A/N: Okay guys, I think you've all guessed by now that I have no real schedule for updating. All I can say is that I'm sorry that it may take a while sometimes, but I will definitely never give up on this story (that's just not an option so please don't worry about it) It may take some time, but it will be completed. Just please bare with me for the time being.

Oh yeh, sorry if this chapter is bad- I'm having a bad week.

The squawking of a nearby bird woke Josef up and he sat up immediately. It took him a moment to remember where he was. The arena. Josef sighed and sat up from the log he had been sleeping next to. He grabbed one of the three spears he had slept with and looked around. He was well into the woods by now and was surrounded by large, sturdy pine trees; not very good for climbing, but at least you can eat some of the bark of them. Beneath his feet, the brown earth was very soft and crumbly and was decorated by pine needles, which were surprisingly comfortable to sleep on. The air in the arena was full of moisture but the temperature was rather warm; which was odd for such an early time. Josef yawned and sat on the log for a long minute, deciding what he would do today. Judging by the sun, it seemed to be about eight o'clock in the morning. What should he do with his time? Search for food? Hunt for tributes? Build a shelter? Find a…water source? Josef's eyes widened and he licked his dry lips and his parched mouth filled itself with salvia. That's what he needed. Water. That's the thing everyone was looking for and he had to find it before the others. If the Careers found a source of water before everyone else- they would most likely guard it and kill off anyone who tried to calm their own burning throats. Josef had made up his mind within a couple of seconds and stood up and collected all three of his spears and tried to remember everything he had learnt about finding water. The first thing that came to mind was that it ran downhill. 'Very well then' Josef thought to himself. Down hill it is. Josef took a few steps, then heard a twig snap behind him Josef turned towards what he thought was south, and his quest to find water, began.
After an hour or two Josef was smarting and aching all over and his body did not want to co-operate with his head. His brain commanded him to continue the search but his body was screaming in protest and was persuading him to just shrivel up and die already. The Gamemakers were making the conditions in the arena unbearably hot. Josef had removed his jacket and it was tied around his waist, he was using one of his spears as a hiking stick and he had a thick sweat tricking down from his forehead. The good news was that he was finally trekking downhill; the bad news was that he was making a lot of noise, therefore drawing a lot of attention to himself. Josef decided to rest by a near by tree and he huffed and puffed as he sat down. He was exhausted and his head was pounding with every beat of his heart. After his heavy breathing had dismissed, the area around him fell silent, besides from a slight rustle of leaves that came from a pine tree directly in front of him. His head snapped towards the noise and he tightened the grip one of his spears. Yes, he could see it now- leaves were shuffling behind the tree that was opposite him, it had to be another tribute! Or perhaps and animal? Either way, Josef had to make a kill. He needed a better view though; silently he made his way from the tree and pressed his back to the front of it. His heart was racing and fresh sweat beads emerged from his forehead; whether this was due to the terrible heat or the fact that he was about to make his first kill; he couldn't tell you. Josef could hear a lot more now that he was only a few feet from the mystery being. It had to be a tribute- what animal could make so much noise? On cue, Josef bent his head ever so slightly, just to peer around to the other side of the tree. He didn't need to look far; he saw a brown boot on the base of the tree. Only tributes wore brown boots. Josef smiled. He was about to move in but the muffled noise was so noticeable that it caused Josef to stop and think. Was this a trap? Surely no tribute could actually be foolish enough to make such an obvious noise to draw attention to themselves. Horror crossed Josef's face as he wondered: had- had the Careers found him already? Was this a trap, were they trying to pull him in? Another rustle of leaves sounded and Josef shook the thought from his head. That wasn't the Career's strategy. They were full on and vicious, they wouldn't bother with a trap- they could just take him out here and now. With that all cleared up Josef took a deep breath and concentrated. He positioned his spear in his hand and leapt to the other side of the tree, expecting to be greeted by a shocked tribute.

