This chapter is by my beta, she wanted a chance to write for Wendy. But the Rodent, and dagger moving from one place to another was my idea. Usually every chapter is written in Wendy's point of view, with this as the exception. I hope you enjoy.
I only own Wendy.
Cinna pep-talked me before the games and pulled me into a quick hug before I was raised up into the arena. I looked over my surroundings quickly. A dense deciduous forest surrounded us. When the tubes moved away, a buzzer went off, and everyone dove for the Cornucopia in the center of the tribute circle. I grabbed a pistol and picked off a guy from 5, a girl from 7, and both tributes from 1, all of which would obviously be careers. Before anyone could grab anything else, I grabbed a medium pack and a belt with ten or twelve daggers with golden hilts and black jewels on the ends of the handles. A lot of the tributes went for clubs and bows, but I grabbed my pack, belt and a shotgun and took off.
Before anyone could catch up, I'd run about four miles. I pulled a rope from my pack and threw it up over a low branch, propelling myself up. When I reached that branch, I threw it over another, and so on and so forth until I came about thirty feet, give or take, off the ground. Soon I'd laced another rope around the inside of a few limbs and unfolded my sleeping bag inside to form a human's nest. I placed the pack, my shotgun, and the belt in the nest, picking off the occasional tribute, a girl here and a boy there.
Before long, I came down from my nest, running through the woods. Once, I came for a career from district 2, and slit his throat. I knew the camera's weren't on me, they were more interested in the blood bath at the Cornucopia. I carved into the tree next to his body, 'Eight down.'
Gale POV
I should have known something was up when I found Michael's body. I had my bow, and was ready to shoot until I figured out he was dead. In the tree, the words 'Eight down' were carved. I wasn't sure how many tributes were dead, but I was sure no one had taken more than eight, but this person had. Whoever they were, they were good; stealthy, fast. I hadn't seen hair nor hide of Wendy since the games started, and couldn't help but worry she was one of the 'eight down'. At one point, I came upon a very interesting sight.
Wendy POV
I heard a shuffle in the leaves, disregarding the sound as another tribute trying to sneak up on me. I was attempting to grasp my surroundings when the knife slipped from my hand. As I bent to pick it up, something whipped my ankle, throwing me to the left. I rolled over and saw the giant rat-looking creature baring his fangs at me. The rat was four feet tall, a dirty grey color. I grasped for my dagger, and then realized that it was still where I'd dropped it. I crawled forward, attempting to grasp for it, but the rat wrapped its tail around my ankle again, dragging me back before digging its jaws into my leg. I heard myself yelp in pain, trying to ignore it, and felt the blood rush from the wound. I crawled forward again, my fingers coming within inches of the hilt before I was dragged back a second time. I looked up at the rat's open jaw, thinking silently, this is it. I'm going to die here suddenly, my hand found the hilt of my dagger, which I could have sworn was ten feet away a couple seconds ago. Just as the rat's teeth came for me, I swiped it upward, stabbing the beast in the roof of its mouth. It threw its massive head back, roaring. I hopped on my one good leg, slashing at it when I could. Finally, I got a stab to the lungs that brought it down. I collapsed from exhaustion, falling next to the rat corpse. I caught sight of movement ahead, and saw Gale standing there in all his eight-rated glory.
"How long have you been standing there?" I asked somewhat angrily.
"Long enough to put all the pieces together." He said simply. He figured out that I was the person who killed both tributes from 1, 2, 5, and 7.
"I'm assuming that means you could have helped me at any time." I growled. He shrugged, which I took as a yes.
"You're a total ass, you know that?" I smirked. I did what I could to pull a long stick toward me. I ripped a strip of fabric from my left pants leg and wrapped it around the top of the stick, using it to pull myself up off the ground.
"Are you planning to walk on that thing?" Gale asked empathetically.
"What, you wanna help the scared little girl? Don't think I can take care of myself?"
"Oh, I know you can, I just think it's easier this way," he said, pushing away the stick and pulling my arm over his shoulder.
"Oh, so neither of us can defend ourselves when we get attacked? No thank you!" I said, pulling my arm off his shoulders and picking up my stick. I could tell he was following me, his boots making loud clumps on the hard dirt ground. I pulled myself along, both of us silent. Finally I stopped at my tree.
"You live in a tree?" Gale asked stupidly. (I knew he was stupid! I knew he had stupidness!)
"No, I don't live in a tree. I keep my food and water in a tree to avoid it getting stolen!"
