Chapter 29

She was pointing to the clearing where they were attacked. Clarke and Hrathgar were staring at the spot like it would offer up some clues that Palla was still being quiet about. Clarke memorized the map and looked quickly to Hrathgar.

"They attacked you there, Palla?" Hrathgar asked her.

"Yes," Palla replied.

"We will go see it. We'll look it over and we'll figure it out. And, then we will report it to Imber," Hrathgar stated.

"We need to go then," Palla stated.

Clarke shot her hand out to stop her. She still was keen on Palla going back out there after she'd only been out of clinic for a few days. Ferre had gone back to the barracks. Clarke knew how Palla was going to be, because she would have done the same thing. So, she wasn't going to leave her side.

"You promised to wait on Echo and Indra. I know you want to go out there, Palla, but we need to be smart about this. You were shot trying to bring Octavia back. You still need to take it easy. I know that you want to protect your people and my people, but you can't go running off so quickly. Did what Ferre said to you not mean anything to you? Would you really let your daughter wonder about what happened to you? You have more responsibilities now, Palla. Lex isn't going to go away. She will always be your child. Just like Madi is mine. I understand how hard that is...to switch how you think of things, but she needs to be a priority for you, Palla. It's not that I am saying she's not, but she is getting to the age that she'll be wondering about it," Clarke stated.

"I..."

"Need to go back to the barracks and spend time with your daughter as your daughter and not just a responsibility."

Palla hung her head. She knew what Clarke stated with the truth. She needed to spend more time with Lex. She'd been neglecting her and letting Hrathgar and Ferre deal with it. She'd convinced herself that it was better for Lex to have two adults and Sprite to be with. She still felt useless with when it came to her daughter some days. But, now, she felt like she was failing her.

"I'll go see Lex. Let me know when Echo and Indra are back. I'll pack a few supplies," Palla said as she moved back up to the barracks.

As soon as she was out the stables and definitely out of earshot, Clarke turned and stalked up to Hrathgar. He was a big mountain of a man, but she wasn't afraid of him. She'd gotten used to some of the large men from the Grounders, that she'd actually sought them out sometimes to be guards. Intimidation worked wonders when she needed to get her way. However, it was obvious that Hrathgar, while large and imposing, was nothing more than a giant teddy bear. The way he was looking at Clarke, told her that he understood what she was going to do.

"We're not waiting for Palla, are we?" he asked her.

"No."

"We're leaving as soon as Indra and Echo come back from hunting," he stated more than asked.

"We are."

"Which caballos are we taking?" he inquired.

"Palla gave me the white one and Echo the black one, can you have the ready to go?"

"I will, Wanheda. I'll wait here for you. I know that you need to go arrange some things. I'll have them all ready for you," Hrathgar told her.

"Don't forget your horse, too, Hrathgar. I want you to go with us. It will be a small party, that way we don't stir up anything."

"Horse?" he asked.

"Caballo...sorry," she replied. "And, don't forget some weapons. We have to be careful."

"I will be waiting for you," he told her.

Clarke nodded. She looked at the map again. She could make out the clearing that they were attacked in. She knew where it was from the day that she'd gone riding with Palla to see the falls and the pond. It was on the way. It wasn't that far, but she wanted to make sure that they made it before sunset. Honestly, she wanted to be back in camp before sunset.

She walked away from the stables and towards the barracks. As she did, she could see Indra, Bellamy and Echo coming back. They had a large animal with them and they were all smiling. She knew that they were happy. But, now, she was about to upset them. It had to be done. They needed to make sure that they were going to be safe. And, she needed to make sure that they hadn't started another war just because they'd landed.

By the time she walked up, Raven was standing there with a small paper map in her hands. Echo and Indra were standing there with her pointing at a location. Bellamy had taken their elk off to be processed and prepared for their stores. Clarke could tell that they were all excited to have their first successful hunt on the new planet and she didn't want to take that from them, but she needed Echo and Indra.

"Echo, I need you to get ready to ride. I need my spy and scout. Are you ready?" Clarke asked her.

