XX

[PREVIOUSLY: Octavia wakes up to find herself in an underground cave surrounded by a maze of grounder filled tunnels. Even though she's wounded, she attempts to escape, only to run straight into a grounder whose wielding two sharp-bladed swords]!

The two of us, one small, the other big, one defenceless, the other armed, one frightened and scared, the other confident and sure ... We stared at each other for a good few seconds.

I couldn't see much of the grounder's face, it was covered in a hideous, beast-like mask. But I saw his eyes; the deepest green with a hint of brown. They weren't emotionless. They weren't cruel. They were ... they were a human's eyes with all the touches of a human's emotions.

These grounders ... they were just like us!

A half-snort, half-grunt escaped the grounder's mouth as he dipped his head to the side. He started forward menacingly and all thoughts of how calming and hypnotising his eyes were instantly escaped me.

Crap.

He twirled his swords around his hands with just a flick of both his wrists. My eyes followed the sharp, silver blades as they shimmered in the reflection of my candle's light.

He stepped closer towards me and I had no choice but to cower back. He was trying to trap me between him and the wall! If he succeeded, there'd be no escape ... not for me.

My gaze darted from his weapons to his face, then I glanced over his shoulder. I raised my eyebrows in suppressed delight. I could see the light, the light from the outside world as it cast shadows along the wall. If I could just dodge him, I could get out!

But how?

The grounder grunted angrily at me as he drew one of his swords up, aiming it for my throat. Before he could carry out with his intention, however, I seized my opportunity.

I whirled around and threw the candle, straight at his face!

The grounder staggered back with a yelp of pain as the flame seared his flesh. I took this as my chance.

Ducking under one of his arms, I raced off down the tunnel, making a beeline straight for the cave opening that was a couple dozen paces away.

The grounder behind me let out a yell and a string of foreign words. I figured that he was calling for help or for someone to stop me before I reached my destination.

The pounding of footsteps began to resound through the dark passage as the grounder sprinted after me. However, I had a good head start and I wasn't going to let him catch up to me this easily.

Sorry mate, not gonna happen, I inwardly scorned him as I made a dive for the cave opening. I'm a Blake. We don't give up!

I'd barely finished that thought when, with a cry of surprise, I felt something wiry and tight wrap itself around my legs. I tumbled straight through the opening of the cave and onto the hard-packed ground.

I had been fooled by a damn trip-wire!

The wind was completely knocked out of me. All I could do was lie there and will myself for the strength to get up as I heard my assailant approaching me.

No, no this can't be happening ... not to me.

"OCTAVIA!"

What the ... ?

I struggled up into a sitting position and scanned my surroundings intently as I looked for the source of the noise.

All I could see was wet clumps of green-wood and thicks stacks of underbrush.

"B-Bellamy?" I gasped.

I had heard him. I had heard my brother. He was out there somewhere ... looking for me. How on earth had he found me? How long had I been out for?

Suddenly, a pair of strong, bristly arms grabbed me from behind and lifted me up and off the ground.

"No! Put me down! BELLAMY!" I shrieked with rage as I kicked and punched at my attacker.

"HEY! LET HER GO! BELLAMY, HURRY! I'VE FOUND HER!"

I glanced up, shocked to see Jasper's ragged figure standing only a couple feet away. He had a gun in his hands and a fierce look on his face. "BELLAMY!" he screamed. "HURRY!"

Once he heard the shouts and yells of the search party, the grounder that had caught me threw my limp body over his broad shoulder and started heading back into the tunnel.

"BELLAMY!" Jasper screeched.

BANG.

The sound of a gunshot went off.

Instantly, I was dropped to the floor as the grounder yelled and cursed in pain. He backed away from me, cradling his shoulder. Blood was seeping through his clothes and his face was contorted in agony.

I snapped my head around to see who'd fired the bullet. My brother, Bellamy, had emerged from the trees nearby, a rifle on his shoulder and his eye lined up on his target.

"Bellamy!" I yelled. "Y-you shot him?"

"Get away from her or next time I'll shoot to kill," Bellamy growled furiously, completely ignoring me.

The grounder, knowing that he was outnumbered, silently retreated back into the tunnel, an expression of disgust and anger clearly plastered on his features.

Bellamy inched closer towards me as he commanded, "Jasper, keep your gun trained on that tunnel entrance and don't move until I say it's safe to go."

Tears of relief sprang to my eyes as I scrambled to my feet and ran into my brother's arms. I tried to suppress my sobs as I clutched his shirt. He held me tight for a minute before pulling away and looking intently into my eyes. "Are you hurt?"

"A - a little," I admitted reluctantly. "I had a bad fall. I got knocked out. They - the grounders - took me here and bandaged me up."

"Why?" Jasper demanded, his eyebrows quirked upwards in confusion. "That makes no sense. Why didn't they just kill you?"

"Can we talk about this later, please?" I begged. "We need to get away from here - NOW."

Bellamy nodded solemnly. "It's almost dark. We'll travel a few miles north and set up camp there. It's at least a few days walk back to the drop-ship."

I stared at my brother in amazement as he lifted my arm and slung it over his shoulder. He gently grasped my waist and supported my body as I limped through the underbrush, away from the tunnel. "H-how long have you been searching for me?"

"Two days," Bellamy returned, setting his jaw and gazing straight ahead.

"Two days?" I yelped. "Bellamy! What about our supplies?"

Bellamy shrugged. "Raven brought enough in the pod to last us all another week ... Clarke and I are still going over plans on how to get to Mount Weather."

"Getting along now, I see?" I teased lightly as I turned to look at Jasper. "H-how are you here?"

Jasper chuckled awkwardly but before he could respond, Bellamy cut in, "He had a sudden boost of energy and pulled through the last of his sickness. I couldn't keep him behind. He insisted on coming to help me look for you. I don't know what I would've done without him. The others quit searching for you this morning."

I mouthed a grateful 'thank you' to Jasper as we continued to press on.

"I'm bloody glad we kept going, O," Bellamy mumbled in a low tone, as if he was almost embarrassed to let Jasper hear him. "I - I could've lost you."

I hummed in contentment as I squeezed his shoulder and smiled up at him. "But you didn't, Bell. I'm right here and everything's gonna be okay now."

Then, I cast one last glance over my shoulder towards the entrance to the tunnels and heaved a deep breath.

If the grounders were cold, heartless enemies, why would they save my life?

It was something I was determined to find out.

Gif: Octavia and Bellamy as they reunite.

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