A/N: Wow ok guys, so this chapter was going to be about 1,200 words and I had it all planned and then I started writing and something completely different happened. This is actually based off of a review, which I really liked and the core of this chapter is because of that. Now, I just need to apologize in advance for any mistakes, when I get really into writing my hands start to fall behind my brain so if I have mistakes I hope you can forgive me :) Also, I have put a few things in this chapter that just felt right at the time and I would love to hear what you guys say about all of this. Thanks guys :) I look forward to your reviews! xxx
After Luna ran from the embarrassment of being ganged up on because of one of the Ice Nation, she disappeared into the woods to give herself some space to breathe. More than anything she was confused at Lexa's behaviour. The Ice Nation had taken so much from them all and there she was inviting Nia's protégé into her inner circle.
Grumbling angrily to her self, she leapt at the nearest tree, ascending quickly. Trikru may be the best clan in trees, but Floukru came a close second with their ability to ascend the masts of their boats during storms. Also, in Luna's case, she had grown up racing through the forest with Lexa and Costia so she was better than most.
When she ascended the tree, she settled back against the branch and looked up the sky, trying to figure out how Lexa could actually trust the girl that had foiled every attempt to remove Nia from power during her rein.
"You know I never used to be very good at climbing, but Lexa insists that most of our private lessons take place in the forest so I've gotten quite proficient."
Luna jumped as she noticed Ontari, who had somehow managed to climb the tree next to hers and was sitting just a few feet away, watching her curiously.
"Why are you following me?" Luna said accusingly.
Ontari tipped her head to the side, "Because you matter to Lexa, and it is hurting her to be at odds with you."
"So she sent you?" Luna asked disbelievingly.
Shaking her head, Ontari smiled gently, "No, in fact she specifically told us all to leave you be until you calmed down."
"Tell me what happened to her." Luna said after an extended silence, "Tell me what your Queen did to Costia."
Ontari sighed as shifted slightly to face Luna head on, "You don't want to know."
Luna's eyes narrowed, "Fine then, tell me about your part in it. Because I would bet my life that Lexa hasn't asked, that Lexa can't ask."
"I will tell you but you can't tell her." Ontari said quietly, after careful consideration.
"So you will kill me if I don't keep your dirty little secret?" Luna growled at her.
Ontari shook her head, "You misunderstand me Luna. You can't tell Lexa because it will break her heart all over again, just as she has started to heal."
Silenced by the firm, gentle sincerity Ontari was showing, Luna nodded, "Fine I won't tell her unless what you say gives me cause to believe you are a danger to her." Ontari dipped her chin, accepting the deal easily.
"I am twenty years of age, making me fifteen when Nia took Costia from the forests outside of Polis. Nia was cruel and what she did to the girl is no secret so I won't go into any of that. The mystery surrounding Costia's death is how she died without giving up any of Lexa's secrets."
Ontari paused, looking over to Luna who nodded at her to continue.
"The truth is Costia was close to breaking, and she begged the person who was bringing her water in between interrogations to end it before she said something that she couldn't take back. She asked me to kill her, but I was scared of what Nia would do so I refused. A day later, I walked in and she asked again. That carried on for a week, I hated seeing her needlessly in pain but worried for myself. Eventually I couldn't bear the look in her eyes and I betrayed my Queen, coating the blade of the knife they were using in a fast acting, painless poison."
"So you did kill her." Luna said quietly, staring at Ontari intently.
"I did." The Azgeda nodded firmly, "And as she slipped away she thanked me for it, which is how Nia realised it was me who had disobeyed her orders."
Luna shook her head, "It's an interesting story, but there is no proof that any of this actually happened."
Ontari sighed, the pain of past memories shining in her eyes, "Nia didn't tolerate disobedience, I carry your proof on my body." She pulled her shirt up and twisted so Luna could see the word that was carved into her back, natrona, traitor.
"She did this when you were fifteen?" Horrified by the ugly scarring of the word, that had clearly been done in a fit of anger.
Nodding, Ontari turned back round and dropped her shirt, "I will never betray Lexa, she killed the woman who made my life a living hell."
"I'm sorry." Luna muttered quietly, "I never even considered how Nia must've treated her own people."
Ontari smiled, "No one ever does, but don't concern yourself about it too much. The bitch is dead and gone."
Luna grinned slightly as Ontari headed down towards forest floor, quickly moving to join her when the other girl managed to get herself stuck halfway down. Laughing slightly she just shoved her shoulder as she climbed past, sending the girl tumbling to the ground in a heap.
"I thought we'd come to an understanding." Ontari groaned as Luna gracefully dropped to the ground beside her.
"We have, but that still doesn't mean I like you." Luna said, as she began heading back to the city, followed by Ontari, who was grumbling about how we of course Lexa's friend would throw her out of a tree.
Suddenly, Luna felt a hand seize hold if the back of her shirt, and then Ontari's body was pressed against hers as she pinned Luna to a tree.
