YAY! I sort of kept my promise about the next posting! Love al of you guys who are following this story [NOW FREAKING 10 PEOPLE THAT'S AMAZING ND SUCH AN HONOUR! THANK YOU TO: CatchingtheDrift, Hermione Sparkle, IzzyTheNinja, Music4ever19, Ncook0012, ShikaaaXxx, Smuzzie, TheZombieWolf, TwilightNinja00, paristraveler22 & Favourites: Hermione Sparkle, Loveteenwolfxo, TwilightNinja00, maangel09, smilin steph!]

-Miche

Chapter 14: Day 4, Breaking Free

It had been 2 normal days for us at camp since Titan's death. Nothing abnormal, no deaths, no infiltrations, no accidents, and everyone was getting along. Things were pretty mellow. All they had noticed that second day was the canon for him went off after they left. To keep their trust I told them 'I watched him die, and beg for mercy.' it wasn't the truth, but then again I wasn't straying from the actual events.

Today I had been more than ever within their trust circle. This was my perfect opportunity to leave. In the past few days I had been secretly packing my bag with small portions of food and survival gear. So far I had food for two weeks, a water bottle already filled, vitamin chews, a small first aid kit I scavenged, and two or three knives. My sleeping bag would be included along with my trident but that would happen as I was about to leave.

I'd been working on my "relationship" with Solar as well. He always was flirting and I gave it right back, not wanting to seem like an independent person. He would always sit with me and be on my team when we would play games on the beach. I'm sure his feelings were only miniscule or psuede. At least I hoped they were.

After dinner, and a quick game of chicken in the waves (Solar and I beating both Diamonde and Lockwood, and Zyre and Ginger) we had some peaches as a sort of dessert. They were sweet, and we didn't really have any candy or chocolates.

"Hey guys, I'll take the first watch tonight." I offered. The snow was back, as it had every night since the first, and with it came the freezing cold. Anything outside of the tents when it started would be frozen solid by midnight. We always saw the thawing process of objects around us once the morning light came. The island seemed to change once the sun went down. sometimes i would hear howling at night, solar 'comforting' me saying it was just the wind. I knew it wasn't.

"You sure?" Zyre was always the first.

"Yeah, after all I did beat all of you." They all laughed before making their way into their tents, the snow starting to fall once more.

"Rainbow!" Solar called out, prancing on over to me, he had pride in his walk. "I gotta tell ya that you're a special girl." I smiled.

"Really?" I had let my hair out of its braid that day, so putting it behind my ear kept the lie I was interested. "You think that?"

"Yeah. Finnick doesn't deserve you."

"And you have an idea of who might?"

"Maybe." He smirked before pulling me in for an almost kiss, but one of our feet slipped (mine because I didn't want to kiss him) and we ended up on the sand, me above him. We laughed before he slowly craned his head up to meet my lips with his. There were a few brief kisses shared that lasted long enough to make me blush. "Stay safe, Fishgirl."

"Will do." My smiled dropped the second he looked away. Stone hard, the way my father raised me to be in situations of danger. No emotion.

Only half an hour later, everyone was out and it was my time. I snuck my sleeping back out of the tent where Solar was Sleeping, trying my absolute best to stay quiet, and was able to get it to my pack and trident which I hid behind the cornucopia.

I thought would be "nice" to put the fire out.

If any tribute wanted to attack or get something from the stash, now would be the time. Right as I threw the rest of the fresh water on it, I heard footsteps behind me. I dropped low to the ground and used Zyre and Ginger's tent as cover. I looked to see Starle and Sheah snooping around in the stash of things, they had no weapons and barely anything to cover them from an attack. Both had their backs to the camp.

A distraction.

Enhanced by the snow clouds, the light from the erupting volcano allowed me to see them, but I knew for the other careers they would need some time to adjust. I figured out a plan.

I walked in a circle of the tents, trying not to brush any of them without alarming the Sheah or Starle. It wasn't my intention to have them die, but if it enabled me to get away, I was doing it. I heard only Solar move when I whispered his name.

"Solar!" I snuck in the tent, pushing him to wake up.

"Hmmm…" he rubbed his face, still trying to wake up.

"There are tributes outside!"

"What?" he was awake. His eyes had a deadly look in them.

"There's tributes-" his hand covered my mouth. At this moment I had used my minimal acting skills to panic and tear up.

"Where are they?"

"By the cornucopia. I dozed for one second and woke with the fire out… what do we do?!" I held onto him, forcing him to think I was afraid. "They're going to kill me for letting them into camp. I-I didn't know what to do!"

"It's okay, just stay by me when we fight, and if one of them comes at you yell for me."I nodded and he tried to smile to encourage me everything was okay. We stepped outside, him holding his spear and I my trident. When he saw them I felt his body tense up.

I backed up from him.

"It's okay. Well beat them!" he smiled but it faded as I began looking afraid of him. I held my trident next to me, ready to take him as he saw my pack filled and on me "Don't-" he reached for me but I stepped back a it. "Rain, don't do this."

