Angel of Night
X
Sylvia crept silently on making sure not to step on a single leaf to alert anyone to her presence. She snatched her small hunting knife from its leather sheathe and slammed a sharpened stake into the ground. She wound some razor wire around it with nimble fingers and raced away pulling some along with her and wound it around a thick oak tree.
She smiled at her handiwork and fell back into the cover of night waiting for the next tribute to pass by.
X
Shylam pushed onward through the thick bracken hissing in pain as a barbed thorn left a long scratch on his palm. He dove through the remaining brush and tumbled across the open clearing. He jumped back in terror as the Careers passed through the wall of ferns in front of him. He jumped to his feet and sprinted back towards the bracken tumbling through clumsily.
He heard their trail of sick laughter and knew they were drawing close. The brackens lapped him as he flew by delivering stinging cuts all over his face as he passed. He turned to the left and sprinted forward trying to throw them off. Genesis burst out of the bracken beside him tackling him to the ground.
Shylam rolled away from him and struggled to get up. Genesis unsheathed a short sword from his belt and advanced on him with a cruel smile. He quickly drove all of his power into his feet and slammed up into Genesis's chest driving the air from hi lung and knocking him of his feet. Genesis skidded across the dirt and the back of his head slammed across a jagged rock leaving him dazed.
Shylam took the opening and sprinted away desperately almost tripping and pulled out the knife on his hip. He spun around wildly looking for the Careers and dove to the side as a short spear flew out of the tangle of bracken to greet him and tuck in the tree beside his head with a dull thud.
Velvet burst out of the bracken and pulled the spear from the tree and lunged at Shylam' throat. He rolled to the side again and again dodging her vicious blows. She reached into her quiver full of spears and stabbed at him with both. He jumped to his feet the spearheads missing his jacket by a mere inch and wildly slashed at her with his knife. She sidestepped avoiding his clumsy move and faster than his eyes could follow she stabbed forward with the spears one catching him in his left thigh and the other piercing through his jacket and digging into the flesh beside his stomach.
He gasped and a blood trickled down his bottom lip. Hi hand fell to the worse of the wounds beside his stomach. He pulled himself free of her wrathful spears and she grinned maliciously as he fell. He advanced on him as the others burst out of the brush and raised her spears for the final blow.
His eyes fell on the knife lying beside him and a smirk crossed his lips. Quick as wind, he snatched up the knife and hurled it at Velvet. The smug smile slid off her face as the blade dug deep into the meat of her shoulder and she screeched in pain. He wasted no time and rolled over the jagged cliff beside him and he tumbled down the cliff grunting in pain.
He dropped twenty feet after striking a large boulder and plummeted into the ice cold waters of a rushing river. Shylam breathed a sigh of relief as he shakily got to his feet and found himself in the shallows on a solid bed of gravel. Velvet stared down at Shylam from the edge of the cliff seething in fury she took aim with one of the spears poised to attack.
Orion reached out and grabbed her wrist stopping her, "Don't waste your spears on an impossible throw. There are plenty of other tributes."
Velvet glared down at Shylam, "I'm going to kill that little…" Genesis cut her off there, "Let's move on." Orion turned and flashed a smile. "I think I know where our next prey is."
X
Rose peered out of the entrance to the cave she was taken shelter in unnerved by the eerie quiet outside. She was surprised not to hear the sound of the cannon booming at all tonight. She cautiously crept out listening to make sure her private retreat was devoid of other tributes and picked a patch of herbs growing in crevices in between the rock lining the mouth of the cavern' entrance.
Her head snapped up into the night sky as the sound of people approaching filled her ears. He dropped the herbs and headed for the mouth of the cavern. Orion burst out of the brush and tackled her pinning her to the ground. He pulled out a long, jagged blade and raised it high.
"I'm going to enjoy this," he snarled with a feral grin.
He brought the knife down hard into her shoulder and she screeched in agony as the blade bit deep into her right shoulder. She swiftly planted a powerful kick between his legs and he doubled over writhing all over the ground in pain. She scrambled for her knife leaning against the cave entrance.
