Chasing the Wind

Chapter Twelve

"This is a bad idea," I mumbled as we entered the gorge.

"Echo's plan will work," Bellamy reassured, "It has to."

We should be taking higher ground. Yes, they'd see us coming, but we're sitting ducks down here.

"I'll talk to Echo, check everything's alright," Bellamy said.

Honestly, he cared too much about everyone. The only time he's used his head rather than his heart was when he left Clarke and I behind during Praimfaya.

But Echo has definitely changed.

Clarke mentioned one her video that she stabbed Octavia and pushed her off a cliff, but that was when she worked for Prince Roan of Azgeda.

He was a terrible person. He tried to kill everyone. At least, all my friends.

If Bellamy trusts the girl who shoved his sister off a cliff, it's definitely for good reason.

"The distraction has begun," Bellamy said, "Let's move."

We all started walking swiftly, then running at full speed.

The wind in my face would have been wonderful if I weren't running into a war over the last survivable patch of Earth.

But other than that, it was fun.

The gunshots in the distance stopped.

"That's not good," I reached for my sword instinctively, but if the enemy was over the ridge surrounding the gorge, I'd be dead before I was within range.

"No it's not," Bellamy and I exchanged worried looks.

My eyes saw movement, "Everyone scatter now!"

The confusion would hopefully distract the attackers for long enough for me to climb up the ridge.

But before I knew what had happened, the gorge exploded.

Bullets rained down on the ground as explosions sent people flying.

They knew we were coming.

How could they? The only people that knew were-

Clarke.

She traded our lives for Madi's safety. I couldn't believe it.

I dove to the ground by the edge of the gorge. I didn't know how much time had passed before the explosions and the screaming stopped.

My right side hurt, and I couldn't move. Black blood trickled onto my hands.

For a moment I worried I'd been shot, but when I'd jumped to the gorge wall, I'd hit a sharp rock.

My headache grew as my ears were still ringing.

I saw a few people trying to stand up and surrender. A few moments later, they were all on the ground, riddled in bullet holes.

So much for surrender.

Not that I'd ever surrender to anyone. Not even if my life depended on it. Probably, at least.

Surrender wasn't an option. Moving wasn't an option. I had to wait until dark.

Closing my eyes couldn't do much harm, could it?

Just resting my eyes for a little.

"She's dead," a cold voice whispered, "I'm sorry."

"No," footsteps rushed over to me, "No, she can't be."

I rolled over onto my back, "What did I miss?"

"Play dead, now," the first voice- Octavia commanded.

I obeyed as a light passed over us. When it was gone, Bellamy smiled, "You scared me."

"So much for an unnoticed attack," I sat up as we moved away from the light.

"Down," Octavia whispered again.

The light passed over us. We moved again.

Of course. If the light catches us, they see us. Then, we get shot and killed. Unless they think we're already dead.

"How did you survive?" Bellamy asked.

"I played dead," I leapt to the floor again, motionless as the light passed over, "Then I passed out."

He sighed, "Stop getting injured."

"Just a scratch," I ducked behind a rock this time, "I didn't get shot or stabbed, don't worry."

Octavia waves a hand between us, "Hate to break up the party, but we need a way out."

"There," I pointed to an area in the middle of the gorge, "Indra and Gaia."

After the light flashed past, we moved from the cover of the rocks towards them and played dead as we talked to them.

Gaia had been shot in the leg. Indra was stopping the bleeding for now, but she needed a doctor.

"Ai gonplei ste odon," Gaia whispered. My fight is over, "Leave me here."

"Don't you dare give up," Indra commanded, "I can't lose you."

Up until this moment, I had never seen an adult grounder cry before- well, other than when Luna had to kill her friend when he was under A.L.I.E.'s control.

"Yu gonplei nou ste odon," I growled, "Oso throu daun ogeda."

Your fight is not over. We fight together.

"Leave me to save yourselves and the others," Gaia frowned as her leg twitched in pain.

"You can't just give up and die here," Indra begged.

Gaia grabbed her mother's cheek and smiled, "I die so they can live. Omon gon oson."

All of me for all of us.

The other Wonkru mantra, coming along with 'You are Wonkru or you are the enemy of Wonkru. Choose.'

Octavia certainly had a flare for the dramatic. Dramatic phrases, actions.

"No," the light passed over us. We lifted her up and moved her to safety behind the rocks.

"You taught the natblidas to always keep fighting," Octavia said, "You taught that to Wonkru as well. You keep on fighting. Ge smak daun, gyon op nodotaim."

Get knocked down, get back up. One of Lincoln's favorite phrases.

We're having such fun with grounder phrases right now, aren't we?

Gaia looked at us in pain, "You won't give up, will you?"

"Not a chance," Octavia grinned, "Don't die. That's an order from your blodreina."

"Fine," Gaia frowned at us, "Are we all that's left?"

I shook my head, "I saw some escape."

"Can we get out?"

"We can if I draw their fire," Octavia offered.

Surprisingly, no matter how many times Octavia tried to kill him or did questionable things for power, Bellamy still wanted his sister alive.

"We'll find another way," Bellamy said.

"There is no other way," Octavia argued. Indra reluctantly agreed, "I'm sorry, brother."

She stood up and ran into the middle of the light, which stopped on her, as Indra carried Gaia, following us to the end of the gorge.

"Over here!" Octavia held her sword in her hand.

But before anything else happened, a flash of light zoomed past. I was pulled into the back of the rover.

"Hey guys," someone joked.

I smirked up at Murphy and Emori, "Who's the cockroach now?"

Madi sat in the front seat, driving and smiling, "I have a plan."