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[PREVIOUSLY: Octavia makes a daring escape from the grounder tunnels but has to forego her morals in the process. As she tries to return to the drop-ship to warn her people of their impending disaster, she is caught in a trap and comes face to face with a vicious grounder]!
The first thing I was aware of was the cold wind.
I felt the chilly breeze tickle my ears and taint my cheeks as it rushed by my face. Then, my body began to come back to life. I felt something hard and leathery beneath my legs and something soft and furry over my shoulders. My balance was constantly teetering and my muscles were being mercilessly jarred.
The furious pounding of a horse's hooves broke through my stupor and reached my ears. I heard the wind wailing, the cobblestones bouncing across a hard, gravelly path, the frequent snorting of a steed.
I gasped and sat straight up, my eyes wide open and my mind cleared and invigorated.
I found myself nestled in a pile of furs that were on the broad back of a horse. The bone-studded reins that encircled the steed's neck and mouth jingled with every step it took. Behind me was the figure of a grounder. His face was covered with a mask; his belt was girded with weapons. One of his gloved hands was around my waist and the other was holding the reins.
Before I had time to figure out what was going on, the horse broke through the forest tree-line before us and into a clearing. The grounder tugged hard on the reins, slowing the horse down to a halt.
The grounder leaped down from the large steed before turning around and clamping his large hands around my waist. He picked me up and set me down firmly on the solid dirt floor.
I stared at him for a moment, recognising him as the warrior who had cut me down from the trap I had stupidly walked into. Not knowing where I was or if I could trust him, I cast a quick furtive glance around the clearing.
A small campfire graced the middle of the swept-out area. A rag lined with kebabs lay near the crackling flames and a pile of kindling was stacked up on the opposite side.
The shadowy form of a boy squatting on a log was outlined by the dancing light radiating from the fire. As soon as he saw me, he stood up and stepped forward.
My mouth fell open in shock.
"Oh my god! Finn! Finn!" I cried out as I rushed towards him. Leaping forward, I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in his shoulder.
Finn let out a small sigh as he rubbed circles against my back with his thumbs. Drawing away, he pressed a light kiss against my forehead and sent me a small smile, "It's okay, Princess, I'm alright."
Tears of relief sprang into my eyes. "B-but how ...?"
Finn nodded over my shoulder towards the grounder behind me. "Lincoln saved me."
"Lincoln?" my eyes widened in surprise as I whirled around.
The grounder, who was feeding an apple to his hungry horse, glanced up at Finn and I as he heard his name. Slowly, he lifted his hand and pulled the hideous mask off of his face, affirming the fact that he was, indeed, Lincoln.
I shook my head disbelievingly as I addressed him, "Lincoln? Why? Why did you do this? Why did you rescue us?"
Lincoln hesitated before replying, "Anya never intended to keep her promise. She would've killed both of you eventually. You are the enemy. Aidan ... he didn't want you to die, Octavia. He just wanted you to remain safe until ..."
"Until the battle's over, huh?" I scoffed as I backed away.
"The battle?" Finn repeated, confused.
"Yes, the battle," I sighed as I looked over at him. "Trikru is attacking our base tomorrow!"
"What?" Finn gaped at me before turning on Lincoln. "You knew about this?"
"Yes, Aidan and I both did," Lincoln replied with a shrug as he flicked the reins of his horse over its head. "It's been in the planning for a while. Nine clans are participating in the fight. The remaining three tribes will stay behind to guard the capitol. There's nothing we can do to stop it and there's nothing you can do about it either. Aidan and I both thought you were all total goners until we remembered something."
"Well? What is it?" I queried desperately.
"There is a faraway land across the sea to the west," Lincoln told us soberly. "The people who live there are a peaceful tribe. They'll take you in. Warn your people, get them to the shore and leave tonight. There is no time to waste. This is the only thing you can do. You must escape your camp before Trikru warriors completely destroy it."
"Hang on," I held out my hand and narrowed my eyes at Lincoln. "Does Anya know that you helped us escape? And, more importantly, how do you know about what Aidan thinks?"
