Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 102: Where Your Loyalties Lie

"After long and careful thought," Raven says dramatically, "I've decided: Winter sucks. Snow sucks. You know what else sucks?" She slips slightly and Lexa catches her arm before she can fall again.

"Let me guess," Clarke says. "Ice. Ice sucks. You know, I walked across this lake when it was snowing so hard I could barely see, and I still didn't complain as much as you."

"Maybe you should have," Raven replies, stifling a hoarse cough. "Because all this complaining is really keeping me motivated."

Both girls' voices are muffled by the scarves wrapped around their faces. By Lexa's private estimation each of them is now wearing three times as many layers as anyone else in the group, which at least has made Raven's frequent falls on the ice rather less painful than they would otherwise be. It also makes them clumsy and slow – but then, with Clarke's weak ankle and Raven's lingering cough, it would probably be necessary to go slowly anyway.

Gustus looks impatient at the pace however – they have been walking around the lake for hours now, setting Raven's bombs to go off when she uses the trigger. Yesterday they spread five bombs from south to north on the eastern part of the wide lake, and there was no reason to rush. Since the others reported how close the gonakru was getting last night, today they have much less time, and Gustus has much less patience, especially with Raven.

Perhaps Lexa should have assigned their roles differently. But when it comes to scouting the enemy's location and leaving a false trail, two Azgeda citizens and a former scout were the best choices. Raven wished to set her own bombs, and Lexa knows none of them would have as much confidence in this plan if someone else took charge of that task. And out on the frozen lake, with only a little snow drifting idly down, if someone came to the edge of the lake they might see Raven, so she, Gustus and Clarke are here to provide protection from any potential attackers. So it is the best configuration. Raven's complaining is definitely grating on Gustus, however.

"We are almost finished," Lexa assures Raven – and Gustus too, indirectly. "The cave is just over there."

Raven squints. "Beats me how you can tell," she remarks. "It looks like any other heap of snow to me."

"Someday when we have time I will teach you tracking," Lexa promises her, then looks at Clarke. "Both of you."

"Sounds good to me," Clarke says. Lexa can't see her mouth through the scarf but she sounds like she's smiling.

Raven looks in her bag again. "Two left," she reports. "Do you want me to put both bombs out on this stretch or put just one more and we can keep the other in reserve?"

Lexa considers. "We have the grenades," she says thoughtfully. "And no more triggers."

"Timers, though," Raven points out. "And these bombs are more powerful than a couple of grenades. I'd feel better if we didn't blow them all on one crazy idea."

Clarke glances at Lexa and shrugs. "At this point I don't think one bomb more or less will make a difference," she opines. "Either the ice is still thin enough for this to work or it's not."

"Keep one, then," Lexa says firmly. Raven lays the last one down on the ice almost reverently and starts fiddling with it, no doubt attuning it to the trigger. Lexa turns to Gustus. "So... it is time for you to join Zion," she says, and is unable to suppress a slight quiver of emotion.

"Sha," Gustus says softly, "We decided on the right place to lead the scout group yesterday, if you recall. Far enough east that they will not come anywhere near the cave."

"What if the scout group just goes after you and doesn't call in the cavalry?" Raven asks curiously.

"They will not," Gustus says firmly. "Nia's orders are to take Clarke and I alive. A small scout group might be able to catch up to us quickly, but they could not surround us, and if we attacked and they had to defend themselves..." he shrugs. "They cannot risk it. They need enough people to capture us outright."