[edited 3 January 2017]

•••

green, and Raine was dumbfounded at how something so beautiful could have sprung from something so violent and evil. She passed a large bush blossoming with bright purple flowers, and hesitantly, brushed her hand against them. They were soft, and silky, and kissed her fingers lightly, causing a small smile to spread across her lips.

Jasper was looking at the girl in front of him, watching as Finn plucked a flower and tucked it into Octavia's hair. The girl smiled up at him adoringly, and Jasper nudged his best friend, "Now that, my friend, is game."

Raine raised an eyebrow at the boy, but didn't say anything. Monty picked up one of the flowers, and held it out, "That, my friend, is poison sumac."

Raine smirked as Octavia swatted the flower out of her hair, crying, "What? It is?"

"The flowers aren't poisonous, they're medicinal. Calming actually." He spoke as he shoved the flower into his mouth. Raine shook her head softly at the boy eating flowers.

"His family grows all of the pharmaceuticals on the Ark." Jasper filled in, and Clarke turned around.

"Hey, guys, would you try to keep up?" she questioned, looking accusingly at Octavia.

"Hey, Clarke, would you try not to be so controlling?" Raine fired back at her, Octavia snickering.

"Sorry if I want to survive down here." Clarke responded in a snarky tone.

Ignoring Raine, Finn gestured to the green forest, "How do you block all of this out?"

Clarke shrugged, "It's simple; I wonder why haven't we seen any animals? Maybe it's because there are none. Maybe we've already been exposed to enough radiation to kill us. Sure is pretty though." She added, turning around and heading off.

"Someone should slip her some poison sumac." Octavia muttered, and Jasper snorted. Raine nodded as Octavia trotted past her.

"I gotta know what you two did to get busted." Finn grinned at the two boys, and Raine turned around in interest.

Monty glanced at Jasper, "Sumac's not the only herb in the garden, if you know what I mean."

"Someone forgot to replace what we took." Jasper accused, glancing at his best friend.

"I've apologised like a thousand times." Monty breathed out.

"What about you?" Jasper asked, and it took Raine a few moments to realise he was talking to her.

"It's not important." She brushed it off, but Finn nudged her shoulder, urging her on. Sighing, she stopped, the small group huddling around her. "I was framed, by my mother."

Jasper's eyes widened, whereas Finn raised an eyebrow, "I don't believe that."

Raine shrugged, "Whatever. I almost got floated because of that bitch."

Jasper turned to Octavia. "What about you? What'd they get you for?"

Octavia was silent for a moment, before muttering, "Being born."

Leaving the other four teenagers in surprise, she skipped off to where Clarke was. Raine whistled, "Shit."

"That is so not game." Monty gestured, and Raine nodded. Jasper whacked his best friend lightly, who wacked him back. The group walked ahead, to where Clarke and Octavia were crouched. Confused as to why they were stopping, Raine tapped Octavia on the shoulder.

The younger girl pressed a finger against her lips, signalling for Raine to be quiet. She then pointed towards a clearing, and Raine's eyes widened. Standing in the middle of the clearing, was a deer. It tailed wiggled as it munched on the grass and Raine watched it with child-like awe.

"No animals, huh?" Finn mused to Clarke, beginning to creep forward. His foot landed on a twig, and it made a loud snapping noise. Raine watched as the deer's head shot up, and it looked over to them. Her jaw went slack as she saw the second deformed head on the animal.

The deer three eyes; the one in the middle a frosty white, and pinkie flesh covered the animals face. Finn lurched backwards and Clarke gasped loudly. The animal took off, bounding into the forest. No one moved, they were all frozen in shock.

•••

After the shock finally wore off, the group was back on track, making their way to Mount Weather. They were currently making their way down a steep hill, Raine trying not to roll her ankles.

"You know what I'd like to know?" Finn announced as they made their way down the hill, "Why send us down today, after ninety-seven years? What changed?"

"Who cares? I'm just glad they did." Octavia replied flippantly, running her hands against bushes as she passed. "I woke up rotting in a cell, and now I'm spinning in a forest."

"Well," Raine called out, "It's a pretty shitty birthday present, if you ask me."

Finn turned around, "You turned eighteen today?"

Raine nodded, "Yeah, I was supposed to be floated. Now I can't choose which is worse: being floated or starving to death."

"Maybe they found something on the radar, like an old satellite or something." Monty spoke, but Clarke shook her head.

"It wasn't a satellite; the Ark is dying."

The group halted, spinning to face Clarke. She walked past them, saying, "With the current population, there is maybe three months left of life support. Maybe four now that we're gone."

