A/N: Thankfully, the reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. :)

Though after my frequent posting I suppose I can see where the worries arose from. I could get you a list of the reasons that I have been absent, tales of star crossed lovers and wild parties. Mixed in with things that drained me of every creative spark I had. But it's the sob story I write, not the one I live you came to hear about. I'm flattered and touched be all those who missed me, and said so. I feel bad having left you waiting for so long. So I hope this chapter makes up for it. I tried to make it a good one.

That said. I hope that I haven't lost the thread or feel of the story in my time off. I can't promise the updates will come as fast as they were, but I can safely say they'll come faster then this one. I beg for your patience with my lazy ways. While I was gone I crossed 400 reviews and 30,000 hits. I am humbled by how well this is doing and I promise that even if they are slightly delayed, chapters will continue to come out until this story is done. :)

I know I have a lot to make up for. And I am going to have to make up for a little more. As much as I want to write out personal apologies to each of my reviewers and laugh about one of two of them (intervention lol. That was only part of the problem.) I can't right now. I wish I had ways to get back to you all later, and those with accounts I will. But if I try to right all my review responses. it will be another week before shit comes out. So forgive me again please.

I hope you don't hate me now. I still love and appreciate all the feedback and support I've gotten in reviews and messages. If life wasn't in the way I would be a much more gracious author. Once again, I thank my amazing editor Ellenka. And in this chapter I start to use the names I asked for earlier. I want to give credit now because I am not sure when all the names will come up.

A special thanks to, Blooredfirefly, Ohhapoo, Aiedail Icestar. and there was one other person who gave me names for tributes and my stupid phone notepad erased it. So if you gave me names and I didn't list you. PM me and I will give you the proper credit.

Without further ado...

Chapter 21

(Gale)

Prim tossed and turned for most of the night. I can only imagine what she was seeing in her dreams, but I know it was nothing good. I tried to comfort her a few times and gently shook her if it got too bad. She never woke up, though, just stopped fussing for a second and settled in again. It must be nice being able to sleep in all the time, actually sleeping through noises around you. I laughed to myself when a picture of waking her up with a splash of water crossed my mind. But no matter how funny it would be, she needs the rest, and I don't need her screaming and telling everyone right where we are. So I let her keep sleeping semi-peacefully, and even with the tossing and turning, she's the picture of peaceful innocence. A candle in the dark.

Me on the other hand, I didn't really sleep at all last night. I closed my eyes and rested after a while, pretending to sleep peacefully in case anyone was watching. But I was always listening, and if anything would've gotten too close, I would've been up in a second. Didn't stay resting all that long either, I got up long before dawn and started to get ready for the day ahead. Besides, staying still gives me too much time to think, and with everything that happened yesterday, it's probably good if I have as little time to think about it as possible.

I took out the spool of fishing line and started prepping simple snares so we could hunt. The only problem with that is having to come back to the traps later. If someone finds them in the meantime, I could be walking right into another kind of trap. Which gives me a great idea, I'll just have to be a little more careful. Also, I might have to rely on my bow a little more for food, which shouldn't be too rough. I might not hit everything I hit in the eye, but I still almost always hit it. Not to mention it doesn't look like gathering will be a problem. I saw all kinds of edible-looking plants, and Prim said she remembers most of them from the books, so we'll easily steer clear of the ones that are no good.

The side of this spool says '200 lbs test'. I've never seen a label on a string or rope like this, most of our rope is homemade, and I used a lot different strings and scraps of thread for my traps back home, but it doesn't take a genius to guess that it means this can hold 200 lbs. I don't know what kind of fish they're expecting me to catch, or how the hell this thin, almost clear string can hold that much weight, but when I try to snap it by hands, I almost cut myself and the line holds. So I start making something a bit... bigger.

I'm just finishing up when I notice that the jungle's gone quiet again, or rather has started making different sounds. First thing I notice is that the birds are back. During the night I heard a lot of noises, but I didn't really hear any birds. At least not the type that chirp and sing.

I look up and even though the sky is still dark, it's getting that predawn look to it. The stars are gone and the black has the slightest hint of blue in it. In a world where I didn't have to worry about the Games, I would probably be on my way to the District 12 fence right now. My steps light and fast, knowing that soon I would be in the place I felt most at home, with the person that made it feel that way. But that's not what fate has in store for me today.

