─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
THE TASTE OF COPPER LINGERED IN JUNE'S MOUTH. Her skin was covered in different injuries, lingering from bruises to cuts, and then spotted with blood and grime. She was thankful there was no longer an arrow in her hip, courtesy of Bellamy and Finn while she was unconscious. She was glad they considered how painful carefully ripping a weapon out of someone would be while awake, and although it stung worse with each step, the worse was over. Some type of rag from one of their jackets was tied tightly around her, keeping the bleeding under control, but that was surprisingly the least of June's problems.
Both of June's hands were tied together in front of her tightly with a rope, connected to a very burly grounder man riding a black horse. Finn was on the other side of her, attempting to play the hero card when she had been taken, only ending in both of them being captured, Bellamy just narrowly escaping. Each step she took was worse than the last, a shooting hot pain running up her side. June knew he wasn't going to allow them to rest, but with her injury, she could feel her knees beginning to wobble. She knew there must be something really wrong with it - but being around people with no medical experience wouldn't help.
One more trudge forward sends the worst ache yet, pinching her skin before her muscles screamed. "I can't." Her voice broke, raspy, as she bent over in exhaustion, stopping completely. It didn't stop the pain, only made it worse. "I can't go anymore." Without any relief, June finds herself unable to stand anymore. She falls forward, collapsing to the ground on her better side, the horse stopping as the man slid off it.
"June," Finn was whispering and crouching next to her. "Come on." He tugged at the rope connecting them, rubbing the welts on her wrist in an attempt to pull her up.
"On your feet!" The grounder barked from where he was storming. June's eyes, that had once fallen shut, snapped open when a fistful of her blonde hair was pulled back. She hissed loudly in pain, her elbow swinging to strike him somehow, but missing him narrowly.
"She can't keep up," Finn pleaded with him. "She got shot with an arrow, please, give her a break."
Gritting her teeth, June felt the grounder release her hair. She fell back with a thud, panting, as he rummaged through a bag connected to his belt. "You're lucky," he grumbled. "I need as many as you alive as possible to bring to the commander. And once I find that boy - " A pop sound filled the air, but June ignored it, realizing he meant Bellamy. "We'll decide who's disposable. Now, drink."
A rim of glass was brought to June's lips. She choked in surprise when a sweet liquid filled her mouth, refusing to let it meet the back of her throat, reacting by puckering her lips and spitting it out. The drink he forced in her mouth hit him in the face, catching him by surprise but making him furious quickly. June's chest rose and fell heavily with each deep breath, as she barred her teeth. "Go... Float... Yourself..." She snarled out, a pause between each word.
June's jaw was gripped by the grounder's two fingers, forcing it open as he brought the large vial to her mouth once more. "Drink, Skai Gada," he repeated, more enraged than before from the mix of liquid and June's saliva dripping down his face. "Or die from the poison." (Sky Girl.)
"June, just do it," Finn begged. June could hardly believe he trusted this guy, but without another choice, her mouth fell open and the liquid slid down her throat. She coughed and spluttered, unable to breathe until the grounder was satisfied and pulled away. As June lifted her head, she was hardly given a chance to breathe in, as a very dense hand came downwards, making her head snap to the right. She could hardly register the slap until realizing how badly her cheek stung, a red hot blush appearing, knowing it was payback for spitting in his face.
"Hey!"
Oh no, June screams in her head, gasping on the ground. Because there's Bellamy, a spear in hand with a not so confident expression once he was face to face with the grounder. "No!" She wheezed out in a shout when the grounder mounted his horse again.
"Bellamy, get out of here!" Finn shouted as Bellamy looked around him like he was waiting and confused.
Uncertain of what he was waiting for, something else came as a shock. The horse being ridden on is kicked, forcing the animal to race forward. Before June can process, the rope holding her and Finn hostage is yanked forward. She shrieks when Finn grunts, landing beside her, and they're both dragged across the ground. Twigs, leaves, and rocks burrow into June from all directions as she shouts in pain, unable to tug away to stop this. Her vision blurs, hearing a whipping sound in the air before Bellamy is the one making a noise of pain.
Finally, the horse stops running as the grounder dismounts it. June feels her lungs tighten, hardly able to catch her breath or even sit up. She looks up in time to see Bellamy curled on the ground, trying to shield the punches thrown his way, but only ending up rolling on the ground. A hand on her jacket reminds her to move, from Finn, as he tried to help her up with his bound hands somehow. June leans her weight on his arm until she's steady on her feet, the pain not any better, but she focused on Bellamy instead with worry as the grounder is tying another rope from the horse to Bellamy's wrists.
"Can you walk?" Finn questioned, gaze darting to June's bandaged side.
Weakly, June nodded. "I - I think so." Her feet and legs still ached, along with her wound, but she knew with Bellamy here, the grounder had more than he wanted.
