Eᴘɪsᴏᴅᴇ: Eᴀʀᴛʜ Sᴋɪʟʟs

With Murphy out of camp, I couldn't deny that I felt at least somewhat vulnerable. Though I refused to admit it, his warnings about the danger of the people here had struck a chord with me and even armed with the knife that he'd given me before he left, I knew that I wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight if needed.

In order to keep myself from spiralling into panic, I continued setting up medical supplies in the hope that they would return with Jasper and avoided paying attention to anyone else in camp. Having exhausted all other ideas, I returned to tearing up bandages whilst the others lounged around, laughing and chatting in the absence of Bellamy.

"Hey."

A voice startled me from the concentrated trance of my task and I whisked my gaze upwards in alarm. Standing beside me with a somewhat nervous demeanour was the boy that I'd defended Clarke from earlier and I sighed in relief.

He seemed to be assessing my mood before he decided whether to speak to me and I got the impression that I'd come across much firmer than usual in our previous conversation. He settled into a seat in a cautious movement and I watched him suspiciously.

"I feel like we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Finn." He offered, holding out his hand with a genuine smile and due to the reasonable nature that I'd seen him demonstrate so far, I felt myself trusting him against my better judgement.

"Cassidy." I answered quietly, tenderly shaking his hand and he seemed to relax slightly now that I'd spoken.

"I can tell that Clarke is your friend. I just wanted to let you know that I don't have any issue with her. It's just a playful nickname." He explained, causing me to raise a brow at him in silent investigation. "I actually think that we're lucky to have her. She's smart. And apparently brave enough to go after grounders." He added with a slight smile and I hummed in agreement.

"Do you think Jasper will be okay?" I enquired as I remember that he had been part of the expedition to Mount Weather and was there when he was attacked.

"I don't know. He was pretty hurt." He sighed, running his hand through his long locks in stress and I found myself anxiously chewing on my lip.

"You're friends with the boys?" He suggested and I nodded in confirmation.

For a few moments, he couldn't think of anything to say and I returned to tearing strips of fabric. Internally, I hoped against all chances that Jasper was safe and would return home to us and feared for Monty's mental state if he were to lose the boy who was basically a brother to him. I noticed that Finn was glancing out into the trees with a guilty expression and before I could question it, he suddenly rose to his feet.

"Another pair of hands can only improve his chances, right?" He stated, flashing me an uncertain smile before he rushed to grab some supplies and ran in the direction that the group had left.

Somehow, I seemed to have convinced a second reluctant person to join the rescue effort and though I was completely clueless as to how, I was also relieved. With a sizable group now tracking Jasper, I felt more confident in a positive outcome.

Feeling concerned for his well being, I finished preparing my supplies and dropped them off in the dropship, before setting off to search for Monty. I couldn't decide where he would hide and after spending some considerable time wandering the camp, including several awkward interruptions, I eventually discovered that he was in the top of the dropship as Octavia struggled to climb down the ladder.

I carefully made my way up to find him sitting in the back corner of the room, working under a small light. As I crawled into the space, he glanced over at me with a fond smile and I settled beside him.

"Hey. How are you holding up?" I asked quietly, as I glanced over at him with a sympathetic smile and he sighed.

"I'm keeping busy. Hoping I can get in touch with the Ark." He stated, drawing my attention to the pile of discarded wristbands that he was working on.

He was practically surrounded by them, seeming as if he'd collected up as many as he could recover and I realised that I wasn't the only person focused on survival here after all. In this moment, I realised just how fortunate we were to have these boys and my desperation to get Jasper back only intensified.

"How are you settling in?" Monty asked casually, attempting to move the conversation away from him as he returned to working.

I shrugged in response, unsure how to explain the way that I'd been feeling since we arrived here and he glanced over at me with an amused smile.

"That well, huh? You know, you don't have to isolate yourself anymore. It's not a good idea to be an outsider." He suggested and I fidgeted slightly, feeling uncomfortable at this commentary.

"Right." I muttered, pulling at the threads on my jumper anxiously before I released a deep sigh. "Who do I have to sleep with to fit in?"

Monty practically choked on a snort of laughter, seeming thoroughly caught off guard by my comment and I realised that my friendship with Murphy may have had more of an effect on my humour than I had previously realised. My comfort around Monty and Jasper had always been able to encourage my personality to emerge, but after everything that happened, it felt as if we were getting to know each other all over again.

"I'd say that the common vote is Bellamy, but I'll happily throw my name in there too." Monty stated with a wink and I was reminded of his subtly snarky attitude that was often hidden beneath his quiet nature. "In all seriousness, you don't have to go wild. Just make a couple of friends, establish yourself as a part of the camp. It's harder for people to bully you when they know you have support." He advised and I nodded reluctantly, acknowledging that he did have a point.

"Besides, you're really cool, Cas. People would like you if you gave them a chance." He remarked with a warm smile and I couldn't help smiling in return.

"Thanks." I mumbled bashfully, gently bumping my shoulder into his in a small gesture of affection.

