Chapter Nineteen.
Day One.

Ryella Duval; 18 years old.
District Six Female.

They had finally settled down.

Ryella was still doubtful about that place, about the arena in general, but a part of her was glad that they had found a place to settle down. Her legs ached from running, her back hurt from carrying three backpacks at the same time, and there was still a throbbing in her head, ever since they had left the bloodbath.

And also, the spear in her hand was also a reminder. A reminder of the boy whose life she had taken. One clean strike was all it took. The boy had fallen, and Preston was still there, alive and kicking.

It's not that she didn't want to do it. Ryella, unlike her allies, knew what it took. She knew that she would have to kill if she ever wanted to go home, and that people would have to die. Preston, Leila, the Careers, they would have to die if she was ever going to see District Six ahead of her again.

It was an awful place. She had suffered, struggled and fought, but it was still her home. The place where the people that ever had any hold on her heart were, and the place that had made her who she was. She had gone throught hell and back, but it also made her stronger. It had made her who she was, and had taught her to not rely on anyone but herself.

So why had she let him live? She could have easily let Preston die, and then killed the boy right after. One clean strike, and another ally would be out of the way, and Ryella would be one step closer to winning. He's your ally, She told herself. That's why you let him live.

If it ever came down to a fight between her and the Careers, it would come in handy to have two of them by her side. Two allies, but also two people that she would have to get rid off, when the time came. So... so why did it felt like they were more than that?

Ryella shaked her head, pushing the thought to the back of her mind, where it could never bother her again. They were only her allies, people that trusted her, and people that would have her back in a fight. She didn't have friends. She only had herself, and the people that depended on her. Nothing but that.

Leila's sobs had finally, finally come to an end. She was leaning against the wall of their cave, eyes closed. If Ryella didn't know better, if she hadn't learned to see people behind their masks, she could have said that Leila was finally sleeping. But behind the mask, behind the pain of losing Sedna, all that was left was the desire to avenge Sedna.

A desire that could get all three of them killed, before their times.

She had to do something. If she didn't do something, then Leila would lead the Careers to them, and it would all end in blood and gore. They couldn't... not yet, anyway. Preston, however, was already sleeping. Leaning against one of the supultures, in the wall oposite to Leila's, he had passed out long ago, with the bow still on his hand. This place... Ryella wasn't too sure about it. At least 6 corpses were buried bellow them, and knowing the Gamemakers, they could soon turn into mutts and murder all of three of them in their sleep.

But for now, it was far away from the Cornucopia, and a good place to hide.

Leaving her to the hardest job. Ryella didn't want to. She never knew her way around people, only when she really had to, and she never really had any friends. But right now, her fate depended on her next action. If she could deal with Leila in a way that didn't involve killing, then they could last longer.

If she didn't, this place would swallow all three of them alive.

Taking a deep breath, Ryella got up from her watch spot, and walked over to Leila. The spear never left her hand, though. She felt safer that way, even if her falchion was by her hip, and she had a few knives hidden in different spots, just in case.

In that place, it could never hurt to be careful.

Leila didn't move a muscle when Ryella sat next to her, and didn't even open her eyes, but Ryella could swear that a small sigh left her lips. "Hey," Ryella said, taking a deep breath, and starting to choose her words very carefully. She didn't want to do that. It had no interest for her, but in the end, it did. If Leila went after that girl from Four, she would be dead in a second, and lead them to herself and Preston.

She had killed, and she had fought, so surely she could try to comfort a seventeen year old girl from District Ten, who had just lost her ally. But that was the problem. Ryella didn't mourn Sedna because, how could she? They had only spoken with each other a few times, and she was nothing to Ryella. Just another person in the way of her Victory, that had to die since the beggining.

Leila, however, saw Sedna as a friend. Ryella supposed that it must hurt, losing a friend. Losing someone that was always there for you, that had your back and suddenly, they are not there anymore. Just another forgotten face, lost for good.

In a way, Ryella could understand. "Don't worry, I'm not going after her. Not yet, anyway." The words left Leila's lips, but she remained still, her eyes closed. That was the only thing that was angering Ryella the most. Leila, her ally who seemed to be filled with such a will to live, was nothing but the shadow of the girl she used to be. Just... just because she cared.

