Hello! I'm back! Sorry it's been at least a week but as you know I've been busy Just in case you were wondering I had a pretty awesome birthday!
Thanks to all of you who left a review for the last chapter, this one will be more of a filler but I though it'd be fun
Special thanks to: aly-hungergames; samiesimpson1; sweetStarre123; HGFan4719; FearlesswithHimJC; charliesunshine; canadianboy98; and Wolfheart4 for reviewing the last chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games.
Enjoy!
Chapter #21
It didn't take long for us to get back to camp in the summer section of the arena. When we did Sage and Rosa came running towards us and each gave me a big hug. I congratulated them on getting away and sending help, not mentioning that they were almost too late. Rory was still unconscious so Jules took him to the medical tent and I immediately got to work. His hands weren't really bleeding anymore but I changed the bandages anyway and rubbed some ointment on the wounds. He still didn't wake up after I was finished so I just lied down beside him and drifted off to sleep.
When I awake Rory is still asleep but everyone is hanging out in the morning air, sharpening weapons and just chatting.
"How many are left?" I ask once I am outside with the rest of our group.
"Let's see." Caspian muses and begins counting on his fingers. "Nine were killed in the blood bath. When we were attacked 6 died, then when Carissa died so did one other girl from District 3. Brutus and Enobaria are both dead and also the man from District 6. I think that's all so far."
"Wow, so many." I say quietly.
"Yes. Twenty dead." Caspian replies. "But there are many more to go."
"Twenty-five to be exact." Jules announces while sharpening his knife."
"So what exactly are the plans for today?" I ask curiously.
Caspian shrugs, "No plans, but I'm sure something will come up later on."
"Yeah, I guess." I reply and sit down on a stump. Sage and Rosa are nearby picking flowers like normal young girls, Ruby is sharpening some sort of weapon and Finnick and Annie are chatting on a boulder a few yards away. I wish that we could all just be normal friends, camping in the woods and not have to sharpen weapons and be ready to kill or protect yourself or your friends at any time of day. I really hate it! I hate the capitol for doing this to us, I hate that I could lose one of my friends any day, and I hate President Snow for killing my sister, Peeta, my Dad and leaving my mom alone. I'm so full of hatred right now that I feel a strong need to hit something, but I restrain myself because of everyone around.
All of a sudden the atmosphere is darkened by heavy black clouds overhead, signaling that rain will be soon to follow.
"We're going to need to move camp!" Caspian shouts to everyone. "We have to outrun the storm or everything will be flooded and useless." We all nod and immediately begin packing up as quickly as possible. Thankfully many hands make quick work so it doesn't take long. By the time we are finished packing fat raindrops are already slowly beginning to fall. Rory was awoken by all the commotion and is able to walk but doesn't carry a backpack because that would only slow him down even more. In only ten minutes we have all 4 tents packed into backpacks, the fire put out and the rest of the supplies on the strongest backs.
I take Rosa's hand and Ruby takes Sage's since my other arm is linked with Rory's.
"So where are we headed?" I ask Finnick who is helping Annie with something.
"Probably to the autumn section since it is the closest and I'm guessing it isn't raining there." He replies, not even looking up.
"Either that or it sure won't be raining in the winter section but there will most definitely be snow there." Gloss adds.
"Autumn it is." Caspian announces and we begin walking quickly through the forest. "And maybe if we're close enough to the winter boarder but not exactly in the snow then hopefully the rain doesn't follow."
"I sure hope so." I say quietly, mostly to myself. I really don't remember it raining this much in the summer back home; it was usually in the spring that it rained the most. But the game-makers can do whatever they want with the weather just to make it worse for the live tributes.
"You think they could be trying to bring us towards the other tributes for a fight?" I hear Cashmere ask her brother. Gloss shrugs, "That sure is possible, but I guess we'll find out." The rain is coming down harder now but not as hard as last time. I pull my hood over my head, shielding my face from the cold water as best I can.
