Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. They belong to Suzanne Collins.

Note: I'm honestly very surprised I was able to get this chapter done so quickly. Writing for a new fandom really is getting my creative juices flowing! The feedback you've all given me is highly appreciated, so a big thank you to all of you for your words, both praising and constructive. I welcome all of it. :) If I keep going as I am in terms of typing speed and motivation, this story may be finished either at the end of this month, or early next month. I may be getting busy the next few days, but hopefully I can still find the time to sit down and write. Not much else to say, so I'll stop rambling here. Enjoy! :)


Mrrrmmm, what's that sound? Make it stop…

Wait, that sounds like...painting. Huh? What's going on?

I open my eyes and sit up, the blanket falling off me, and I glance around. I'm in the den, there's no signs anybody had arrived during the night, the supplies are right where they were left...all is at it should be.

...Where's Rue?

Suddenly, I do not feel the slightest bit sleepy anymore. Putting on my backpack as quickly as I can managed I crawl out of the den. Before I can call for Rue, my voice dies in my throat. She's just over there. Getting up, I approach her.

"Good morning," I say. "How long have you been awake?"

"Only fifteen minutes," says Rue. She's painting mud onto a tree with her hands for some reason. "Sleep well?"

"Better than I have the past few days," I reply. "Um, what are you doing?"

"Well, I was thinking...I know, funny, right?" Rue says, giggling. "You see, the fish markings you put on the trees helped us find them, but...they might let the others find them too. And so, I'm covering up all the markings."

Now that Rue has said this, I realise it's a miracle that nobody found us last night. Wordlessly, I pick up some mud and begin covering up every marking. Rue has already made quick work of concealing most of them, but the sooner we get this done the better. After all, not much could be worse than being found by both Glimmer and Clove during the night, or sooner.

Wait a second. Mud…

"You know what mud means, right?" I ask as soon as the last tree is covered.

"It'll be harder to get around?" Rue guesses.

"Well...yes." I admit. "But, if there's mud then there must be water. There might be a water source nearby."

"That, or it just rained during the night," Rue says at she looks up at the sky. Cloudy weather today.

"Maybe, but we'll need water sooner or later. The water I have won't last forever," I say seriously. "I remember a few years back...well, you saw the Games in the desert Arena, right?"

"I had nightmares for weeks. My little siblings had them for longer," Rue says, barely above a whisper. "You're right. Let's go find some water."

"And hopefully breakfast too," I add. We both glance around in silence for a few moments. "So, which direction? The lake is a ways that way, but so is the Cornucopia, and we'll be in big trouble if anybody else sees us."

"How about over there, beyond that cliff? There might be a way down there," Rue says, looking hopeful. "C'mon, let's go!"

Rue runs ahead, and I follow behind. If we can find a drinkable water source, we can stay hiding here for as long as the Gamemakers allow...hopefully a few days...and that means we can avoid the Careers until they are weaker and fatigued. Katniss said she shot Clove in her hand...and if that was her dominant hand, maybe the two of us could take her on, if she comes at us?

Thresh died at the base of that cliff...I'll try to focus on Rue. I can't break down now, not this near the end.


(A bit of time passes…)


The area at the base of the cliff is quite expansive. Full of rocky hills with only a little bit of grass. Truly, this seems like an area of the Arena that Tributes were not expected to spend much time in. I don't think that there will be much here, but I don't mind hanging out in this area. After all, nobody seems to be out here except myself and Rue.

Rue has gone over a few of the nearby hills, so I am alone. But after a week in the Arena, and now the eight day...I don't mind it as much. Being alone means nobody is likely to cut my throat. I'm certainly not going to stab myself. All there is right now is safety...and the search for a water source. I've been following the trail of limited plant-life for a minute or so, as plants grow near water, though so far the only thing of any note I found was a mushroom. I'm not hungry enough to risk eating it.

"There has to be something around here," I say to myself. It's more hope than logic that drives my words. "More than just a dry bush."

I give the bush next to me a little kick. Maybe something meaty will run out of it?

A few drops of water fly off of it.

I quickly feel myself getting very focused. Water is nearby, and as the ground is so dry I doubt it rained last night. Perhaps there had been a spruce closer to our den, but we're here now...may as well investigate.