There were times like this that Ryella was almost glad that she was herself. Without caring, without looking at people like nothing but something in her way to make it home, she would never become like that.

Think without your head, and not with your heart, her father had always told her, even when she was nothing more than a scrawny little girl.

She didn't mean it, Ryella realized. She didn't know Sedna or Leila or even Preston that well, but there was one thing that she was sure about. Leila had cared about Sedna, as an ally or maybe even more than a friend and even if she swore that she wouldn't go after the girl, grief wouldn't let her rest until that girl from District Four appeared on the sky.

Ryella couldn't let that happen. Not now, when they had to be united, if they wanted to make it through another day. And for that, she had to give Leila exactly what she wanted. "I... I was going to say that I'm sorry about Sedna. I know the two of you were close."

When Leila's eyes snapped open, and found Ryella's, the older girl couldn't hold her gaze for too long. This girl... Leila was still mourning Sedna, and Ryella had ripped the spear out of the girl's back, without even flinching for a second.

She wanted to tell herself that it was the right thing to do. That they had another weapon, and if she hadn't got it, it would be another thing that the Careers would have to use against them. And deep down, Ryella knew that she had done the right thing, in order for all three of them to survive a little longer. So why... why did it felt so wrong?

"Yeah, we were," Leila said. "Don't blame yourself, Ryella. You were only doing what was best for our alliance. You're a great leader, better than me or preston could ever be. It's not your fault." Leila covered Ryella's hand with hers, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, she smiled.

A leader. Maybe Leila was right, after all. Maybe, that was exactly what Ryella would have to be, in order to make her alliance live a little longer. And being a good leader meant knowing which battles to fight.

"It wasn't fair, you know..." Leila continued, but at that time, Ryella realized that she was probably talking to herself. "I kept thinking of how I could have helped her, that we could have finished that Career together, but... We couldn't. All three of us would have died."

"No... we couldn't. We did the smart thing, Leila. We ran from there, and we got to the safety, and we're alive. We're here, alive and breathing, and that was what Sedna would have wanted. You knew her better than anyone."

"She loved her home," Leila said. "She loved her friends, and even if her family didn't get along very well, she still loved them. How is this fair, Ryella? How are they dead, and the Careers still breath?" It was only by then that Ryella realized that Leila's eyes will filled with teats. Again. "What kind of people are we if we don't avenge those that die? We can't help them live, but we can avenge them."

Smart ones, Ryella wanted to say, but thewords didn't leave her mouth. Leila was right, she realized. They couldn't save them, but they could avenge them.

She could do it. For herself, and also... for them. For Preston, for Leila and even for Sedna, because all of them deserved more than they got. All of them deserved to die in their own terms, knowing who or what killed them and not die at the hands of a coward.

It would just be another mask. Another one that she'd have to put on, not only in order to protect herself, but also her allies. Behind that, the real Ryella would always be there. She didn't hate them... Not really, anyway. Why would she hate children, that were put in the exact same situation that she was in?

None of them had choosed to be in there. And yet, all of them would have to fight with everything they had, if they ever wanted to see a glimpse of home again.

She wasn't afraid to kill them. They were her allies, but if it came down to the choice between herself and them, Ryella would always choose herself. Maybe... if things were different... But they weren't, and Ryella refused to die. Not in there, not at the hands of some Career, or even at the hands of her allies.

Not today.

"We'll find them," Ryella said, and this time, she didn't push away Leila's hand, which was convering hers. "When the time is right, and they're weak, we'll strike and we'll end the Careers, once and for all. For... for Sedna."

Ryella wasn't sure of what she expected to get with that. Maybe a reaction from Leila, or maybe even something that could bring Leila's will to survive to surfice again. She had it, Preston had it, and Leila used to to have it. If it were up to Ryella, Leila would get it back, soon enough.

"Thank you," Leila smiled at her, and Ryella found herself smiling back. Maybe, if they were careful enough, this plan could actually work. They would get the Careers out of the equation, and then, it would be a fair fight between the people that never asked to be in there.

But first, they needed to be strong enough to fight. Laying the spear on the ground next to her, Ryella picked up the District Three backpack, the one that belonged to the boy that she had killed, took out the water bottle and some kind of energy bar, and handed it to Leila. "Here. You haven't ate since we left the bloodbath and if anyone comes here, we need to be strong to fight."

