Blackquill peers inside. "Another tunnel?"

"That's... what it looks like." I'm having a little trouble catching my breath, but I'm not alone in that. How high up are we, anyway? I haven't seen any trees since the false summit, so... probably pretty high. I'm not sure how this works, but it doesn't seem too horribly cold yet. I'm still managing without a jacket, although it is pretty blustery.

Athena sighs, gripping her elbow. "I... don't know if I want to go into another one."

"Ja." Klavier doesn't look any happier. "Although, considering our options... Being out in the open wouldn't be so dangerous with so many of us to fend off attackers, but a... flat area to lay down our sleeping bags would be nice."

I fold my arms. "This isn't... the same one we were in the first night, right?"

"No way," Trucy says. "We're... up a lot higher now. I wonder if they're all connected, though?"

"That would make sense." Somehow, of all people, Juniper seems to be doing the best as far as exhaustion. She frowns. "But why is it you don't want to go in one? Are they trapped?"

She's met with silence until Simon turns to face the shadowy cave. "With snares and beasts both."

She gasps. "Oh, dear."

Athena glances behind us at the setting sun before peering past Simon. "I guess we could at least check it out. It does sound a little less comfy trying to stay outside."

"And the first one I checked was pretty trap-free, at least for some time." I slowly get out the flashlight. "Let's give it a once-over—"

Before I can turn the switch, a faint rattle by my feet makes me stop. Rolling my eyes down without moving my head, I freeze up more as the source comes into view.

"S... Snaaaaaaaaake!" I spring back, nearly tripping over a rock fragment behind me.

The dried-up looking coil flicks its tongue at me, the diamond patterns on its scales undulating as it unwinds the slightest bit.

"What?!" Robin peeks over my shoulder and shrinks. "Juniper, help!"

"Goodness." Juniper snaps off a long branch from the bush behind her, creeps up to my side, and darts the forked end down onto the snake's head. The reptile uncoils, writhing, but it can't seem to squirm out from under the branch.

"Who has a knife?" Arms tensed, Juniper checks behind her.

"H-here!" Trucy readies one and offers it to the 11.

"I don't think I can hold this down with one arm. Can you cut off the head for me?"

Trucy's face twists a little in disgust, but she nods and kneels down. After a false start, she brings the knife down just outside the branch. The snake keeps twitching, though, and she has to do a little sawing to get the head completely separated. With a sigh of relief, she stands back up and cleans off the blade.

Meanwhile, I can't keep my gaze away from the decapitated snake still squirming around. "I-is it... still alive?"

"No." Juniper relaxes her grip on the branch. "They do that for a while after you kill them—kind of like chickens, actually."

"Oh." I still don't move any closer. "That's nice."

Athena snickers. "You don't have to be that scared, Apollo."

"Well—!" I clench my fists. "At least I was afraid of something dangerous! Isn't that the entire reason for fear?"

She taps at her earring. "Good point."

"Anyway, it shouldn't be any trouble now," Juniper starts after a minute. "As long as we can get rid of the head all right, we should be fine. We can even have the meat for supper!" She suddenly stops smiling. "I'm not sure how far it would go between all of us, though."

"No problem." Hugh tosses his backpack at his feet and starts to open it up with one hand. "I got some food from the summit table as well. It wouldn't be much of a 'feast' otherwise."

"Oh, good." She smiles again.

I watch the snake a little longer to make sure it's done writhing around before I let out a few "I'm fine"s and look at Juniper. "Uh, thanks for that."

"Oh—" she clasps her hands together. "No... It really wasn't much trouble. We get snakes in the garden all the time. They're not usually large or poisonous, but, well... Those do come in occasionally. You have to know how to handle them."

"Huh." I smile at her. "That was still pretty brave of you, though. I wasn't expecting it at all."

She fidgets, trying to tuck a loose strand of hair back into its braid. "I-it was nothing, really. I mean..." She tugs at the bottoms of her braids, her eyes watery. "I... would really like someone else to do the gutting and everything. I don't know if I could handle that..."

"I can do it." I warily nudge the snake with my foot, and it doesn't move any more than I would expect it to. "I did some practicing in the Training Center."

Juniper's knitting needles clack quietly as she lengthens a heart-covered scarf at amazing speed. "Thank you..."

"No problem. Trucy? Can I borrow a knife?"

She obliges, and I reach for the dead snake, pause, and slowly wrap my fingers around it. Still warm enough to send a shudder down my arm. Taka staring doesn't help.

