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"We got a runner!" Garrett yells with an excited laugh.

Through the marshy water, our legs splashed the moss and collective leaves away as we chased a figure far ahead of us. But we were catching up.

"Lillianne, when we get to dry ground, sprint!" Anko yelled. I nodded, and prepared by getting in front of the group. Once I felt the ground grow less moist, my feet gripped onto the ground and I pushed off in the direction of the running figure. Soon, it became visible - it was a girl. A tall girl. With a side ponytail and a black jacket…

I tackled her down to the ground from behind and something in the action felt somewhat familiar. We tumbled together, gripped on to each other, rolling on the hard ground. I rolled her over to straddle her, a knife in my hand and holding her down with the other, when I met her brown eyed glare. She struggles as I push her down, and her big brown eyes meet mine with a look of recognition -

"Fern." I whisper, my eyes widening.

She growls at me and struggles more, and my grip on her loosens just a bit. I hesitate instantly. Do I let her go?I pause, and look around cautiously. Is Alex around? I look back down at her and ask her with my eyes. She snarls at me. What do I do?!

It's too late for letting her go. The group has caught up and is pointing their weapons at her. I look up at Dezzy with a scared look on my face. Dezzy bites her lip, instantly understanding, and puts up her slingshot.

"District 12," Demetrius says, kneeling beside me. He looks down at her, then back at me with a satisfied grin. "The other one can't be far."

I get off of her and stare at her as she snarls and growls like a wild animal under the weight of Demetrius. I feel the tired feeling crash upon me and I realize I'm panting.

"What do we do with her, Cybele?" Garrett says hungrily as he turns to Cybele. She's coyly playing with the tip of her sword, mulling over her thoughts.

"…Where's the other mutt, 12?" She asks with eerie politeness. Fern spits at Cybele's feet. Cybele kicks her in the side and Fern whimpers, bending over on her side. I move forward to stop her, but Dezzy instantly grabs my arm and remotely shakes her head, not facing me. Cybele laughs at the tribute under Demetrius.

"Let's keep her. Maybe the other one will show." Cybele replies, with the last word. Someone fishes out a rope from their supply kit and manages to tie the uncontrollable Fern underneath the weight of Demetrius. She's yelling and thrashing, she's scratching and clawing at whoever is holding her. Eyes wide, I stare in wonder at this creature with bloodshot eyes.

"Let me go, you swines! You filthy Career wannabes, you disgusting, sadistic, murderers! Murderers! MURDERERS!"

I stare at her in awe, her cries echoing in my head. Murderers! Murderers! Cybele is teasing her, mimicking her yells and crying out for Alex.

"Come on out, 12! Save your little friend!"

I feel a pang in my chest. Please don't come. Please. Stay away. Stay away.

We wait for a long while and no one emerges from the trees. Fern is panting and her voice is hoarse.

"Please! Alex! Help me!" She's desperate, tears building. No one comes. Dezzy's grip tightens on my arm.

"Bring her. We need bait. We'll walk a few miles and set up camp. Maybe we'll get lucky." Cybele grins slyly. Garrett and Anko take Fern and drag her, as she refused to walk. I walk behind with Dezzy, anticipating my next move and how Fern has interfered.

"Break time!" Garrett beams, dropping Fern on the ground. She's stopped thrashing and kicking, being still. Demetrius sighs as Cybele rolls her eyes.

"He's right, we need to break if we wanna find a good camp ground. Maybe we could even camp here. " Demetrius looks around and continues, "What do you think, Korto and Anko?"

The stoic pair from District 11 look at each other, then nod. Anko speaks. "It is high ground, and the moss points that we are north. All other tributes ran east and south. We should be safe."

Demetrius turns to the rest of us. "See?"

"However," Korto interjects, her voice rare in my memory, "We need a water source."

"Dezzy and I will look for it." I quickly volunteer. Dezzy smiles nervously and nods, shaking her water jug.

"I'm game," She says shyly. Demetrius and Cybele eye me cautiously, more Demetrius than Cybele. I raise my eyebrows at him, questioning his doubt. He shakes his head.

"Then it's settled." He says. Cybele stares at our duo, then does something unexpected.

"Here." She fishes a rectangular object out of her jacket pocket and throws it at me. I catch it, and I see it's a compass. I look up, confused.

"Don't get lost, princess." She says begrudgingly. She turns away, hands in her pockets.

I put it in my pocket. "I won't. Now hand me the jugs, we're gonna fill them up."

"What was that all about?" I asked Dezzy once we were at a safe distance. Dezzy stays quiet. I turn to her, realizing Dezzy hasn't said much all day.

"What's wrong." I say, more of a statement than a question. Dezzy keeps looking forward.

"They're suspicious." She says quietly, almost a whisper.

"Suspicious?" I echo. She nods.

"You've been out of their sight a lot. Cybele is worried you have a plan."

"Don't we all have a plan?" I say. She stiffens.

"Not Cybele, apparently." She answers. She looks around cautiously, then whispers, "I can hear what they're saying. I can hear anything."

"What are they saying?" I ask as we come to a rugged path.

"She's suspicious of you and Demetrius. She doesn't buy his strategy. And it's killing her that she doesn't know yours."

I'm surprised at this. I smile a bit in triumph, then keep on listening. Dezzy continues. "She thinks you have a plan and she wants to keep you close to her. After holding your own for the past two days, she says she doesn't trust you, but that she thinks you're not completely stupid."

I scoff and roll my eyes. Leave it to Cybele to throw in an insult even when talking strategy. I feel squishiness under my feet all of a sudden. Dezzy and I look down.

"Mud. There has to be water close by."

We follow the mud as it gets sloshier. I want to bring up my plan to Dezzy, but I don't know exactly how to do so.

"So…" Dezzy interrupts my thoughts curiously, "Do you have a plan?"

Thank you Dezzy.

"I…" I hesitate. She stops.

"You do have a plan. I knew it!" She turns to me excitedly, then stops. "But- but you can't tell me right?"

I squeeze my eyes shut. I have no idea how to do this. I rub my forehead and sigh, then open my eyes. I put a finger over my mouth, and jerk my head to the side, motioning us to move forward. She looks around and pulls out her slingshot, nodding. I reach for a knife and walk cautiously on.

"Clear." Dezzy whispers. I nod in okay, then stop as we reach a small cliff. We've lost the water source. We've gone off trail.

"I have a plan." I say inconspicuously. Dezzy grips onto her pack. I crouch down to her level. She eyes me nervously.

"I have a plan, and you're part of it too."

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