Persphyni: I am Determined

13

"And the-"

"CLARKE!" She blinked as I rose my voice, the sudden yell started her as she stared up at me. "You need to do your stitches. Or I can, but I have all the stuff here. We can't waste anymore time." She nodded and looked at the rough suture gear I had managed to scramble around to find.

We had gotten back to camp minutes ago and she hadn't stopped rambling about any and everything. It was funny until I saw how much blood she was losing.

I had wrapped a tourniquet above the wound to try to limit blood flow in order to make this as clean as possible. However I wasn't sure if this was going to be as well done.

"You have to- hands too shaky." Clarke gasped out the words as the adrenaline began to run out and she became aware of the pain. I found a rag in a box on the table and pulled it out. It looked cleanish.

"Here. Bite." Clarke didn't waste a second. She bit into the rag and leaned backwards on her hands. Her eyes wide and staring up at the ceiling. "I need you to blink once for yes and twice for no. If you need my attention knock your hand on the wood. Don't grab my arm or this will go very badly." She blinked once.

I grabbed the needle and looked at the small thread. Grabbing the med-kit was a smart idea. Mental high-five. I ripped her pant leg a little more and saw the three teeth lines from the trap I had thrown in the corner. Her black blood was oozing from the wounds and it took everything in me not to stop and stare.

"Breathe in." She did as I told her, my hands grabbing a small container of freshly cleaned water. "Breathe out." As she breathed out I poured the water on her wounds and she screamed. The muffled noise was filled with pain as I quickly began the stitching after I flushed out any bacteria that might have gotten in the wound.

I dealt with the largest one first, my hands moving from memory as I steadily weaved the needle. Back and forth. In and out.

Black blood trickled into my hands and down her leg as she grunted and groaned in pain. I knew I needed to move carefully but I also needed to move efficiently. Each second the wounds stayed open was another second she lost more blood.

"Can you still hear me Clarke?" I looked up and saw her blink once. "I'm almost done. You have two more I need to stitch." I informed her as I cut the strand and tied it off. My hands already moving to the next one.

The second went by much faster as Clarke's cries of pain got quieter and more spaced out. I could tell she was about to lose consciousness. Her hand twitched as I was in the middle of the third wound. My string nearing its end as Clarke's consciousness neared its end.

"And done." I tied the final knot and looked up to see Clarke's head fall fully flat against the wood of the table as her body slumped down. Well. At least she made it through all of them. "And she's out." I tossed the needle into the empty cup I had used for water, knowing I needed to clean it off before one of us inevitably needed it again.

That little girl was still out there. And she ain't as dumb as she looks.

She was a Nightblood. One that was trained to fight off Fleimkepas. Meaning she's been in hiding. Also meaning she has traps. Most likely everywhere.

I glanced at the passed out blonde beside me. I couldn't go looking for the child until Clarke woke up. Who knows what could happen. And personally, I'd rather not find out.

I don't want another idiotic mistake. I already made one a long time ago when I tried to save Charlotte so she wouldn't become consumed by the darkness. Turns out she was already taken by it. And I, like an idiot, didn't realize until it was too late that I had gotten played like a fiddle.

Funny. For being anti-people, I somehow got on the "save the wrong person" end. I should have slit her throat. Then maybe Murphy wouldn't have ran off. And the grounders wouldn't have attacked. And then Bellamy and I wouldn't have been separated. None of the remaining 100 would have been separated and carried to a mountain base.

Maybe I would have had my fenced in paradise. At least until Praimfaya 2 would come. But I've learned that any fragment of time is better than no time.

I have a feeling I will be doing a lot of remembering. Especially when blonde over here gets to sleep safe and sound at night.

"Lucky bitch."

_______•*•*•*•_______

I let my guard down for one second. For one second. And that child had already slipped in and stole all of Clarke's things. Smart kid.

I walked back into the building after stepping outside for a moment and find Clarke's pack and gun gone.

I shot a glance to the corner I had been sitting in and thankfully saw my bag still hidden behind the chair. I drew my daggers and began to inspect the room.

I was gone for a minute at most. There's no way she could have gotten in and out quickly. But I also know she understands the layout of this place better than we do, meaning she could have made it out.

"Pers." I turned back to the front room and jogged over to Clarke as she stared outside. My gaze followed hers and I nearly jumped. The child was there staring into the window.

I couldn't help but laugh. And laugh. And keep laughing. I laughed so hard my stomach cramped and I thought I had absolutely lost it. Which made my laughter even worse.

"This isn't the time. She has my gun." I leaned back against the table as the child sized me up before turning and racing away from the window.

"Maybe it was the perfect time." I chucked. "That little weasel. Clever thing she is. She knows not even a gun would stop me. That's why she ran."

I turned to look at Clarke but all I saw was a shaking woman who was terrified.

"Clarke. She isn't going to hurt us. And we won't hurt her. I promise."

One of the deadliest words. Promise.

But I knew it was the right one. I plan on keeping it.