Author's Note: Fehe, we're SO close to 150 reviews! *giggle spasms*

For the competition, as of now: In first place, with 36 reviews, are Axxi and Obiwanlivesforever. In second place, with 34 reviews, is PRUSSIAisAWESOME. (Not currently in the running but shortly behind is Pceluvmusicart, with 30 reviews.) Cutoff for the competition is at the 150th review.

Recommended Listening: What's Going to Happen from Scrubs: My Musical

Sve Oxenstierna, District 11

It looks like things didn't work out so badly after all. Finni is injured and in pain, which I despise but can't do much about, but she's not dying. The bleeding has more or less stopped, and she's able to climb.

That doesn't mean I let her most of the time, of course. She stays riding piggyback whenever we're transversing the flatter parts of the mountain. I have to let her climb for herself when things get steep, but I always stay right next to her. Even if I have to take more damage like before, she will not fall to her death.

I stay close as the grade forces her to climb on her own. Her breathing gets heavier from the combination of blood loss and the excursion, but it's only a minute before I instruct her to get back on my back. Her panting is partially blocked by my own now; while I'm not weak, it's no picnic navigating a mountainside whilst carrying a human.

The rocks grow steeper again, and I'm forced to set her back down to climb by herself. Following very closely, I notice the short ride wasn't enough for her to regain her breath. She's still panting pretty hard.

She shouldn't have to keep going in this condition. But the Careers want to keep on. I've bossed them around enough for one day. They're still dangerous, and I don't want to take chances by assuming control for long. I'm staying here for their protection, and the last thing I want to do is tell them we're stopping. They'll either kick us out or kill us right here and now. And I will not let that happen.

Finni finishes clambering over and once again resumes the piggyback position. Her breathing is much louder than mine now.

"Are you okay?" I ask quietly, craning my neck to look concernedly into her face.

"Yeah," she gasps, averting her gaze. "Just... Just out of... breath."

Her grip around me doesn't falter, and she doesn't seem to be suffering otherwise, so I trust her.

But as we continue, her breathing continues to escalate, and I finally let myself stop and set her back against the mountain. The Careers stop in front of us, Ania narrowing her eyes.

"We're taking a break," I inform them. "You can go on if you want, but we're staying."

Ania shrugs and keeps walking, pushing her district partner out of the way to take the lead. Rome hesitates, but clambers after her.

I turn back to Finni, who's still gasping for breath.

"What's wrong?" I question out loud, although I don't think she knows any more than I do. Unable to say anything, Finni just shakes her head.

I look down at her bandage for the answer. She hasn't relapsed into bleeding, and there's no way an infection could have settled in that fast.

And then I notice a bright yellow stain at the edge of the blood splotch.

Venom.

I immediately snap my gaze up to the skies. "Sponsors!" I shout. "Antivenin!" Nothing falls immediately, so I turn my attention back to my love, putting my hands on her shoulders.

"You're going to be okay." I grip her shoulders tightly. "Just calm down. Breathe." She stops a bit and tries to inhale deeply, but only manages to choke down a little air.

I look back around, but we still have no donations. Rome and Ania, however, have stopped in their exodus to look on. Gritting my teeth, I turn back to Finni. She's hunching over a little, still fighting for breath, and I realise for the first time she could really die here.

I squeeze my fingers tighter to her. "Don't die," I say, my voice coming out more of a growl than I want it to. "I need you to not die!"

Finni doesn't respond; I vaguely notice her breaths becoming shallower.

"Don't die!" I command again, fighting to keep myself from screaming. "I need you, Finni!"

She finally says something, but it's divided with so many breaths it takes me a minute to figure out exactly what it is. "I'm sorry."

"No!" I respond, gripping tighter, too frantic to realise I may be hurting her. "Don't die! Don't die, don't die, don't—!"

A cannon fires, cutting me off.

I stare blankly at the girl who isn't breathing. Her eyes are staring downward, stretched wide in terror, and the only way I can force myself to let her go is to close them. I pull back a bit, and the hovercraft claw comes and takes her away. Staring blankly at the empty space in front of me, I notice the silent figures of the Careers, still to my right, and turn to face them. They're both looking at me, not sure what to expect.

I stand up slowly, still facing them, and meet their gazes for a minute.

And then I turn and walk away.

Fronce Foybon, District 6

"All I'm saying," I continue, "is that there is a very good reason why no one touched the second box of 'goodies' you brought to the workplace."

Igris crosses his arms. "My mother baked those, actually."

"Everyone saw you bringing it, I guess," I respond. "And they were all scarred from your cooking because of that sorry attempt at spaghetti." I shake my head. "Motor oil, Igris? I don't know how you can even claim to be a cook."

Igris leans back with an exasperated sigh. "Will you quit bringing up that one incident? I've cooked plenty of things that have turned out well."

"Name one."

He doesn't respond, and I think I've won this one until he stands up slowly, not looking at me.

"Igris?" I respond slowly, following his line of sight.

Another tribute has entered the far end of the crater and is splashing through the shallows. He looks up at us for a second, apparently only just now noticing we're here. "Hey," he greets unenthusiastically before turning back to whatever he's doing. I realise he's dipping a glove, horrifyingly soaked in blood, into the water.

"Hello," my ally responds, putting a hand lightly on the handle of his rapier. "And what might you be doing here?"

"Washing things," answers the boy, not looking up.

"Is that so?" Igris takes a few steps toward the shore. "Would you happen to be interested in killing us, or would you prefer to be allies?"

The tribute looks up from his business and laughs like he's about to start crying. "Well, considering all of my allies end up dying, that's probably not the best path for you all."

"That wasn't the question," Igris responds. "But I take it you would rather be allies?"

"Igris!" I hiss at him, running over with my feet slipping a bit in the sand. "Why would you want to ally with him?" I whisper harshly in his ear. "Didn't you see his glove? He's dangerous!"

"Your buddy's right," the tribute responds, wringing out his glove a little and dipping it back in the water. Apparently I wasn't being as quiet as I thought. "I've killed two people. One of them by ripping out his guts until he bled to death." I shudder, but Igris doesn't respond. "I'm a monster, and you should really avoid me if you don't want to end up dead."

"But you feel bad about killing them?" Igris clarifies.

The boy stares back. "Of course I do."

"All right. We're allies," Igris decides, letting go of his rapier handle.

I stare. "What?"

The other tribute is just as confused as me, but he doesn't say anything. Eventually he shakes his head. "All right. But don't say I didn't warn you," he finishes darkly, scrubbing the last of the crimson from his glove.