Chapter five

Authors Note: Half of this chapter will be in first person, while the other will be in third. I'm trying to decide which to continue the story in, let me know which you prefer!

The sun is warm. I can feel it's warmth on my face and radiating all around me, I didn't want to move or even open my eyes hoping to hold onto the last bits of sleep but the tightness growing in the muscle of my leg kept any chances of returning to sleep out of my reach. Blinking a few times to adjust to the light I turned to where Octavia had been, where I expected her to be, finding the spot empty.

Confused I looked around to find that Octavia was nowhere in sight.

No one was where they had been, no one was here.

Panic set it as I pushed myself up into a sitting position, my head whipping this way and that it would have looked comical if the pit of fear wasn't growing in my stomach.

"You're awake." A voice startled me as I finally registered the sound of footsteps walking towards me, Monty approached with a hesitant smile. "How'd you sleep?" He asked reaching down to help me to my feet.

The muscle in my leg burned as I was helped up, I could feel where the wound had started to close on its own being pulled open once again causing a hiss of pain to leave my lips. "Sorry, are you okay?" Monty asked alarmed, "should I get Clarke?"

Shaking my head I dismissed his questions and replied with one of my own, "Where is everyone?"

Monty, looking a little sheepish glanced back the way he had come. "Finn found a section of the lake that is closer together than the rest; the others are there now building a rope out of vines so we can swing across."

Irritated I pinned Monty with my stare, "and you guys what, decided to leave me behind?"

"No, of course not!" He waved his hands in front of his face, startled by my unwavering glair. "We've been taking turns sitting here; Clarke thought it would be best to let you rest since you were having a restless night."

It was hard to be mad at Monty, after all he had only been doing as Clarke asked, and it was what they had thought I needed. But still I couldn't help but feel a little cheated, they should have woken me at least to ask what I wanted.

"I can take you there now, if you think you can handle the walk?"

Handle the walk. I wasn't a child.

Stubbornly I lifted my chin as I tested how much weight I could comfortably place on my foot, the shift sent trails of pain up my leg but nothing too unbearable. I'd manage, if only to show everyone else that I didn't need to be coddled that I could stand on my own two feet just fine.

"Let's go." I stated adamantly taking the first few steps in the direction Monty had come from, clenching my jaw to ignore the pain as I pushed forward as Monty watched each unsteady step I took with a look of helplessness on his face.

It isn't his fault. I had to remind myself of this, Monty hadn't been the one to suggest leaving me behind but he was one that had done so, they all had. Regardless of their good intentions it still hurt. Which was why we walked in silence, with the exception of our feet hitting the dirt below and my heavy breathing.

Octavia and Clarke were standing on the rocks overlooking the water, their gazes locked on Finn and Jasper who were standing by what I could only assume was their vine made rope. Forgetting my annoyance I watched, studying the pair who were looking down below them looking anything but ready to make the swing across the lake.

The throbbing in my leg could attest to why this, crossing the lake at all, was a bad idea. But I kept that to myself.

"You wanted to go first," Clarke reminded them, sounding impatient as the boys look over to where Octavia and Clarke stood before their eyes fell towards Monty and myself. "Now quit stalling."

"Hey, you're up." Jasper shouted though it sounded more like a question then an actually statement with how surprised he sounded.

Nodding a spoke "I'm up."

"Glad you could make it Liv," Finn smiled, 'Liv' when did Finn start call me Liv?

The answer didn't matter though, as the boys started to give each other pep talks about being like the Indians. The Apache.

A small smile pulled at my lips, it had a nice ring to it 'We are Apache.'

Finn readied himself to take the swing, pulling the rope back tightly he gave it a slight tug testing that it would hold. 'This was it' the thought had my heart hammering in my chest as the anticipation builds. With a few last words said between the pair I expected Finn to swing on the vine like a jungle man across the river.

Jasper bouncing on his heels glanced back at where we all stood, his brown graze catching my own then Octavia's before shouting, "Wait!"

'Did he see something? In the water maybe?' I wonder as my smile falters, before realizing that the real reason Jasper had stopped Finn from taking the first swing across was so that he could do it instead, as Finn hands Jasper the rope.

A nervous excitement builds in my chest as I bounce on the balls of my feet, 'My Hero, My Jasper is going to take the very first swing across the lake.' Intently I watched as Jasper took a few steps backwards before he turned to us with his own nervous excited grin pulling at his lips.

"See you on the other side."

Seconds later Jasper was running forward, hands tightly grasping the rope as his feet left the ground and he was swinging through the air. The air caught, trapped in my lungs as I held my breath, watching Jasper sore through the sky until Jasper's feet touched the ground on the other side.

I couldn't believe it, Jasper had made it.

"We are Apache!" Jasper shouted throwing his hands in the air, breaking the brief silence that had collected.

Exhilaration claimed my racing heart as I shouted with joy with the others, "Apache!" For the first time in what felt like forever my smile was more than just genuine it felt all consuming, it wasn't forced, or hesitant or even half assed.

