Eight

The Cornucopia, an enormous golden horn, shone in the center of the Arena, filled with food, water, weapons, and supplies of any kind, but Katniss only cared about two things. The first, that before them was a simple green plain, surrounded by a pine forest, so familiar that it almost scared her, and the second one, that inside the Cornucopia was a bow and arrows. The Gamemakers must've done it on purpose, because even if other tributes had also used it in training, none of them had shown the ability to actually need it. They knew she would go for it. Should she do it? She only had a minute to think about it. If Haymitch had been there, she would've told her not to do it under any circumstances. Katniss considered herself fast, she could get there before other tributes, but that would mean fighting and she didn't know if she could start attacking others having just entered the Arena. As the seconds ticked by, she decided she would run and grab whatever she could, even if it wasn't the bow, and then she would find Alder and Estee. As soon as the gong rang, she dashed off having time to pick up a backpack not so close to the center, which she had to fight over. As soon as one of the smaller boys, she believed it was the one from 9, grabbed it by the handles, she grabbed it from the other side, and their eyes met reflecting the same terror. Her panicked expression didn't even last, because the girl from 2, behind them, had already had time to catch some knives she threw at both of them. One killed the boy and the other hit the backpack squarely. Then, Katniss turned towards the woods and started running again, trying not to think about how the boy had fallen to the ground, lifeless. She didn't have a bow, but she did have a backpack that would have something valuable inside and also a knife.

She didn't stop running until she reached the beginning of the forest, only then did she stop for a second, breathing hard, and looked back at the Cornucopia. After all, she had promised Estee she would find her. And where was Alder? In the distance, half the tributes were fighting in the Cornucopia and just as many were lying on the ground, dead. On the other side, beyond the horn, Katniss could only see a void, so she suspected there would be a slope or something similar. She turned back to the trees and then saw the girl she was waiting for running in front of her.

"Katniss!" she called out, with relief in her voice.

She looked both ways to make sure no one else was following them and came up to her, trotting. When the girl stopped, she lightly clung to her arms. She barely gave her time to slow down, but Katniss noticed her eyes were red and her cheeks wet.

"What's wrong?"

"Robin…Robin is…" Though she paused, her stomach dropped nonetheless. Estee sucked in a breath, then spoke in a breathy voice. "You have blood on your face."

"It's not mine. The boy from 9," Katniss replied, in a mumble.

None dared to say it, to pronounce the word death. Robin was dead, the boy from 9 was dead, and who knows how many others. Katniss swallowed and looked back at the trees.

"We'll be safer inside."

"I thought I saw water, like a lake," Estee told her. "Heading towards the Cornucopia, to the other side."

That would explain the emptiness Katniss had seen in the distance, but it was the worst time to go through the center of the Arena again.

"We have to move on."

Estee nodded slightly, rubbed her eyes, then followed her. They both broke into a run, dodging the trees as best as they could until they were so far away that the prairie was unrecognizable. The run gradually turned into a brisk walk. Katniss wasn't tired yet, but they would have to save their strength in case they needed to run from any of the Careers. Although she had hardly noticed when she appeared, Estee had also taken something out of the Cornucopia. She had a bag slung over her shoulder, somewhat smaller than her backpack.

"What do you have there?"

"I've no idea," Estee replied, leaning against a tree to breathe. "I didn't have time to look. And you?"

"I don't know either."

"We can stop for a moment. I think we are safe."

Katniss wasn't so sure, but it did seem they were far away from everyone else. She couldn't hear much more than the earth creaking with their own footsteps and the leaves of the trees shaking. She nodded a little and leaned next to Estee to remove her backpack. The girl opened her bag first.

"I have some bread," she said, while she was looking, "a piece of plastic to protect yourself and... a blanket."

She showed it with a slightly sad smile. Well, at least they wouldn't freeze to death on the first night, but they could die of thirst. It was what Katniss wanted most, water, it was their priority and another piece of advice Haymitch had given them. Although food was necessary, one could go days without it, it wasn't possible to go on without water. Katniss opened her backpack. Apart from the knife that had almost gone through it, there was a tiny package of biscuits inside, some strips of meat, some matches, some rope, what looked like a rolled up sleeping bag, and a bottle. The two looked at each other, but once Katniss hastily unscrewed the lid, she felt disappointment wash over her. It was empty. Estee let out a breath next to her.

"Oh, no," she complained. "What do we do? Shall we walk a bit more? Maybe there's a river somewhere."

"It'll be near the lake, but okay," Katniss replied, then resumed her pace, though more calmly. "We'll hide for tonight. The best idea is to do it…up there."

Estee raised her eyebrows as she looked up.

"In the branches?"

Katniss glanced around her. They had already moved from pines to stronger trees, some familiar and some she didn't recognize.

"In one that looks robust enough, don't worry. We can tie ourselves with my ropes to sleep."

"Right."

They walked until it almost began to get dark and followed Katniss's plan. They looked for a good tree to support their weight and sat with their backs against the trunk on a couple of branches that offered more security. Estee passed her a bread roll and Katniss handed out some of her meat strips. The food wasn't too bad, but her lips were already chapped.

"We need to find water tomorrow," she murmured to her.

"I know. And if we find the lake… what if the Careers are already there?"