But there was nothing.

Josef's eyes searched all around the tree and then he started to get scared. Why was there no one here? He had just seen someone! So, if they weren't here… they could have gotten away, but it's more likely that they were hidden somewhere and could kill him… any…second…now…
Josef heard a low thud from behind him and he acted faster than he intended. In a matter of seconds he had swung around and pinned a blonde tribute down on the earth using all his strength. He used the spears body to block the girls' windpipes and jammed his knees on her arms so she could not defend herself. He couldn't tell who it was; her blonde hair was covering every inch of her face. But it didn't matter either way.
"Please!" The girl cried.
Josef hesitated… he knew that voice. Oh God.
It was Lilee.
She squirmed and shook until every blonde curl was now out of her face. Josef watched her face crumple and witnessed a screaming fear growing in her eyes. He could hear her every breath come out as a whimper and could feel her pulse accelerate under her throat, where Josef still held his spear.
Josef cocked his head to the side, like a confused puppy but then hissed angrily, like a disturbed snake.
"Why are you here Lilee?" He shouted in her face.
"I followed you, I'm sorry!" Lilee whimpered quietly and her eyes brimmed with tears. She had given up squirming now, she lay still and trembled.
"Why?!" Josef bellowed.
"I just don't want to be alone" Lilee whispered as tears overlapped her eyes.
"I told you I don't want allies!" Josef hissed.
"I know" the blonde moaned softly as she glanced at Josef's spear placed on her throat "Ju- just please" she begged "Do it quickly" she dug her finger nails into the soft earth and braced herself for the pain sure to follow.
Josef snarled. Why Lille? Anyone else and it would be simple. Easy. Josef couldn't ignore her blue eyes, drilling into his heart like the tough machinery used for killing live stock, back at district ten. Oh God.
District ten.
All of district ten would be glued to their fuzzy television sets back home, or clutching each other's hands as they gawped at the screen in the square, mentally begging Josef not to end Lilee's life. Josef remembered Lilee's aunt and sister…
"Fine"
Lilee peeked out of her eyes to see Josef glowering at her. Then, the burdensome pressure forced upon her throat, suddenly lifted and Lilee was aloud to fill her lungs with air. All of Josef's weight disappeared and Lilee felt somewhat confused. Why was he letting her live? She knew his game, kill everyone as soon as possible, right?
"Wh- what?" she croaked.
"You heard me" a rough voice spat back.
Lilee winced but was on her feet quickly. Josef was leaning against a pine tree and was glaring daggers at her. She failed to gulp down the lump in her throat and she pulled her blue backpack, which Josef had not noticed, from herself and began fumbling inside of it, searching for something. Josef peered at her curiously, still holding one of his spears of course. Lilee dug through her matches, sleeping bag and loaf of bread until she grabbed what she was looking for, and held it out towards Josef.
"Is that… is that full?" Josef questioned eagerly, eyeing the silver canteen bottle.
"Yes. I found a stream before I started tracking you" Lilee replied and she tossed the bottle to Josef who caught it with one hand and began gulping the water down to banish the flames that licked at his throat. By the time he was done he was gasping for air and the canteen was bone dry.
"Erm, thanks" Josef muttered.
"No problem"
A short moment passed but then Josef pulled his bushy eyebrows together and said:
"Hang on; you said you were tracking me?"
Lilee nodded
"Oh please" Josef snorted "Like you could do that"
Lilee narrowed her eyes "How do you explain my presence then?"
"You followed me. Following and tracking are different things, Lilee. Don't get big-headed"
"Tell me, Josef" Lille spoke as she raised an eyebrow "did you pass or come across any water sources yet?"
"No" he mumbled as he fingered the empty canteen.
"Then how is it that I have found a water source? Surely I couldn't be searching for water and following you at the same time"
Josef glared at her and muttered something through clenched teeth.
"Honestly, give me some credit" she muttered.
"How could you have been tracking me?" Josef growled slowly. He began to panic, if Lilee could find him so easily, could someone else?
"You're leaving some rather obvious tracks behind you, Josef" Lilee spoke calmly as she stepped towards him. "I mean did you even think to demolish that bed of pine needles that you made last night? Did you consider watching where you stepped? They're fresh footprints only a couple of miles back. You're lucky I found you before someone else did"
Josef hissed under his breath. Ugh, how could he have been so careless? And be shown up by a younger tribute. A girl. Gah. But Josef did listen to her, and understood the point she was making. Her last comment stuck to Josef like glue does to paper. You're lucky I found you before someone else did… What does that mean?
"Look, Lille. What do you want?" Josef spoke harshly.
"An ally" she said without hesitation, eyeing him.
Josef sighed but then stopped himself. At this point in time- having Lilee as an ally didn't seem like such a bad idea. She had already helped him with survival tips and had managed to parch his dry throat…
"Why would you want me?" Josef asked slowly, taking one step towards her.
Lilee shrugged "You're strong-" she glanced at his biceps and then blushed "and that would mean…would mean… better protection for me" Lilee managed to choke out. "I'll help you with survival if you keep the others of my back"
"Deal"

