Hey guys! Ok, this is my first multiple chapter story on here so I hope it works alright. I absolutely adore Maximum Ride and the Hunger Games so this is basically just me dropping two of my favourite characters in with each other to see what happens. This is not a slash fic though. Any hints of slash is purely accidental.

Disclaimer: Me no own MR or THG. I'm barely worthy to look upon their creators, let alone impersonate them.

I've never been a deep sleeper. Even before this whole mess started, the slightest noise that was out of place would wake me instantly. It had helped me several times for various reasons, but I'd never really understood how useful it was until I was reaped for the 74th Hunger Games.

Of course, here there are so many out of place noises that I barely get any sleep at all, but it's better to get little sleep and stay alive than to sleep deeply and get caught off guard and killed. I stay up to watch the skies to see who's been killed. Eleven were killed on the first day during the bloodbath at the Cornucopia. The revelation had made me shudder. I myself had had no part in the bloodbath. I had been there long enough to grab a blanket and a backpack which held an empty water carrier, a loaf of Capitol bread, a pair of night glasses (which I was most pleased with) and a sleeping bag. The sleeping bag was made of some kind of material which reflected body heat back in to keep me warm, but to fit into it, I had to tuck my knees in so they were practically against my chin.

Better than freezing to death in the middle of the night.

I think it's the fifth day of the Games, but it's hard to keep track. On the first day, I found a field of tall grasses that came up to my shoulder. Some of them are wheat. There was a small stream running down the middle of the field, making it the perfect hiding spot. Tall grass to hide in and also ambush anyone who comes in, I can eat the wheat and drink the water (although I have to "treat" it first to make it safe). The Careers know I'm here, I heard them on the first day after the bloodbath, debating whether to come in after me or not. In the end they decided against it. Who wants to come in after the great dark giant from District 11 when he could be right behind you, ready to snap your neck? Not exactly the most inviting situation.

But whilst listening to the Careers argue amongst themselves, I had learned something which had both shocked and shaken me.

The boy from District 12 who was in love with his partner had joined the Careers.

This shocked me more than hearing of the deaths of the eleven tributes in the first day. I had been sure the boy would form an alliance with the girl considering he was in love with her…so why had he joined the group who were hell bent on killing her? It made no sense to me. Unless…unless he would try to draw them away from her. Yes, that was a possibility A dangerous, risky option, but if he was really in love, he'd take that risk.

I would for Rue.

I lay back in the long grasses, staring up at the clear sky. Day five (I think) in the Hunger Games and Rue, tiny Rue is still alive. But for how much longer? I push the thought quickly form my mind. The thought of her lying cold and dead is too much to bare.

A cannon went off yesterday, a few minutes after a huge explosion shook the air. I don't know what happened, nor do I much care, as long as the cannon hadn't been Rue's. I watched the skies that night and prayed it was someone else. It had been the boy from District three. The relief that Rue was still alive was great, but I felt upset about losing the boy from three even though I never knew him.

Who knows how much longer this nightmare is going to go on for. Who knows who's going to be the lucky one to survive and go home. Personally, I think the odds are in Fire Girl's favour. That eleven in training's got to count for something and her show in the Parade is bound to get her several sponsors.

But if she wins, Rue will die. Rue's only twelve and so small. Her skills of tree climbing and jumping are her best chances, but they can't keep her alive forever. Even if she makes it to the last two, she'll have to fight to win. But who will she be fighting? I pray it's not me. I couldn't kill her, even if it ensured my own survival. I don't want to kill anyone if I can help it, but I could if that's what it came down to. But not Rue.

Sighing, I closed my eyes as the sun begins to set. I hate this so much. The Games are a complete, psychotic mess. Pitting child against child…it's just barbaric. Barbaric, horrific and…

'Shit!' My eyes snapped open at the yell and I got to my feet quickly, but stayed low so my head didn't show above the grass. The voice seemed to have come from above me, but how was that possible? There were no trees for several hundred yards at least.

I looked up.

A dark shape had blotted out the early sun and was speeding towards the ground…falling. But what the heck was it? Too big for a bird and it had spoken. I watched it fall, then, just twenty or so metres above the ground, it threw out two enormous black wings. The wings caught the air and slowed the creature's descent, but didn't stop it and I heard the thud as it vanished out of sight and hit the ground.

For a moment, I stood frozen, trying to figure out what the heck it had been. It had fallen not to far away in the grasses and would no doubt eventually stumble upon me and my camp if it could walk. The question was, should I find out what it is first or wait and hope it doesn't find me.

I hate not knowing things.

Grabbing a nearby rock that was about the size of a loaf of bread, I slowly began to make my way towards where I saw the creature land.

It's a muttation. It has to be. People don't have pitch black, eight foot long wings growing from their backs! Even people from the Capitol haven't gone that far. It's lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, the earth around him dented from the impact. I'm surprised it's alive after such a fall from the height it must've been flying at, but mutts often have a much higher durability than normal creatures. But this thing is unlike any other muttation I've ever seen or heard about. Under the cover of feathers and wings, the little of its body I can see looks disturbingly human. I heard it speak as it fell and…is it wearing clothes? Yes. They're black like its wings and rather grubby although I'm hardly one to talk (no pun intended). I watch from the cover of the tall grasses, several yards away. It's alive, I can tell that much, but I think it's unconscious.

I should kill it now before it wakes up. Muttations are never good news. The only good that's ever come out of them are the Mockingjays.

My fingers tighten around the rock in my hand as I slowly begin to make my way towards it. Before I'm halfway, a low groan comes from it and it shifts, pushing itself up. I crouch down slightly to be better hidden, then freeze.

'Dammit.' There's the voice again. Low, quiet, similar to mine. The mutt's sitting up now and my eyes widen. It's a boy. I'd guess he's about sixteen or seventeen, but definitely human. Or human looking… The dark wings behind him pull up, then fold loosely against his back but the movement draws my attention to one of his arms, dangling uselessly and clearly dislocated. The mutt notices this at the same time as I do and a scowl crosses his face. Then, without a word, he grips the dislocated limb with his other hand and shoves it back into place with only a slight hiss of pain.

Great.

Not only is this thing able to fly and survive falls from high places, it can apparently endure a lot of pain. And now I've lost my initial strategy of taking it out before it wakes up. I back up slightly. It's head snaps up.

'Who's there?'

Tada! Oh boy, I wonder how this is gonna turn out! For the record, I have as much idea as the rest of you :D . Hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review telling me what you thought and how I could improve it.

~EndlessMidnightSky~