Grounders

Chapter 6

Lincoln was again tied up while I simply sat on the ground with my hands and feet tied together. Miller watched us in case we tried something, but I didn't plan to. Neither did Lincoln. Miller suddenly stood from his seat and walked over to me. He sat with his feet crossed over each other and his eyes bored into mine, "What's your name?"

"James." I answer simply, shifting into a more comfortable position.

He smiles while Lincoln glares at the boy, "I like that name, I'm Nate but call me Miller." I nod and eye the small dagger on his hip in hope it doesn't end up through my chest. "So tell me," he started, "Where'd you get the burn marks on your back?"

I raised a brow, "When I kill a warrior, a Mark is placed for that person." I reply scratching at my neck feeling the itch of Alec's lips once again not there. He took notice at the twitch and glanced at the side of my neck in question, "It's nothing." Before he could reply the latch swings open and Octavia comes from the hole, tossing Miller some rations and winking at me and Lincoln. She's got a plan. I smirk as Miller eats from the back as we continue our conversation, before he starts to talk to the wall next to me.

Moments after Octavia ran in and untied my bounds, handing me my pouch of weapons and helping my brother down. I slip the bag into the places I hid them and then climbed down the ladder, grabbing onto my two swords that sat at the bottom. "Go! Go!" Octavia pushes me forward. I simply looked around at the hallucinating teens. I didn't leave yet. I grabbed a sheet of paper from the leather bound book imbedded into my armor and used a dagger to stab the note to the drop ship. On it is a map of the woods marking where to go and where not to go, including where Lincoln and I lived. I sprinted from the camp and waited for Lincoln to catch up then ran back home. "Sit down, let me fix you up." I told him grabbing some medicines.

He sat on the ground and I started on a cut that marked his side. "They'll kill you, me? Not so much." He suddenly said while I worked. He hissed when I cleaned the wound and placed a damp cloth over it.

"I know." I reply. Because I am a fighter, I shouldn't care for others in a battle. I could've killed the three boys at the door but I chose to protect my brother. I don't regret it. "Tell Heda I've left." I order, closing up the wound on his hand from a spike that had gone all the way through.

"But James-," I cut him off.

"No. Lincoln, tell them that I've left the clan and I won't die because what I did was right." We have a stare off for well over a minute before a heavy sigh left his lips, meaning he'd given in. I finished patching him up then started up a fire that warmed up our freezing bodies. I leaned against the cave wall with my mind wandering. I'm gonna have to run, I'm in Trikru territory which means that if they find me I'm dead. I can't go anywhere else since I'll be imprisoned. Running is my best option. I could go back and ask Bellamy...no their camp hates me cause I'm a 'grounder'. This is too frustrating. I hate running so much and yet here I am thinking about doing it. Sighing I stand up and sheath the swords is carried here Lincoln watches me roam to an already packed bag. "I don't want to leave." I say to him, placing a few extra things into the bag.

"I know." He answers in a sad tone. He shakily stands and wraps me into a deep embrace. I held onto my big brother as tight as I could without knowing if this would be the last time I held him or he held me. "What if we talk to Bellamy? See if you can stay with them? He's taken a liking to you and the camps not far and-," I cut him off with the shake of my head.

"Lincoln no, the camp hates anything that has to do with me or our people." I whisper looking up at him. He sighs knowing it's the truth.

"Can we just...try?" His face contorts to a pleading look compared to his once sad one.

"Okay." I give in softly smiling. "Talk to Octavia, I'm going on a walk." He nods and watches me leave the home I soon won't call mine. The sky was dark and covered in glowing stars I always loved to watch. And so, I walked into my favorite clearing and stared up at them. What the hell am I doing? I should already be gone. Dammit. Dammit! Lincoln with his damn face keeping me here. Heavy footsteps became apparent to me but I didn't react. If they wanted to hurt me they'd do so quieter. I stayed silent and listened as the steps got closer.

"You shouldn't be out here, you could get hurt." The voice of Bellamy spoke to me a smirk evident in his voice. I don't answer. Why should I? There's no point, "Are we going back to the one sided conversations?" He joked making me crack a small smile.

His hand gripped my shoulder from behind, "I'm leaving." I finally say.

"Leaving? What do you mean, James?" His voice cracked towards the end of those words. I stay silent once again. Bellamy spun me around so I had to look up to meet his eyes. "James?"

We stare at each other intently, waiting for one the crack before the other. I was the one to crack, "Lincoln will be pardoned, but I will be tortured."

"Tortured?"

"Yes. Tortured."