Orion jumped to his feet and kicked the glittering blade away, "Oh no you don't." He grabbed her leg and pulled her to the center of the clearing. He stabbed her in the stomach and she groaned in pain spitting out a little blood. He raised the knife for the final blow and Rose closed her eyes ready to meet her fate.
It never came. A sleek silver arrow with white swan feathers flashed out of the cover of the pine tree above them and sank straight into the center of Orion's skull. Blood spurted from the wound and Rose crawled away in disgust.
His eyes glazed over and he toppled over a look of shock the last emotion to stir in his face. The loud boom of the cannon snapped Rose back to reality and she jumped to her feet circling the clearing searching for her unknown savior.
Laury slid down the bark of the tree and nocked another arrow. Rose froze as it pointed towards her and squeezed her eyes shut as she let it fly. The arrow flew by inches from her face and land in the thick trunk of a tree a mere inch next to Genesis's head. He jumped back in shock and charged across the clearing at Laury.
Laury nocked another arrow and rolled to the side and he tumbled past missing her barely. He unsheathed his sword and slashed for her neck. She ducked under the hasty swipe and planted a swift kick to his chest sending him reeling. She jumped back to her feet and stepped back several paces putting some distance between them.
Rose dove into the cave a Velvet and Kyle burst through the bushes. Velvet already with a spear in hand tossed a spear after Rose and it missed barely nicking her cheek and clattered against the cavern wall.
Rose retrieved her knife and raced out brandishing it on Velvet. He laughed and delivered a stinging spin kick to her face and he rolled away. Arden unsheathed a star and hurled it across the clearing at Laury who dodged it with a curt laugh.
Arden unsheathed her hunting knife and sprang at Rose wildly. Rose desperately swung with her knife cutting deep into Arden's cheek. Arden rolled away and tossed two more stars at Laury. Laury's attention snapped on the stars and cursed as they delivered stinging cuts to her cheek and buried themselves in the tree behind her.
Velvet pulled two spears from her quiver full and advanced on Rose. Arden flanked Roe opposite Velvet and Rose realized how much danger she was in. Laury nocked three arrows at a time and released them in a deadly spray of arrows at Velvet and Arden. Arden dove into the cave and slammed against a stalactite. Her vision faded and the walls of darkness of unconsciousness closed around her and she slumped.
Velvet dodged the arrows and shrieked to the others as more arrows flew all around the clearing, "Let's get out of here!"
The Careers retreated and Laury snatched Rose's wrist as Kyle stayed behind and advanced on them. His uniquely curved word already in his hands. Rose cried out, "W-wait my supplies are in the cave."
"Forget about them," said Laury continuing to tug them along.
"Where are we going anyway," asked Rose.
"If we are going to survive this we are going to need more allies and I think I know just where to find some," replied Laury with a grin.
X
Leon sat beside Estelle both of them wrapped up in a thermal blanket and happily eating cooked salmon. Leon finished his and stomped out the campfire not wanting to attract any attention to themselves from Tribute or even Gamemaker traps.
Estelle finished hers and pulled out a sleeping bag from her bag. "I'll take first watch," he said before she could even ask.
Leon tensed as he heard something large moving in the distance only to be drowned out by a cannon shot. Estelle looked up, "Another tribute down," she said wondering who it was.
Leon shrugged and returned to his watchful stare at the ridgeline and cliffs surrounding their camp beside the river. A shadow flickered across the river and he squinted trying to get a better glimpse and leaned forward. A large black furred paw lashed out of the darkness of night and its razor talon slashed harmlessly through the air.
Leon dove to the side and pulled out his dual short swords. The massive bear emerged fully into the light from the lantern glowing in the center of their camp. Leon rolled to the side and the claws slashed deep into the sand bar. Leon stabbed into the beast's front left shoulder and the bear roared in fury.
The bear reared up and slammed a massive paw into Leon's chest pinning him to the ground. Estelle jumped to her feet unsheathing her knife, "LEON!"
She tried to distract the furious beast and she quickly hurled the knife at it. The knife buried deep into the beast's thick fur and lodged into its chest. The bear roared again and reared up threatening to crush Leon into oblivion. Leon regained his composure and rolled aside as the beast pummeled the ground with its flailing paws.