"What do you think you're-?" Luna started angrily, but Ontari swiftly cut her off by placing a hand over her mouth.
"Quiet, I'm trying to listen." Ontari hissed, cocking her head to the side as she strained her ears.
Within seconds, Luna heard the whistle of an arrow flying past and realised that Ontari has just saved her life from the ambush she was about to walk into.
"Who are they?" Luna whispered.
Ontari's eyes flickered down for a moment to look at Luna before she carefully peered out from behind their tree, "They're clan less. They attack and kill people travelling through the woods and then steal everything they have. Using their victims clothes they fit in to crowds and sneak into villages and cities to rob the people blind. I encountered a pack of them outside the Ice Nation capitol, they were a nasty bunch."
"What do we do then?" Luna asked, conceding to Ontari's superior knowledge of their foes.
"All we can do is try and fight our way out, but there's no way of telling how many of them there actually are until they're on us so I dislide the idea of just charging in." Ontari's voice was troubled as she stared out into the treeline, trying to see anything at all through the dense woods.
Luna looked round carefully, the arrow that had almost hit them being the only evidence that they were under attack at all.
Sighing Ontari pulled her head back round the tree to stare at Luna intently, "You know that truce we just called? Well I hope you meant it because I'm about to trust you with my life. I am going to run straight as though I am making a break for it. You need to get behind them and take them out whilst they're distracted by me."
"Why does it have to be you?" Luna protested, "I am quick on my feet, and I grew up in these trees."
Ontari shook her head, "You are the leader of the Boat People. Clan leader beats warrior in terms of importance."
"You're a night blood." Luna tried, unsure of why she was suddenly so concerned for the other girl.
Smiling Ontari shook her head, "So are you. Plus you're Lexa's best friend, she would get over my death fairly easily, yours would cause her more pain that I could bear watching knowing it was preventable."
Luna looked torn as she reluctantly nodded, immediately spinning round and taking off so she could get behind their assailants.
Ontari smirked victoriously as she saw the girl go, before taking a deep breath and then sprinting in a straight line towards the city.
Finding herself immediately under fire, Ontari ducked and darted back and forth as she attempted to avoid the arrows. Withing moments of the onslaught beginning, the arrows started to slow, and Ontari smiled as she realized that Luna was actually doing her part and not leaving her behind because of her hatred for Azgeda.
Three warriors suddenly appeared in front of her, even as the arrows stopped altogether.
"You're little friend isn't close enough to save you now." The leader smiled sickeningly, his face twisted and disfigured from past wounds as he leered at her, drawing his sword and stepping forwards, "Our archers will have led her away, she will arrive back just in time to see the light fade from your eyes."
Ontari's hand went to her side, stilling when she realized that at some point she had lost her sword and she was now unarmed against three skilled opponents.
As they came at her, she leapt straight up, kicking off the firsts shoulders as she flipped over them, landing hard but recovering quickly. With a fierce cry, she whipped round and savagely kicked at the back of the leaders knee.
He hit the ground with a scream of pain and before they could stop her she stamped down, cleanly breaking his neck. The next two came at her together, slashing at her with lighting fast movements that she stumbled trying to keep up with.
As one brought their sword towards her neck she ducked and slammed the flat of her forearm into his throat, dropping him to the ground. But that left her other side unguarded and the other mans sword flashed in as bit deeply into her side, digging in towards her lungs.
Ontari screamed as her legs gave beneath her, landing heavily on the floor with the third man stood above her, grinning as he brought the blade up to rest the tip in the hollow of her throat.
"Any last requests?" He taunted, pressing down until a trickle of blood was pooling at her throat.
"Sure." She gasped out, struggling for breath as she pressed a hand to her side, "Whatever you do, don't turn round."
"What?" He said, twisting slightly only to be suddenly impaled by Luna, who drove her sword through his chest.
As he fell, Luna shoved him to the side away from Ontari, who's chest was heaving as she tried to get in a full breath.
"Oh no!" Luna breathed, as she fell to her knees and pressed her hands against Ontari's side, "You're going to be ok. Do you hear me? Just keep breathing, we'll get you back to Clarke and everything will be fine."
Ontari coughed slightly as Luna carefully pulled her arm over Luna's shoulder to help her stand, "I don't think I can walk, my body feels odd."
Luna looked sideways out of the corner of her eye, noticing how Ontari's legs were shaking as she tried to support her weight. "Ok then, don't worry, I've got you."
Grunting with the effort Luna bent slightly to catch Ontari's legs with her other arm, lifting the girl against her chest, surprised by how light the warrior was.
"Less than an hour ago you would have just left me." Ontari got out, her gentle eyes sparkling humorously as Luna rolled her eyes.
"If you were heavier than you are, I would be tempted to do just that. You're lucky that you're so small." Luna chuckled, carefully watching to make sure that Ontari was staying awake.
