Okay I have a few excuses for how late this is. Firstly, I was camping (no laptop) for a few days, secondly I got summer work from college which I've made myself start (cry) and lastly I wanted to write this properly because it's the final few chapters and someone told me once the 14th chapter is supposed to be the best (no pressure then). I know none of those reasons are good enough seeing as I started this when I was in the middle of taking my GCSE's and managed to update more often, but what can I say? I'M SORRY :'(

Reviewers (love you):

FiringShootingStar: Both Careers are still alive at this point (sorry was I being confusing?). I guess you're about to find out what happens next...

Sugarangelcookies: Oh it's like you read my mind! I certainly have plans of how to continue this although I think I'll probably publish it as a different story as the genre inevitably changes when she's out of the games. I won't spoil it but you're right I imagine her and Finnick's as friends, but did it start that why? (ohhh) I do have ideas for the victory tour and what happens when she mentors and what happens to her family etc. I think it might be why I've been getting stuck on this story is because my brain keeps jumping ahead thinking about afterwards instead.

Sorceress Of The Fake: Welcome! Thank you, it's difficult to try and portray a character before they develop to be the character we know believably and it means a lot you think I did at least an okay job at that. Whe you say 'Friends with Ends' is that like that's a user name it's also from? Or am I being stupid...

Firie: Welcome! (unless you're already a reader who just hasn't reviewed before...in which case welcome back!) Good I'm glad people got that I was having a hard time like writing it in a way that you get the fact it's a trap without Johanna suddenly becoming an electrical wizard even though she's not. Thanks!

MusicForever15: Sorry sorry I know I already I said it but I hate me too! 11 is still reasonably late, I often try and stay up so I can publish a chapter in the American evening and get more hits (sneaky of me I know) but I give up at around eleven and go to sleep. You say such lovely things, extra internet hugs for you!

Johanna had heard many sounds in her time in the arena; the screams of dying children; fresh blood splattering sand; the sizzling of burning flesh; but heavy water droplets falling on the ground were unheard of. Maybe that's why when she woke with a start the next morning, the raindrops falling on the small patch of cave floor open to the elements sounded so ominous. If you listen too long the high-pitched splat of falling water morphed into eerie moans. Johanna poked her head out of the cave only to be soaked in seconds by dusty rain that tasted like thunder. The skies had transformed from the customary electric blue to a brooding purple the colour of fresh bruises. Despite the fact it must have been morning, the yellowy half light that lit the arena at the moment seemed more suited to dusk. The sky rolled with some invisible power and thunder exploded like a million death cannons. This could be no random occurrence; this was the prequel to something important. Johanna could taste the energy in the air and feel the anticipation of all of Panem looking on as the beginning of the end began.

As the first flashes of lightening scarred the sky Johanna quickly dropped back into the cave; she wouldn't put it past the Capitol to target that lightning at any unfortunate tribute left out in the open. Something told her this was the final morning she'd spend in the arena. This was it, final violent day in the arena to be hacked through. The final lives to be stolen before the blood soaked victor emerged. They usually saved the most devastating weapons and the most terrifying mutts for the finale. The storm is just the start. The wind howled and whistled with terrifying power against the walls of the cave as Johanna shivered involuntarily. What had once seemed like a safe haven in a deadly arena was so battered by wind she wondered it didn't fold, leaving her buried in stone. Johanna sat in the cave listening to the wind howling like some deranged beast screaming its despair into the storm for a while. It could have been minutes or hours or days; trapped in the cave by the storm Johanna lost all sense of time.

The noise of the storm changing slightly was the only marker of time. The deranged howling beast seemed to separate into a whole pack of animals driven by the hunt. Maybe it was her ears playing tricks on her, but individual squawks and an odd flapping seemed to be separating themselves from the mass. Johanna hauled her stiff limbs out of the cave to get a better understanding of what was going on. A feeling of dread in the pit of stomach told her it wouldn't be good. She was soaked through in seconds as the vicious rain slapped into her face and plastered her hair to her cheeks in seconds. Squinting around the landscape rippling with wind, nervously clutching the slippery handle of her axe, everything seemed to be a monster making it was hard to find the real danger. But as a lightning bolt took a snapshot of the wild landscape, the sky was thrown into sharp relief. There was something in the storm. Huge flapping shadows were squawking high overhead. Sharp talons and lethal beaks were lit up by lightening as the birds the size of small children started to descend.

Run. A blood freezing hunting cry split the air. Johanna stumbled down the hill trying to put some distance between her and the flapping beasts over head. It was like the sandstorm all over again as she forced her feet to move faster than the wind howling in her ears. Only this time she couldn't have any hope of outrunning what was coming. It was like every time she'd thought she'd seen the worst of the arena they introduced some new horror that trumped the last. Scrambling down the scree that constantly made her loose her footing, Johanna tried wildly to concoct some sort of plan. When the danger was from above, there was surely nowhere safe to run to? But it wasn't like the birds were going to wait to attack until she found a strategic position anyway. By the time she had was halfway down the slope she felt the first talons ripping into her shoulders.

