Astataine

Chapter Twenty Three

"Roan should be alive. Not you."

As a new dawn breaks, I stalk quickly through the red army we've spent every waking moment preparing for battle. Knowing we're going to make another run for Shallow Valley everyone is running around trying to get everything into a sharp prepared order. All we're doing is waiting on an official plan from our Commander which has yet to be created. Madi's been by Gaia's side for the rest of the morning. Thankfully Gaia has held on like Bellamy stressed her to do and judging from the way I've seen Madi watching her in the Medical tent Jackson set up, I can only imagine the value her guidance means to Madi. She was the Flamekeeper who ascended her after all.

Refusing to sit idle I left Miller, Octavia, Echo, and Brell to prepare the Wonkru warriors. Instead I turn to my rover. A habit I'm finding myself falling back into with ease. When I'm doing nothing I'm always found fixing something. That's what made me such a nightmare for many in the bunker. Now that I'm out in the wasteland I've got the choice of my rover or bloodied wounds.

There's no competition really.

It's as I'm pulling out a solar panel to charge the battery that I'm suddenly shoved hard against the rover before I'm yanked back my jacket and with no warning feel a hard punch delivered to my cheek. It's only as I raise my arms to deflect another blow to my head that I notice it's Echo who's delivered the attack. Stood before me in the sand her eyes blaze angrily at me. Hissing as I poke the tender spot on my cheek, I comment bluntly with an inkling upon what this is about "I take it your angry?"

"I should've known you'd move in on him as soon as I left to infiltrate Diyoza's camp", Echo snaps at me with a hard shake of her head "You were so eager to get me out-"

"Because you're a spy Echo. Six years doesn't change that", I stress to her, gaze narrowed as I'm quickly adding "And I doubt you'd have been able to hack into a ship's systems. Half a decade ago you were still using sticks to shish-kabab my people for sport."

As if this snapped something in her again I watch Echoes hard reserved resolve shatter as she throws her fist at me again. Far more alert I duck it and swing my foot out only for her to deflect it with ease. For a long moment we continuously block and deflect attacks given to each other Both of our skills fairly matched. That is until Echo grabs a hold of my fist, my arm remaining straight as I'm swung around and rammed vengefully against the rover. "You said I'd have nothing to worry about from you", Echo snaps lowly in my ear and I grunt against the way she locks my arm behind my back "Jokes on me. I should've known you couldn't push aside the pathetic feelings you clung onto-"