Persphyni: I am Determined

11

I took off after the bird, Clarke following as I jogged up the side of the sandy crater. My heart stopping as I reached the top of the mound. I felt a smile cross my face as I looked down at the valley below. My knees collided with the sand as I sank down in relief.

There was green. Right in front of me! In the middle of all this fucking sand! A forest that survived. It was almost like Praimfaya 2 hit the hills of sand and hopped over the trees down below.

It was beautiful. It was ethereal. It seemed like a dream.

Then a gunshot went off.

My head snapped over to the noise and I saw Clarke with her weapon extended. Her eyes on the body of the bird that fell from the tree. The dead body of the bird.

It was then I had a moment of understanding. Understanding something I had known all along. A unspoken rule that I had lived by my entire life.

Just because humans are intellectually above other species, doesn't mean we don't have natural instincts. To protect. To hunt. To survive. To kill.

We are no better. Animals are no worse. All species are designed to survive. Humans just show it in different ways.

And for all of my life, one of those ways is to kill. It was unspoken. Kill or be killed. And don't look back.

Yet every once in a while, I find myself lost in the past. The would have beens and could have beens.

_______•*•*•*•_______

Clarke and I walked through the greenery. Our eyes still unbelieving as we took in our surroundings.

We past berry bushes, lavender flowers, trees that extended high in the canopy. All to finally stumble upon a path which lead us to this.

A beautiful waterfall.

The soft rush of water fell from a cliff into the pool below. Clear water showed the rocks below the surface. Clearly this source hasn't been corrupted by any life, pre-praimfaya and post-praimfaya.

I still couldn't believe this was real as Clarke began to shimmy down into her underclothes. My back turning quickly once I realized she was stripping.

I wasn't too sure if she was going fully nude or not but I really didn't care to find out.

My eyes scanned along the outer edges of the small clearing. The wind moved the trees here and there but nothing else. No sign of danger, yet.

"You know, you don't have to act as a bodyguard. We're the last two people on the surface, I'm certain that also includes any threats." I rolled my eyes as I shrugged off my pack and folded my cloak on top of it.

I stood on a rock with my black cargo pants and black combat boots all dirty from the sand. My weapons all attached and secured in their sheaths with the leather belt of my sword crossing over my wicking bra, over my right shoulder and around the left side of my torso. My nearly bare torso and all my scars on my upper body were exposed to the soft sunlight of the clearing as I pulled my hair high into a bun.

"Oh but of course, your royal highness." I mock curtsy before rolling my shoulders back to release some tension. "Can I turn around or are you fully nude." It was silent until I heard a small swish of water than a pebble hit my shoulder.

"You're such a prude. I have my goods covered. You're acting like a boy." I could hear the rolling of her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry that I prefer to keep my eyes as virgin as possible." I sassed slowly turning around with my hands on my hips. "And for your information, if I were a boy I'd have been staring." I stuck my tongue out to which she mimicked me.

The two of us laughed shortly after before something clicked in her head.

"What do you mean 'as virgin as possible'? Haven't you-" I felt heat flare up my neck as I shook my head to her question. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. I haven't. The only thing I've done is kiss. WITH our clothes on." I emphasized the 'with' part. This shocked Clarke as she swam closer.

"No way!" She laughed as I nodded. I was confident in myself but talking about this kinda lack of experience had me almost speechless.

"Damn. I thought- nevermind." She chuckled. "He is so whipped." I didn't get to ask what she meant when rustling caught my eye.

I placed a hand on my dagger as I stepped to get a better look, but the tree didn't move again.

If I was normal I would put it to the wind's doing, but something was there. I could feel it.

"Clarke. Clothes. Pack. Now. We're going exploring." The water moved as we both grabbed our things and got ready to head out. Her clothes wet from the water, as she didn't get to dry, made squishing sounds that covered any footsteps that could have been running away.

I would have left her at the water had I known I wasn't going to be able to hunt as well, but I also know if I had left and something happened to her I wouldn't forgive myself.

"Pers. What did you see?" She jogged to catch up with my step. The two of us climbing around the forest as we followed an unmarked path through the trees.

"Rustling. A black or brown object. It looked like hair or a mane. Whatever it is, it knows we are here. Which means we need to find it before it find us again."

_______•*•*•*•_______

"Louwoda Kliron Kru." I walked up with Clarke to the sign as she spoke. My hand drifting over the marked wood as a memory played in my head.

"Shadow Valley Clan. Tend to keep to themselves and away from other clans. Fought in the war and lost most of their people against Azgeda" Lincoln smiled as I spoke. Pride gleaming in his eyes as I waited for his approval.

"Good. I think we can finally get to the interesting stuff." I rose a brow as Lincoln stood, offering a hand to me which I took. The two of us walking over to an open space in the back corner, the sun finally shining above the trees as Arkadia began to wake up.

"Interesting stuff? You're telling me that learning about other clans and their culture isn't interesting?" Lincoln simply rolled his eyes and pulled out his dagger, my hand automatically copying his motion.

"I'm going to teach you how to fight like each clan." I smirked now seeing where he was coming from.

"Now this, this is definitely way more interesting." Lincoln rolled his eyes before lowering his stance.

"Ogud?" I mimicked his stance and twirled my dagger to better grip the hilt.

"Ogud, Seda."

"Os, Skola."

I choked back the sorrow that threatened to fill the happy nostalgia. Lincoln was my first teacher who taught me what I wanted to learn. It wasn't me teaching me. Nor was it Perrington teaching me to kill.

Lincoln was the first ever person to see. To want to teach truth. To want to help and build strength through knowledge.

Lincoln was a warrior. A great teacher. But he was no fighter. He was a fierce protector. One that was motivated by love. And would kill and fight if necessary.

"This clan lost a lot in the War against Azgeda. Arguably more than any of the others. They were not warriors, they were survivors." I began my history lesson as I turned towards the opened path. "These people deserved a break. It seems Praimfaya two has given it to them."

Yet Praimfaya two has not deemed me worthy of a break as all I see are ghosts.