Chapter Text
Godseda. That’s what they call her. The God of death. She got that title from killing every Grounder that tried to kill Eric and Elias. Most were Azgeda, Ice Nation. She fought her own war with them. Ten at a time all coming for her and she killed them all. Spurred by Elias and Eric in danger.
Eric only freaks out a little when he sees blood now. He’s gotten used to it after Grounders kept coming after them every week. That’s why they separated from Clarke. Cal wanted to make sure Clarke was safe. She took the boys and left while Clarke was asleep. Cal knew Clarke wouldn’t have let her go otherwise.
Eric even knows how to use a knife. Cal had traded it for food she brought Niylah. That’s the deal Niylah and Clarke have, and after Cal left, Niylah passed that to her, as well. She makes sure Clarke isn’t there before going in, though. She hasn’t seen her sister for two months and she intends to keep it that way until it’s safe for all of them to go home.
Elias smiles, laughing as he lunges for Cal. He misses.
They were both trained by Lincoln, Elias had extra training with Indra, but he still can’t beat her no matter how hard he tries. He can beat Grounders, just not Cal. It also helps she predicts his movements before he makes them. She’s his mother, she knows his movements. He sometimes catches her off guard, but he still never gets her down. Not as easy as he does other Grounders. For a thirteen-year-old, he’s pretty strong.
Eric watches the two spar in awe. He’s been learning, but he still isn’t strong enough for a Grounder. He has half of Elias’s skill now, though. He learns fast. Eric grew to like the two of them. He understood why Calliope did it now. She cares about him and now, he cares about her, too.
Cal laughs, pinning the boy to the ground and smiling in victory. “I win.”
“No fair!” Elias whines, grabbing Cal’s extended hand to hoist him up. “You’re stronger!”
“That’s not the reason I won, Elias.” Cal says, hands on her hips. “I just know to distract my opponent long enough for me to get a shot.”
“I do that!”
“No, you don’t.” Cal scolds. “You wait until you want to attack because you're impatient. You need to get a good shot before attacking.”
Elias huffs and picks up his knife. “Fine. I’ll try next time.”
“Good.” Cal walks over to Eric and hoists him up from the ground. “Ready? We can’t stay here long. We’ll get caught.”
Eric nods, grabbing his knife and running ahead through the woods. Cal smiles as Elias chases after him. They’ve grown to be like brothers in the three months out there. Cal has cared for them like a mother. They’re her sons even if they don’t think so.
***
The boys run into Niylah’s before Cal can even catch up to them. She smiles as she opens the door from it closing after them. “Shush! Calm down, boys!” Niylah yells at them, using English as Eric hasn’t quite learned Trigedasleng yet. He’s getting there, though. He knows a few phrases, but he’s learning it slower than everything else.
“Elias! Eric! Stop!” Cal yells at them and they listen, looking at the two women apologetically. “Apologize to Niylah.”
“Sorry, Niylah.” They both say before looking around.
Cal, sighs shaking her head before handing the bag of dead animals to Niylah. “Oso haven’t kom op across eni biga animals Disha week.” Cal says, leaning on the desk as Niylah goes behind it, putting a crate on the desk and transferring the animals to that.
We haven’t come across any big animals this week.
“Yu'll kom op across emo eventually.” Niylah replies. “Jos huk op em gou.” She hands the bag back to Cal and takes a different crate and sliding it towards her. “Bilaik kot op kom las gou, cooked en seasoned.”
You'll come across them eventually. Just give it time. Your cut from last time, cooked and seasoned
Cal smiles at her, thanking her, before stuffing the animal parts in the satchel she uses for their food. Lately, they’ve run out of food quickly and have needed to come back two days after they were already there. There’s three of them, after all. Food runs out quickly.
“Clarke na na coming soon.”
Clarke will be coming soon.
Niylah can usually predict when Clarke comes by and she warns the girl, knowing Cal doesn’t want to endanger her anymore than she already is. Cal could guess Niylah knows about her and Clarke’s bounties. Everyone knows besides Skaikru.
Clarke is known as Wanheda. The Commander of death. She got it from killing everyone in Mount Weather. Though, Cal thinks being Godseda is better than Wanheda. There’s God in her title. That’s pretty awesome if you ask her.
Cal nods. “We’ll ai op Yu nes gou.” She turns, slinging the satchel over her and carrying the bag she uses to put dead animals in.
We’ll see you next time.
“Grab bida things.” Niylah says.
Grab a few things.
Cal smiles at her, going for the clothes and grabbing two jackets with hoods for the boys and a long black hood that goes great with her outfit. Her pants are all black, no holes in sight, and easy to move in. Her shirt is sleeveless, but she has armor that Niylah’s mother used to use that covers her shoulders.
The belt around her waist has some of her daggers she also got from Niylah, her bow hanging off of it, and her gun. It doesn’t have any bullets, and she doubts she’ll ever find any, but it’s still useful to have. Especially when she goes back to Camp Jaha and Raven will have bullets ready for her to use.
She has black gloves covering her hands for protection against fighting - she doesn’t want her knuckles bruised. And black war paint on her face like every Trikru warrior. She slips the black cloak on and she smiles at how well it fits. It even fits with the armor.
“Dei de cloak was Ai mothers. She used em when em was seintaim azen. Fits odon armor.” Niylah speaks up.
That cloak was my mothers. She used it when it was too cold. Fits over armor.
Cal turns to look at her. “Chomouda are Yu giving Ai Ogeda bilaik mothers stuff?”
Why are you giving me all your mothers stuff?
“She would gaf in Yu gon yu don em.”
She would want you to have it.
“Say goodbye, boys.” Cal says, still looking at Niylah.
She smiles as they come up to hug her and say goodbye. “See you two next time.”
She waits by the door and hands them both the jackets she grabbed. “Put the hoods on, we’re going to Tondc.” They listen and follow her out as she puts her hood on.
Onyx lives in Tondc. They visit her once a month and she gladly accepts them into her house. She might be the Commander’s second, but she’s much nicer than Lexa and Anya. Considering her making friends with Cal in the first place.
They usually sneak through the back, avoiding crowds, but she would rather just go through them. Takes a lot less time than going around. Though, it does have risks. Lexa lives in Tondc, but if they’ve been spotted, they can easily make it out. Whether that’s fighting or discreetly making it out. Cal can do both, fighting is just more fun.
***
Cal decided to make a detour to Camp Jaha. She wanted to see if they were keeping up with patrols. Making it safe. See if they still shoot whatever moves.
Cal holds her hands out to the boys beside her, stopping their movements as she sees people in the tree line. They’re watching for something.
Cal gestures to the tree above and Elias climbs up while Cal helps Eric and Elias pulls him up. Cal climbs up after them and puts a finger to her mouth. “Stay here.” She whispers, moving to the next tree quietly to not let the ones below be alerted to their presence.
A tree is on the path once she makes it to the closest tree. A rover is there, and someone is looking out through the top of it where a hole is - a sunroof. She didn’t even realize cars still existed. And if there’s cars, that means it’s Skaikru inside. Grounders don’t use them.
Her head whips to the sound of another tree falling and sees someone running away from where the tree had fallen. They both had been cut. The tree had fallen right behind the rover, trapping it in. They can’t get out unless someone gets out and moves the trees. They’re trapped. It was a trap, and they fell right into it.