undertow | bellamy blake (book one)

6 | more human

As soon as Octavia fell asleep, Jovie snuck out of their shared tent. She had to find a way out of camp without anyone seeing her, especially Bellamy. He was strict on no one leaving, and she had a feeling if he knew what she was doing he would really flip a shit. She was aware her plan was stupid, but there was only one way to learn who the Grounders were. It was to find them.

When she eventually found a small hole in the south side of the wall, she slipped through it and was able to sneak out without anyone seeing her. She also probably should have at least told someone, like Octavia, what she was going to do in case something happened to her, but she didn't think it through too well. She never did.

She ran quickly through the woods, her pack on her back and a homemade spear in her hand. She was dressed in all black to use it to hide her in the darkness. Being out here alone, especially at night, was dangerous. She had to be smart about it.

Jovie had no idea where to start to try to find them, but she knew where their territory began. She found her way back to the tree that Jasper was tied up at, looking around on the ground to use any cues to which way they had come from. Her Earth skills were a little faded, but she had watched Finn as he tracked Jasper earlier. She kept walking further into the woods, deeper into their territory. Her heart pounded the darker the woods got and the further she strayed from camp. She didn't want to admit it, but she was scared. She was right to be too.

It was when she heard a noise in the distance that she froze. She knelt down and leaned back against a tree as she waited to see what it was or to see if she was just starting to imagine things. Being out in the woods alone at night could make your brain play tricks on you. It was the sound of a child's laughter that made her question if that was the case. When she heard other voices though, she had a feeling she had found them. She slowly made her way towards the source of the sounds, finding herself more scared yet also more curious as she got closer.

The sight of a fire burning in the distance made her realize she had found it. She had found one of their villages. She didn't want to get too close as to alarm them that she was there, but she had to get closer to see what was inside. She crept closer, slowly and very quietly. She knew how to be stealthy. She would use it to her advantage.

When she got close enough to watch them, she knelt down next to a tree. She could hear that they were speaking a different language and she found herself intrigued. Jovie watched as a man taught a child how to wield a sword, the two of them moving back and forth as they sparred. Other children cheered their friend on as they watched the little girl fight with the man. Jovie couldn't help but smile at the sight. They were so excited to be learning how to fight. But at the same time, they were so young and so innocent. But Jovie supposed that was just the world they lived in. The Grounders learned how to fight as such a young age so that they could protect themselves.

Nearby as the young warriors fought, a mother tended to her own child's cut. Jovie watched as the mother gently took care of her toddler, speaking what Jovie assumed were words of encouragement. In this village there were a few Grounders that looked like warriors, but for the most part it was just children and the elderly. She hardly found them dangerous, but she also knew that there was probably more than what meets the eye. Besides, the trap that had almost killed her was built by someone capable of such violence and technique, and the way Jasper had been hit so precisely by such a distance was clearly done so by a warrior. There was no way this village was all the Grounders had. There had to be more. She was determined to find it and learn about them. But for now, she just watched the way the Grounders moved around and spoke to one another.

Once they started disappearing into their tents, she supposed it was late enough that she should head back, especially in case someone noticed that she was gone. With one last look at the village, she snuck back the way she had come from and made her way back to her own camp. She only managed to get lost once or twice, but once she reached the boundary of the territory, she was quick to remember the way.

When she got back into her tent, she left out a breath of relief when she saw that Octavia was still sound asleep. She knew she could tell Octavia the truth, but she also didn't want Octavia to want to get in on her spying. Jovie knew how to take care of herself. She knew Octavia could handle herself too, but she didn't want to have that extra burden in case something did happen out there. If something happened to herself, she would be able to handle it. If something happened to Octavia, she wasn't sure she could handle it.

Jovie quickly settled onto her cot, but as she stared up at the ceiling of the tent, she found she was having a hard time sleeping. There was too much on her mind. The events of the day, including almost being killed (twice); the way Jasper was barely hanging onto life; the way she realized Bellamy could be more than just a ruthless dictator; but more importantly, the way the Grounders were more human than she originally thought.