Welcome back to SHIFTING SANDS!

Hope you enjoy yourself in District 11!

Today's tributes were sent in by Axe Smelling God (North) and Galaxy842 (Wren)!

North Lindell (17) District Eleven Female

"Come on Holden, we have to go."

"I don't want too!" The young twelve year old boy whined.

North scowled. "You don't have a choice! And I don't either." She then realized that she should offer up a little bit of sympathy for her little brother. It was his first Reaping where he could be selected, after all. "Just please get dressed. The last thing we need is to be late."

"Alright..." Holden sighed as he went to get dressed into his nicest clothes for the Reaping.

North was already in her outfit, a peach colored dress. It wasn't the nicest thing, or the most comfortable, but it would have to do.

Holden returned wearing nice clothes that looked far too small on him. "You look great." North said plainly.

Holden looked like a young male version of herself. They had the same light brown colored skin with a black curly afro and high cheekbones with dark brown eyes. It was obvious to anyone that they were siblings.

She began to lead her brother toward the exit of the group home they lived in. It was really just an orphanage, but saying group home made it sound a little bit nicer. Anything that could make it better was welcome.

North was always bitter about how her parents left her and her brother here out of nowhere with no explanation. One day, they were a family of four, and the next day, they were sharing a bunk in a room with other children who were strangers to them. This caused North to be wary of others, specifically adults, as she knew they had the capability to stab her in the back at any second.

She couldn't believe how heartless some people were to do something like that to two innocent children. This event is probably what caused North's anger issues. She usually responded to most situations with anger, but she was working on it. She tried to keep up a soft side, for Holden's sake. He didn't do anything wrong, and he deserved to have a sisterly figure to take care of him like a real parent should have.

In actuality, Holden helped keep North in check. He was young, but he was able to keep up with her multiple contrasting traits. Sometimes, she was intense; then the next day she would be easygoing. She was both hard and soft, both vulnerable and strong, both logical and impulsive. It was admittedly hard to deal with, but Holden always kept a smile up.

In turn, she would make sacrifices for him. She always find herself standing up for the underdog in a situation, against her better judgement. Whenever the woman in charge of the home would scold her brother or one of the younger children, North was always there to defend them. Usually, she would regret this later, but it would at least be worth it in the moment.

She normally made up for her occasional acting out by taking out tesserae to earn her keep with the owner. North didn't even want to think of how many times her name was at risk of being selected this year. Luckily, lots of other children had to do the same thing in District Eleven, where families were big and food was scarce.

"It's hot out today." Holden observed as they trudged to the square, snapping North back into reality.

"Yeah, I'm dying out here." North said, feeling overwhelmed in the sweltering heat.

"Are we almost there?" Holden asked.

"We've still got awhile to go." North said. Their home District was pretty large, due to the countless amounts of orchards that filled the land.

Despite the frequent whippings of workers, it was a peaceful place compared to what was to come for her in the near future.

Wren Arthur (16) District Eleven Male

"Pass me another." Wren commanded.

He watched closely as his friend, Pepper, handed him another beer.

Wren had a wide smile on his face, which was a rarity. He never smiled, but unwinding with his friends on the day he shouldn't just felt right.

"Are you sure you want to be that drunk for the Reaping?" Willow, another one of his friends, said with a slight laugh.

"I don't care, honestly." Wren countered. The thought of submitting to the Capitol made him feel nothing but disgust. He had gone from enjoying himself to feeling mad in an instant, although they should expect this from him. He had been having swings like this for awhile now. "They can kiss my ass." Wren added as he began to down a bottle of the bitter drink.

"I'm with you on that one." Noel, the leader of their little group of four, agreed. Wren went for another drink and felt himself slowly slipping away with each bottle. He knew he was addicted to alcohol, but he never did anything to stop himself. Alcohol was the only form of escape he had, after all. His entire life revolved around his drink breaks. There was nothing else to look forward to in life. Anytime he got attached to something, it would go away in someway or another. Alcohol wouldn't leave him.

Wren slogged through his entire shift at the orchards, every day, just waiting until he got to meet with his friends and forget about his worries for a little while. He had long shifts at the orchards, as he had been working there for a few years now. Wren was forced to drop out of school at a young age after his father died of cancer. That just left Wren with his mother Carrita, who worked hard to provide for her son, but it wasn't enough, and he had no choice but to pitch in. Soon after this was when he discovered alcohol after he was dared to steal a few beers from the rundown bar in District Eleven. Something had lit up in him when he had his first sip. He soon found himself instantly addicted at age fourteen. The beers had filled the void that his father's death had caused.