Brecon, Livia and Maya where at their wit's end. They had scurried through holes, hiked up slopes and trudged over rocks. They had travelled for hours, lacking energy and perseverance, but most of all, lacking moisture. The time had come when all three of them slumped against boulders, and rested. Each and every one of them were drenched in sweat, Lilee would have cried, but she was so dry and drained that it seemed that her eye couldn't produce one drop of liquid to pour out of her heavy eyes.

The sun was throwing itself down on to them and Brecon pulled his backpack off his back and searched it's items until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out the packet of dried prunes and opened them weakly.

"No, Brecon- don't eat those! They're for emergencies only!" Maya objected.

Brecon gave her a cold stare "We are dying from heat exhaustion, and you want to wait for an emergency?"

He tore open the bag and held one out to Livia, "Here" he said "They'll make your mouth water"

Livia took the prune gratefully and shoved it into her mouth and sighed. Livia closed her eyes and imagined.

She was back in District Eight.

Back home.

River and her would still be asleep, snuggled up in one bed, her sisters' breath tickling the back of her neck. Her mother and father would be at work, so they could spend all day speaking to their Grandmother and listening to her tales. Then her parents would wearily return home from work, but always had smiles painted on their faces…

"Livia get down!"

Livia's eyes snapped open and she saw Brecon and Maya crouching behind a rock; Brecon's bow was loaded and a low growl was building in Maya's chest as she stared daggers threw a crack behind the rock she was hiding under. Livia crouched down, as ordered, then whispered to Maya:

"What is it? What's going-"

Maya silenced her with a swish of his hand then asked to Brecon "Do you have a clear shot from here?"

Brecon slipped into his darker side and concentrated, he pulled back his loaded bow and aimed it at the tall, dark tribute making his way down steep, dusty, pebbly slopes. Brecon aimed at the boy from elevens' throat, but before Brecon could make his first kill- the tribute stopped and crouched to the ground. Brecon could still make the kill, but he was curious to what this boy was doing… What was he doing?

"Shoot, Brecon!" Maya hissed furiously "Shoot!"

"No" Brecon shook his head slightly; he could now see what the tribute was doing. He was drinking water.

At last! Water! Gavin thought to himself as he fell to his knee's and began lapping up the water with his tongue. He had been looking for a water source all day, and he had found it. And since the loathsome Gamemakers were making the weather unconditionally hot, this small stream had potentially saved his life. After five long minutes of hydrating himself, Gavin looked up and recollected his three spears and headed north. He remembered when he first entered the arena, that north was the direction of the forest. Forest's had more resources. Sure, the rocks were good for hiding, but Gavin didn't want to hide. He wanted to fight.