The moon hung high, casting a pale silver light over the dense forest. The stillness of the night was suffocating, broken only by the distant call of an owl and the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. But something else lingered in the air—an uneasy energy that I couldn't shake, like a storm brewing on the horizon.

I crouched low in the shadows, my senses stretched thin. My ears flicked at every sound, the faintest whisper of movement carrying farther than it should. My tail swayed behind me, betraying the tension in my body, as if it too could feel the impending danger.

The Careers were getting closer.

I could hear them—Cato's menacing laugh cutting through the darkness, the soft, almost silken voice of Glimmer, who I knew was circling the perimeter. Their steps were purposeful, confident. They had trained for this. They were hunters. And I was prey.

I had been tracking them for hours, waiting for the right moment to strike. But in the dark, with my powers barely under control, I felt like a wild card. One wrong move, and everything could spiral out of control.

My powers surged beneath my skin, a constant, humming presence that I couldn't ignore. They were dangerous, unpredictable. Elemental forces, raw and untamed, churned in my veins. I had never learned to control them fully—some days, they felt like a whisper, others like a roar I couldn't hold back.

Tonight, I could feel the pressure building, like the world was holding its breath.

And then, I saw them.

The silhouette of Peeta, his blond hair barely visible in the moonlight, walking just ahead of Cato. The two of them were deep in conversation, but the flicker of movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention. Glimmer. Her eyes locked on the trees around her, and I knew it wouldn't be long before she spotted me. I was too close now.

I couldn't hesitate any longer.

The moment my hand brushed against the dirt, I felt it—the crackle of power. Fire. The heat coiled inside me like a living thing. Flickers of flame danced around my fingertips, threatening to ignite. I forced myself to focus, but the power surged anyway, wild and untamed, searing my skin as it pushed against my control.

I took a deep breath. Not yet. Not until they're closer.

Cato's voice broke through my concentration, drawing my attention. "If we don't find them soon, we'll lose the advantage."

Peeta responded, his voice low but steady. "We won't lose them. Not when I know how they think."

I couldn't afford to be seen. Not yet. I had to get them into position, where I could trap them, where the arena would be my ally, not their hunting ground.

Then, in the stillness of the forest, it happened.

A twig snapped underfoot. A subtle shift in the air. Glimmer's gaze darted to my hiding spot, her eyes narrowing.

She saw me.

I didn't waste a second. My body reacted on instinct.

I pushed my power outward.

The ground beneath me rippled, the earth itself shuddering as I forced it to bend to my will. A massive rock shot up from the dirt, flying toward the Careen's position with terrifying speed. It struck the ground between them with a deafening crack, splitting the silence of the night.

Glimmer screamed, stumbling backward. "What the hell was that?!"

Cato didn't flinch. Instead, his eyes locked onto my hiding place, calculating. "There she is."

I was exposed, but I had already made my move. My tail lashed behind me, slamming against the trunk of a nearby tree, the power surging through me uncontrollably. I focused on Cato. He was a beast, the leader of the Careers. I needed to neutralize him first.

The ground beneath his feet trembled.

I lifted my hand, and the earth obeyed. A column of rock rose up, aiming straight for Cato, but I hadn't considered how much power I was pushing out. The stone buckled under the weight of my intent, and instead of a controlled strike, it exploded, sending debris flying.

I screamed, not out of pain, but out of frustration. The powers were wild—uncontrolled.

In the chaos, I saw Peeta make a move, stepping forward to help, but his face was twisted in confusion, as if unsure whether I was friend or foe. But there was no time to think about it now.

Glimmer recovered quickly, pulling out her bow with practiced ease, her eyes locking onto my position.

I had one chance. One shot.

I raised my hands, pulling at the energy that was swirling inside me, this time focusing on air, wind, the invisible force that I could almost control. A gust of wind erupted from the trees, a violent force that pushed against Glimmer's chest. She gasped, stumbling backward as the wind knocked her off balance.

But it wasn't enough.

Cato roared in fury. "Get her!"

They were closing in. Too fast.

I knew I couldn't hold them off forever. I had to get out—or risk losing everything.