Much to my relief, it's not long until I find the water. The stream is small, and gently flows through a small, rocky creak. It goes on into the distance...maybe past the forcefield? I gently cup my hands in the water, bringing a small amount of it to my lips. It tastes...lacking, but it seems to be safe to drink. Ok, from there the cliff is...over there, and our den just beyond it. Looks like staying here will work out just fine.

I take off my backpack and take two empty bottles from it. It doesn't take long to fill them up, but just as I cap the second bottle I hear something just to my right. I instantly look that way, but...nothing is there. I narrow my eyes nervously as I look back to the stream.

Lacey is in front of my, looking into my eyes.

I let out a short scream as I fall backwards. I hope Rue won't hear that and comment on it…

"Hello~!" Lacey says, looking oddly cheerful for somebody who has been in an Arena of death for longer than a week. "What's up?"

"Don't do that!" I exclaim, getting back up on my knees. "Try doing that to Clove or Glimmer, see where it gets you."

"It'd get me out of here faster," Lacey says. I can't say she's wrong, exactly. "So, how are you? Sad about, well, the Girl on Fire being extinguished? I sure would be."

"It was a hard day," I say, closing my eyes. Katniss…

"But at least Marvel is gone too!" Lacey says, her smile almost as wide as her entire face. "Wonder how he died...do you know?"

"Uh...let's just say it was a first for the Games, and leave it at that," I say, looking down and to the side. "...Are you here to fight?"

"Nope, just water," says Lacey. She pauses to dunk her head down and sip a mouthful...reminds me of home, as some people do that in the sea if they are poor and desperate… "I think we should make a trade. Yeah, yeah?"

"Um...what kind of trade?" I reply, feeling cautious.

"Well...I do not have a bottle to hold any water," says Lacey, pouting a bit. "You seem to have more than one. If you give me one, I could give you something in return...you know, make it worth your while."

"Um, ok, uh...what do you have to give me?" I ask. Lacey is...hard to predict, so it could be something very good or very bad.

Lacey grins again, looking big and grand.

"I present to you..." Lacey begins, reaching into her pocket. "...A half eaten can of corn!"

Lacey holds up the can as though it were a priceless pearl of the sea. Maybe it's not much, but I gaze at it...corn is nice, and with a water source near our den, myself and Rue need food more than anything else. The corn would be a good start. And, I guess we could survive with one less bottle.

Lacey gazes at me, her smile not faltering. I nod, and pass over the bottle, though I do not let go of it until the can of corn is in my hand. I won't let myself be tricked.

Lacey hugs the water bottle like it were a teddy bear, and then chugs some water.

"Thanks Urchin! Good luck not getting your throat slit and drowning on your own blood! Bye-bye!" Lacey says, smiling sweetly. It reminds me of something I heard citizens of the Capital say on TV, 'sweet enough to cause a cavity'. Strange.

With a wave, Lacey sprints off without looking back. She soon goes over a hill and then disappears as she goes down the other side. Will I ever see her again?...Maybe it'd be better if I did not. I'm not sure if I could bring myself to kill her.

I sniff the corn, and smile. It may be a bit soggy, but the scent and sight of it makes my mouth water a little bit. I think there's enough corn in the can for both myself and Rue to have one mouthful each. Not a bad trade.

"Urchin! Where are you?!" Rue yells from somewhere behind me. "Come here! I found something interesting!"

I quickly fill up the last of the bottles, cap them and then I'm on my feet. Ok, Rue's voice came from...that way. Without pause, I jog off in the direction my best friend currently is.


(One minute later…)


Rue is sitting on a rock as I approach. She's looking straight ahead of her, and at her feet lays a dead animal. I think it's a Groosling. Rue glances back and smiles at me, waving me over. I sit down beside her and she points ahead.

"Look. Do you see it too?" Rue asks me.

I peer carefully ahead. All I can see is a large amount of trees in the distance at the other side of a field. Wait, hang on...what was that? Did I just see...a wisp in mid air?

"...I saw a wisp. What is it?" I ask.

"It's the Forcefield," says Rue. "We're right at the edge of the Arena."

Hearing this makes me inch myself back slightly. I've heard if somebody were to touch the Forcefield they'd be blasted backwards...with their heart stopped.

"We should go back. That thing would fry us if we touch it," I say, my tone cautious. "I saw Lacey back there...I traded her a bottle of water for half a can of corn. So...we have lunch, sort of."

"Ooo, yummy!" Rue cheers. "Oooo, but don't you want some meat to go with that?"

