Coming Back Down

Nevermore

  After seeing Arkadia in chaos and joining up with Jasper, Clarke rode in the passenger seat in the vehicle as I hurriedly followed on horseback. Remembering what I had learned, I kept control of the horse while remaining in the saddle. The power of the large animal kept it a few steps behind the rover, and I listened to how it breathed, making sure it wouldn't tire out as we were getting away.

  When the vehicle began to slow, I had the horse circle around and ease into a walking speed. Tightening on the reigns, I paused at what I saw before me. A few Skaikru were standing post outside of a cave as Bellamy and Octavia stood outside.

  "Need your help!" Jasper shouted before rushing into view with Raven in his arms. "We have to get her inside before she wakes up!" Bellamy hurried over to help.

  "Were you followed?"

  "Maybe. I-I don't know."

  "Get her here." And the freckled man took Raven from Jasper.

  "Viper!" Octavia called out as I was dismounting. She grabbed me in a hug as one of my hands was still on the saddle. "Oh, my God, I thought I'd never see you again! What happened in Azgeda?" She questioned while holding me at arm's length. "You weren't hurt, were you?"

  "No." I chuckled. "No, I was treated as a guest, more like. The king and I have an alliance, but with the way things are looking, I had to leave until it's all settled." I replied.

  "Octavia! Viper! We need you guys!" Clarke yelled from the cave. Grabbing the horse's reigns, I led him toward the cave.

  "Jaha's been chipping everyone." Jasper was explaining as Octavia and I entered.

  "Jasper's right, I've seen it with my own eyes." Clarke stated.

  "I don't need your help, all right?" He pointed at her.

  "Just take it easy and explain." Bellamy told him while placing a hand on his shoulder.

  "Jaha is using the chips to control everyone." Jasper's voice was calm now. "You swallow it and it changes you." He waved a hand. "You forget who you are, and then you see this thing, Alie. Only, she's not really there. She made Raven slit her own wrists." The boy waved a hand at Raven who laid passed out by the fire. "She was trying to get her out of her head. I was trying to help her, but...."

  "Okay, so let's help her now." A man spoke up while stepping toward Jasper and Bellamy. "Did she say how?"

  "She was working on building something. She needed one of our old wristbands, but Jaha destroyed all of them."

  "Wait a second." Clarke spoke up while reaching into her coat and pulling out what she had told me was the Flame. "Does it look like this?"

  "Not exactly." Jasper replied just before Raven shot up and dashed out of the cave.

  "Don't let her get away!" Clarke shouted. Chasing the woman down, Jasper used a sedative to knock her out. "We have to go."

  "Why? Alie doesn't know where we are."

  "Because I know where we can get a wristband." And the blonde glanced at me. "Think you can find that trading post from here?" She asked.

 "Which one?"

  "Where we got caught." Glancing around first, I then looked at her.

  "Yeah."

~
  Riding the horse, I took the lead as the truck's headlights lit the way. Upon arrival, the horse neighed as he came to a halt before the trading post. The blonde woman inside came out, wielding a sharpened piece of metal as a sword while the others piled out of the truck.

  "Viper, scout the perimeter." Clarke told me as she walked past. Nodding, I turned the horse right and headed off into the dark woods. The horse's hooves quietly stepped over the damp leaves on the ground as we circled the trading post. Keeping alert, my eyes scanned the surrounding woods for any movement.