Instead, I tuck everything back into the bag, except the tarp. I use some of the fishing line to tie it around the entire back, the only things left exposed is a small section by the opening and the straps for the arms. I have one last task and it might be the most important, but first I gently wake up Prim. She startles awake, but seems just as scared when she realizes that even though she's awake, she hasn't left the nightmare.

"You gonna be okay?" I ask with a reassuring smile. She nods and starts to get herself together slowly. "We have to get moving, I'll be right back." I dip between the rocks that made the entrance to our hiding spot and undo the traps; we won't need them anymore. I salvage what I can, but time is more important right now. I've been up enough during these hours back while I was home to know this is when most of the tributes actually get their sleep. Predawn is usually the stillest time of the day, both in and outside the arena. So with it being the low point as far as viewers go, the Gamemakers aren't all that keen on wasting any of their special tricks when it's not going to be truly appreciated.

This is the best time to move and I don't plan on wasting it. If we're lucky, this won't take all day, but I would like to get there before it gets too late. I look around for a second and find a decent sized stick. The thick end is about two inches across but it's dry, so I easily snap off two pieces. One about two feet long and the other about a foot and a half. I bring them back to the camp and find Prim already up and looking around to make sure she has everything. I put my hand on her shoulder and make her look at me. Her eyes are tense and holding in loosely veiled panic. I give her a soft smile and pull her into a quick hug. I feel her racing heart ease a little, and when I pull back, she finally returns my smile. I grab the pack, and with a silent nod we start off down the hill.

Unlike yesterday, we don't go up and down every hill, this time I skirt us around the bases, but we stay away from the rivers. It's one of the few places everyone has to go, so it's not safe no matter what time of day it is. Instead, we take straight lines through the jungle, which would be nearly impossible if it wasn't for my over-developed sense of direction to guide us. The jungle is so thick that a true straight line doesn't exist, and there's no way to keep hold of a landmark in the distance, because you can't see more than a few feet around you. But the way a shadow is cast changes slowly and predictably, so between that and my honed instincts, I'm sure we're still headed in the right direction... well pretty sure.

The biggest thing is counting hills, we crossed a couple yesterday and now we've crossed a couple coming back. It's been about 2 hours and the sun is up but just starting to make its way across the 'sky'. If I'm right, we should be on the hill right next to the Cornucopia, but on the side furthest away from it. This is where things are going to get interesting. I take us straight up the hill, cautiously though, in case someone decided to camp up here. I wouldn't. It's too close to the Cornucopia, and the Careers, but I can't assume everyone thinks like I do.

Luckily, when we make it to the top, there is no sign of anyone. I take off the pack and find a place to stash it in a crevice between two large rocks. The tarp does its trick and at a glance, it looks like just another rock, and I doubt anyone passing by would even see it. Leaving it makes me nervous, but it's better than taking it with us. I keep my bow and I still have both knives. I've been wrestling with something all night and now I can't put it off any longer.

I turn towards Prim and hold out one knife by the sheath, "You should take this, you're gonna need it." My words hang in the air and so does the knife. Prim's eyes lock on it, but she doesn't move to take it. I know what she's gonna say before she does. "Prim..."

Then she shakes her head "I don't want it, I won't..."

"This isn't about want. I really don't want to give it to you, but you need to have something you can defend yourself with. I am going to do everything I can to make sure it never comes to that, but if it does..." I sigh and shake my head. "Remember what I said when we were training. I need you to trust me and do what I say; it's the only way this is going to work." She seemed so steadfast when I was explaining it all to her, but I guess giving someone unwavering faith and control is easier said than done. So I justify my actions on her terms, "Besides, you'll need it to help gather plants and roots. You don't exactly have any tools."

I can tell she doesn't like the idea, but she can't argue with my reasoning. She fights it over with herself, then slowly takes the knife by the handle. She immediately shakes it at me. "Okay, but I'm not stabbing anybody."

"Well then, would you mind not waving that thing in my face?" I say, leaning back and away even though it's sheathed.

"Oh right, sorry. But I'm serious…" She crosses her arms after putting the knife away. I can tell she's trying to make a stand here, but I don't have the time or energy right now to tell her how immature she's being. We're in the Games and I don't want her to have to kill anyone either. But if the time comes, I need her to at least be willing to try to defend herself. I'm going to have to deal with this, but not now.

