Chapter Ten

Moving through the cover of the trees was a breeze for me. I wanted to try climbing one of them to test out their strength, but I knew that I had to get away from the Cornucopia because the Careers might try searching the woods surrounding it, just in case. I had no doubt in my head that Peece would instantly become part of the Careers and I tried ticking off who would be Careers in my head. Peece, Shimmer, Shiner, Gato, that boy from District Two named Shake, the boy from District One called Pine, The boy from District Eight (Magedeleno I think) and maybe the boy from District Nine named after the Acanthus plant.

I shook my head at some of the names people came up with before realizing that my own name meant sadness, destruction, war, helplessness, disorder, discontent, anger and a whole lot of other things. I simply hitched the pack higher on my back and continued.

I stopped about an hour later to check and see what was in my pack. I found food, at least, but it was only dried berries and a bottle of water. I rolled my eyes and looked through the rest of the content. A hoodie for just in case I lost my jacket, an umbrella for the rain, a flashlight, a box of matches, some bandages, a bottle of antibiotic, a woolen blanket, lots and lots of string, a large empty jug and a pair of nightvision goggles, which were not needed. The day had just begun but it was pretty warm out so I tied my thinner jacket around my waist and stuffed my thicker jacket into the backpack.

I continued walking and wondered what the people at the Capitol were thinking of me now. I chuckled as I thought of their remarks. "I can hear them now, Mariposa. 'So, it turns out the 'demon child' really DID have something up her sleeve after all. How ever did she convince the Gamemakers that she was so helpless? Did she not do anything special in front of them? Did she accidentally mess-up too many times? Did she blackmail them?' Capitol-dwellers are so very predictable if you've been watching them closely for years on end."

Mariposa fluttered beside me as though she were laughing. I continued on my way until I was far enough away that I was sure the Careers wouldn't still be looking for me. I stood very still and listened to the woods around me. My trained ears picked up on more than just bird's wings. I heard little feet hopping here and there. There must have been rabbits and other game here, which ultimately meant larger predators than just humans. I heard the sound of rushing water nearby and grinned to myself.

"Come on, Mariposa; let's get some water. I'll put yours on a leaf so that you don't get swept away in the current."

I bounded off in the direction of the river and smiled as I peered through the underbrush. It didn't look like anyone was around, so I decided to climb a tree and take a look around for anyone nearby. Slinging my pack over both my shoulders, I grabbed onto a tree with my nails, stood on a bush and hoisted myself up to the lowest branches. Grabbing hold of them, I tested their sturdiness and slowly began climbing. I began feeling better the higher I climbed until I could see for quite awhile out. The beautiful was gorgeous at this view. The trees, the wildlife, even the river below me shone with beauty. I smiled and looked around for anyone who could be coming to test their luck at killing me.

No one seemed to be in the immediate vicinity of thirty yards, so I climbed back down, took a leaf and scooped up some water, laying it on the ground for Mariposa. Then, I scooped the water into my hands and began drinking. I would save what was in my pack for later. Then I remembered a large empty jug at the bottom of the pack. Quickly pulling it out, I filled it nearly to the brim with water and replaced it carefully into my pack. It would make my load a little heavier, but the heavier a bag is, the harder you can hit someone with it. I began making my way back toward the Cornucopia because I wanted to see if the Career tributes had looted it comepletely and then set up camp there or looted some of it and set up camp a little ways away.

Suddenly, I got tingles down my back and knew that I was being watched. I looked up to find little Twine staring down at me curiously. I smiled up at her, waved and kept moving. I heard a rustle and knew that she was following me. As long as she wasn't loud, it wasn't a bother. Creeping back to the Cornucopia, I found that there was no one in sight. I decided to try climbing a tree instead so that I could get some leverage. Nimbly climbing the tree nearest me, I scoped out the land and the only eyes I found were Twine's. I nodded to her and jumped down as I watched for traps just in case. Sneaking back to the Cornucopia, I decided to take only what was needed. I grabbed the few remaining knives and some Japanese throwing stars. "I didn't even know they still made these." I murmured as I put them in my pack.

Digging around for a bit, I finally found some food to go by. Five apples, a packet of turkey, a small bag of carrots and a jar of honey. Stealing back into the cover of the trees, I glanced back at the Cornucopia before waving it goodbye for awhile. "Come on Mariposa, let's see if we can find a nice place to sleep."

I heard her footsteps before she spoke. "You can make camp with us." I turned to see Twine staring up at me curiously.

I chuckled. "No thank you, Twine. I would rather not get you, little Wheat and… what's-his-name killed. I tend to attract trouble and I don't need anyone getting killed if I can prevent it a little longer. But here. Take this back to Wheat and what's-his-name." I tossed her three apples and the carrots. "I know it isn't much, but you three need to keep you strength up. Something tells me it's going to be a very fascinating Games this year."

Twine nodded and scurried off into the trees. I hadn't even gone two more steps before she was back, giving me a hug. "Thank you, Kaos."

"Don't thank me, Twine. Bad things usually happen to people who tell me that. Now go before the other two wonder where you are." I place a kiss to the top of her head before she hurried back out. I began walking again and Mariposa landed on my shoulder.

That was nice of you, Kaos. Feeling festive?

I shrugged. "Not festive, just… nice. I like her; she's a sweet one, her and Wheat. That other boy, though, rubs me the wrong way. I don't trust him and I don't think they should either."

Ok then. Let's see if we can find someplace to sleep before dusk.

I continued through the trees for a couple more hours, but when it became clear that I wasn't going to find a useful place to sleep, I grew fed up and climbed into a tree to think. The sun began to set as I thought of everything Katniss and Peeta had told me over what they had done. Peeta had buried himself in mud for days on end, which I knew I could never pull off with how much I need to be accredited as a killer in this, or at least, as much of a killer as possible. The Careers were never going to let me into their group; it had been obvious that Bull had been the leader of that group and usually, hyenas didn't take too kindly to you killing their leader, so I knew they weren't going to accept me in. Plus, I got a one, which automatically makes you think that I'm too weak to do much more than fight, dodge and run.

So I thought more on Katniss. She told me that she had kept constantly on the move, not wanting to stay in one place too long. She had dropped a nest of tracker-jackets on the Careers, but no way was I going looking for a nest of those; that was suicide. Then it hit me; Katniss slept in trees! She had slept in a tree when she found out that Peeta had joined the Careers, she had slept in a tree in order to avoid the Careers, she had even slept in trees to keep a lookout for Peeta when the Capitol called for a new law. I wasn't entirely sure if that law was still in practice now, but it had saved them both, so it might be.

I began maneuvering on the branch I was on so that I could look around and see if there were any branches sturdier than this one. I saw one a bit higher up and climbed up to it, setting my pack near the trunk so it wouldn't fall. I looked at it for a moment and took out my woolen blanket so that I could cover up for the night. Mariposa fluttered next to me and after a moment of thought, I opened the blanket and let her in. Mariposa crawled under the blanket and curled herself into my body. I didn't want to eat anything tonight, but I knew I had to keep my strength up, so I ate some of the dried berries and took a swig of my water bottle.

Finally, when the sun had almost fully set, the cannons began firing. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. I watched the faces flash through the sky. Odd, it seemed like more had died. Or at least that more would have died. Usually first days are much more bloody than this, but only eight died today. Bull, Implicit, Foxface 2.0 (pity she couldn't be like her predecessor), both from District Ten (I wonder how they died. Must have been stabbed in the back), both from District Nine (Pity I really thought Acanthus might have had a chance), and the boy from District Eight (Well that counts him out of being with the Careers). Eight tributes down, sixteen of us left. This was going to be a very interesting Games.