"The Groosling?" I say. "But how do we cook it? A fire just seems way too risky."

"...We won't need one," Rue says, smirking a cute little smirk. "Watch this. Stand back."

I quickly get myself behind the rock, ready to duck if I have to. Rue stands to the side of me, holding the Groosling as she faces the Forcefield. For a moment she stands still.

"Here's how girl from 11 cooks her food!" Says Rue, giggling as she throws the Groosling towards the Forcefield and instantly ducks down.

The Groosling is blasted back over our heads a moment or so later, now smoky and crispy, and lands a short distance away. It...actually smells delicious!

Rue picks up the cooked Groosling and smiles. She sits on the rock and pats the spot next to her. I probably blush a bit as I sit down next to her. We share the Groosling and corn in silence for a few minutes.

"...I wish we could both go home, and be friends...forever." Rue says quietly. "Is that strange?"

"...If it is, then I must be too. I feel the exact same," I say, trying to smile.

"ATTENTION TRIBUTES, ATTENTION!"

We both look up to the sky, our meal forgotten for a few moments. That's Claudius Templesmith, the Announcer of the Games. It's a very rare occurrence when an announcement is made, besides to present the winner at the end...what could it be? In past Games, it's almost never been anything good…

"THERE HAS BEEN A RULE CHANGE. THE RULE CALLING FOR A SINGLE VICTOR HAS BEEN...SUSPENDED. NOW, THERE MAY BE TWO VICTORS...IF THEY ARE BOTH THE LAST TWO TRIBUTES ALIVE AND ARE THE SAME AGE, IN YEARS, WHEN THIS OCCURS. GOOD LUCK TRIBUTES, AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!"

We are both silent for several long moments, our faces blank and stunned. We slowly turn towards each other with wide eyes.

"...My birthday is not until a week before the next reaping day," I say, my choice light and shaky with hope.

Slowly, a big smile appears on Rues face. It fits her very well indeed.

"...Mine isn't until the twentieth of January," Rue says, her hands practically shaking.

We look at each for just a few more seconds before we both cheer, squealing in glee. We can go home! We can both go home! We're...we're gonna be ok!

If there is any kind of God out there, thank you to them, thank you to them so much…

We both cheer jumping up and joining our hands, dancing around in a circle. We probably look ridiculous, but for once I do not care, and neither does Rue. All we care about is that we'll be making it out with our lives and our best friend. We're nearly crying in happiness, smiles on our faces that I did not know were possible.

"Urchin...we're gonna be alright!" Rue squees, throwing her arms around me. "We're safe...we're safe..."

"Almost. We still have five other people left," I remind her.

"True...what do you think caused this rule change?" Rue asks, a finger on her chin and her eyes wide in thought. Adorable…

"You know what?" I say. "...It doesn't matter, because we're gonna be ok!"

I hug Rue, picking her up into a little spin. She giggles and laughs in glee. Once I set her down, we both just look at each other, smiling.

"...Katniss won't be dying in vain after all," Rue says, looking wistful. "Shall we go back to our den?"

"We have the water we need. Let's go," I reply, nodding.

We walk back in the direction of our den, smiles on our faces. Maybe, just maybe...I can let myself feel optimistic. As we smile at each other, I've felt the happiest I have in so long.

It feels good.


(Some time passes…)


It's...amazing really, what a bit of good news can do. We may both be exhausted from the Games, and hurting for our fallen friends...but now, hope has come back into our hearts. Maybe that sounds a little silly, but it's how we feel. There may still be five other tributes left, most of them dangerous, but here we are already talking of going home.

"My family is probably worried sick about me...I hope they're alright. But, I know they're watching, cheering for me...having people rooting for me, it helps," Rue says from beside me. "When we move into the Victor's Village I'm gonna have a feast and a party for us, every single day! And, everybody in the District is invited! ...You happy to be going home too?"

"I am. And...now, I actually really, really believe that I will make it back," I say truthfully. I even smile. "I'm gonna have a pool built at my house for sure. Swimming helps me relax...I bet I'll be swimming a lot after this Game is over."

"...When I come to visit, could you reach me how to swim? There's no water to swim in back in 11, and I've always wondered what it's like..." Rue trails off, looking at me hopefully.

I smile, nodding as I pat her shoulder.

