A message from The Panda: Today's system twist is... -10 points for everyone. But now your reviews count for points, so... check bottom for your points from here on out. Also, I made a mistake. Some will have more points for submitting more tributes.

Huggles,

The Panda

Plotting

Maril Rane

I'm really thirsty.

As we make the trip back to the Cornucopia for river water, I can sense the tension in our group. Ever since Jay left, and we discussed turning on each other, no one's been talking much. I guess the thought of how ready some of us were to kill each other just rubbed them the wrong way. Whatever. I plan on killing them all in their sleep tonight anyway.

"Guys, let's stop to rest. I need to catch my breath." Lucetta leans against a tree, breathing heavy.

"No. Come on, guys, you're better than this. We've been trained for long-distance, haven't we?" I snap. Lucetta shakes her head.

"Without water, we can't move at our regular pace. Slow down a bit, Maril." I roll my eyes and keep moving.

"Fine. If you want to be left behind, I couldn't care less. Come on, guys." I hear reluctant feet shuffling in my direction and whip around. "Well?" I demand, placing my hands on my hips. "Quit fooling around! Do you want water or not?"

"Maril, just wait a bit. The faster we move, the more we sweat. Better to preserve what little hydration we have and slow down," Brooke says and the boys nod.

"Whatever," I gasp and sit down, unwilling to admit my own fatigue.

Jacob Frond

There's a sudden movement in the oak trees around me. I whip my head to the left, where I'm sure it came from. I catch the glint of sunlight off a blade and stiffen.

"Hello?" I call quietly. The tribute shifts his weight and steps into and open space where I can see him. It's Tyler, the boy from Five.

"I don't want to hurt you," he says, stepping forward. Now I can see the six-inch knife in his hand.

"Are you sure?" I ask, fighting to keep my voice calm. "If not... just get it over with." He smiles and drops the knife.

"Allies?" Tyler extends his right hand. I shake it for a moment and quickly let go. He notices my canteen.

"Got anything in there?" he asks, nodding toward it.

"No. I ran out of water yesterday. Haven't found a place to refill it since." He sees the pouch on my belt, which holds the eight crackers and single roll I have left. I see the hunger in his eyes and know that he must not be eating. So I open the pouch and toss him the roll. It's gone in a minute.

"Thanks. So, which way should we go?"

Kyra Reed

I double over with cramps of hunger.

I'm still not sure of what's safe to eat around here, even after taking the edible bugs and plants tests in training. Guess I wasn't paying attention.

I could try to shoot some game, but none of these animals look familiar to me. Still, I clutch my bow and arrows tight, because I can't afford to lose them.

My throat is as dry as the yellowish grass around my knees. I wonder if this is edible. But I can't take chances like that. I ran out of water yesterday morning. I never knew how much my body needed it.

It feels strange, being in the open like this. But no one and nothing attacks me, so I keep going. The field seems relatively safe. And if I can't hide, neither can my competitors.

I continue forward, keeping the forest to my right. But after a while I realize that I'm surrounded by wilderness, and I'll have to go back into the trees eventually.

But there's something fresh in the air. I can't place it, but it seems promising. I wander into the woods and the air - the smell - gets stronger. Then, through the trees, I see a clearing. Hear the lapping of waves against a shore. And I break into a run.

Sure enough, there's a lake. I rush up to it and run in the water until I'm thigh-deep in the fresh water. I scoop some up in my cupped palms and drink. Again. It tastes a little funny, and I'm vaguely aware that the water might not be clean. But I seem fine now, so I drink my fill and then top off my canteen with it.

Brooke Waters

The sun begins to set. There were no deaths today.

Maril eyes the rest of us suspiciously, so when the time comes to decide who guards tonight, I quickly volunteer.

"But I can do it. I'm not tired," Maril counters.

"No, no. Really. Go to bed," I insist and she lays down slowly.

Now the anthem plays and there are no faces to see. The Gamemakers are probably already scheming up ways to get the blood to flow. But I like the peace, and I want it to stay that way.

I get up and hold my sword to my chest, circling the other Careers quietly. I stop over Maril and lift the blade, then put it back down as if I changed my mind.

The audience will be on the edge of their seats, trying to see if I will turn on the group I convinced to stay together. So I whisper, "Yes. Tomorrow you all will be gone, and I will go and kill everyone else too. But for now, sleep. Rest. I don't want your ends to be too easy." There. That should hold them off until tomorrow, when they realize my plot was fake.

Or was it? As I think about it, plans form in my head. It all makes sense. I could do it, for real. I could slaughter them all and then finish the others off as well. They already have my trust, since I told them not to fight. They'd never believe that I myself was planning to fight them all, and win.

With this new revelation, I can't stop the smile that creeps onto my face.

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