"Whatever, we need to get moving." While we were walking, I spent some time preparing the sticks that I got earlier, and now everything's ready to go. When I put the tied-together sticks in her bag, Prim gives me an odd look, but I don't give her time to ask. "Okay, I'm going to carry you the rest of the way," I say instead. She looks shocked, so I explain, "Right now, it's all about being as quiet as possible. I can move through the woods quieter that anyone, but you're surprisingly heavy-footed for someone who weighs about as much as a wet sponge." She humphs at me, but I continue. "This is going to be really dangerous, but we'll be fine as long as we do it my way."

She just nods her head and lets me lead her up onto a rock, so I can stand in front of it and she can get on my back. I make sure she's high on my back and tell her to hold on with both her legs and arms. My breathing stops until I show her how to hold on without choking me. But after a second she feels almost exactly like the pack. Maybe even lighter.

"Okay, you need to stay as quiet as possible. Try not to talk, but if you need to, whisper in my ear." I feel her nod. "And I need you to keep an eye out for anything that might be coming up on the sides or behind us. I am going to focus on getting us in and out quietly, so you need to watch our backs in case it doesn't work out like I plan." I start down the hill, following our trail from yesterday. I'm a little surprised Prim hasn't noticed that we're retracing out steps, but then again, she wasn't exactly in the best shape when we made this trip in the opposite direction.

We pass the trap I set yesterday in case we were being followed. I'm a little surprised to find out it was never tripped, which means it's gonna go to waste. I grab the bent sapling and cut the trigger, slowly ending its life as a trap. I salvage the carved spikes, but nothing else. I would've left it, but I don't know how much of a hurry we'll be in on the way back, and I'm not taking the chance of running into my own trap.

I stop only for about 10 seconds while doing that, and then we're back on our way. This means we're getting close, so I start to take it a bit slower, making sure my every step is silent and every branch or leaf we disturb is as slowly replaced to its original spot as it was moved in the first place. The combined effort makes sure we move through the jungle with less noise than a gentle breeze. Really, the loudest sound we make getting there is the gasp from Prim when she finally sees where we're going.

Luckily, she covers her mouth so even that little sound is stifled. I step into the clearing and scan the far edges, looking for any signs of someone else being around. I strain my ears as well, and when both senses come up empty, I'm left with the slight comfort that no one is going to leap out of the jungle at us, but I keep checking anyway. I let Prim off my back and she slowly walks over to the bloodstained section of ground that Sera was on. She stares at it for a moment, and then sinks to her knees and starts quietly crying as she gently touches the bloodied leaves on the floor of the clearing. The sound she's making wouldn't travel more than 5 ft though this thick brush, so I let her cry.

I pull out the sticks that I'd prepared earlier, one just slightly longer than the other and tied together in the shape of a cross. I don't know exactly why grave markers are usually this shape, but I know they are. I go to the spot that would've been just above where Sera's head was and push the longer end into the ground. Prim stops crying and watches me with her head slightly tilted in confusion. When I finally get it in far enough that it stands on its own, Prim softly reads the inscription I'd carved in. "Sera Turrance, she came into the Games to save lives, not to take them." I can't tell you how hard it was to get all that on that tiny stick. I spent most of the trip here doing it.

Yet the second Prim looks back at me with her eyes wide in amazement, and for the first time since before the Games started, a real smile, I know it was all worth it. She looks around and finds a few wild flowers, collecting them and putting them at the base of the cross. She reaches out a hand and runs her fingertips over the words I carved, and then bows her head in silence. Prim's taking this better than I thought she would. Once again showing maturity way past her years.

Me? I want to rant like I would in the forest back home. Talk about all the injustice and cruelty, how people like Sera and Prim don't belong in a place like this, and how horrible the Capitol people would have to be in order to cheer at the deaths of such innocent and precious creatures. I don't bother, though. Something tells me we were probably the focus of the Games up until I took out that cross and someone realized what I was going to do. They sure don't want another Rue on their hands.

Also, I don't want to make any unnecessary noise, and I know there's no way I could get started and not get loud. I came all the way back here into a place likely to be surrounded by people who want to kill us because I felt this was something that needed to be done. Words won't make it mean anything more than it does right now. Neither will getting killed, so despite how hard it is to do, I put a hand on Prim's shoulder and when she looks up and back at me, I make the "time to go" head bob. She nods at me silently with a smile on her face and tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

She looks back to the makeshift marker and puts a hand on it. "I'll always remember you, and what you did for us, and I promise I won't let it be for nothing. We are going to win, and when we do, we'll make sure everyone knows how brave you were." Her voice may be almost a whisper, but the way she says it makes it sound like a declaration of war. When she stands up and looks at me, for one of the first times ever she looks almost exactly like her sister. The colors of her skin and hair are still just the opposite, of course, but the unwavering look on her face and the focused determination in her eyes are things that come from another Everdeen.