"It'd be a pleasure," I assure her. "But, it'll be different...going home. Not the same as it was before."

"True. We'll be rich, and survivors," Rue says in agreement. "Plus, people will talk of us a lot more now, huh?"

"Well, yes," I agree. "But...when we go home...Thresh and Marina won't be coming back with us. Well, not outside of a casket at least."

Rue is silent, no doubt her heart going out for Thresh. I'd like to think that...if not for that tracker-jacker incident, maybe we could have been friends. Or, as close to it as we could have been. He didn't strike me as a bad guy.

"I knew his family, a little. I feel so bad for his sister and Grandma...I'll do what I can for them. Invite them to a nice party, maybe have them over for dinner...I wish nobody had to die," Rue says, closing her eyes.

"I think we all wish that, at least several times every week," I reply, bowing my head in agreement. "We were lucky enough that we might both win now. I won't push my luck and wish for the dead to be bought back."

Rue nods silently.

"So...what was she like? Marina, I mean," Rue asks. "I was there when she...well, I never really knew her."

My gut tightens a little. It's been days since I thought about Marina...that makes me feel bad. But, maybe now would be a good time to talk of her. To pay my respects to her.

"Marina was a good girl...tough and knew what she wanted, getting it her way, but...she was tender and sweet too. She babysat Ula sometimes, and on rare occasions we ended up fishing on the same boat. She was...well, she was popular, back in 4. Not a celebrity or somebody with any power, but...people loved her, and she loved them...she did have seven boyfriends throughout the last year, I think," I say, looking up at the sky. If only they would show her face one last time. "I guess what I'm trying to say is...I'll really miss her. In those few days in the Capital before...this...we become close."

"Just like I did with Thresh," Rue says. She sounds like she understands.

We sit in silence for a few minutes, but soon a voice breaks it...and it belongs to neither of us.

"I wonder who got Fire Girl. I should thank them...bitch shot my hand," says an angry sounding voice. "Though, whoever it was also stole my kill...well, they're dead either way, so it's whatever. I just want to stab somebody soon."

"I hope you don't mean me!" says another voice...Glimmer! "Let's leave that for the top two, yeah?"

"Sure, probably," says the first voice...oh, yeah, that's Clove. "But, that rule change...strange, yeah? All the more reason to hunt for the kids, right?"

"As if I needed anymore reasons!" Says Glimmer. I think she is probably smirking right now. "I'll find them, and then they'll die. Highlight of the Game, yes, no?"

"A corpse is always a highlight," Clove replies. "They won't be smiling for much longer. Kids never win."

Rue is very still, and so am I. We barely make a sound...the Careers are very near, and if they find us, we're dead. We'd have no chance. She takes my hand, and I automatically squeeze it gently. Our breathing light, we stay quiet and listen.

"True...but with this rule change, they might think they have a chance," Glimmers says. I get the idea she might be crossing her arms in a huff. "Does the rule even apply to anybody else? Urrgh, Marvel had one job. One job! Do not get killed. Some Career."

"Well, I won't weep. Kinda makes my odds better that he's dead," Clove snickers. "And you know...if what Weldar said a few days ago is true, he officially turns fifteen tonight at ten. If he can live that long, I may decide not to slit his throat."

"Oooo, that mean you gonna slit mine?" Gimmer teases.

"Mmmmm, that does sound tempting," Clove replies. Career banter is so weird… "But we still have the little ones, the girl from 8 and the boy from 10 to kill first."

"Sounds fun," Glimmers says, though she sounds annoyed. "Would be more fun if Ankles hadn't stolen my sword. Urrgh, I hope somebody sponsors me something good soon."

"It'd be pretty costly by now," Clove teases. "C'mon, this way. Maybe somebody is hiding out by the lake."

"And if not, hopefully the Game-Makers send somebody near us," Glimmer adds. "I may have no weapon...but whatever, I can break a neck or if all else fails just punch them."

"Heh, brutal," Clove says, most likely with one of those 'Career Smirks' the older kids back home talk about in hushed whispers.

The two Careers leave, their voices soon vanishing from our ears. But, it's ten minutes later until we dare to breath at our normal volume and say anything at all.

"Guess it's not just us who benefit from this rule change," Rue says after a while.

"Yeah..." I agree softly. "And it seems to...have a small drawback. People are gonna be hunting for us even more now..."