Laughter and smiles were contagious as I took in the group of people around me, all of us wearing similar looks of joy. "Let's go Princess." Finn called to Clarke, beckoning her over, "You're up."

Octavia and I exchanged a smile as she put her arm around my shoulder, a friendly embrace as we waited for our turn to swing across the lake. My gaze found Jasper soon after the exchange, like everyone else's had, as he lifted up a sign high in the air.

It was tarnished, weathered with age and dirt and the years had rusted the edges and faded the writing but the signs bold letters could still be made out even from this distance.

Mount Weather.

"We did it," Jasper shouted, "Mount Weather!" Proudly he held the sign in the air bouncing on the balls of his feet trying to contain his excitement.

I thought 'We made it'

I thought 'Everything is going to be okay.'

I was wrong. Excitement turned to horror, laughter to cries, as something flew through the air spearing Jasper in the chest sending him flying backwards into the trees behind him.

***THIRD PERSON***

"Jasper," His name came out sounding straggled as Olivia's eyes widened, her hand out stretched and unable to reach him the brunette stumbled forward on unsteady legs that felt like lead weights in her attempt to get to Jasper in her shock.

The information that her eyes were taking in felt disconnected.

They had been safe, so close to their destination.

The first people to walk the earth in nearly a hundred years.

The wooded shaft that was clearly some kind of weapon told Olivia that they had been wrong, so very wrong. They weren't alone here, they weren't safe here. Someone was out there, someone was hunting them.

"Jasper!" her scream was louder this time before a hand cut off her air way, heartbeat racing Olivia began to struggled clawing desperately at the hand muffling her cries demanding her release.

"Shh, quiet Olly." Octavia's voice was in her ear, sounding as panicked as Olivia felt.

A sob wracked Olivia's body as the fight left her and she surrendered to Octavia's hold, never had she seen something like this, Olivia was there when her mother died hidden away in the vents but it hadn't prepared her for this. To be filled with excitement and joy while you looked at the other person completely unaware that they were about to be killed in front of you.

The last time she was angry, Olivia wanted justice, revenge. Now all she felt was fear, fear of the unknown, for her own life. Never had she felt as weak as she did now as tears slid down her cheeks and her knees shook threatening to give way beneath her.

"Get down!" Finn was shouting and pushing them all towards lower ground. Olivia could feel Octavia pulling her backwards with Monty's help, but her eyes stayed on Jasper, her body numb and unresponsive as they pulled her down behind the rocks.

"We are not alone." Clarke stated a waiver of fear present in her voice.

"Olivia?" Monty repeated her name lightly gripping her shoulder, his hand giving her a gentle shake when she didn't respond. "Olivia, are you with me?"

Her eyes were wide and unfocused when she looked up at Monty, his face inches away from hers, Olivia forced herself to swallow around the lump that was in her throat and brink slowly a couple of times. Still not trusting her voice to speak Olivia nodded hesitantly at Monty, she's barely known Jasper, he'd saved her life and she'd never be able to repay that debt.

But that was nothing compared to what Monty must be feeling, she realized, he had just watched his best friend be murdered.

"We got to go!" Finn stated meeting Monty's hesitant and fearful gaze.

"I got her," Monty nodded, understanding that Olivia's leg would slow them down.

Olivia took a steadying breath as Monty's arm went around her waist, forcing herself into focus knowing that if she stayed shell shocked that there would be no chance she'd be running with them. Olivia nodded to herself getting into a crouching position like everyone else was doing, readying themselves to run for cover.

Finn and Clarke searched the forest, their gazes alert for any sign of movement but unable to detect any. It was unsettling how quiet the woods could suddenly feel after being filled with so much talk and excitement, but it had all been cut short with the death of their friend.

It left a tension of fear in the air, one that Olivia expected to be hanging around for a long time.

Finn and Clarke exchanged a brief look, a signal that they had to move on. "Ready, go!" Finn shouted as the five of them made a dash from the rocks into the cover of the trees.

Olivia pushed herself to run faster than she had ever ran before, the Ark may have had mandatory cardio three times a week to keep people healthy, but nine months of lock up meant nine months where the only 'cardio' Olivia got walk walking to where they were allowed to eat and taught classes, then back to her cell. It didn't leave much room to stretch her muscles that were now yelling at her from overuse after being denied proper exercise.

The wound in her leg pulsating began to bleed through her pants as Olivia tried to keep up with the others in front of her, putting more distance between her and the horror behind her kept Olivia moving forward despite the pain she felt and the burning sensation in her lungs.

Monty's arm was still wrapped around her middle, dragging her forward with him. Olivia could tell she was only slowing him down, but Monty unwilling to leave her behind risked staying at the back of the group to help her in moving forward.

Olivia realized that Monty and Jasper had both been looking after her, be in saving her life or watching her while she slept, and now he was risking being speared to stay behind with her.

"Go ahead," Olivia panted, feeling herself slowing down. Knowing she wouldn't be able to keep up at this pace for much longer.

