Far behind schedule I know. Finally have a new job and it is kicking me around a bit. But now things are starting to settle. Hunger Games Tuesday will pick up again although I'm starting to think a different day might be better with the new schedule. I'll let you all know otherwise.

Either way I was trying to get this done yesterday and I still didn't manage it because Halloween. If any week is right for the uploading its this one. Happy Korrasami week. Happy Bisexuality Awareness week. And Happy Hunger Games!

Chapter 15

She thought of a thousand things but all that came out was "How do you know?"

"Wei told me about your little fight with the boy from your district. Said you had a perfect kill lined up and you didn't take it." He adjusted his position with a little huffing but stayed leaned against the tree. Korra felt her fingers tighten, wishing she was holding a spear at that moment. "At first I thought it was just because he was from your district, but then you didn't kill the girl we trapped and now him."

Korra turned away from him. "So, what now? Do we separate?"

"Why?"

"If I can't kill then I can't help you win. That's the point of an alliance isn't it? To help each other win."

"You got the girl trapped up there. You got us food. You got us water before we could find some. You fixed this," Mako lifted his shirt to show what would now become a scar. The skin was still discolored but maybe with time would fade back to normal. "There's more to this game then killing you know."

"You don't seem to have a problem with it." Korra folded her arms and sat on a nearby rock

"Where'd all this salt come from?" Mako waved his hand, "I'm used to doing what I have to for my brother. Wei's fighting for his family too. You have your girl and your dog I suppose."

"I guess," Korra could feel a little bit of a smile when he mentioned them. She let herself think Asami wasn't seeing her minor lapse in judgment.

"I'd say that's a good reason to win. A reason to want to win. That's why we're allies. If I wanted a savage killer I would have teamed up with Yong when I had the chance."

There was a moment of silence before Korra finally said, "Uh, thanks." It was all she could think of to say, sad as it was. Deep inside of her she could feel it burning again, that fire of pride and desire. Forget the honor of a career. She could win this just to see Asami again, or to hear her father say he was proud.

Was that what set their alliance apart from the others? A concept as simple as not fighting for personal gain or even survival? To give his brother a reason to let him volunteer. To break the chain of death so that for one year, even if it was just one, she wouldn't lose a son.

A ping from the sky forced their attention. A red light flashed in the trees sending shadows into the leaves in the setting sun. The small package drifted slowly and landed between the two tributes. Korra reached it first taking the small note that had been fastened to the top.

I kept my promise. Now you keep yours.

-Asami

"What is it?" Mako asked. Korra almost couldn't contain herself. Maybe she had lost track of how many were left in all the fuss, but now she remembered what she had asked. No sponsors until the final six. She had survived this long.

"It's a uh, a sponsor. From Asami." Korra wiped her face with the back of her hand just in case he would see a tear glistening in her eyes.

"Are you sure? I thought maybe a surprise tribute would be in there. What's inside it?"

"If you would wait ten seconds for me to open it then we'd both know." Korra did only to see a silver thermos inside. She unscrewed the cap to find it filled with sweet smelling liquid. Too sweet Asami would have told her. Asami had remembered to send her favorite.

"Here." Korra passed the thermos to her partner, "Asami sent us some lychee juice."

Korra and Mako spent the next few hours into the night passing the sponsor between them. Mako didn't much like the taste of it, too sweet for him too, but he still drank his share all the same. Korra tried to make each sip last longer than the one before but as time passed she felt more like her portions were getting larger and larger. As light completely disappeared over the horizon so did the last of the sponsor. Korra even felt a little regret in sharing it. With a sigh Korra tossed the thermos to the side only to have Mako collect it again. No use in wasting what could be a good tool.

The sky lit again as the anthem played. The little river parted the trees just enough they could see it in the clouds above. Both kills that night had been theirs. Korra counted the tributes that were left in her head. Yong, Wei, Archer, Xie they called her, herself, Mako, and the last boy from eight.

"Should we head back to Wei?"

"I promised we'd clear out the tributes hiding in the forest before heading back to the city." Mako told her.

"Do you know anything about him? The last tribute I mean?"

Mako sighed and leaned back with his arms folded, "District eight mostly consists of old Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom. He could be a firebender or an earthbender. I don't remember seeing him use either in training."

"So he might even be a non-bender then?"

"Are you always so optimistic?"

"Don't you know everything about everyone here?

"I didn't think he'd last this long." Mako shrugged.

"Well what do you think now?"

"I think he's real lucky." He smiled and ran his fingers through his messy hair. He had a bright sort of smile that almost seemed dopey. Had he smiled before now?

Korra cleared her throat before asking, "How are you feeling? If you're better we should probably get going. If not then I can heal you a little better. I mean it's getting dark." Korra didn't want to think about how exposed they might be. Without their thorn walls or Korra's traps how easy would it be or Xie to get a shot on them?

"No I'm fine." Mako said but he winced when he stood, "Tell your sponsor to send medicine next time."

"Ok." Korra raised her head to the sky and shouted, "Asami! Mako wants-" A little shove to her shoulder cut her off.

"Are you crazy? Do you want someone to hear you?"

"Yeah. Asami. That was the point." It also couldn't hurt to have the boy from eight hear too considering they had no idea where he was.

"Enough fooling around." Mako started towards their little fort. "You're just like my brother."

"I didn't realize your brother was a waterbender. Or a career." Mako shoved her shoulder again. Korra laughed a little and saw he was still smiling. It felt good, knowing she could make him smile.

Mako stopped suddenly. Korra turned. She heard it too, a branch snapping ahead of them. Dawn had not quite come and they could barely see their thorn fortress in the shadows. The place was still a mess from Korra's fight with the plantbender. Vines and brambles were scattered piles of dark shadows. At least she couldn't see the body of the girl from eight anymore.