It had always been easy to spend time in Monty's company, with our shared quietness. I was able to let my guard down around him, knowing that he understood how it felt to be overlooked. As for Jasper, despite being the louder of the two, there was a genuine quality about him that made it practically impossible not to adore him. He was always cheerful and pleasant to be around.

The pair of them combined were a breath of fresh air and whilst I sat watching Monty work in silence, I felt at ease.

After a while, I dared to venture outside again and was disappointed to find that the rescue team had not returned yet. The others had lit a campfire to ward off the darkness and despite the overall ignorance to the threat that loomed over us, there was tension in the air tonight. Several people were hanging around, as if they too were waiting to see if our leaders would return and it seemed as if some of the novelty of our new home was finally wearing off.

Leaves crunched beneath my feet as I approached the fire to warm myself, but before I could reach it I was intercepted by Octavia, who looked thoroughly sorry for herself.

"Hey, um. Look, I know that I should expect my leg to be sore after stitches, but it's burning. I don't know what to do." She explained awkwardly, seeming uncomfortable with even the idea of asking for help and I gestured for her to follow me.

Leading her inside to the area that I'd set up for Jasper, I directed her to take a seat whilst I grabbed some items. I'd managed to collect some additional cuttings of aloe vera earlier this afternoon, and grabbed a piece alongside some water and fresh dressings. Sitting opposite my patient, I carefully peeled back the previous covering to find that the area looked more inflamed than before, but not infected.

When I next glanced up at her, it was with a suspicious expression.

"Is it bad? The dressing came a bit loose when I climbed the ladder in the dropship." She expressed hurriedly, fear obvious in her pretty features and I got to work on cleaning the wound again.

"You shouldn't be climbing ladders with your leg in this condition." I stated in my best attempt at a stern voice and her brows shot up in surprise.

"So you do talk!" She gasped excitedly and I chuckled lightly to myself at her reaction. "I was starting to think Zoey was making it up." She added playfully, whilst I shook my head at her.

We lapsed back into silence as I made my best effort to sterilise the area with the fluid from the aloe cutting, then wrapped it in fresh fabric which I secured much more thoroughly this time. Octavia watched everything that I did with interest and seemed immensely more comfortable with me now that she'd heard my voice.

"Alright. You're all set." I announced as I finished fastening the dressing. "You need to be careful with this from now on. Keep it clean and dry. Change the dressings every couple of days at most. Come see me if you're worried." I advised, earning a thankful smile before she hobbled her way back outside.

Once she had gone, I spent a few minutes cleaning up my workspace so that it was ready for Jasper and stepped out to check on the situation. I was shocked to find that it was now completely dark, with only the amber glow of the fire to light the camp.

The thought of the search party lost in the woods in the pitch black made my stomach lurch and with little left to distract me from my worry, I settled on a log closest to the edge of camp, just within the warmth of the fire, to wait for them.

People chatted idly around me, more gathered here now as the air grew colder and all the while I could feel fear building in my chest. I watched the edge of the trees obsessively for any familiar face, but Earth refused to gift one to me.

Careful movement beside me alerted me to Zoey's arrival as she sat at my side, but I kept my attention firmly in place.

"Hey, doc." She breezed as she fidgeted into a comfortable position. "Octavia told me that you treated her again. Thanks for doing that. I'll make sure she's more careful from now on." She remarked in an appreciative manner and the most that I could manage in response was a quiet hum.

The crackle of the fire and background conversation filled the air as I stared into the distance, praying for the source of my sanity to return. It had already begun to occur to me that without Murphy, my chances of survival were greatly reduced, as well as my comfort, as he was likely my closest friend here.

"No sign of the group yet?" Zoey asked gently and I glanced back momentarily to share a worried look, causing her to sigh. "They'll be okay, you know. Both of them." She reassured me and as I opened my mouth to question her, there was a rustle in the trees that caught my attention.

Rushing into the clearing was Clarke, her bright hair clear even between the trees and I rose to meet her as quickly as my legs could carry me. Just as I reached her, I noticed Finn and Wells following closely behind her, sharing the weight of someone between them. I gasped as I recognised the slumped person as Jasper and met Clarke's eyes with relief.

"I've prepared an area in the back of the dropship. Get him on the table and strip any wounds. I'll be right in." I instructed and to my surprise, none of them hesitated to follow my directions.

Octavia ran toward me to investigate what was happening, when I turned back toward the trees to witness Bellamy and Murphy emerging into camp. My heart jumped into my mouth as I met Murphy's tired gaze and whilst Octavia was busy reuniting with her brother, I surged at Murphy.

"Are you okay?" I quizzed in a breathless manner as I reached him, thoughtlessly standing so close to him that we were almost touching in the high of my relief.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He confirmed with a hint of a chuckle, seeming taken aback by my concern, as if he wasn't used to anyone fussing over him. "You alright? Nothing happened while I was gone?" He asked in a low voice, examining me closely and I nodded.

"Cassidy! We need you!" Clarke called as she stuck her head out of the dropship doors and with one last reluctant glance at Murphy, I jogged to follow her into the room where Jasper was.

Inside the makeshift medical unit, Jasper laid on the table with his shirt ripped to reveal a large wound in his chest. Clarke had already busied herself with dampening some of the rags to clean his bloodied face and Finn remained at her side, assisting her with anything she needed.