"You have to stand on your feet," Finn insisted in a whisper as the grounder left them. "He'll kill you now if you don't."
June groaned thinly. "Guess saving my life was a one time ticket." She took a single step forward, nearly tumbling, but coming to a sudden stop when two screams mixed just a few feet away.
The wild screams coming from behind belonged to Monroe and Sterling, two delinquents that didn't look anywhere near as banged up as the other three, coming to a dead stop. They were wielding weapons of their own, but the grounder drew his own, a grin appearing on his face. June wanted to shout at them to not risk their lives and run, but before she could, a gun fires loudly. She's alarmed for a second, but it changes to confusion as the grounder gurgles, blood coming from a new hole in his chest. Another shot is fired, and his head swings forward from the attack before falling to the ground, lifeless.
"Who the hell..." June's voice trailed off as she turns to face a new face, eyelids flying open and her jaw dropping.
Marcus Kane was emerging from the bushes, a gun cocked forward in his hands, smoke just blowing out of the barrel. A team of guards come out as well, guns pointed forward. He lowered the firearm at the sight of the stunned delinquents, a kind smile plastering on his face. "We're here now. Everything's gonna be okay," he told them reassuringly. After being sure the grounder was completely dead, and there were no others around, he whistled and waved his hand.
One by one, more members from The Ark piled into their area. A guard was kind enough to cut the restraints holding June, Bellamy, and Finn and she sighs in relief once her hands are free. A loud whisper of her name had her looking back to the members, coming to a daze at the older woman who looked equally surprised to see June. "Abby?"
Abby's arms are already open when June is rushing forward. She throws her arms around the woman shoulders, smiling with tears swelling in her eyes. She couldn't figure out how The Ark was alive, especially after the crash she witnessed, but grateful to be embracing Clarke's mother the way she would her own had she been alive. Growing up, the Griffin's and Jaha's were like June's own family. "Oh, June," Abby murmured after pulling away, scanning the injuries June sustained on her face before gasping at the one at her side.
"I'm okay," June tried to say firmly. "I'll be fine."
Seeming unconvinced, Abby pressed her lips together and nodded. "I'll look at it when we get back," she promised, gently tugging June's shirt down to cover it more. June trailed after her as she went to check on Bellamy and Finn who had taken their seats at a log; Bellamy wincing as he tried to stand. "Don't stand up."
"I'm fine," Bellamy insisted, sounding the opposite, but waving Abby's medical hands away. "We need to get back to the dropship."
Abby glanced around the area around them quickly before questioning; "Where's Clarke?" She turned to Finn, stopping him before he could walk away. "Is she alright?"
"She was when we left," Finn answered with a small sigh, eager to get back to the dropship they ran from. "We'll take you to her."
"Wait. Slow down," Kane protested, stopping the three before they could leave. He walks up to a man that June recognized from engineering, often into technology as well. "Sinclair, we're splitting up." June grows impatient, rocking back and forth on her feet as Kane instructed him to take everyone but one guard detail with him to Alpha Station before leaning forward and whispering a question June couldn't hear.
After Sinclair responded with a shake of his head and a quiet murmur, June finally spoke up. "Can we please go?" She urged, her thumb pointing behind her, eager to see her friends who made it back at the dropship.
Kane seemed amused by June's eagerness, a faint smile appearing before he nodded. "Okay." He pointed to a small group of guards. "You six, with me." He gestured to the three in lead. "You three, lead the way."
━━━━━━━━
The smell is the first thing that hits June hard when they arrive at the camp. It's rancid, still smoking, along with corpses lying everywhere. She swallows hard at the sight, seeing her friends with weapons sticking out of them, grounders strewn everywhere as well. It's too quiet, she noticed as well. Usually, everyone was chattering, or at least, there was some noise. But it was like the dropship was completely empty. June crouched, carefully stepping down the slope that led into camp, sticking close to Bellamy in-case she'd fall.
Once the gate is in their view, Kane stops them. "We'll take it from here," he decided. "Banks, Scanlon, you stay with them," he ordered two guards, making June stare at him incredulously. "We'll signal once we're sure it's safe."
"Safe?!" June repeated, angered and taking a step forward. Kane was on the council, he was one of the six who voted the one-hundred to be sent to the ground without consideration for their safety. How could he care for them now, and just take charge after they've survived on Earth so much longer without The Ark's help?
As June's boot hit the ground, one of the guards Kane directed to stay behind put his arm in front of her. She knew it was useless, her lower lip curling as she stepped back, sharing a look of distaste with Bellamy and Finn. It wasn't fair they were allowed into their own camp to know if their friends were alright.
It's still quiet minutes later, full of them pacing. June is the only one that remains still, gaze locked at the camp, waiting for something urgent to happen. It comes soon, one of the guards calling out loud enough for them to hear. "We need a stretcher!"
