Survive or Die

Rowan | Healer Oh in dreams I have watched it spin / See a violent crack of atoms were all that comes in

[cressidaxjones-deactivated20150]

"And what happened to your mother?" Cressida asked. Her curiosity outweighed the part of her that didn’t want to pry into the man’s life but now that he seemed to be opening up she didn’t want to waste the opportunity to ask more questions. "Their reasons behind it were practical but there are other options then throwing people out of the Ark and into space," she agreed, her anger towards the chancellor seeping into her words. Looking down, she shook her head when asked about her mother. She would have been glad for the change in topic if it had not been for the fact that Rowan had been exiled. It was difficult for her not to feel bad for him but she tried not to show how sympathetic she was. "Do you mind if I ask you about it?" Cressida asked, not wanting to be insensitive about the topic. "How did he die?" 

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"She moved on from him and still lives as far as I know." Rowan answered. He didn't mind the questions they weren't painful anymore. "You seem angry about that. Why?" He understood the need for justice and retribution, it was needed to keep order but sometime he disagreed. "No, I don't.  A warrior of a neighboring tribe killed him. That's all I know."

[polaris-dane-blog]

Clarke growled, fiddling with a rope as she tried to tie it down to a stake that was set in the ground. The loop that she had made didn’t quite fit around the top of the piece of wood, and she sighed as she stood up, cursing at herself. Looking down, she tried to fix the loop, pulling it looser. 

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

He was wandering a bit too close to the Sky People's camp but curiosity was driving him further. His fear had turned into fascination oddly enough. He quickly spied the light haired girl he had had an argument with before. Chuckling silently to himself he watched her frustration grow before he intervened. "That knot won't work for that you know."

[cressidaxjones-deactivated20150]

"So your parents came from different tribes?" she asked. Although she’d assumed that there would be multiple groups of survivors she wanted to confirm her suspicions. "They made it so that couples could only have one. If, for some reason, you had another then you’d be floated." Cressida didn’t know why she was telling Rowan so much about life on the Ark but she thought it only fair to offer up some information since he was telling her about his tribe. However, there was no way for Cressida to be sure that he was telling her the truth. Cressida was rarely one to lie so her answers were truthful but that was only because she didn’t see how her words could be used against her. "I have a father but he’s still in the Ark. He’s in the sky. Wait, had? What happened to your siblings?” 

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"No- my parents were of the same tribe, but my father was killed when I was young. I live with this tribe now." He had no clear memories of his father other than the knife his eldest brother had received. "What is 'floated'? But that seems unnecessarily cruel." It felt like a reflief to be able to tell his background to someone outside of his tribe. She wouldn't judge him like any of the tribe would. "So no mother? I'm sorry for your loss. Yes, had. I was exiled from my birth tribe after I accidentally killed a warrior because of my bad luck. It was just the way of the tribe. One taken life must be re-payed by the killer, however the family feels is right."

[leksakomtrikru-deactivated20150]

          Lexa got up early, long before Gustus. Long before anyone would think to check on her. She twisted her hair into a braid, also making sure to have her face clean of any paint. If she was going out, she needed to do it without being seen. She forwent putting on all her armour, but grabbed her sword — just in case. Slipping out of her tent, she made her way out of her village and toward the dropship.

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"Commander Lexa? What are you doing out so early? Where is Gustus?" Rowan was up early to go bathe or else he wouldn't have time during the next week. He was walking out of the village when he saw the Commander sans warpaint and armor. A very eerie sight. And she was without her personal guard and her healer Gustus. He wondered where she was doing without her usual armaments, walking out of camp alone.

[cressidaxjones-deactivated20150]

"Are there many things like gold and jewels still around?" Cressida asked. There weren’t many old relics on the drop ship that she knew of but she didn’t doubt the people in charge had the ability to keep their existence classified. "No one has siblings," she replied. "Not where I come from." The girl knew that she was special to her parents, or was before her mother was killed, but thinking about how alone her father would be without her wasn’t something she wanted to allow herself to dwell on.

