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chapter twenty-one, "Clarke"

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THE DELINQUENTS ARE ON THE GROUND LISTENING TO Jaha's Unity Day remarks.

"My friends, this is a historic Unity Day. Every year, we mark the moment our ancestors of the twelve stations joined to form the Ark, but this is the last time we do so while aboard her. Next year, on the ground" Jaha recites.

Nova stands in the front with her hands in her pockets with Bellamy standing next to her looking annoyed.

"What? No love for Unity Day? I would assume so" Nova sasses, knowing Bellamy's joy for becoming a guard at one point in time, and Bellamy rolls his eyes apologetically.

"Listen, I apologiz-" Bellamy says but gets cut off by Nova.

"I'm just joking" Nova interrupts looking over at Octavia.

"Do you like my sister, guard killer?" Bellamy asks, giving into the banter, and Nova moves her eyes to glare up at Bellamy, her shoulders slightly shrugged in question.

"Only if she likes me Bellamy Blake" Nova says smiling flirtatiously before turning back to Jaha on the screen.

"Whoo! Yeah! Monty strikes again! Hey! Call this batch Unity Juice! Who's thirsty? Monty! There you go" Jasper cheers as he goes around giving people hooch Monty made.

"To our sons and daughters on Earth listening to this message, we will see you soon. The first Exodus ship will launch in under sixty hours, carrying you the reinforcements that you need, so stay strong. Help is on the way" Jaha says as Nova laughs and grabs a full cup from Jasper and takes a sip but is a little taken back by the taste and swallows it then lets out a raspy cough.

Nova looks at Finn who puts a horn in his pocket and meets with Nova and shock travels his face.

Nova realizes that's the horn she saw on the grounder before that said grounder injured her.

Finn looks around and leaves the camp suspiciously.

Nova gave her cup to a random person and proceed to rush out of camp, spotting Finn running in the direction away from camp. Nova furrowed her brows with suspicion and wasted no time in hitting the ground and running straight towards Finn, grabbing his shoulder and swinging him around.

"What the hell are you doing?" Nova asks and Finn sighs keeping his one hand in his pocket.

"Going back to the cave. We need to stop this war somehow" Finn states and Nova crosses her arms and begins nodding slowly.

"Then I'm coming with" Nova says and Finn nods then starts leading the way.

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NOVA AND FINN TRUDGED THROUGH THE DENSE FOREST; their footsteps muffled by the thick underbrush. They had been searching for a safe haven, somewhere they could regroup and plan their next move.

As they pushed through a cluster of trees, they stumbled upon a hidden cave, its entrance partially obscured by foliage.

Nova paused, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over her. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had been here before, but she stepped inside regardless. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she spotted Octavia and a grounder, Lincoln, standing together.

"Octavia?" Nova's voice echoed softly in the cave, startling Octavia, who hastily buttoned her pants.

"Nova?! Finn! Lincoln, wait, wait! They're my friends," Octavia shouted as Lincoln lunged towards Nova and Finn.

Nova quickly pulled the horn from Finn's pocket, holding it out. "You lost this," she said, handing it to Lincoln, who eyed her warily.

Octavia cleared her throat, looking between Nova and Lincoln. "So, why are you here?" she asked, trying to defuse the tension.

"Could ask you the same thing," Nova retorted, her tone laced with sass.

Finn stepped forward, pointing at the horn. "You blew that when your people were hunting us. You saved our lives. I have to believe there's more like you."

Lincoln met Nova's gaze, his expression softening as he extended his hand. Nova hesitated but saw the sincerity in his eyes and shook his hand.

"I'm sorry," Lincoln said quietly.

Nova nodded, slipping her hand away. "I heard they tortured you up there. If the two of us can get along, then maybe there's hope."

Lincoln nodded in agreement, but Octavia interrupted, "How will that even happen?"

"For starters, no more killing," Finn stated firmly.

Lincoln scoffed, shaking his head. "I don't have the power to call a truce."

"Then bring me to someone who does. Look, the rest of our people are coming down here. The first ship lands in two days," Finn explained. Octavia nodded, understanding the urgency. "And because of the attacks, they're sending mostly soldiers, the people that enforce our laws. The Ark is about survival at any cost, and they'll kill people who fall out of line. When those people get down here, if they feel threatened, they will start a war, and I don't want that. Neither do you, and I think that's why you blew that horn. Once the soldiers get here, it will be too late, and we'll have no power to stop them, but if they see that we're at peace, then maybe we have a chance to stay that way."

Lincoln pondered Finn's words; the weight of the decision evident on his face. After a moment, he nodded. "Fine. Bring your leader and I'll bring mine."

"Bellamy? He'll never go for this," Octavia said, doubt clouding her features.

Nova nodded, shoving her hands into her pockets. "Not your brother," Lincoln clarified, his gaze shifting to Nova.

Realization dawned on Nova's face. "Clarke."

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FINN AND NOVA MADE IT BACK TO CAMP and saw everyone having fun and drinking. Nova and Finn spotted Clarke playing a game with some other people.

"You should grab her. She won't listen to me" Finn says and Nova nods making her way over to Clarke.

"Clarke, Hey!" Nova says as Clarke spins around since Nova grabbed her attention.

"What's up?" Clarke asks stepping to the side with Nova. "Can we take a walk?" Nova asks and Clarke scrunches up her face in question, "Why? I'm having a drink" Clarke states crossing her arms.

"It's important. Can you just- come with me?" Nova says and Clarke shakes her head and begins to walk away until Finn appears and grabs her arm.

Once Clarke notices she snatches her arm away. "What the hell?" Clarke says and Finn and Nova sigh in defeat.

"I set up a meeting with the Grounders" Finn whispers and Clarke's eyes widen in shock.

"A meeting? I don't understand. With who? How?" Clarke asks and no one answers until Clarke looks at Nova for an answer.

"We went to the grounder who escaped. Lincoln" Nova answers and Clarke shakes her head "He spoke to you? Both of you?" Clarke questions and Finn scoffs.

"Not important" Finn states.

"If we want to live in peace Finn, we can't live in peace with people who've done nothing but kill us" Clarke says and Nova rubs her forehead a little. "We need to stop these killings. If this is a way, why not try?" Nova speaks up.

"We stop the killings with the guns that the guards will bring down" Clarke states. "You really want a war? Because at this rate, that's what's coming. Look. I know it's a long shot, but this is our world now, and I think we can do better than the first time around. I trust him" Finn says and Clarke looks between Nova and Finn.

"Nova, look me in my eyes and tell me you trust the grounder" Clarke says stepping in front of Nova. Nova looks over at Finn then back at Clarke. "I trust him Clarke and I trust you that you'll try and make this work" Nova says and Clarke nods her head slowly.

"If we go, we have to bring backup" Clarke says and Finn shakes his head stopping Clarke. "No way. We're not bringing guns. Those weren't the terms, and if we're going to do this, we got to give it a fair shot" Finn says and Clarke sucks in a breath before nodding her head.

"Fine- Just let me get my pack" Clarke says walking away.

Nova and Finn walk off and wait outside the camp. "You think she'll do the right thing. No backup?" Finn asks while Nova looks the around the woods with her hands in her pockets.

"I sure hope so" Nova says as they see Clarke come out.

"We ready?" Clarke asks as her, Finn and Nova begin walking to their destination.

EDITED 7/12/2024