Peter Cooper, D2

Eight Tributes. There are only eight of us left, thought Peter. He'd settled in for the night, setting up camp at the edge of the river. He knew that eventually the Gamemakers would want to shrink the fired, to round up all the tributes. And Peter knew that they would most likely gather them near the Cornucopia, so that was where he was stationing himself. He didn't feel like running, tiring himself out before the fighting even began.

And he was right. Peter saw the smoke that night, coming from the north, followed by the east. That's where the others must have been. He quickly moved his supplies closer to the Cornucopia, and situated himself up in a tree, safe from attack and ready to strike the next tribute he saw.

Thalassa Pearl, D4

"Ronan! Please, we have to move, now!" begged Thalassa, struggling to support Ronan's weight. His breathing was very shallow, and running was out of the question for him. Thalassa had thrown his arms over her shoulders and started to drag him, but he'd stopped moving his legs and was now just dead weight, forcing Thalassa to stop. The fire was coming, scorching everything in its path, and if they didn't move soon, they'd die with the rest of the forest.

"Go."

"What?" asked Thalassa, confused.

"Go. I can't move, and you are not going to die trying to save me. No go!"

"I'm not leaving you,," cried Thalassa.

"You think I want this? I don't. I wanted to stay by your side until we went home together, but that isn't going to happen, Thalassa. I'm dying no matter what, even if we managed to escape this, which you won't unless you leave, now." Ronan was crying, now, too. And using that much emphasis in his words had started him coughing. The smoke had reached them. There was no way he'd make it another ten minutes. Thalassa wiped away her tears and kissed him one last time. She grabbed his bag, and their weapons and took off, away from the oncoming fire.

Thalassa stopped short of the opening near the Cornucopia. There might already be tributes waiting, ready to attack. She quickly jumped into a large bush at the edge of the forest, which gave her enough space to peer out into the field. She pulled out her knife, but she was caught off guard.

Ronan's cannon fired.

Elle Lester, D2

"Run!" screamed Elle, as she and Paxton sprinted away from the flames that were licking at their heels. There was a downward slope ahead, which would help them get ahead of the fire. Elle didn't bother with trying to stay on her feet. She kept from the top of the hill and allowed herself to tumble to the bottom. Paxton didn't follow her leads, but he managed to stay upright in his descent. His hand met hers midstride and he pulled her upright, back into a run. Elle quickly loaded one of her last three arrows into the bow, ready to fire, just in case. She knew this had to be a ploy of the gamemakers. They were rounding them up.

Elle kept running, checking back every now and then to make sure Paxton was still with her. Her legs and lungs burned, both from the exertion and the smoke that hung in the air, but it din't matter. There was a clearing ahead, and hopefully, it'd be close enough for safety.

Elle was both right and wrong. The fire seemed to die down just before the clearing, and she was just about to collapse on the ground in exhaustion when she was thrown into the nearest tree trunk.

"Jaclyn?" she heard Paxton call from across the field. "What are you doing?"

"My job!" screamed the girl she could only assume to be Paxton's little sister. Elle saw her draw a knife from her belt, and the bow had been thrown away from her. She was weaponless.

"What? What are you talking about Jaclyn?"

"Shut it, Pax! Let me finish what I'm here to do!" Elle saw Paxton jump his sister, and wrestle the knife from her hands. Elle remembered that this might be the actual Jaclyn Luke, and she rushed to her bowed and trained it on the girl.

"You're not Jaclyn," claimed Paxton, "are you?"

"Just shoot, Shantelle." Hissed the girl, an animalistic look in her eyes. Elle released the arrow.

Cassio Marony, D1

Cassio knew that the other careers would be near the clearing, but if he could make it to the actual opening of the Cornucopia, he might have a chance. He steadied himself, tensed to run, and he watched for any sign of life hiding in the ring of trees surrounding the clearing. Nothing.

Cassio made a mad dash for the Cornucopia. The downward hill helped his speed, but not his balance. He tumbled halfway down the hill by mistake, but managed it unharmed. Cassio dove into the horn, and immediately pulled out his weapons, ready to attack in case anyone had followed him, but he doubted they would.

As night fell, Cassio realized that his idea hadn't been the smartest. He was downhill from everyone. He had the worst spot in the clearing, even if it was shelter. But to run back for the forest was suicide, as he knew there would be the other Careers waiting in the leaves. That's all that was left. The Careers. Plus those two from District Nine, but they were practically on the same level. The Greyson boy who'd scored an 11, and the girl, Sloan, who'd been part of their alliance at one point. Cassio wished he'd killed her when he'd had the chance back then.

The Fallen

Ronan Sonaville, District Four. Killed by Poison. Inflicted by Elle.

Took me a second to remember who had actually poisoned Ronan. We're down to seven Tributes left, and the Gamemakers are preparing them for the Finale! Who will survive til the end? Who will fall just short of the crown? Hmmmmm.

Managed to take far less time between updates this time around. I'm proud of this :)

Please Review!

- Sarah