"I dont want to die, you know that." My true intentions of getting away were now open for him to see.

"So you're going to kill me? Was that what it was all about? You'd fool me then kill me?"

"I didn't fool you, you did it to yourself-"

"That kiss meant nothing to you?" It changed from a friendly smile to a confused and cold scowl the second he saw my confusion. Why would I ever think it would be anything other than strategy? He was hurt by my actions, that I had lied so well he believed me. It had meant nothing. It was a play, a strategy, nothing but a distraction to keep him off my trail.

"No. It meant nothing to me." a contorted frown came across him. "It was just to keep you occupied while I planned to get away." I felt one of my own tears fall. Yes I felt bad about betraying him and the rest, but it was to survive. I just hoped it wouldn't be me who'd kill them. Solar huffed and laughed in anger before having a small insane light in his eyes.

"TRIBUTES!" Solar screamed. The whole camp jumped out of their tents to find their weapons. This was it. He then took his own sword and slashed a good cut along his face, leaving me confused and defensive still. "They'll think we fought and you got away. I'll give you one day head start, but as soon as the snow begins tomorrow night, I will spend every day hunting you down."

He was telling the truth, and let me walk right past him to the beach. To keep his lie truthful, he back stepped and grabbed my arm. Cutting it with his sword, he drew enough blood to be seen from distance and seen by the others. After I watched him hurt me, knowing he would kill me right away, he jerked my arm forward to the forest line, getting more crimson on his own hand as well.

"Go! You have one day." I ran.

"Get them!" Starle was already down as I went past and I heard her cannon from the edge of the woods. I looked back once covered to see Lockwood's spear in her neck. Sheah was next and was strangled by Zyre. Another cannon.

I saw Solar spot me, but was too slow as he ran to catch me in the forest line. Trees and vines whipped my face as I ran, blind to it all. Soon another body fell on my own, forcing me beneath him.

"Rain, you'll regret this!" Solar yelled, but then whispered for me to hear. "Fight me." and I did, but just enough for him to be bruised up a bit. "Don't linger! Run!" and for the second time that night he gave me my life.

All I did was run.

"I'LL FIND YOU!" I didn't care where as long as it was in the opposite direction of them. "I WILL FIND YOU!"

They probably noticed as soon as Solar ran into the forest that it was me he was chasing. They'd notice I had messed up plenty of their supplies for a few days of recovering. I was their enemy now and they were most likely wanting to come after me, Solar declared he would. If I slowed at any point from now to tomorrow night, no doubt they'd catch me in a few days or so.

I ran until I saw the sun rising again, and felt its warmth melting me of the ice and snow. I had crossed a large river about 100 yards wide, an hour back. It was almost frozen over, so I had to swim the moving waters in the end. The water was higher and the current stronger than I would've thought. It had placed me further down than I cared. It would disrupt where the careers might be looking for me.

Thinking I heard someone, I almost jumped right over a cliff side. There were some trees and foliage blocking it cleverly, but the tree stopped me. I couldn't breathe from running so long and it all hit me that I was in need of water.

I was alone now. Hopefully either I'd find Grey, or I would stay alone for the remainder.

It was about sunset judging from the colours of the sky, pinks, pastel blues and yellows, and I hadn't heard anything yet since I stopped. My legs had been cramped up for a while from hiding in an opening of boulders and I really needed to find if there was any river nearby. The large river I crossed was filled with saltwater and was therefore undrinkable. I'd also need to find a way to look for any other tributes or a safe place, should they find me instead.

My leg began to cramp up and my back as well. Stepping out of my shelter was the best thing to do only after I made sure there was no one around. My body was a bit more relaxed and able to move more now, yet still alert for any dangers. When I had stopped running I had emptied my water supplies from dehydration and now needed more water.

Remembering the cliff I almost fell from, I checked to see if a small pond or waterfall was nearby. A few rocks fell from the ledge on accident and I looked to see a small river along the edge of the cliff side emptying into a small pond that overflowed into a waterfall. Perfect.

As I climbed down, everything melted and thawed by this point, I didn't care much about what was around me and what thorn like plats cut my skin or dirt on my hair i'd wash it in the water. There was nothing I wanted more then to get to that pond. My foolishness cost me.

I jumped into the pond, it being a good distance wide and deep. It soothed my cuts and blisters on my arms and feet. And I was able to let my hair out to wash it through. I was just relaxed enough to fall asleep when I heard a snap of a twig.

I went upright and saw, in a tree nearby, a tribute with a bow. Pointed straight at me. She let it go and it flew past my ear before shouting "Tribute!" it was Coal: District Twelve.

In the panic she struggled loading her second arrow, she gave me time to jump out of the water. Her second arrow wasn't close to me as I climbed the side of the eight foot cliff. I made it to the top only to see other tributes surrounding me. Maple, Pann, and Willow all stood there. The underdogs had banded together. Maple looked at me, still with apprehension, but glad I kept my word.