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"Not so many. I've heard of a jewel that another tribe has, but we don't have any. Other than that ring. Our tribe isn't one for many trinkets. My mother's tribe was but that was long ago." He remembered the bright diadem his mother wore on special occasions. Their tribe had found the "nat'ult" before he was born and the tribe had many decorations from that place. "No siblings? Every family has only one child? That is very odd. I had four older siblings." All his siblings where more favored than him  but that was the past. He didn't know where they where now. "So you have no one is still alive in your family?"

[warzonecybil-blog]

Cybil scowled, turning abruptly when she felt a presence behind her. “Why are you following me?”

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just making my rounds." He was just about to finish up and visit his final home when he happened across the warrior.

[minnieprescott-blog]

"I think there might be some sort of illness working it’s way around. I’ve treated nearly five people with the same symptoms already and there’s already more to take care of. A healer’s job is never done."

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"What are the symptoms? Why haven't I heard of this before? I been walking around visiting houses but apparently I skipped the sick ones. It truly isn't Pandora, haven't you learned anything yet?" 

[cressidaxjones-deactivated20150]

"Interesting," Cressida said, nodding as she listened to him. "Not all people who are strong are strong in a physical way. My name means ‘gold’." She didn’t add that her mother had found the name while reading Shakespeare’s Troiles and Cressida, having not spoken once about her family since she’d landed on Earth. 

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"Not always, but that was the intention behind it." He personally liked her name. "It means 'gold'? That's very interesting. One of the elders has a gold ring from her grandfather. It's very special to her. Are you special to someone? A parent or sibling perhaps?"

[cressidaxjones-deactivated20150]

"So after they die the next child born is them?" Cressida asked. She didn’t believe in reincarnation herself but she didn’t voice her opinion, knowing better than to offend him because then she’d be even less likely to find out some answers. She was curious about the grounders, their beliefs and their customs, so Cressida was eager to learn more. "So what does your name mean?"

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"Not quite. Sometimes, but more often the child is nearly grown when the spirit inhabits them." He thought a bit about her question, remembering the intentions behind his name. "It's after the rowan tree. I was supposed to be strong like it. But look at me now. What does your name mean?"

[tridentramano-blog]

Alex frowned. “Now I am confused. Does that mean you would help me or am I on my own?”

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"I will help you. As much as possible." He glanced around and realized it was approaching midday. The others would be worrying. "Not today, but perhaps tomorrow. Keep an eye for me."

[tridentramano-blog]

"That would not be good." He spoke after a while. "I wouldn’t want you to get killed over something so small."

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"Yes. That is very true." He nodded his head in agreement. "Yet- I've already met and even helped your kind. If I am killed for it... That would be my fault not yours."

[outrokillua]

let's take a walk

[outrokillua]

He let the comment about Alaric and Jaxon pass unanswered- truth be told he’d pay good money to see them try and court women. They’d probably just toss whatever girl they desired over their shoulders and say ‘you-me-bed-now’ before whisking them away. If that was how it was done he’d be alone his entire life. But the obvious jokes that sprung to mind all went to the back burner, his attention entirely focused on what Rowan said next. 

He supposed it made sense that Rowan had met the Sky People. Rowan was kind and helpful- he hung around with Pandora for goodness sake. But Caleb wasn’t sure what emotion was strongest in him: wariness or jealousy. Everyone in the village had run into them one way or another, it was getting ridiculous. He’d never even seen one. The envy was irrational however so he pushed it away and went with his other gut reaction. 

"It’s not against the rules Rowan, but it’s stupid. They’re the other. The outsider. The invader. The opposite of us in all ways but one- they bleed. Their time here isn’t going to end well and when it does become against the rules all who help them will be labeled as traitors to our people. That is the way it has always gone. I know they’re interesting, hell I’m currently crawling through underbrush with you to get a glimpse of them, but that doesn’t make them friendship material. It just doesn’t.”  He didn’t know why he was the one lecturing Rowan- who was like an older brother to him, but he couldn’t help it. Rowan might have other people. He might have Panda and anyone else he chose to gift his time, but Caleb only had Rowan. No one else. If Rowan was caught, tortured, or worse yet- killed… he didn’t know what it might do to him. “And saying that Pandora thinks something is hardly convincing. I’m sure she’d think Reapers were charming too if they just improved their table manners a bit.” 

