It still hasn't gotten too steep to walk when we come to a hole in the mountainside. Abrupt, it has an arched top and a smooth floor inside, at least until the shadows obscure it. It's more than wide enough for Trucy and me to enter at the same time, which only makes it more suspicious. It's some form of shelter and concealment. What kind of traps will it have?

"What do you think?" Trucy tries to peek in before turning back to me.

"Going in can't be a good idea." I swallow. "We'll keep it in mind if we need to hide from someone, but it's too convenient to be safe."

With a sniffle, she folds her arms. "You think it's trapped? But then, what if we do want to run and hide in it? We'd definitely trigger whatever's in there."

I frown. "That's true..."

"Maybe we should check it out now, while we're kind of safe?"

"Hmm." I shut my eyes and suck in a breath before looking back at the cave entrance.

I feel Trucy's hand on my arm. "Are you doing all right?"

"I'm fine!" It's such a knee-jerk reaction I don't realize I'm shouting directly at the cave until it's too late.

...

"Y-yeah, we should probably check it out now," I say weakly, pulling myself up a few feet.

To her credit, Trucy doesn't laugh this time.

"Really, I'm okay, though." I sit down just past the edge of the opening. "I mean... Clay is gone—" not letting my voice break, not doing this again, not now—"and five more... But there's nothing I can do for them at this point. I just have to..." Not sure what I'm trying to say, I just give her a "you know what I mean" nod and look into the cave. I can't see much more from here.

"We shouldn't go in blind, that's for sure. I-I don't think I grabbed any torches." Or did I? I haven't actually checked the backpack yet.

Well, now's as good a time as any to inventory. Especially while there's still some mud and grass around to hide anything I don't need.

Letting out a breath, I shuffle past Clay's jacket and the knife first. This middle pocket has some bread and two pairs of sunglasses that don't quite look the same. The cave is dark enough as is.

I unzip the smaller pocket a little too enthusiastically, and Trucy shooshes me. I give her a nod and look into the smaller section of the bag. A rain poncho, some socks, and a box of crackers. An extra small pocket has a lighter, so I keep that in hand, but there's a flashlight back in the biggest pocket after all.

I throw the lighter back in its slot and glance at Trucy. She has the blanket tied up around her shoulders, somehow keeping the shield bound to her back. "Is that heavy? I can carry it for a while."

She smiles. "I'm all right, thanks." She arranges the motley assortment of knives in her belt and slips one into her hand. "Are you ready?"

The flashlight comes on without any trouble. "Yeah. Let's check it out."

An initial wash of light doesn't reveal anything but rocks and more smooth floor. Nothing coming for us, at least. I wonder how far it goes on.

Trucy brings up the rear as I step inside, trying to keep my footsteps from echoing all over the place. You'd think it would be hard with these huge boots, but it stays surprisingly quiet in here.

I don't even have to duck as I creep along, sweeping the light beam across all surfaces to find traps. I'm sure I'd be able to see something if it was there. As it is, all I've found are some spiders and a handful of bats that Trucy calls cute.

A tunnel branches off at my left. It's not as big as the main area, although I could still get in without ducking.

Trucy peeks around my shoulder as I pause at the entrance. "What do you think?"

"Well, we're trying to scope the place out, right?" I prod at my forehead. "Might as well check this part for traps, too."

I take a step in. "If it branches off again, then we'll have to figure out how to not get lost..."

Trucy nods, and I lead us in, aiming the flashlight at all angles as I go in. What look like windowsills—aside from the lack of an opening—line the walls, but I can't make out anything else odd. It could be useful for shelving. Maybe we could shelter here tonight, if the place checks out.

Half a minute in, the tunnel goes black.

"Eep!" Trucy seizes my arm with hands as I gasp and fiddle with the flashlight switch. No dice. I try shaking the handle, but that doesn't do anything for me, either.

Despite my heightened perception, I can't do any better than anyone else in total darkness. I wonder if even the cameras can see me.

Huh... Maybe I could get away with crying for a little bit...

No! We're sitting ducks in here. We need to at least get somewhere we can run.

Shuffling through my backpack by feel, I replace the flashlight with the lighter and flick it open. The little flame doesn't illuminate much of anything. I can't even make out the details of Trucy's face.

I guess I could try to dump whatever's in the lighter on some bandages for accelerant, but... Is there even liquid in here? And I'm supposed to let the cloth soak for a while before trying to light it...

"Forget it!" I hand Trucy the lighter, put an arm around her, and start walking ahead. "We've already checked out this much. It should still be fine."

"Right," she whispers. I shrink at how loudly I've been "sneaking" around as she shuts off the lighter. If anyone has heard, I guess we don't want them to see us. I haven't noticed any footfalls but ours, though.

With a quicker pace, it doesn't take long to get to the main tunnel. I take a right and tentatively run a hand across the wall. I'm sure I'm headed the right way, although I can't see the light. The path must be a little crooked.

Or the entire environment up and changes sometimes. I really wish that wasn't a reasonable theory.

