I am so sorry for the late update! I lost the story one time, so I had to rewrite it, and though it was finished friday, I really had no time at all during the weekend to update this. Plus I had a kind of writer's block. This chapter may not be very well, but I'll let you judge. id din't want to let you wait much longer ;)

Anyway, meet Rue this chapter!

Arwenia: Hey! Thank you :) Well, I guess your chapters are a bit longer too ;) Mmm, let's see what Rue will think of it (in the next chapter) ;) But off course, only one can win... :P

Dunedian: Bedankt! Het spijt me voor deze late update, echt te veel werk! Heb je nog steeds vakantie deze week?

Falca: Thanks ;) Yes, he definitely needs a hug ;)

Jessie: Thank you! The story will also focus upon Aragorn and Legolas, since they are our new characters

Muirgheal-of-Lantern-Waste: Thank you! It was my aim to make this as realistic as possible :) Mmm, yes, I remember. Is that not correct? :) Btw, beautiful penname! What does it mean and where did you get it from?

Pipkin in the Grass: I still have to decide whether they will live... or not :P

TheButterflyCurse996: Intellectual challenge ;) I will keep that in mind! :P

Zee: group hug with Falca, Legolas and Aragorn! :P

"Aragorn. Wake up."

"Mmmm."

"Aragorn. I'm not joking. Wake up, quickly!" The urgent tone in Legolas' voice efficiently shook the man out of his dreams. He opened his eyes and looked around. Legolas was sitting squat on the branch next to him, his improvised bow-without-a-string and their supplies upon his back. He looked nervous, and kept on throwing glances behind the Ranger.

"What is it?" Aragorn asked, turning around. He didn't see any unusual.

"Don't you smell it?" The man sniffed.

Smoke. His eyes widened.

Fire.

"Okay." Quickly, he jumped out of the tree, immediately followed by his friend. Then he searched the tree with his eyes for any belongings they might have forgotten.

"Do you have everything on your back?"

"Bow, spear, knife and food. Yep. I think we should get running," Legolas answered lightly, but there was a concerned edge in his voice. Aragorn looked around. A reddish glow was already painting the trees.

"You think so?"

"I'm pretty sure." They sprinted away, but their hesitation had cost them some time. Already, fire was taking down trees next to them. The only way possible was straight ahead now, through the bushes and the dense forest. Would this be Greenwood the Great, or Lothlorien, or even Fangorn, the trees would have helped Legolas and in the process Aragorn. But they weren't in Middle-Earth anymore, and the wood wasn't cooperative at all. It just slowed them down.

Nervously, Aragorn looked back. They weren't quick enough. Instead of the threatening glue, the flames were now clearly visible, roaring loudly. Momentarily, he even thought he could distinguish a shimmering shade of a Balrog. That moment of distraction was enough. He didn't see the raised trunk before he tripped over it. Rashly, he collapsed against the ground. His vision faltered for a moment. Luckily, Legolas had seen it.

"Estel!" The elf quickly ran back and wanted to lift Aragorn upon his feet, but a wave of dizziness overcame the man and he couldn't stay straight.

"Aragorn. Please, my friend. I know you are hurt, but we have to keep moving. There is water nearby, I can smell it! We just have to-" The elven warrior cried out in pain as a burning branch dropped from a tree above them and hit his head hard. He fell upon the ground.

"Legolas!" Aragorn shook his head to sweep away the last black spots and knelt next to his friend. A large gash above his temple was spilling blood upon his fair face. His eyes were closed. Gently, the man shook his shoulder, and slapped his face.

"Legolas. Wake up! Legolas! Come on! We have to get moving!" The elf didn't react at all. Desperately, Aragorn looked up. The fire was approaching swiftly. Already, smoke was swirling around them. A gust pushed it straight into Aragorns nose and throat. The man started coughing violently and bent double, trying to clear his lungs. It didn't help much. Violently he kept on whooping, until the Valar had mercy on him and allowed him some fresh air, that immediately vanquished again in the smoke. Some fiery sparkles accompanied it. They had to get on. Quickly.

Aragorn stood up, lifting Legolas in his arms. The head of the elf lolled lifelessly against his shoulder.

