Dokwocha

Chapter 19

"No! Get off! No!" Clarke cried out as Stiles disappeared around the corner. He got taken outside before the Grounder walked away only to return a few minutes later with a horse. They both got on and rode off. After a few minutes of riding, they reached a bonfire where they dismounted the horse.

"I don't know why you are still wearing that mask, Lincoln. I knew it was you the moment I saw you in that room." Lincoln chuckles as he removes the helmet.

"You have a keen eye; I must say that I am impressed."

"Octavia said that you were heading east."

"I wanted to, but how could I leave her? Not after I learned that Tristan would be taking control of this attack."

"What is wrong with Tristan?"

"He is a madman, a maniac. He is ruthless and will kill anyone in his way."

"Judging by that you are not a fan of his."

"There are few who are. The only reason the commander would have put him in charge is if she wanted to completely wipe them out."

"Eventually I am going to have to sit down and have a word with this commander of yours."

"I'm sure that that would be an interesting conversation. I have to go back now and pick up Clarke, I will be back soon. In 2 minutes, light this on fire to alert their attention, good luck." Lincoln said before putting his helmet back on and getting back onto his horse and riding off into the darkness.

A few minutes later Lincoln rode back with Clarke on his horse. They rode out of the forest into the open before he stopped, dismounted, and grabbed Clarke off of the horse. He turned her around and pulled out his knife before cutting the rope binding her hands. She looked up at him confused before he turned her around again facing her towards Stiles.

"Stiles?" She asked as he walked around the fire.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God." She said before charging at him wrapping him in a hug.

"I don't understand. How-" Stiles didn't reply and instead looked towards Lincoln causing Clarke to do the same before he looked over to them and took off his mask.

"Lincoln saved my life. He stepped in before the others had a chance to kill me." Stiles lied and she looked back over to Lincoln.

"The signal fire. That was you?"

"We needed a distraction." He replied not looking at her but instead focusing on the fire located on the hill opposite.

"I'd say it worked."

"Not well enough."

"What does that mean?"

"It means Tristan knows Clarke is not dead. We need to hurry." He walks his horse away before slapping it causing it to run off.

"Let's hope they follow the horse."

"Hey, what do we do now?"

"Now we run," Lincoln answered before running off being followed by Stiles and Clarke a few seconds later.

They run through the forest for a short while following Lincoln as he leads them to a specific place.

"Where are we?"

"Someplace they won't follow."

"Wait. Where does it lead?"

"Everywhere. There's a tunnel near your camp. If we make it through, we'll get there before Tristan." They all hear horses and see torchlight in the distance amongst the trees.

"Go. Go." They run in and a few moments later 2 arrows come flying past their heads.

"Notice: Visibility almost zero, switching to night vision." Abyss said before Stiles's eyes quickly adapted to the new dark environment. 'Abyss map out the cave system and work out the fasted way out.' The group stops and Lincoln starts a fire to make a torch.

"You were right, they didn't follow us," Stiles said looking back down the tunnel they had just run through.

"Reapers use these tunnels. Tristan wouldn't risk running into them." Lincoln explained.

"What the hell is a Reaper?" Clarke asked looking at him in fear.

"Pray you never find out. We have to keep moving." Lincoln said before standing up and grunting in pain.

"Lincoln, you're hit."

"Hey, let me look at that."

"I've fought battles with worse wounds than this."

"We're not in a battle right now."

"Yes, we are."

"Why are you helping us? This can't just be about Octavia." He just looks at Clarke

"Fine, don't tell us. Give me your knife." She says before pulling his knife out of its sheath and handing it to Stiles.

"Heat the blade." She says before turning back to Lincoln.

"You might want something to bite down on."

"You people are so soft. If you don't learn to be more- Aah!" He exclaims as Clarke stabs the arrow through him exposing the head.

"What my people are doing to yours is wrong." He answers her previous question. She walks over and grabs the knife before pressing it onto his wound sealing it with the heat. They continue running through the tunnels until Lincoln stops and pulls out his book, presumably to check a map.

"If you've never been down here, how do you have a map?"

"The spoils of war."

"What is that?" Clarke asks looking down the tunnel.

"Reapers," Lincoln answers grabbing the torch and extinguishing it on the ground plunging them into darkness once again. They creep forward toward the light.

"This can't be the only way. Check the map." Clarke said.

"If you want to get home before Tristan slaughters your people, this is the only way." They creep towards the corner and peer around.

"Stiles," Clarke says drawing his attention to her.

"The carts." She says making Stiles look back towards the tunnel to see numerous carts on the side with exposed deceased bodies.

"What the hell is this?" She then asked.

"Tunnel on the right will lead you through the woods near your camp. Take this." Lincoln hands his book to Stiles.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to lead them away. Wait until they follow me. Then run." He then takes off his sword and hands it to Stiles

"For Octavia."

"Wait a second," Clarke says stopping him

"If they catch you, they'll kill you."

"Worry about yourselves. Most of Tristan's rangers will be at your gate by nightfall. But he'll send riders ahead, scouts. All of you have to be gone before they arrive."

"One of them is coming," Stiles said drawing their attention back down the tunnel.

"Where are we supposed to go?" Clarke asked.

"In my book, there's a map. Chart a course to the Eastern Sea. There's a clan there, led by a woman called Luna. A friend. Tell her I sent you."

"Thank you," Stiles said

"Just get Octavia out of there." He said before charging around and attacking the Reaper. Once he did, he ran off down one of the tunnels making the others chase after him. After they had all followed Stiles and Clarke ran around the corner and towards the tunnel that would lead them out.