"Did you get them?" A male voice called out from the right.

"Have her right here." Willow said over her shoulder. I saw that Coal had made it up the cliff side too, joining the others. She gave Willow my trident to hold and stood confidently next to her. I flinched at her, and she recoiled slightly, showing fear and weakness for a split second. Coal had her bow up immediately, this time pointed directly into my temple. I felt the sharpness of the arrows break my skin, releasing a small amount of blood. She was warning me to back up, as I was in no position to refuse, so I did.

The voice came out from the foliage and it stunned me to see who it was. "Alright who do we have-" I gasped "-here."

"Grey!" my eyes began to sting as I saw him restrain himself from moving toward me.

"Where are the careers." He demanded, no mercy in his face or tone.

"I ran from them last night-"

"So you're alone?"

"I have been since Starle and Sheah's deaths-"

"Are you sure you're not being followed?"

"Yes! Solar let me go! He gave me a day's head start!" they didn't quite believe me yet. "Don't you think if they were following me we'd all know by now?" His eyes were cold. "Please, believe me-" and I was surrounded by warm strong arms that lifted me in the air. He believed me.

"Rain.." he whispered in my ear and kissed my head. I could feel the relief and happiness in his voice that I was alive. He could now hold me and I didn't object, holding him tighter. The other tributes might've looked at us like we were crazy, or with admiration that we had such a strong bond. In this world, he was what kept me sane and safe. I kept him in check of his emotions, anger and all that. He was there for me when I didn't want anyone around and still seemed to help by saying nothing.

Grey let me on the ground and I just looked at him as he smiled. No sooner had he set me down, we heard a few twigs snap, followed by an "ouch!" too close by.

"Do you hear something?" an unknown voice whispered.

"Alright time to go." Coal whispered. She was right because we heard other tributes near by, walking and talking rather loudly. She disappeared in a tree as Pann and maple also seemed to vanish somewhere. Only Willow was left with Grey and I.

"Come this way." He pulled me along with him down the side of the small cliff to the ledge.

"Are you crazy?"

"Yep!" he climbed down a rope but I saw him disappear. I looked over the edge and only saw the drop, and about 300 feet down, there were thorn covered plants. They hadn't looked like they grew in water rich temperatures for they were all dried out and sharp.

"Grey!"

"What?" he popped his head out of the side of the cliff.

"What are you doing?"

"Hiding? Come on, use the vine and climb down." I saw the other vines hanging off the sides but underneath them I could see a slight smoother one. A rope. If you were in a hurry you'd miss it, and we were, but I had time to look for it.

"It's coming from over here I think!" a voice said from the forest level.

"Hurry!" he whispered as I quickly grabbed the rope and slowly lowers myself down the side.

About three feet down I was unseen but one more shift of my foot and I lost my footing

"Oh, sh-" I swung there for a minute, my hands feeling like jelly from grasping the rope bare handed. Sooner than I expected arms grabbed around me and pulled me down into a cave in the side of the cliff. I tried screaming for them to let me go, not knowing who it was, but a hand covered my mouth.

"It's me, idiot! Shut up!" Grey yelled in a whisper. I calmed down knowing it was him before him and Willow sunk deeper into the cave, hiding behind more thorn plants that grew. We waited for the voice to return.

"You think it was tributes?"

"Maybe..." I recognized the voices of Lyant and Terri, District Ten. Grey kept me back as we all crammed in the cave, seeing dirt fall from the top where they must have been peering off. "No sign of anything, probably an animal that fell in this pond." We all listened as they gathered water and spoke of winning the games. Their voices faded and Grey checked to see if they had gone.

"It's clear!" I followed last as they all exited the way they'd come in the small cave. Grey helping me with the last step out. "We found that the first night when Pann almost fell over. He grabbed a vine and swung in. Coal thought he died, but we heard his voice complaining of hitting his head. We've made it our camp since."

"It's a perfect little spot, near water and foliage for hiding."

"Yeah we thought so, too." The rest of the day, I spent with them collecting fruits and plants to eat when the weather cooled once more. Grey had given me my necklace back as we searched, helping me to put it on. After seeing a small glimpse of jealousy from Coal, I knew something was up between her and Grey.

The snow began once the sun had set, and we got back to camp as the first few flakes fell. This marked the time Solar was coming for me. I was nervous that he would lie and find me before I made it to Grey and the others, but now that I knew this was his deal, it was horrible knowing he was hunting me.

"Why does it do that?" Willow asked Grey about the snow. She hadn't grabbed her pack when presented to her at the blood bath, not knowing it would've been like that. Grey gave her his coat as he used one of the blankets provided by the cornucopia to keep warm that night. I had my jacket coat and Solar's stolen blanket, but helped Coal by giving her my sleeping bag. She had lost her coat fighting with Sheah at the blood bath.

That night was the longest I was allowed to sleep since the games began.