"Hold on, Legolas. I'll get you out of here." Arduously, he put one foot before the other. His lungs were burning, and his muscles were trembling while he was trying not to cough, for if he did, he would not be able to stop and then he couldn't go on anymore. The fire was gaining on them, rapidly. He had to move faster. But which way? The smoke obscured all. He just went in the direction where the air wasn't that hot. Had Legolas not spoken of a river nearby? How far can that be? Was he going the right way? He had no idea.

Heat. He had to move faster! Valiantly, he tried to increase his speed, but it turned out for the worse. Because of the smoke, he couldn't see the rock beneath his feet. For the second time in less then a quarter, he collapsed against the ground, harder than before, since he was trying to shield Legolas from the impact. He groaned and tried to get up, but is limbs were far too heavy to that. He could only raise his head. There, far away, he could finally see the river Legolas spoke of. A silver, cool ribbon, tainted by the black ashes. It looked impossibly far. He wondered how he could ever get there.

With a sigh, he dropped his head again and closed his eyes for a second. He was so tired. He just needed a moment of rest and then he would get Legolas out of here! Just a minute... The roaring of the fire overwhelmed his ears. He really should get up now... Just ten more seconds... The heath was burning his back... He really was so sleepy... Gently, he pulled Legolas against him and covered him with his body. The elven face looked so peaceful. He wouldn't feel a thing...

Once more, Aragorn raised his heavy eyes to the river, and blinked. A shadowy figure ran into his vision. He blinked again. The figure didn't disappear. In fact, she became more clear. A little human girl, black-skinned as the Haradrim in the East, and as Cinna. Wide, terrified eyes, but a determined mouth. Without a word, she grabbed Legolas arl and pulled. The elf moved about an inch. She pulled again. Aragorn resisted the folly urge to laugh. In this tempo, she would never reach the river. He should help her. Perhaps this wasn't the time yet to give up.

The man sighed heavily and scrambled on his feet. Then he too, Legolas' other arm and pulled him togeter with the little girl forward. Strange. The elf felt a lot heavier then else.

Later, Aragorn couldn't quite remember how he had managed to survive the fire. His memories were filled with coughing and wheezing, the black girl and his fair friend, the heath of the flames and the coolness of the silver water. All of a sudden, he found himself on the other bank of a little river. He turned around. The fire was looming above them, hissing angrily at the water, but the stream wouldn't let it pass. Relieved, Aragorn let himself fall upon the ground.

"Thank you," he said to the girl. There came no response. Frowning, the man opened his eyes again. She was gone. Confused, Aragorn sat up and looked around. There were some rocks around them, covering them from the view. Then the forest took over the territory once more.

A groan made Aragorns attention shift to the elf next to him. Legolas's face contorted and he softly felt his wound with his hand.

"Hush. Lay still, Legolas. Let me see to it." Quickly, the Ranger knelt beside his friend. He had a large gash upon his temple that was bleeding rather nastily, but the elf wasn't in danger. If the branch had hit him a little more to the left or the right, he wouldn't have been knocked unconscious. It was bad luck. After having ripped another stroke of his mantle, Aragorn bound the wound.

"Legolas, listen to me. I do not want to see you up between this and an hour. If I must, I will bind you to the rock. Do we understand each other?" Legolas scowled.

"Aragorn, it's nothing but a scratch."

"Off course it is. That's why you were unconscious, don't you."

"Estel-"

"No. I do not want to hear any arguments anymore. You. Stay. Still." Legolas looked offended, but obeyed. Perhaps the wood had hit him harder than he had thought. Aragorn stayed with him for a moment, making sure he wouldn't get up, and then took some fruits and mushrooms out of his pouch. They were somewhat smashed, but they seemed still edible. Carefully, he arranged them upon a flat rock, not too nearby, and backed down to see whether she would take it or not. From his place upon his ground, Legolas looked at him sceptically.

"Are you sure your head didn't hit anything in your fall?" he called.

"I'm sure, thank you for your concern. And don't shout that loudly, we're still in the Games," the man retorted light-heartedly. He heard the elf sigh loudly.

