Here it is, the next chapter! Enjoy and please R&R! :)

Lera's legs abandoned her and she sat on the ground. For a moment she thought they could be together, they could both survive and live happily ever after. Obviously that's not going to happen. So she had to win and hope she won't be left with him at the finals. But, whoever it is, she couldn't kill him, she couldn't bear the burden of another person's life, another parent's son taken away...

The girl stood up. She couldn't just sit here in pity and regret. There is nothing to regret. The world is waiting and there's stuff to do. Point 1: Win the Hunger Games.

Lera's strategy was to find a place to stay- something like her cave she'd lost. After a couple of hours she found a nice place near the river. It was in high ground so the opponents were easy to spot. She, on the other hand, was not.

As the day passed she counted the remaining ones: Cato and Clove, the girl from Five, the one who stole from the supplies without blowing herself sky-high, the boy from Eleven who she hasn't seen at all and Peeta and Katniss.

Then it hit her: the rule change was made for Peeta and Katniss, not for her and Cato! But, of course, they were the ones in love, at least the one pretending to be in love. This was so pathetic and unfair: although Katniss felt nothing for the boy from her District they'd be allowed to live and she and Cato who loved each other could not.

She squinted: Cato could live, too. He and Clove could live. Lera bit her lower lip: he'd abandon her for Clove. In fact, he, most likely, had. They are probably celebrating the new rule, making plans to kill the rest. Of course he would choose Clove instead of her if this kind of rule is introduced. It was just not fair.

Cato was happy to hear about the rule change. Clove, standing right next to him, when it was announced, looked at him, a smirk on her face. Then, for the first time, since they've met they hugged each other tight, screaming as if they'd already won. They were sincerely happy.

- Who do we kill first? – Clove asked eagerly when she let go. Till now they behaved like Careers- only interested in reaching the goal, not showing any emotions. But since they could both win this brought a whole new perspective. Now they had to keep to each other more than ever.

- I don't know, you mean anyone in particular? – Cato didn't care much as long as it ended. Five were out there alive. – Three for me and two for you.

- What happens if I don't agree? – her eyebrow lifted.

- Then… - he approached her until she was 10cm away and whispered: - Four for me.

Clove clenched her lips. The message was clear: He'd kill her. She knew she stood no chance against him but couldn't help it:

- What about three each? – she laughed and continued before she got him angry. She'd seen him pissed and he was really deadly. Not something you would like to go against. – If that's the case I want Four and Five. You can keep Twelve.

Cato's eyes blinked with confusion.

- Why them exactly?

- Four is pissing me off since the start of the Games and Five, well, if she's that good to keep out of danger, then she is worth the shot. And I bet you would like to have the boys for yourself. And since you "reserved" Twelve from the beginning I won't go against it.

Cato knew she was playing tricks on him. She wanted to find his weak spot- Lera and use it against him just to tease him.

- Fine. – he shrugged. – Who we go after first?

She lifted her arms: - Don't care.

Two days passed without a sigh someone was dead. Lera was keeping to her routine: eat, drink and stay alive. There was no one in her perimeter so everything was fine except for her shoulder. The more she used it, the more it hurt her. She knew she'd probably twisted it or broken a bone and wasn't much of a fighter with this sort of injury.

As she was out to collect water she spotted some blood on the rocks where Peeta had lied when she found him. Curious, Lera approached and saw him sitting in the woods, cooking something. She smiled, happy to see he'd doing good but as she was about to say "Hi" someone interrupted:

- Don't move.

With the corner of her eye the redheaded saw Katniss, her bow and arrow ready to shoot. She raised her hands and turned to face her. She knew she couldn't pick up her knife before an arrow pierce her heart but she was ready to jump sideways if Katniss wanted to test her skills. Before she had loaded another arrow, Lera, with some luck, would have picked up her sais and thrown the one at the enemy. The tribute's green eyes were focused, ready for an eventual attack.

But she could see Katniss doubted it.

Peeta, who's obviously heard what's going on, raised himself and shouted:

- Don't shoot her, Katniss, this is Lera!

Last time Twelve checked, Lera was beneath the tree with the Careers, wanting to kill her.

- She saved my life! – Peeta shouted again and Katniss put the weapon down, although ready to shoot.

- I saw Peeta and decided to greet him. – Lera explained. – When I was captured by the Careers he helped me out. I found him here two days ago and fed him. Gave him water. I didn't mean any harm. – the tribute didn't like the shooter at all but she only wanted peace for now. This girl had the chance to be with Peeta, the chance to live with the guy who loved her. Lera would kill to get a chance like that.

- The Careers captured you? – Katniss raised an eyebrow. She was a Career, too and besides why didn't they kill her if she wasn't a part of the group.

- Yes.

- And didn't kill you?

