Author's Note: It's not very clear how much of a hand Ariana has in these games, we do know Track and Trace are there almost at her behest even though she never asked they volunteered. Just thought I say that ;)

Thanks go to my reviewers: Arrow, EWD and JB

Chapter 36

From the Outside

Ari POV

We watch as Track and Trace guard Katniss as she checks the supplies and as soon as Finnick gets Peeta to shore they head off in search of the careers. District One and Two seem to be the only ones really against Katniss and Peeta. Track had told Finnick they are in his care when Finn asks if they are sticking around.

No, district Five tributes work better solo, or in a pair. They don't follow my district Five, they seem to keep close eyes on Peeta and crew, with occasional snippets of the other victors.

They sporadically go to other tributes, Seeder and Chaff are on the hunt for the district Ones, Gloss and Cashmere. Chaff I know has it in him, but Seeder wasn't a fighter in her games, and I hate myself for saying it, I don't see her winning or lasting long enough. The bloodbath says enough.

Despite only the careers being against our pair, everyone else is out for themselves. Everyone wants to live and when it comes to blows it getting nasty. Johanna takes down one from Ten then her and Blight take Beetee and Wiress and head more inland.

That's when the blood rain hits them. True I told everyone that if its pig's blood it would be packed with nutrients, but it's thick. It's obscuring their vision, so much so Blight who is in his late twenties hits something in the far end of the arena and gets thrown back. Johanna rushes to him but his cannon goes off and she is kneeling beside him for a good minute looking at him. Beetee who had been injured is trying to console her weakly and Wiress has lost it.

I can see Johanna's patience evaporating. She wasn't a patient person the one year I knew her, she expected her tributes to be as heartless and vicious as she was and when they weren't she threw a tantrum. Beetee and Wiress are not fighters, and they are slowing her down. They head back to the cornucopia when the horn blows to signify the bloodbath is ended and they start counting off the dead.

It switches to Peeta and crew not long after. They are heading up the hill as high as they can even though they are all tired, thirsty and the air is a bit thinner. I can tell Mags and Peeta are having the roughest time, Peeta due to his leg and Mags due to her age. Peeta is up front cutting the low foliage to make it easier to navigate. I catch…something I don't know what it is but Katniss is about to say something when Peeta hits it with the machete he is using and is thrown back.

The forcefield! No! Nonononono! I am on the edge of my seat I barely register my company. Gale touches my arm gently.

Katniss is trying to rouse Peeta but he's not responding and she's freaking out.

Finnick puts Mags down seconds after and goes over to where Peeta is laying. Katniss fights him off but Finn pushes her off roughly and she is feet away so he can asses him.

He starts CPR, thank god! I forgot he's from Four where that is common knowledge. Peeta finally comes round and says glibly that there is a forcefield up ahead.

Peeta you idiot! I think to myself and can feel tears wanting to build and spill. Katniss is doing that right now, she's so upset, or relieved I don't know. Finn marks it down to hormones and they help Peeta to his feet. I think she was scared she had almost lost him again, but I don't know her that well.

They go slower now, because Peeta has had a large shock and Mags is having a hard time with the terrain and the lack of water. They do get food in the form of macadamia nuts that Katniss is using to note where the forcefeild is for them. She says she can hear it. Its either true or she is masking the real way she knows it was there.

"Can you hear a forcefeild?" Harry asks

I shrug, "well you can hear a powerful enough current of electricity" I reply, "but it has to be one very powerful current, and even the fence of the district barely makes a noise"

"Bionic ear?" Gale asks

I shrug again, "if that's the case I wouldn't know I was working with Peeta" I reply

The team settles down and Katniss hunts for supper and a source of water.

She returns with something that looks like an extra large gerbil. She calls it a tree rat, she also notes that its muzzle was wet but she couldn't find his water source and she had looked everywhere.

"Not everywhere" I say softly, Gale nudges me, "well come on!" he look confused

Everyone does for that matter. I sigh, I guess it's because I did a lot of research on survival tactics. I starts giving the obvious (at least to me) clues Katniss has just said, "the rodent has large incisors, it was found in a tree, some rodents, large rodents called beavers can gnaw thru wood, I bet you anything that this 'tree rat' is getting moisture from woody plants or something, you can suck on certain plants for water"

"Yeah suck on, his whole muzzle was wet Ari" Buck says, "you can't suck on something and get your whole face wet"

"So maybe he found a pool of water in the crook of a tree" Mrs. Everdeen offers

"No Katniss would have found that" Gale says

Prim watches as a parachute comes down and a small tube like thing is passed around, "Syrup! It's syrup!"

I look at her, syrup in district Five is from the agave plant. They cut the plant and process its flesh. So the idea of syrup from a metal tube doesn't register.

"What like from the maple trees?" Gale asks

"Trees give you syrup?" I look at Gale confused and everyone is giggling except me, I don't see what's so funny.

Mrs. Everdeen smiles gently, "my husband used to collect sap from maple trees and boil it down to syrup we would drizzle on bread for the kids, its sweet like honey."

"Like agave syrup?" I look at her

"Perhaps, I don't know that one" Mrs. Everdeen says, "that metal tube is a spile, but it's been so long since then, Katniss might not remember it"

The show cuts as everyone settles down for the night. Mags and Finnick weave mats of palm leaves and create a shelter for them. It cuts around that time. In the capitol we'd get to see every minute but I'm glad for this. I'm still on edge but at least I can breath now, I trust Finnick with them.

We sit down to supper and then Harry, Ryen and Buck head home. When I ask if they will come over tomorrow Harry shakes his head sadly.

"My wife will insist that we stay at the bakers and I should humor her once in a while" he chuckles softly, "I have to calm her when we get home she will be in a foul temper"

Sophie nods and walks them to the door.

"I better get home" Gale says, he packs one of the loaves of bread and I get him to take the cookies too, "you'll come over tomorrow to watch?" when I nod he gives me a kiss, "see you tomorrow" when he leave Sophie and Prim and looking at me with grins.

"Enough" I say as we head into the kitchen to clean up.