Leila happily nodded, and devored the energy bar within five minutes, taking some sips of water with it. When she was done, Ryella kicked Preston to wake him up, and forced him to eat and soon enough, she was eating too.

They wouldn't strike, not yet. But the next person that they found, the next one that decided to go against them, would die. It was time to finally start playing the Game, but this time, they would play by their own rules.

Hex Fillian; 13 years old.
District Seven Male.

He was running.

When Oliver had killed that girl, his own district partner without a single drop of mercy, Hex ran. If Oliver could kill, who said that he wouldn't kill him right after? For a second, he forgot about Coulter and about his safety, and he ran. With his heart pounding on his chest, and sweat dropping down his forehead, Hex ran until he felt like he was about to pass out from exhaustion.

It was only when he found a small place to settle down, in the top of a stairwell, that Hex finally realized everything that had happened since they were launched into the arena. Only this morning, he had been so willing to fight, refusing to die just like everyone expected him too. He still couldn't believe it, that a small boy from District Seven who everyone predicted as a bloodbath, had made it out alive.

The worst was gone now. If he had made it out of the bloodbath, who said that he couldn't last a long time? Maybe... maybe if he stayed out f harm's way, he could even get to see District Seven again.

Mom, Dad, Wyla.

He couldn't help it but smile. Sitting down on the top of the stairwell, Hex opened the backpack to see if he was lucky enough to get some food, when he realized the truth. Sedna was dead. His district partner, the one that everyone belived would make it far, was dead.

This morning, he had been so sure that he would fight, for his family and also for himself. But right now, he felt like the weight of the world had just fell upon his shoulders. It wasn't only his family and his own life that depended on his actions, no, the whole of District Seven depended on him.

On the back of his mind, Hex pictured all of the starving children, all of those that would do do anything for a little bit food. Wyla's family, with three young children, all of the always wanting for things that they could not have.

All of them depended on him. Hex Fillian, a thirteen year old boy, had just become District Seven's last hope. It wasn't an option anymore; to kill or die, to fight or run. It was his only shot, and District Seven's only shot as well.

He believed. He might not be the strongest, or even anything close to that, but he believed. If he held on to that, maybe, it could be enough. Drinking sip after sip of his small water bottle, Hex allowed himself to relax, even if it was only for a moment. The last time he had seen a tribute was at the bloodbath, when Oliver had stricked down his district partner for the backpack.

In a way, he could understand. Wasn't he so determined to live this morning, that he had promised himself that he would do anything? But killing... Killing took it way too far. Killing meant playing the Games, but at the same time, having a bigger chance of going home.

Killing meant seeing District Seven again, and hearing the happy cheers of his people, when they finally got the food that they deserved. Even if it was only for one year, it was worth it.

They deserved it.

That was when he heard footsteps, and a male voice following right after. "We need to put as much as distance between us and them when we still can, Am'." Panic made Hex freeze on the place, and for a second, he forgot how to breath.

Shit, shit, shit.

If they found him, he was lost. Maybe, he could have a chance fighting against any other tributes, but that could only happen if they were alone. Against an whole alliance... he was as good as dead. Tears started to blur his vision, and right there, Hex wanted to scream. He wanted to cry, and scream, and do anything but die.

He never really stood a chance. Realization hit him, and Hex sank deeper into his misery. He never had a chance, not really. He was just fooling himself to believe that in some way, a thirteen year old boy could win the Hunger Games.

And now, he was going to die.

The District Twelve pair appeared at the bottom of the stairs, the boy armed with a manchete, and the girl with a belt of knives. Hex stood up, knife in hand. If he was going to die, he was going to die on his two feet, not as a coward.

It was the only thing that he could give his family. The only thing that he could do for them to remember that Hex Fillian, in the end, died bravely, and not as some coward.

"Hello," The boy from Twelve said, manchete in hand. "I'm Tyson and this is-"

"I don't care who you are." Hex said, even suprised at himself at how steady his voice was. Mom, dad, I'm so sorry. Please remember me. "If you're to fight, then let's get to it."

The boy looked suprised. "Fight? No, we... we just wanted a place to rest, but if this is yours, we'll go find somewhere else. It's okay, anyway. We're not here to fight." He nodded, and was about to leave, when the girl grabbed his arm.

