Super late on Hunger games tuesday again. But dang it because its still Tuesday so its a win. Throwing it out there next week I might not be able to make it. We've had some pretty bad news on the home front. But we will be back don't you all get all afraid on me. Keep reviewing and this will never die. Happy Hunger Games!

Hg 14

Korra's main focus was the lake she hoped they were heading towards. If she could reach it maybe she stood a chance. Korra glanced at Mako at the thought of it. He had been nothing but helpful to her so far. Maybe it might not have been long, but he had perfect the perfect opportunity last night to take her out. How easily would she be able to turn on him when the time came?

Don't think about it, she finally decided. Focus on getting through the forest with him. Mako's eyes looked as nervous as an arctic squirrel in a wolf's den. But when he walked his stride was smooth and even. He walked like a fearless warrior. Korra could almost admire that.

Korra tripped on an outstretched root. She caught herself before her chest hit the ground. Her heart was already pounding as the boom of a cannon shook the leaves from the trees. Mako had not moved to catch her but his hands were raised and ready to strike back. Why did he stand the way he did? His weight balanced on the balls of his feet. The stance was all wrong.

"Let's hope Wei found who he was looking for." Mako said pushing deeper into the forest.

It took less than five minutes of walking for Korra to decide she didn't like the forest at all. The branches and leaves were everywhere, scratching at her pant legs and wolf tails. Bushes and clumps of brambles formed long walls that hung between trees. Korra learned quickly that most of them were armed with hooked thorns that clung to her clothes and tore at her exposed arms.

"What is this place?" Korra growled using her bending to break a branch with a loud snap. "How much longer until we get to the lake?"

"I haven't been down here remember?" Mako sighed, "Now be quiet and stop complaining. Korra was this close to snapping at him again. How did he even know there was a lake this way then? But would that have solved anything?

Korra tried to focus on being silent. Silence and patience are the hunters greatest weapon, her father had told her. He had taken her hunting in the water tribe plenty of times before. She knew how to walk so the snow didn't crunch so loudly. She knew how to find the right trails to follow. She knew how to use the snowfall to hide her scent. None of that mattered with every movement was met with a thousand rustling leaves. Between the leaves and the clattering branches overhead the entire place was a circus of noise.

"The trainers taught me how to make some traps." Korra suggested after at least three hours had passed. At least she thought it was three hours. The trees had a way of blocking the sun and the shadows they cast were strange to her.

"I doubt you can make a trap and walk at the same time." Mako told her as he held a branch out of her way for her to pass.

"Well we'd stop for a little while. At the very least it wouldn't hurt. The lake isn't going anywhere,"

"Not that you know of." Mako interrupted her.

"The gamemakers are not going to relocate a lake."

He shrugged, "I'm just saying you don't know."

"Forget it." Korra pushed past him.

Mako did stop though after not much further of walking. There was a place where the ground was relatively clear of random debris. A little brushing and they could actually see the dark soil the layer of dead leaves had been hiding. It was even big enough Korra could put together a small fire. Korra even enjoyed watching the brambles burn. Stupid thorns. They deserved to die.

Mako, who had left to collect real wood to burn, told her to quit burning the brambles. While she kept the fire stocked he took the thorny vines and encircled their clearing. At the very least it would slow down someone trying to get into their little fort. Korra wished she had thought of it first.

Korra stretched out on her back and looked up at the canopy of leaves above her head. Only a few hours and she already missed the sky. She wondered how she would see the announcements about the cannon blast through the leaves.

"Aren't you supposed to be making a trap?" Mako's voice pulled her from the thought. He sat with one knee raised propping up his elbow. He ran a knife along a branch to sharpen one end of it. When did he get a knife again?

Korra dug through the supply bag mako har brought. In the training arena rope had been readily available, but here she found only water, sparkrocks, and a little food. What did a firebender need sparkrocks for anyway? She had almost gone without making it before Mako suggested she use tendrils from nearby brambles instead. They were nice and thick and while they didn't compare to the rope from before they were still strong enough for her to work with. It took another hour for her to set up the first trap properly and place it outside their walls. By then her hands were sore from the thorns.

The sun had finally begun to set by the time Mako brought out some of the food. Meat, rabbit squirrel by the look of it. It didn't taste all that different than the artic rabbit she was used too to be honest. Mako left as she ate. The sticks he had been sharpening were finished. Half a hundred spears were placed around their thorns to further push away attackers. He climbed a tree to be able to jump over their wall. Korra set herself to putting out the fire and assembled a new stack of wood in case they needed it the next day.

