𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬: 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 ✔️

Chapter 21 - Robin

^Velia from District 5, who was killed in the Bloodbath.

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Chapter 21

POV: Robin (District 3)

Time: Day 3

Tributes Remaining: 23

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Lacie stands ahead of our group, examining the wall of vines that mysteriously wrecked a quarter of the Arena this morning. At closer inspection, the vines have small yellow berries that I've never seen before. Despite this, Lacie still nods her head knowingly. If there's a plant or animal in the Arena, I'm certain she'd be able to identify it. I'm glad I have her on my team.

"They're Hydra Vines," she tells us. "A somewhat new muttation by the Capitol's standards."

Soren shudders. "Imagine being swallowed by those. Like snakes."

That's what they looked like this morning. We thought we were going to die, but luckily the vines stopped at some sort of boundary before they reached us.

"They do act like snakes when the Gamemakers activate them. They must have deactivated them intentionally here. I wonder why..." Lacie muses.

"They look pretty tame for a mutt," Dalia notes. "Just vines at this point."

"I suppose... They do have another trick up their sleeve, though; the berries are extremely poisonous and acidic," Lacie says. "They might look like regular berries, but nothing about these vines are safe, trust me."

Nia takes a container and collects a few of the yellow berries. "We might need these later, then," she says.

Lacie continues. "The vines are also very dangerous even in their asleep state. Chopping or in any way harming the vines will cause the vine to grow into multiple more vines, all of which will attack you until you are at least 25 feet away."

I raise my eyebrows, impressed. I'm glad we were out of range of the vines when they initially attacked. I know two tributes weren't so lucky, based on the cannon shots we heard.

"Actually, the only way to destroy the vines is with their own berries. Let's use the berry juice and pour it on the vines," Lacie suggests. "The destroyed vines are useful as rope."

Nia uses a rock to smash some berries in a shell that she is using as a bowl. As she pours the liquid onto the vines, they sizzle, turning brown and withering into recognizable rope.

After examining the vines for a while longer, we decide to set up camp nearby for the night. Nia and Dalia sit on one side of the clearing, talking quietly amongst themselves. Soren and Lacie sit at the other side of the area, organizing their backpacks and trading supplies.

I sit by myself between them. It feels lonely to be the odd one out in our small group. Sometimes I wish that Della or Cada, my District partners, were here, but it's okay. I'm fine with being alone. In the end, it's better that I don't fit in with the others. I'm fully prepared to kill any of them if it means I can be better off in the Arena.

I know that sounds harsh, but I'm a very strategic player. You can't win the Games without a strategy. It was clear from the beginning that this alliance would benefit me the most without any risk of being killed by the others, which I would certainly have in a Career pack. As soon as my allies become a hindrance, though, I won't hold back.

For now, though, my allies are more than helpful, Lacie in particular. I've warmed up to a few of them. They're not too bad.

I look up at the sky. It's filled with bright colors as the sun sets, but I can't actually see the sun through the thick trees.

It doesn't take long before the Panem anthem begins and the Fallen Tributes appear above us. Jordan from District 7 is the first tribute in the sky. I'm surprised to see him - there were only two cannon shots today and five tributes in his group, so I don't know how his allies escaped while he died.

After Jordan is a girl from District 12. Her name is Zea, but I never got the chance to talk to her. If I remember correctly, she's the last District 12 tribute to die. They're the first District to have all three tributes killed, and I'm not surprised. None of them stood a chance in here. I'm surprised she lasted this long.

After Zea, the sky turns to darkness.

"23 left," Lacie reminds us. We sit in silence.