"Tyson, if we don't kill him-"

"We're not killing anyone, Amaryllis. We already lost Niamh today, well, isn't that enough for you? Enough with giving them what they want. Look at him, Amy, c'mon," Hex did his best to look strong, even puffing out his chest, but he know that they show what he truly was. A thirteen year old, how was so sure that they were to kill him. "Do you honestly think he would kill us?"

"He's with the boys from Ten and Nine," She noted, refusing to back down. "What if this is all a trap? They left him here, and now, he's going to lead us to them and to our deaths. Tyson, think this through. Please."

The boy looked at Hex, and then at the girl, and then back to Hex. They already lost an ally. Maybe... maybe if he convenced the boy to let him join them, he could have a new alliance. One that he was pretty sure wouldn't stab him in the back while he slept.

Almost, as if he had read Hex's mind, the boy smiled. "Would you like to stay with us? I mean, until you find your alliance, we could use some extra help. You've got supplies, we've got weapons, and we can also offer you more protection than you would have if you were all by yourself. What do you say?"

"Yes."

Tyson grinned at him, and motioned for the girl to follow. They quickly climbed up the stairs, and soon enough, were sitting next to Hex. "I'm Tyson and this is Amaryllis. From Twelve."

"I'm Hex. From Seven."

"Your district partner... She's dead, isn't she?" Hex nodded. "I'm sorry about that. It must be hard to lose someone that came with you, from home. Our ally died too. Niamh, from Nine. She didn't deserve what happened to her."

"None of us do."

"You can rest, though. We're here, and we'll sleep in shifts. Any idea of what that is?" He pointed to the door behind him. It was still quite weird to Hex. He had ran down the entire tunnel, only to lead up to this stairwell, with the mysterious door or cave or whatever that was locked behind them.

This place was weird. "No. It's locked, though, it's the only thing I know." Tyson quickly brushed it aside, letting himself fall to the floor, next to Amaryllis, who had already devored one of the crackers that Hex had offered them. He kept a few energy bars and knife on his back pockets, just in case.

It could never hurt to be too careful around that place.

It was only later, with Tyson and Amaryllis sharing a sleeping bag and Hex on his own, that he realized the truth. People would never really look at him, even if he had just survived the Bloodbath, when there were people that were willing to play the Game.

People that were willing to kill, if it meant that they would back home. Until he decided that that's what he wanted to do, that he was willing to do anything to go back home, Hex knew that he wouldn't be getting many parachutes.

Taking one last look at his newest allies, curled up in the sleeping bad, he muttered a small apology.

To go home, he had to be willing to play the Games.

And so he would.

Brooke Devoir; 16 years old.
District Eight Female.

She didn't know how to feel.

In a way, Brooke was glad that it was over. For now, anyway. They had left the bloodbath without making any kills, but with supplies, and without losing any member. And then, they had found the pair from Eleven. Brooke wasn't sure if it had been a mere coincidence, or if the Gamemakers had lead her alliance to them.

Katarina had killed the boy without blinking an eye, and they could have killed the girl, but Nerinea stopped her. Brooke hadn't stopped, she had her knife out, and she was ready to kill the girl.

In that moment, she didn't know herself. Adernalie had made her move, and if Nerinea hadn't stopped her, the girl from Eleven would be dead at her hand. But what would come next? Brooke didn't know. The only thing she knew was that she could have killed that girl, and it would be one less person out of her way back home.

Out of her way to take back what they had stolen from her. When she was finally building a life for herself, finally showing people that they were wrong to ever doubt that she could do it, the Capitol had reaped her. Forcing her to play a Game that she wanted to play in the first place, and throwing her back to where she was, before everything.

Katarina had killed. Her ally, the stronger and passionate girl that had come to her in training, had killed. Brooke watched her for a second, sorting out their supplies, keeping the same neutral look on her face that she had since they had arrived in the arena. The same neutral look that she had, when she slit the boy from Eleven's throat.

Brooke wondered if she could be like her. She respected Katarina, liked her even. In a way, that was probably why she had accepted the request for an alliance in the first place. They were so alike, Brooke and Katarina, but only one of them had the guts to do what needed to be done.

