. "Cliff diving was an extreme sport back in the old world."
"No wonder they all died," Rora adds on earning a few laughs.
"If you drown don't expect us to pull you out." Luka crosses his arms over his chest as if this makes his point more valid.
"Please if this goes wrong all of you will be sprinting in after me. None of you wants to explain to Luna how I died."
"Your lack of surviving instincts astounds me," Ven says eyes pleading with Wells to talk some sense into Clarke. To turn her away from this insanity.
Wells just shrugs and grins. He was part of the plan but nobody ever suspects him. One of the best benefits of being friends with Clarke. She'll somehow always get the blame for the stupid shit they get up to.
"Klark can we please." Luka starts to say but stops when Clarke lets out a shriek of glee leaping off the cliff. "Talk about this."
"Guess not." Rora unhelpfully adds on earning a glare from Luka.
Wells looks over the edge to see Clarke emerge from the water her laughter echoing up the cliffs. He sends one last departing look to his friends before waving and falling off the cliff. "Sky people. Koken all of them." Luka states.
Rora trots over to the cliff looking down at the two newcomers. "Koken... But I can of want to try it."
Ven's eyes bulge at hearing this. It's one thing for sky people to try to get themselves killed it's another for boat people to follow suit. "Rora noooo." He shouts watching as Rora takes the plunge off the cliff screaming joyfully all the way down. "I swear our lives were normal before they showed up."
"Yeah, but a lot less fun." Luka agrees and disagrees. "Come on we best do it as well before they start to call us cowards."
"I would rather be a live coward then a dead idiot," Ven states crossing his arms in an act of defiance. Luka just laugh taking a running jump of the cliff. "Luna will kill us when she finds out." He states to no one. His lonely words are lost to the soft wind as he sighs to himself. "I'm already dead. May as well joy them." Like someone is holding him at gunpoint he makes his way over to the cliff edge before taking a step out into the nothingness flying through the air as his friend's cheer. Maybe Clarke has some sense. He can't help but feel alive as his body splashes into the water. The burn of the landing was cooled by the colder ocean.
The last leg of the march fills her with dread and anticipation. Fear of what she will discover linger on her body like a second skin. She almost doesn't want to see what remains of the fear that there will be nothing left but her worst nightmare. But the larger part of her wants to race off ahead. Wants to get back home. To be reunited with everyone. To cast out the invaders. To save her people and end this nightmare for everyone.
Lexa had ordered her scouts to ride out ahead to find out what is happening in order for her to better understand what she is marching her army into. It's logical. they can't just go racing in unprepared. That's how you get people killed. Yet Clarke has to fight her body which begs her to do just that. To leave and sneak back into the city. To let them know that help is on the way. That she can hug Wells and Luna. That she can see that they are safe and sound.
The war of what to do rages on inside of with the staying putt and following the army wins for the moment. She's no good to anyone dead. Not that she really cares about the risk to herself. She's more worried about everything else that could go wrong. Riley and Anya have stayed close to her side ever since they saw what was left of Blatic. Their worry for her mental wellbeing is sweet but unnecessary. She can hold it together to after the war is dealt with. Then who knows how she will react.
Upon seeing the broad daylight just how horrific Azegda left Blatic Clarke had staggered back as the weight of what had really happened there. Other members of her clan cried at seeing their fallen brothers and sisters. Denalo almost collapsed under the weight of it all until Reily caught him. Even Anubis let out a sorrow filled howl. It was only summer Clarke Wells Ven Rora and Luka had tried cliff diving here. Luna wasn't pleased when she found out what they did but none of them cared. they had fun. they felt free and happy. the memory of that event and what she sees in front of her is unbelievable.
Like she's good at Clarke buried her emotions and began setting up a healing area for the wounded doing what she could for her injured people before Lexa arrived with the rest of her army. Her mother joined her as the two of them lead the healers in working on everyone. Having so many supplies astounded Clarke for a moment too long. Having spent months with very limited to no supplies having so many on hand was strange. Amazing but strange.
The wounded were left behind with a small portion of the army watching over them as everyone else moved on, with Delphena only a few hours away.
Her other friends from the hundred have been lingering in the background. They want to say something to comfort her. But have no idea how to do that. So, they hang back watching her like a hawk. It would be unsettling and annoying if it was just them. However, that is not the case. It seems everyone is watching her. Waiting for something. Especially Lexa.
For the rest of the grounders no doubt they are waiting to see what the mighty Wanheda will do now. Waiting to see her command death and vanquish Azegda. She wonders if they are expecting her to summon fire or strike down an army with a single look. If that is the case then they will sadly be very disappointed. As cool as having a power like is. She can't do that. She has no special powers or control over death. All she can do I fight just like every single one of them. Is she skilled. Yes. But she knows there are better fighters out there waiting for their chance to kill her and reap the glory for their nation.