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"The outsider. That's just it, I was the outsider for the majority of my life Caleb. There's more in common with us than you think. They have new views and new ways of healing. Of course I'm curious." He crouched beside Caleb as they paused to listen for anything aside from the usual buzz of the Sky People's camp. He looked at Caleb and saw the anger in his eyes. He felt bad about going against Caleb's views, maybe disappointing him even, but his curiosity and the way the 'outsiders' talked and interacted made him realize that he was different. He hadn't fit in before and now was no different. He was in an odd middle ground between Pandora's all embracing view and Caleb's mistrust of the new people. "It may be dangerous for me, but I'm sorry they are interesting! And I don't know if I'm friends with any of them yet. Or ever will be. I know the consequences of interacting with outsiders but we can't avoid them. They crashed into our land and whether we like it or not, they are here."

He giggled nervously at the image of Pandora sitting down with Reapers. "Now that's a line I'll never cross. Reapers can not be reasoned with."

[alaricoftheground-deactivated20]

“Okay.” Alaric shrugged “Lots of people with fevers these days hey?” He joked with a strangled sounding laugh. Joking wasn’t usually his thing, then again what was? “Reaper territory? I’m definitely coming with you. No way are you going over that way on your own, you could get yourself killed.”

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

Rowan smiled back at Alaric's awkward joke, he was no stranger to making them himself. "I know I'm taking a risk, but this plant is extremely helpful. If you are dead set on going... then sure I could use the protection."

[tridentramano-blog]

"Exploring," Alex said after a while. "I don’t know much about the plants in the area. Do you mind showing me?"

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"Reasonable." He knew curiosity was a motivating factor for himself and why wouldn't they be? "I might not be able to. Outsider contact is looked down upon in my tribe. If I help you I'll be considered a traitor."

[outrokillua]

"I guess I can’t be entirely sure… but I’m pretty sure I heard the distinct words ‘castrate’ and ‘bludgeon’ so my guess is they are far from friendly!" He skidded to a halt, nearly causing them to collide. The forest cut off abruptly, with barely ten feet of empty space between them and the sheer rock face. Caleb smiled. 

"That’s easy- we’re climbing down." He turned to face Rowan. "It’s that or be castrated and bludgeoned. What do you say?" 

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

They had suddenly come upon the cliff, a sheer rock face with a good drop down to a valley below. He panted, trying to catch his breath after the helter-skelter sprint through the forest. From the words of Caleb he confirmed the seriousness of the situation.

"Climbing. Climbing sounds good." He started looking for a way down. "Bludgeoning and castration was not what I planned for today. Climbing wasn't either but you take what you can get."

[cressidaxjones-deactivated20150]

"Incarnation?" Cressida asked in confusion. "For the record, I don’t have any plans on harming your leader. You want peace, right? Well so do I and harming anyone’s not going to achieve that." She spoke truthfully, deciding that there was no harm in being honest about not wanting conflict between the two groups. "Cressida, Carson, Abbie, Raven, Minnie, John, Rory, et cetera. Some names are traditional, others not so much."

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"Yes you and I do, but who knows what other members of your group plan for us? Or my tribe for your group?" Rowan hesitated to say anything more. " Our leaders are continuations of themselves. When the leader dies their spirit chooses to inhabit the next." He was still a bit wary of giving a name for their leader, not wanting to reveal that much. "We have some different names. Some probably sound familar to you. Caleb, Gaia, Pandora, Jaxon, Trinity, Alaric, Blythe for examples. Most of our names come from old names or myths."

[cressidaxjones-deactivated20150]

"Not where I come from," she explained. "I guess after almost a century of different cultures developing the names on Earth must be different," Cressida said, more to herself than to Rowan. "What would be so bad about telling me? I don’t see how I could use that against you."

[rowanxgrounder-blog]

"I wouldn't want our leader being harmed. I like this incarnation very much." He hadn't been around for their last Commander but the stories he heard didn't sound all that kind. "What are normal names for you then?"