On the other side of the table, Monty stared down at his unconscious friend in a state of shock and I had to gather my courage to take control of the situation.

"Let's see what we've got." I announced as I entered and washed my hands as best I could before touching the area.

Monty gleaned up at me and I forced a confident smile in the hope that I could calm him. He paused to tenderly push the hair out of his eyes and the pain in his expression made my heart ache for him.

The location of the wound was fortunate, appearing to have missed any vital organs and I noticed the remnants of some strange green substance around the edges. As I wiped it away, I was shocked at the relatively healthy condition of the laceration, which gave me an optimistic view of his chances.

On his lower abdomen were a series of symbols that were carved into his skin and I had to push aside my concern for what had happened to him in order to concentrate on the task at hand.

"Was the wound like this when you found him?" I enquired as I glanced over at Clarke and she gazed back at me with a blank expression. "Was there anything covering it? Any more of this green stuff?"

"Oh, yeah. It was completely covering it. Started coming off when we moved him." She explained as she tended to his face.

"Sounds like whoever took him was using it as some kind of poultice. Do you recognise it, Monty?" I enquired, hoping that his background with farming and pharmaceuticals with his parents would come in useful. I watched as he examined it, then shook his head regretfully.

"We can use aloe gel for now, but I think we're going to need something stronger to prevent infection in a wound this deep. We also need to think about pain relief. Murphy found some mugwort nearby. It'll help to keep him calm, at least. It's a herb, so maybe we could make it into a tea?" I suggested as I dug deep into my memory for any natural options and Monty glanced up at me and if he were having an epiphany.

"Actually, we could use it in a poultice too. It's supposed to relieve itching." He recalled and I smiled, yet again feeling grateful that he was here. "I could brew some moonshine, too. That'll keep it sterile."

"Great ideas, Monty. I'll get this as clean as I can for now and dress it. Tomorrow, we'll put our heads together to see if there's anything else in the area that we can use."

ღ ➵ ღ

When I stepped out of the dropship, I felt exhausted. Jasper's condition was undoubtedly serious and without any medical supplies, keeping him alive presented a challenge. For the time being, the others were content to take turns watching him so that I could rest and promised to call me if anything changed.

There seemed to be quite a commotion around the campfire and as I neared, I realised that Jasper was not the only thing that they had brought home. On a spit above the fire was some kind of large creature, which explained the enthusiastic atmosphere. People lined up for a skewer of the food and it gradually dawned on me that they were exchanging their wristbands for a meal.

My stomach rumbled loudly at the smell of the food, alerting me to the fact that I was ravenous. The dilemma left me feeling conflicted as I observed the growing line of people who surrendered to their needs. Though I still felt that I wanted to remain connected to my old man, I wasn't sure that I could continue to ostracise myself for much longer and the combined advice to those around me repeated in my mind, gnawing at my conviction.

"What's the prognosis, doc?" Murphy questioned, appearing at my side with his usual playful smile and I turned to him with heavy tiredness hanging over me. "Was it worth carrying our buddy home?"

"He's stable for now. We'll have to see how he manages overnight." I sighed, rubbing at my face with frustration.

Cheers carried from the fire, as they celebrated each person who joined Bellamy's cult and he embraced each of them in welcome. The carefully executed manipulation of it all made my blood turn cold. Murphy's faze was obvious to me by now, as he observed my reaction to the scene before us and I could tell that he was considering how to address it with me.

"What do you think, Sunshine? Ready to be free of your chains?" He suggested, thinning his eyes at me and I continued to watch them as I struggled to make a decision.

Another loud gurgle sounded from my stomach at the smell, sending a deep blush across my cheeks. I couldn't imagine that my father would be happy to know that I was starving myself, but I couldn't bear the thought of him thinking that I'd died.

My fingers grazed over the wristband, tears filling my eyes as I pictured my frail, loving father. Above everything, I knew that he would want me to be safe and happy, and suspected that he would urge me not to cling to the past.

With one last deep sigh, I turned to face Murphy at last.

"Will it hurt?" I whispered in a fragile manner and he shook his head.

"I'll be as gentle as I can." He promised as I chewed at my lip and stared over at the campfire reluctantly. "Don't worry about all of them. C'mon." He stated as he gripped my arm and guided me away from the commotion.

Along the way, he stopped to collect some supplies and led me to a couple of seats further out from the main section of camp. I nervously sat down, reassuring myself that Murphy had plenty of practice doing this by now and would never hurt me.

"You ready, Cassie?" He enquired as he took my wrist in his hands, slipping the blade between the metal band and my skin.

I took a deep breath and nodded fervently. A sharp bolt of pain panicked me as the dagger sliced my flesh and a moment later, the band released a brief electrical shock that made me yelp, before it clanked onto the ground. Without missing a beat, Murphy pulled my wrist up to his face to inspect, then placed a featherlight kiss to the area that made my heart skip several beats.

"There. All better." He soothed, his eyes glistening with mischief and I couldn't suppress a smile in return. "Welcome to the first day of your life as a free woman."