Brooke had it. If Nerinea hadn't stopped her, if she had been able to sink her knife into that girl's throat, she could have done it. It was just survival, after all. Those that were willing to do anything to survive, got far and maybe even won. So why did it felt so damn wrong?

Brooke didn't want to care. She wanted to push it aside, to bury it in the deepest part of her mind, where it could never bother her again. But they were children, just like her, that they have nothing. Children that were raised to be pigs for the slaughter, and nothing more. They didn't deserve to die. But then again, neither did she.

In her sixteen years spent in District Eight, all that Brooke wanted was someone to tell her that she had done well. She struggled, she fought, and in the end all she wanted was for someone to tell her that they were proud of her. Sometimes, she wanted her mother. The woman that had never come to see her in the goodbyes, the woman who had never cared, but the woman that Brooke still loved as her mother.

In her alliance, she had found all of it. Katarina had shown her support, and maybe, the two of them could have been friends if they were somewhere else. So why... why did she felt so damn alone?

Suddenly, almost as if to break the silence, the Panem anthem started ringing around the cave. The seal soon appeared, on the ceiling of their cave, and the faces of the death followed.

Katarina smiled when the face of the boy from Two appeared, crooked smile and messy hair, and disappeared seconds later. When she noticed both Brooke and Nerinea looking at her, Kat just shrugged. "What? He might not have been a Career, but he was from Two. Another threat that's gone."

Nerinea's district partner followed him, and if Nerinea felt sad, then she didn't show it. There was something about her that made Brooke wanted to leave that alliance, as soon as she could. Nerinea was too creepy, and too detached.

Both of them made the perfect candidate for the Hunger Games.

The boy from Five soon replaced him, and Katarina could only frown at the face of her district partner. Brooke knew that they weren't close, and she also knew that her own district partner was dead, but to was supposed to be hard. It was hard to imagine everyone back home, hoping that she would come. Her own mother might be rooting for her, hoping that her own daughter would come home.

Hoping for another chance to make things right with her.

Somehow, the thought made her feel much better.

The girl from Seven was next. "She was with the others," Katarina realized. "The pair from Six and the girl from Ten. The only alliance that we really need to look out for."

Fabian's face was the next to appear. It was weird, at least, seeing his face up there. Someone that had been very much alive that morning, was now dead, on a train home. In a way, the thought appealed to Brooke. The thought of not having to fight anymore, and the thought of being in peace for the rest of her life, without having to worry about anything.

The thought could have appealed more to her, if she wasn't too attached to her own life.

Goodbye, Fabian.

The girl from Nine appeared, red hair and a bright smile. Brooke had seen that one happen. Her own district partner had killed her, and then had run away with the backpack. Someone that they needed to look out for.

The boy from Eleven was next. Brooke's eyes immediately flew to Katarina's face, looking for any sign of emotion, looking for any sign of regret.

There was none. "I did what needed to be done," Katarina said, but Brooke wasn't sure if she was talking to herself or to Nerinea. "He wanted our supplies, so he died. Simple as that."

"It was the right thing to do." Brooke said, but the words didn't feel right. She knew that it wasn't right, but what was right about the Hunger Games? Nothing, really. All there was were the people that were willing to kill to survive, and those who weren't. "They would have killed us, if you hadn't put him down."

We should have killed the girl, she wanted to say, but the words never left her mouth. "That's why we need to go after the girl," Katarina replied, almost as if she had read Brooke's mind. "If we don't, the Capitol will think that we're not capable of killing or that we haven't been doing anything interesting. We need to find her."

"It's too soon," Nerinea said. "If we go after her now, there's a chance we might run into another alliance, or even into the Careers."

Katarina's eyes found hers. "Brooke? What do you say?"

She knew that Nerinea was right, but so was Katarina. There was a chance that they could find someone else, but there was also a big chance that they would run into the girl. And if the Capitol knew what they planned to do, maybe they would give them a little help and lead them towards the girl.

"We have to do it. Killing the girls means supplies, sponsors, and maybe even a few days without being attacked by anything else. If killing her means a few more days of peace, then I say we do it."

Katarina nodded at her, and deep down, Brooke knew that she had made the right choice. If Nerinea decided to turn against them, then Katarina would have her back.