Katniss glanced at her, silently, even though it was already so dark she could barely make out anything beyond the outline of her face. She knew what she meant. If they were really there, since it was the most reasonable decision, then they would have to fight. Or they would follow them if they saw them or who knows what. The nerves that arose in her stomach at the thought of it became worse when she heard the capitol anthem and saw the faces of the deceased. Eight less, only one they knew, poor Robin, but Alder wasn't among them. Katniss bit her lip. Where could he be? He must be scared to death.

"Estee," she called softly. "What happened to Robin?"

At first, she didn't say anything, though she heard her move her blanket. Katniss's sleeping bag looked warmer, but it wouldn't fit both of them.

"He barely ran when he left. He stood there, in the middle of the field. And then…that boy Cato showed up," she sneered. "He snapped his neck like he was a doll."

What could Katniss say to that? Nothing could replace him, nothing could justify it, no words. She wished she could have at least held Estee's hand and comforted her, but she was a little higher than she was.

"I'm so sorry."

"He died in his own terms, didn't he?" the girl replied, her voice shaking. "He didn't want to hurt anyone."

It offered some comfort, that he hadn't stopped being who he was. After agreeing they would try to find Alder the next day as well, Katniss tried to fall asleep, and forget the face of the fallen lighting up the sky, pretending she was at home, in the forest she knew like the back of her hand. Although she woke up twice, with some roughness of the trunk digging into her back, she rested more than expected. Estee, on the other hand, seemed tired judging by her pace, as well as her being so quiet. That was normal, as she was sure she was thinking about Robin's death. Walking beside her, Katniss remembered Finnick telling her to trust her. Well, one night had gone by and neither of them had killed each other, she hadn't tried to attack her or take her knife either. She supposed she could do it.

That was the end of the good news, because the second day was worse. They ran out of all the crackers; they were too salty and they couldn't find their way to the lake anywhere. There was nothing but forest, small slopes and stones. Katniss thought she remembered how to get to the Cornucopia. Still, they didn't go that way. The logical thing was to skirt the forest and avoid going out into the meadow, where they would be an easy target.

"We could try with fruit," she heard Estee say, a few steps behind. "They have some liquid. It's not water, but..."

Katniss frowned before turning around. When she saw the fruits that Estee was looking at, crouched by a bush, she nearly ran into her.

"Don't touch that."

Estee jumped at her, but she dropped the berries, as dark as they were dangerous.

"Those are toxic, believe me. It's Nightlock."

The girl nervously wiped her hands several times, as if she was afraid of getting intoxicated because she had touched them. She may have scared her too much, since she didn't stop to look around for food like she had, but that was okay. With just one bite she would be breathless on the ground, so she better be scared. As they didn't find the way out to any river or lake, they had to sleep again high on a tree. That night there were no deaths to mourn, perhaps that's why Katniss felt they could relax for a moment, after a day without any benefit.

"What is 4 like?" she asked Estee, when the horizon was already beginning to lighten up the next morning.

She knew she was awake because she had seen her rubbing her eyes earlier.

"Very different from the Capitol," she whispered, leaning her head back and looking up. She looked tired or as if she also had a headache, just like Katniss had. She was so thirsty she almost couldn't feel her lips anymore. "You can see the sea from almost anywhere, and if you can't, you'll still smell it everywhere."

Katniss nodded, though she had no idea what that feeling was like. The closest thing to the sea she had known was the lake back home her father had discovered for her, where he had taught her to swim.

"Are your parents fishermen?"

"No, they're teachers. My older brother is though." Then Estee smiled a little, as if the memory of them gave her strength. It was the only thing that made Katniss insist on walking every moment too, her family. "And yours?"

"My mother died a few years ago. My father is a miner, but he had an accident, so he doesn't work there anymore," she explained.

She couldn't say they got by with hunting, their knowledge of plants and fruits and some home remedies he had learned from Katniss's mother and he could sell.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I've seen your pin," she said, gesturing to her chest. "What is it?"

Katniss felt it under her clothes.

"My friend gave it to me. It's a Mockingjay."

"I don't know what that is, but… I don't own anything that nice."

Katniss suppressed the urge to say she could have it if she won. She would not have wanted anyone to be so hypocritical with her.

"It's a bird that repeats what it hears. Sometimes if you sing to them they can take your song anywhere."

That seemed to please Estee.

"It's a shame we can't make noise, then. I would've liked to hear you sing to one, I've never seen them."

"Sing?" Katniss almost laughed. "No, I'm not good at it."

Her father always said she was, but surely he only did because he was her father. Katniss began to untie herself. Now that it was daylight, they had to find water no matter what, they couldn't spend another moment like this or they would lose the little strength they had left. She wasn't really hoping that Haymitch would send anything this soon, but Finnick could, perhaps. He wouldn't let Estee die of thirst on her third day. She turned to tell her when she caught a glimpse in the distance that made her frown.

"Are you seeing that?" she asked aloud, causing the girl to turn around.

As she spoke to her, the light grew stronger, brighter, closer and closer to her. She didn't need to notice Estee's horrified expression to realize the light wasn't a light, but a ball of fire flying straight at them.

Sorry for the delay! I was hoping I could upload a chapter once a week but I think I'll be quite busy for some time, so I'll probably do every two weeks.

As always, all your reviews have been so kind I'm surprised at how much you're enjoying this! You're making me want to write more often, so it's lovely. Thank you :)