However, the alcohol also had altered the way he acted. He often had rebellious moments in the district, usually while under the influence, which resulted him being whipped a few times in the square. Everyone around him notice the change, but they had learned to deal with it by now.

"Well, that's the last of it." Pepper deduced as she looked at the empty bottles at their feet. The four of them had created quite the stockpile for Reaping Day and they flew through it quickly.

The group of four all split up and went home to get ready the Reaping, each of them feeling the affects of the drinks setting in.

Wren stumbled through the doorway, finding his mom lying down resting.

"Oh, hey, honey." Carrita said, looking up from her resting position.

"H-hey mom." Wren slurred.

"We'll leave for the Reaping soon." Caritta announced, resting her hand on her forehead.

"Whatever." Wren responded as he turned away, going to put on his Reaping clothes.

His mother felt a flicker of confusion. She knew he was prone to his angry outbursts, but normally he was respectful towards her.

Wren paid no mind to her as he changed into a tatty old brown shirt and blue jeans, the nicest clothes he owned. He hated dressing up. Why should he look nice for the Capitol?

"Have you been drinking again? I told you to stop that." Caritta scolded him as she entered the room.

"Okay." He stated simply.

Caritta didn't even know what to say to his lack of response and she turned and left the room. She was unaware of how bad Wren's addiction was.

And he didn't plan on sharing that anytime soon.

North Lindell (17) District Eleven Female

After the long walk in the heat, North and Holden reached their destination.

"I don't want them to draw any of my blood!" Holden said, slightly panicked.

North had forgot to tell him about this part. "It's fine...you won't even feel it."

She slowly began pulling Holden toward the desks. He followed reluctantly. North signed in and watched as her brother has his blood drawn. He flinched a little, but seemed fine. "I told you it wasn't bad." North said. "Now we have to split up. I'll meet you afterward, right here. Okay?"

Holden shook his head and joined the other twelve year old boys. North walked up and entered the seventeen year old girl section. She didn't talk to anyone, as she didn't know any of these girls. They all lived with their parents, not at the group home. It just yet again reminded North of her being left behind.

She begin to feel angry feelings stir within her. Her emotions were a good distraction from the fear of being picked as she waited for the ceremony to begin.

Hyacinth, the escort, was staring out at the teenagers in the crowd with doe eyes. She looked uncertain about what to say but she tapped the mic, causing the crowd to go silent.

North turned her attention to the stage. Hyacinth was wearing a light blue dress with multiple odd shapes protruding off of it. She had dark skin and buzzed short black hair. "Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to the Reaping." She said lightly but sternly.

"We will start right away," Hyacinth announced. "First, with the female tribute." She said as she stepped toward the female bowl that was nearly overflowing with names. She grabbed the first one off the top and returned to her spot. "The Female tribute for District Eleven is...North Lindell."

North's eyes flew wide. She was completely taken aback by her selection. She started to step out of her spot and she began her way towards the stage, trying to look fearless.

"North..." Holden whispered quietly from where he was standing. North turned to see her brother standing next to her. She reached her hand out and placed her hand on his for a brief moment before the Peacekeepers urged her to go forward.

North still felt completely surprised about being picked as she locked eyes with her younger brother in the crowd. Unsurprisingly, there were no one volunteered to take her place.

Hyacinth didn't say anything to her as she went to the male bowl and mixed the slips up for a second before snatching up a name. "The male tribute is...Wren Arthur."

Everyone in the District turned toward the male side of the square. A boy in the seventeen year old section began stumbling toward the stage, muttering incoherent things under his breath. He looked completely out of it. Peacekeepers surrounded him and began escorting him toward the stage. One grabbed his arms, and the reaped boy angrily shoved his arm away, frustrating the peacekeeper.

They forced him up the steps. "Shake hands." Hyacinth commanded, eyeing them up and down.

"T-the n...names Wren." The boy slurred as he held his hand out. North shook it with a confused scowl on her face. Is he drunk or something?

North studied the boy, who looked angry about being reaped.

She didn't dwell on the subject any longer as she was pushed into the Justice Building alongside her most likely wasted district partner.

Wren Arthur (16) District Eleven Male

Memories of being publicly punished for various rebellious acts swarmed over Wren as he took a look at the square. He joined the other sixteen year old boys, waiting for Hyacinth to start speaking. Although Wren had the same caramel skin and brown hair and eyes as lots of people in the District, he was a bit more muscular due to lifting crates in the orchards all day. Most of the other boys didn't recognize him, since they had forgotten about him dropping out of school by now.

Wren didn't care, he didn't feel like starting a conversation now. He stared ahead with dazed, intoxicated eyes, wanting the Reaping to be done so he wouldn't be forced to spend another minute here.

