Be warned that the ending may be too graphic for some readers. Someone does die violently (How else would they die? This is the Hunger Games.) at the end. I don't know all of your tolerances for violence. One thing that's horrifying for one person may be everyday for another and, if I've completely screwed up, may be laughable for many of you. I just wanted to give you the heads up. Thanks for reading! -SpockSnapeStephen; 01/29/12

Spock walked from the mouth of the cave to the girl who had recently joined their group. Despite the fact that it was illogical, Miriam and Uhura had insisted on sharing equal amounts of the watch. It was illogical because Spock could go for just as long as they could with much less rest. But he had been outvoted and, though Spock reminded them this was not a democracy, Spock eventually gave in. As a result, there was no watch as Rosemarie and Aidan came upon the cave.

0o0o

Miriam woke to Spock looming over her.

"'S it my watch?" she mumbled.

"Yes, though it is illogical. If you wish, I will take your shift," offered Spock, but Miriam was already up with her sling and caustic stones in hand. Since Miriam was the only one who knew how to use them already, Uhura had given them to her.

Miriam sat down at the front of the cave, expecting an utterly boring watch. Dawn would soon break and even Careers had to sleep sometime. Even so, Miriam wanted to do her part.

If I don't they might throw me out. And there would go my only shot at winning, she thought sourly.

A movement in the bushes startled her. Miriam got to her feet quickly.

"Who's there?" she asked in a trembling voice. She ought to go get Ms. Uhura or Mr. Spock but what if it was just a rabbit? How silly would she look then? Little did Miriam know that both Doctor McCoy and Captain Kirk, miles away, were silently begging her to.

Miriam saw a flash of red hair and decided that was that. Better embarrassed than dead.

"Mr. Spock? Ms. Uhura?" she said in a carrying whisper. By now Miriam was sure that someone, or something, was out there.

The two adults were by her side quickly.

"What is it?" asked Uhura quietly.

"I saw something. Red hair, I think." Uhura looked at Spock and they both nodded. The pair drew their weapons and advanced towards the spot Miriam had pointed out, leaving the girl unprotected.

A moment later, Miriam was grabbed with rough hands, one over her mouth. The rustling sound of the bushes alerted Spock and Uhura but when they turned around, no one was there.

"Miriam?" called Spock.

"D-don't. Don't come any closer!" came a small, frightened voice.

"We're not going to hurt you," Uhura replied, "We just want our ally back."
The two Enterprise crewmembers heard mutters and whispers from behind the shrub.

"Allies? Maybe we-"

"Aidan..."

"No, come on..."

"Shh!"
"Fine."

Uhura rocked back on her foot impatiently. A scuffle, and a black-haired, grey-eyed boy came out holding a tiny knife and Miriam. A pudgy redhead with green eyes accompanied him.

"We'll let her go, if you let us join you," the boy said uncertainly, looking at the girl for support. She nodded.

"The more the merrier," Uhura replied.

0o0o

Back in bed, Miriam was cursing herself. A chain was only as strong as its weakest link and she was it. She had let herself get captured! If it weren't for her two allies, she'd probably be dead; the boy, Aidan, wouldn't have killed her but Rosemarie might have. They'd been arguing in the bushes. Rosemarie had been all for running away but Aidan convinced her to make allies. How the two ended up together, Miriam had no idea. Aidan was quiet and prefered calm while Rosemarie liked to talk loudly. It's not like they were from the same district or anything either. Joining up had probably been Rose's idea. Miriam had a feeling that the boy from District Twelve would have been just fine alone.

0o0o

Uhura watched Miriam and Rose talk together as they practiced shooting with the sling. Though they wouldn't have if the circumstances hadn't been so strange, the two were becoming friends. Aidan, on the other hand, was quiet and didn't speak much to Uhura, despite her best attempts, and never to Spock. The boy only spoke to the two girls. Spock had voiced doubts about making Rose and Aidan their allies but Uhura didn't think the pair would turn on the rest of the group. Rose and Miriam were friends and Aidan... Shy? Very. But a backstabber? Unlikely.

A wind picked up and scattered beautiful, fiery leaves across the forest floor. It didn't really seem like the Hunger Games at all. Nothing much had happened. One more boy died. One more family began to mourn. Based on the others' accounts, Spock had conjectured that the arena was divided into four sections, one for each season. No one else had come by the cave; Aidan had last seen the Careers heading towards the spring section of the arena. The five allies had settled into a fairly unstressful routine.

Someone should have figured the Gamemakers were getting bored.

0o0o

Rose and Miriam came out of the trees, laughing, with two full waterbottles. The air was moist and the colorful trees were dazzling. If Uhura let herself, it was easy to pretend she wasn't in the Games.

"I can fill you your waterbottle for you, Ms. Uhura, if you like." That was Rose, her hand already reaching for Uhura's waterbottle. Uhura had an idea that most of the kids in the Hunger Games were kind or would have been if fate were not so cruel.

"Thanks Rose."
A minute later, a girl's scream came from the direction of the stream. Uhura sprinted there, pausing only to grab Rose's forgotten knife.

A horrible sight waited for the group at the river. Tornado-beings full of dirt and twigs and leaves were stripping away the thing that used to be Rose. A piece of skin hit a nearby tree with a sickening noise, spraying droplets of blood. Something long, slimy, grey, and tubular was whisked away into the roiling river. The whirlwinds now had a distinctly red color, almost like Rose's hair. A black stone cut through the things, shooting acid as soon as it hit a tree. Uhura looked behind her to see a shaking, pale Miriam standing resolute in her attempt to save the girl, though it was no use. There was nothing left to save.

The acid only drove them away, back into nothing. Deathly quiet filled the clearing around the river. A thud sounded as Aidan hit the ground in a faint, breaking the silence. Uhura ran for a cluster of trees and threw up. It wasn't so easy to pretend she was somewhere else. Not anymore.