The morning air is cool and crisp as we venture out into the forest, the soft crunch of dead leaves underfoot. The sun is higher now, casting its light through the canopy in jagged streaks. We've gathered enough supplies for today—water, some leftover pork from the parachute delivery, and a few herbs Raven convinced me to collect.

I move with purpose, my senses sharp, my mind focused. The hum of energy inside me is stronger today. It's as if the more I practice, the more my powers awaken, each one waiting for me to discover it.

I know Xander and Raven are nearby, but it's the forest that pulls me in. The hunt feels natural, like it's always been a part of me. It's been a while since I hunted alone, and despite the circumstances, I almost find comfort in it. The silence of the woods, the crackling of branches and leaves, is a stark contrast to the chaos of the Games.

"You're not really hunting, are you?" Raven's voice cuts through the quiet as he slithers along the ground beside me, his tail brushing against my legs.

"Shh," I murmur, looking down at the ground. "I need to focus."

"You're too tense," Raven comments. "Loosen up. You're not going to catch anything with that attitude."

I glance at him, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I'm not a hunter. Just trying to get a feel for it."

I pause, crouching low and sniffing the air. I feel the familiar tug of the wind as it shifts, picking up the scent of something small and fast. A deer, maybe, or a rabbit. I keep still, letting the forest's rhythm flow around me, waiting.

Xander catches up, moving silently through the underbrush. His eyes meet mine, his hand resting on the hilt of his knife. He's been my ally since the beginning, but there's a difference now. Something unspoken between us—trust, perhaps, or shared survival. Either way, I know I can rely on him when it matters.

A sudden rustling draws my attention. A deer—a doe, young and alert—moves into the clearing ahead. I can see it clearly through the branches. It pauses, sniffing the air, unaware of our presence.

The moment feels still. My breath catches. I raise my hand instinctively, feeling the power within me stir again, this time in my fingertips. Without thinking, I pull on it.

A pulse of electricity surges from my palm—small, crackling, like the flash of a distant storm.

The deer bolts, its ears flat against its head, but it's already too late. The charge travels, not fast enough to kill it, but it leaves a scorch mark on the ground. My heart races as I watch the deer leap away, disappearing into the undergrowth.

"Did you just—" Xander says, his voice filled with disbelief.

"I—I didn't mean to!" I stammer, lowering my hand. The lightning crackles in my fingertips, fading away.

Raven hisses from my shoulder. "You're going to need to be careful with that, Emerald. Lightning's a beast to control."

I don't know what to say. I didn't plan for that. My chest tightens with frustration. I need to get a grip on this, I think.

"We'll find something else," Xander says, his voice calm. "Maybe something less… electrified."

We track the deer for a while, but it's no use. It's long gone by the time we reach the area where it disappeared. The forest seems unnaturally quiet, as if it knows I've failed.

"Not my best moment," I mutter under my breath.

We hunt in silence for the next hour. Xander eventually spots a rabbit, small and fast, and I'm able to dispatch it with a clean shot. It's not as impressive as catching the deer, but I'm still satisfied. Dinner for tonight, at least.

As we return to the cave, I feel the hum of energy inside me once again. It's like a crackling wire, full of potential. I set the rabbit down beside the pond and stretch, my muscles sore from the day's activities.

Raven, who's been unusually quiet, coils around my wrist once more, his body still, but his eyes sharp.

"Try not to electrocute me next time," he mutters.

"Hey, it was an accident!" I snap back, though I know he's right. "But I need to understand it. I need to control it."

"You will," Raven says, his voice soft but firm. "But first, you need to relax. Lightning's not something you force. It comes when you're calm."

I breathe out slowly, pushing away the anxiety that's gnawing at me. I can do this. I have to. Focus.

I look out over the water, my mind searching for the next piece of the puzzle. That's when I feel it. The oddest sensation.

A warmth behind my shoulder blades.

A soft pull.

I turn instinctively, only to find the faintest shimmering outline of something at my back. Wings?

"No way," I mutter under my breath.

But there it is, as clear as the water before me—two silvery-white wings stretching from my back. They flicker at first, like they're unsure of themselves, before extending fully in a slow, awkward arc.

I gasp, stepping back. The wings are large, almost too large for my body, and they flutter uncertainly. They feel… wrong somehow, out of place, like they're not supposed to be there.

"What the hell?" I breathe, reaching back instinctively, but when I touch them, they feel real. Solid. Alive.

Raven hisses in surprise, his voice sharp. "That wasn't part of the plan. You didn't tell me you could sprout wings!"

"I didn't know either," I snap, trying to adjust my posture, but it's harder than I expected. The wings feel heavy, pulling at my back in strange ways. I try to fold them back, but they're stubborn, resisting.

"Great," I mutter. "First lightning, now this. How am I supposed to control—"

Before I can finish the thought, my wings jerk to life on their own. With a sudden, powerful flap, I'm yanked off the ground, my feet losing contact with the earth. I flail, the ground rushing away from me faster than I expect.

"Whoa!" I shout, instinctively flapping my arms to balance myself. But the wings are already moving, lifting me higher into the air. Too high.

"Emerald!" Xander yells, but his voice is distant now, too far below me. I glance down, realizing I'm at least fifteen feet above the ground. The wings beat harder, faster, like they're trying to escape from me.

"Stop! Stop!" I cry out, panic surging through me. I try to fold the wings back, but they don't listen. The wind pulls at my hair, the ground becoming a distant blur.

"Focus, Emerald! You can control them!" Raven calls, his voice tight with frustration. "Use the lightning! Channel it!"

The idea is madness. I can't control lightning, and now I'm supposed to control wings?

But the wind is growing stronger, and the wings are pushing me farther into the air. I have to stop this.

I close my eyes, focusing again. I think about the lightning—how it surged from my hands, how it followed my will. Control.

The wings falter.

The air around me stills.

I feel the tension leave my shoulders as I steady my breathing, bringing the wings under control. With a final flutter, they fold gently against my back, the ground rushing back toward me. I touch down hard, my knees buckling slightly with the impact.

"Not… my best landing," I mutter, breathing heavily. My heart races, but the wings are now dormant, as if they never existed.

Raven slides off my wrist, his tongue flicking. "Well, at least you didn't burn the forest down this time."

I collapse to the ground, exhausted but exhilarated. "I'll get it. Eventually."

Xander steps up, kneeling beside me. "That was… insane," he says, his voice filled with equal parts concern and awe. "But you're learning. We'll figure it out together."

I nod, still breathless. "Yeah. We will."

And for the first time since the Games started, I'm starting to believe it.