I can't help but smile to myself. I may have come here to put things right, but it looks like Sera still had one more thing she could do for us. Seeing this gave Prim the fire she lacked coming into the Games, given her a reason to fight other than just survival. Which is one of the few things I couldn't help her with. Thanks again Sera, for everything. I promise I'll get her out of here for you.

Once again I put Prim on my back, this time making my way up the hill. I put her down when we reach the top, and get my pack from between the rocks. Just like I thought, it was fine. The sun is fully up now. If I had to guess I'd say it's about 10 in the morning about now. The day has truly begun, and I can't help but wonder what it has in store for us. It bothers me a little that I have to suppress a smile at the thought.

(Prim)

If I didn't love Gale before, I certainly do now. Not the same way Katniss loves him, but pretty much in the same way that I love her. He's so selfless, even in the middle of all this he took time to do something like that for Sera... and for me. I didn't know it until it happened, but that was exactly what I needed. Placing a marker, the words Gale carved into the wood. I needed all of it. Because now I realize that I can't be afraid anymore, I can't freeze like I did ever again. I have to be strong, like Gale, and Sera. Which means accepting the fact that I can die at any time and will die... unless I do something about it.

I told myself I needed to be strong before, but I didn't really understand what that meant until now. Because having seen real strength firsthand, I can tell you it's much rarer than people think, and most people will never see it.

That's why when we get to the top of the hill and Gale asks me if I need a minute, I just shake my head at him with my lips pressed tight. I'm ready to go before he is and I think I surprise him a little when I take the knife out of my pack and fasten it on my waist. Really it's because I know we have to start collecting food and Gale is right, it will be much easier with the knife. I still don't have any intention of using it on someone, but I find a little cloud of doubt in my mind that wasn't there less than an hour ago.

Unless I do something about it...

If Gale notices me struggling with myself, he doesn't say anything. He just gives me a nod that I know means it's time to go, then starts walking down the trail that we'd left on our way here earlier. I start to follow him and immediately start seeing useful plants and herbs all around us. I must've been really out of it, if I didn't see this all before. I tell Gale we should stop and gather some of it, but he shakes his head and tells me not until we're further away from the Cornucopia. I don't ask again, but I can't help noticing the abundance all around us. Vines, fruits, and herbs that we can use are all over the place. And the fact that I see more everywhere I go makes me a little less worried about finding food later.

We don't take the same path back all the way. After we were off the far side of the hill, back by the creek, Gale stopped us for water. While we were filling our containers, he said that he didn't want to take the chance that someone had found our trail, so we were going to be finding a new place to sleep tonight. I didn't really like the idea much, but Gale knows what he's doing and I promised to both him and Kat that I would follow his lead, no matter what. Something he makes easy with all his strength and confidence.

When we set off again, it's slower and much more careful, like the first day. Gale shows me how to read his steps so that we put our feet down at the same time. Normally it would be impossible for me to keep up with him like that. His stride can be twice mine, but here in the woods his steps are short and measured. He holds the bow down but with an arrow loaded. We don't see anyone, though. We stop a few times when we reach clearings to gather. I look for fruits, berries, nuts and herbs for medicines. I find a lot of medicinals. With what I have already, I could treat burns, infections, even insect bites, at least the ones that itch. I can also stop a wound from bleeding. Something I have had a lot of practice with since the new Peacekeepers came to 12. They have the same stuff we use back home. It's shipped in and we buy it special from the shop now that we have the money, but I guess it really comes from places like this. It's a good thing too, if Gale gets hurt badly, this could save his life.

As for food, despite the variety I saw before, where we stop I find an abundance of one particular berry. I can't remember its name but I remember the picture, and these are definitely on the, "safe to eat" list. It might lack variety, but I nearly fill my bag, using the shirt I started with as a pouch.

Gale stands guard and looks for more meaty sources of food while I gather. The second time we stop, I notice him messing with an arrow and staring into the trees. When he's finished, I notice that he's tied the fishing line to it. He draws the bow and fires his leased arrow at something I can't see.