"It's decided, then. Tomorrow, we go after the District Eleven girl, and we finish what we started." For now, they were a team. All three of them united could do much more than only one of them could, and Brooke knew that. She knew that her best chance was to say with them, no matter what happened.

Tomorrow, they would begin the search for that girl, and when they found her, she would die. The face of the girl appeared in her mind for a second, almost as if to haunt her, but Brooke pushed the thought aside.

It wasn't time to care. She could do it all when she got back to District Eight, safe and sound, and let the thoughts of every she had done in the Games consume her. For now, it was time to survive.

For now, it was time to be the Brooke Devoir that had survived in the streets of District Eight, without no one to look after her.

She could do it.

She would do it.

Tiena Pensiere; 18 years old.
District Four Female.

I'm a coward.

In the Academy, they had prepared them for everything. To fight with every kind of weapon that existed, to fight with hands and feet, and to prepare to when it was finally time for the Career alliance to break up. But they had never told them how it felt like to kill someone, or to know that somewhere, a family was grieving because their son, daughter, brother, sister or friend had just died.

She had killed. She tried to ignore that feeling, pushing it to the back of her mind, but it kept coming back again and again, almost as if to haunt her. And whenever she tried to distract herself, without of home and Damian and her family, her eyes flickered back to the body of the girl that she had killed.

Sedna Orwell. District Seven. Eighteen years old.

She tried to tell herself that she had done the right thing. She was a Career, and if she hadn't killed, her fate would have one like Nikolai's, or even Aidan's, whose life had been made a living hell by Sadie since the Bloodbath ended. She tried to ignore that thought, to just forget, but it wasn't possible while the body of the girl whose life she had taken was right there, only a few meters away from her.

Sadie, however, looked more happy than Tiena had ever seen here. Gave her orders in a light voice, joked around with Alexa and even Jasko, and looked happy. The only one of them, out of the five Careers, that actually looked happy to be in there. "When do you think they'll be removing the bodies?" Tiena asked, when Sadie passed near her, probably searching for another weapon.

Sadie just shrugged, and gave her a small smirk. "Who cares? I mean, they're dead, it's not like they're going to come back and haunt us, right?" When Tiena didn't laugh, Sadie just continued. "If they start to sting, we'll just move somewhere else, and maybe even hunt for a few tributes. We can do anything, Tiena. We're Careers."

"Are you happy, now that he's gone?" As soon as the words left her mouth, Tiena knew that she probably shouldn't have said that. If she had said it to the other Sadie, she would have made a long explanation about why she hated Nikolai so much, but this one, just brushed it aside.

"He was just standing in our way. Now that he's gone, we can finally do what we are to do, and be Careers. You understand that, right?"

No, no, she didn't. Tiena didn't kill because she wanted to. She killed because she had to, if she ever wanted to feel Damian's arms around her again. That was all that mattered, in the end. Coming back to District Four, and living her life, and being happy with who she was.

Nothing caring about what other people thought and living her life, that was all that mattered. Tiena was only starting to realize that now, and they were not even two days into the Games.

But Tiena had always been a great actor, pushing aside emotions and pretending to be someone she wasn't, so she quickly brushed it aside and gave Sadie a small smile. If the girl from Two realized that it was fake, then she didn't show it. "I do, of course. We're all here for the same reason, and in the end, we understand each other."

She smiled, and Sadie followed. "Good. I'm glad to hear that you and I are in the same side, Tiena. There might something coming up really soon, and if it does, I want to know if you're ready."

So, she was right, after all. That happy Sadie was just a façade, and beneath it, laid the Sadie who wasn't afraid of doing anything that she wanted. She had killed Nikolai, even if it wasn't her weapon that ended his life, it was her order. And now, she was after Jasko and Aidan, and maybe even Tiena herself.

She didn't want any of this. She didn't want to play a part in this Games of betrayal, and lies, and heartbreak, where every moment could be her last. She just wanted Damian back, and her parents, and District Four. But if she came back now, it wouldn't be the same thing.

She had a made a choice. Tiena Pensiere wasn't someone to back away and cry about what she had done, no, she was someone that pushed it to the back of her mind and deal with the consequences. And right now, Sadie's side was the right one to be in, even if she didn't always play by the right rules.

