I took a deep breath, feeling the energy of the storm still coursing through me, the remnants of lightning and wind swirling like a quiet hum within my chest. My wings were tucked tightly against my back, hidden beneath the layers of my clothes, their presence no longer as jarring as it once was. It was strange, how easily they could disappear into me when I willed it, and yet still felt like an extension of myself, something both wild and inescapable.

But it wasn't the wings that caught my attention now. It was the song.

A note, delicate but clear, echoed through the trees—a sound that seemed to vibrate with the very essence of life itself. My breath caught as I recognized it. The familiar melody—soft, almost haunting—was Rue's.

I closed my eyes and let the notes wash over me, feeling them in my bones. She's close.

Without thinking, I began running, my feet pounding the earth as I followed the Mockingjay song—a perfect imitation of Rue's note—its sound ringing in my ears. Each note was a beacon, leading me straight to her. As I ran, I couldn't help but respond in kind. The note I hummed was shaky, but it felt right, like a question rising in my throat.

"Where are you?" My voice floated on the wind, carried on the same breath that still held the rhythm of Rue's song.

And then, in the distance, I heard it. The answering note, clear and full of warmth, as though the very trees had embraced it. "Here."

I pushed forward, my feet flying over the uneven terrain, and then I saw her.

Rue. She was sitting beneath a large tree, her small frame barely visible amidst the underbrush. But the moment I locked eyes with her, the tension I hadn't even known I was holding in my chest melted away.

Her lips curled into a smile, a fragile, quiet thing, but one that held all the warmth of a thousand suns. Her head tilted toward me as she held up her hand, gesturing for me to come closer.

I walked the short distance to her, and Rue stood to greet me, her eyes flashing with recognition. She didn't need to say a word. We both knew what had to be done.

Before I could speak, another voice—stronger, more commanding—broke the silence. Katniss.

She stepped forward from the shadows, emerging from the cover of the trees with a bow slung across her back and a quiver of arrows at her hip. The sight of her was both reassuring and unsettling. She was a fighter. A survivor. And now, it seemed, she was one of us.

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the knot of unease tightening in my stomach. Katniss had been the symbol of resistance, of rebellion—of everything the Capitol feared. And yet here we were, standing together, allies in the truest sense of the word.

"Emerald," Katniss said, her voice low but firm. "I think we can help each other. I have a plan."

Rue looked at Katniss, her wide eyes filled with understanding, and then back at me. The bond we shared—unspoken but deep—was more than just the Games. It was the survival instinct. And right now, we needed to work together to outlast the Careers.

Katniss looked from me to Rue, her face hardening with determination. "The Careers are well-stocked, but their supplies are their weakness. They've hoarded enough food and weapons to last for weeks, but if we destroy them, we'll cripple them."

My heart raced at the thought. Destroy their supplies? It felt like the boldest move yet, but Katniss was right. The Careers were dangerous because they had resources, weapons, and the confidence to back them up. Take that away, and they would be vulnerable.

Katniss glanced at Rue. "I'm leaving half my supplies with you. You'll be safer here. Keep the fires going."

Rue nodded, her expression unreadable. She didn't need to be told twice. Her hands quickly began to arrange the supplies she would need to keep herself hidden and safe.

Katniss turned to me, her eyes piercing as she spoke again. "You're with me. We'll get to the supplies, but it won't be easy."

I nodded, my heart racing. "Let's do it."

We moved through the woods with quiet precision, my senses heightened by the storm that still lingered within me. It was as if the very air around me hummed, alert and ready for action. My wings itched beneath my skin, begging to burst free, but I kept them restrained, for now. I didn't need the extra attention, not with the Careers so close.

As we approached the area where the Careers had holed up, I could feel the shift in the atmosphere—something was off. Katniss stopped suddenly, raising a hand to signal me to halt.

Foxface.

She was darting between the trees, her movements swift and calculated, like a shadow playing in the wind. She was heading straight for the pile of supplies—seemingly oblivious to the traps set around them. But Katniss saw it. Her eyes narrowed, and she leaned in close, whispering, "The area's mined. Foxface is using a dance to dodge the mines. But she's not going to make it out if she's not careful."

I frowned. "How do we get to them without triggering the mines?"

Katniss didn't answer immediately. Her eyes flicked to the sack of apples sitting at the center of the stash—seemingly innocuous, but with a clear purpose.

I saw it then—the way Katniss's fingers flexed in anticipation, how she silently prepared herself.

In one fluid motion, she drew her bow and loosed three arrows in rapid succession. The first arrow hit the bag of apples, the second struck a barrel next to it, and the third slammed into the ground, setting off a chain reaction.

There was a pause, then—

Boom.

The world seemed to tilt on its axis as the blast shook the earth beneath my feet. I was thrown back by the force of the explosion, the sound so deafening I felt my eardrums rattle in my skull. I could feel the heat of the blast on my skin, but it wasn't the fire I feared—it was the force of the shockwave that could send us all flying.

Without thinking, I stepped in front of Katniss, my arms stretching wide, palms open as I summoned a barrier of wind and lightning around us. The air crackled with energy, the storm inside me answering the call. The blast hit the shield, sending a shockwave of sound and force that rattled my bones. My vision blurred, and I had to grit my teeth against the pressure, but the shield held.

When the explosion finally settled, I slowly lowered my hands, the wind dying down, the static energy dispersing into the air.

Katniss was still standing, unscathed. I was breathing heavily, my muscles tense from the strain, but the shock had passed. I turned to her, my heart racing.

"That... was close," she said, her voice steady but laced with urgency. "We need to move. Rue's fire is set. We can't stay here much longer."

I nodded, looking over to where Rue had set up her third fire—a beacon in the dark. The first had been for signaling, the second for safety, and this one—this one was a message. We had done it. We had struck at the Careers.

Together, we moved toward the rendezvous point, my wings tucked tightly against my back, my senses still sharp. I led Katniss through the trees, away from the danger and into the safety of the shadows. The Careers were reeling from the explosion. They wouldn't see us coming.