After watching from a distance for a few minutes, Lincoln approached Octavia's bedside. He passed Indra who remained vigilant as ever over her Second.

She glanced at him, her mouth a tight line. "Linkon," she grunted.

He bowed his head slightly. "Indra. How is she?"

"Em ste yuj," Indra whispered.

"Ba how ste em?"

"Okteivia ste fighting. Em's lost jus, ba em will live."

"Sha."

Lincoln inclined his chin in Octavia's direction. "May I?"

Indra nodded and stepped aside.

He kneeled at Octavia's bedside and placed a brown hand on her cheek, fingers grazing the charcoal and blood smeared over her skin. Although her face felt warm, it wasn't feverish, which, judging by the wan complexion of her skin, was good since she had already lost so much blood. She didn't need infection to set in on top of that. Lincoln took Octavia's hand in his and rubbed a thumb over the back of it. "Come back to me soon," he whispered. "I love you."

After placing a kiss in her hand, Lincoln glanced over his shoulder at Indra. "How did this happen?"

"Azgeda," Indra said, voice low and angry.

"The scout?"

She nodded. "He's dead. Octavia made sure of that."

Lincoln stood and folded his arms. "So, what's going on outside?" He waved a hand. "You know, with Clarke and Kane."

Indra sighed. "Before Octavia collapsed, she told us about a plan Azgeda has to get rid of the Heda."

She explained everything her Second had relayed to her and then said, "We need to act. Now."

"I'm sure that's what Clarke is discussing with Kane," Lincoln said. "Lexa is as much her people as her own."

"The Heda is weak for that," Indra spat. "Clarke, too."

"I'd disagree." Lincoln closed the gap between him and Indra. "Fighting for those you love is not weakness. That takes strength to fight when you may lose them." He stepped to the side and motioned at Octavia. "Do you feel it is weakness to want to protect her? To see her as your own people?"

"Feelings can be used against you."

Lincoln shrugged. "Or they can be used to strengthen you."

Indra lifted her chin and scoffed. Though Lincoln expected a retort, she merely adjusted her hold on the hilt of her sword.

He stepped forward. "I'm here to offer my help. How can we stop Azgeda from starting this war?"

Indra nodded toward the door. "Let's go see what Clarke and the Skaikru Chancellor have to say."

….

"I don't know what you expect to do, Clarke," Kane said, shaking his head. "If Octavia is right and Azgeda is planning a massacre, we may already be too late."

"We're not," Clarke said. "I say send out three different groups. One will be a group of two. Dress them as Azgeda and have them sneak into camp. Azgeda is the largest clan both by area and population, so two of ours will be able to slip through undetected and try to glean whatever information they can on the attacks."

She took a breath and continued. "A bigger group will head for Polis. Be there in case things go south. The third group will be the largest. They'll hopefully head off and either delay or stop this thing before it can begin." Clarke looked between Kane and Bellamy. "Our focus needs to be on Azgeda. The threat is their army. Without attacks, no one dies, and therefore, no civil war to overthrow the Heda of the thirteen clans."

Bellamy nodded. "I think it's plausible."

"We are not an army," Kane said.

"We are," Indra said as she entered the tent, Lincoln trailing her. All three looked to her. "Trikru is made of warriors." She glanced at Clarke. "We are with you if that means saving our Heda."

"If we do this right, we'll save more lives than just Lexa's," Clarke said, lowering her chin. "We will be indebted to you."

"There are thirteen clans, but we are one kru."

Clarke clasped arms with Indra. "Thank you," she said. She turned to Kane and Bellamy. "Let's figure out how we want to split our people." Clarke then turned to Indra. "Do what you must to prepare Trikru warriors to march."

Bellamy stood over a map on the table between him, Clarke, and Kane. "From Arkadia, we're practically on Azgeda's southeastern border, which will make our spies slipping across into the Ice Nation much easier than if we were in Polis or Tondc. That means whoever is sent to Polis, we'll need to have troops watching west of the city."

He pointed farther south. "Floukru is east of the Woods Clans and then across the sea, so Azgeda won't try and attack them. It'd be too much effort to lead an ambush on a clan so isolated only to turn around and fight a civil war they induced. Plus, they'd have to cross at least one other clan's borders to get to Floukru. They'll only attack clans they can reach by foot or horse."

Clarke nodded. "That's smart. Azgeda will most likely try and hit any clans adjacent their borders. That will save them energy and supplies."

Bellamy tapped a finger over the Desert Clan. "Sangedakru is north, and there's no way we can amass an army to guard the entire eastern border of Azgeda just to prevent an attack there."

"With how barren most of that desert is," Indra said, "it would be foolish on Azgeda's part to risk sending warriors into a dead zone." She shook her head. "Roan is smarter than that."

"That just leaves the Lake People, the Rock Line, and the Woods clans," Clarke said.

Bellamy shrugged. "They're Azgeda's most likely targets. Boudalankru is just south of Azgeda and to the west of Trikru and Trigedakru. They'll probably plan attacks there because the Rock Line borders the southern tip of the Ice Nation."

Clarke nodded and added, "And Podakru could be in danger because they allied with Trikru against Azgeda. We'll send people there."

"Would Roan attack the Blue Cliff people?" Bellamy asked. "Ouskejan Kru?"

Indra shook her head. "No. Their people live in the mountains among the cliffs. It'd be too tedious to lure Ouskejan Kru out to slaughter them."

Clarke glanced over the map once more. "Then we'll send Skaikru and Trikru to Boudalankru and Podakru. We'll warn them and send a separate scout party to Polis." She looked up at Indra. "I know Trikru won't touch our weapons, but at least we have them. I think we should split our numbers in half and one go with the other. That way we have your warriors and our weapons."

Indra's gaze narrowed and after a moment, she nodded slowly. "I agree."

"Then it's settled?" Clarke glanced at Kane.

"At this point, I think your plan is the best we've got," the Chancellor said with a shrug. "I trust you, Clarke, but I also trust your sense when it comes to the other clans."

Clarke nodded once. "Thank you." She turned to Indra. "Do what you must to prepare."

As she ducked under the flap of the tent and out into the evening blue, Bellamy touched her shoulder.

"I want to volunteer to be one of the spies," he said softly.

Clarke stopped, grasping his wrist. "No. It's too dangerous."

"In case you forgot, Princess," he said with a grin, "I'm one of the few who helped get our people out of Mount Weather." He stared at her and his lips became a hard line. "I can do this. I want to do this."

Clarke shook her head. "Bellamy…"

"You know I'm right."

She studied his curls, his eyes, the stubble that had begun growing in the last few weeks. She thought about him dying by the blade of an Azgeda warrior. Then Clarke imagined him infiltrating the Ice Nation and getting the information they'd need to predict Azgeda's next move. He could do it. He'd done it before.

Clarke's throat bobbed as she cleared it. "Fine," she said. "But you will have a partner. You will not do this alone."

She turned and started toward the Ark.

"What are you doing?" Bellamy asked a few paces behind her.

She said over her shoulder, "Checking on Octavia."