Chapter Text
He didn’t know what happened, one moment he was out with a small group of his people, the next his world had gone dark. The next time he’d opened his eyes they were greeted with the brightness of the sun shining in his face, causing him to squint. The collective groans of waking people around him answered the rising panic of his people being okay. Calming his heart he let out his own groan of discomfort, pushing his upper body into a sitting position, joints stiff from what he’d assumed to be hours of laying on the hard ground.
“Bellamy?” the voice of Clark, sounding just as confused as he felt “where are we?”
“I don't know…” he answered back, looking around at their surroundings and at the people they were with. He spotted Clarke easy enough, she'd moved to a stand, looking around. Murphy was sprawled out a bit away across some tree roots, Emori not to far from him pulling herself out of some bushes, Raven looked to be nursing a headache, Echo was already up with Clarke and surveying the area, and finally Octavia…who was nowhere to be found.
He felt the panic rise as he realized his sister wasn’t among them. She could take care of herself, she'd proven that already, but he was still her brother. His relief washed through him when she stepped out of the trees, looking as stoic and angry as ever “there's something out there, I don't know what it is but it doesn’t sound friendly” Well, Bellamy could count on her realism at least. Nodding, he stood fully, looking to Echo who had made her way up a tree; the highest vantage points currently, while everyone else readied themselves. Thankfully, nothing happened while she was up there and it was only when she was safely down that Bellamy eased the tenseness in his grip on the gun in hand.
“There’s a fortified structure to the north, looked to be at least, it's not-” she was interrupted by a deep growl, Octavia bringing her sword up in a defensive position, the look on her face telling Bellamy a quick ‘told you so’ before settling into her usual angry expression. Everyone was on their feet now, ready in defense, facing the direction the noise had come from, ready to attack only to realize...Raven, Echo and Octavia were the only ones still holding weapons aside from him; even if just swords and a pistol.
Murphy looked to Emori before looking to him “I’d say we’re fucked over.” Checking his ammo stock, Bellamy couldn’t help but agree, he only had one clip for his gun and that growl sounded like it belonged to something big. The silence following the growl was nerve wracking, those without weapons were a couple feet behind Raven though it wouldn’t be much should something happen. Tense seconds ticked by before what could only be described as a monster burst forth from the trees. It was as big as the transport trucks they used to have, its legs were a grotesque mixture of hand-paws in the front and hooves in the back but the mix didn’t seem to impede its movement as it charged right at them with thundering steps. Bellamy hit the ground and rolled out of the way, barely dodging the claws on the creature as it took a swipe, an eerie screeching cry leaving its fanged mouth as he fired a few blasts into its chest.
This only seemed to anger it, screech turning into an enraged cry as it swung out one of its arms, missing Echo but catching Octavia off guard on the back swing and sending her rolling a few feet, gasping out from the sheer force of the hit. Echo gave her own war cry of rage, gaining the creatures attention as was her purpose. It bellowed back and it was then Bellamy got a good look at its face. Long like some kind of deer with its ears and a large crown of antlers on its head yet the muzzle seemed entirely that of a carnivore with its fangs, its eyes set wide like a deers but held no color, milky white and dead, surrounded by what looked to be decaying sockets and dried blood, giving the impression that the void held the white in place. It was ugly, in truth, pelt matted with blood and scars, looking rough as tree bark and as grey-black as dead skin.
Firing his bullets again, Bellamy watched as they nailed the creatures side, black oozing from the wounds in a slow manner as if congealed already yet the creature never faltered, even as Octavia ran up, using the momentum to scale the creature and aim a blow with her blade to its crowned head. It must’ve felt her as the moment she went to swing for that killing blow its head jerked, making her cry out as the tip of an antler embedded into and through her thigh, shoving her off the massive creature and to the ground. It reared to crush her under its heavy forelegs, Bellamy’s bullets enraging it further, biting into its exposed underside. Echo moved with speed, dragging Octavia away just in time as it came down with a heavy thud, denting the earth with the force it used on the spot Octavia’s chest had been. They couldn’t get ahead of it and Bellamy was fast running out of bullets, Octavia was down and Echo couldn’t leave her and the others undefended.
