Princess of the Sea

By: CyanideMuffins7

Chapter 14: A New Face

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Hunger Games, the trilogy or any of the characters Suzanne Collins has created. I only take credit for the characters I have created and the plot I have made.

Bachus, holding Coda, and Wren ran up behind me to see why I haven't made my move, but now they see why. He seemed unconscious, but not really dead since he's still breathing. If I were to make my move, I don't feel like I could. It's hard to explain about that feeling.

A silver parachute slowly lands on the ground in front of Wren. She instantly pulls out her gift to reveal thread and a needle. What she going to do with that besides patching up clothes? It's pretty much pointless really. But what surprised me was that Wren dashed to his side with the needle and thread. Wren was helping the Career.

Wren told us to leave and we did, only leaving the small clearing. It left the three of us to guard the perimeter as Wren was mending the District 12 Tribute's wounds. Bachus seemed to be fuming as he scowled in the distance while Coda was sleeping up against the tree.

Like the day I met Bachus, the swamp was quiet, still. I could only hear Coda slowly breathing in and out. I didn't mind the quiet at all, but it was the type of quiet that was awkward. Since Coda was asleep, the silence only existed between Bachus and I. It was very uncomfortable.

But what I could not fathom was why Wren was helping the District 12 boy. He's a Career, why would she help a Career if she was trying to take them down? Wren was puzzling.

It felt like days we were here but the sun had never risen and the moon remained in the dark sky. The silence was filled with the light symphony of crickets, frogs, and the current of water. It was rather soothing. After what felt like days, Coda finally awakens better than ever.

"Can I lie against you Pandora?" Coda yawned while looking up at me. I agree and she leans her head against my arm and closes her eyes again.

I remember Valentine used to do that to. When we were kids and after a long day of play, the two of us would sit on the porch, the pier, or on the beach and lay her head against me to fall asleep. While she would be asleep, I would look through my treasures I had found that day or I would watch the sunset. I used to do the same with Ian and Evan. For them, after a long day of fishing or babysitting me, I used to sleep on Evan's lap or when they would take me home, Ian would carry me on his back. There were so many memories of home that were stored in my poor mind.

We stayed there for a while until Wren came from inbetween the trees. Bachus shot up and stared Wren down, "What the hell are you thinking, do you know what you just did!" Bachus said as his nostrils flared and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you mean obtaining an ally?" Wren said rather calmly. Bachus took a step closer to her, still in rage.

"He's not an ally! None of these people in this arena are trustworthy!" Bachus chided while he glared straight in Wren's eyes. Wren's calm demeanor slowly subdued, "I never trusted you three but I got over it. We're strengthening our alliance."

I wanted to stay out of it but the sound of Bachus and Wren's arguing, woke Coda up. This also brought her into the conversation, just like myself.

"That isn't the point! He's a Career! If you trust him, don't you trust the others to kill us!" Bachus said. Wren then lost her calm demeanor, "Just because he's a Career doesn't mean that we can't trust him! I'm beginning to think we should replace you with him!" Wren snapped. This was probably the first time I saw Wren angry, and honestly it scares me. My opinion in the matter wouldn't matter really. I didn't want to tangle in this mess that these two were creating.

"If I didn't owe anyone anything, I wouldn't even be in this alliance! At least when I was working for Jadalis, I could leave. But I can't since I'm being held back!" Bachus countered back but on saying this, Wren's face of anger switched to a face of surprise.

I was surprised as well, but I think I would be more surprised if I knew who Jadalis was, "Who's Jadalis?" I ask to fill the silence. Wren and Bachus pry their angry eyes from each other and towards me, "Jadalis is the girl from District 12." Wren said before looking back at Bachus, "Why would you alliance with her? She's probably one of the weakest ones in this arena."

"It wasn't just me. It was the Tributes from 8 and the girl from 10. She had a full team." Bachus responds. How could there be another alliance like the Careers? This must be a real turn of events from Panem's eyes. At least they weren't trying to spice things up like they did with the lightning. But this alliance doesn't sound so impressive. The Districts she allied with were the ones who were weak, except Bachus.

Wren's eyes then turned to question and she turned around so that she wasn't facing Bachus. She seems to be deep in thought. Coda looks up at me with eyes that said, "What is she thinking about?"

Wren then turns around to face Bachus, "Let him join the alliance." She said with her calm laid back manner.

This brought Bachus's rage back, "Did you not hear what I've been saying before? He's a Career! Do you want a dagger in your back!" Bachus said as he raised a voice a tad.