White-hot pain was all she could think about for a second as the talons stronger than metal ripped into the flesh of her shoulders spurting blood onto her cheeks but as the unnaturally strong bird threatened to lift her off the ground instinct kicked in. With both hands, she smashed her axe backwards over her head to where the birds skull must have been. A screech from the bird that hurt Johanna's ears and the loosening of the claws on her shoulder told her she had hit the mark. Johanna turned to confront the winged monster, smashing into the dark feathers again and dodging the evil talons and beak. It's red eyes glowed creepily as it only seemed angered by her attack. But even in the few minutes of holding her position, the sky grew darker with feathers as the birds surrounded her. It seemed standing still was not an option. Johanna edged her way down the slope having to fight a new assailant every few steps. The more fell at her axe the more replaced them. Occasionally, she wouldn't be fast enough and her flesh was ripped a new by unforgiving talons or beaks.

A particularly vivid flash of lightening lit the sky and a zapping sound as if it had found a target made Johanna glance up the slope, whilst still fending of the unrelenting birds. The Cornucopia was glowing and sparking with energy and Johanna thought she saw a dark figure throw itself out of the glowing entrance. Her heart started to beat even faster if that was even possible, as she found a renewed sense of urgency. Smashing her elbow into a birds skull and running through the temporary gap she reached the bottom of the slope. The Capitols ultimate plan must be to have the finalists confront each other of course; but Johanna would rather delay that for as long as possible. Dashing across the beginning of the open plain the air in front of her was relatively free from birds for a few minutes; maybe another tribute out in the open was distracting them. The loss of immediate danger allowed Johanna to feel the searing pain properly where her flesh had been sliced by the lethal birds. She held one hand to her shoulder as she ran to stem the flow of blood for a short while, but her fingers were soon slippery with blood. The feeling of her broken flesh under her fingers and the warm liquid pooling there was enough to make her feel dizzy with sickness.

But before she could even think further about her wounds, she was inexplicably yanked up into the air by her backpack. The creature's flapping wings were pounding air into her ears as she dangled helplessly in mid air, flailing wildly with her axe at the bird out of her reach. The wet grass beneath her was getting further and further away and soon another bird appeared in front of her. It's sharp beak slashed across the exposed flesh of her sternum and Johanna's scream was lost in the storm. There was only one way out. Down. Johanna wriggled painfully out of the straps of the pack that she had once killed to get and now might kill her. Her axe got caught and it took a few moments of hanging by her hands before she managed to free herself to drop into dizzying space. Rain slapped her in the face and air whistled in her ears. Then she met solid ground with a sickening thud. The jarring impact of her feet hitting the ground was worse than she expected and the whole landscape seem to waver slightly as Johanna tried to regain her balance. But before she was even steady on her feet a heavy fist met her skull.

Johanna's arms wheeled blindly and little coloured lights obscured the face of her attacker as she stumbled backwards. Another fist pounded into her stomach with a thwack and she doubled over, the breath knocked out of her. Johanna glared up at Beau who looked a little pale and had fresh cuts on his face from the birds, but otherwise seemed frustratingly alive. He was also holding his knife, but apparently stabbing her would be too painless. He would make her suffer first.

"How are you even alive?" Johanna gasped out as she regained her breath.

"Sponsors." He shrugged nonchalantly as he raised his fist again. "What did you think because you got that one gift you're their favourite now? Well I hate to disappoint you, but everyone loves a Career."

His arrogant smile leached any remaining strength Johanna had. This is the way it was supposed to be. She would die and he, the Career, would be victorious. Another heavy blow pounded into her from her left side. The pain knocked some sense into her. The only way she'd forced herself to survive this long was on the hope that she would return a victor. If she died now then all she would be was a murderer. If she died now, what was the point in it all? Johanna lifted her axe with shaking hands and a new determination and took a heavy swipe at Beau. He dodged but the quickness of his strike had thrown him and the smile had slid from his face. Maybe he was more affected by his injuries than he cared to admit because he was barely managing to dodge Johanna's steady stream of strikes in time.

As they fought, the birds had backed off; she could still hear them but apparently watching tributes kill each other is better viewing than allowing their mutts to do it. Johanna was just raising her axe to strike again as they circled each other when a look of triumph crossed Beau's face. She dared to glance briefly over her shoulder to see Titane charging towards them a look of set determination on her face. Johanna stood frozen, caught between the two Careers. Beau seemed certain Titane would side with him at least temporarily to kill Johanna, Johanna wasn't so sure. Despite the screeching birds, roaring wind and thunder in Johanna's mind there was silence as she watched Titane raise her knife. Then it was buried in Beau's neck.

Beau fell to his knee's gasping as blood poured from the fatal wound a look of pure disbelief in his eyes. Then Titane was throwing Johanna to the ground with such force her head slammed back and an odd ringing filled her ears. Johanna turned her head in the grass to find her axe and watched Titane whisper to her former ally 'you don't even deserve second place', before she ripped the knife out of his neck and the cannon boomed.

Hope that was worth the wait and review to guilt me into updating quicker :)