Indra and Echo immediately turned to look at the blonde. Raven squinted, hating the fact that she hadn't learned Trigedaslenge while on the Ring. Echo simply nodded.

"Wanheda?" Indra asked.

"Indra, I need you and Bellamy to guard the barracks."

"Heda doesn't know you are going?" Indra asked.

"Not yet," Clarke answered.

"Sha, Wanheda," Indra stated as she handed Echo a dagger and went to get Bellamy.

Raven watched them. She could tell that Clarke was up to something. She only spoke in Trig when she didn't want everyone to know what was going on. She knew enough to be dangerous, but after six years alone with Madi, Raven could tell that Madi made her proficient.

"Clarke, what's going on?"

"Indra and Bellamy are going to be in charge of guarding the barracks while we are gone."

"Gone? Where are you going?"

"Palla thinks that the Praha attacked her coming back with Octavia. She thinks that they are trying to start a war because we've landed. I want to make sure that this isn't case. We...I can't..."

"I get it. Go. I'll deal with whoever is left. I am assuming that you are taking Echo and Hrathgar with you."

"I am."

"Good. He reminds me of Nyko and Gustus. Who would have thought that the Grounders grew men into mountains. Be safe. When will you be back?"

"As soon as we can, Raven. Keep planning. I'm taking the comm. If Octavia wakes..."

"I'll call. If anything changes, I'll call. If something bad happens, I'll call. I know the drill, Clarkey. But, while your out there, do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"Don't die."

"Don't plan on it."

"Good. Then, I'll see you tomorrow at the latest," Raven told her before she reached behind her back and pulled out a pistol. "I know you got one, but sometimes..."

"Two is always better. Thanks. We'll be back soon. I promise," Clarke told her before storing the pistol on her person. "May we meet again."

Raven watched her walk away. She knew that Palla was upstairs in her room with Ferre, Lex, and Sprite. She knew that Madi was in Octavia's room in the clinic, and Abby probably was too. She knew that Indra had gone to help Bellamy handle the elk they'd brought back. She knew that each and every one of them would be upset with Clarke for what she was about to do, but that was what Clarke did best. She thought things out and then she took on the burden herself. She bore it all, so they didn't have to.

Echo came out of her room and ran down the stairs to catch up to Clarke. She stopped right at Raven and turned to look at the Latina. They shared a tense look between them. There was still some minor issues between Echo and them all. Raven was one of the few that gave her friendship easily in the beginning. She guessed it was from being on the Ring with the Azgeda spy and warrior, but the truth was Echo never made her feel weak because of her leg. She treated Raven like an equal and she was amazed when Raven actually got her to submit when they sparred on the Ring. She knew that Raven appreciated the fact that Echo never treated her like an invilad.

"Bring her back in one piece, yeah?" Raven stated as Echo started to continue on.

"I will," Echo replied as she shook Raven's arm in the traditional Grounder manner.

"Go. Hurry. I'll keep them busy," Raven told her.

Echo nodded and took off again for the stable. She met Hrathgar and Clarke in the stables. They were already mounted. She threw Clarke a pack and the jumped in the saddle on Svathimmel. As soon as she nodded to Clarke, they rode out of the back of the stables so those in the barracks wouldn't be stopped and no one would see them until they were in the woods.

She let Hrathgar lead them. Echo stayed by her side, bow already drawn and arrow ready, as she rode. Clarke was thankful for Echo's presence, but she knew that her daughter would miss them both soon enough. She knew that having Echo with her would calm Madi, if no one else. And, Madi was all that mattered.

They went slow as to not rush, but it was more than that. Echo could tell that was so Clarke could memorize the route, so she did as well. This was their home now. They needed to know everything that they could. Routes and trails included, this wasn't just a scouting trip for Clarke and Echo. This was also about survival.

They were quiet. They let the caballos go at their own pace as they moved through the woods. She watched as they came upon the clearing. Her blue eyes taking everything in as they moved silently. Hrathgar pulled up short of the area and led them into a patch of brush just southeast of it. They were all croutched down as they studied the area before them.

"Echo?"

"This is where she was attacked, right?"