- It's complicated. - Lera wasn't keen on giving explanations to anyone and she wouldn't start now. She stared at Katniss eyes who didn't trust her and moved on in the woods where she came from. She was halfway home, murmuring something, when she heard another announcement, this time indicating a feast. According to Caesar, there will be no food but something each one desperately wanted. Lera looked at her swollen injured arm. The Capitol must have something to heal it.

The redheaded decided not to go back to her camp but move to the Cornucopia, the place of the feast, instead. She didn't know if Katniss and Peeta would go but wasn't keen on teaming up with them either. Usually at a feast half of the tributes die. In that case she would be left with the Twelves alone. It would give them a fair advantage besides she was better on her own.

She laid down, hidden in the trees, rubbing her shoulder. It still hurt but she has to make it. At dawn she had heard no one coming. No wonder- the final 7 won't be making any sound and she couldn't rely on that. Adrenalin was bursting in her blood, her veins, she was ready. Just then the ground started to shake and backpacks with the number of the District appeared. She could read them: 2, 4, 5, 11 and 12. Only hers and the last one were tiny- she assumed they both had some sort of medicine. But why would Katniss and Peeta need medicine? For Peeta's leg! Of course!

As she was assuming things, someone just 20 meters from her sprinted to the Cornucorpia. It was the girl from Five. Lera could easily kill her, just by throwing a sai at her but it was not a good idea. First of all she would give out her location and second: she just couldn't kill that girl. The redheaded lie down, watching as Five picked up her backpack and sprinted towards the woods again.

Then it was Katniss who's making a run for it. Was Peeta covering her? Hidden somewhere in the woods? It would have been better if they switched- that way Katniss would have shot the ones trying to kill her partner. Was Peeta too slow?

Lera couldn't afford to distract herself. The time is coming. When all have reached the center she would run, too. This way no one would notice her because they would be fighting each other. The effective strategy by the feast is to go first or last. It's usually them who survive. Since Five was first, she would be last to jump into the battle. Second is Katniss, covered by Peeta. Third goes Clove, most likely covered by Cato, who's hidden somewhere Lera didn't bother to look. Then Thresh appeared out of the woods. It's her chance now.

Lera sprinted, covering the distance. Just like in the beginning of the Games, her body and mind became separate. Her instinct guided her, she couldn't think, just acted. Ran and ran, not bothering to look back.

Lera grabbed her tiny bag but immediately lost hold of it and had to bent down to get it. Then someone hit her in the back, making her work off air and falling on her ankles, causing great pain in Lera's left shoulder. The girl jumped back, just before Clove had pierced her with her knife and threw her sai at her, knocking the weapon out of Two's hand. The advantage wasn't in her favor with just one sai left so Lera shouted:

- Looks like someone will be left with no bag at all.

A few meters behind Clove Katniss was picking up her tiny bag. It wasn't nice to hiss them against one another but let's face it. Peeta could easily kill Clove and Cato was nowhere to be seen. Probably he's gone after Thresh.

Clove turned around and saw Twelve standing by the table, picking up her own backpack. But if she intended to touch theirs, Clove would kill her. She faced Lera again, who've sprinted for the woods. Two bit her lower lip- she had outsmarted her. Focusing for a second only, the girl threw a knife which pierced Lera's back, forcing her on the ground. Clove smirked and then headed out for Katniss. Cato wouldn't be mad at her if she put out a good show.

Lera fell on the ground. For a second she pleaded Clove hasn't done serious damage to her spine and then tried to move. Her nerves were okay but Two has probably missed by chance. She was probably busy preparing to deal with Katniss.

Lera reached for the knife but her right hand couldn't even touch it.

- For God's sake… - she whispered and moved her left arm. She screamed at the pain it caused her to twist her shoulder but was finally able to pull out the knife. It hasn't done any serious damage but she could very well bleed to death. Unfortunately there was nothing she could do about it but hope she can make it.

She crawled to the woods, hearing Clove shouting out Cato's name. What could have happened? Lera sat down and turned around just to see Thresh smashing Two's skull. The image shocked her, placing itself in her memory, never to disappear. Eleven moved over to Katniss, who was lying down in Lera's position. It was a minute before Thresh turned around, grabbing both his and Cato and Clove's backpack and running away. Katniss did the same thing. It was then the redheaded noticed Cato, lying over Clove, not wanting to let her go and probably begging her to stay. Wasn't she already dead?

Lera stood there watching, still in shock. After a minute or so the cannon fired, signalizing Clove had passed out. Cato stood up, looking at her one last time and then for a moment realizing the tribute from Four was still here, too. Their eyes locked and the tribute wished she was invisible. If Cato was mad, and no doubt he was he would follow her and kill her easily. Lera had an injured back and shoulder and just one sai. She couldn't last against his attack. But before getting up to make a run for her life, Cato turned around and headed out for Thresh.

Without hesitating, Lera jumped, the action causing her pain and followed him as fast as she could.