We are Grounders

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 ℕ𝕚𝕟𝕖 - 𝔼𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕠𝕦𝕤 ℂ𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

"What? Now!" Braeya wearies.

"Yeah, I said that I wasn't going because I wanted to be there when you wake up, but now that you're awake I have to go help." Aidric responds, he also proceeds the explain what part of the forest they are in.

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you most definitely are not! You can barely even stand, let alone fight." Aidric orders and Braeya glares at him.

"You're not my mother!" She retorts.

"No, but I am," Kahli appears on Braeya's other side. "And I'm ordering you to stay here." Aidric grins triumphantly at Braeya, clearly happy about winning the argument. He walks Braeya back inside and she still leans onto him for support. She huffs crossly as she sits herself back down onto her bed, hating the fact that Aidric was right.

"I have to go and when I come back, you better be here." Aidric warns before exiting the room.

"I want a guard posted out here at all times," Braeya can hear Lexa's voice from outside. "There's no doubt she's going to try and leave and we need her to heal as quick as possible."

"I can hear you!" She shouts to everyone outside and she can hear them chuckle. Braeya groans and lies back down onto the bed. Everything falls silent outside and Braeya peeks at the door to see a guard standing silently just outside.

***

Already half the day has gone and Braeya was still stuck inside her room. Occasionally, she was let outside to walk around and stretch her legs but she was still mostly confined to her bed. Others had come to visit her throughout the course of the day but now Braeya was by herself, and bored out of her mind.

Voices sound outside which brings Braeya's attention to them until she realises that the guard is only swapping with another and she proceeds to ignore it.

"Braeya!" All is silent until someone whispers her name and she turns her head to face the owner of the voice.

"You know, you really don't have to guard me. I'm not gonna leave..." Braeya's voice falters when she sees Lincoln standing inside and looking at her desperately.

"I need your help."

"Sure, what do you need me to do," Braeya remembers the time Lincoln had helped her with Jasper and how he had never said anything to Indra or Acacio about it.

"Come with me," Braeya stands up and winces. She can now walk on her own after resting for so long but she is still sore and every step is painful for her. Braeya grabs her sword and sheaths it, she slides her dagger up her wrist and hides her machete down her calf. She then grabs her new fog horn and attaches it to a clasp connected to her pants. Now that Braeya isn't an apprentice anymore and isn't under the watch of her mentor she has her own horn for the acid fog. After gathering her items Braeya follows Lincoln out the door.

"You know I'm not meant to leave, right?" Braeya lowers her voice so that only Lincoln can hear.

"Yes, I know. That's why we're sneaking out." Lincoln replies.

"Where are we going?" Braeya asks.

"I'll tell you on the way, now follow me." Lincoln slinks off through the crowd and Braeya follows. He stops once they reach the prison in which Murphy stays. Lincoln keeps within the crowds of people and sneaks off to the side of the building and out of sight of the guards on duty.

Braeya takes a step forward to follow but the guard abruptly focuses his attention onto the spot where Lincoln had disappeared. She clenches her fists in frustration and shuffles backwards until she reaches the door of a home and crouches down behind a large woven basket just outside the entrance. If the guards spot her she will never be able leave her room, let alone the camp. This is the only chance that Braeya has to sneak away. She tries thinks of a way to distract the guard without giving her position away, Braeya peers around the basket to see Lincoln staring at her with a questioning look, he obviously doesn't know that that guard was looking in their direction.