Winter Wonderland

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Winter was here. While it was in the beginning of the season, the change in the air was indication enough. The Grounders were assisting them -- which Bellamy was relieved for. And they even had some from the Ice Nation among them who would be a great deal of help considering the colder climate they came from and resided in for the most part. Ever since Mount Weather, the alliance remained strong and stable -- for the time being anyway. They were helping them build shelters and preparing them for the inevitably harsh winter that was well on it's way. Search parties would go out to collect what food they could while the animals were still out. All in all, things were progressing well and it seemed that winter would not be something as dreaded as it initially was.

Bellamy was currently in the camp, checking on each station as everyone did their work. They were going to need more axes if they were to collect wood for the cabins they were currently attempting to build. Their weapons were limited -- except when it came to the guns -- so Bellamy turned to speak to one of the Grounders to help with that. He motioned to a rather familiar face, as Bellamy saw her working on something.

Echo. She had been in the cage next to him -- and even had saved his life. They fought together after freeing the Grounder army that were in the harvesting facility and well, time hadn't granted him the opportunity to speak to her a great deal after. But at least now, he had a legitimate reason to -- not that he supposed he didn't before. Things were more calm now . . . or well, they weren't at war. So he approached her, pausing when he was standing in front of her. "I hear that if I need weapons made, you're the person to ask," he stated with a slight smile on his lips.

[Echo]

His voice made her look up from lacing the leather straps around the hilt of a dagger she was fixing. Echo sat before a small fire legs tucked in and crossed, as she worked on the mindless task in order to keep her head free from the reminders of that had been done to her recently. Just because things ended well, dind't mean the ghost disappeared.

Still, there would be no ghost without Bellamy, because she would have been dead. So she would accept the unsettledness, and seek to move forward. He was almost smiling at her, and it made her almost smile back. "If you are asking for a weapon, Bellamy of the Sky People, I would make you anything . . . " Her tone stayed joking, but her words rang true, "But I am not going to arm the people who were enemies but a few dawns ago." A truce might be called, but there was still some tense moments. She would help them with food, water, even learning to survive out here--because Bellamy had saved her and her people, and kept his word. She would do it so that she could pay the debt he had asked her of--to protect his friends, and allow them to thank each other when they were out. This was her thanking. Helping his people when she could have returned to her own. "I would do much for you, Sky Person, but I have my limits."

She didn't let her tone be hateful, for she hated to deny a request from someone she owed so much too, but she would not let graduate of today be a retreat of tomorrow. Gesturing to a place around the fire before her, she invited him to sit.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

He could understand that, hell he even respected it. It didn't come as a surprise that she wouldn't arm them. While their alliance remained, the past was not completely forgotten. It was merely settled. If things continued on this way then perhaps in a few years time, the two groups wouldn't be left with any tension at all. But for the time being, the Grounders and Arkers still had to be careful around one another. There was a level of acheived trust, but not between all individuals. With this particular Grounder, Bellamy felt at ease with. Perhaps she was the only one he felt so in the company of -- apart from Lincoln that is.

"Relax," he told her, his tone far from hostile but rather, continuing on the almost light tone the two of them were conversing in. "We have our own weapons that I don't think your people can or would want to make." Guns. That was their main weapon source. The Grounders used more primitive blades and had beliefs against guns. Where as guns were the Arkers main weapon choice. Still, he appreciated her response.

Her willingness to do what she could for him, but within limitations. Any other Grounder probably would have rejection his request right away. "I need a few axes to cut down the trees to build the cabins," he explained. While an ax was a weapon, he hoped his reasoning for it would help her understand that it would not be used for combat. "If it makes you feel better, I'll return them when we're done." Because they didn't need axes to defend themselves should the time come -- though he hoped it wouldn;t.

