Leo Fabrizio- District Six male (18)

It did not come as much of a surprise when Rowena was not among the Ellekoners filing up to the challenge field. She was their youngest and smallest- except perhaps Persi- and she hadn't struck me as the type to be cunning or sneaky enough to surround herself with a safe alliance. I hoped she hadn't taken it too hard.

Clearly the challenge was going to be a physical one. In the field behind Isabella there were twin tracks with a mud pit, what we in Six called a jungle gym, a wall a little taller than I was, a balance beam over a pool of water, a low net over a patch of sand, and a flagpole with our tribe colors on a furled flag. It would have been strenuous enough on its own, but I doubted it would be that easy.

"Today's challenge will test your emergency preparation," Isabella said. "Each tribe will select one member to represent a wounded teammate. The other tribe members must carry the wounded teammate through the obstacles to the flagpole. The wounded teammate may not assist in any way but is permitted to catch themselves if dropped. Tribes may use any method to transport their wounded comrade except dragging them in the ground. The tribes must convey their wounded member above the yellow ring in the flagpoles-" she pointed to the rings just below the waving flags- "at which point the wounded member may reach out and release the flag. First team to unfurl their flag wins immunity and reward."

Judging from the size of the spread tarp at Isabella's feet, we were in for something big. We all craned our necks with anticipation as she lifted it.

"Today's reward is a sampling of Panem's bounty. We have fine pastries from One, a stone oven from Two, fish from Four preserved in dry ice from Three, nutrient-packed energy bars from Five, a selection of nuts from Seven, a luxurious tablecloth from Eight, hearty bread from Nine, choice meats, butter and milk from Ten, a selection of Elements fruits, and charcoal from Eleven for an excellent cook, all contained in an all-terrain wagon from Six. Worth playing for?"

"Ellekoner, you have one extra member." Isabella had grown tired of the robotic cheers and was content to let the sound crew sort them out. "Who are you sitting out?"

We all looked at Alara, who was the second smallest of us, with not even five foot tall Persi being our obvious wounded member. Alara flashed a peace sign and took her place on the bench.

"You have one minute to discuss strategy and then the challenge begins!"

Trydan Briod- District Five male (17)

The mud pit was so simple it didn't take much thought. It was mostly for the spectacle, if I had to guess. Both tribes took a similar approach of four members gathering around the wounded member to lift them. We lifted Taylor at her arms and legs, while Ellekoner did more of a hammock configuration, with Persi lying across their arms. We were neck and neck until someone stumbled on someone else's legs and we dropped Taylor into the mud. It was quickly clear that we couldn't lift her back up by her now mud-slicked limbs, so we copied Ellekoner's stance and rushed after them to take back their not-too-large lead.

Enzo Charmont- District Twelve male (18)

"Does it count as dragging if we're dragging her on the jungle gym?" Isabella had said no dragging on the ground and we honestly weren't sure

"Yes!" she yelled across the field.

"I got it!" Virgo snaked herself through to the inside of the jungle gym.

"Virgo taking an alternate approach to lift Persi from the inside of the jungle gym!" Isabella narrated. "Octavia joins her. Huldra taking a riskier approach, walking over the bars of them gym and carrying Taylor between them. Though courting danger with their muddy feet, they come out on the other side. The tribes are neck and neck again!"

Taylor Treadle- District Eight female (16)

This is fine. This is fine.

Iay folded over the wall on my stomach on the wall like an clothespin, my arms dangling against the wood as my tribemates brainstormed the best method to get me the rest of the way across.

"Let's slide her over," Trydan said. "Two of us push her legs up and the others catch her."

My drop into the mud, despite the gunk in my hair and the mucky taste in my mouth, turned out to be a blessing. It lubricated me as Trydan and Kallik pushed my legs up and Leo and Val tugged on my arms. I slid like a penguin on ice into my rescuer's arms.

Octavia Jacobs- District Two female (18)

Isabella said we couldn't drag Persi across the ground or the obstacles. She didn't say anything about dragging her across us. We sat in a line on the balance beam, sliding Persi across our laps. I noticed, as I passed her along, that she had the most unimpressed and resigned expression at her less than dignified state. Meanwhile Huldra started out ahead with their more daring method of Shep carrying Taylor fireman-style as the other steadied him while wading through the water, Isabella having clarified they only had to restart if anyone touching Taylor touched water, but were set back when he stumbled and stepped into the water to avoid dropping her.

Val Vella- District Two male (18)

"How do we even?" I started. The net was only knee-height off the ground.

"Two of us drag ourselves across on our stomachs and put her on their backs." Kallik's suggestion was the least stupid we could think of. And so Leo and I found ourselves side by side as Taylor perched on our backs. We quickly discovered the low net was going to keep sliding her off of us, so we flipped ourselves over and pulled ourselves forward on the nets as we pushed ourselves with our feet, my arm slung under Taylor's chest to keep her in place.

"Getting real cozy in here," Leo couldn't help but comment at the lady lying full-body on top of us, the back of her muddy head on our shoulders.

"Yup," Taylor agreed.

"Oh, look at that."

I followed Leo's gaze and saw Ellekoner standing above the nets in an assembly line, passing Persi between their legs with their hands through the net.

"Oh, that is way smarter."

Yarrow Venus- District Three female (17)

It should have been easy to raise Taylor the roughly four feet we needed to cross the yellow mark. The problem was that she wasn't allowed to help at all. Instead of simply raising her erect over our heads, we were dealing with a floppy noodle person. It also didn't help that she was covered in mud.

"Make a pyramid," Leo suggested.

"We'll drop her," Kallik worried.

"Does it count if her butt crosses the mark?" Val asked.

"She can only use whatever part of her is above the mark," I reminded him.

"Grab it with your feet?" Kallik suggested.

"Agh!" Trydan yanked his hand back as it slipped on Taylor's muddy shoulder and was stopped by her breast.

"Kyaa, those are sensitive!" Taylor said, and laughed.

Dorian Sargasso- District Four male (18)

We reached the flagpole less than a minute after Huldra. As my tribemates fell into hurried discussion, I noticed the ropes and pulleys attached to the pole.

"I got it!" I yelled. I quickly yanked one of the ropes through the pulley until the loose end was in my hand. I looped it through two of Persi's belt loops and yanked. She rose, slowly at first, until the others caught on and pulled with me. Persi rose like a weird, folded-over flag until she was above the yellow li

ne. We broke into cheers as she tugged the flag loose, unfurling a proud red flag.

"Ellekoner wins immunity and reward!"

Huldras, it's that time again! I'll take a few days and get in a breather chapter, but send in your votes!

Big note: I forgot I never really specified how to use the immunity idol. No matter what chapter I mention it, it's going to look like a hint, so let me just say I did it this chapter to make sure it got said as soon as possible and my saying it here has nothing to do with which contestant has it. To use the immunity idol, tell me you want to use it after your tribe has a council coming up but before I write the council chapter. So for example if Taylor had it on Huldra, she would message me now or in the next few days. If you send it to me while I'm writing the tribal council I WILL change it to reflect that, but you should try to be quicker so you don't risk me getting it published before you tell me.

Note on Taylor: you don't have to reveal who's in your alliance to recruit her. You could just message me "you should totally vote for X" and that would be a recruitment. You could also be like "we're totally all voting for X so vote them" and then you all vote for Taylor. I would keep her vote on that person despite knowing it's a trick, because that would be funny and I commit to the bit.