Rose POV
I watched the faces to see who had died. The only thing that had surprised me was the boy from 4 was dead. Oh well, whatever. It was time to get some rest. I settled down into my sleeping bag, and slept.
The way I woke up was probably the worst and the most efficient alarm clocks. I woke to a girl screaming. I shook my head, all sleepiness disappearing from my mind. Then, I got out of the bag, and ran out to take a look. It was still dark, but there was a hint of dawn. A few birds were up. That's when I saw it. There, in the distance, I was a glowing flame.
Idiot….. That was the first thought I had. A glowing flame in the middle of the night was equivilant to jumping up and down with a neon flag. Ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but still.
It was ironic. Fire was one of the first things mankind learned to use that saved our lives.
Now, it was the reason why that girl was dying. It was a girl due to the pitch of that scream.
I wonder who it was? Either way, she was dead. Who killed her? My curiousity urged me to go take a look. I shrugged. Why not?
Going inside, I got my set of knives, and hid everything else. Then, I headed toward the flames. There were shouts of success, so it was a group. Probably the kids from 1, 2, and 4. I wonder if they have gotten over my rejection to join. Something was missing. I thought a bit, then realized what it was. The cannon.
Honestly, what was wrong with these people? That girl probably had no idea how to defend herself, the kids were at a 5 to 1 advantage, and they still couldn't manage to kill her right away? I sighed. One of the many reasons I didn't join them.
By now, I have arrived. I traveled swiftly and quietly. I hide behind a tree, using the darkness to blend in. Good thing for the black outfits. The tree is a willow, and the long flowing branches help conceal me. Between the spaces of some, I watch the scene.
Just as I though, it was the careers. What I didn't expect was another member. Peeta Mellark.
I cocked my head, trying to think of reasons that he joined. I came up with two. He was either crazy and desparate for a chance to win, or he was a spy. A spy for his love, Katniss. Speaking of Katniss, I wonder what she would think. I got the feeling she would take this as betrayal.
The group had been arguing about whether or not the girl was dead. Peeta spoke up.
"We're wasting time! I'll go finish her, and let's move on!" He said. I nodded. Smart
There was a rustling in a tree that was next to the one I was hiding in. It seems the other people didn't notice.
Tilting my head slowly, I looked up the tree, trying to find the sound I heard. There. A black object hanging from the tree. There isn't enough light to tell, but I would guess it wasn't an animal. Too big.
While I was looking for the rustling, the group referred to as the Careers, were discussing Peeta. He came back, and there was a cannon. The group runs away, probably looking for their next prey. The black object hoists itself up, and sits there for a while. I wait patiently, wanting to know who it is. A tribute for sure, but which one?
I admire his/her skill to avoid detection. I would laugh at how the Careers didn't get to kill him/her.
Well, no surprise. That rustle was quiet, and the Careers were loud. No idea how to walk in a forest.
The tribute starts to move. By their hair, I think it's a girl. My guess was right. She comes into view, and turns around. It's Katniss Everdeen. The way she looks right now triggers a memory.
It's a memory of a girl, about one year younger then me, in a forest. She was probably 11 or so, and was in dire condition. The way she walked, and held herself, the color of her face. She was scared of the forest, yet needed food. I walked out, and shocked her. Later, when she had calmed down, I asked her for her name.
"My name is Katniss. Katniss Everdeen."