Rue puts a hand on my shoulder. She seems to be trying to put on a brave face, one brave enough for us both.

"They cant kill us if they cannot catch us," Rue says confidently. "They didn't find us then, and now they're far away."

"Hopefully next time, if there is a next time, we'll be just as lucky," I say, nodding. "So...what do we do now?"

"I guess we let the clock tick by, until something happens...like us hearing a cannon," Rue says.

I pass Rue a bottle of water, and hold one for myself. We sit back, and do exactly what she suggested.


(Time passes…)


It's the middle of the afternoon now. Maybe a bit past 4? I can't say for certain, but the day is definitely getting on a bit now. Long enough that we're both feeling hungry.

And so, that's why we're now looking for food in the forest. No parachutes have come down, and by now even sending food would be pricey, so we're on the hunt. The results...well, um, the hunt isn't over yet, right? Eheheh…

"Ooo, berry bush!" Rue calls. "...Nevermind, it's Nightlock!"

I may not be a fan of berries, but that variety...yeah, I don't think I'd ever be that desperate. I'm not hopeless. Though, some years people have lost hope from the start. I heard a story once about a tribute from 9 who was weak and her odds were 50-1...she decided to save herself from what would have probably been a very painful death and jumped off her pedestal the second she was launched into the Arena. I won't lie, I small part of me had been tempted...but I didn't get to where I am now by losing hope. I got this far by hiding, mainly.

I can see Mockingjays in the trees. As I look at them, they look right back.

"...I wonder what they taste like," I say to myself. "Hmm, maybe I could get one with the throwing knife?"

I nod to myself, setting down my backpack and taking out the double ended dagger. It looks so sharp, you could get cut just looking at it. Well...maybe not, but trust me, it's sharp.

"Urchin! Found something!" Rue calls out to me.

The birds can wait. Weapon still in my hand, I put my backpack back on and lightly jog to where I know Rue is. She kneels by a large bush, larger than the others nearby, and is carefully picking berries from it. They're red...hmm, I know I've seen those before. What were they called again?

"Look, raspberries. Back in 11, these are delicacies," Rue says, smiling. "I know you don't like fruit, but...well, why not try one? They are kind of all we have."

I may be a picky eater, but I'm no fool. I accept Rue's offer, eating a small mouthful of the berries. Not...exactly tasty, but far from the worst thing I've ever had. Maybe I could grow to like these over time? For all I know, we may end up being here for another week if things go slowly enough.

We kneel side by side, picking berries carefully. Rue shows me which ones to avoid...the ones less grown, or the ones with impurities. We may have enough here to last us until tomorrow morning. Maybe we'll be down to just six tributes by then? Glimmer, Clove and Weldar are all ones to watch out for after all, and neither Rammy nor Lacey have a team mate or steady ally…

I'm just about to take hold of a big, juicy raspberry that, even if tasting a bit sour, looks visually pleasing, when something hisses. I instantly leap back, dropping the berries. I reach for my knife, as right now it's best to assume anything could be a threat, just as a small snake lunges out from the bush.

"Owww!" Rue squeals, falling back onto her bum. "Owww..."

No, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO!

I quickly stab the snake, which is a very nasty shade of pink and yellow, a good dozen or so times. The snake, animal or mutt I do not know, is dead, but Rue has been bitten. I kneel beside her quickly.

"Are you ok?" I ask, my voice pained. "Does it hurt?"

"Yeah, a bit..." Rue says, wincing. "It's not nasty, but...it feels funny. And no funny ha-ha."

We both go silent in usion. That snake could have been poisonous…

"We need to get back to the den. Now," I say seriously.

"Yeah, good plan. Let's go," Rue says, trying to get up. I gently stop her.

"We don't know if the snake was poisonous or not. Until it does, don't move about too much, it'd make any poison in you spread faster," I say as a warning.

"How do you know that?" Rue asks. "I don't remember any station teaching that."

"Mags told me. She said her Games had a lot of snakes hiding about," I reply. My heart is pounding. If Rue has actually been poisoned...no, I can't think bout that. Not when a happy ending is so close…

"Mags sounds nice," Rue says, still managing to smile. "So, uh, how am I getting back if Dr Urchin won't let me walk?"

I respond by very gently picking Rue up, holding her in a way my dad calls 'bridal style'. The name makes me blush a bit, but I have to be serious now.

