Chapter 13: Reunion at Dusk

A/N: Hey! Hope you're having a good day, and reading this chapter here might add on to that :). We won't be starting in the Arena today. Sorry for how late this one came out, I had to deal with life and other issues. The character's POVs will now follow this format [character name]. This chapter will be more of a downtime chapter than the last two, so let's do this!

LittleMermade - Yo! I hope I've clarified it already, but Jose was fantasizing about getting his revenge on Rain.

the garden - I honestly didn't like Cato at first either, but he grew on me. Especially in the movie, Alexander Ludwig did a fantastic job as Cato. With his final speech, it painted him as another victim of the Games as much as the other Districts were. Despite how well off District 2 is.

ForsakenKnight44 - I appreciate the constructive criticism, and please, you all - feel free to PM me if you need some clarification, or just want to chat.

Location: The Capitol, Mentor's Bar

[Wade]

Damn it, my nephew Cyrus royally screwed up when he betrayed the Career pack.

First, he didn't even attempt to steal the supplies of the others while he was on watch duty.

Second, he let Sophia go when she was one the biggest threats in the Arena. Although I can't complain about that - she's got a better chance of winning than he does.

Third, he only succeeded in killing the boy from 4. The boy from 1 and the girl from 4 woke up after hearing him scream. After that - it was just chaos. The boy from 1 got in a brief scuffle with Cyrus while the girl from 4 bolted immediately. The boy from 1 managed to flee into the burnt forest after being wounded.

Cyrus ended up gathering his pack and the leftover supplies, and leaving for the burnt forest, presumably, and hopefully going after the boy from 1.

I vented my frustrations at my nephew's idiocy to my fellow District 2 victor and old friend, Cato.

He took the opportunity to poke fun at my hefty criticism and lack of faith in Cyrus, while subtly praising his niece.

"Damn Cyrus is such a buffoon - he let his arrogance get the best of him."

"Give it a rest, Wade. There's no turning back now. Besides, that same Career arrogance nearly got the best of us too, in our own Games."

I grunt in acknowledgement - it's true and common knowledge that all Careers generally have supreme levels of arrogance - which sometimes cost us our lives in the Games. Speaking of which… a certain Career seemed to lack said arrogance.

"Cato?"

"Hm?"

"Why is your niece lacking in the stereotypical Career department? Mind telling me?"

"...To be honest with you, Wade - I told her to not let it get to her head that just because she's trained, it doesn't mean she's better than all the others."

I look at Cato in surprise. From my impression of him over the past quarter decade, he's not exactly excelling in the intelligence apartment.

"I learned it after my Games - that my arrogance nearly lost me the Games."

Taken aback by his little monologue, the only thing I can do is nod and turn back to the TV screen.

Day 10

Location: The Arena, Cliff Sector

[Rain]

I had fled from the District 6 boy instead of killing him. He said he had two quivers of arrows - he wasn't lying. I wasn't going to take my chances anyway. Plus, he mentioned he was the one who stole the Careers' supplies and managed to overcome Velvet. Sure, she wasn't the biggest threat the Careers had in their alliance, but being a Career spoke for itself.

Cowardice as a tactic has won many tributes the Games. Sure, it didn't look good on paper, but it worked just fine if the tribute knew what they were doing.

The burn ointment worked wonders during my little escapade - I'd have to thank Haymitch and Katniss for netting me multiple sponsors. I didn't have much going for me, other than the fact that some of the Capitol crowd might appreciate an underdog.

Especially for an outer district like 12.

I'd learned from Lukas that sponsor gifts got more expensive as the Games' days went on. Due to this, mentors would try to get as many sponsors for their tributes as possible in the early days - a shrewd strategy, to say the least.

I wandered aimlessly around the ruined cliff sector after my wounds were treated, still a little dizzy from all the blood I had lost. The cliff sectors sector stretched on for what seemed endless, but I knew that the Arena ended at some point - courtesy of Haymitch.

After some time, I settled behind the ruins of what was the cliff near the waterfall. The water was still crashing down, and flowing into the river that marked the border between the highlands and the cliff sector.

And it was crashing down hard.

I dug through my backpack, and found my canteen, and the little bottle that contained iodine. I opened my canteen, and let the waterfall fill up my canteen.

The waterfall nearly ripped the bottle out of my grasp, but I held on to it for dear life. If I let it go, I'd be hard pressed to find another canteen, not to mention that the iodine bottle was a finite source.. After I extracted the canteen, I squeezed a couple drops of iodine in it to purify the water for drinking - who knows if it was sanitary.

"Kid. In my Games, everything in the Arena was poisonous - the fruit dangling from the trees, the water, and even the scent of the flowers if you smelled it directly."