"So, you're saying that if they don't come down here, they're going to suffocate up there?" Raine asked, pointing to the sky. There was a small stab of worry at the thought of her mother dying slowly and painfully, but then she buried it. Her mother deserved to die.

"So that was the secret they locked you up to keep?" Finn questioned his eyes wide. "Why they kept you in solitary? Floated your old man?"

Clarke opened her mouth to say something, but closed it. Eventually, she responded, "My father was the engineer and discovered the flaw. He thought the people had a right to know. The council disagreed... my mother disagreed. They were afraid it would cause a panic. We were going to go public anyway, when Wells..."

"Turned in your dad?" Finn responded.

"Who would've guessed it?" Raine muttered in bitter sarcasm. Chancellor Jaha was the reason she was wrongly arrested, and fated to be floated on her eighteenth birthday. Instead, she was bundled onto a ship and sent to freaking Earth.

Jasper and Monty shared a look, not being able to fathom someone turning on their best friend. Clarke continued, "Anyway, the guard showed up right before we could. That's why today; that's why it was worth the risk. Even if we all died, at least they bought themselves some more time."

"They're gonna kill more people, aren't they?" Monty spoke, leaning forwards.

When Clarke didn't – couldn't – respond, Octavia said, "Good. After what they did to me, I saw float them all."

Raine couldn't help but agree with the Blake girl; the Ark had wrongly arrested her and sentenced her to death. They didn't even try to start an investigation, just grabbed her and dragged her away to her new cell.

"You don't mean that." Jasper called, running after her.

Finn leaned into Clarke, "We have to warn them."

"That's what my dad said." Clarke replied, her brows furrowed. The two stared at each other for a moment, and then as if realising they weren't alone she blinked and turned away, slamming into Jaspers back.

"Oh, damn." He breathed, his jaw slack as he saw Octavia. Looking over his shoulder, Raine saw Octavia stripping down to her underwear, getting ready to jump into the water. "I love Earth."

Raine rolled her eyes, listening the boy 'ooh' and 'ahh' at the girl. Octavia grinned as she stood on the edge of the rocks, about to jump in. Clarke stepped forward, "Octavia, what the hell are you doing?"

She looked back to Clarke, only smirking smugly, before pinching her nose and disappearing over the edge. There was a splash, and the group ran forwards. Raine grinned as she saw Octavia's head poking out of the water, and started to undress as well.

"Octavia!" Monty called, "We can't swim!"

"No, but we can stand." The girl giggled, standing up to reveal that the water was only waist deep.

Raine threw off her jacket, and began to unbutton her pants, when Clarke spoke, "Wait, there's not supposed to be a river here."

Raine shrugged, pulling off her shirt. "Well there is."

"So take off your damn clothes." Finn added. Slipping out of her pants, leaving her in a singlet and underwear, Raine began to make her way towards the water.

Jaspers eyes widened at the sight, and he whispered, "Did I mention I love Earth?" Then, his eyes narrowed, because across the river, something was swimming towards them. Something big. "Wait." He called, grabbing Raine's wrist.

She pulled it from his grip, sending him a look. "What?"

"Octavia get out of the water!" he yelled, and Raine spun around to see something swimming towards the girl. With a frown, Octavia turned around, letting out a scream before she was pulled under. "Octavia!" Jasper screamed, the girl breaking the surface and screaming, her arms thrashing in a miserable attempt to get free.

Then, she was pulled back under, disappearing from their sight.

•••

The group was stunned, their mouths hanging open at what they had just witnessed. Jasper was breathing heavily, glancing around wildly for something to help him save the girl. Raine was silently getting redressed, her throat tight.

From somewhere down the river, Octavia surfaced, screaming wildly as the thing held onto her leg. The group turned, and bolted over towards where she was, careful to stay away from the water.

"What the hell is that?" Monty cried, his voice high.

"We have to help her!" Finn told everyone, preparing to get into the water.

"What are you going to do?" Raine asked breathlessly. "Wrestle it to death?"

"Try to not get eaten." Finn replied, taking a step towards the water.

Clarke threw herself in front of him, crying, "No! Wait! If we distract it, it might let her go."

Bending down, she began to try and move a large boulder. Immediately joining her, Raine pushed against the rock, grunting.

"Help me!" Clarke snapped, and everyone began to move. Monty and Finn helped, the four managing to push the boulder into the river. It sunk with a plop, the thing letting go of Octavia and swimming over.

"Octavia, get to the shore, now!" Jasper yelled desperately, running over to the girl. When Octavia showed signs of struggling, Jasper dived in, coming up next to the panting girl. They struggled to get to the shore, neither knowing how to swim. Raine watched in horror as the thing turned, its sight set on the two teenagers.

