CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

"I CAN'T LOSE YOU, TOO, OKAY?"

The buzzes of the bugs flying through the air could be heard, the chirps of crickets and birds adding to the sounds and the footsteps that crunched against the sand and dirt that laid on the ground beneath everyone's feet. Along a pathway in-between the woods, a group of grounders and the sky people could be seen walking together, but separately staying away from one another. At the moment, they found themselves headed to Tondc, the same village the two teenagers had killed eighteen grounders in, to give the body of Finn Collins to the people of the village so they would burn him in the fire.

That was when the truce between the grounders and the sky people could start. As they walked, the grounders made sure to keep alert in case of any threat that could possibly come and attack them, knowing this world like the back of their hands, considering they grew up on the ground. Earlier, the sky people had learned some of the grounders names, including the commander's, which happened to be Lexa.

A wagon-like ride could be seen in-between the groups as it was being led by a horse, a grounder sitting on the rear. On the wagon, the body of Finn Collins had been wrapped up in a large cloth, his face, hair, brown eyes and everything else not being able to be seen. Beside the wrapped up body, Raven was sadly staring down at the body of her best friend, wishing things could've been different for his fate.

Trailing behind the wagon, Y/n found herself being helped by Bellamy as they walked. The Griffin girl had refused for them to go without her, so that's how she found herself here. However, the grounders had forced her to walk, considering they still had a hatred for her.

So that's how Bellamy found himself helping her walk, her arm over his shoulders while his was around her waist, making sure to keep clear of her back. Clarke was on the other side of her sister, hand on her waist a bit. The night before, the e/c eyed girl had been given some stitches along her back.

The large cut the grounder, Indra, had given her on her face had stopped bleeding and luckily, it didn't need stitches but it'd leave a scar. As they walked, Y/n's gaze casts to the woods, eyes widening upon seeing Finn standing there, staring blankly at her. Bellamy soon noticed her gaze on the woods and followed, but furrowed his brows when he saw nothing.

"Hey, you doing alright?" Bellamy questions.

Y/n nods slowly, glancing back at Finn, only to see he wasn't there. "Yeah."

"You did the right thing." Bellamy tells her.

"Now I get to live with it." Y/n replies.

"You still think this truce is a bad idea, don't you?" Clarke asks, glancing at Bellamy.

"I think we're wasting time with politics while our friends are in trouble." Bellamy admits.

Clarke sighs. "We need their army to get to Mount Weather, Bellamy, and you know it."

"Their army has been getting their ass kicked by Mount Weather forever. What we need is an inside man, someone to be our eyes and ears." Bellamy explains.

"Forget it. It's too dangerous." Y/n denies, agreeing with her sister.

"Guys, if Clarke can make it out, I can make it in." Bellamy argues.

Y/n shakes her head. "I said no."

"Since I don't take orders from you, I'm gonna need a better reason." Bellamy tells her.

"I can't lose you, too, okay?" Y/n admits.

Both Bellamy and Clarke frown at her words as they glance at each other and then to her, but she wasn't looking at them as she continued looking forward. Tightening his grip just a bit but watching her back, Bellamy continues helping her along the way, keeping her close to him while doing so.

The hooting of owls hiding in the trees and the crickets chirping in the tall grass were loud as the group had settled down for the night, the sky now dark as the moon peaked out from the clouds. The grounders and the sky people had taken their own sides at the place they were settling down for camp.

Campfires could be seen around as people kept watch. Standing near the Griffin twins mother, Bellamy caught sight of Clarke slowly placing her blanket down closer to the grounders side before she grabbed her sister's blanket, laying it down beside hers so they'd stay close together. Gulping, the Blake boy found himself heading over to his two friends.

"Guys, it's safer on our side." Bellamy states.

"We need to trust them, Bellamy. There are no more sides." Clarke replies.

With that, the blonde gently helps her sister lay down before laying down herself. Bellamy stepped towards the grounders side, glancing at them before he was taking off his pack from his shoulders, settling down himself and resting his head on his backpack.

The Blake boy glances at his two friends with a frown, his brown eyes lingering on Y/n who scrunched her face up in pain a bit as she tried getting into a comfortable position. Eventually, she laid on her side, back facing her sister while her front faced the grounders who stared at her, anger evident in their eyes and faces.

Bellamy couldn't help but move himself a bit closer to her, in case of anything as he didn't want his friend to be hurt by them anymore. The girl didn't notice as her e/c eyes slowly flutter shut, her breathing going calm as she tried getting some sleep.

By her tent and sitting at a campfire, Abby rested her elbows on her knees as she stared at her daughters sleeping figures. Her brown eyes stopped on her youngest, seeing small bits of red on her shirt as it had been like that ever since she changed her shirt before they left. Luckily, she hadn't ripped out any of her stitches. Yet, at least.

She wished she could've protected her and things could've been different. Waking up from her sleep, a quiet gasp escapes the Griffin girl as her whole body goes tense. Not moving her head at first, she glances around with her eyes before moving her head up a bit, not even bothering to glance over her shoulder as she knew Finn was right behind her.

She could already sense him staring at her with his brown eyes, not saying a word. Gulping, she lowers her head against the backpack, taking in a deep breath in hopes of actually getting some sleep in her. When a hand rested on her shoulder, she jumped before looking over and seeing Clarke staring at her with a look of concern.

Before the blonde could say anything, ask if her sister was okay, Y/n only shook her head before fluttering her e/c eyes closed. Looking at the back of her sister's head with a frown, Clarke's eyes soon met Bellamy's as he had been watching their interaction with a frown, showing he was concerned for the e/c eyed girl as well. The two shared a sad expression before they both laid down, hoping to get some sleep.

The sun was up, shining through the clouds and the trees in the forest as only a few hours had gone by since the group had settled down for the night before they were on the move again. The group of grounders and sky people found themselves at the same village where the massacre happened.

As the group stopped in front of the gate, a few grounders walked to the sky people, demanding them for their weapons, which Lincoln was quick to tell them they had to disarm before heading inside. Bellamy, Clarke, Lincoln and Kane all gave their weapons while the Blake boy still helped Y/n stand a bit.

When it came to Raven, the Reyes girl only stared blankly at the grounder as he grabbed the few knives she had and the gun before turning her around and grabbing a weapon that was attached to her bag, the straps still around her shoulders. Soon enough, they were all heading inside, Y/n limping as her arm was around Bellamy's shoulders.

The grounders inside the village all called to their commander before they were shouting at the sight of the sky people, especially Y/n Griffin. One man stepped in their way, stopping them from coming any further as he wouldn't let the sky people through.

They all watched as Lexa turned to one of the grounders beside her, giving him a nod before he stepped forward and threw a punch at the man's face, sending him to the ground before he was practically beating him to death.

Clarke, however, had stepped forward and been able to convince the commander to stop him, claiming the grounders would just blame the sky people for a death that this time, wasn't caused by one of their own. A grounder came up and helped the man to his feet as the commander turned to the crowd.

"The sky people march with us now." Lexa announces. "Anyone who tries to stop that will pay with their life."

Her and the sky people all glance around at the crowd of grounders, seeing they weren't saying anything as they just stared at her, seeming to not argue with their commander. With that, Lexa turns back around and ventures forward with the others following her, Bellamy continuing to help Y/n walk along the way.