「 ✦ Bambi- Bellamy Blake ✦ 」

Induratize

to make one's own heart hardened or resistant to someone's pleas

Athena rushes to prevent the blonde girl from leaving the tent. Bellamy doing the same. "Wait, Clarke, that's impossible," Athena interjected, her voice tinged with disbelief. "You can't be sure that's him. I bet there are plenty of people here with the initials J.M," she argued, her instinct to defend her childhood friend Murphy overriding any inclination to accept Clarke's assertion at face value.

Bellamy nodded in agreement, his expression serious as he echoed Athena's sentiments. "She's right. We can't jump to conclusions," he added, his voice firm and resolute.

Bellamy's voice held a note of urgency as he continued to defend Murphy. "Clarke, be smart about this," he urged, his tone imploring her to consider the broader implications of their situation. "Look at what we've achieved... the wall, the patrols. Like it or not, thinking the Grounders killed Wells is good for us."

Despite their efforts to persuade her, Clarke remained resolute in her convictions. With a determined expression, she pushed past them and exited the tent, leaving Bellamy and Athena to exchange a concerned glance.

"There is no way he did it" Athena mumbles to herself not wanting to believe Murphy would be capable of such a horrifying  thing. " Look , im sure it'll all clear up soon , however right now we need to stop Clarke from erupting everyone in camp into chaos" Bellamy says as he lays a comforting on hand on the brunettes back. Bellamy's reassuring touch on her back brought a sense of comfort amidst the turmoil of her thoughts.Athena nodded in agreement, grateful for Bellamy's calming influence. Giving him a  thanking smile, she followed him out of the tent.

"It's my knife. Where'd you find it?" Murphy rushes forward to take the knife from the blondes hand. "Where you dropped it after you killed Wells." Clarke yelled at the boy. Athena closed her eyes momentarily , not wanting to believe that Clarke had said it so directly. "Really? Bellamy, you really believe this crap?" Bellamy however just silently stares at him , crossing his arms. Athena standing next to the tall boy , makes Murphy go over to her " Athena you can't believe i would do that right ? "I don't, Murphy. Trust me, I don't think—" Athena began, her words cut short by Clarke's accusation ringing out with chilling clarity.

"You threatened to kill him. We all heard you. You hated Wells," Clarke interjected, her tone accusatory as she echoed the sentiments of their fellow camp members.

Murphy's defense rang out amidst the tense atmosphere, his words tinged with frustration and defiance. "Plenty of people hated Wells. His father was the Chancellor that locked us up," he argued.

Clarke countered with a pointed accusation. "Yeah, but you're the only one who got in a knife fight with him," she retorted, her tone accusatory as she highlighted the multiple altercations between Murphy and Wells.

Unfazed, Murphy pressed on with his self-defense. "Yeah, I didn't kill him then, either," he asserted, his voice tinged with indignation.Athena listened to the exchange with a heavy heart, torn between her loyalty to Murphy and the mounting evidence against him. 

 "Tried to kill Jasper, too."Athena's heart sank further as Octavia's accusation added another layer of suspicion against Murphy. The weight of disappointment settled heavily upon her shoulders as she grappled with the realisation that her friend stood accused of such heinous acts. She was aware that most of these people here , had not had the chance to meet the Murphy she had known on the ark , but she was still convinced that Clarke and the others were too quick on judging Murphy.

Athena's urgency escalated as she witnessed the situation spiraling out of control. She leaned in closer to Bellamy, her voice urgent and imploring. "Bellamy, this is going to escalate and turn into something so much worse. You need to calm them down," she whispered, knowing the influence he wielded over the delinquents.

"Come on. This is ridiculous. I don't have to answer to you. I don't have to answer to anyone." Murphy yells out.  Bellamy stepped forward. "Come again," Bellamy's authoritative voice rings out , his stance conveying a silent warning to Murphy that his defiance would not be tolerated.

Athena felt a surge of panic grip her. Acting on instinct, she reached out and grabbed Bellamy's arm, her touch pleading as she implored him to see reason.

"Bellamy, stop this," she urged, her voice tinged with desperation. "Murphy is going to get hurt if you don't stop them."

Before she could process the full weight of her words, the air was pierced by the chilling declaration of one of the teenagers. "I say we float him."

Athena's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, her words ringing out with a clarity that demanded attention. "Wait, no, no, we can't do that," she asserted, her tone firm and resolute as she addressed the group.

She makes eye contact with the distressed boy infront of her , who was seemingly pleading her with his eyes to help him."That's not what I'm saying." Clarke says realising her mistake.

The other teenagers suddenly rush forward, grab Murphy and start beating him. Athena's heart pounded in her chest as chaos erupted around her, the violence escalating with terrifying speed. Desperate for guidance, she reached out to Clarke, grasping her arm in a plea for help, only to be met with a helpless look in return.

"Clarke, what do we do? They're going to kill him," Athena pleaded, her voice trembling with fear and desperation.

But Clarke seemed as lost as she was, unable to offer any solution to the unfolding crisis. "Bellamy! You should do it." the delinquents scream out , as Athena makes her way throught the crowd towards Bellamy.

"Bellamy! You can't do this, please!" she implored, her voice cracking with emotion as tears welled in her eyes.

For a moment, it seemed as though her words had reached him, as Bellamy hesitated, his gaze locking with hers. In that fleeting moment of connection, Athena poured every ounce of her pleading desperation into her gaze, willing him to see reason and spare Murphy's life.

But her hopes were dashed as Bellamy turned away, his resolve hardening as he kicked the chair out from under Murphy. Panic surged through Athena as she fought against Bellamy's restraining grip on her waist, her cries drowned out by the tumult of the crowd.

"NO, NO, BELLAMY, LET ME THROUGH!" she screamed, her voice raw with anguish as she struggled against his hold.

But her efforts were in vain as Bellamy dragged her away, his grip unyielding as he forcibly removed her from the scene. Desperation clawed at her chest as she watched helplessly.

Amidst the chaos, Finn's voice rang out like a beacon of hope , "What the hell are you doing? Cut him down! Charlotte, get out of here now! Cut him down! Get out of my way." Another voice is heard, this time a young girl.

"Stop! Okay? Murphy didn't kill Wells! I did!"

19/4/24