betaread by gkmoberg1
Bad Moon Rising by Mourning Ritual
Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise.
I see a bad moon rising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightning
I see bad times today
Chapter 16
Dialogue taken directly from Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games is italicized.
At dawn, Winnow was quiet as she prepared a pack with food, medicine and a canteen. She stowed one knife in her boot, another in her jacket's left sleeve. Then she picked up her trident, taking a few steps to emerge from the dark Cornucopia into the pale morning light.
She rested her trident in the grassy area outside the Cornucopia, looking around. Cato, Marvel, and Clove stood armed and ready to go – munching on steaming biscuits. Another glance to the left found Peeta standing at a little cook-fire, a pan of those mouthwatering biscuits sizzling over it.
The aroma of the little golden treats reached Winnow – making her stomach growl and alerting her to the fact she hadn't eaten for nearly two days. She had been so nervous yesterday morning – and then she just hadn't been hungry the night before, either.
Cato had almost seemed worried when Winnow had refused dinner – something which had confused her. After laying with her and comforting her for a while, Winnow had calmed and he had left. After a short while, he had returned with dinner for her. She had refused it and then he had eaten it right on the bedroll beside her. Winnow was growing to think Cato was quite the glutton… for food, for sex, and perhaps even blood.
Winnow stepped over to Peeta, taking in another long breath – drawing the scent up into her nostrils. She hadn't thought there would be any hot food here at all. "Morning, Winnow." Peeta greeted with a smile – a new, darkening bruise beneath his right eye, and dark bags beneath his eyes to show he hadn't slept. "Hungry?" he asked, gesturing to the pan of biscuits.
Winnow nodded and Peeta plucked one from the pan and handed it to her. She sighed blissfully – just at the sensation of the hot biscuit warming her chilled fingers. She raised the pastry to her mouth and bit in. It was hot, sticky and sweet – coaxing a moan from the dark-haired tribute's throat.
She found that Peeta had blushed a bit at her sound, while Cato's darkened eyes followed her hands' every movement. She finished it quickly – raising an eyebrow at Cato. Peeta gave her another biscuit – earning a smile from the grieving tribute.
"You know, Winnow, I'm sorry about Kai." Peeta remarked.
Winnow paused as she bit into the biscuit – her eyes flickering away from him. "Me too," She said around a mouthful of the biscuit. "These are good," she added, taking another bite.
"Thank you." Peeta smiled and Winnow stepped towards Cato and the others.
"Where's shit-brain?" she asked, wiping her sticky fingers on her pants.
"Still getting ready," Clove answered with a noise of frustration.
"Ah." Winnow voiced. "Didn't we agree to leave at dawn?" she asked.
Cato nodded. "Glimmer seems to think that's a flexible time," Marvel said in annoyance.
"It's not." Winnow said, turning back towards the Cornucopia. She pointed towards the woods. "There's smoke. We need to leave now." She announced. Energy rippled through the other Careers as they realized there was a target that practically called to them.
"Peeta, get ready. Put out that fire!" Marvel exclaimed as Winnow ducked into the Cornucopia. On her cot, Glimmer sat – weaving her hair into a braid. "It's time to go, Glimmer." Winnow said without patience.
"I'll be ready in a minute." The blonde said, running a hand through her hair and then starting again.
The knife in Winnow's sleeve slid into her hand and she reached out and let it rest on Glimmer's shoulder. "Now." Winnow growled.
Glimmer jumped up, gathering her jacket, bow and quiver – rushing past Winnow to reach the outside. Winnow followed leisurely – just in time to hear Glimmer tell everyone that Winnow was "insane,"
The blonde looked petrified as she saw Winnow emerge. The dark-haired tribute rolled her eyes and glanced to the others. "Are we ready?" she asked.
Cato nodded decisively – and led the way toward the woods. They hiked through the woodsy area for perhaps a half-hour before they found the campsite with a fire on its last legs. At its edge was the girl from District 8, curled up and fast asleep.
The girl's screams and cries for help echoed in the woods and soon the Careers were gleeful – skipping their way towards what they hoped might be another kill. "Twelve down and eleven to go!" Marvel called – earning a round of appreciative hoots from the others.
"Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking." Cato remarked – directing them to head north – further into the woods.