Leon charged it and buried his swords deep into it left flank and got a wrathful paw to the side of his head. He rolled away and the bear walked over and held him down with his paw. The beast opened it jaws for the final blow and Leon struggled slicing at the paw holding him down with his swords.
Laury appeared on the edge of the cliff with Rose trailing right behind. Her eyes widened as she recognized the beast and she nocked an arrow and let it fly straight into the beast' open mouth. Blood foamed from its mouth and it keeled over convulsing and drowning in its own blood. Laury nocked another and put the bear out of its misery.
She advanced down the narrow trail over to Leon and Estelle with Rose behind her, "Are you guys alright?"
"I've been better," mumbled Leon past the heavy paw trapping him to the ground.
Laury raced across the shallows and slung her bow over her shoulder and lifted the paw off of Leon with Rose and Estelle's help. Estelle helped Leon up and hugged him tightly earning a wince as she brushed his wounds, "I thought I was going to lose you for sure."
Leon reassured her with another hug and thanked Laury. Laury tensed as the ground rumbled and she raced back across the river with Leon and Estelle close behind. Rose followed confused and Laury called over her shoulder, "We need to get out of here now!"
"W-why?" asked Estelle in fear.
"Because that bear was from the laboratory my father runs I just recognized it. That means there are all kinds of mutts roaming the arena. Plus, I think the Gamemakers have another surprise in store for the tributes," she said decidedly.
Her worst fears were confirmed as the trees withered and dissipated into ash she turned and watched in awe as the river dropped and reshaped. "They are changing the arena!"
X
Shylam stumbled down the shallows of the river checking over his shoulder that the Careers weren't pursuing him. The water was colored with wisps of scarlet flowing from his wounds.
He froze spooked by a dull rumbling and hi eyes widened as the river surged in frenzy at him. He sprinted as fast as he could not letting the ravenous waters come close and cried out as the river dropped into a sheer fall in front of him. He turned to accept his fate and the water engulfed him taking him with it to the reshaping river below.
X
Arden regained consciousness to Kyle desperately trying to wake her, "Arden! Wake up!" She stirred and Kyle hugged her relieved.
She jumped to her feet as the ground quavered slightly. Kyle tripped over a rock and fell to the cave floor groaning. Arden walked over and pressed her lips against his. Kyle rose and leaned into it and broke away as the shaking grew closer and some of the stalactites fell from the ceiling.
"We need to leave," he murmured to Arden and she nodded her face just inches from his. They left the cave and the Careers burst out of the brush motioning toward them, "Come on," they called as one.
The forest disintegrated behind them and Kyle watched in horror as the arena began to reshape as dawn's first rays of light appeared in the sky. The burst through the wall of ferns and whirled around as the boom of the cannon sounded.
"Where's Velvet?" asked Genesis.
"Right here," sounded her voice in front of them. She pulled her spear out of Damian's throat. She smiled up at them with sick pleasure, "He stumbled out of the trees in his haste to escape the arena changing and I finished him off."
Kyle continued on passing a pine tree in the clearing and tripped over a sharpened stake in the ground. The stake snapped and Sylvia stepped out from behind the tree with a wicked grin. She drew her knife and sliced through the wound wire. The wire snapped forward and sliced through the clearing in a flash. Velvet and Genesis dropped and Arden stood behind the protection of the tree by pure luck.
Her eyes widened in horror as Kyle was cut through all the way through by the wire and the bottom part of his body keeled over and he fell to the ground in a bloody mess. "I-I'm sorry," he choked out.
The cannon boomed and Sylvia disappeared into the labyrinth of trees. Tears flew down Arden's face and Genesis and Velvet restrained from pursuing Sylvia. Her animalistic shrieks of fury surprised Sylvia and she quickly left the grizzly scene behind.
A/N: Fin! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter I know I did. So, as you all can tell now the arena changes every day of the Games in this. It only gets better from this point on so keep the reviews coming. Btw you have to directly say the tribute you are reviewing to get sponsor points from them. Tributes who haven't appeared yet WILL appear next chapter. Sorry for the wait but I thought this would make the plot more interesting this chapter.
Deceased Tributes this chapter:
District 2: Kyle Munious
District 12: Damian Hawkson
District 13: Orion Minix
P.S. Poor Shylam, but he isn't dead yet and will return later on in the story.