Lincoln paused before rolling his eyes and heaving a deep sigh. "First of all, Princess, I don't need to answer any of your questions. Secondly, I'm only doing this for Aidan. You were chosen to be the PeaceKeeper and he intends to preserve your life for that purpose alone. He still retains a slim sliver of hope that peace will eventually rule the clans. I - I have been hiding him and Zenia in one of the numerous caves around here. I often go to visit him and bring him news from Polis. I overheard battle plans being discussed in the capitol and went to inform Aidan. He hates the war and the bloodshed that riddle fear into our people's minds and hearts. To be frank, I agree with him. People shouldn't have to live like this. That's why I'm giving you both another chance, a chance to go and warn your people of their impending doom. If you don't, there'll be a massacre and I cannot, in good conscience, allow such a thing to happen unwittingly."
My teeth tugged nervously at my lower lip as I gazed appreciatively at him. "Thank you, Lincoln, for everything."
Lincoln didn't respond. Instead, he turned and scanned the area with sharp, alert eyes. Then, he froze.
Both Finn and I followed his line of sight.
A large signal fire was flashing from across the other side of the mountain range!
"W-what does it mean?" Finn inquired, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
"It means Anya knows you're not dead," Lincoln growled.
"Do you think they saw you?" I asked in a shaky tone. It was one thing to have Aidan banished for helping us but to have Lincoln punished as well?
I shuddered to think of what might've happened to Lincoln had he been caught.
"We need to hurry," Lincoln urged as he leaned forward to slap the horse's beefy behind. "Yah!"
The horse whinnied loudly and took off galloping into the woods.
"Let's hope they follow the horse," Lincoln muttered as he withdrew his sword from his sheath and beckoned for us to follow him.
"Wait ... what do we do now?" Finn called out worriedly.
"Now we run," Lincoln stated as he pressed his lips into a long, firm line. He took off, plunging into the deep shadows of the forest.
For a brief moment, Finn and I hesitated, unsure and scared. Suddenly, the distant whinny of an approaching horse cut through the air.
Horrified, Finn and I exchanged knowing glances. We broke into a run, sprinting after Lincoln's agile figure as he darted to and fro, this way and that.
"C'mon, it's right up ahead!" Lincoln breathed out between pants.
"What is?" I demanded, my voice unusually high-pitched.
"Some place they won't follow," Lincoln returned shortly as he cleared a fallen log and pressed onwards. "C'mon, we're here, hurry!"
Finn and I tumbled breathlessly over to him. His large, burly figure was stooped over the dark dingy opening of a tunnel. It was carved into the face of a huge cleft of rocks and the entrance was almost hidden as it was interwoven with bits of moss, strands of ferns and clumps of stones.
"W-where does it lead?" I gasped out.
"Everywhere," Lincoln replied as he quickly turned around to scan our surroundings. "There's a tunnel leading to your camp. If we make it through, we should get there before dawn breaks."
Before Finn and I had a chance to respond, however, we were all arrested by the neighing of horses and the beating clomps of hooves. All three of us spun around to see an entire continent of guards, armed with jagged swords and flaming torches, riding furiously towards us!
"Go!" Lincoln urged as he pointed to the tunnel entrance. "Go!"
Finn and I wasted no time as we scampered hastily inside. As we stumbled blindly along in the darkness, I reached out my hand to touch Finn's.
"It's okay, Princess, I'm right here," he whispered as his fingers tangled up with mine. "I'm right here."
I nodded and swallowed hard as I listened to the grounders that were getting closer and closer with every passing second.
"Quick, we have to go!" Lincoln let out a shout as he bounded into the tunnel after us.
"Lincoln!" a strangled cry echoed throughout the tunnel. A sudden rush of air whooshed by my face and I stopped stock-still, clutching Finn's arm and spluttering in shock.
"W-was that an arrow?" Finn voiced disbelievingly.
"C'mon, do you wanna get caught?" Lincoln spat out, annoyed, as he pushed urgently past the two of us.
I cast one last glance over my shoulder and inhaled sharply.
Anya, a bow and arrow in hand, was standing at the tunnel entrance, her loyal squad of guards right behind her!
Seeing that she had been defeated, once again, she reluctantly lowered her bow and scowled.
"It is not wise to follow them, Heda," the gravelly voice of a grounder abruptly pierced the air. "We know where they're going ... if the mine doesn't kill them first."
"Octavia, let's go, let's go," Finn grasped my upper arm, forcing me onwards.
Tearing my eyes away from the pursuing grounders whose ferocious figures were silhouetted by the full moon, I raised my voice as I addressed Lincoln, "Where the hell are we?"
For a moment, he didn't reply. Then, he sighed as he stated, "We call them the Reaper tunnels - because anyone who walks through here dies."
Gif: Octavia as she talks to Lincoln by the fire.
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