"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?" Glimmer wondered out loud.
"I'd say yes. There's nothing to prevent them from going in immediately." Marvel replied.
"Unless she isn't dead." Winnow suggested.
"She's dead. I stuck her myself." Cato said confidently.
"Then where's the cannon?" Clove interjected.
"Someone should go back. Make sure the job's done." Marvel proposed.
"Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice." Glimmer agreed.
Cato stopped dead in his tracks, turning back to look at them in irritation. "I said she's dead!"
Peeta sighed. "We're wasting time! I'll go finish her and then let's move on!" he volunteered, holding his hand out for Cato's sword. Winnow and Cato traded a surprised glance. Winnow wondered if he was really willing to kill.
"Go on, then, Lover-boy." Cato prompted. "See for yourself." He added, moving to hand Peeta his sword.
Winnow huffed, making the others look to her in confusion. "No," she voiced. "I'll do it myself."
Winnow back tracked towards the girl's camp, knife sliding into her hand. "Lover-boy, go with her." Cato ordered.
Peeta moved quickly to catch up with the girl from District 4. Peeta watched as Winnow crouched beside the bleeding girl. "Were you really going to kill her?" she asked without looking up at him.
Peeta shrugged. "I couldn't just leave her like this." He replied.
The two could see the girl was in critical condition. The wounds she had received from the Careers were fatal. All that was left was the agony of living through her final moments. "This right here – it's mercy." Winnow said, drawing her knife across the girl's throat. A cannon boomed. Silently, the two returned to the others.
"Everything taken care of?" Cato asked when they returned.
"You heard the cannon?" Winnow questioned in response. Cato nodded. "Everything's taken care of." She said flatly – walking on ahead of them – Peeta following her closely. After a moment's pause, the other Careers trailed after them.
They spent another hour combing the woods before returning to their camp by the Cornucopia. And there they found the boy from District 3 waiting.
Marvel and Cato had started running the moment they saw him – having the boy at both sword- and spear-point within seconds. "Wait, wait, wait!" the boy cried, his already ashen skin paling further.
"Why?!" Cato growled, jabbing at him with his sword.
"Because I can help you!" Three cried.
"I feel like I've heard this before," Clove said quietly to Winnow – referring to Peeta's words just the night before.
"What makes you think we need your help?" Marvel questioned, punctuating his words with a jab from his own weapon.
"Hear him out!" Winnow exclaimed, shouldering past Marvel to stand face to face with the District 3 boy. "How were you going to help us?" she asked.
Three glanced back at Cato nervously – who only jabbed him again with a blunt edge. "Answer her question!" he barked.
"I could booby-trap your supplies! You wouldn't have to worry about guarding them!" the ashen-faced boy told Winnow quickly.
"How?" Winnow replied.
Three glanced to the metal podiums that circled Cornucopia. "The mines around the podiums… I could rebury them around the supplies. Anyone who wanted your supplies would have to get around them." He explained.
Winnow and Cato traded a glance – the latter nodding. "But how would we get to them?" Clove interjected.
Three gulped. "I would bury the mines in certain spots, and not in others – uh, in a pattern, that is. If you know the pattern, you can reach the supplies. If not… boom." he motioned with his hands, signaling an explosion.
The Careers all glanced around at each other, looking for a general consensus before Cato spoke up. "So if we agree, what do you get out of it?"
"Protection. At least while I'm working on it… you won't kill me and won't let anyone else do it, either." Three admitted.
Cato stepped back, finally lowering his sword. "I suppose we'll have to start piling the supplies then, right?" Winnow suggested - clapping her hands together as if to signal she was ready to pitch in.
Three nodded quickly, raking a hand through his hair. "And I'll start digging up the mines. I don't suppose there's a shovel or something in the supplies, is there?" he asked.
"You know, I think there is. Come on," Winnow said, moving ahead towards the Cornucopia – gesturing for Three to follow.
"Marvel, Glimmer and Lover-boy, go start piling up the supplies." Cato ordered, gesturing for the other three to go – leaving him alone with his district partner.
Inside the Cornucopia, Winnow dug through the supplies as Three awkwardly stood beside her. She had ordered him not to touch anything – and to keep in her eye-line at all times. "So what's your name?" she asked.
