Kings // c. griffin

Twenty

"We don't shoot until we know for sure," he said. The authority in his voice shocked him, but he didn't take back his words. To his surprise, Miller nodded, relaxing his stance. But he still kept the gun up, aimed and ready in case it was an enemy.

Harper's eyes widened. "Which wire? Was it a grounder?"

Connor shrugged, his eyes darting across the dark treeline frantically. "I don't see anything!"

Derek glanced warily towards Miller. "Are you sure it was the trip wire? I got nothing. Conner?"

"Still nothing." Both of them were looking through the scopes on their guns, which made Isaac nervous. What if it was one of the group stumbling back, and they had accidentally hit the wire? If they shot upon first sight, they might end up killing Clarke or Raven or Bellamy.

"Nobody shoot until we know who it is!" Isaac called out, and Conner sent him a scathing look.

"Why should we listen to you, pushover?" he snapped.

Isaac both deflated and tensed at the name. But he managed to shoot back, "Because I don't want to accidentally shoot one of our own people. But if you want to deal with Bellamy after you blow off one of his people's heads, then by all means, don't let me stop you." His tone was quick and sharp and he didn't know if it was the way the words were delivered or the words themselves but both boys nodded, copying Miller's patient stance.

Isaac grinned to himself, but it didn't last for long. "Something moved!" Somebody shouted, shooting into the dark.

Isaac glared at him. "What did I just say?" he growled. "You could have just killed a friend!"

They paid him no mind, though, going back to ignoring him like they usually did. Isaac slumped and Octavia put a hand on his shoulder. "You tried," she murmured in his ear, and Isaac wiped the palm of his hand against his face tiredly.

"Let's go, I think I got him!" The boy said. Conner and Derek both rushed down and out of the camp through the gates. Isaac groaned and hurried after them, Octavia at his heels. Octavia ran out in front of all of them, and Conner told her to slow down before she stopped at the top of a small bump. Her hands were shaking.

"I'll go," Isaac told her softly, heading forwards. He crept towards a bush, and an impossibly skinny body was curled up on the ground. He could hear the ragged breathing, he could see the way their thin shoulders heaved with every breath. He could see blood on the back of his neck. The back of his shirt was torn, revealing bloody lashes and cuts.

Crouching down, Isaac's hand shook ever so slightly as he reached out. His fingers barely brushed against the boy's shoulder before he suddenly jerked up, throwing himself backwards. He tumbled away and Isaac gasped, standing straight up. His eyes were wide as he looked down at the boy who was sprawled on the dirt, his arm lifted up as if to say 'please don't hurt me'.

"Oh my god," Conner blurted, and the same time Derek said, "I don't believe it."

Isaac looked over the bloody body of the boy, an undecipherable look in his eyes. "Murphy?" he breathed.

* * * * *

Isaac wasn't sure how to feel. Murphy was back, which considering their past, he should be at least mildly upset by it. But he didn't know anymore. The boy had clearly been through a lot, enough to earn to pity of the taller one, at least. Isaac certainly didn't forgive Murphy for the way he'd acted before, but that didn't mean he was about to refuse him help, or be cruel to him.

He had a cloth in his hand and it was dripping with both water and a bit of blood. He was running it along Murphy's neck, cleaning off the blood that had been caked on there. He was aware of the crowd that had gathered behind the two, guns in their arms and glaring at both of them. Isaac's back was tense as he tried to clean up Murphy.