𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍 | the 100

39 | Newborn Reaper

"Why are you acting like this? It's so unlike you, little doll, you're not yourself."

‧ ✩ ｡ ✭ ° ☆ ･ _______ ･ ☆ ° ✭ ｡ ✩ ‧

"I was starting to wonder when we'd get another speech."

Murphy's grumbled voice behind Amber locks the joints of her body stiff. Surrounded by the crowd gathered at the center of Camp Jaha, she hadn't noticed his approach, but instead of giving him the satisfaction of turning around, her eyes travel over the guards lined up against the station's wall. She doesn't know why before she sees him.

Noah stands post by the closed entrance, already watching her, waiting for her to face Murphy and give a response. But he won't hear her words with the sea of people between them, and even if she were to throw out a snarky demand for Murphy to leave her alone, it would seem like a confession to Noah that he was right. That she does care about Murphy.

"At least we know where Clarke gets it from," Murphy continues, clueless about Amber's decision to ignore him, when Dr. Griffin emerges from the station. Thankful for a distraction, Amber locks her gaze firmly ahead as Griffin steps in front of the crowd, Thelonious Jaha behind her. When Amber had first laid eyes on him earlier, she had thought she'd seen a ghost, but here he stands again, broadcasted in sunlight for all to see.

"By now, you've all heard the rumor," Griffin addresses the hundreds of faces peering at them curiously. "And unfortunately, it's true. The Grounders are coming."

The sea of people shifts, shoulders slumping and heads shaking, but Amber remains still as a rock, unaffected by the news. Because it really can't be considered news anymore. Something is always coming.

"We have a difficult decision to make. Thankfully, Chancellor Jaha has found his way back to us, and we are discussing all options."

"But to be safe," Jaha speaks up, stepping past Griffin and pacing before the crowd, drawing the attention to him. "You need to pack, now, whatever you can carry. We may need to leave at a moment's notice."

"Where will we go?" someone shouts, voicing everyone's rising questions.

"I don't know, is the answer," Jaha admits. "But I heard of a place. A city of light. It's across the Dead Zone."

Sounds lovely.

"Yeah, tell us more about the Dead Zone," Murphy mutters by her ear, voicing the same doubt she feels. "Nothing more inspiring than the mention of death."

"Death doesn't scare me," she snaps before she can stop herself. She isn't even sure where the words come from but she's desperate to shut Murphy up.

"Because we made it here," Jaha says, a response to a man who shouted something Amber couldn't make out because of Murphy's comment. "I have faith. And right now, given the alternative, that's good enough for me."

"Not for us!" Heads turn to glimpse the blonde girl who spoke. Clarke. She steps forward, declaring to all who don't know her yet that she is someone to listen to. "If we leave here, what happens to our people in Mount Weather?"

"As your mother said... That is a very difficult decision to make." Jaha's voice now carries a faint hint of annoyance. He clearly isn't used to being interrupted. But he has been gone for weeks and things change, even if some might still follow their old leader from the Ark, he has no experience on the Ground, and Clarke has time and time again proven herself to be dependable.