Chapter 10

Silence. Nothing but the low howl of the wind. The gamemakers are really playing up the weather tonight. The rain pounds down hard and the wind cuts right through your jacket. Even a few trees have fallen over.

There will be no tribute hunting tonight. Everyone will be trying to shelter themselves. I shift uncomfortably on my makeshift bed. Then I hear it, a faint dinging like the sound of a homing device. A flash of a sliver parachute as it floats down through the trees. I follow it with my eyes and I'm up and running, chasing it as a gust of wind blows it off course. It catches high on a branch of a spindly looking pine. I've going to have to at least try and climb this tree if I want a chance of getting the parcel. Just my luck.

Slowly, I make my way up the tree. It's really a struggle with my hand. I scoot myself along the branch. The package is just at my fingertips. I slide myself along just a little more.

Crack!

The branch is starting to break. I am so close. I need that medicine. I un-clip it from the parachute just in time as the branch breaks away from underneath me and I tumble down crashing through other branches. I gasp as I land hard on my back. All the air has been forced out of my lungs. I don't care since I've got my gift, clutched in my arms. I open it up and it's exactly what I'm hoping for, a small tube of white cream that when applied to the affected area provides immediate relief. I sigh and lean up against the spindly pine. The dull pain in my back is nothing compared to what was in my hand. I close my eyes and relax for a minute, happy that I at least have one sponsor, one person that wants to see me win. Until I realize I left my camp in such a rush I have no idea where I am. I left my backpack where I was in that patch of bushes. Great. There's no use looking now in this darkness. I have to stat here until morning. I settle myself under some trees and fall asleep.

When morning comes I am up right away. The birds chirp lightly in the trees but the sun is still nowhere to be found. I stand up slowly. My back is still stiff from my fall last night. It'll be fine. I think. What's amazing is that my hand is almost completely healed. Right now I have to find my backpack that I foolishly abandoned. It has all my food and my first aid kit in it. Thinking that my bushes where somewhere north so I head that way first.

After an hour of searching I finally find my patch of bushes. How far did I run last night? My pack is nowhere to be found. Some idiot has stolen it! I'm not surprised. Still, how dare they! Luckily I still have my weapons and water bottle, which are secured to my belt. I have no food whatsoever! In a fit I scream out,

"Hope you enjoy the oranges!" causing a flock of mocking-jays to flutter out of the trees.

That was stupid. Why did I do that? Ugh! I can't believe this! I hope the Capitol audience is enjoying my little temper tantrum.

The quiet rustling of the leaves causes me to whip around, clumsily pulling a knife off my belt. This is exactly what I am not supposed to do. Draw attention to myself and get killed. Simple rules really. But can I follow them? No! I hear a low throaty growl that doesn't sound human. Cautiously I take one step forward.

In a blur of fur and claws I am thrown backwards from a massive paw onto my rear end from a mountain lion. I can feel the blood running down my cheek already. It roars, staring at me, ready to pounce again. It sees me, as it's next meal. I panic. I have no idea how to handle a mountain lion attack. There are plenty of mountain lions in district seven but I have never encountered one up close and personal. Do I run? Stay and not move? Making a rash decision I drive a knife right between it's eyes before it has a chance to attack again and make a run for it.

As I scramble through the bush I hear a garbled whine from the mountain lion. I must have done some damage. I don't dare look behind me yet. I slide down a ravine and run. My boots sink into the ground with every step and I trip on a root more than once. I must be making a lot of noise, carelessly pushing my way though the forest. I keep running until I can't run any more. I find myself on one of those old wooden pathways. How the wood has held up all these years is a mystery to me. I stop and lean up against a particularly magnificent cedar. It's absolutely huge. Its trunk is at least four metres in diameter. I revel in the sight of it as I catch my breath and listen to the soft patter of the rain as it starts up again.

That mountain lion wasn't a muttation or anything. I don't even know if the gamemakers sent it to me on purpose. This arena was it's home and I was encroaching on its territory. I'm surprised it didn't attack me last night. I'm just glad I got out of there alive. I reach up gingerly and feel the cut on my cheek. It's moist and warm with blood although I can't tell how deep it is, I know it could cause problems for me. But wait, I can't fix it up anyways since my supplies were stolen.

My peace and silence is broken as I hear rustling of leaves and the distinct thunk of boots hitting the walkway. Someone is coming. I'm prepared to start climbing the tree but I can't. It's far too big. I am trapped. So I do the next thing I know how to do. I pull a knife off my belt, ready to throw it. The thing comes out of the bushes and I'm nearly face to face with a shiny harpoon. I back myself into the cedar as I lock eyes with Kingsley, his blade still raised.

"Finally come here to kill me have you?" I ask him, trying to sound as confident as possible.

His expression softens and he lowers his weapon.

"No." He says.

I keep my knife poised, ready to let it fly at any second.

"Then why are you here? Where is your posse of careers?"

"I left."

I am surprised, why would he leave a group of such strong teammates? I lower my blade a bit.

"Why?"

"They're all idiots."

"What?"

"You heard me. They're idiots. Every single one of them."

"So? How can I trust you?"

He drops his harpoons and they make a loud clanging sound as they hit the ground. He opens up his arms.

"I have a feeling that you're better at this than you seem…like you know this place. I'd rather kill them than you."

I don't want allies. I never did, but Kingsley is not here to kill me, or so he says. Why else would he be here then? He's right about me knowing this place. It's similar to the forests back home. How does he know that though?

"I don't want to hurt you." He says softly.

He looks me in the eye when he speaks and leaving the careers so early in the game has to be a sure sign. My gut tells me he isn't lying, so I lower my knife. Kingsley drops his backpack and I allow myself to take a few steps closer.

"Allies?" he asks me.

Maybe he can help me. He's obviously handy with that harpoon. He's strong too. Maybe working with him for a little bit won't be so bad. Either way, both of us or one of us is going to die.

"…Allies."