[Echo]

Since he didn't take her up on her offer to sit, Echo pushed to a stand so they were on the same level. She wasn't going to hold a conversation about weapons with one side towering over the other--even with her trust of this one. He went to explain with too many words again, and she didn't even mind. The more he talked the more she trusted his words. Because she kenw what was happening in his head. He didn't want weapons, because he liked his own. "If I kill someone, Sky Person, it will be by my hands. Not worlds away where I don't have to see their face." It was wrong to kill with no cost. She hated their guns. A coward's weapon.

"If you give em your word they will never be used to take a life, I will make you what you wish. With out the need for them returned." She trusted his word, and was willing to trust it in this, which could be a regret later if he broke his word. "I would need supplies from you first." That was the hardest part. "Then I will show you how it's done." So eh could make his own later.

Her tone was still light, almost a laugh. She trusted him, even without his word. She would help make sure this winter was easy for them this way. She might even give them more advice--like it would be easier still to collect dried leaves after the falling. They burned well, and could help start fires, or turn them up for more warmth.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Echo spoke of how if she killed someone, it would be b yher hands . . . not at a distance where she couldn't see their faces. "You have your long range weapons of arrows and spears, and we have ours." Bellamy stilled recalled the day he had found the guns in that bunker. The excitement and relief of finally having the means to protect themselves against the Grounders. Not all of the Arkers were skilled in hand to hand combat -- and they sure as hell weren't trained with swords. But guns . . . well, with a little practice, people could hit their targets. And once the others on the Ark had joined them, the training had become more effective as there were more trained guardsmen to assist them.

"You have my word," he told her, looking straight into her eyes as he gave her this promise. And he meant it. Whatever she gave him, he would not use to kill the enemies. They had their own way of fighting, and truly just needed this for the sake of building cabins. If that was all she needed from him, he could give it with the utmost confidence and sincerity. Furthermore, she was going to teach him how to make them -- which was perfect as he intended to watch her anyway so that he could learn such sklls that may come in handy in the future. "Wood I take it," he said, starting to list out the supplies. "We don't have anything for the blade portion of it," he told her. "What else would you need?" He further inquired, so that he could collect what they had but considering the Arkers didn't exactly make these things from scratch . . . it was going to be challenging.

[Echo]

They had their arrows, and spears but you had to do more of the killing with both of them. Their weapons took away the personal touch to killing. Gave it no cost. A second of thinking and someone was dead. Death should take more then that to bring. Yet she said nothing toward this, for she did not was to fight. not with him. Not on this day. He then gave his word, and she gave a nod in return to acknowledge it. There would be no killing done with these weapons. They would be tools only.

"Wood," She agreed, "And leather cord to bind them together. I can make something with sap to better hold it tight, but I will need to cords as the stronger of the two. We can make them, but they take time." You had to take animal hide, dry it int he sun for a few days, and roughen it up to make it strong. If they had some made it would be easier. "The blade is a hard part. It's not easily found, and I have none to give." Meaning he would need to find another place to find it. Or there was another way. "When your camp fell from the sky, some of it broke off and went other places. Do you know of any places where scraps can be found?"

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

As she listed the rest of the required materials, Bellamy knew that they wouldn't find that here. They would have to go to the other crash sites to collect what they needed. Or well, he would have to. He wasn't expecting anyone to accompany him. This was the task he was given, and he would do it. As she mentioned the blade and scraps of metal, he thought back to what they had used when they first arrived.

The daggers and knives were of amateur construction but they had done the trick. It was the sharpness of the metal that they needed. "One of our drop ships is less than a day's journey from here." The site of the battle with the Grounders, before the Mountain Men had taken them. It wasn't far, and they didn't often have a reason to go there. "Broken peices of metal from the ship are there. It'll be what we need." Larger chunks of the metal as well would serve to be useful for an axe, or even long blades to serve the same purpose. "I'll be back before darkt," he told her. If he moved quickly that is. He didn't want to waste a moment.

[Echo]

He would be back before dark. She held out her hand to stop him. Sky People! Always in a hurry! Hurry to die! Hurry to go! Hurry to be the first to do something. "I will go with you. I can know best what we need once I am there. Help carry it back." She knew where the other ship was near here, as she had had spied on them a few times with the other clans. She had watched some of them before.

