Author's Note: Please review~! I really love all of your comments.
Recommended Listening: All That Really Matters by Journey
Switz Wingly, District 7
The two small eggs, our alliance's pitiful excuse for breakfast this morning, sizzle weakly on the sun-baked rock beneath them. I poke at the eggs, and then, satisfied I don't need to keep a watchful eye on them, turn my gaze back toward the lake. While the jagged wall of stone separates me from the water and, more importantly, my sister, there wasn't any hope of food inside the crater. I didn't stray far—there are a few scrubby excuses for trees along the mountain—and I at least got us a little bit of food, so... It's better than nothing.
I turn back to the rocks and prod the eggs again.
"...Switz?" a sleepy voice calls. I jump to my feet and step over to the rocky wall.
"I'm here."
"Okay..." My sister, who had been lying across the thin shoreline to sleep, sits up and yawns. "Good morning!"
"Good morning." I nod back to where the eggs are still cooking. "Breakfast'll be ready in just a minute."
"Okay." Liet gets up and leans over the ledge, spotting the aforementioned breakfast. "Just one egg each, then?"
"Ah! No," I start, walking over to the makeshift stove. "They're both for you."
"Oh?" Liet cocks her head to the side. "What about you?"
"I already ate."
"Oh, okay," she replies, sounding like she believes me.
I have to wonder, though, if she really does. I've pulled that excuse several times—with just District 7 salaries, there were too many mouths to feed at home, but I always made sure she had her share. Even if I hadn't had my own.
Clink!
My head snaps to the side, where, instead of the enemy I expected, I see a parachute.
Carefully lifting it away, as if it could be some sort of trap, I reveal a plate with enough cheese and crackers for a good one-person meal.
"Oh! We got a donation!" Liet chirps, scuffling over to the dish.
"Yeah." I pick one of the crackers up and turn back toward my little sister. "More for us to share."
Ciano Idalya, District 6
I stare down at the empty plate mournfully. My donated meals have shrunk and shrunk, and now I'm always hungry.
And I miss my ally. I'm really really glad he's okay, but... I want him back. It's really lonely out here...
A scuffling in the bushes snatches my attention away from my thoughts. I turn toward the source slowly, not sure if I had imagined it or not. The bushes rustle again. I stand up and start to back away, bumping into the Corncucopia before the bushes suddenly split open. I scuffle away, toward the far edge of the meadow, while two... dogs? emerge from the gap.
Pressed up against the crater's edge, I watch curiously as the dogs—who are about half as tall as me—pace forward slowly. The morning sun illuminates their light brown fur and their glittering, black eyes—aimed toward me.
"Um... Good doggie?" The two stop in their tracks, pricking their fuzzy ears up and continuing to stare me down. We all stand frozen for a few seconds, and then, with a throaty growl, the dogs lunge suddenly.
With an exclamation, I heave myself over the wall, narrowly avoiding a set of snapping jaws, and start running blindly ahead. Rocks jut out along my path, but I'm able to scrabble over them before the dogs come after me.
After hurling myself over another outcropping, I risk a quick glance back at the dogs. They're still behind, but... have they gotten closer?
Either way, I'm still running. Because these guys are scary, and I don't want to run into scary things!
Lude Ermany, District 2
"Yes," Vivi spits at Alf, "of course he's going to kill you—not! He's already dead! How is he supposed to even touch you? Idiot!"
I continue polishing my morningstar, trying to block out the pointless argument that's already been going on far too long.
"I'm gonna die!" Alf wails for the upteenth time. "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna d—"
"Shut up or I'll do the honours right now!" I finally interrupt, glaring at Alf. He manages to shut his mouth—for once in his life—though he continues trembling.
"I suggest we continue our hunt," Japan starts. "Since we didn't find anyone last night..."
"Agreed," Vivi replies, smiling slightly at the thought of more blood.
"Yeah," Alf starts, looking about back to normal. "I—" He cuts off with a sudden shriek, jumping up in the air. "He's here!"
