chapter eleven | poison & torture
↠ ↠ ↠

Clarke descended the ladder in a rush, making a beeline for Finn. "Get my mother on the radio now, Raven! Now!"

Raven hurried over, her hands trembling. "The radio's dead, Clarke! The storm is causing interference." Finn's condition grew worse, his body convulsing with seizures. "Please, don't let him die," Raven pleaded, her voice quivering.

Hunter stood by Finn's side, her eyes welling up with tears, while Raven and Clarke struggled with the dire situation. Then, abruptly, Finn's convulsions ceased.

"It's stopped. Quick, help me get him on his side," Clarke directed urgently. Hunter hesitated for a moment but then helped position Finn on his side.

"Fluid in his lungs? Does that mean the knife hit something?" Raven questioned, her face etched with worry.

Clarke began wiping away the foam from Finn's mouth. "No, this isn't blood. It's something else," she said with growing concern. "I did everything she told me. Wait - I've seen this before. Shortness of breath, fever. Seizing. It's poison."

"Clarke, you sterilized everything! I watched you do it," Raven protested in confusion.

Hunter's eyes darted to the knife left nearby, realizing what might be killing Finn. "Not everything. Stay here," she said resolutely.

Hunter swiftly ascended the ladder, reaching the second level where most of the camp residents huddled. "Hey! Open the door!" she shouted, banging on the hatch. Eventually, Miller opened it, allowing Hunter to enter. "Get out of my way, Miller. Now!" Miller shifted aside, allowing Hunter to approach the captive Grounder. She stared intently at him. "What's on this blade?"

Bellamy, puzzled, approached as well. "What are you talking about?"

"He poisoned the blade. You've known all along that Finn was going to die, no matter what we did. What is it? Is there an antidote?" Hunter's voice trembled with anger and desperation.

"Hunter, he doesn't understand you," Octavia chimed in, making her presence known.

Bellamy walked around the Grounder. "Vials, it's got to be here."

"You'd have to be incredibly foolish to keep a poison around this long without an antidote," Hunter declared firmly. She grabbed the vials and carried them over to the Grounder, her gaze locked onto him. "Which one?"

"Answer the question!" Bellamy shouted.

"Please, show us," Octavia pleaded.

"Which one? Our friend is dying down there, and you have the power to save him!" Hunter's impatience was palpable. However, the Grounder remained silent.

"I told you, he doesn't understand you," Octavia said, looking at Hunter with concern. Hunter took a deep breath and reluctantly handed the vials to Octavia.

"He will," Hunter muttered before attempting to strike the Grounder. Octavia intervened, rushing over and holding Hunter back. "Hunter! No!" Octavia cried out, trying to prevent further violence.

"He wants Finn to die. Why can't you see that?" she demanded, casting an accusing look at Bellamy.

"Do you want him to live or not?" Bellamy questioned.

"Hunter, please! I know you, you know this isn't who we are. Please, he saved my life," Octavia implored.

"We're talking about Finn's life!" Bellamy insisted.

"I'm sorry, Octavia. I'm not letting Finn die," Hunter said, clenching her fists. Bellamy handed her a belt, and she took a deep breath before swinging it at the grounder's stomach, making him groan in pain and attempt to protect himself. She swung again and again, growing more furious with every strike. "Enough!" Octavia finally yelled.

Hunter stopped and stood before the grounder, her anger consuming her. Octavia grabbed the vials and laid them out in front of her, pleading with the captive. "Please. Which one is the antidote?" The grounder remained silent.

"I told you, he doesn't understand you," Octavia said, and Hunter handed the vials to her.

"He will," Hunter responded determinedly. She leaned down, ready to strike again, but Octavia restrained her. "Octavia, no!"

"He won't let me die," Octavia declared as she used the poisoned knife to cut her arm. She then approached the grounder, who appeared distressed.

"Octavia, what the hell did you -" Bellamy started, but Octavia pushed him away and knelt down, using the knife to indicate one of the vials.

"This one?" she asked, her breathing heavy. The grounder looked at her, shook his head slowly, then pointed to the far-right vial. Octavia grabbed it and held it up, and the grounder nodded.

Hunter took the vial, and her expression softened momentarily. "Thank you," she said before rushing back downstairs with Raven to give Finn the antidote.

Clarke administered the antidote to Finn and watched Raven anxiously. "How do we know it works?"

"We'll know when he wakes up," Raven replied, her voice trembling with worry. Hunter stood by Finn's side, brushing his hair with her fingers.

↠ ↠ ↠

Finn eventually woke up, a small smile on his face as he saw Hunter by his side. "Lee," he whispered. Hunter held his hand as he clung to her arm. "Good save," Finn managed to say.

"It wasn't just me," Hunter replied with a soft smile.

Hunter looked at the two of them, realizing what they meant to each other. "She needs you, Finn." Finn seemed to understand, and a smile spread across his face.

Hunter admired Finn, realizing the depth of his feelings for Raven. "Raven, he's awake," Hunter called out, prompting Raven to wake up and join Finn by his side.

"I thought I lost you," Raven said with a relieved smile as Finn pulled her into a hug. Hunter watched their reunion for a moment before quietly slipping out of the dropship.

As she stepped outside, she was greeted by the daylight, though the camp had suffered extensive damage. Bellamy approached her, offering some reassurance. "We'll get it cleaned up."

"I wish this was our only mess," Hunter replied with a sigh.

Bellamy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hunter, you did what you had to do." She looked down briefly before meeting his gaze. "Who we are and who we need to be to survive are very different things."

Hunter took a deep breath, contemplating the difficult choices they had to make for the sake of survival. She couldn't help but feel the weight of leadership weighing on her shoulders, a role she never anticipated she'd have to embrace in such dire circumstances.

↠ ↠ ↠