"What are you doing, Estel?"

"There was a girl helping us. She dragged you out of the forest. Perhaps she would like to eat something!" In the last sentence he raised his voice, but the girl didn't return. Behind him, Legolas shifted.

"Are you sure you are all right, Aragorn? You surely didn't hit your head?"

"I did not."

"'Cause there is no one in the woods." For a moment, Aragorn was stupefied.

"Yes, she is."

"No, she is not. Trust me, Estel. At least, she isn't near."

"But she was here. A little, black-skinned girl. She looked a bit like Cinna, but then younger. I think she is about fourteen year."

"Well, she isn't here anymore." The elf hadn't finished his sentence when a slender girl emerged from the forest, running to the rocks. There she halted, hesitantly, her eyes asking them whether she could trust them. Next to him, he heard Legolas muttering.

"A human girl who can climb trees. That's something new." Aragorn ignored him.

"It's all right, little girl. We won't hurt you. I promise. Are you hungry?" She nodded, but didn't come closer.

"I helped you. Can you help me?" Her voice was high and pure. A children's voice, if not for the fear and concern in it.

"Off course, penneth. What is it?" The girl took a deep breath.

"The girl that was training with you is captured in a tree, surrounded by the Carreers. She can't get out. But you can climb well. Can you not safe her?" Her question was directed at Legolas, but before the elf could consent, Aragorn interrupted him.

"Why would you want to help her?" The girl blushed and looked at the ground.

"I.. I don't know… I like her. She was always nice to me. And I do not want the Carreers to win this time." Her voice was uncertain, as if she wasn't convinced of her own words. Yet Aragorn didn't believe she was lying, and Legolas did neither.

"I will come with you, if you show me the way, penneth."

"Hold on a second, Legolas. You're not fit to travel. I will go." Legolas laughed softly.

"You? You cannot even climb a low oak. I will go. I told you before it's just a scratch."

"Legolas…"

"Aragorn…" They looked at each other, the one threateningly, the other innocent yet stubborn. Then the elf elegantly rose.

"Show me they way, penneth. Aragorn, perhaps you can find something to make a string with. This morning, I made another bow for you. It's there, near the provisions, so if you can pull a string on it, you should be able to hunt down some food. If we've not returned within the day, you shouldn't keep hanging around here. I'll find you later then."

"You better be back within the day. I'm not going to carry our provisions by myself." Legolas snorted, but didn't comment. Instead he grabbed Aragorns arm in a warrior greet and walked to the girl, taking one of the two spears with him, and his useless bow.

"Let us be on our way, penneth. What is your name, actually?

"Rue," the girl answer silently. "I am from District Eleven." She lead them through the trees.

"District Eleven? Isn't that agriculture?

"It is. We have many fruit trees."

"So that's where you learnt to climb that well."

"Thank you." She was so shy. She should be in the trees that she so loved, not here in the Arena, waiting for her death. Silently, Legolas promised he would try to protect her, no matter the cost. The Capitol would have to alter the rules a bit. But Rue from District Eleven would survive.

"Is it far away?"

"Not very far. A bit down the river."

Silently as ghosts they slid through the forest. Legolas admired her stealth. Very few human children could walk that silently. Suddenly, Rue stood still.

"We'll have to climb, otherwise they'll see us," she whispered. Legolas nodded and mentioned to a nearby tree. Immediately, the girl started to climb, with the elf following her. When they were high enough, Rue handily leapt to the branch of another tree. In that way, they made a quick path through the top of the forest.

Soon enough, the girl halted. She looked at him, and the pointed at an old, large oak. A girl was sleeping there. Katniss! Legolas tightened his muscles to jump into the tree –it was a great distance, but he should be able to cross it- as Rue stopped him. She shook her head.

"What is it?" he asked silently. Immediately, Rue put her hand before his mouth to make him hush. She was scared. When Legolas looked down, he saw the reason. Some of the Carreers were lying beneath the tree. Marvel was there too –and Peeta. The elven eyes narrowed. He didn't understand this. The boy was sleeping, yet he was not bound, so he was no prisoner. But only one could win the Games. Why was he trying to protect the Carreers then? Or why were the Carreers protecting him? Was this also a strategy of the Games?