"Well, at least you're facing your fears!" Athena clasps her hands together by her head with a hop of joy. "That's an important step!"

I slump. "I don't have anything to fear from a dead one... Although if someone could move the head farther away, that would be nice." I glance at Trucy. "Shoot, you don't have your gloves anymore."

"You pick up one job only to shove another onto a poor Fräulein? That's not very kind." Klavier steps up close enough to reach the snake head.

"Be careful!" Juniper frowns. "Th-that's still dangerous. Maybe you should cover your hand with your sleeve?"

He throws a smile back at her. "I thank you for the words of wisdom. We're trying to get this far away from us, though, right? I think I have just the method."

He adjusts the position of his feet before picking one up and slamming the toe into the snake head in a wide kick. He immediately staggers back, but he can't right himself. Before he manages to fall on his rear, Simon puts out a hand to stop him.

"Whoa!" Robin shouts. "Are you okay, man?"

"I'm all right." Klavier wobbles back onto his feet, but not without assistance. "Nobody worry about me. Just slipped on some of the grit."

My bracelet tightens. I'm not surprised—he hasn't had the best balance or walking ability since the Career battle. He just pushed it a little too far this time trying to look cool. As long as he doesn't do something outrageously stupid and fall off the side of the mountain, we'll be fine. It is getting steeper, but once we're using cables and bungee cords, I don't think balance will even be that important.

Athena seems to have picked up on the discord, too, but she shakes it off for now. "So, Junie! You decided to work on a scarf?"

"Um, yes." She rubs some of the completed pink-and-red mesh of fabric between her fingers. "If you don't know what to knit, scarves are sort of a default."

"So are you going to give it to someone when you're done?" The 3 grins. "Someone special?"

"Th-Thena!" Juniper tugs on her braids in distress.

"I bet I know who it is."

"Who? Who?" Trucy watches the both of them intently.

"I think I know, too," Robin chimes.

Juniper just tries not to burst into tears. "Please don't..."

Her district partner giggles. "F-I-N-E. But you know the truth will come out eventually!"

"Even if Robin doesn't spill it, I bet we could piece it together." Trucy fists her hands. "All right! Is it for Hugh?"

"Eh?!" Hugh nearly drops his weapon case as he presses a hand to his neck. "H-how dare you judge what you don't understand? We're the best of friends, and that's all!"

Robin is back to her yelling stance. I wonder how well it would work for Chords of Steel? ...Maybe too well. "YEAH, MAN! Juniper, Hugh, and I are the best friends EVER!"

I'm honestly a little surprised that Hugh is included in this. Robin and Juniper have been friends for a while longer, it sounds like, while they've only known Hugh for about two weeks. But I guess a situation under fire like this will forge friendships faster. If they somehow don't mind Hugh's company and all of his disparaging remarks, there's really no reason to think they aren't a tightly-knit circle of friends.

I wonder if it will last... But what friendship could withstand the Hunger Games from the inside? Even me and Trucy, me and Athena, Athena and Simon... We...

"Are we going to check the tunnel for traps or what?" I click on the flashlight and wave it until someone who's not busy trying to gut a snake—in this case, Simon—takes it.

"I'll clear whatever area I can as you prepare the meal. Should anyone approach, warn me."

I swallow, cutting at the snake skin. "Yeah. Same on your side."

We set up all of our bedrolls at the front of the tunnel before the anthem starts. I take care of the clipboard myself. I don't want to watch, but... I can't make Trucy do this, after Jinxie adopted the paper and pen for herself. It's hard enough for me to glance at Clay's jacket and knife that I wouldn't touch them if I knew who had killed him.

Tonight we see Marlon and the elusive face of Hugh's district partner. Then we're back to the Capitol seal. See? That wasn't scary...

The Careers never caught up to Aristotle, it looks like. I wonder how he managed that.

Clicking the pen closed, I scan the top paper.

1F
3M
4F 4M
6F
7F
8F 8M
9F
10F 10M
12F 12M

So many tributes gone... Dead. It's hard to believe. Couldn't someone have stopped this? Any of us? Anyone outside? How can something like this... be allowed to keep happening?

Some of these people are my friends. People who have looked after me, on some level. How are they gone...?

But... I still have friends left. Here, with me. I have to pay attention to them now, while I know I can.

With an exhale, I finger my badge, pack up the clipboard, and head for my sleeping bag.