Chapter Text
The forest was silent, too silent. Raven didn't trust it. Silence in the apocalypse meant one of two things: you were alone, or you were being hunted.
She crouched beside Clarke, eyes scanning the treeline. Octavia was a few feet ahead, dagger in hand, her breathing controlled but tense. Behind them, Murphy and Abby covered their flank. They'd been on the move for days, barely scraping by, running out of food and bullets. Their last safehouse had been burned down by raiders. If they didn't find shelter soon, they were screwed.
"Tell me we're not walking into a trap," Murphy muttered, gripping his pistol. "Because this feels exactly like a trap."
"Everything's a trap," Clarke whispered back. "Just keep moving."
Then, a sharp whistle cut through the air.
Before Raven could react, a figure dropped from the trees behind them. Another stepped out from the brush. Then another. Within seconds, they were surrounded.
Gun barrels and masked faces. Tactical gear, silent efficiency. This wasn't some random band of thugs. This was military.
And at the center of them all, a tall woman in black, a skull-painted mask covering her face.
"Drop your weapons," the masked woman ordered, her voice calm but firm.
Raven tightened her grip on her gun. Her heart pounded. "Yeah, see, I don't really like taking orders."
A blade was suddenly at her throat. Fast. Precise. The masked woman had barely moved, yet she was already on her, in complete control.
Raven swallowed, pulse spiking. She fought to keep her voice steady. "Y-you move fast."
"You're outnumbered," the woman said. "Don't make this difficult."
Raven smirked despite herself, but it was a little shaky. "You know, for someone with a spooky mask, you sound kinda hot."
Silence. Then, a small scoff from someone in the masked woman's squad. Raven's grin widened, but her hands trembled slightly.
"You talk too much," the woman said, retracting the blade and stepping back. "We're not here to kill you. Yet."
Clarke stepped forward cautiously. "Who are you?"
The masked woman didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned slightly, exchanging a look with another soldier, a dark-haired woman with piercing green eyes who stood with military precision. Lexa.
"We're Fireflies," the masked woman finally said. "And you're coming with us."
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The compound was well-hidden, tucked behind layers of makeshift barricades and reinforced steel gates. Unlike the crumbling ruins of the cities, this place was alive. Guards patrolled the walls, watchtowers scanning for threats.
Raven had expected a prison. Instead, it was... a functioning settlement. Controlled, organized. Too organized.
She leaned closer to Octavia. "This feels culty. Like, 'drink the Kool-Aid' culty."
"More like 'obey or die' culty," Murphy muttered back.
A firm shove between her shoulder blades forced Raven to keep walking. "Move," said Echo-their personal escort, apparently. Raven had tried flirting with her on the way over, but the woman had just given her a blank stare that could probably kill someone.
The masked woman-General Skull-Face or whatever led them through the compound, finally stopping in what looked like a command center. The mask stayed on.
Clarke crossed her arms. "Alright, you've dragged us here. Now what?"
"You stay here until we decide what to do with you," the general said. "You're liabilities."
"Gee, thanks," Raven deadpanned, but the usual confidence in her voice was edged with nerves. "Way to make a girl feel special."
The general turned toward her, the mask unreadable. "I don't have time for your games."
"Shame. I bet you'd be fun."
A sharp exhale. Not quite a sigh, but close. "You're insufferable."
"And you still haven't taken off that mask. What, afraid I won't like what I see?"
A long pause. Then, stepping closer, the masked woman tilted her head slightly. "Or afraid you will."
For the first time since the world ended, Raven Reyes had no comeback.
Abby was taken aside almost immediately. Clarke noticed but wasn't given the chance to intervene. One of the soldiers, Lincoln, gave her a firm but not unkind look before guiding Abby into another room, and shutting the door behind them.
Inside, the general and Lexa stood waiting. Finally breaking the silence. "You're a doctor."
Abby straightened. "I was."
"You still are," Lexa said, eyes sharp. "We need you."
Abby crossed her arms. "And what happens if I say no?"
The masked woman tilted her head slightly. "I don't think you have too much of a choice Abby, your little group surviving out there.."
Abby narrowed her eyes. "That's a nice way of saying you'll make them disappear if I don't cooperate."
Lexa exhaled. "We don't kill for sport, Doctor Griffin. But in this world, resources are everything. And skilled doctors? Rare."
Abby hesitated. "You must have some medical staff already."
"We do," The woman admitted. "But not enough. Not with the way things are escalating outside."
"What's happening outside?" Abby asked warily.
Lexa and the general exchanged a glance before Lexa finally said, "There's another group. Not like us. They take, they burn, they kill indiscriminately. We need to be prepared."
Abby studied them both before finally sighing. "If my skills keep my daughter and her friends safe, I'll do what I can."
Lexa nodded. "Good. I will take you to the med bay so you can get familiarised with the other doctors and our work ethic. "
As Lexa opened the door to let Abby out, Clarke rushed to her mother
"About that work ethic, my daughter, she can be helpful too, I taught her some useful skills, and I'm sure she will be more than happy to help,"
Lexa looked at Clarke for a second and nodded. " Of course, doctor Griffin"
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Over the next few days, Raven and the others settled into the compound. Or tried to.
Abby was put to work in the medical center, Clarke assisting her whenever she could-partly because she was useful, partly because Lexa often brought in the injured, and Clarke wanted to understand her better, and by understand she meant she liked the way Lexa says her name, and the way her she commands people around, including her.
Octavia met Lincoln in the cafeteria one evening. He sat alone, but when she grabbed a tray and slid in across from him, he only arched a brow. "You're brave," he said.
She smirked. "I get that a lot."
They talked for a while-about survival, about what it meant to be Firefly, about what it meant to be free. Lincoln seemed like a big teddy bear and he was clearly patient with whatever burning questions Octavia had. By the end of it, Octavia had already decided she liked him.
Meanwhile, Raven roamed the compound, eyes constantly scanning the soldiers. She knew the mystery general had to be one of them-without her mask, she was just another soldier. But which one?
It became a game, watching them move, trying to match the posture, the voice. Every time she passed by a woman who carried herself like she owned the room, she smirked. "You my spooky lady?"
Every time, she got a different reaction-confusion, amusement, mild annoyance - someone once even called for a guard.
And Skull Face General, oh well she stayed silent, watching from the shadows, a smirk on her lips.