A shape emerged from their fort. It was little more than shadows but its eyes glowed like embers. Sharp fangs gleamed in the light of a dim fire that burned with its every breath. It growled, a low rumbling sound that seemed to shake the leaves just above its head.

The monster roared and blew a jet of flame into the sky. Branches caught fire and the night became instantly as bright as day. Under the light Korra could properly see the serpentine shape of the dragon that faced her. It climbed from their fort as easily as a bird climbed out of a nest. Her thorn barriers collapsed under the weight of only one of its feet. It watched Korra and Mako with deep amber eyes. They did almost look like Mako's eyes.

A branch fully engulfed in fire dropped heavily between the two tributes and the dragon. Sparks scattered like insects only to disappear. The dragon raised a forepaw and wrapped its claws around the burning log. After only a moment of pressure the log burst into flaming shards that in turn lit new fires across the forest floor. Then it opened its maw and roared.

This dragon knew no words, only the bestial growling and roaring. Both were enough to make Korra's skin crawl at the unfamiliar sound. There was still a sort of unspoken sentence the dragon brought with it, one that came from the gamemakers themselves. Have fun little tributes. The finales about to begin.

"Run!" Mako's command was sharp and fearful. They took off together away from the flames overhead. The few supplies they had buried in their fort were not worth this fight.

Falling branches fell from the sky as they tried to escape. A thick one blocked the path in front of her. Korra screamed at the closeness of it, almost sure her hair was going to catch fire. Another foot closer and it would have crushed her.

"This way!" Mako gripped her arm, pulling her away from the fire. Korra risked a glance behind her. The dragon stood at its full height, easily twenty feet high. Wide antlers made him seem even bigger. His serpentine body was covered in dull green scales that reflected the flickering light brilliantly. It roared and Korra could feel it echoing in her bones. Only when it charged from its nest did fear for the monster outweigh the sense of wonder Korra felt for it.

"It's coming," Korra told Mako

"Just don't look back," Mako panted just before he skidded to a halt. Korra looked ahead of them and realized she was only looking into more fire. The shape of the boy from eight was fleeing as well. Behind him a second, larger dragon roared.

"The game makers are driving us together," Mako noted. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Don't think I'll slow you down." Korra charged ahead of Mako, "I still plan on winning this remember?"

Korra used her burst of sped to collide with Eight. She would have been surprised if the boy had even noticed her coming in all the chaos. The both of them tumbled together. The moment Eight had the higher ground he reeled back and punched her hard in the face. Lights danced in her eyes as she decided this was not the best approach.

"Korra!" She heard Mako calling her name and a hand pull hard on her ankle. She slid on her back towards him breaking Eight's grip on her.

A tree fell to the ground. The larger dragon stood on it in triumph. The flames that leapt from the trunk didn't seem to bother it in the slightest.

"Look at that," Eight said brushing himself off as he stood, "The moon and the dragon working together." He even went so far as to laugh, "Who would have seen that coming? In this light you might even look like a cute little couple."

Mako was the first to attack. Two quick shots of fire. Eight edged out of the way. His dodge was followed with a quick attack at Korra. She tried to defend herself with her bending, but the fire treated air proved to be too difficult to draw any water from. Why didn't she save any from the river?

Eight flashed a blade that slashed through her defending forearms. With a cry she stumbled backwards. Mako swooped in to defend her, driving the boy back with a touch of fire. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just," Korra ran her fingers along her injury. She was bleeding and already the dark streams were running down her arms. For the moment though she didn't think it would slow her down. "just give me a minute."

"I'll give you a minute!" Eight laughed. Mako let loose a stream of fire at the boy's feet to put some distance between them. Eight seemed to think better of the fight and turned and ran.

The gray dragon behind him let loose a roar when Eight came too close. Unable to pass him or the tree he stood on he ran along it's length. Mako gave into the chase.

Korra rubbed her arms. The cut stung and the blood gave her warm skin a cold chill, but that wasn't an excuse to stop. Mako was counting on her. She ran in a wide arc, passing mako and intercepting Eight. The boy stopped when he noticed her and looked back and forth between the two attackers.

"Nowhere to run is there?" Korra teased as she closed in on him. In the very last instant he bolted into the gap between the two of them faster than Korra had been expecting.

"You just had to say something," Mako grumbled at her. They changed their direction and raced after him. His little trick had earned him a bit of a head start. Korra's heart was already pounding in her ears. The smoke itself made it difficult to breath.

The green dragon had walked on the other side of Eight. His great jaw opened and flames poured over the bushes there. Cornered for a second time Eight finally stopped.

"You can't fight us and the dragons." Mako shouted over the crackle of burning forest. "Which way is it going to be?"

Eight spit on the dragon's fire. "That's how they want it huh?" Eight shouted to the sky, "Get that last push before your finale? Dance for us huh? The minute it turned me against the two of you I don't stand a chance. A non-bender like me against the carrers doesn't make much of a show now does it?"

"Mako?" Korra wasn't entirely sure why she said his name. Her every nerve was on edge, her stance open and ready to strike back. This was that crossroads where she couldn't act as easily.

"The game makers just want the best entertainment," Mako told him. "Just give them theat and they'll tip the scales towards you." Was Mako encouraging him to take another shot?

Instead Eight shook his head and dropped his stance. The knife he had cut Korra with he tossed to one side and raised his hands in surrender. "Have you even seen those careers? What kind of performance do they think I'm going to give them? How's this for a show stopper then?" He leapt backwards into the flames.

"NO!" Korra could not look away as his body was engulfed in the flames. The green dragon opened his jaws and bathed him in fire. He screamed so desperately it made Korra's ears hurt. But he did not struggle. He did not try to run. He only collapsed until the fires eventually died away.