Firing a blast of bullets at the livid creature, Bellamy watched it turn to him, shrieking out before shaking its head “Shit...” He watched as it lowered its head, pointing the spear tip antlers in his direction before taking off with speed. It took all Bellamy had to dodge the creature, firing short blasts at its back before it about faced and charged again. The movement repeated until Bellamy was out of bullets, licking his lips as he watched the creature turn again. Letting out an angry bellowing growl, it settled into position once more, angling its head down and charging. He readied his body to dodge again, waiting for the right moment only to be shocked as the creatures' head suddenly jerked sideways with a shriek, its own momentum taking it down, a loud crack indicating the angle and force had broken an antler.
Taking the moment, Bellamy made his way to Echo, the rest already over by her, who was binding the gaping hole in Octavia’s leg with Emori’s help and strips of ripped shirt “We need to go while we can” Brown eyes stole a glance at the creature as it struggled to get up and maintain balance without the other side of the heavy antler crown. Nodding, they helped her up, only to freeze as the creature finally managed to right itself, an arrow sticking through the hollow part of its muzzle, it's white eyes seeming to glow with rage in those black sockets as it stared at them a good solid second before bellowing its ear piercing shriek only to look confused as another sound echoed it, similar yet not as high noted. Despite its confusion it shrieked again, once more interrupted by the noise so similar to its own.
Bellamy watched its confusion, grotesque and wobbly as it moved its ears, trying to locate. The moment they tried to move away though, it zeroed in on them again, throat releasing a growl. Bellamy swallowed, they were essentially screwed, they couldn’t take this thing down with no weapons. Brown eyes locked with the eerie white, trying to ready himself to distract the creature so the others could escape. It huffed, crying out its shriek of possible irritation when it realized it couldn’t charge at them due to the imbalance its head now had. It chose instead to try to run at them only to startle when something fell to the ground between them and the creature, a lump of silver-grey fur. Upon closer inspection, Bellamy saw feet at the bottom edge of what was most like a pelt from a large carnivorous animal. The creature shrieked at the newcomer, and Bellamy watched in amazement as the pelted stranger stood slowly and let out the sound they’d heard before, similar to the creature yet lower, like whatever they were blowing through was unable to reach the accurate note. Regardless, now that the creature new where it came from, it only seemed to enrage it once more.
“Hey! We need to run!” there was no need for the stranger to get injured like Octavia did, but the stranger either didn’t hear or didn’t care, instead making the noise at the creature once again, its bellowed reaction understandable considering there was a high possibility the noise was a mockery to it but what did Bellamy care. His eyes were drawn from the stranger and back to the monstrous creature when it started its movement, running at them with intent once more, the others had already retreated back “We need to go!” Bellamy shouted to the stranger now, but again was ignored, watching instead in dawning horror as the stranger drew a short blade from somewhere under the pelt that covered them and ran at the creature. “Hey!”
“Bellamy!” Someone called to him but he couldn’t tear his eyes from the scene, watching as the stranger ran head on at the creature with speed that could’ve only been developed through years of training, his heart raced as he envisioned this poor stranger speared onto an antler, that was the only possible outcome to come from such stupidity as the monster made to swing its head at the stranger, trying to attack with the one side of antlers it still had. The stranger seemed quicker though, dodging the sharp points with a near elegant twist to their body, using the creature's momentum against it and using the few seconds the creature got stuck in the ground to scale its head.
Using its upper body strength, it wrenched its head free, the stranger grabbing onto the antlers, anchoring their foot against the back of the creatures head as it shrieked and reared, trying to shake the stranger off as it slammed back down to the ground, stomping around and swinging its head, walking into the direction it was being led with the weight shift. The stranger held fast and the creature reared again, trying to get at the stranger with its hand paws but it was built too big and couldn’t reach. The moment it slammed back down, the stranger threw himself, putting his weight and force at the remaining antlers and once more toppling the creature over from imbalance, rolling out of the way as its heavy body hit the ground, antlers getting stuck in some tree roots. They had all rejoined Bellamy, watching with almost morbid fascination as the stranger landed in a crouch from the roll, swinging their arm with all the strength in their body, embedding the blade behind the creatures' ear, deep into its skull. The large body jerked before going lifeless with a released, eerie whine, weight settling to the earth.
