After I had ran away I hurried back to camp. I tripped over a couple of branches as I ran and ended up hitting the ground face first, but that didn't keep me down for long. Pushing against the ground the twigs digging into my hands sharply I was up and running again.
Just before I could enter my camp I had crashed into Lincoln, who was also returning from a scouting mission, and we both ended up sprawled out on the mossy floor. A dull pain began in my back, but when I saw the shocked look on Lincoln's face I couldn't help but to burst into a laugh, my pain forgotten. He stared at me for a second, before his gruff laugh also filled the air and we laid tangled together on the hard ground laughing. It felt good.
Finally after what felt like hours of laughing we slowly began to untangle and Lincoln pushed himself up. Reaching my arm up, I grabbed his hand and pulled myself up.
"You're back early" Lincoln noted, brushing himself off. I copied his actions, trying to get all the unwanted dirt off of me.
"There was a bit of a complication" was all I offered to him. Turning to face me completely Lincoln rose an eyebrow, and I knew I had to explain everything that had happened. How the panther attacked, my cover was blown, how I felt confused on what to do and act towards the sky people.
"I thought I was ready. I thought this was going to be my moment to show everyone I'll be a good leader. But when that panther showed up, I wanted out. I was a coward and I ran instead of fight like I'm supposed to. All I wanted, was you. I'm not ready" I couldn't face Lincoln as I spoke to ashamed to meet his eyes. I turned away from him and left wandering into the forest, wanting to be alone. Lincoln made no move to follow me. But as I walked away I heard a soft 'you are ready' and I couldn't help but smile.
I pushed branches out of my face as I walked not having any particular destination in mind. It may not be the smartest option for me to just go off on my own but I needed time. It may seem childish, me leaving because I came home but to our people that's huge. A grounder is supposed to fight until they physically cannot. They are supposed to be independent and take care of themselves. And I ran away because I was scared.
Mud started to crust on my boots, and a few leaves were now tangled in my hair but I wasn't that concerned with it. My thoughts drifted back to Bellamy and his group; they didn't seem like the monsters that haunted my dreams, after my father had told me of what horrid creatures they were. They almost seemed like us. We looked the same for the most part, and we talked the same. Maybe they weren't terrible. Maybe if I had showed myself to them we could have formed an alliance, or became friends.
I looked around my surroundings and saw that I had made my way further into the forest than I would have liked. It was calm and quiet out here, but far from camp. It seemed as if the forest was asleep, and didn't want to be disturbed. I sat down on a fallen log and started to pull some of the branches and leaves from my knotted hair.
Hearing a twig break off I instantly went on the defensive, pulling out my knife but I lowered it when I saw a baby deer stumble out of the bush. It sniffed the air and slowly started to creep out more, probably looking for its mother. I shifted slightly in my seat, and the fawns head snapped up and when I looked into its eyes I saw one thing; fear. To the deer, I was the panther. It sprinted away, and I stood up knowing I had to head back.
A horn sound rang out and I tensed fear starting to course through my veins. The mountain men had this acidic fog that they would release, and if you got exposed to it blisters and burns would bubble all over your body. By the end of it you would beg for death.
That's why we, the grounders, made a horn. Every time it was blown it would signal the fog was coming and everyone knew to get into some sort of shelter.
The only problem was I had never been on my own when the fog had hit. I was always in camp and was protected, always being told what to do and how to proceed. But now I'm on my own, and I have no idea where to go. No one was coming to help me.
I spun in a circle trying to figure out where my best option to run would be. I turned to my left to see the fog starting to advance closer to me. Going left was no longer an option so I turned to the right and ran.
I looked to my left to see the fog creeping closer to me, and when I looked to my right I noticed the same thing. I was stuck with fog behind me and on either side. And if I slowed down the fog could connect in front of me and I would be trapped.
I pushed myself harder, made myself run faster. I ducked under a branch but fell down when I tried to get back up. I looked up and saw what I feared; the fog had closed in all around me. I pushed myself off the ground and shakily stood. Was this how I die?
I spun in a circle trying to find an opening, only I didn't see one. I held back my tears, I would not cry in my last moments. I would go down as strong as I could portray myself. But I don't think I looked very brave, and I sure as hell didn't feel brave.
I spun around again desperately almost frantic now, hoping that I could get out of this fog. I wanted to see my parents again, and Anya, and Lincoln.
Doing one last spin I almost cried in joy; just to my North-East was the faintest opening that was almost gone. I took off running at it and pushed through, the fog closing in moments after. There had to be some form of shelter around here, I couldn't outrun the fog forever. I stopped again to look around and see if I could spot something to protect me.
I let out a scream as I felt myself get pulled back, someone grabbing me by my shoulders. I went to kick out, but when I looked at my surroundings I realized I was no longer in the open exposed. I was in a cave, and the person who grabbed me had saved my life.
I spun around and felt my eyes go wide and my breath stop short; the one they called Bellamy stood in front of me. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. He didn't say anything either, just stared.
Finally, after moments of starring I felt my mouth open and heard myself speak.