Basically, she feels like shite and has far too much time on her hands.
The waiting before the attack is always the worst. She first learnt this back when the hundred and trikru were at war and again at the mountain. Clarke wishes after today she will never have to feel like this anymore. But the one aspect you can always count on humans for is war. There will always be another one. The only way it will ever stop is when their species are all dead.
"Wanheda, General Onya, Heda demands your presence." A young trikru seken asks puffing up his chest standing in front of two of the most important figures in the war to come.
Wishing Riley farewell the two women head towards the commander's tent. The scouts must be back.
Upon entering Clarke is taken back by just how many people are gathered in the tent. It seems almost double the numbers she saw before their attack on the mountain. Warriors of different clans proudly wear their amour nodding to the two of them as they pass. In the back of Clarke's mind, she wonders how many of them sold their souls to Nia in order to obtain more power and influence. She tries to keep her distrust of them off of her face. Be stoic and collected. Just like Anya taught her.
The meeting goes back and forth for hours before a plan is finally put into place. How long that plan lasts remains to be seen. No battle plan really lasts past first contact. But for once she really hopes this will be the exception.
Stroking Anubis head she mounts Dusk and rides with Anya to their waiting point. A hundred warriors are under her former fos's command. When being assigned to work with a fraction of the forces both she and Anya were adamant that they should fight together. They know each other well and Clarke hasn't fought with any of the other generals here before. Seeing the logic in their reason Lexa agreed but did seem disappointed that she and Clarke wouldn't be side by side again.
Clarke on the other hand was.
Darkness covers their movements as they wait for the signal. In her distant vision is Delphnea. Still standing. Not burning down. It seems they made it in time after all to save everyone.
"Are you scared." Anya asks quietly standing next to her so only the two of them can hear.
"I'll be stupid not too." Clarke replies a small tugging at the tip of her mouth as she copies her fos's words from before their assault on the mountain men. "Fear is what keeps us alive in the moment. We can all be afraid. It's only natural. What we can do is decide how to handle that. Bravery isn't being fearless. It's being afraid but pushing onwards anyways."
A proud smirk overtakes Anya's features. "I'm glad you paid attention to my teachings."
Before either woman could reply a loud explosion shatters the earth in the middle of the Azegda war camp. Multiple different explosions follow with flares lighting up the sky signalling the attack. Taking a deep breath Clarke kicks Dusk in to a gallop racing towards their target. Her sword glistens in the light of the flares as it cuts through disorganised warriors caught off guard by the surprise attack.
The men and women she kills try to avoid her but you can't out run a horse. Fire arrows land on the tents forcing the sleeping warriors to run out or risk being burnt alive. Many of them are still unarmed. Clarke doesn't care if they are armed or not. Some might say there is no honour in fighting like that. But this is war. Is there really any honour in murder. Pushing that thought to the back of her mind she makes her way towards the centre of the camp.
All around her screams of pain are howled out. Shrieks of death fill the air. Roars and chants of the thirteen clans ring out as they face each other in combat for the first time since commander Lexa untied the clans under her coalition. The stench of death and smoke burns at her nostrils and make her eyes water slightly. Gunshots from Skaikru can barely be heard over the chaos as she tries to secure her camp. Each fraction was split up to take one of the camps. Their only focus is on wiping out that area.
Clarke just finished pulling her blade out of a female warrior who managed to pick up a weapon and downed her horse swiping at it's legs throwing Clarke off. She had sashed forward to kill the stunned commander of death only to be greeted with a blade being shoved up through her throat.
Dusk limps back to her feet but struggles to stay upright. Through the mist of the war raging around her she somehow meets Anya's eyes who soften at seeing she is unharmed from the fall. Clarke goes to signal that she will head to the general tent on foot when a sound force impacts her chest knocking the wind out of her lungs. A whizzing sound barely reaching her ears before a second force impacts her leg.
Anya rich brown eyes widen in terror as she opens her mouth the shout something.
Whatever she was about to say is lost when a third force digs into her shoulder. Clarke feels her body buck this time. Collapsing to the floor a trail of bright red blood starts to drip out of her. Three arrows stick out of her as people battle around her. As the fire burns surrounding her in warmth. She hears someone scream her name. A voice she knows better than anyones.
Darkness edges her vision slowly communing with her as she struggles to breathe. The pain of the arrows hasn't even registered with her as she drifts off into the darkness.
Just before she fades she can feel someone cup her cheeks in a loving manner.
ste en klir- Is everyone safe.
Sha- Yes
Mochof- Thank you
Skafa- Hell
Koken- Crazy