"Whatever." He groaned, looking at the supplies about thirty feet in the air. I pulled the rope from the branch on which I'd entwined it. Finally, I lowered the other end of the rope and tied it around my waist.
"Do you really expect that to work?" he asked me.
"It's worked before, it'll work again." I snapped, securing the knot. I started pulling on the opposite side of the rope, propelling myself up with my good leg. I could hear Gale behind me, climbing up branch after branch. Finally, we reached my makeshift nest, a blanket secured in the branches with rope. (Wow, I have a lot of rope, don't I?) Gale and I climbed into the sleeping bag, curling up in the soft bowl. I pulled off my boots, tying the laces together and hanging them on a branch, and watched as Gale tried to follow my example. Eventually, he succeeded in removing his boot…and hitting his head on the branch behind him. I found myself laughing like an idiot, and laughed even louder when he glared at me. Before I could say a word, I could see something dropping out of the sky. I reached up, grabbing… a romance novel with a page marked. I opened to the marked page, and my eyes were attracted to two words highlighted in yellow; BEING INTAMATE. I flipped over the note, and I saw Haymitch's writing, if you don't get the hint, GET TOGETHER YOU FUCKING IDIOTS! I crumpled the note in my hand, tossing it over my shoulder, smiling to myself, "Not going to happen, Haymitch." And opened to the front of the book, beginning to read. Gale picked up the note, uncrumpling it. When he seemed to be finished, he tore it into forty billion pieces and threw them over the forest floor.
"Haymich better be joking" Gale said unhappily.
"I don't think so. He highlighted the words 'being intimate'" I said, turning to the page and showing it to him.
"Gah! Haymitch is gonna die when I get a hold of him!"
"May I assist you in this endeavor?" I asked, faking a capitol accent.
"I would be honored." He said, mimicking me.
"Really?"
"No."
"Didn't think so."
We were both silent for the longest time. It was starting to get dark when Gale broke the silence.
"Was it you who killed the eight people so far?" How was I supposed to react to that? 'Yeah, that's me!'? Actually, that's not a bad idea.
"Yep, that's me." I said softly. He didn't seem surprised, like he knew. "Not as helpless as you thought, huh?" I smirked.
"Well, no, not exactly." He said simply, like it was just that easy.
"But then again, I'm no Katniss Everdeen, either." This seemed to get his attention.
"How do you know Katniss?" he said threateningly.
"More by reputation than anything else. I know she's not the richest girl on the block and that she'd do anything to protect her family. And I know you two met while hunting in the illegal areas many moons ago."
"How?" he asked, louder than I would have liked.
"I have my sources, hunter boy. I also know Katniss chose another guy over you."
"That's none of your business!" he was shouting now.
"What? I was just gonna say that I think she was an airhead for doing that."
"W-what?" I figured he'd quieted down out of shock more than offense, so I decided to continue,
"Airhead! Personally, I'd rather be with my longtime friend than some guy who I barley know and only said he loved me 'cause it was part of a ploy to get sympathy from the viewers. If you ask me, a lifetime of friendship is worth a bazillion times more than two or three years of lies."
"So why don't you go fall in love with your long-time guy friend? See how you like it!" he growled, pulling his boots back on and starting to climb out of my nest.
"I would if I had any friends" I whispered. Suddenly, a loud bang filled the air, and Gale fell from the tree. I looked out cautiously, knowing very well that the shooter may still be in the area. Gale lay on the forest floor; no other tributes were in sight. I quickly propelled myself down the tree, rushing to Gale's side.
"Gale? Gale! Don't you dare die on me! If you do, I swear, I'll kill you myself!" I shouted at him, begging him to stay with me. Quickly, I climbed the tree, pulled all my stuff out, and came back down.
15 minutes later
After bandaging Gale up (And getting a look at his very nice six-pack of abs,)I covered Gale and the pack with the sleeping bag, and covered that with leaves to hide it. Then I crawled under the covers with him, snuggling up to his body subconsciously.
Don't you guys think Tenshi did an awesome job, I do some editing because I'm nitpicky, review please!
Don't expect another chapter this long. This was written by me, Tenshi, the Beta, and that's only because I convinced Tricky to let me write a chapter. If you enjoyed it, Press that little review button below the authors note; if you didn't, please make suggestions! Remember, you are the sponsors. The book was my sponsor gift, what will yours be? (Soup is the #1 recommended item.)