"I'll carry you. It's not far away," I say. And, thank goodness for that…

"What a lovely ride!" Rue says cheerfully. "I'll keep an eye out for anymore mean animals."

With all my stuff packed away, and my team mate in my arms, I set off. I try to keep up a quick pace, but not too quick. Dropping Rue would do neither of us any favours.


(A few hours later…)


I didn't want to believe it. I prayed that it would not be true. But...it seems that the nasty snake was poisonous.

Thankfully, it does not seem to be in any way fast acting, but Rue seems off already...and her small body will probably make the, um, 'job' go quicker. Rue's face is a little paler than normal, and a brief touch of my hand to her forehead showed she has a bit of a temperature. I'm in no way an expert, or a novice, with medicine...but it has to be poison. What else could bring this on?

And so, here we are in our den. We lay side by side, huddled under the blanket. It's cold outside, with rain falling down. Normally...this would be rather nice, a gentle way to bond. But seeing Rue looking sick, and tired...I feel afraid. I have no idea how long it would take for this poison to claim my best friend's life, but I have no doubt it'd be quicker than the time it'd take for five cannons to sound.

What are we going to do now…?

"You know...this is nice," Rue says quietly. "It's...kinda like a sleepover, huh?"

"Makes it almost like we're just normal children." I say softly.

"When we get home, we could be," Rue says. I wish I had her unbreakable optimism…

"That sounds really nice," I reply. I'll try to keep my mood up, for her sake. "Mrrrm, I'm hungry..."

"Same. But, at least we're not thirsty," she says, trying to keep us both happy, I can tell. "We should be glad for the things that are not going wrong. Me and my siblings play that game whenever we feel a little sad."

"...I like the sound of that game," I say, looking into Rue's eyes. I can see she looks off in them. "But, how are we going to help you...a poison cure would cost sponsors a fortune..."

"...We'll need to hope," Rue says, softly. "It got us this far, huh?"

I respond by gently hugging we. I smile as she return it.

"ATTENTION TRIBUTES, ATTENTION."

We both freeze and, after sharing a brief glance, look up. Of course, we only see the underside of the tree, but we're more focused on what Claudius has to say. What could it be?...And, has there ever been two announcements in one day before?

"AS A REWARD FOR SURVIVING TO THE FINAL SEVEN, THERE WILL BE A FEAST HELD AT THE CORNUCOPIA TOMORROW AT DAWN."

Feasts...truly, the biggest gamble of the Games. You're nearly at the end...and something good may be offered. Do you risk it and die near the end, or do you go refuse to go and later fall victim to somebody who will then be armed much better than you are? One year long ago that my dad told me about, three people died fighting over a small bowl of stew...an the person who got it died soon after because the stew was poisoned…

I may be hungry, but I won't go. It's simply not worth it. I don't know if Claudius is watching me specifically, but I shake my head a little.

"NOW HOLD ON. SOME OF YOU MAY ALREADY BE REFUSING MY INVITATION. BUT, EACH OF YOU NEEDS SOMETHING...DESPERATELY. YOU WILL ALL FIND THAT SOMETHING AT THE FEAST IN A BAG MARKED WITH YOUR DISTRICT NUMBER. PERHAPS SOME AMONG YOU COULD DO WITHOUT, BUT FOR SOME OF YOU...THIS COULD BE YOUR LAST CHANCE. THIS WILL BE THE FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT. GOOD LUCK TRIBUTES, AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR!"

A whole minute of silence passes. Something we desperately need, and for some of us it may be the last chance…

I'm going.

The medicine Rue needs, it's sure to be there. I just have to go straight in, and straight out, and grab my bag while I'm at it. How hard could it be…?

"No," Rue says, looking me in the eyes. "Don't go. Please..."

"But you need that medicine. You heard Claudius…for some, you, it may be the last chance..." I say, pleading in my tone. "I just have to run in and out. The only problem is the long walk, that's all."

"And the other tributes," Rue says, that firm tone of hers coming back. "There'd be a backpack for each District, like every Feast. Urchin, even if I stay here...that means it's you and the other five. We're all from different Districts."

A free for all with both Careers, Weldar with his bow-gun, and Rammy...oh, and Lacey...that would be tough…

"Some may not show up for the same reasons you're telling to me," I insist. "And even if they do...I'm small, and fast...I could hide, or flee. They might attack each other first."

