ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ 𝐹𝒶𝓁𝓁 ↠ ᴏʀʙɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ [1]

☆ᴛʜɪʀᴛᴇᴇɴ

Thirteen - How's that for animals?

Morning: Present Day

As soon as Lincoln and I reach his cave a few hours earlier, I helped him take Octavia towards an empty spot on the cave floor. I've never been this cave, seeing as he started to inhabit it after I was moved to Polis. The only reason I know how to get here is due to a message I received while living there for Lincoln containing a map of the forest and the marked spot.

"Nice place you got here," I toss out as I observe the cave. It really isn't a bad shelter. A burning fire rests in the middle of the cave, warming the entire area. Weapons and armor hang from the walls and a bedroll lays by itself in the main area. Octavia is resting in the small enclosed area to the left of the entryway. There appears to only be one entry and exit, but knowing Lincoln there are probably a few more hidden in plain sight.

"Yu know how ai laik about the villages," Lincoln reminds me. You know how I am about the villages. I nod because I know that they don't hold the best memories for him. He's been fighting to not become a monster after his father killed his first non-grounder friend. A man fell from the sky, taught him some English, and Lincoln's father, in turn, killed the man.

"Em ste asleep, osir can speak gonasleng, em won't hear yu," I tell him. She is asleep, we can speak English, she won't hear you. Lincoln nods and gestures for me to sit on the bedroll. I sit and he kneels in front of me.

"Now, tell me, Leigh, what have you been up to? Because the rumors flooding the villages and their mouthes are quite insane," Lincoln gets to work unwrapping my bloodied wrists.

"Well," I wince as he unwraps the last layer that has stuck to the wounds on my left wrist, "Heda wanted to know information on the invaders so she sent me."

Lincoln nods, moving over to his crate that I notice houses all his medicines. He applies a thin layer to both my wrists, meeting my eyes only once he finishes. "So what will you do now?" he asks.

"Well," I look to the opening and can see the leg of Octavia sticking out, "first, you are going to take care of Octavia." Lincoln groans and I roll my eyes. "What? Are you five again?" I challenge.

He sends glares at me and I chuckle. "Can you do that for me?" I question. Lincoln glances at Octavia and then agrees.

"Great! Now, I have to get to one of the surrounding villages so they can send a message to Heda that I am alive." I stand quickly, rushing to grab my bow off the cave floor, trying my best to ignore the painful stabbing feeling in my wrists.

"If you move quickly, you should be there by nightfall," Lincoln says, "Do you want different clothing? Those look uncomfortable."