2. SHADOW HUNTER ᵇᵉˡˡᵃᵐʸ ᵇˡᵃᵏᵉ

14. fallen

-FALLEN-

"if we don't see each other again, Trikova, I hope you know I respected and admired you a lot"

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The cave welcomed back Kane and Sinclair, their weary faces etched with the weight of recent events. Miller and a grief-stricken Octavia followed closely, while Harper lingered in the shadows, her eyes reflecting shared sorrow. A heavy atmosphere settled over the cavern as the group approached the heart of the cave, where Bellamy awaited their return.

As they entered the dimly lit space, the air crackled with tension. Bellamy, wearing a conflicted expression, met their gaze. The cave seemed to hold its breath as Octavia, her face contorted by a blend of grief and fury, stepped forward. In that moment, the cave became a silent theater, poised for the storm that was about to unfold.

Bellamy gulps when he doesn't see the two grounders anywhere. "Where's Sairah?" He mutters.

Kane looks down at the ground before shifting his gaze to the boy. "She went back to Polis in a hurry... She didn't say why."

Bellamy's eyes widen in realization. "Lexa..." He whispers to himself before looking up at Octavia. "What about Lincoln?"

"Pike put a bullet in his brain." Octavia clenches her jaw.

"O... O, i'm so --"

Octavia's first strike resonated like thunder, her fists pounding against her brother's cheek. The cave bore witness to the tumultuous scene as Sinclair, Kane, Miller, and Harper stood frozen, caught in the grip of raw emotion. Bellamy, taken aback, offered no resistance, absorbing the physical manifestation of Octavia's pain.

Accusations hung in the air as Octavia blamed Bellamy for the death of Lincoln. Each punch echoed the betrayal that fractured their once-unbreakable bond. The cave, a silent witness to the unraveling of familial ties, seemed to shrink as Octavia's fury played out in the confined space.

The climax came when Octavia, breathless and simmering with anger, locked eyes with her brother. Her words, heavy with the finality of a severed connection, reverberated through the cave. "You are dead to me," she declared, the statement hanging like an unspoken verdict. With that, she turned away, leaving behind a stunned and remorseful Bellamy.

-

After the group's tensions subsided and Octavia left, having confronted her brother, Bellamy disclosed the news about the new commander and Lexa's demise. It dawned on Kane that the distant horn had signaled Lexa's death, explaining the profound unease on Sairah's face when she heard it, prompting her urgent departure in search of her horse. The unfolding events hinted at a complex web of alliances and shifting powers, leaving the group to navigate an uncertain path fraught with challenges.

A collective silence enveloped the group when Octavia returned by Kane's orders. The silence was broken only by Sinclair's pragmatic suggestion as he leaned forward. "I say we run two-man patrols around the clock, starting now."

Kane nodded in agreement. "We'll do that, but we should be safe here," he assured Sinclair. "The grounder blockade is too close for Pike to—too risky for him to look for us," Kane continued, his voice steady despite the gravity of their predicament.

Bryan, Miller's boyfriend, glanced nervously around the faces gathered. "Yeah, but are we safe from the blockade?"

Kane nodded again, his confidence unwavering. "As long as we stay on this side of the line, we should be."