If Tiena ever wanted to have the chance of taking Sadie down, she would need to be on her side. For now, anyway. "What is it?"

"I can't tell you yet," The nervous glances that Sadie kept giving at Aidan and Jasko confirmed her theory. It was truly something against them, and something that could end the Career alliance once and for all. "But if anything happens, I need to know that you and Alexa have my back."

"We do." Tiena smiled, and placed her hand on Sadie's arm. "Relax, for now. If anything happens, we are stronger."

It took a while, but Sadie smiled back at her. "Thank you, Tiena." It was only when she left that Tiena realized that she had been holding her breath for the entire time.

One thing she was sure about. Sadie wanted to end their alliance, once and for all, but she couldn't do it alone. If Jasko or even Aidan died, they would be weaker. People would know that two more Careers were dead, and would take the opportunity to maybe even try to strike and steal their supplies.

In the end, though, Sadie was their leader. She made the decisions, and as long as they were respectable, Tiena would follow her. District partner would only get her somewhere, but if she was with Sadie, then they could get somewhere.

Standing up, never letting the spear fall of her hand, Tiena walked in to the Cornucopia, where Alexa resting with a bandaged shoulder. When she saw her, Alexa smiled a little bit. "Hey there."

Tiena sat down, next to her sleeping bag, and smiled. Alexa was the closest thing that Tiena had to a friend in there, and she couldn't lose her. Not yet, anyway. "Are you feeling better?"

Alexa nodded. "Yeah, I am. The boy got me pretty good, but it's nothing that I won't be able to handle. At least, I'm alive, right?"

Tiena laughed. "Don't worry, if he killed you, I would have killed him after. Couldn't let him kill you and get away with it, after all." That was nice. To be joking, even when there were 6 dead bodies, only a few meters away from them. It was nice to know that it wasn't all about pain and lies and heartbreak and that at the end of the day, she had someone in there that she could consider a friend.

A friend. Yes, Alexa was her friend. No matter who dangerous that was, no matter the fact that at least one of them would have to die for the other to live, she was her friend. The only person that Tiena know she could trust, if everything went to hell.

Today, tomorrow, she had Alexa's back and she had hers. For now, that was that Tiena needed to know.

Alexa lowered her voice. "Listen, Sadie has a plan. And when it happens, we need to have her back. It might not be the right thing to do, but the alternative won't let us live."

"We will," Tiena agreed. "But if everything goes to hell, we leave, and let her deal with the mess that she started in the first place. It's not her plan, and if it goes wrong, we don't have to deal with the consequences."

Alexa caught Tiena's hand, and for a second, held it in hers. "I think it can actually work, you know? If it does, we'll finally be able to have peace. Even if it's only a few days."

"I suppose we'll see if she does have the brains to make a plan work." Tiena laughed, and Alexa followed her. "Peace is all I want right now, to be honest. This is an hell of a day." Alexa said.

And it was. The bloodbaths weren't usually like that, but with Sadie Ariste in the Games, Tiena supposed that everything could happen. "You can rest now. I'll stay right here, and if anything comes here, I'll scare it away."

"With what?" Alexa laughed, and closed her eyes.

It was Tiena's turn to smile. "My amazing skills with a spear, obviously."

After a while, Tiena could swear that Alexa had fallen asleep. It was only by then that she realized that she was still holding the other girl's hand, or rather, she was holding hers.

She was about to get up and get a sleeping bag for herself, when she heard the noise. It came from the nearest tunnel, but getting closer and closer.

The lights went out, leaving the five of them in complete darkness.

No deaths.

A/N: Remember when I said that I was slowing down? Yeah, that's probably not happening. I love this story too much, and the different plots? Well, this chapter was only the beggining.

Sooo, summary for today. Ryella managed to convince Leila to not go after the Careers yet, Hex found a new alliance and a new purpose, Brooke decided who side she was on, and so did Tiena.

Oh and, the lights went out. What that means? You'll figure out that soon enough. A clue: the glasses that came with their outfits will be needed next chapter.

I hate non-death chapters. It's true, but they're necessary to set the plots running. I'll probably have a few of them in the future, but we'll see. Next chapter, we'll start with the deaths again!

Questions:

Favorite POV? Least Favorite?

Any predictions for the future?

Next death?