"He could be a worthy asset to us. He knows the Careers' moves more than any of us." Wren snapped back.

Just when I thought I wouldn't be involved, Coda decides to speak up, "I agree with Bachus on this, Careers are not to be trusted."

Why is she hypocritical? Bachus was on another alliance, how can we trust him? Soon the three began to bicker endlessly. Wren wanted him in the alliance, but Bachus and Coda both didn't want him. I agreed with Wren but that was a tie in the argument. Bachus was indebted to Wren and I; his opinion won't control his honor, so he won't leave if he could. Coda, now I'm not sure if Coda will leave. She might stay for me, but that reason may not bind her.

"He's dangerous! Do you know what he does in the Careers!" Bachus argued while his temper was feeding Coda and Wren's tempers. The District 12 boy, I think his name is Canon, or that's what I heard Lena shout out. He was strange when I first met him at the camouflage station, but he had the kindest smile I had seen this entire time I have spent in the Capitol. Honestly, he seemed like a nice guy. It's hard to believe that he was sucked into the Careers. I felt almost pity for him since we were having this argument. But this was stupid, the answer for me was clear as day.

"Shut up!" I snap at the three. Coda, Bachus and Wren looked at me and stayed silent. Now that I have their attention, "He was half dead out here for a reason. The Careers probably thought he was a loose end and left him like this. He has no motive to get at us. I say he joins our alliance." I manage to say confidently, but I could tell my face is red from blurting out loudly and speaking so suddenly.

There was silence between the three. But Wren looked over to Coda and Bachus, reading their answers through their faces. I wasn't able to see but Wren looked back at me with a sigh, "You saved us from another bloodbath Pandora." She said with a smile. I don't imagine each of us ripping each other's throats out if the argument had continued, but at least I prevented the possibility.

Wren led us back to the small clearing and we began to set up camp. Wren said Canon won't be up till morning, so we won't have to worry too much about him. Bachus was mainly hanging around the trees while Coda was hunting around for some berries nearby. Wren had changed our bandages where our wounds were and discarded the bloody ones. We were just hanging around until Coda returned with nothing to claim.

We needed food, and I wasn't opposed to hunting. I wanted to go out alone, but Coda insisted she join me. We didn't go far from the perimeter of our camp so we didn't lose it. It was pretty dark so I was able to use my flashlight to search around for some sort of creature sleeping by a root or in a tree. But sadly we found nothing and I didn't want to venture to far towards the stream nearby. Coda stayed quiet searching and on our way back. She must feel stupid for not agreeing with Wren and I. But I don't blame Coda. She's still too young and naïve to understand your opinion is meant to be informative and demanding instead of it being just demanding.

For once, I didn't like how Coda was so silent. So I decide to strike up a conversation, "Where did you go after the Bloodbath?" I ask as we pass by a short willow. Coda kept her eyes on her feet as she walked, avoiding eye contact with me until she began to skip a few of her steps. Coda tells of when her eyes first laid on the Cornucopia, she wasn't as mesmerized as when she saw her own Tasers. The only uniquely made weapon for just that certain Tribute. After she retrieved her Taser, Coda attempted to get a pack, but she had left it. She ran off and hid in the bog. She spent her days searching for food, desperately. After a while, she would find little animals and Taser them, but evidently it would char the animals so they were barely edible. I then tell of what I did after the Bloodbath and the damn frogs that plagued me. Coda laughed when I told of my mortal enemies.

By the time we reached the camp, the sun began to rise and morning had dawned. Bachus was sleeping against the trunk of the tree but his axe remained in his hands as it rested on his shoulder.

I scanned around the camp until I see Wren sitting beside one of the willow trees to my left, sitting next to Canon. I walk closer to the two, noticing the small reassuring smiles of friendship to each other. I noticed a dark green pack laid down beside him. I could see that some of the color was chipped off like it was painted on. His jacket was unzipped with his sleeves rolled up to his muscular forearms, revealing a dark gray beater underneath. His rolled up sleeves revealed more bandages from his wrist to his forearm, only on his left. But when my eyes moved to his face I was able to make out the wound we found him in. It began near his left temple, down his cheek and close to the corner of his lip. The wound was slightly puffy and red, but the stitching was very intricate and professional.

I feel sympathy for Canon, but when he turned to look at me, he gave me his kindest smile and waved to me, "Hello District 4 Girl." He said with his voice a bit horse.

We were another alliance, and I'm confident that we will end the Careers.