After what felt like an eternity, Hyacinth started, rushing through the mandatory introductions and going to the most important part. "First, with the female tribute..." Hyacinth trailed off as she grabbed a slip."North Lindell."

A seventeen year old girl began walking toward the stage. She looked shocked.

Wren hardly acknowledged her being Reaped, lost in his own mindset and not paying any attention.

Soon, Hyacinth grabbed a slip from the second bowl. Wren looked up slowly, half interested in what was going on. She opened the piece of paper. "The male tribute is...Wren Arthur."

Realization dawned onto Wren as he learned that he was picked. He began to feel anger boil in his veins. He stepped out of the crowd and began staggering up to the stage. Everyone's eyes were on him, but he paid no mind to them. "Stupid reaping..." He mumbled under his breath, not bothering to hide the large scowl on his face. He would not hold back when it came to revealing how he felt about the Capitol.

One of the Peacekeepers placed his hand on Wren, physically shoving him towards the stage. Wren pushed him off, glaring at the man in the white uniform, which only frustrated the Peacekeeper further.

He gave the cameras a glare as he reached the top of the stage, Hyacinth directing him near his district partner. "Shake hands."

The girl held her hand out and gave Wren an odd look as he shook her hand. What the hell is her problem?

The last thing Wren needed right now was judgement from this random girl who was in the situation as him.

He returned her angry scowl as he staggered into the Justice Building, still processing what had just unfolded.

North Lindell (17) District Eleven Female

North settled herself inside the Gooodbye Room, trying to calm down. She didn't look to be panicked, but she felt uneasy inside. She tapped her foot, waiting for her younger brother to crash through into the room.

Holden opened the door and ran to North, throwing his arms around her. North saw tears in his eyes, and she hastily wiped them away. She felt more angry than anything. The Capitol was ripping her away from her poor younger brother.

Haven't we been through enough?

"Please don't go..." Holden murmured softly.

"Don't say that!" North snapped. "Don't make me feel guilty. I didn't cause this."

Holden looked surprised by her sudden outburst.

"Look, I'm sorry. It's just, you know how unfair this shit is?" North said, staring down at the floor.

"You don't deserve to die!" Holden piped up.

"I know." North said darkly. "But neither do you. You have to promise me that you'll take care of yourself when I'm gone. You won't have me watch after you."

"Okay." Holden said.

North wrapped her arms around him as the Peacekeepers began to tug him away. "No!" She yelled angrily. She tried to reach out for him, but she knew deep down that her efforts were futile.

She sat down feeling conflicting emotions of anger and sadness. She was also surprised by her guilt over leaving Holden behind. Maybe if I didn't take so much tesserae...

North realized with horror that she probably caused all of this. She did it to herself, and now both her and Holden were suffering.

Snap out of it! North screamed internally. She tried to stop herself from overthinking. It would only cloud her mind from focusing on the task at hand.

She had to win. There was no other option.

Wren Arthur (16) District Eleven Male

Wren clenched his fists as he stood in one of the rooms, alone for the time being. It was unfair that he was going through this. Hadn't he faced enough in life? His dad died of cancer, he had to drop out of school, and now this?

He felt unimaginable anger, although his face softened slightly when his mother walked in, a few tears on her face. "I'm sorry for anything I ever said..."

"It's fine!" Wren snapped. "I have much bigger problems now."

"That's right." Caritta said, her voice full of despair. "Promise me you'll behave yourself and win?"

"I'll win. No doubt." Wren promised. "But I'm not doing anything they tell me to do."

"Just...be careful." She said, and Wren nodded.

"Of course." Wren nodded.

And just like that, his mother was told to leave, causing his rage to return at the sight of it.

The sudden arrival of his friends, Noel, Pepper, and Willow, only caused these feelings to heighten. They looked just as furious at him.

"What the hell is this!" Pepper shouted angrily.

"These Games are so damn stupid." Noel said.

"You better come back here." Willow demanded.

"Oh I will." Wren said, crossing his arms. "I'll do whatever it takes to get out of there."

"And more importantly, give those Capitol assholes a piece of your mind." Noel said with a sly grin.

"That's a given." Wren responded, a small, mischievous smile growing on his face.

"That's our boy." Noel said, slapping his back.

"Alright, that's enough." One of the Peacekeepers said, forcing the drunk teens out of the room.

"We'll drink in your honor until you come back." Pepper said lastly before the door closed.

The Capitol may be able to force Wren into these Games, but they wouldn't be able to silence him.

Only a few more Reapings left! Next time, we will tackle the last Career District (Two)

Tell me your thoughts in a review!

Thanks for Reading!

-Pierana