"Yeah, this is where she said that she got jumped and had to send Fotia ahead to protect the caballo. Then cut the litter loose and gathered up Octavia before riding hard for the barracks. Why? What do you see?"

"Stay low and close to me," Echo said as she crept towards the clearing.

Echo stopped and looked at the ground. She ran her hands across some of the dirt. Her eyes constantly darting around. She took small steps, but she made sure where Clarke was next to her with each one. She turned back to see Hrathgar studying the trees, then her, then the way she was moving across the ground. She watched as he pulled his bow and notched an arrow. She wasn't sure if he was going to aim at them or...

"The attack came from the trees," he stated, still looking up.

"She said that she stopped, noticed the torn up trail. She drew her sword and started looking around. Next thing she knew was that she was on the ground. She came up swinging and killed the man that knocked her off the caballo," Clarke told them both.

They'd heard the story, but standing in the clearing, Echo could see it. She moved a little more towards the north and stopped. She ran her hands across the dirt again before looking up into the trees.

"She was attacked her. She was stopped there," Echo told then and abruptly stood and pointed to a tree. "He jumped her from there. She landed here, on her shoulder and rolled up into a fighting stance. It was a natural sword strike in an upward motion against him...here."

Echo continued to move around as she relayed what she could tell from the tracks and such about the fight.

"He landed just there. She'd struck him from hip to shoulder. It wasn't necessarily fatal but it was enough. She moved over to finish the job and that is when the arrows started. Here...you can see she starts to favor her right leg."

"Her calf?" Clarke asked.

"Yes, she must have gotten him after slicing the attacker, but her battle high..."

"Adrenaline..." Clarke corrected.

"Kept her moving. She was trying to protect Octavia and find a way out. She's studying the trees with each movement, but she can't attack them there. She didn't take a bow or a rifle. Realizing that she has to get Octavia out of her amongst the showering arrows, she unties Fotia and sends her back to the barracks. She runs now over to Svathimmel and cuts off the litter. It was destroyed after she left. What's left is there," Echo told them as she continued to move. "She is still in her battle high. She knows that she can't directly pick Octavia up. She probably asks her to help, but Octavia is too wounded with the sticky sap. So, she wraps her up as best she can and throws her over the saddle. She knows that she has to get on the caballo and ride. She has no other choice. She'll hunt them down later, but she has to get Octavia out of the clearing before they both die.

"She sheathes her sword and jumps on the back of Svathimmel. Grabbing the reins, she hightails it out of the clearing. As she is riding, she shifts Octavia the best that she can as she tries to get on the back of the saddle and hold her. When she broke through the clearing, she had Octavia upright and in her lap. Her left arm was secured under her breasts and around her torso. She was at full gallop and it was the only way that she could control Octavia's weight in the saddle. Her right arms was loosely holding the reins."

"Svathimmel obeys voice commands. She would have told him to head towards the barracks and he would have gone. She wouldn't have needed the reins," Hrathgar added as he continued to watch the Azgeda moving around the clearing.

"The rest we know as we got them at the barracks. She must have been shot on the way out of the clearing. It was a once in a lifetime shot, both for her and the bowman," Echo stated. "It was one hell of a shot considering how dense the woods are and the angle he would have to shoot from. He was on the ground when he shot."

"How many?"

"Two or three survived at most. It was a scouting party," Echo said and then turned to Hrathgar. "How close is the wall from here?"

"Ten miles straight north," he answered.

"And, is this the most direct route?"

"Yes."

"How far are the falls from here?" Clarke asked.

"Not too far, why?" Hrathgar asked.

"She found Octavia near the falls and then took her to the springs to soak out the poison. What if Octavia didn't find a patch of Sticky Sap trees? What if she was attacked in the clearing just before the falls? What if the Praha are using Sticky Sap as a poison?" Clarked asked them both.

Echo's eyes lit up. She realized what this could mean. She turned to look at Hrathgar.

"It is odd as Palla has destroyed ever Sticky Sap tree that she can find south of the wall..."

"We need to get back and report this," Echo stated looking into worried blue eyes.

"And, I need to take another look at Octavia's wounds..."