"What?" he questioned – a befuddled expression slowly appearing on his face.
"What… is… your… name?" Winnow said painfully slow – making it quite obvious she suspected him to be stupid.
"It's Chase." He answered quietly.
"What's the deal, Chase? Are you really just stupid or did you just not expect me to ask your name?" Winnow asked bluntly.
Chase wrung his hands together, hesitating before he answered. "You didn't care what my district partner's name was and you killed her." Winnow paused in her searching, turning to face him. "Her name was Fuze." He added quietly.
Winnow stared at him, seeing sweat forming on his forehead and upper lip. "I don't care." She said unexpectedly. Chase's brows furrowed in confusion. "Knowing her name doesn't make what I did any better or any worse. It means nothing to me." She continued, turning back to searching for the spade she'd seen the night before.
"How can it mean nothing to you?" he asked in disbelief. His tone and expression showed genuine confusion.
"Because I want to survive. Your district partner was in the way. As are you." She said tediously, as if the whole conversation bored her.
"The rest of the Careers are in your way, too." Chase reminded her.
"Their time will come. As will yours." Winnow responded simply. Finally she found the spade, straightening up and handing it to Chase. "I'd advise you to keep quiet, Chase. Some of the others are more hot-headed than me. They might just decide that your value isn't so great when they find out they have to deal with your mouth as well."
Chase's jaw dropped and he stared after the dark-haired girl as she left him. "Where's Cato?" she asked Peeta as he passed by with supplies stacked up in his arms.
"Back there." He answered, gesturing with his chin since his arms were filled. "Talking with Clove." Peeta added.
Winnow moved around the edge of the Cornucopia in the direction Peeta had pointed to her and soon could hear the District 2 tributes' voices. "Goddamn, Cato, this girl has you so turned around you don't know which way is up!" Clove's low voice exclaimed.
"Just tell me the truth, Clove – did you tell Glimmer to take care of Kai?" Cato questioned her. Winnow froze where she stood – waiting to hear Clove's answer.
"You told me you didn't think we could trust him! You heard what Brutus said! He told us to kill him. That he could turn on us!"
Winnow's hands tightened into fists at her sides, her mouth stiffening into a line. She had to restrain herself from moving – she wanted to hear more. "And I said no!" Cato retorted in obvious anger.
"Oh yes, because you promised Winnow you would protect him. That's why I didn't tell you!"
"You should have cleared it with me, Clove." Cato said in a more reserved tone, the previous anger disappearing from his voice.
"You wouldn't have agreed. But you know what, Winnow should be thanking me." Clove said.
At this point, Winnow could not stay back any longer. She took a few long strides and found herself directly before the two. They both drew back in surprise – hands moving to weapons, clearly not having heard her coming. "Thanking you?" Winnow asked in a dangerously low voice.
Clove recovered from her surprise first, her expression quickly going blank before she lifted her chin in the air. "Yes, thanking me. I did you a favor. You didn't have to kill him yourself." Clove responded, dark eyes glittering with arrogance.
Winnow glared at the other girl for a few, long moments before looking away. In a twisted way, Clove was right. Winnow hadn't had to kill Kai herself. But that arrogance, the utter conceit in the girl's gaze made Winnow want to strangle her. She looked to Cato. "Did you support this?" she questioned.
The blond's eyes went wide. "I didn't even know until now!" he protested.
Winnow's nails dug into her palms. "I didn't believe you then. I'm not sure I believe you now." She said quietly, turning on her heel and heading back towards the Cornucopia.
Winnow quickly donned her jacket, and collected her pack and trident and started towards the wheat fields. "Where do you think you're going, Winnow!?" Cato questioned, moving in on her fast.
Winnow took several quick steps back to keep a distance between the pair of them. "Away." She answered tersely.
"Away from what?"
Winnow didn't reply, merely beginning to move forward again – until Cato caught her by the arm. They struggled for a moment, until Winnow tore her arm from his grasp and stumbled back – but Cato closed the distance quickly. "Cato, let me go! I need time! I need it!" she cried out.
"Why can't you do that here?!" he demanded.
"Because it's you I need time away from!" Winnow exclaimed. Cato let go of her out of surprise – his hand fell from her arm limply.
Winnow waited for him to say something, but he didn't. Winnow turned and started jogging towards the fields. Cato stood still, watching as she disappeared into the golden wheat.
