somewhere | b.blake ✔️

3x08

virago

(n.) a strong, brave, or warlike woman; a woman who demonstrates exemplary and heroic actions.

*****

Ash allows herself one bad day.

One day to scream, to cry over another death of someone she never really had the chance to get close to, but still someone important to her.

Then she rereads Smith's letter, takes a much-needed swim in the lake right near the camp, and dresses in his green hood with her hair in a long ponytail. She already needs a haircut, but with no Bellamy to cut it for her like before, she's going to let it grow.

When she sneaks back into the camp through a hole in the wall and makes her way to the front to act as nothing happened, she immediately wishes she just went to Kane instead of the gate.

Because at the gate is two riders on horses.

For a minute, she sees the same scene but months ago, the riders demanding Finn Collins so that justice could be served. Especially when they demand that Pike be offered up to lift the blockade that must have been placed around them while she was in grieving.

Perhaps Bellamy sees the same thing too and perhaps that is enough in his mind to justify what he does next—shooting both riders in the forehead without blinking—or perhaps he is just too far gone for redemption.

Ash feels like the second one is more probable.

*****

Harper had joined Kane's little cult when no justice for Monroe's life had been given, a great new addition with her closer to those in Pike's cult.

At first, Ash had been cautious, unsure of whether or not it was a trap, but she was quickly proven wrong when Harper offered information.

Now, trust earned, they listen to another meeting of Pike's.

"Our lookouts confirm another three encampments just over that ridge." Ash winces hearing Bellamy's voice.

"Well they're not hiding from us, that's for sure," Pike responds. "How many days can we keep our population fed without being able to send out hunting parties?"

"Food and water stores were already at less than 60%. Now, maybe a week before we go into critical? Two if we start rationing immediately."

Pike visibly sighs. "Immediately it is."

"What about breaking the blockade?" Hannah Green proposes.

"After Bellamy's theatrics this morning, they'll expect that,"  Pike says with a sigh. Ash imagines him rubbing his head like he used to do when he was her teacher and the kids were rowdy. "Regardless, we can't engage the Grounders until we've got our own people under control. And that starts with Kane, Ash, Octavia and whoever else is working with them."

There is a long, lengthy pause on both sides of the radio when Ash and Kane's names are used.

"I need you to suspend access to the prisoners. No contact with anyone in camp. For all we know, they'be been providing intel not he Grounder villages to Kane and Ash."

An even longer pause before Bellamy responds in a forced voice. "Yes sir."

"And I want you to take over coordination of camp surveillance. We'll need new security protocols at all camp sent

"Maybe uhh maybe changing critical passwords every 12 hours," Monty suggests.

"Good. Coordinate with your mom but keep this tight." Another pause. "And then there's the matter of camp-wide surveillance."