The stranger had made it look so easy when they had all nearly died. Bellamy wasn’t sure if this stranger was a friend but they had saved them, maybe he could ask for help, ask where they were. He knew hand to hand; he could take the stranger if he needed to.
“Hey” the stranger looked at him suddenly, as if realizing he was there, standing up. Closer inspection revealed their savior to be male but he couldn’t see his face under the muzzle of the pelt, it covered him fairly well, if he crouched down he’d look like the creature the pelt used to belong to; looked like some kind of canine. “Thanks, you-”
“Zatrzymać” Bellamy paused his movement, he didn’t know what was said, it was certainly no language he’d heard before, but the tone implied to stop. The stranger reached up, revealing skin painted to camouflage. He grasped the muzzle of the pelt, pulling it up to reveal an equally painted face. Honestly, Bellamy shouldn't have been as surprised as he felt to see their savior was a boy, tall, but a boy nonetheless, at least eighteen years old. Brown met mismatched blue and green as the boy walked over to him with caution “dlaczego wyglądasz jak Eliasz?”
Gibberish, that what Bellamy heard “Um…I’m…what?” He watched the boy roll his eyes, which was actually kind of amusing considering they’d watched him kill the creature. He moved, walking up to Bellamy and poking his chest “Eliasz”
Was that a name? Was he calling him that? “No” he watched the boy tilt his head, brows knitting together “Bellamy” he patted his own chest.
“Bellamy!” Clarkes voice sounded panicked “Octavia’s losing blood, we need to find something!” Octavia herself groaned in pain though it was dulled, regardless, the noise drew the boys attention and he made his way over, only stopped when Raven pointed her pistol at him, didn’t stop him from looking Octavia over from where he stood, eyeing the wrap around her leg before turning back to Bellamy “Lawson” and pointing to Octavia, ignoring Raven’s mutter about him naming them like pets. Bellamy’s confused look must’ve said more than he thought when the boy gestured to Octavia “Lawson, is Doctor”
“you do understand? What’s your name?” Clarkes question went ignored as the boy walked over to the dead creature, yanking the arrow from its muzzle “Castle is home, Lawson can help her” he then moved to the broken off antler, pulling out some rope from who knew where under that pelt, tying the broken end up tight and pulling the pelt off his body, revealing shaggy dirty blond hair and laying it across the inner curve of the antlers. His arms weren’t the only thing covered in camouflage, his whole torso was such, almost matching the dark green of his worn pants, only his feet, bare and dirty from the earth, were bare of paint. He looked to them, gesturing to the makeshift seat before beginning to walk away. He didn’t have to tell Bellamy for him to understand as he looked at Clarke “put her on it”
“Bellamy, we don’t know-“
It was Murphy who interrupted Clarke now “I don’t know about you, Clarke, but I’d rather follow the kid who took down a monster…” he moved, walking over to Bellamy with Emori, Raven and Echo bringing Octavia to the makeshift pulley. Bellamy looked to the blond female “We don’t know, but we have no choice” he’d said his peace.
The boy emerged from the woods he’d vanished into while they had talked, carrying a bow in one hand as he stopped and waited, mismatched eyes on them, waiting for them to be ready. Once they were, he turned away to lead them. The walk was filled with small chatter between the members of their group, the boy had stopped once, calling Murphy by the name of Riley…or asking if his name was Riley? Bellamy knew it was a question, the tone of his voice confirmed it, regardless, Murphy didn’t appreciate being singled out with Bellamy as someone familiar to the stranger and he groused the whole way to the castle despite Emori’s amused chuckles.
