It was morning when Athena spotted Aslan; his dark hair blended with the tree trunks all around him. Though he was part of the Ice Clan, he looked as though he belonged to the Wood Clan when he was here. She studied him from afar, taking him in. He had a large build, strong and muscular. Even the way he stood made people around him see his strength and his confidence; he was not a stupid man, and while he usually kept to himself, he was observational. His size made people think he was nothing but a brute, but he was in fact leader material.
“Aslan.” Athena said as she neared him.
He turned casually, unthreatened by the sound of her voice. “It’s been two days.”
“Lincoln is free.” She said, having to remind herself to speak her native tongue, not English. Aslan himself knew just as little as she and would be suspicious if she suddenly was learning a new tongue. Though she wanted to create a peace between their people, Athena felt guilty about what had happened in the cave with Bellamy, although nothing had truly happened. She repressed these feelings and looked up at Aslan; he was so much taller than her. “I must speak with Lexa.”
“She is gone.”
“Where?” Athena asked, her tone sharper than she had intended. However, it was important that she spoke to the commander.
“Rallying the clans.” He stated. “Anya is in command, and expects our report.”
Athena tightened her lips, but began her swift stride through the forests to where Anya’s camp was, awaiting word from Athena. Anya was harder to negotiate with than Lexa. She, like Athena herself, was hard headed and a tough egg to crack. She probably had her head set on war with these people, and to Anya, Athena was an outsider. She might as well be one of the Sky People to Anya, and she was not going to be impressed that Athena, a known warrior, was advising against war.
It was going to defy the norms.
It was going to defy nature.
It took them the bulk of the days on foot to reach Anya’s camp, though almost five days had passed since she arrived; the camp was not large, but to Athena, it seemed immense. The Ice Clans were smaller, as many died off in earlier years of life. The elderly often moved south to the Wood Clans to live out their lives, though ‘elderly’ here was about sixty years. Most did not live beyond their thirties, though since Lexa brought the clans together, the only threats had been the Reapers and the Mountain Men. Now there was another potential threat, but Athena wanted to wait it out, and see if these children were going to be what Anya thought they were.
With a solid argument, Athena breathed in through her nose, and out through her mouth. She was larger and stronger than Anya, but not as blood thirsty or cunning. With similar rankings, they were basically head to head, but Anya had been given command of this war party, meaning she was currently sitting above Athena. Athena wouldn’t have much to go on in terms of equal power, so she had to bring home her argument.
When she had arrived at the camp, she changed clothes, rinsed her blood and dirt stained flesh, got the sticks and blood out of her hair, and was given a small tent for her and Aslan. Her mate watched as she sat upon a chair and wrung the water out of her hair; she had a few dreadlocks here and there developing, and when she tried to comb them out with her fingers it only caused her pain. She looked at herself in a rusted and worn mirror and saw a young woman staring at her without her war paint. Her shoulders were dropped, and she looked her age for the first time.
Aslan’s heavy hand rested on her shoulder. “Are you going to tell me what you intend to say in there? Or is it going to be a surprise?”
Athena sensed some amusement in his tone, but there was underlying distrust. She hadn’t been open with him, because she didn’t want his rationality to change her mind when she told him. When he asked, she had cowardly skirted around the topic, answering only the most basic of questions. When asked about Lincoln, she said that they freed him upon her command, and even assisted. Aslan believed what he heard, but it was evident that he knew the truth was being evaded.
Athena huffed, her shoulders dropping even lower. “As… Anya might cut my head off when she hears what I have to say. I won’t have you being a part of it.”
“That bad?”
“That bad.” Athena nodded, leaning her head against Aslan’s stomach. His abdominals were rock hard, and he was a terrible cushion, but she held herself there anyways. It was familiar, perhaps too familiar. They had been together as mates since she was fifteen, and she had no reason to ever change that. Until now.
“Athena, Anya will see you now.” A voice called from the outside of the tent.
Athena sighed, leaning forward and grabbing a bowl of freshly made paste; she dabbed two fingers in and pulled the dark paste down over her eyes, darkening her appearance. Suddenly, she looked five years older, tougher, experienced. Rising and adding her weapons to her frame, she felt lighter wearing all her gear, though it added at least fifteen pounds. Perhaps it was that she felt safer.
“I’ll be right outside.” Aslan said, then took his spot outside Anya’s tent.
Athena pushed the leather fabric out of the way and stepped in, glancing around. As usual, there were a few torches that were offering light, making the shadows in the tent dance like spirits. She locked eyes with Anya and walked up to her. The Unit Leader didn’t know what to expect from Athena, and so her composure suggested no bias, yet.
“Anya.” Athena bowed her head as a sign of respect. Anya returned the nod, then lifted her hand as if it were too much effort to tell Athena to continue. “The Sky People are a small group of children, none of them over twenty winters.”
“Go on.”
“They were sent down from their home because they were taking up resources.” Athena pieced together what she could from what she learned from Bellamy. If asked where she had obtained this information, she wouldn’t lie too much, but she would skirt around the truth. Telling them that she had been trapped in a cave with their leader for a few hours would be ridiculous; they would kill her for not killing him, even though that had never been her task. “Their only goal is survival, and with what little they have, I do not expect them to survive the winter. They do not venture far from their camp, and they pose little threat to us. They fear us, rightfully, and they do not wish to disturb us.”
“They burned a village down, killed many.” Anya leaned forward, a challenge. “That was done in attempt to contact their people, to bring reinforcements. Whatever they have told you is a lie, however you got this information. They are trying to trick you into thinking they are weak, but what happens when the rest of their people come?”
“Did you listen to a word I have said?” Athena’s tone went from stable to aggressive in seconds. “They were sent down because they were not worth keeping.”
“So you suggest we what…? Allow them to use our land? They aren’t worthy of breathing our air, Athena.”
“I suggest we stand down until we suspect a threat.” Athena couldn’t believe the words that she was saying.
“I say we catch them unaware, slaughter them while they are huddled, scared like sheep in their walls.” Anya rose from her seat. “This is final.”
“Why was I sent there? I was sent to get information.” She growled, her posture dropping into an aggressive cat-like stature. “Information that you are brushing off like a coward who can rush into war, but cannot accept a truce.”
“Tell me, Athena, is there a truce on the table?”
Athena stared blankly.
“There is.” A low voice said from the front of the tent.
Lincoln.
Delayed update, sorry! My boyfriend took the day off work to cheer me up cause I've been feeling remarkably down lately. Hopefully that isn't noticable and interfering my work. Please comment, I live on comments! And vote :)