Capital Letters

nineteen

In the heart of the woods, hidden in the shadows cast by the trees, Nathan crouched down alongside his brothers, Stefan and Damon, their gazes fixed on the unfolding scene before them. In the distance, Johnathan Gilbert was leading a hunting party, their intentions all too clear. They were out to capture and eliminate the vampires in the town, including Katherine.

Nathan's heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of fear and determination coursing through him. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Katherine, the woman he loved, and he refused to let the founding families take her away to her death. Saving Katherine wasn't just an option for him; it was an absolute necessity.

As the town's residents rounded up the town's vampires, Nathan exchanged a glance with Stefan, who grabbed his arm, his voice hushed and resolute, "We'll circle around that way. I'll distract them. Go."

Stefan nodded, understanding the plan. Nathan took hold of Damon's arm, pulling him along, while Stefan headed toward the hunting party to act as a diversion.

With Stefan drawing their attention, Nathan and Damon made their way stealthily toward the carriage that held Katherine. Nathan's heart raced as he approached the lone guard left at the carriage. In one swift motion, he charged the man, slamming him into the carriage and delivering a powerful punch to his face.

Pain radiated through his hand from the impact, but he shook it off. "Ow. I should have let you do that," Nathan says.

Damon managed to laugh as he searched the guard's pocket for the keys to the locked carriage. Nathan pushed the unconscious man away, making room for Damon to work.

"We don't have long," Stefan's voice reached them as Damon turned the key. Nathan, impatient and anxious, ripped the lock off and flung open the back of the carriage.

"Katherine, Katherine," Damon whispered, his voice filled with relief as they spotted her inside. Without hesitation, Nathan jumped into the carriage, lifting Katherine into his arms. His brothers joined him, helping to carefully lower her to the ground. Damon swiftly removed the muzzle from her face while Stefan worked on the ropes binding her hands.

"We're gonna get you out of here," Stefan assured Katherine, determination etched across his features.

Nathan, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, warned, "We don't have much time. Stefan, hurry."

As they worked to free Katherine, the distant sound of approaching horses reached Nathan's ears. He knew they needed to act quickly to avoid being caught. He stood up, scanning the area for any sign of the hunting party's return.

Then, without warning, a gunshot shattered the tense silence. Nathan gasped, his eyes widening in shock, as he looked down at the blood staining his shirt, feeling the pain from the gunshot wound. Desperation and fear coursed through him.

"No, Nathan!" Damon's anguished cry rang out, his attention torn from Katherine to his fallen brother. Another gunshot followed, and Stefan watched in horror as both of his brothers collapsed to the ground, bleeding and grievously wounded.

"No, no, no. Damon? Nathan? No," Stefan uttered in disbelief and despair, his world shattering around him as he knelt beside his fallen siblings. Stefan got up from the ground and picked up a rifle, ready to kill the man who killed his brothers.

But then a third gunshot rang through the woods and the youngest Salvatore fell.

They decided to lock Stefan away. Give him time for the blood to leave his system and he can start again with animal blood. But seeing Stefan lying on the ground like that brought him back to the last memory he had when he was human.