"We need to move faster I we're going to make it!" Finnick shouts over the sound of rain pouring down on us. He has Annie in his arms and a large pack on his back, and he is still in front of the group, I don't know how he does it. Rory seem to have forgotten his hands because he begins pulling Rosa and I along behind us, urging us to push ourselves harder and go faster.
The puddles on the ground are getting larger and beginning to come together, flooding the path in front of us.
"Come on! I think we're almost there!" Gloss calls out and we run faster. Sure enough, about a minute later the rain is beginning to slow and up ahead is a row of colorful trees, marking the entrance to the autumn quarter of the arena. When we cross the line the rain stops completely and we all breathe out a sigh of relief.
"We can set up camp somewhere around here." Caspian declares and everyone just drops their packs on the ground where they are currently standing.
"Or right here is fine." He chuckles and lets his pack fall as well.
The sun is shining down on us, making the few trees around us erupt in beautiful fall colors.
"It's so pretty." Sage says, speaking our thoughts with a smile."
"It sure is." Ruby agrees and gives her a small hug.
Aster, Jules, Caspian, Gloss and Finnick then retrieve the tents and start setting them once again while Cashmere starts a small fire.
"We really could use some meat." Jules says once the first tent is up. "That bird that Prim shot was amazing and I'm really craving some more." I blush at the compliment and decide to speak up, "I'm sure there are plenty of animals here that we could eat, I could go hunting and bring us all back something."
"It's a good idea but you aren't going alone." Caspian tells me firmly.
"Okay, one person can be my hunting partner, but they have to stay very quiet or we'll never shoot anything." I say.
"I'll go." Rory announces.
I shake my head, "Not a good idea Rory, you have to let your hands heal."
"But Prim…" He interjects but I hold up my hand, "No, I'll take someone else, don't worry, I'll be fine."
"Fine." I smile and give him a hug. He hugs back, squeezing me tightly with his arms.
"I'll go with Prim then." Caspian says and Rory gives him a small glare but I don't think Caspian caught it; or if he did he didn't show it.
"Okay then." I agree and pick up my bow and sling the quiver of silver arrows over my shoulder.
"We won't be long. I promise." I assure Rory and with that the two of us set off to collect our next meal. Caspian has a small sword strapped to his side along with a dagger hanging from his belt and some sort of mini gun that supposedly shoots out poisonous darts. We head first into where the trees are denser and leave the rest of the group in the small clearing near the summer/autumn border.
"Do you hunt much?" I ask casually. Caspian shrugs, "No not really. We don't really have woods by us but I fish, and I figure that it's pretty close."
"Oh okay. Well I haven't really had much hunting experience actually but since Katniss taught me a little with the bow and then I practiced a lot during training it's kind of become my weapon of choice." I tell him.
"Well you are pretty good at it." Caspian smiles as we walk side by side.
"Thanks." I say blushing slightly, hopefully he doesn't notice. In the woods in the autumn area there aren't as many trees like there was over in the summer but I'm still hoping to find some edible game for our meal tonight, and also to help out some since I haven't been doing much lately. The trees are literally bursting with colors, brown, red, orange and yellow; it just takes my breath away. I must have stopped to take in the scenery because Caspian waves his hand in front of my face playfully. "Earth to Prim! Where are you?"
I smile and end up blushing again but this time from embarrassment, "Sorry, I was admiring the scenery."
"It is breathtaking isn't it?" He agrees.
"It sure is. I wish that I could just capture it and keep the picture in my mind forever."
"Yeah. That'd be nice." We continue walking once again, keeping our eyes and ears open, weapons at the ready.
"So how do you know what you can eat and what could be poisonous?" Caspian asks a few minutes later.
"I don't really, I guess we just hope that whatever kill doesn't kill us. Although it'll happen sooner or later." I add in a much quieter tone. Apparently Caspian didn't hear the last part so we just keep going in silence.
Suddenly I hear the sound of crunching leaves. At first I panic because it could be a tribute, but then as I listen more intently I realize that the tread is too light to be a human and is probably some sort of animal.
