I must say that after last year, I didn't think we'd have another shot for a while. Natania had been the strongest tribute since, well, me, and she'd made it to the final three. So when we watched Grace charge through the Bloodbath, scoring some pretty good supplies and even taking down another tribute – well, we'd both been a bit shocked, to say the least.
She was such a sweet girl, too. She didn't seem the type to be successful in the Games – as bad as it is, both Seamus and I thought she'd go down in the Bloodbath. So when she went full warrior… she'd managed a seven in training, but we both thought that was just for edible plants or something. She wouldn't tell us much. We didn't push her, either – perhaps we should have. But for tributes we think are going to die, we try to let them enjoy the last few days they have. Maybe we should stop doing that.
She and the boy from Seven – Ashley – had apparently been in an alliance since the first day of training. I don't know why she didn't tell us, but I'm glad she's got someone to watch her back. They work well together, and though it's only the second day of the Games they've already settled into their little alliance.
"You catch anything?" Grace asks. Ashley had gone hunting, and Grace had stayed back at their camp to guard their supplies, in case another tribute wandered across them.
Ashley holds up his backpack, which they had emptied to use for game. "Got a rabbit."
"Anything else?" she asks hopefully, but the look on her face tells me she already knows the answer.
He shakes his head. "Some berries, but the traps didn't get anything else."
Grace sighs. "Same here. Got some roots and stuff though."
"I'll light a fire, we'd better cook this soon or – "
"No," Grace says, shaking her head. "We'll go into the ruins to cook."
"The ruins? Why would we go there?"
"Didn't you see all the smoke? It's ruined city, Ashley, damn. We'll be able to use them to cook without gaining any attention." I laugh, and Seamus laughs with me – she's smart. I wish I could tell her how proud I am – she's doing so well.
"But it isn't safe – "
Grace lets out a bark of laughter. "Well, duh, we're in the Hunger Games."
Ashley glared at her. "I just meant, do we really want to venture out of the forest even for a little bit?"
"We're not eating that rabbit raw, Ashley, and we're sure as hell not lighting a fire here." Grace shoulders her backpack and starts walking off. "Come on."
Ashley sighs, and shoots a poisonous glare at Grace's back, but doesn't say anything. He follows her, and they begin heading towards the city, sun setting over the ruined buildings. They're an odd-looking pair, in their tattered interview clothes, holding a bloody backpack and a multitude of weapons.
"We've got another fighter," Seamus says to me, nudging my shoulder gently. His weathered face is broken out in a grin.
"We sure do," I reply, and we watch our girl walk towards danger, her head held proudly high.
Shit, it's been like a month since I updated this. Sorry. My mental health has been a complete fiery explosion of a train wreck so I've been dealing with that. Also, fuck school. I don't like it. Also, I'm confused because there's a girl that I like and she maybe likes me but I don't know? Anyway. Yes, I am treating my author's notes like a diary. Deal with it.
Sincerely,
A useless lesbian (it's me, Audrey. I'm the useless lesbian).