Dropping her hand, she turned toward where they would go and waited for him to fall instep beside her before she too started walking. "How many?" Axes would they need to be able to do what they wanted to do. She might as well begin collecting information now--it was what she was good at.

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

Bellamy paused when she held out her hand to stop him, saying that she would go with him. He hadn't expected that nor did he want to inconvenience her as this was his request for her to help. But . . . it would be better if she saw the materials herself. She was the expert in this field after all. "Alright then," he informed her, not about to argue with Echo about something that would actually help. He knew better than to coddle the women here. They were all strong enough and capable of making their own decisions. "Wait here," he told her as he went to his tent, grabbing his pack.

He then walked over to where their water barrel was and filled two packs of water, sticking it in his pack before grabbing his gun and slinging it over his shoulders, returning to where she waited for him. "Let's go," he instructed as he made his way to the gates. He saw Miller on the way and informed him of where he was going, saying that they would be back soon enough. Bellamy then focused on her question. "At least a dozen," he informed her. They would need it for the cabins and for firewood so the more tools they had, the more people would be able to help cut down what they needed. Reaching into his bag, he passed her one of the water packs. "The more people we can get working, the better," he added on. Especially since they were under a bit of a time constraint.

[Echo]

Echo waited for him, in almost the same place as he had left her. She had a skill that had taken many years of training, that allowed her to keep very still for long spouts of time. It was how she learned so much. If you didn't move, and could hide in the background--they never knew you were there.

When he joined her, she fell into step with him, matching his stride with ease. A skill they both seemed to have was a strong stride and stamina to let them keep going. She admired that about him. He wasn't weak. He was strong. Her eyes turned to look at him for a moment while they walked, and she sized him up. He had her beet on the height, and weight. His muscle tone was heavier then her's, and his shoulder were broad--a fact she liked more then she should. But it was his eyes that she liked best. He was a warrior--there was no doubt about it--but his eyes were not filled with anger and hate, but compassion and hope. "So little? I thought you wanted a large amount. If we only need so few this is a wasted trip." She jested toward him, "When my people deal in weapons we think in larger numbers. I will make you 40 to begin with, and you put many to work! It will make them strong for the winter."

[Bellamy Blake]

Tag: Echo

whatever

THE HELL WE WANT

She questioned the number of axes he needed, even seeming to tease the number, saying that this was a wasted trip if it was so few. "Let's just see how much material we can find," he told her, not wanting to get ahead of himself and over anticipate the amount of materials. "I don't want to put it all toward axes." They would need it for other weapons and supplies, so he needed to be sure it was distrubted accordingly. She spoke of how she would make him 40 and he just stared at her for a moment. Well, that was easy.

"Your people may be used to dealing with weapons in large amounts cause you all have one hell of an army to give them to." Where as for them . . . well, not everyone was equipped to use such weapons. People brought different strengths and they put their skillsets to where they would be most useful. "But hey, if you wanna make 40 for us, I'm not going to object," he added on with a slight tease, but truth to his words. He found his gaze lingering on her for a bit, quite enjoying this refreshing conversation that wasn't filled with the same intensity that their first encounter had been. She made for rather enjoyable company, and Bellamy found his mind wandering to just how much of that they could explore.

[Echo]

His words on her arm made her shoulders pull back in pride. Yes, they were very good. She was proud to be a warrior of the Ice Nation. She wanted everyone to look at them in fear! . . . Or well, maybe not everyone since they were trying to build an alliance, but maybe they could just look at them in wonder and be glad they were on the same side! She'd take one Ice Nation warrior over an small army of the Tree Nation any day.

"You want to spread the work around," She explained when he had spoke about 40 axes. "You have a large number pf people to keep warm, and cook food, and fire for the smoke house." A few people working all the time was pointless. Endless. "You will want to be able to set a day, and get wood for the week. Or in the wet winters, everyone go out in the morning, and get enough for the day and night. Spreading the word means less work for the few." Ice Nation logic.