"You are judging me right now, trying to figure out if I'll kill you. But with the fog out there I don't think us fighting would be for the best" I wasn't sure if I should offer a smile; not offering one might look like I was plotting against him, but giving him one may look like I was also plotting something. I stuck with my deer in headlights look.
His eyes widened at hearing me speak, realizing I could communicate with him.
"Alright" was all he gave me before turning and walking to the back wall. His voice was deep, not like how I would expect it to be. It was nice to listen too, different then the people at my camp. The men purposely made their voices deep when they spoke, to make them intimidating whereas I could tell the low rumble in his voice was real.
As I watched him walk to his wall, I saw the girl I had seen on my first day of watching them. She was the one that I had thought was around 14. I offered her a nod and she gave me one back. I slid down the wall, and leaned my head back against it. The camp would be a riot tomorrow and I wouldn't be allowed to leave without some serious begging.
"What's your name?" My eyes flickered to the young girl and I studied her carefully. I could kill her if she tried anything.
"Cassia" I went back to starring at the rocky wall from across me.
"I'm Charlotte" she beamed at me as if proud she had talked to a grounder. I flickered my eyes back to her and after another moment of analyzing her I gave her a small unsure smile.
"So you're Cassia" my eyes now flickered to Bellamy and I gave him a quick nod.
"You the one who shot the panther?" I could see him eyeing my bow, and again I gave him a slow nod.
"I should thank you for that. You probably saved my life" I shrugged trying to act like it wasn't a big deal, but I knew the panther would have been able to kill them.
He let out a low chuckle and bowed his head almost like he was being submissive, but I knew that wasn't right.
"You don't talk much do you?" I opened my mouth to answer, and shut it again. This is not who I am; a scared little girl.
"I talk. When I'm comfortable" I offered him, and he nodded. We fell back into a silence, that was broken by Charlotte, who I had forgotten was there.
"So Cassia how old are you?" Charlotte asked me. There was no harm in talking to her, but I would keep my answers short.
"Almost 18 years"
"Is your hair naturally that colour? I've never seen anything that blonde that wasn't dyed that way"
"I do not know what dying hair is, so I assume mine is natural as you say"
"What's it like? To be a grounder?" I noticed Bellamy's eyes flicker to mine, before looking back down.
"Hard, I suppose. We have rules to follow, jobs to do. But I assume that's the same as up on your ship" Charlotte nodded, accepting my answer.
"The ark, that's what our ship is called, was harsh too. People were sent out to die if a rule was broken. That's why we are here; we broke the rules so we were going to die anyways. Why not send the people who were destined to die, down to the earth" I nodded at her response. Seemed like I wasn't missing out on anything important from the ark.
"I'm going to bed" I nodded at the both of them, before laying down facing the wall. It didn't take me long before slumber overtook me, but I still slept with my hand on my blade.
"No!" I bolted up hand tightly gripping my knife, only to retract it when I saw it was Charlotte having a nightmare, Bellamy already waking her up.
"I'm sorry" Charlotte whimpered drying her tears. I stared at the interaction between Bellamy and Charlotte wondering if the sky people comforted the way we comforted our own; when a child had a nightmare they were comforted by the mother but given a stern lecture by the father on how they cannot be weak.
"Does it happen often?" Bellamy asked her concern filling his eyes, before he shook his head.
"That doesn't matter, what matters is what are you going to do about it?" He quickly changed his focus point, switching from comforting to strength.
"But I'm asleep" Charlotte told him confused and even I looked at him strangely, wondering where he was going with this.
"Slay your demons when you're awake, they won't be able to get you when you're asleep" I nodded softly to myself, getting what he was saying.
"But how?" Charlotte asked still confused.
"You can't afford to be weak" both of their eyes turned to me as I spoke. I was even surprised I was offering her comfort. "Down on the earth, weakness means death. Fear is death" I told her repeating what Anya once told me.
"Let me see the knife I gave you" Charlotte pulled it out of her pocket, and it made me remember how young I was when I got my first blade.
"Now when you feel afraid you hold that knife tightly and say 'screw you I'm not afraid" Bellamy told her before walking back to where he was sleeping.
"Slay your demons Charlotte" I whispered wondering if she had heard me. From the look I received from Bellamy, the one of gratefulness, I knew he had. I laid back down and closed my eyes for the second time that night.
The next time I woke up it was daylight out. Bellamy and Charlotte were up, getting ready to leave. I slowly sat up, the rocks being unpleasant on my back.
"Oh Cassia we didn't want to wake you" she was so innocent, I knew she wasn't going to survive down here. The weak die. They can't handle what the earth has to offer and they always die. It's why grounders can't afford to be weak, why we train from a young age. We do it all for survival.
"Well looks like this is goodbye" I nodded at Bellamy and before I could turn to leave I felt little hands wrap around my waist, releasing me almost instantly and following Bellamy away from our cave.
I stood there in front of the cave frozen, the shock sweeping through my body and my breath hitching in my throat. She had hugged me. I had only received a number of hugs throughout my life, but I knew you only hugged loved ones. And here was this little girl, hugging someone she was meant to fear.
For once I hoped I was wrong about weak people always dying.
Another chapter done, I hope you're all enjoying it.
I do not own the 100 or the characters I only own my character Cassia