Raine picked up a fist size rock, pelting it at the creature, but she missed and the rock sunk next to it. She continued to peg any rocks she could find, but it was useless.

"It's headed right for you guys!" Monty screamed, and Raine ran over to the two teenagers in the water. Jasper pushed Octavia onto the rocks, and Raine saw a large gash on the girl's leg. Jasper then pulled himself up just as the thing swam past. Octavia wheezed as she tried to suck in air, Jasper turning to look at her wound.

Clarke bent down next to her, ripping a strip off Jasper's shirt to tie around Octavia's leg. The injured Octavia looked at Jasper, and then threw her arms around him, whispering, "Thank you. Thank you."

"You're going to be okay." Clarke told Octavia.

"Note to self," Monty started, cracking a relieved grin. "Next time, save the girl."

The group broke out into nervous laughter, still shaken up at what they had just witnessed.

•••

Raine tugged on the vine, nodding when she deemed it strong enough to carry her weight. Glancing across the river, she estimated that she would have to throw herself off the vine to land on the other side. Tuck and roll.

"You wanted to go first, so quit stalling." Clarke called. "Mount Weather waits."

Raine glared at Clarke, "Oh, I'm sorry, Princess. I don't see you risking your life to test this damn thing."

"Why you, anyway?" Octavia asked Raine.

"No offense, but I don't trust you guys." Raine stated simply with a shrug, and Octavia scoffed.

"Well, you're kind of a bitch." She muttered.

Raine shrugged, "I was made this way. Suck it up, or shut up."

Clarke sighed, "Raine, I don't care if you don't trust us, I just want to get the supplies."

Raine sighed, thinking over Clarke's words, and then handed the vine to Finn. Raine jumped down from the rocks, and stood next to Monty. She didn't really want to throw herself across the river blind; she didn't know what the hell was on the other side and now that she knew what was in the river, she never wanted to go near it again.

"Just hang on until the apogee and you'll be fine." Jasper told Finn, Finn looking slightly confused.

"The apogee? Like the Indians, right?" he asked Jasper.

Jasper looked around, as if embarrassed to be seen with such an idiot. Looking back at Finn he muttered, "Apogee, not apache."

"He knows." Clarke deadpanned, "Today, Finn."

"Aye, aye Captain." He said, saluting Clarke. Finn looked at the vine, psyching himself up to make the jump, whereas Jasper was looking at Octavia. Finn pulled the vine back, ready to jump, when Jasper stopped him.

"What?" Finn asked, slightly annoyed.

Glancing at Octavia, who was looking at him in adoration, Jasper spoke, "Let me. I can do it."

Finn nodded, smiling as he handed the vine over to Jasper, patting him on the back, "I knew there was a badass in there somewhere."

Raine yelled out in encouragement, "You can do it, Jasper!"

Jasper looked at Octavia, and Raine knew that something was bound to happen between them in the future. Octavia smiled at Jasper, a pink tinge on her cheeks. When Jasper didn't go, Finn spoke, "It's okay to be afraid, Jasper. The trick is not fighting it."

Jasper nodded, taking a deep breath and readjusting his grip on the vine. Calming his nerves, he said, "See you on the other side."

Finn laughed, Jasper launching himself into the air. He screamed as he flew across the river, and Raine couldn't help but grin. Jasper flew off the vine, landing on a pile of wood before rolling. The group looked at him concern, Raine yelling, "Are you alright?"

Jasper shot them a shaky grin, nodding. Standing up, he looked around, before screaming, "We are apogee!"

Raine, Finn, Monty and Octavia erupted into screams, pumping their arms into the air. Raine whooped loudly, clapping her hands.

"Go Jasper!" Clarke shouted, and the boy began to jump around, unable to believe that he had made it.

"Come on Clarke, you got this!" Jasper yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Woo! Apogee!"

Jasper took a few steps up the creek, spotting a sign hidden in the dirt. Uncovering it, he grinned and picked it up, shouting, "We did it! Mount Weather!"

He waved the sign in the air, and Raine could easily read 'Mount Weather' on the old sign. The boy began to whoop loudly, and Monty fist bumped the air in excitement.

That was, until, a large spear flew through the air, sinking into Jaspers chest. The boy flew backwards, becoming impaled on the tree behind him. Clarke clutched as Finn in shock, spluttering, "Ja – Jasper!"

Raine spun around, scrambling to find a hiding place as fast as she could. She crouched behind a large boulder, forcing herself not to look at the boy across the river.

The others dropped to the ground, curling up beside Raine. Raine thought she saw someone running through the forest, and bile rose in her throat. Clarke gaped at the forest, "We're not alone."

•••