Responsible for survival

Leaving

CLARKE'S POV:

I run up the ramp. Raven and Bellamy stand there, staring at the radio. "Raven... Raven..." the voice sings. Murphy stumbles in. Bellamy shoves a finger to his lips, glaring. Murphy leans to turn off the radio. Bellamy shoves out a tanned arm, catching him across the chest. He shakes his head, beckoning a small girl over, maybe 14. Catharine, I think. She swallows, before clutching the mike. Her voice comes out as one you'd never hear from a 14 year old. "Raven can't come to the radio right now." The hairs on the back of my neck scratch up.
"I want to talk to raven." The voice whispers.
"She can't come to the radio right now." Suddenly I place the voice Catharine's mimicking. Diana Sydney. Sick minded ex councillor, floated two years ago for instigating a guards rebellion that killed 18 people. My shaking hand finds Bellamy's.
"Then you'll have to do." Catharine looks at us, eyebrows arched, sweat beading on her forehead.
"Who are you?"
The voice whispers, "I'm Alex. Who are you?" A hint of drunk teenage boy slides out. Catharine smirks, before closing her eyes. When she opens them, they're the darkest I have seen, storm clouds brewing.
"I am the beginning of life, end of death. The one you dread the most, but loved more. I am your wildest dream, darkest nightmare-"
"Sally?" The voice is high and shocked. Catharine slams a hand over her mouth to stop a giggle. "Sally?" the voice is excited. "Sally is that you?" Catharine looks at us, tilting her head slightly to the side. "Sally I'm so sorry." The voice begins to shake a little, like it's about to cry. "I didn't think... Cage... I'm sorry." Catharine's eyes jump from one to the other of us. No one answers. Her hand shaking goes to the off switch. "Please come home. I miss you. I need you to come home." Suddenly a sinister smile, one that twists my gut and reminds me Catharine was arrested for beating up guards who'd gang raped her friend. Two of them died.
"I can't, Alex." It drips with venom, a poisoned blade. Like the word causes physical pain.
"Please!" The voice screams. "I love you." It whispers.
"I don't love you." Catharine grins as she says it. "You ruined everything."
"I'm sorry." You hear the tear drops fall onto the radio. "I've begged Cage a HUNDRED times. He won't let me find you." He sniffs, "I was so scared the grounder's got you." Catharine laughs, high and scratchy.
"You idiot." She laughs, "I AM a grounder." The sharp seriousness scares us. Half the kids step backwards, but Octavia, Octavia steps forward.
"Sally!" He yelps. Terror palpable. "The treatments!" His sobs echo down the radio. Catharine's face scrunches up, and she looks at Octavia, who shrugs.
"What about them?" she laughs, so fake it could be a market stall claiming something was earth made.
"What about them?!" He screeches. "WHAT ABOUT THEM!?" Catharine steps back from the radio. "IF THEY FIND OUT THEIR BLOOD PUMPS ROUND YOUR BODY... You'd be... You'd..." he stutters, suddenly realising what he's said. "Oh God." Octavia steps forward, leaning straight into the microphone.
"Jus drien jus drau." She hisses, flicking the radio off.

"What. The. Actual. Hell. Was. THAT?" Catharine shakes, staring at us, eyes wide. She jabs a narrow finger at the radio.
"We spoke to the mountain men..." I whisper. "WE SPOKE TO THE MOUNTAIN MEN!?" I yell, reality hitting like a freight train. Bellamy's free hand squeezes my shoulder.
"O... What was that?" His voice stumbles, pausing.
"Jus drien jus drau?" she asks, timid, cheeks suddenly burning red. "I don't know. Lincoln said I had to know it just in case... I need to tell Lincoln." She raises her shoulders.
"What?" Raven tilts her head.
"The grounders need to know. If we want answers we need them to know everything." I nod, Bellamy just makes an odd noise.
"You're NOT going into those woods alone."
"And YOU'RE not leaving camp." Octavia hisses. The kids heads turn back to Bellamy, like they're watching a tennis rally and want to see who'll be first to miss the ball.
"Since when?" Bellamy hisses. Monroe shuffles her feet and slides in between them.
"Since you're staying here, to guard the camp or whatever. I'll go with her." Monroe shares a look with Octavia, a genuine sister one. It hits me. O doesn't want Bellamy knowing where Lincoln's cave is. Sneaky. I have to restrain myself from smiling. "OKAY!" I call, as kids heads swing back to Bellamy. "Drama over, we need to hurry up on protecting ourselves." I push children out the dropship, dragging Bell with me.