"What?" Monty asked, incredulously as he looked down at the short brunette, "No, I'm not leaving you behind Olivia."

Opening her mouth Olivia was about to point out everything that had occurred to her, but as if to prove her point Olivia fell as Monty continued to try to pull her along.

Instinctively her hands shot out to brace herself against the impact as she pulled Monty down to the earth below with her with a sickening cracking sound. Like bones breaking.

Olivia blinked, trying to catch her breath and make sense of where her hands were. The others were pulling at Monty and Olivia trying to get them moving, running again, but Olivia's eyes stayed on the skeleton, pacifically the ribcage where her hands had crashed through cracking several of them.

"Monty, get up!" Finn ordered pulling at the other boy's coat, as he tried to lift him from the ground.

"Olly, come on!" Octavia pleaded, her own hands going out but stopping when her eyes caught sight of what Olivia was on top of.

"We have to go!" Clarke stated, reminding the pair, as if they needed reminding. Olivia freeing her hands moved slowly, sitting back away from the carcass that had broken her fall.

"Who are they?" Finn asked as Clarke bent forward, picking up a disfigured skull.

"What are they?" She corrected staring at the heart shaped skull with a mixture of horror and curiosity.

Olivia allowed Octavia to pull her to her feet now, as she stated what they all were thinking.

"We are so screwed."

Olivia had to agree with Octavia, whatever these things were, radiation mutated things that had once been human. They were skilled. Skilled enough to throw a spear at least three hundred feet across a river, skilled enough to not be seen, to not make any sound while killing one of them.

Olivia couldn't help but look around, her eyes studying the trees around them as she wondered if they were still being watched.

Hunted.

"Aaaargh!" An awful cry filled the forest, filled with pain.

Hazel eyes darted back the way they had come as she recognized the sound that had belonged to Jasper. Her eyes widened as she realized that she had left him to die, left him to the mercy of whomever speared him. Said person had to of heard his cry, Olivia realized as she tore off away from the others. Bleeding leg, exhaustion be damned.

Olivia was going to save Jasper, just like he'd done for her.

There he was, Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she watched Jasper being dragged by a dark figure, cloaked in black and like nothing she had ever seen. It's taking Jasper. She realized feeling sick to her stomach before she let out a scream that had the figure turning to look at her.

"JASPER!" Olivia was panicked, her scream a heart wrenching sound as it tore its way from her throat. Black soulless eyes pinned her to her spot behind its mask, before it raised a single hand pointing a dark finger at Olivia.

She's never felt fear like this, like she had as she watched Japer being dragged, when the 'Grounder' pointed at her then brought his own finger across his neck. His message coming through loud and clear in an otherwise silent forest, before he dragged Jasper out of sight.

Olivia's knees buckled as she helplessly dropped to her knees. She's never felt so weak, she's been unable to protect her mother, unable to protect Jasper and now as she sat there Olivia wondered just how many more people she'd watch die before the grounder made good on his promise and came for her.

"Olivia?" Octavia whispered, fear and confusion clear on her face as she looked at the other girl who was on her knees looking as if she might throw up at any given second.

"He was right there." Finn stated confused as the others searched the spot where Jasper had been, the spot where Olivia was still staring blankly.

"Olivia are you okay?" Clarke asked as Octavia shook the girls shoulder gently.

Monty's question caused Olivia to turn her head in their direction, "Where is he?"

"IT took him…" Olivia whispered as all eyes fell on her, her voice sounding hollow she continued "and it's going to come back to finish picking us off."

"We need to get out of here." Finn stated, being the first to take a step back placing a hand on Clarke's shoulder, who ignored him as she studied Olivia. The two had been close on the Ark when they were young, but over the years they'd found themselves to be more of an ally then friends. Having their mothers both working in the medical bay they were bound to see a lot of each other, but Amelia's side job that Olivia had started to take part in had effected Olivia's friend group drastically.

Olivia had chosen a secret best friend that lived under the floors and Clarke had never understood the reason behind why they had drifted apart, but still she cared for the girl, after all Olivia was the only person on the ground that would be able to help her with medical emergencies. SO maybe it was kind of selfish, but she needed Olivia to be okay, "Olivia can you walk?"

"She's bleeding pretty badly." Octavia informed Clarke as the wound from Olivia's leg had soaked through part of her pants, of course Clarke had noticed that, but she was more alarmed about the near catatonic state that the other girl was in.

"Its eyes…they were black." Olivia stated turning her wide unfocused eyes on Clarke, "he was huge, wearing something on its face…" she mumbled "a mask. A black and white skull mask…he, it, dragged Jasper off by his feet." Olivia's voice broke on the last word; she didn't want to say that the grounder was going to kill Jasper, partially because he could have just done that on the shore, and partially because she didn't have to.

***Authors note*** Posted a day early! Yay! :) I'd say I'll have the next chapter up by Oct 2nd, but I have so many appointments this week with the baby's ultrasound and blood tests. So it may be a little late. Hope you all had a great weekend!