Who We Are [Bellamy Blake]

Chapter 37

                That morning, Athena woke feeling rested for the first time. Though she preferred a cave that fought off the wind yet allowed a bitter chill into her resting place, sleeping outdoors was far more comfortable to her than the flat, metal floor of the Ark. She knew that she had been in prisoner comfort, and that the rest of the free people on the Ark probably had more comfortable living conditions though. The ground was the softest thing she had slept on since she had been in the camp with Bellamy, before the war.

                “We should head back.” Athena said, “If Lucifer has made a deal, Lexa will want her end of it sooner rather than later.”

                “Deal?” Bellamy asked.

                Athena hadn’t wanted to bring it up to Bellamy, that she might be killed to make this deal happen, because she knew that he wouldn’t stand for it. It was her decision, however, what she would do if Lexa asked for her. There was little proof that when Athena left she went to the Sky People to fight on their side of the battle, but there was speculation, and she would not lie to her commander. In the back of her mind she knew banishment to the Ice Clan was highly probable, since she was an asset that Lexa might not want to part with.

                “Our people can come together to fight the Mountain Men, who took your friends and who take my people as well.” She explained, “If we can finally put a stop to the Mountain Men and the Reapers, there can be peace between our people. If that means we never speak again and live in designated areas, or if it means our people will come together as one, it will be a success.”

                “So why do you have to be there?” Bellamy was not stupid, his question had more weight behind it than Athena wanted. He knew too much already, or suspected.

                “Let’s focus on getting back first.” Athena pulled her jacket over her long, muscular arms, and picked up her spear. “It’s almost a full days walk.”

                “Plenty of time to talk.” He said, moving along the path to catch up with Athena, who had turned her back on him to avoid making eye contact. He caught up quickly, walking with his hand on his gun, the other swinging by his side casually. But there was nothing casual about the duo; there was a tension between them now, on top of the fact that they were a strange pair to begin with. Trained warrior sent in on some of the most bloody wars, a woman who trained children to fight to the death day in and day out, hardened by the mountains harsh weather. And Bellamy, raised in a different environment, but hardly any less brutal. He had a softer side that was easier to access than Athena’s, it would take a lot of digging to really bring her soft side out.

                Athena had just enough time to think about why she had to be there, with Lexa, before Bellamy asked again. She sighed when he brought it up, knowing it could not be evaded forever. She had hoped that their time together would be spent blissfully ignorant, but it seemed more like politics. “I will have to answer for my treason, though I know it will be overlooked because of Finn’s actions.”

                “Answering for your crimes. On the Ark that meant death.”

                “Earth is not so different, but my commander is reasonable.” She explained, “I am not easily replaced.”

                “How so?” He asked.

                She glanced over at him; they were close in height, as she was tall for a woman. “I weed out the fighters, I train the youth until they are hardened warriors. Most train here, in the Wood Clans, but the ones that go the extra mile come to me. Many die in training, the ones that survive are the best warriors.”

                “After what happened at the drop ship, looks like you will be needing a lot more warriors.” He said it as if it were a joke, but it was not funny to Athena. Though he had made a very valid point; she would need to train an entire new batch of warriors to make up for the ones that were lost in that battle.

                “That is another thing you must be prepared for; she won’t easily forgive three hundred dead warriors.”

                “That was war.” He said, “Surely she knows that war means death, on both sides. We lost people too, we just fought better.”

                “You fought cheap.” Athena scoffed.

                Bellamy nudged her with his elbow and she shot a look at him. “Woah… If looks could kill.”

                Athena looked ahead at the path, and a smile crept on her lips. She forced it back quickly; it felt wrong to be smiling about the battle at the drop ship. Kira was dead, along with who knew how many other warriors of hers. Aslan had not seen any when he went back to find survivors after he had taken Athena out of the scene, but Lucifer had survived, and that gave Athena hope that there were others. It made her shiver to think that some of them might be in Mount Weather, she might even recognize a Reaper as Salvatore, Acacius or Mikah. The Mountain Men didn’t use women as Reapers, it seemed, which Athena almost was grateful for. What was worse; being blooded and drained until death, or turned into a monster that killed friends. She could hardly come up with a lesser evil.

               

                As the evening found them, Athena saw the camp; hundreds even thousands of Grounders camped outside Camp Jaha. The Ark almost looked small with so many torches surrounding it. It was clear that it was not an act of war, as there was no fighting. But the threat was hanging in the air, and Athena could taste it. She always knew when war was on a sharp needle, at its tipping point. If a deal had been made, or was in the works, it would tip in favour of the Arkers. If not, they couldn’t hold off the onslaught that was sure to come. Even if they could use their Ark as a weapon like the Hundred did, it wouldn’t stop this army.

                “Quite the welcome party.” Bellamy said as they crept through the forest, not wanting to be seen by either side just yet.

                “We’re not the most welcoming people.”

                “I’m well aware.”

                Athena turned and looked at Bellamy in the darkness, “Whatever happens, happens, okay?”

                Bellamy hesitated, then nodded, “Okay.”

Oh my goodness so many martini's last night. I'm so tired. And I work all day. *dies* Hope you enjoyed the chapter! And just a heads up, I changed the part where Octavia saves Bellamy and the others when they are trying to save that girl. It just didn't really fit into my story, so I've edited that part out.