When darkness finally fell the projection lit the leaves of the trees. The image was distorted by the overlapping branches and shadows but Korra could make out the face of the boy from district three. Wei had hit his target. Now as far as they knew the cornucopia was nothing more than an arena for the careers that chose to live there.

"Do you think we should head back?" Korra suggested, "We shouldn't leave him in there with the other careers."

"He volunteered to stay there." Mako shook his head. "It's not about him winning at this point. He's good, but not good enough to handle both of them at once. He'll keep them occupied at the very least. If he can manage to keep them separated maybe he can get to Xie. But he'll keep them from working together which will buy us some time."

"Do you really think he stands a chance?" Korra settled into a little place in the soil she had cleared. "I mean, he is still a Beifong."

"Wing and Wei Beifong were the inventors of power disk." Mako sat with his back to the wall he had built. His gaze seemed distant almost looking through the small unlit stack of wood. "It's a metalbending game that requires a lot of power, precision, and skill in bending. Why shouldn't I trust him because of his name?"

"I saw the games his brothers played in. It just seems like-"

"One of his brothers is an artist, the other just an engineer. As much hype as the capital put into them no one really thought they could win. And Wei has a sister too, a non-bender who will probably be torn apart in here. Wing will volunteer for her if it comes to that."

"Like you did for your brother?" Korra shifted onto her stomach.

"You would have done it for a sister," Mako looked at her then shrugged, "if you had one at least. But that girl-"

"Asami."

"Asami." Mako nodded, "Try to tell me you wouldn't have done it for her."

Korra wouldn't disagree but instead said, "Her father is Hiroshi Sato, the guy who runs Future Industries. He would have done anything to make sure his daughter is never in that glass ball. Besides, I would have been in here one way or another."

"You're so sure about that?"

"My dad won his games. Kids of previous winners always seem to have the bad luck in the reapings. Just like the Beifongs."

"Right," Mako looked back at the wood pile, "And I'm sure that only has to do with luck."

"Since we were so sure we'd be in the games we figured I might as well be ready for it. Train up for it. Become a carrier."

"And Asami's ok with that?"

"Not really." Korra was able to laugh a little at the memory now, "She actually hit me after I volunteered. Pretty hard too." Korra touched the place where Asami had hit her. Was she expecting it to sting after so many days? "What about your brother? He couldn't have been alright with how you did it?"

"It can be hard to tell what Bolin really thinks. He's one of those optimistic types. He didn't like it, but he was all talk about how I'm the best firebender he knows. He's sure I'm coming back to him in a few weeks."

"And are you?"

Mako was silent for a few moments. In the darkness of the forest he was little more than silhouette and shadow but Korra could almost feel his scrutiny as he looked at her. "There's a very good chance."

Mako didn't say anything more. He just rested his head on his arm, Korra assumed that was how he was going to sleep. Wasn't he uncomfortable? Korra pushed herself to sit up. Why did she feel cold and uncomfortable. And what chance had he been considering?

Did he think he would be able to kill her so easily? No, that couldn't have been right? They had only been talking. He seemed genuine in everything he said, he felt like a good person. Remember this is a game to the death no matter how it's looked at. One way or another she and him would become enemies.

Korra brought a small amount of water from her bag. She felt it harden between her fingertips as the dagger of ice formed. It was a very small piece but one touch with the tip of her finger confirmed how sharp it was. One carefully placed thrust and all this worry about alliances and traitors would be over. She had already been betrayed by one alliance so far.

Remember where the heart is. Slide through the ribs and she'd have an easy kill. It doesn't make for much of a show as far as the capitalists cared. She wondered how boring they must have thought Chee's death was.

Korra closed her eyes for a second. It wouldn't matter if she did it now or not. After Mako there were still other tributes hiding in the woods. She would need Mako to help find them. He was a lot smarter than she imagined. The amount he knew about the tributes, Wei especially, was proof of that. And he knew so much about the arena itself while Korra knew only that there was a city and surrounding forest. For now he was the best tool she could have on her side.

Korra brought her palms together and the dagger became liquid in her hands. She brought it to her lips and drank the cold water before wiping the damp off on her pants. She'd still kill him, that much she couldn't debate any more. Mako was good for her for the time being, but sooner or later how smart he is will be his biggest advantage. She just wouldn't do it yet. Not yet. Once the forest is empty she would. She'd meet back up with Wei, tell him one of the other tributes killed him. She'd let Wei help her take care of the other tributes and then she'd finish with him. Power Disk or not he's still a Beifong. He's bound to mess up.

Korra let herself smile as she settled back down beside the wood pile. For the first time since coming here she had a plan. A plan she had made on her own and a plan that could work. All she had to do was keep Mako on her side for a few more days.