I can tell by the smile and wink he flashes me that he hit what he was aiming for. I stand up and take a few steps forward, just as he yanks on the string.

I almost scream as a huge snake hits the floor in front of me with a thud almost as big as the one I make when I fall backwards trying to get away from it. I'm across the clearing and behind a tree before I realize the thing is already dead. I can barely hear anything over the pounding of my heart, but what I do hear is Gale. He seems to have found this funny to no end, laughing hysterically as he yanks the arrow out of the snake. He cuts the string attached to it before wiping it off with a leaf and putting it back in his quiver. "You should've seen your face," he gets out between bursts of laughter.

I gather myself up and give him a look with all the defiance and "Why I oughtta..." I can muster. Which of course only makes him laugh more. I give up and laugh with him. I have to admit, now that I know I'm safe, it was kinda funny.

The rest of the day seems to go by quickly. The snake gets a couple of weird-looking lizards to keep it company in the makeshift game bag Gale made from a piece of the tent he cut out. Gale also makes gathering a million times easier for me. Showing me tricks how to get to things I can't reach and even pull things out of the ground that I normally don't have the strength for. By the time we're done gathering, I'm sure we have food for the next few days, or at least until this stuff goes bad.

Gale stops us for a minute in a clearing about halfway up the third hill we've been on today. I have no idea how else to keep track of time right now, so I'm counting hills. I'm surprised when I see him gathering what are obviously the makings of a fire, a decent sized one at that. Even I know that this isn't a good idea in the Games. People will be attracted to it. Katniss was very careful about when and if she lit fires, even using them as a distraction. So why is he starting a fire now?

I open my mouth to ask exactly that, but I stop myself. I have no doubts in my mind that Gale knows what he's doing. So even if it's something that makes no sense to me, I'm not going to make him waste time explaining everything he does. I trust Gale, and that means I don't need to know reasons to back him up. I begin to help, grabbing sticks and some dried leaves.

When Gale turns back to see me adding to his fire, I look up with "Is this okay?" written all over my face.

He smiles and nods. "Can you take care of that for me? I need it to be a big one. And put a bunch of live leaves in there too." I quickly nod and can't help the smile that crosses my face at the knowledge that I'm being trusted to help with the plan. It's not the my-life-is-in-your-hands kinda trust I'm giving to Gale, but it's a start. Though when I look back, I have every reason to believe he does have that same trust in me. Even if I didn't score a 12.

While I'm collecting the wood, I see Gale using a small stone to throw the fishing line over branches along the edge of the clearing, then doing something down by the ground. I want to watch, but I need to focus on what I'm doing. So it's not 'til Gale has gotten one whole side done and starts to spread his work out that I notice what he's doing. He's made a net that he covers the floor of the clearing with. Its holes are small and even if it's made from a tiny see-through line, it looks and feels pretty solid to me.

He asks me to help him and leave the stuff for the fire under the net. When we spread it out, he works on the far side from where he started. Starting a new line for this side but doing the same thing he did on the other.

"Okay, I need you to get all the dry leaves you can from around here and pile them on the net. Spread it out so it's all covered, if you can, and just keep going." I spend about ten minutes doing this as he finishes what he's doing, then disappears from the clearing for a second.

When he returns, he has two decent-sized rocks and puts one at each end of the lines. Then he begins helping me fill the net with anything small and dry we can find. When we are done, he leads me over to one of the ends and stands me behind a tree before giving me the string ends with small sticks tied to them about five feet from the end for me to hold. He tells me to hold on tight. The tree is in my way so I can't see what he is doing but he calls over "Ready?" and when I answer yes I feel the strings trying to pull away from me. I peek around the edge of the tree to see the net lifting above our heads, ending at about 20ft high. I think I finally see what Gale is doing here.

After he stops pulling he asks if I'm good holding it still, again I answer yes, and then I feel the occasional tug of the line and hear a few choice swears before Gale appears on my side.

"Okay, I'll take those," he says and does. I couldn't explain to you what he did with the strings. Partially because it didn't look like one of the few knots he taught me, and also because he did it so fast. Before I knew it he was asking me to hand him the rock he'd gotten, tying a piece of fishing line to it, and then running it through the middle of what he'd just been doing . He stabs his knife into the tree near the base and ties the other end of the string the rock is on to it. He takes the spool out and ties the loose end to his knife too. Then begins to make his way around the edge of the clearing, keeping the line low and tight as he circles the bordering trees.

