Madge

For a few seconds, I don't recognise the trio. They look like someone dipped them in red paint, two of them lugging the third along between them. But then I realise who they are – it just didn't come to me at first because I was expecting four girls, not three.

I start running towards them, even as Katniss grabs for my arm to stop me."Demeter!"I call, and she spins around to face me.

"Madge!"she shouts back in reply, utter relief clear in her voice. She gently lowers the girl she's barely even supporting to the ground before stepping closer to me, heavily favouring her left leg."I'm so glad we found you. I don't know what to do with them – they just – Avalon's hurt, she's barely concious- and the little one just -"

She trails of, gesturing to Curie, who let herself drop to the ground next to her District partner, clutching her head and whispering to herself."The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power. To tell just when that clock will stop, at late or early hour."

We both stare at the girl for a few seconds, but then I focus on what is really important right now."What happened to you?"

"The rain,"she says,"Or, well, we thought it was rain. We were so thirsty. It wasn't rain. It was blood. Sticky, hot blood. We managed to get out again but you could barely see where you were going and we ended up staggering out of the blood – the rain – whatever it was – right next to the Careers. There was three of them and four of us, but they still killed Elise and injured Ava before we got away. I – I stabbed one of them, from One, I think, but there was no cannon -"

She's rambling and I can tell she's as much in shock as Curie is. Before I can try to soothe her, though, the others finally join us. Katniss eyes them wearily, Amphitrite offers Demeter a smile, Olive just looks downright bored."So, what do you think you're doing, Nine? Cause, like, I don't think you're just supposed to wander up to us and let yourself get killed, you know."

Demeter brittles, somehow managing to simultaniously look angry and afraid. Her fingers curl around the handle of her knife. I place myself between the two girls not-so-subtly."Olive's joking. Aren't you, Olive?" I don't give her a chance to reply. I don't know how much her aunt knows and how much she in turn told Olive. Maybe she actually doesn't realise the importance of the girls from Three."I told Demeter she'd be in the alliance if she got the Brain along. And she and Jabberjay kinda are a package deal."

"And why?"Katniss asks, frowning. I give her a sheepish grin."Well, you did want them originally."

She shrugs and doesn't answer, her gaze flitting back and forth between everyone present, trying to figure out what really is going on. Olive purses her lips in annoyance."And you conveniently forgot me and Odair not wanting them?"

"Actually,"Amphitrite says,"I kinda told Madge it was okay. Not that I really thought Nine could pull it off, to be honest."

Olive snorts and rolls her eyes, elbowing Amphitrite in the ribs for good meassure."Okay, whatever. Anyone gonna get the kids cleaned up? Because if we don't do something soon, it'll be pretty irrelevant whether or not we want the Brain around."

She's right about that. Avalon's breathing is shallow and uneven, her face noticably pale even under the smeared layer of blood.

Katniss and I carry her to the water, stripping her down and washing the blood of her while Demeter coaxes Curie into the water with Amphitrite's help. Katniss has to pry Avalon's fingers away from the heavy metal cylinder she is clutching. Neither of us know what it is, but we carefully place it on the beach anyway. It seems important to the girl, so I don't plan on losing it.

Once we washed away the blood, the wound across her side becomes visible. We gently place her on one of the mats we have made for ourselves and inspect the cut. It isn't pretty, but I guess it could be worse. Then again, I don't really know anything about medicine.

"She needs stitches,"Olive offers, leaning over my shoulder to get a better look. Katniss raises an eyebrow at her."And you'd know that how?"

The girl from Two chuckles."I'm a Career, sweetie, I know a lot of stuff about a lot of things. Medical care is a whole two units of training. She needs stitches."

"We don't have any equipment,"I point out, scowling at the cut in Avalon's side. Olive crouches down, brushing a few stray strands of hair out of Avalon's face with surprisng gentleness."She's a pretty girl and you just stripped her down. Trust me, she has enough sponsor money for this. And now her mentors know that I know how to stitch up a wound and am willing to do it."

As if on cue, the parachute appears, floating its way down towards us. Olive catches it before it hits the ground and pries it open."Nice. They sent us antiseptic cream aswell. You might wanna slap some on your arm, Preggo."

I do as she suggest, careful to leave enough for Avalon's wound. By the time Olive is done with her work, Amphitrite, Demeter, and Curie have also joined us. For a while, we just sit there while Demeter gulps down water and shellfish, taking turns in trying to get some water into Avalon, who's still out like a light, and Curie, who seems to think whatever she is rambling on about is more important than actually getting something in her stomach.

"Shouldn't we move?"Katniss suddenly says,"I mean, you guys ran into the Careers, right? So how do we know they won't end up here aswell? They were in the same part of the jungles you were in."

We quickly agree that she's right and decide to move on. After fashioning a stretcher for Avalon so we can carry her along, we gather up our meager belongings and are on our way.

)o(

Day 2 of NaNo and I'm already fucking up damn

but I still managed the update so yay for that