"Hear that?" I whisper and Caspian nods in reply. My bow is strung with an arrow and Caspian has his sword in hand just in case I don't loose my arrow quick enough. I'm thankful that I have someone with me this time, someone to watch my back, even though it isn't Rory, I think that if we were under different circumstances that Caspian and I could have been great friends. The crunching gets louder and a few seconds later a tall buck has made its appearance. Deer must walk lightly because a big one like this can easily weigh more than a man. The buck has a pretty large rack and is quite a beautiful animal. He hasn't noticed Caspian nor I, yet, but before he can get away I release my arrow somewhat regretfully and it flies straight into the heart of the deer. Caspian looks at me and grins. "This is sure going to taste good tonight!"
"Yeah." I agree. "If we can get it back."
"Oh, right." He chuckles. "I guess we could try dragging it my the rack and if that doesn't work one of us can stay here and the other can get the guys to help."
"Okay sounds good." I grasp one side of the great horn rack of the buck and Caspian the other end. It is surprisingly not that heavy but it definitely slows us down, a lot.
"This isn't looking familiar." I say a little while later.
"Well I'm pretty sure this is the way we came."
"Okay." Just then a loud noise is heard and we both look at each other
"What is that?" I ask fearfully. Caspian grins, "That, Prim, is the sound of a waterfall."
"Really?" I squeal.
"Sure is. Want to check it out?" He asks. I nod excitedly.
"Okay, well let's put the deer in these bushes here until we get back." Together we drag the deer into the bushes and after covering it up we sprint off in the direction of the sound of the waterfall. It gets louder the closer we get but not too loud. When we arrive at our destination my jaw literally falls open. A small waterfall cascading over a pile of rocks and emptying into a smallish pool.
"It's amazing." I breathe.
"It sure is." Caspian agrees standing beside me. "Hey, I have an idea!"
"What?" I eye him suspiciously.
"Well remember you told me that you don't know how to swim, and I promised I'd teach you…"
"Yeah, oh no, not now!" I say, backing away as I realize what his idea is.
"We don't have time to play around Caspian!"
"Oh come on, I know you want to."
"No, I don't." I back away even more.
"Please Prim, it'll be fun!" He pleads.
"I don't know…"
"Come on, I be there the whole time. I won't let you drown." He assures me.
"I would hope not!" I reply laughing.
"Just a few minutes." He promises and begins unzipping his jacket. I sigh and hesitantly follow suit. We each take off our jackets and long-sleeves, and also our pants as well since we have a pair of legging type pants underneath. Caspian goes shirtless but being the modest girl I am and remembering that this is being aired all over Panem, I keep my undershirt on. My mom is probably freaking out right now but I decide that I'd like to have just a little fun since it could be my only chance and with that thought in mind I step into the warmish water. Caspian is already far enough out that the water is up to his chest.
He grins, "Come on Prim! The waters great!"
"Be patient." I call back and very slowly let the water come up to my ankles, then my knees and finally stop when the water is up to my waist. Caspian swims lazily over to me, sighing in contentment as the water flows over his body.
"Doesn't it feel amazing?"
"It does feel pretty nice." I agree.
"Man, I've missed the water."
I gradually get more and more used to the water and about half an hour later I have floating mastered and a while later I can sort of swim on my back. It really does relax your muscles and calms your body.
"We should probably start drying off." Caspian says sometime later.
"Yeah, you're probably right." I sigh and swim back to shore.
"Thanks, that was really fun." I tell him sincerely.
"I knew you'd enjoy it." He smiles and slips his shirt back on. Just then the sound of a canon booms nearby that makes us both jump. Our eyes meet and I'm sure the same thing is going through our heads, Someone close by, just died.
I know, cliffhanger but I had to have some excitement in this chapter! Lol Sorry for any mistakes but I had to go to bed and didn't have time to go through it…
Thanks so much for reading and please leave a review! They mean a lot to me Until next chapter!
~FirePearl