Haymitch might've been a raging alcoholic, but he's genuinely helpful when he's sober.

"Find high ground, a source of water, and of course... stay alive."

I decided to stay here for the night, and set up camp. I ate the last pack of dried fruit that I had. I didn't have much energy left due to all the blood loss I experienced, despite the fact that the tourniquets held up well.

The sun's rays begin to fade as it goes down over the horizon - it's getting dark.

Dusk was about to be upon us, and I waited patiently for night to fall.

What of Sophia? Should I really trust her if I run into her again?

Well, that's up to me, I guess.

Location: The Arena, Cliff Sector

[Sophia]

I ran through the cliff sector, jumping over ravines and scaling rocks. I knew Rain was likely here - there was no cover in the other sectors, not to mention Cyrus is still around.

The cliff sector in its current condition was total ruin - collapsed rubble and cracks in the ground were commonplace throughout the whole sector. It was better than the burnt forest sector, though - that place gave no cover.

I spot a waterfall crashing down in the distance - that'll be my destination. It was getting dark.

Traversing the rocky terrain, I stumbled upon another tribute's camp. It was the boy from 6, Vincent.

I take cover, taking great care not to make a sound. I couldn't miss the opportunity to restock on supplies - my food could only last me so long before I starved to death. That'd be one of worst fates, just slowly dying. Death would be a mercy then.

He's blissfully unaware of my presence. This would be easy pickings as long as I didn't rush into things like Cyrus would. I observe him from behind one of the many fallen rocks - he's fiddling with his bow and mumbling something; he's also got a quiver strapped to his back.

I look around at his little camp - he's stacked on supplies, literally! Then it dawned on me: he was the one who killed Velvet and looted our camp.

I snap out of it and peek out from behind my cover.

He's still ignorant of anything and in his own world. My brutal Career discipline kicks in, as I draw my sword and come out from behind the rock.

He hears me and turns around, but it's too late for him.

I lunge at him, stab him with my sword, with it going through the left side of his chest. He coughs up a little blood, drops to the ground, thrashes slightly, and his body goes limp.

BOOM.

The cannon's fire rings loud and clear, as I retrieve my sword from Vincent's body. I'd be weaponless if the hovercraft picked up his body with my sword still in it.

I went through his supplies as the hovercraft took him away, confirming my suspicions. He was the one who killed Velvet and took our supplies while we were away.

While I wasn't close to the girl in particular, I could understand the pressure of being related to a victor - two, no less. Gloss and Cashmere, the dazzling siblings from 1 who won the 63rd and 64th Hunger Games, respectively. They're still holding the record for consecutive sibling victories - no other pair has replicated their feat yet.

By all means, Vincent was the one who caused the Careers to split up, thus indirectly causing Adrian's death. However, it was useless to mull over it. It already happened - it couldn't be changed now.

I restocked on the supplies Vincent had, taking plenty of food, as well as useful items such as first-aid kits and coils of rope. After I finished that, I set out again. It was getting dark. I needed to find a place to sleep.

I navigated the marred cliff sector, eventually coming to stand just outside of the waterfall, my destination. The water is coming down, and hard. It seemed to flow into a river below. I looked over at my left, and saw the hardened ground of the cliff sector transition into the lush earth that was the highlands sector.

Anyone who was stupid enough to jump into the waterfall would be seriously injured, or even killed in the worst case scenario. I looked on the side of the waterfall, seeing an alcove that could serve as decent shelter.

Entering the alcove, I came face-to-face with an angry-looking Rain, pointing his retractable lance at me. I immediately noticed his rich hazel eyes, and something pinned to his Arena jacket. The legendary golden mockingjay pin was pinned to his damaged and slightly charred Arena jacket. It's likely he was caught up in the Gamemaker's trap in the forest sector.

I dropped my sword, with it clattering to the ground.

"Look, Rain… hear me out…"

A/N: Alright, there's the chapter. I might not be uploading as often, but I'll try to get out at least one chapter a week! The next chapter will be the Top 8, and the Feast is coming too! Let's see who's still with us.

District 1 - Vulcan Prisma

District 2 - Cyrus Rankine & Sophia Kirhart

District 3 - Ellie Volicy

District 4 - Aileen Kendari

District 5 - (none)

District 6 - (none)

District 7 - Jose Aspen

District 8 - (none)

District 9 - (none)

District 10 - Robert Leiden

District 11 - (none)

District 12 - Rain Orion

Now, for the fallen…

Vincent Crox (District 6, stabbed in the chest by Sophia Kirhart of D2)

OK, so that's that. Have a good rest of the day, and I'll see you later! :)