Different realities, Different Lives, Different Worlds.

The Mission

                                                                                        Maddi

It was as if there was no sound on the rocky path as they made their way away from home, away from the safety that was their gates, it was not the first nor the last time Maddi would be away from home. Certainly, was different this time around. Her Aunt followed behind her, with Echo in front of her, and Alpha team a mile or so in front of them, not visible to them but knew they were there. Everyone wore earpieces to keep in contact with the teams and to pass any information or orders that needed to be put out "I can hear your thinking, Princess." Octavia whispered low enough that Maddi could barely hear but loud enough though that she could. It was how they were all trained to talk while out on missions so that they were not overhead "What is it that you are thinking of?"

Maddi wasn't sure what to say, she been thinking of the safety of home, but home wasn't just that but her mother "Nomon." Was all she said, and her aunt's eyes held understanding within them as they continued the quiet trek through the wreckage of what use to be their 14th clan "What is it we are looking for, Aunt?"

"The bandits." Octavia stated "The ones who raided us. There was only so little of them so there has to be more and need to be dealt with before they can even think of coming close to our cities. We do not want to end up like the 14th clan." 

"They were hiding it weren't they? The 14th clan." Maddi looked behind her to her aunt who only nodded "So why does it seem so hard to get any help from the other clans when this could affect them as well." She had learned to ease drop quietly and unnoticed by adults which was a skilled she had picked up on her own at the academy before she had graduated. 

"They don't think like us. They would rather wait till the war, the bandits, are at their door. They've become spoiled children seeing as we are now the barrier between the bandits and the inner cities, so they do not think they have to do anything because they expect us to have delt with it."

"Will mother say something to them during the tour of the clans?" Maddi asked quietly.

"That depends on this situation and how bad it is but knowing your mother it is likely that she will." Octavia stated. 

"We've got visual up ahead." Jasper stated over their earpieces "A group of four have met up with our tracker, they are taking him back now, but they do seem suspicious of him."

"Because he came back alive." Echo growled out it seemed "Continue following, Alpha team. You all might have to continue on foot from here."

"Roger, losing the horses. We are tying them up you should come up on them in one click." Jasper stated before the comms went quiet again.

Echo turned back to Octavia and Maddi "We will pick up the horses and bound them to ours so we don't lose them but if we have to act, we should tie them up close but not to close."

"Do you expect this to go sideways?" Maddi asked although she almost felt like that was a stupid question to ask as Echo and Octavia looked at her and shook their heads at her. "What?"

"Always expect to go sideways, Princess." Echo said as they rode up to the horses. Echo took two as Octavia took one and Maddi the other "Did they not teach that in the Academy?"

"Yes." Maddi grumbled.

"Its fine, Maddi. Let's get moving we don't want to get to far behind Alpha team in case they come into contact with the bandits." Octavia stated as she stayed in her position of the formation behind Maddi with Echo in front of her. "How was the vacation?"