OCTAVIA'S POV:

I run my fingers over the rough bark. Left at the tree stump with three big mushrooms on it, right at the fir tree. Monroe follows me, stepping exactly where I step. Her gun will be sliding from side to side. Down the hill at the birch tree. Monroe stumbles, reaching out for a branch that snaps. A volley of swear words join her as she tumbles down the hill, nearly knocking me over with her. She slams into the door. "Found it." She groans, pushing herself up. "I'll stay out here. You be quick." Her voice is strained, and tears prick her eyes. I nod, patting her on the shoulder. She grimaces at me as I go down. I hear her distant groaned cuss as I walk in.

Lincoln stands there, holding a sword, tip of the blade pointed and glistening in the candlelight. His shoudler's relax as he sees it's me, and he kisses my cheek. "You gave me a scare." He whispers in my ear. "You alright?" I shake my head, tears glistening suddenly. He wraps his arms round me, sword clattering to the floor. His arms wrap tightly round my shoulders, and a thumb strokes the back of my neck. "Mount Weather contacted us. Through the radio." He tenses, and his thumb stops on my neck. "I need to talk to Indra. Monroe's outside here, she's the one who fell over, she's got a gun just in case they follow us." I'm shaking, and Lincoln starts stroking my back with his whole hand. "It's OK. You're ok."
"I spoke trig to them. What does Jus drien jus drau mean?" he tenses, and instant regret slams through both of us.
"Blood must have blood." I swear. I can't help myself. And then I start laughing. Lincoln pulls back and surveys me quizzically. I stop laughing.
"They're treatments use your blood." Lincoln's eyes bug and his hands shake on my shoulders, but he smiles faintly.
"Good choice of trig." He smiles weakly. "We have got to tell Indra. Monroe's out there you say?" I nod, and he smiles at me. "I'll check she's not injured and then we'll go to TonDc. It's going to be OK." I nod and he kisses my forehead, before running round and picking up a few items, a leather bound notebook being the first.

"No. Bellamy will KILL me." Monroe juts out her chin.
"Please Monroe." I beg, she shakes her head.
"You know how protective Bellamy is. It took Clarke literally dragging him out the dropship for him to agree to let me take you here. I'd be strung up worse than Atom if I let you go wandering off. No offense." She holds up a hand placating to Lincoln.
"None taken... but I'm not leaving her where they can get her." Lincoln says defensively.
"Like Bellamy would let that happen. Come back to camp, try and convince him yourself when he has Clarke, Lincoln and you to talk sense." Monroe bargains. "I'm not letting you go without his permission." Lincoln looks at me, and I nod. He rolls his eyes, but clutches my hand.
"Come on then."

"BELLAMY!" Monroe yells. He sprints over, terror on his face. He stumbles, relief as he sees all of us. "You OK?" he pauses, searching her face. She nods, but even I can see it hurts. But that's not what we're here for.
"I need to go with Lincoln to tell Indra." I tell him. Monroe walks away, stepping a little to quickly.
"WHAT?" Bellamy splutters. "No."
"Yes. Please. They need to hear it all directly from us, or it'll be like that game you always told me about... Chicago whispers."
"Still no. You're not going." Bellamy folds his arms. I hear Clarke's sigh before I see her.
"What's going on?" she sounds so despondent, and I notice blood all over her fingers.
"O wants to go with Lincoln with Indra."
"Please Clarke." I beg her, opening my eyes wide.
"She'll be safer with me." Lincoln says. Clarke and Bellamy stare at each other, each rolling their eyes at opposing moments.
"Fine." Bellamy grunts. "You can go. But if they touch so much as ONE hair on her head, you'll pay." Lincoln nods, eyes wide, grimacing.
"Can he have directions to where you'll find Indra?" Clarke asks, "For when he's stressing about you being gone a day." She stage whispers. Bellamy yelps, and clutches hand to his chest, before blushing furiously. I catch a snort. Lincoln draws Clarke a map and Bell walks me to my tent.
"You've got to be careful." He looks down at me, pupils dilated. His shaking hand grasps my shoulder. "I know Lincoln will protect you, but you're a target for the mountain men. An easy target." He adds, gently pointing at my hobble and arm hanging slightly limp by my side.
"I'll be fine. Like you said, Lincoln will protect me." I pull my shoulders up. He opens his mouth, closes it. Suddenly he wraps his arms round my shoulders, and squeezes me tightly. He's warm, with a thudding heart under his shirt. "May we meet again." He whispers into my hair. He drops his arms suddenly, and holds open the tent door.