"And what if they don't?" Rue asks. She gently hugs me. "Please Urchin...please, don't get yourself killed for me..."

I want to keep on arguing, but I can't. I can't, as soon as I look into those eyes…

"...Ok...I'll stay," I say laying back down. "Maybe...maybe all five of them wil lgo down in the Feast? It's...not impossible."

"Exactly," Rue says softly. "Come on…let's lie down…let time pass..."

We lay down, and resume gently huddling and trying to keep warm. But all the while, The Feast remains on my mind. More than hunger. I keep repeating in my head what Claudius had said.

Last chance…


(Later that night…)


I think it's about Midnight now, but I lie, unable to slumber. I got some sleep, but right now I feel wide awake once more. Rue shivers a little, her face pale as she sleeps. It's obvious the poison is spreading. Maybe it won't kill her for a day or two...but time has a habit of passing quickly when I wish it would not.

The Anthem played ages ago, before I slept, and nobody died today. It'd be me against five other, bigger tributes. But if I do not go somebody else will take Rue's bag, or destroy it to increase their own odds. Either way, it'd be bad.

Based on the time it is, and how far across the Arena the Cornucopia it is...if I set off within the next half an hour, I'd arrive a little before the Feast starts. The rain has stopped now, and some of the others may be sleepy. But if I die, Rue will as well…

It's her last chance though…

I wring my hands together, and look at Rue. She seems in pain within her sleep.

The answer is clear. I'm going.

I carefully look through my backpack, making sure I have all my weapons and enough supplies for the journey. Once my backpack is on, I gently lay the full length of the blanket over Rue. I write out the word 'Feast' with my finger in the dirt. I creepy my way out of the den. Once out, I look back. The den is hidden from sight, and unlikely to be found by anybody. I hold one of my knives, the curved dagger, and grip the handle tightly.

"For the team, the Tiny Two," I say, running a hand through my curls.

I run, and run, and run. The sooner I get there the better. As I jog through the dark, silent forest I glance up at the stars.

Even in a place full of danger, the night sky looks beautiful. Of course, nothing can beat the stars that shine down over the sea in District 4.


END OF DAY 8…


REMAINING TRIBUTES

Glimmer (District 1 Female)

Clove (District 2 Female)

Weldar (District 3 Male)

Urchin (District 4 Male)

Lacey (District 8 Female)

Rammy (District 10 Male)

Rue (District 11 Female)


THE FALLEN

8th- Katniss (District 12 Female) - Speared in the stomach by Marvel, and bled out.

9th- Marvel (District 1 Male) - Poisoned by Urchin's tribute token.

10th- Cinder / Foxface (District 5 Female) - Impaled by shrapnel propelled via explosions.

11th- Thresh (District 11 Male) - Thrown off a cliff by Foxface and broke neck.

12th- Peeta (District 12 Male) - Leg cut by Cato with a sword, and bled out.

13th- Cato (District 2 Male) - Stabbed with a throwing knife covered in nightlock juice by Urchin.

14th- Marina (District 4 Female) – Beaten up by careers and neck crushed by Glimmer

15th- Jason (District 6 Male) - Tripped and then slashed to death with a scythe by Cato.

16th- Nettle (District 7 Female) - Speared in the heart with a spear by Marvel

17th- Sparky (District 5 Male) - Pinned to a crate and stabbed in the abdomen with a knife by Glimmer.

18th- Sickle (District 9 Female) - Knife to the lung by Clove.

19th- Wood (District 7 Male) - Slashed in the throat with a crescent sword by Thresh

20th- Miller (District 9 Male) - Knife thrown into back by Clove

21st- Tamora (District 6 Female) - Stabbed with a knife by Glimmer

22nd- Gadget (District 3 Female) - Slashed in the forehead with a sickle by Sparky.

23rd- Sable (District 10 Female) - Skull hit with an axe by Cato.

24th- Callico (District 8 Male) - Stabbed with a kukri by Marvel.


TRIBUTE NOTES

Nobody died this time, but the chapter sure wasn't lacking action or plot, I'd say! Naturally, with Urchin from 4 and Rue from 11, the 'same district' rule clearly would not work. So...why not make the rule for those the same age? And a the current time, Weldar is now 15, so the rule applies to him and Clove too! :o All this, and Rue is poisoned! What's gonna happen in the Games now? Well...the Feast is next, and it will have more attendees than the canon one did...