Niall began coughing incessantly as he took a bite from an apple. He'd promised himself to try and conserve his food until he could find more. His coughing fit continued as he walked down the slippery slope and down to a forest covered in snow. At this rate if he kept coughing he'd be spotted. He basically had no cover in the tundra, if he'd run too fast he would slip and fall.
He certainly wasn't a polar bear so he couldn't have hid in the snow but even then that would be risking him getting ill. Though that was the least of his worries. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest as he remembered Liam nursing him back to health when he had the flu. He walked slowly into the white forest as a cannon went off. Twenty tributes left.
"At Least I wasn't the first to die" He mumbled to himself.
Ellie had trailed Niall for a few miles until she finally had the courage to confront him; knife in hand just incase he had dissolved their alliance. She poked his behind and it seemed like he jumped a thousand feet in the air. Ellis just smiled as he clutched his heart in terror.
" Ellis, Seriously!" He huffed
"Goodmorning to you too" She joked as she handed him a handful of mint leaves.
" What am I supposed to do with this?" His heart continued to ache and he winced
"Just forget the leaves, follow me i've got a little hiding spot. We'll be safer in together."
Niall didn't resist, he had let Ellis drag him into her secluded base not too far from his.
It was a wide and empty cave with little to no ice in it. It was warmer than his base but extremely darker. Niall was afraid of the dark, but when he was with Ellis his fears just disappeared for that moment in time. She was no Liam though. Liam was much more caring and compassionate. Whenever Niall needed him, he was there. The two were inseparable, then his name was called in the reaping. Niall missed the way he smelled, the way he looked at him. The way Liam knew exactly where to touch him to get him going. Liam knew everything about him, he was the one he wanted to be with in the long run, but Niall was so conflicted. After that night with Ellis he didn't know what he wanted anymore.
He couldn't just play it off as yearning for love and wanting someone to be with him at all times. After Niall's parents had been killed Li hadn't left his side for weeks. He wanted to keep Niall happy, but he was so alone. He was alone in this world. He had no family left, but Li was there. He always was there. Niall could never repay him for what he had done for him.
He planned on proposing to him after the reaping ceremony. They had only dated for six years of their 7 year relationship and Niall decided he was ready to pop the question. His plans were ruined.
Would Liam still want to be with him even after he tells him what he did with Ellis. Even if he told him it was a mistake?
Niall felt sick to his stomach. He was nothing but a cheater. He had cheated on Liam, and he didn't stop himself. He wanted it and he deserved everything that would come to him.
Niall didn't want to lose Liam. They had been together for so long and it would be for nothing if he told him. He loved Li and he didn't want him to see him hurt. Liam never cried when he was with Niall, he was strong willed. He didn't want Niall to see him as weak even though he wouldn't have cared.
Ellis slapped Niall hard across the face successfully breaking his train of thought. The red mark burned as he touched it lightly. He gave the girl the death stare as they stood there in silence.
"I should kill you for that." he clenched his fists tightly as he gritted his teeth. He clearly wasn't in a good mood.
Ellis waved her ring finger in front of Niall's face as she showed her concealed knife to him.
" We did make a pact Nialler. I wouldn't want you breaking it." She smiled and Niall's blood boiled.
He wanted to swing at her so badly, he wanted to get rid of her. It was her fault Liam would break up with him. She ruined everything for them. She had a weapon though, and all Niall had were his fists. They wouldn't do much harm to anything.
Ellis wouldn't hurt him, she loved him too much. Even if he attacked her she wouldn't fight back. Niall knew that, but if he was alone he would get killed. He could at least use her for her resources and protection while he could. If he wanted to win he would have to trust the girl, even though she didn't deserve to be trusted.
Niall fled the cave and went back into the forest leaving Ellis in complete shock.
He couldn't be around her any longer, his anger was taking over him and he wasn't ready to kill her just yet.
Two more cannons went off in the distance as Niall picked some snowberries from a small bush. Eighteen tributes left in the game.
Liam watched as tributes had gotten slaughtered and hoping that Niall wasn't next. He smiled as the cameras panned to him picking fruit from various trees and bushes, almost too many for him to hold and he had forgotten his bag back at his new base. He was alive and safe for now. That was enough to calm his nerves just a bit, but his eyes still watched intently looking for anyone wanting to hurt Niall. The camera switched over to a girl from district 8 running away from a wolf and tripping over a rock. She twisted her ankle and couldn't get up fast enough to run away.
The cannon went off again, signaling the death of another tribute.
There were only seventeen left...
