On the Run ~ON HOLD~

Chapter 22 Negotiations That Didn't Go So Well

By the time Thea and Finn had returned to camp, Thea was completely sober and exhausted. Finn wandered off to find Clarke and fill her in on the plan.

Thea waited for Finn to finish talking to Clarke before she followed the blonde girl.

"Clarke," she called out, making the girl pause and turn around.

Clarke forced a smile, "Hey, Thea. So, I guess you're in on this whole grounder meeting thing too, huh?"

Thea sighed, "I think it's for the best, Clarke. If we can make peace with them instead of fighting, how many more lives do you think we'll save? It's the best option right now."

"Well if that's what you think then you're not gonna like what I'm about to do so you should go meet Finn by the gate and wait for me."

Thea looked to where Clarke's gaze was, seeing Bellamy's tent. She had a general idea of what Clarke was about to do.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she nodded, "You do what you think is best," she told her.

Clarke nodded, turning to leave but Thea caught her arm, "But Clarke," she paused, "Remember we're in this together, alright?"

Clarke sent her a small smile, nodding as she continued her path to Bellamy and whatever she was planning.

Thea stood there for a moment, pondering over whether she should tell Finn or not, but eventually decided not to. She trusted Clarke, she had gotten them this far after all.

So, turning on her heel, Thea marched over to where Finn was waiting, not saying a word about Clarke's plan and making small talk with the boy instead.

~~~

As the three trekked trough the dark woods, Thea let Clarke and Finn go ahead, staying just behind them, lost in her own thoughts.

She hoped this would work. It needed to work or else they would have a war on their hands. A war against much more experienced people, trained warriors and prepared armies. They were just a group of kids. Delinquents at that. They had never been prepared for this, never been taught the proper way to handle weapons or how to sneak silently through the woods to surprise their opponent.

All they had was their determination and the strength of those around them. And maybe that would be enough to let them win, but Thea doubted it. No amount of sheer willpower could hold up against the structured discipline and preparation it took to make a soldier.

Dawn began to break as the trio stepped out of the woods and neared the old bridge that was their meeting place. Octavia was there waiting for them.

Clarke gave Finn a sharp look, "So that's how you set this up," she looked back to Octavia, "You helped him escape, didn't you?"

"I trust him, Clarke," Octavia told her.

"There's a lot of that going around," Clarke muttered.

Thea heard a noise approaching and she was immediately alert, ready for an attack just in case.

"Someone's coming," Finn said.

"No duh, dipshit," Thea rolled her eyes at his obvious statement, laughing and punching his shoulder jokingly when he gave her an offended look.

As they watched, Lincoln emerged from the trees, jogging towards them as Octavia ran to meet him.

Hearing a slight rustle in the woods around them, Thea glanced to her left, making eye contact with Bellamy who looked like a deer in the headlights. She rolled her eyes, quickly noting that Jasper and Raven were there as well before turning back nonchalantly so Finn wouldn't notice. She knew that this must have been Clarke's plan. And there was no way she had discussed it with Finn beforehand so she figured that she should keep quiet about the three armed guards that currently watched their every move.