The forest seemed quieter now, as if it too was holding its breath, waiting for the next move. The wind had died down, leaving only the rustling of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig beneath my feet. The storm had passed, but the weight of what we had done still lingered. We had struck at the Careers, crippled them by taking out their supplies, and yet, somehow, I couldn't shake the feeling that we had only made things worse.

The remaining tributes—those who hadn't fallen into the chaos of the explosion—were out there, scattered, plotting their own moves. Cato. Clove. Foxface. Even Peeta, though I still couldn't decide whether he was truly an ally or a complication. They were all dangerous in their own way, and we were too exposed, too vulnerable.

I tried to shake off the unease gnawing at me. We had to move quickly, before the Careers realized what we'd done. And we needed to stick to the plan. Katniss and I were the ones leading the charge, and Rue's fire had signaled the success of the first part. But it was far from over.

I glanced over at Katniss, her profile sharp against the darkening sky. She was quiet, but her eyes were scanning the surroundings, calculating. She was a master of this game, but even the strongest were beginning to show the strain. The Games had broken us all, in some way.

"We need to go deeper," she said suddenly, her voice low. "The Careers won't give up easily, and they'll come looking for us. We can't afford to be found again. Not after this."

I nodded. My tail flicked nervously behind me, betraying the nervous energy I was trying to suppress. Katniss was right—every moment was a risk now. The explosion had drawn attention, and the Capitol was watching. They always were.

Before I could speak, a flicker of movement caught my eye. I tensed, every muscle in my body locking in place.

Foxface.

The sly, calculating tribute had always been a shadow in the corner of my mind, moving through the arena with a predator's grace. But now, she was standing just outside our camp's perimeter, watching us. Her movements were slow and deliberate, as if she was weighing her options. Her gaze shifted, meeting mine for the briefest moment before she vanished back into the trees, her form dissolving into the shadows.

"She's watching us," I whispered, too quietly for anyone but Katniss to hear.

Katniss didn't flinch. She had known. She had always known.

"Let her," Katniss muttered. "We'll deal with her when the time comes."

I wasn't so sure. Foxface was clever, and she never played by the rules. She wouldn't attack unless she saw a clear advantage. But that didn't mean she wasn't a threat. She'd been toying with us for days, setting up traps, getting us to underestimate her. And now she was out there, ready to strike when the moment was right.

Still, we had no choice but to keep moving. I had to trust that Katniss knew what she was doing. I couldn't afford to second-guess her now.

"Come on," Katniss said, standing up from her crouch. "We can't stay here."

We started moving quickly, keeping to the shadows. The forest felt different now, heavier, as if the very earth beneath our feet was aware of what had transpired. The storm inside me had quieted, but my wings still itched beneath my skin, an unsettling reminder of how close I was to unleashing them again. But not yet. Not unless it was absolutely necessary.

We pushed through the underbrush, every sense alert, eyes darting around for any sign of movement. My heart thudded in my chest, the adrenaline still running through my veins from the earlier explosion. My power hummed beneath my skin, the force of the storm still there, waiting.

We reached the edge of a small clearing, where a few low bushes and tree trunks provided cover. Katniss knelt down, scanning the area. She motioned for me to follow suit, and I did, crouching beside her, trying to stay as still as possible.

"I think we're safe here for now," she whispered, her sharp eyes still darting around. "But we have to keep moving. We can't risk staying in one place too long."

I nodded, feeling the weight of every second tick by. "Where's Foxface?" I asked, my eyes searching the trees.

Katniss didn't answer immediately. Then, her expression hardened, and she pointed.

A rustle in the trees.

Foxface.

She was closer now, moving swiftly and silently, like a shadow in the night. Her eyes flicked between Katniss and me, calculating, as if trying to figure out what we were going to do next.

I felt my tail twitch again, the unease I'd been holding at bay rising once more.

"She's waiting for us to make a move," I muttered under my breath.

"She's not the only one," Katniss replied grimly.

For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, the silence shattered as a sharp snap echoed through the trees.

It wasn't Foxface.

It was something else.

A voice broke through the air, one I knew all too well.

"Emerald."

Peeta.

I froze, heart slamming into my ribs. He was here.