The castle, thankfully, wasn’t far away, a fact Bellamy’s sore body was grateful for, still, didn’t keep him from noticing that Clarke was eyeing the kid that had helped them. She didn’t trust him, it wasn’t in her nature to be too trusting anymore, and he couldn’t blame her. Honestly he wasn’t sure if they should trust the kid either but he seemed to be going out of his way to help them, so he had no reason to think he meant them harm, he could’ve just let the monster kill them.
When the castle came into view, Bellamy found himself awed, sure, he’d seen old buildings before, but growing up on the ark, where everything was metal, even when they’d finally reached the ground they’d still lived in remnants of the ark before ending up back in space once more. Their search for a home seemed fruitless now. But seeing this building, as if it had popped out of a book lost to time, it took his breath away. His attention was drawn back to Echo who had reached up with her free hand to pinch his side, giving him a small smile before resuming her pulling of the horn. They all instinctively paused at the sound of a new voice, once more on alert.
“Skully, you’re back!”
He heard Clarke’s breath catch in her throat and he could understand why. Where they had paused, the kid had kept going, walking towards the owner of the voice who was jogging towards him, who appeared to be an older Madi, not by much, a couple years at least, but it was definitely Madi’s face, a young adult.
“Zawsze wracam do domu do moich kochanków, Rory” The Madi-look-a-like flung her arms around the boy, spinning slightly from the force she’d come at him as he rubbed his cheek against hers, making her giggle and shriek as she swat at him, whatever he’d used as camouflage rubbed off on her skin.
“weź prysznic, jesteś brudny jak diabli!” she responded, words harsh yet her lips were pulled into a grin and it didn’t seem to stop her from stepping into his space and pressing a kiss to his lips.
Bellamy could practically feel the mixture of confusion and parental protection radiate from Clarke.
He turned to them, gesturing “Lawson”
The not-Madi looked to them, finally noticing them it seemed and her smiling face turned to a steely expression not unlike that of their Madi. Stepping from the boy, he walked away, leaving them with the girl.
“Skully said you needed Lawson” she looked them over before her eyes landed on the makeshift pully where Octavia was “Alright, follow me, be quick, we usually have a process with strangers but this seems to be an emergency…two of you will carry her in, everyone else will wait within the walls” she turned, giving them no choice in the matter as she began to walk away, towards the direction the boy, who Bellamy guessed was called Skully; he’d heard weirder. It was the same direction she’d come from. Swallowing, he looked to his group. He’d rather not part from them but Octavia needed help. Observing them, he decided he wasn’t going to take Clarke and he knew she’d object but he couldn’t risk her flighty instincts.
Thinking on it quickly left one option “Murphy” He cut off Clarkes protest, handing his gun to raven who handed him the pistol. Safety on and tucked away, he took one side of Octavia as Murphy took the other. Echo helped hook Octavia’s arms over their necks as they lifted her off the fur, arms supporting her back and crossing each others so their hands rested on her waist while their other hands slid under her knees, grasping each others forearms and allowing them to lift her easier with the added support.
Turning, they followed the girl, the group behind them, Emori making sure to grab the pelt cloak. Bellamy was sure he’d caught a name somewhere in her interaction with the boy but didn’t want to get it wrong and so said nothing as she took them inside what must’ve been the main gate. It closed behind them and she turned her head to look at them again “Wait here, you guys, follow” she looked up past them, above the gate “Let the Kings know we have guests!” she shouted out before turning, heading in once more.
For the first time in a long time, Bellamy was nervous as he carried his sister with Murphy’s help into the castle, he was nervous for his people, nervous for his sister, nervous for their well being, nervous for those he considered family. He was-
“Daddy!”
Completely shocked at the sight before his very eyes.
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[sad to say, I used Google Translate, so corrections are definitely welcome
Zatrzymać - Stop
dlaczego wyglądasz jak Eliasz? - Why do you look like Elijah?
Zawsze wracam do domu do moich kochanków, Rory - I always come home to my lovers, Rory
weź prysznic, jesteś brudny jak diabli! - Take a shower, you are dirty as hell!