𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, bellamy blake ¹

33; dusk

Raven banged her fists down on the table. "So then what are we going to do?"

Naomi pushed away from the table. "I'll go find Serena—maybe she'll know where Anya would have taken them."

Bellamy walked towards Naomi, putting his hands on her shoulder. "You can't go out to see Serena now—they'll capture you."

Naomi raised an eyebrow at him. "I can fight the grounders myself." She pulled a pack over her shoulder. Her hair was back in its half-braid, thrown fiercely over her shoulder. She was still wearing the Grounder clothes.

"Didn't Anya say she was going to flay you?"

Noe shrugged, lowering one eyebrow. "I won't let her catch me then."

He sighed, raising a hand to rub his eyes. Raven peered around the table. "You realise this is a horrible idea, right?" she asked.

Naomi licked her lips. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. We'll get our friends back."

➳ ➳ ➳

The walk to Serena's village wasn't far, but Naomi had to constantly be on the lookout. With Anya's group coming so close to their camp to take Finn and Clarke, who knew what they wanted with her? Bellamy had only let her go if she took a gun, which she had strapped to her shoulder. But she felt safer with her sword in hand.

Night had fallen quickly once again, and Naomi had tired. Though, she felt much better now that she had been sleeping again. The blonde girl fiercely clutched the owl pommel of her sword, feeling the cold metal beneath her fingers. Somewhere, a bird crowed from overhead. Naomi stepped lightly and carefully, watching for Grounders in the trees. Any rustle from the bushes made her freeze.

She looked behind her as there was movement from the tree-line. Cautiously, Noe stepped backwards, sword in hand.

Something caught her foot. There was the sound of sliding rope and within seconds Naomi found herself flinging up into the air. The ring of rope was wrapped around her ankle as she swung amongst the trees, dangling upside-down. She was still swinging from the momentum of the trap. Naomi groaned, shaking her head and looking around frantically.

"We have her!"

Naomi snapped her head downwards, where a small group of Grounders were emerging from trees. With a snarl, Naomi swung her body upwards. She gripped a hold of the rope with one hand—practice from all those years working for Shumway—and pulled herself upright. With her sword still in hand, she sliced through the rope around her ankle and slid the blade into its sheath. Now, the Grounders were reacting, pulling out their bows. Naomi wasted no time, swinging up into the branch above her. She burst through the barrier of leaves and waited in silence for the words of those below her.

"Have we lost her?"

"She's up there."

"She'll have to come down eventually." And they were right, she did. Tugging her sword once again from its position, Naomi crept along the length of the branch. Slowly, she lowered herself down a few, crouching to wait for any sign of movement. The forest became silent once again, though she could hear the movement of those below her. Naomi broke through the leaves. She landed upon one of the Grounders with a cry. The two tumbled to the ground and Naomi drew her sword across his neck before he could turn.

She threw her sword. The blade spun through the late mist with a shine of light. It plunged itself into the chest of a Grounder, who fell to the dirt with a dying cry. The next came and she ducked under them, spinning out her legs to knock them to the ground. She rolled out of the way of their sword and ducked to the side.