In The Forest of the Predators
Octavia walked lightly in the underbrush, taking care to step exactly where Tobias' feet fell. The search party had risen early and split into groups, fanning out into the trees. If this was where the horse had deposited its rider, the party hoped to find some trace of human life. Octavia, the least experienced of the group, had been paired with Tobias, whose tracking skills were unsurpassed. Lincoln was to the north with Gershorn, a short, stocky, hard-faced warrior whose gay humor did not match his stony, outward appearance. Cyrus, Emilia and Connor, skillful hunters in their early twenties, fanned out to the south-east. All so young, Octavia mused. But humans' life expectancy on planet Earth was somewhat shorter than it was in space.
Octavia's thoughts turned to Lincoln's account by the fire. It had eased her mind to learn of his history with Luna. If anyone could understand the power of fraternal love, it was her. Had she not experienced it first hand with Bellamy? Octavia shook her head, returning to the task at hand – staying alive.
Her gaze refocused on Tobias, who was a few paces ahead, and she concentrated on pressing forward. Octavia liked Tobias; he had been one of the Grounders who had united with her people to rescue the captives, including Lincoln, from the Mountain Men. After the battle, which saw the Mount Weather forces subdued, he had remained by her side in an attempt to bring Lincoln back from the brink of Reaper insanity. He had paid the price for it too. While attempting to hold him down, Tobias had been caught by the edge of Lincoln's blade. His left ear lobe had been sliced off and the knife had narrowly missed his eye, leaving a telling lateral scar from his temple to his cheek. But still he had remained with Lincoln, Octavia, and a small group of healers, including Clarke's mother Dr. Abigail Griffin. The only thing which Lincoln could focus on in his delirious state was the sound of Octavia's voice. She'd stayed by his side for four days, until the delirium broke. Then, with the help of the healers, Lincoln had returned to her.
Octavia smiled fondly at the memory. She was thankful for Tobias' loyalty when many other Grounders had abandoned Lincoln, feeling all was lost. She knew little of him, apart from the fact that he had been found as a child by Lincoln's people – alone and living among wild animals. The villagers believed that this was how he had acquired his ability to move stealthily through the natural world and read the signs of his surroundings – he was one with this unforgiving land.
Suddenly Tobias stopped. Octavia did too. He paused to listen and then held up his hand to signal. She advanced forward wordlessly till she was by his side. Indicating with his head to a nearby outcrop of rock, Tobias made the signal for her to be quiet and then lowered to his all fours. Octavia did the same. There, emerging from a den in the ground under the stones, were two scaled-panther cubs. Half-blind and mewing, they took tentative steps forward. Octavia gasped wondrously, but Tobias shook his head. Octavia instantly understood. The she-panther would never abandon her cubs; she would still be close-by. Rising slowly, they began to back away when a noise pierced through the still of the forest. Without hesitation, Octavia and Tobias ran towards the sound of Lincoln's horn.