"No, he's not, Alf," Japan sighs, quickly surveying the area. "If you're going to be acting like this, you shouldn't come hunt with us."
"Agreed," Vivi repeats hostilely, crossing her arms. "Let's ship off now. Lude, are you ready?"
I grunt a confirmation and stand.
"You can't just leave me behind!" Alf protests. "I mean, I'm a Career, to—Ohmygod!" He jumps back from us. It takes me a second to realise he'd reacted this way to a twig snapping in front of him.
"Yeah..." Vivi glares, then turns her back to him pointedly. "We're leaving now." She flips herself over the savannah crater's edge, and Japan and I do the same.
"Where shall we start?" Japan begins, surveying the mountainside.
"Hmm..." Vivi and I scan the area for a moment.
"Ah!" Vivi starts, pointing down to below the swamp crater. "Another tribute!" Without another word, she takes off in that direction, Japan behind her and me bringing up the rear.
We're making good progress, even though the tribute below is moving around the mountain at a particularly quick pace. A while before we get to the tribute, though, I notice something else, something the tribute must be fleeing from.
Dingoes.
Well, something similar to dingoes, at least—probably some sort of Capitol mutt versions, considering their unearthly amount of razor-sharp teeth.
Well, mutt or not, they're making good progress in the tribute's direction. They'd easily catch up and finish him themselves, but Vivi won't let that happen. She just has to dig her own nails into all the corpses.
Finally, we near the tribute enough for me to make him out—and I almost stop in my tracks.
It's Ciano.
But I don't stop. He'll get eaten by the mutts if I don't intervene.
—What am I thinking? "Friend" or not, he's another tribute. He has to die. There's no use in saving him now.
I continue after the other Careers to find that Vivi has already eliminated one of the dingoes—I'm assuming it had turned on her—and is quite ready to take on the second. Japan is pulling up ahead of her, still in pursuit of Ciano.
I overtake Vivi as she slays the second dingo. She follows me without hesitation.
Japan catches up with Ciano, pinning him inescapably against a boulder. Now Vivi and I catch up.
"Please don't hurt me!" Ciano wails, unable to struggle from Japan's hold. "I-I'll do anything!"
Vivi scoffs. "We don't want anything from you but your blood." She raises her blade to strike, but suddenly falters, dropping her sickle to the stone with a clang. Japan turns his head, and we both see for the first time a horrible-looking bite wound on her shoulder. She must have gotten it in her fight with the mutts.
Japan turns back to his prey, raising a blade—which is considerably smaller than his swords—toward the pinned tribute.
"Help!" Ciano continues tearfully. He cranes his neck a little, looking me in the eye. "L-Lude! Please help me!"
Japan turns his head toward me curiously, pausing in his kill for a moment.
I... could take him. Just him and an injured Vivi, and I could save this scrap of a tribute. I mean, I haven't known Ciano long, but he's a likable enough guy to...
...Who am I kidding? Japan is faster than me. If I turn on him, he'd see it coming and kill me first.
So, I'll... I'll leave well enough alone...
"Here." I draw back when Japan holds his knife, handle forward, to me. "Why don't you claim this kill?"
I take the knife experimentally, and Japan draws back, just enough to continue pinning down the sobbing Ciano. I stare at the knife uncomprehendingly.
"What's wrong, Lude?" Vivi starts with a small laugh. "Don't want to kill your little buddy?"
I look back down at Ciano, who's almost crying and sniffling too much to say anything. "L-Lude," is all he can quite eke out.
I stare back at the knife in my hand.
I... I could always try taking on the others, but... I know I could barely get out alive in a fight with Japan, let alone Vivi...
But... This snivelling, powerless tribute before me... I really did start to like him.
I glance back at the other Careers. In theory, it's their lives, or his.
But I'm not strong enough to take them both. And if I spare Ciano, they wouldn't hesitate to kill me.
So, really... It's his life, or mine.
"..."
I grit my teeth, staring down at the knife.
"Goodbye, friend."
I slash the knife, and the cannon fires.
