Alone

Niylah

Three months later

Trideslang = italics

"Niylah?" Clarke called out as we entered the trading post yet again. Clarke and I had been coming here for months now, trading in our kills for the meat to be dried and the fur turned into clothes - in exchange for some of the hunt, obviously. Niylah was the young woman whom Clarke and I dealt with whenever we came here. She was very pretty and kind to us when we needed someone, anyone, to do that. Clarke and I had taken to dying our hair red temporarily to disguise our appearances. Our faces were too well known across the clans after the defeat of the mountain, and we were being hunted. Niylah came out the back with a heavy bowl in her hands. I quickly rushed over and took it from her, she patted my arm in thanks and I easily handled the weight. I set the bowl of food and furs down on the counter and made my way to the back of the shop to change while she and Clarke conversed.
After spending months together I could read Clarke like a book and it was very obvious to me that she liked Niylah a little bit more than casual friends do.

I stood by the dirty, cracked mirror and inspected my appearance. My long, dirty red hair fell in tatters and small braids down my back, reaching my hips. I grabbed the pot of black paint and smothered some over my eyes in a smiler pattern to my sisters but it curved down my cheek and too my chin in an arc. My dark black eyes held no shimmer or hope, they were simply dark black pit holes. They scared even me. My muscles had grown over the strenuous 3 months and I had finally reached my warriors potential. At 16 winters I stood quite small at about 5"4" with small breasts and small hips. My skin tight leather trousers hugged my legs snuggly and my jacket covered my neck as I kept it tightly zipped up. I slipped on my fur gloves and tied my fur boots tightly around my ankles.

The ice nations territory was cruel and the weather was not kind to strangers. I did not struggle with the cold as much as Clarke did though, I guess that's the ice nation blood kicking in. I quickly banished that thought from my mind, not liking where it was leading. Thinking about my ancestors would only lead me to thinking about my mother. And that only led me to thinking about mum and dad and the mountain. Today was not the day for such thoughts. Today Clarke and I would rest here with Niylah before we continued on our journey to nowhere.

I sat manning the shops desk as Niylah and Clarke talked in the back room when two men came in. Ice warriors. I straightened my back as they entered the room and spoke casually to them all the while keeping my head down, "Can I help you with anything?" 
One of the men studied me for a few moments while the other one nosed around the shop. I kept my eyes on both of them, they were bounty hunters I could tell by the way they scouted the room.
"That depends beautiful. Have you seen Wanheda or Anya's goufa?"
My heart clenched in pain at my mother's name but I kept my face blank and rolled my eyes at his compliment,
"No I haven't sorry."
The man that walked the shop came up next to his buddy and handed me two 'wanted' posters. I studied them carefully, wincing at how bad my picture was.
"The ice queen wants Wanheda and Anya will be willing to pay a hefty sum for her kid so if they come this way be sure to tell us."
I nodded my head at the mans voice when I really I was rolling my eyes at his stupidity, my mother would never pay money for me she would simply come and kill whomever dared to ask her for money for her own child. Just then the two women in the back came through without realising the danger we were suddenly in. Clarke was much more noticeable and wanted  than me, this could get ugly.
"I doubt I will see Wanheda or the goufa but if I do I shall be sure to tell you. Now if you two don't mind..."  I motioned to the door and they both nodded their heads, they hadn't taken a look at Clarke yet and I needed to keep it that way. The younger one grabbed my hand and kissed it as he made his way out. I allowed it but inside I was screaming, how dare he touch me without my consent!? I took a deep breath and smiled at them as they finally excited the trading station.