He's making a trip wire, even I can tell that. And as he gets back the knot, I see a strange look on his face, for a second I almost think he is smiling. But when he comes out from behind the trees having finished his trap, his face is completely serious. "Okay, time to go," he says, gathering our stuff and looking around. He stops for a minute and closes his eyes. "Okay, that way is downwind. You start walking slowly that way and I will catch up in a few seconds. Oh, and make sure to step over the line."

I do exactly as he says, and so does he. I'm alone in the jungle for less than a minute before he is hurrying up behind me. I can hear the crackling of fire from behind him; my eyes can't help but stare into the forest towards the sound. "Come on, we gotta move." Gale's eyes are focused and even though they only fall on me for a second, I feel my body stiffen under his intense gaze. He doubles our earlier pace, but we don't actually travel far, I'd say maybe a hundred yards. But with how thick the forest is here, it might as well be miles. I can smell smoke and before long I can see it in the trees above us. Trapped in the air by the thick canopy of leaves.

But it's the next clearing that we cross that Gale stops us in. He puts a finger over his lips, the universal sign for be quiet, and I just nod. In a matter of seconds he's collected enough dry tinder and a few sticks to start a fire. This one much smaller than the other. But before he lights it, he takes out the snake and a lizard and gets them ready to cook, skewering them on a couple of sticks that he leans over the pile. Only then he turns it into a fire. I move to take out the fruit to add to our meal, but Gale makes a small sound to get my attention, and then shakes his head. He mouths, "Later."

I just nod my head, putting the berries away. It's not long before the meat is cooked and he quickly gives one of the big snake strips to each of us, and then stores the rest away. The whole process took less than 10 minutes. Gale wastes no time putting out the fire and covering the remains. He didn't even start to eat until after motioning me that it was time to go. I didn't waste a second digging in, once the meat was in my hands. It's kinda chewy, so I'm still eating as we leave the clearing.

Some people, I imagine, would have a hard time eating something like snake. A lot of people I know are afraid of them. But living in 12 and having a sister who hunts has given me the unique combination of access to strange meats and the dulled taste buds of someone who can't afford to turn down any food. Snake isn't even on the list of strangest things I've eaten. Those little lizard things, though...

I can't describe the sound that echoed through the jungle, startling me out of my thoughts... but it wasn't the shock that made me drop my snake. It was the screaming that followed. I know what's causing that sound; I knew what we were making back there. But hearing it, somehow, makes it all too real. "Did we...?"

I had turned around automatically at the sound and I spoke at barely a whisper, but the big hand that rests on my shoulder belongs to someone who didn't need to hear me to know that I'm wondering. He speaks just loud enough for me to hear, "We... didn't do anything. I... set a trap." The words seem harsh, but the explanation and understanding in his eyes show me what's really behind his reaction. He doesn't want me thinking like that. I may have helped, but not enough to make me guilty, Gale saw to that when he made me leave before it was set.

"But I..." His eyes lock on mine, and the sheer intensity of his gaze freezes the words in my throat.

"You won't be killing anyone. I won't have you going home with nightmares too..." I know exactly what he means, even though he doesn't finish. He turns and motions for me to follow as he begins quietly moving through the brush away from the growing pillar of smoke and crackling of the growing fire. I look down and find my snake meat covered with all kinds of bugs that were amazingly quick making a meal of it. Even with my stomach growling at me, I can't find it in me to try to eat it now. I just hurry after Gale's retreating form.

We have plenty of food right now anyway. If nothing else, I will just have some berries later. As I follow him into the jungle, I can't help but think about what's happened today. First, Gale goes to great lengths to honor Sera. Then he carefully constructs a trap like that...

I catch his eyes with mine for just a second when he looks back to make sure I'm there. The grays are so deep and complex that I wouldn't be surprised if there are two of him fighting for control behind them. A light Gale, and a dark one. Or maybe there was, and now the two have mixed together into someone with as many shades of gray as I see in the eyes he watches the world with. The only thing I know for sure, is how glad I am that he's on my side.

(Katniss)

I didn't really understand what Gale was trying to do at the time, the camera angles weren't good enough for me to get the whole picture. Not to mention the creativity of the whole thing. I doubt I would've even thought of a trap like that. It just goes to show how much of a gift he has for things like this. It's almost scary that he could imagine ways to kill so easily.