Bellamy is the first to dart forward. "Whoa, whoa, whoa." One of the guards pushed him back, giving him a warning look. June bites her lower lip, turning her head to face the other two who held fake looks of defeat before Bellamy small, discreet nod signals them.
Spinning around, June sucks in a deep breath, refusing to pay attention to the pain screaming in protest. She dashed away, running quickly after the boys towards the closest tunnel. The two guards shout, demanding for them to come back, but too far to catch them. June crouched when reaching the opening, diving between leaves and hanging branches, the last to run through the darkness before a light appears at the end.
A loud and noticeable wince comes from June once she stumbled out. She stood straighter, hand flying to cup her wound. She couldn't help but feel a bit glad there was no fresh blood, which had to be good. "Hey," Bellamy spoke to her. "You okay?"
June nodded. "Quit worrying about me," she whispered back, turning in a small circle to study the camp. "Where is everyone?"
The camp was completely empty of any other lives. June's boots crunched as she moved, the ground hard and the rest of the remains charred into a black soot. There was no other signs of life, no other scared teenagers. June was unsettled, suddenly sick. This wasn't right, they had to be here.
"It was awful." The familiarity of the voice had June's head snapping up. Anger washed over her as she turns, seeing Murphy of all people, leaning on Kane as he's lead out of the dropship. "There were hundreds of them, and if it wasn't for Raven - " He stopped suddenly, his eyes meeting the three. June's hands clenched at her side tightly, white appearing at her knuckles as Murphy takes a few steps back away from Kane. "Bellamy... June... Uh, you're alive..."
Suddenly, all June can remember is being tied in the dropship helplessly. She couldn't erase the images long enough to calm herself, unable to forget the way he pointed a gun at her, tried to kill her and Jasper, even succeeded in ending Myles. Then, Murphy shot Raven. He could have killed her. She's enraged, gritting her teeth, everything going red. Although Bellamy is livid, he's not given a chance to attack Murphy.
Because June does.
"You son of a bitch!" The insult comes out as a scream, tearing at June's chords. She tears forward, adrenaline pumping in her veins as she throws all her weight on him, forcing them both to tumble to the ground. "You asshole!" When Murphy's pinned down, she raises a clenched fist, it coming down and striking him hard in the side of the face. "You're dead! I swear to God, you're dead!" June screeched, guards and Kane shouting from behind her to stop.
Before June's fist can come downwards again, two burly arms are wrapping underneath her arms and tugging her off. She shrilled in protest, kicking at whoever was hauling her off of Murphy. "Let me go! Let me go!" June demanded, struggling fiercely. "I'll kill him!"
June's scene comes to a stop when Kane nods to a guard, holding the girl still as the tip of the electric baton is pressed to her chest. The electric current runs through her body, ceasing her screams and fight, muscles becoming tense as Kane gently lowered her to the ground. June's limbs twitched as she falls slack to the ground, breathless from the pain shooting through her that starts to pass. "Place her under arrest," Kane commanded one of the guards.
"Wait!" Bellamy exclaimed in disbelief, too late, as June feels her arms pulled back and two metal cuffs slapped on her wrists. June is heaved up, boots brushing against the ground, still panting but refusing to fight again.
"You don't understand," Finn cuts in desperately trying to convince Kane. "Murphy murdered two of our people, he shot another one. He tied up June, tried to kill her, even tried to hang Bellamy!" He blurted quickly, all in one breath.
"I don't care," Kane snapped boldly before narrowing his dark eyes to June. "You are not animals. There are rules, laws. You are not in control here anymore." With that, he leaves, going to help Murphy back up. June remains put despite the angry emotion bubbling in her stomach.
Realizing staring at Murphy was only making June more furious, she turned her head just in time to see the curtain hanging on the open dropship be brushed aside. A guard exits first, holding the front of a stretcher with a motionless body laid on it. June's eyes widen. She lurched forward, the grip on her arm tightening and pulling her back before she can pull away. "Raven!" She cried out, but the mechanic didn't make a move. "Please, let me see if she's okay!" June pleaded, only going unheard.
Seeing Raven in such a terrible state has June anxious. Her sweaty tan skin is paler than it was before, a hand drenched in blood from where it's pressing against her bullet wound, more blood dripping down her chin. June wants to sob at the sight, the earlier wrath fading. "Please!" She uselessly tries again.
Abby leaves the dropship next, taking sight of June in cuffs with confusion, but announcing to both her and Finn. "She's lost a lot of blood. It's a miracle that she's still alive." June doesn't know whether to be reassured or more panicked, but Abby continued. "There's no one else in there." She gives them an apologetic stare before rushing to check on her patients.
"What?" June feels like someone shot her in the chest. Her mind whirls with every possibility of what could have happened to her friends, only able to think of the grounders. June's gaze flickered towards the woods, endless thoughts swirling, starting with how the hell everything ended up here.