Persphyni: I am Determined

107

I knew where Echo and Madi were, my feet taking me there as I walked through the village. The shadows keeping me hidden as I made it to the entrance. My feet smashing the door in as I lifted my pistol, stealth no longer a priority.

The four guards which once stood at the porch now lying in puddles of their own blood. The dagger in my left hand coated with red and black blood.

My boots left red prints from the bodies as I walked in closer to the table from which the two guards inside stood. One already on his feet as he turned to look at me.

His hand shifted downwards, but before he could reach his gun I pulled the trigger. The bullet sinking into his bald head.

The other guy didn't get the chance to stand up as I released another bullet, a second following as the guard slumped dead in his chair. A bullet wound through his chest and face.

I walked further into the room, my eyes making contact with Echo before seeing Madi and Clarke standing up.

"Madi, Echo, we're leaving." I ordered, not saying anything to Clarke as I turned, my final bullet releasing into the neck of a fifth guard who attempted to sneak into the church.

"What perfect timing." Echo's deeper voice sauntered as I looked back to Madi and Clarke. I unclipped the clip from the pistol as I stared at the blonde.

"Clarke. You don't want to do this right now." I warned, tossing my disassembled pistol into a dark corner of the room.

"Okay." She spoke, running over to untie Echo.

"Come on. We need to get to the front before the missiles do. We can take the Rover."

I stepped out onto the porch as my skin burned with the need to run. To hunt. To kill. I glanced back in to see what was taking so long and rolled my eyes at Clarke and Madi hugging.

I whistled low, getting them to separate before Madi and Echo made it out of the church.

I nudged Madi with my hand before finishing up the wrap I had begun on my left.

"Lead the way."

_______•*•*•*•_______

"A bow and a shield? Don't you think that's excessive?" I groaned under my breath at Murphy, but couldn't help a small grin slip across my face.

"Come here, Cockroach." I pulled Murphy into a hug. My arms squeezing him tightly as he wrapped his arms below my shield and bow but above my sword and quiver.

"I missed terrorizing you." He whispered as he gave me a hard squeeze.

"I missed seeing that beatable face everyday." I taunted back as I finally separated from him. I glance towards Emori and gave a small smile in greeting before I became serious once more.

"This is where you will find Wonkru's base camp. It's where medical and the rest of non-fighters will be stationed. If anyone survived in the retreat, they will be here." I pointed at the map Echo had, making sure they all saw it before I stepped away.

"Madi, come here for a second."

I went around the other side of the rover and pulled her into a hug. Her arms wrapping around me similar to Murphy as she dug her face into my ribs.

"You are so strong. So very brave." I whispered as I squeezed letting her go. "Lead with this," I pointed to her head, "with this," a finger to her heart, "but always listen to this." I ended with my finger hovering over her stomach. "Your first instinct, your gut instinct, it's there to help you."

"Seda, why are you telling me all of this?" I gave Madi a small smile and dropped to one knee to be eye level with her.

"Because when the time comes for you to lead your people into that ridge, I will not be beside you."

"What? Persphyni, no." I set a calming hand on her shoulders. "Seda, you promised."

"I know, Madi. I know." I smiled gently. "Madi. You and only you have the power to unite the fallen clans back together as one. Not Octavia, not Bellamy, not Clarke, not me. The White Wolf is a symbol of fear, Wanlida is a symbol of respect. Songbird, Atlys, Bloodmoon, Nameless- they are all names of the past. Sonchakru will follow you as you bring them a sense of hope, a light. You are the present and you will be the future. But you must do this." Madi kept switching her gaze from my left eye to my right, not settling on just one.

"But how." I stood up again, rising to my full height.

"When the time comes. You will know. And when you do, I'll be waiting. Watching over you from afar."

"But what will you be doing?" I smiled.

"What I do best. Dancing with Death."

With a final goodbye and good luck, I left the cave.

I climbed atop a tree and waited until the rover left before proceeding with my plan.

I walked roughly five minutes down a pathway until I found the cave I sent Molly, Lyla, and Spring to first. A small message on the wall informed me that the party had left to make it to the next location and that they would be hiding until I went and grabbed them.

With a hopeful heart and a darkened mind, I turned and stalked away from the cave. My steps sure as I confidently moved through the forest.

This Valley was my home for six years. And I let these bastards ruin it in less than six weeks. This wasn't a time for me to decide what was right or what was wrong.

It was time for me to do what I needed to do. More enemy blood needed to be spilled. This Valley needed to be restored.

I'd be damned if I let anything get in my way.

In the midst of my journey, the light crunch of leaves filled the air. However, it wasn't just my own footsteps that were causing the noise.

My visitor was too quiet for me to catch until it was almost too late. Their feet light and poised, a predator stalking its prey.

At the first low growl which came from behind me, I had turned, squaring myself to the noise.

The hunter had become the hunted.