Luckily, they weren't as far from the city as Luna had initially feared, so they made it back before Ontari could get any worse. Although the steady trickle of blood dripping off Luna's arm was far from comforting.
"What the hell did you do?!" Came an angry scream as they crossed through the gates, as Octavia came storming towards them, with Raven in tow, who looked sick as she realized that it was her girlfriend Luna was carrying. Luckily, Octavia had been the first to notice them and had pushed Cal into Lincoln's arms, telling him to take the boy and leave quickly.
Seeing the two of them, Luna allowed herself to sink to the floor, gently lowering Ontari down, who was clutching at her arm desperately, "It wasn't me." She gasped out as they reached them, exhausted from carrying Ontari for the extended period. "We were attacked, you need to get Clarke."
Octavia nodded immediately, taking off running in the direction of the market, where Clarke and Lexa were spending the afternoon with Aden.
Raven gently pulled Ontari's hand away from her room, before biting back tears as she pressed her own down on it firmly. "What did you do this time?" She asked, leaning her head against Ontari's who just rolled her eyes.
"Why, do you always assume, that it was me?" Ontari chocked out.
Raven laughed slightly, "Because if there's trouble you can't resist diving straight in."
Luna looked at Raven, "She saved my life, she could've let me die, but she saved me."
Looking down at Ontari fondly, Raven nodded, "Playing the hero again? You know you don't have anything to prove right?"
Ontari smiled, "Not, why I did it, I chose to, because it was right." Raven's tears started to fall then, as she realized just how difficult Ontari was finding it just to breathe.
In record time, Octavia returned with Clarke, who took one look at Ontari and then ordered the nearest group of guards to carry her to the healers building. Placing her hand on Raven's shoulder, she told her to stay put and then disappeared, leaving Lexa with them.
"What happened?" Lexa asked immediately, her eyes blazing as she turned to Luna.
"We were attacked in the woods," Luna explained quickly, "Ontari drew their attention whilst I took each of the archers out one by one, but they led me too far away, and by the time I got back she had taken on three warriors unarmed, I killed the third just before he killed her."
Lexa breathed a sigh of relief that her best friend hadn't killed her adoptive sister, pulling Luna into a fierce hug she clapped her on the back, "I'm glad you're ok. Thank you for bringing her back."
Raven and Octavia were knelt beside them, with Raven lying in the arms of her best friend, who was holding on to her tightly.
"I can't lose her O, and oh god, what about Cal?" Raven cried, as she stared at Ontari's blood that was covering her hands. "I need to go and-"
"No." Octavia said firmly, "You need to go get cleaned up so when Clarke's done you can go straight in to see her rather than being ordered to go take a bath. I'll come with you ok?"
Raven allowed Octavia to lead her away, whilst Lexa and Luna headed to the healers to wait for news.
It had been nearly two hours, and now the four of them plus Lincoln were waiting outside. Aden had volunteered to take care of Cal until Ontari was better, which he insisted to Raven was going to happen sooner than she knew it. Lexa had smiled at him gratefully, unable to resist pulling him into a crushing hug and telling him how proud she was of him. Cal of course had been confused by what was happening, but Aden had done a brilliant job of distracting him.
"So what did she say to you?" Lexa tried again, unable to imagine what Ontari could have possibly said to evoke the concern for her that Luna was now showing.
Luna sighed, "Lexa I told you already, she shared a secret with me that I swore I would not speak of to anyone else, stop pushing."
Lexa frowned but finally stopped asking, realizing that it really wasn't getting her anywhere at all.
Moments later, Clarke walked out, tiredly walking over to her girlfriend's waiting arms, who held her close as she looked over to Raven.
"She was badly hurt, and I am still slightly concerned about internal injuries, but Ontari is more stubborn that we gave her credit for. She should be fine as long as she rests until she's fully healed."
Raven leapt at Clarke, nearly crushing her ribs as she cried in relief. "Can I see her?"
Clarke waved her hand at the door, "She'll probably be sleeping until tomorrow, but you can go in and sit with her. I've already told everyone that you would be coming in and just to leave you be."
Raven kissed Clarke's cheek before darting through the door.
Octavia and Lincoln leaned on each other happily as they both nodded to Clarke before disappearing themselves, tired and ready to sleep for a week.
Luna went to walk away herself but Clarke quickly stepped forwards and caught her wrist, "Luna, if you hadn't have gotten her back when you did then Ontari would be dead. I don't want Raven to know how close it came, but we were down to minutes before she was no longer savable. So thank you."
Smiling, Luna shook her head, "She saved me first, it was only right to return the favor." Then she turned and walked away, leaving just Clarke and Lexa standing out on the street.
"You look exhausted." Lexa muttered against Clarke's ear, as she yawned sleepily.
"Surgery is much more tiring than non doctors give in credit." Clarke smiled. "Take me home?"
"Of course Clarke." Lexa whispered, wrapping her arms round Clarke's shoulders as they started heading back to the tower.