A lithe hand was placed upon his shoulder and made his gaze follow the other hand. Rue pointed at a beehive higher in the tree. Her arm trembled. It seemed as if she was more afraid of the bees than of the Carreers. Legolas looked at her, confused, and shrugged questioningly. Soft as the petals of the first flowers in spring, she answered him, more mouthing then actually saying.

"Tracker Jackers. Poison." The elf looked at the bees again. They seemed pretty normal, but he decided to trust the little tribute. Surely she knew more about this world.

"What do you want me to do?" he mouthed.

"Wake her." A shadow of a grin passed Legolas' mouth. That was easy enough. He had examined so many ways to wake up lazy humans in a tree. Hastily he glanced around and noticed some acorns. He grinned. That should do it.

With a few of them in his hand, he started aiming. He surely couldn't afford missing. The chance to wake the sleeping tributes at the ground was too great. He waited for a second, and then threw the little projectile. It hit Katniss upon the hip. The girl stirred, but didn't look at them.

"Com'on, Katniss. Look at me." He threw another acorn. It hit the girl at the same spot. This time, she luckily looked in their direction. Her eyes widened as she sat up. Legolas waved meriily, a great grin upon his face. Rue however, quickly put a finger upon her mouth and pointed at the Tracker Jackers. The shock was clearly visible upon Katniss' face. Apparently, those bees truly weren't just bees.

Rue made a sawing gesture with her hand. Katniss nodded and started to climb to the hive. For a moment, Legolas was confused. He had thought they would get Katniss and return to their camp. Why was she climbing higher? There were few branches there that were connected with their tree.

Ten seconds later, when she had taken out her knife, the comprehension came. She was trying to let the hive fall upon the tributes! And Rue had given her the idea! The elf was shocked. All of a sudden, the innocent, black-skinned girl had become an assassin. Legolas closed his eyes. This world was mad!

The branch was on the verge of breaking. Rue tapped him upon the shoulder.

"We should go. Quickly!" She turned around and began running as fast as she could upon the tree; but Legolas couldn't follow her. Perhaps Rue didn't care that people died, but Peeta was down there. Though he didn't know what the boy was up to, the elf did remember his friendly words and his warnings for in the Games. He had to warn him. In one fluid motion, he put all of the acorns in one hand and swung them to the boy. To his credit, Peeta woke immediately.
"Peeta! Get out of there!" Legolas hissed. The tribute looked at him baffled. The elf sighed and pointed upwards, to Katniss and the heave. The branch was about to break. For a moment, Peeta was shocked. Then he sprung up and ran. It that moment, the heave fell.

It was chaos. With a loud buzzing, all of the furious bees exited their home and picked a target to cool their anger on. In a second, the air was filled with high screams and buzz. Peeta was nowhere to be seen. Hopefully he would escape the poison.

"Las! Come!" Rue had noticed he wasn't following her, and was beckoning him from a couple of trees farther away. After one last gaze at the terrible scene beneath him, Legolas prepared himself to run, as he felt a sharp sting in his cheek. It started burning immediately.

Poison! He sprinted away, but another bee found a target in his neck, and then another. Soon, four little wounds were spreading fire in his veins. Still, Legolas wouldn't slow down. He had to get to Aragorn! He had promised!

But it became so difficult to walk. The world was beginning to turn around him, and waves of dizziness overcame time to time, he slid from his branch, and one time he would have fallen, if Rue hadn't pushed him towards a broader piece of wood. Why were the trees waving that much? Was there a storm? And shouldn't the air be blue, instead of green and purple? Legolas moaned. He was so dizzy! Perhaps it was better if he closed his eyes for a second, and slept. But a certain girl was still urging him to move on.

More crawling then walking, the elf kept on moving through the trees. Sweat began to drip from his brow. Truly their camp haden't been that far! Where was Rue taking him? His feet hit the branches harder and harder as he had to struggle to keep upright. All of sudden, he found nothing but air beneath him. And he fell.

And never hit the ground.

Cliffie ;) Please review!

xXx Archiril