I feel a disgusting kind of pride as I watch the Career girl rolling around and trying to stop the fire spreading up her pants. She had tried to help her partner, but he'd been the first one in and caught the worst of it. She'd managed to pull him just out of the fire, but she had to leave him to put out the flames on herself. I was pretty sure he was dead already, especially since he wasn't moving to put out the fire on his own legs, but that wouldn't have stopped me from trying to save him either. I feel a rare twinge of sympathy for the Career. It's easy to forget that just because they came into this willingly doesn't mean it isn't hard for them too.

The girl finally gets the fire out and turns to her partner to see if she can help, but one look tells her it's far too late for that. Her legs fold under her and she starts crying quietly. As if on cue, it begins to rain, controlling the fire that had already begun spreading. I take off the mute that I had put on the main monitor, for some reason just seeing it doesn't seem like enough.

Something tells me these two were more than just partners in the Games. So even though this girl is still the enemy, I find myself connecting with her just a little through the screen. On the side, her partner's picture and name pop up. He was from District 2, his name was Alexander. I don't feel the same sympathy for him as I do for his partner. Who I now find out, thanks to a similar caption on the side, is named Terra.

Terra looks like a strong girl in her picture, her crying form sunk into the grass as the rain pours over her is a powerful contrast to that. But I imagine there were times during my Games when I didn't seem so tough myself...

I shake off the thought. I can't start relating with her, or anyone else who stands in the way of Prim and Gale making it to the end. Luckily, my little pull pack is aided by the arrival of someone who I will have no problem not relating to.

"Hey, Dee Dee! I found them!" Harley comes bouncing out of the jungle and skips right over to the burnt form of Alexander and bends almost in half to examine him as closely as possible. "He's a little too well done, I think."

That snaps Terra out of her trance, she's halfway to Harley with her hands reaching for her throat before Dakrin catches her. "You fucking bitch! I'll..." Harley is all smiles as she watches Terra desperately trying to claw at her. After a second she starts making funny faces at Terra, who all but rips her way through Dakrin to get to her.

Luckily for Terra, she never made it. The cameras could see what she couldn't, and even though Harley's war hammer was nowhere in sight, that didn't mean she was unarmed. A small knife was sliding out of its sheath behind Harley's back. Something tells me if Terra had made it loose, her life would've been a very short one afterwards.

Things calm down, with no help from Harley, who seems to think it would've been more fun to let the two of them go at it. They are just about to leave when something no one was expecting happens. I almost jump out of my seat, trying to get as far from the screens as possible, as if that would make the images any less visible. Dakrin startles into a defensive stance, looking around for the source of the noise before finding it in what's obviously the last place he expected. Terra freezes in absolute horror, and her tears come back in rivers. Harley just tilts her head to the side, confused, and looks down.

"He's all crispy, and alive?" That would've been a creepy enough question without the childlike amazement in her voice. Now it's just downright unsettling.

Terra goes to rush to his side, "Alexander..." She's so focused she never sees it coming.

Dakrin's fist hits the back of her head and she hits the floor. He sighs, "This one is going to make things... difficult." A huge smile grows on Harleys face and she slowly brings up her knife, pulling it out of the sheath and watching the blade as it comes free. "No, Harley, not yet. She could still be useful." Harley shrinks with the bad news. But brightens up again when Dakrin adds, "That other one though..."

"Oh, thank you, Mr. D.! You sure know how to show a girl a good time." She approaches what's left of Alexander, obviously trying to decide what to do. The smile of her face is making me sick.

Luckily, I don't have to find out what it is she's planning. "Harley, just make it quick. No one deserves to live like that... Catch up when you're done."

I find the display of humanity so out of place I find myself looking for some double meaning. The only one I can find is that maybe they aren't as bad as I thought. Maybe just knowing they were probably the biggest threat made me judge them unfairly. But somehow the smile on Harley's face, and the way she closes her eyes as she seemingly savors the way the knife blade feels slicing Alexander's throat, tells me something else entirely.

Some people are made for the Games.

End Chapter

A/N: Well I hope that didn't seem to disconnected. I was hard to write towards the end because I felt like I was detached from what I'd written before. I hope it was okay. I', sorry again for the wait, but such is life. Hopefully you all haven't lost interest. I promise I wont let it take so long for the next chapter.

So what did you all think of the cross? And how about the trap? I personally thought that was a pretty good one, but I'm prejudice.

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