!
Amongst the wheat it was very quiet. But not still. The wind moved, making the stalks ripple and wave like the ocean . Winnow had a knife at her fingertips and her trident held ready in her other hand.
She didn't see anything or anyone for hours – not until the sun began to set, reds and oranges bled into the sky. Winnow began to think that perhaps she was alone. But then she saw a ripple along the wheat to her front left. It was not a ripple made by the wind – first of all, the ripple went against the current of air, and secondly, it was a much more forceful power behind it.
Winnow braced herself but not quite in time. A big, dark body came flying at her – tackling her to the ground and knocking the trident from her hand. The impact of her body on the ground knocked the air from her lungs painfully.
Her opponent took advantage of her disorientation and throttled her – shaking Winnow violently before hitting her in the face with a meaty fist. Just as suddenly as he had ambushed her, he let up.
"Winnow?" he said – suddenly recognizing the tribute beneath him. "What are you doing out here?" Thresh asked – still holding the girl down. His weight on her lower limbs was enough to keep her pinned, as well as his hands holding down her own kept her near motionless.
"Getting away from the others," Winnow answered through gritted teeth, bucking her hips to try and dislodge the dark-skinned male.
"Why?" Thresh questioned warily – shifting a hand so that he used only one to pin her own hands down as she tried to hit him.
Winnow swung her head up, cracking her forehead against his own in a bruising head-butt. Thresh let out a grunt, falling back on his butt. Winnow sprang into a crouch – her knife held at ready for him to attack her again.
"What the hell was that for!?" Thresh demanded, rubbing at his forehead. The sight only made Winnow's skull throb harder. Yet he didn't move towards her and she slowly realized he didn't mean to attack again.
"You hit me." She answered simply, relaxing her hold on the knife and getting to her feet in one smooth movement.
"Well, I didn't know it was you." Thresh retorted.
Winnow shrugged in response. "If you thought I wasn't going to hit you back, you've lost your mind."
Thresh chuckled and climbed to his feet, brushing the dust off his clothes. "So what now? Are we supposed to fight?" he asked.
Winnow shook her head. "To be honest, I was sort of hoping someone else would kill you so I didn't have to deal with you." she admitted.
"Me too." he agreed.
She scratched her head and spat a gob of blood onto the ground. She raised a hand to her mouth to find that Thresh's blow had split her lip. Winnow glared but the dark-skinned boy only looked half apologetic. "I'm out here to get away from the other Careers for a little while. I was sort of hoping I wasn't in danger of death for a little while." She told him.
Thresh stayed quiet for a minute. "You're not. At least not from me. Am I?" he asked in response. Winnow shook her head. "Does this count as our one?"
"I dunno. I sure as hell won't be coming near the fields again, now that I know you're here." She responded.
"Why don't we just call this a draw – you could have killed me and I could have killed you. This doesn't count." Thresh suggested.
Winnow nodded in agreement. "Where's the water out here?" she asked suddenly.
Thresh nodded to the right – moving past her quickly and silently. After a few moments, he had led her to a slow moving creek that was easily over five or six feet deep. "I'll stick here." She remarked, setting down her pack.
"I've made a sort of shelter." Thresh said reluctantly. It was obvious to Winnow he was saying this only to be polite and he did not want her to know where his camp was.
Winnow merely shook her head in response, sinking down to sit on the bank. "It's best for both of us if I don't know where it is." She said, rifling through her pack. Finding what she searched for, Winnow handed Thresh a few packages of dehydrated food.
Thresh took the food slowly, eyeing it suspiciously. "Now you owe me one." Winnow informed him.
He heaved a sigh and nodded. "One." He confirmed before he left her. Winnow watched him go – noting the direction he took back towards his camp. If Thresh had taken her back to his camp, he would be sure to change locations once she had left. But now, Winnow knew the general location. He would never think she was clever enough to remember.
Winnow smirked. I may not strike yet… but once I do – it'll be over faster than he can blink.
How are we doing, folks? Thoughts? Critiques? Anything? Leave me a review, please!
I am using the book itself as a reference to keep the dialogue and actions as close to the Collins' storyline. I know we're already AU here, but I try to stick as close as I can to the official storyline.