My hand brushes something warm. I freeze, feeling hair under my fingertips before finally getting the presence of mind to snatch my hand away. "Aaah!"

I nearly shove Trucy to the far wall before I just push her behind me and take a step back.

"Polly? What is it?"

"Oh, it's you two."

That voice...!

I feel behind me for Trucy's hand, but she catches on and flicks the lighter open. I'd have to thrust it right in front of the other tribute's face to recognize him, but the gleam off his sunglasses is identification enough.

"Klavier?"

He must be sitting, although I still can't make out much of anything. I think he's turned to the side a bit, to to keep his legs against the side of the cave, or something. I would have run him over otherwise.

With a chuckle, he adjusts his bangs—probably because I just messed them up. "That was an... interesting way to run into you, Herr Forehead."

"...What was that?" I have enough nicknames for a lifetime. Please don't add another one. "Never mind. What the heck are you doing in here?"

He tilts his head back. "Resting. I'm afraid Fräulein Scientist isn't doing so well at the moment."

Now that he mentions it, I can pick out another faint gleam next to him. Does Ema still have her weird sunglasses on her head?

"What happened?" I ask as Trucy shuffles around to my right, in front of Ema.

Klavier's voice is hard. "The bloodbath. What else?"

A pang goes through my stomach at that, but now is not the time to go back into mourning.

"I'm okay, though..." The faint crackle of Ema's voice isn't very convincing. I swing the lighter closer to her, but it's no good. I can't make out any damage. I do think her eyes are closed.

A container of something—maybe in her lap—rattles. "Really, it's okay. I got the equipment. Everything's good."

"Equipment?" Trucy leans closer, the blanket on her shoulder brushing down my arm, but I don't think she gets much of a better look.

I can hear her grin in her voice. "Forensics kit. Footprints, fingerprints, bloodstains. Nothing's getting past me."

"Um..." I press on my forehead, trying to think of a response. Do we really have any need for that? It certainly doesn't seem like anything to risk your life for.

...! Although...

"Fingerprints?"

Ema stifles a grunt—I think she's moving, maybe sitting up more. "Yup. Aluminum powder kit and print profiles for every tribute here."

My hand flies behind me to my backpack. "Can I try it?"

"Sure..."

"Perhaps it would be better to do this in the light, ja?"

I flick the lighter closed since it's not doing us any good. "Of course! I didn't mean right here and now!" I sigh. "Anyway, I don't really like being in complete darkness in the heart of a mountain during a competition to the death—" right in front of a few such competitors—"so I'm going to head toward the entrance. I'm assuming it's the same one you guys came through, so you can meet us when you feel up to it."

"I'll be good in a minute." Ema lets out a shuddering breath.

"Great. Let's go, Trucy."

We make it to the entrance without incident and wait at the edge of the light. There's no reason to make our presence any more known than it is, and we can still make out anyone approaching. Well, not from too much of a distance, but we'll still be able to hear them, I'm sure.

Trucy sets her blanket and shield on the ground and sits. My feet don't ache as much as I would expect them to—must be the shoes—but I join her, keeping a hand on my sword. Maybe I should practice with this some... It can't be exactly like the one I trained with, so I wouldn't want to handle it wrong.

"Ready to rock, Herr Forehead?"

I jump—did I even hear any footsteps?—and take a step into the light once I've regained my composure. "Yeah, one second."

Kneeling, I shuffle through the correct pocket and keep shooting glances across at the others. Ema's stomach is wrapped up pretty tight. I can't see anything that's definitely blood, so either there wasn't much external bleeding or the wound is in her back. I doubt I could do much to help either way.

Although she's wobbly, she brusquely resists Klavier's efforts to steady her as she sets her kit down between the two of us.

Trucy taps her fingers on her knees, looking up at Klavier, who has a length of chain coiled and slung over his right shoulder. "So you brought the sunglasses? I was sure your necklace would be your district token."

He chuckles. "I'm afraid it never made it past the Gamemakers. Between the sharp edges and its general weightiness, it was too easy to be considered a weapon. These—" I assume he nudges his sunglasses down on his nose like he's prone to do—"were my second option."

I stop and take a deep breath as I take out Clay's jacket. I just want to know whose prints are on the knife. That's... all I'm doing right now. No need to get worked up. No need...

"You and your dumb 'image.' I appreciate that you no longer blind passersby with your jewelry..." Ema pauses for breath as she takes the clear top off the plastic bin. "But there is no reason, scientifically speaking, to wear sunglasses into a dark tunnel, of all places."

"Are you suggesting I would see any better in there without them?"

She grumbles as she sorts through her equipment, picking out a folder, a jar, and an odd-looking brush. I have the knife ready, the blade safely buried in a few folds of fabric under my hand. She scrutinizes the handle, and I can pick out the exact moment she sees the blood.

"What..."

I brace my shoulders. "Clay. This... killed Clay...!"

I hold my breath as she looks at the floor for a minute and pushes the other equipment out of the way. "All right. Let's see what we can lift."