Outlaster- A Hunger Games Tale

Chapter 13- We are the Predators

Jean looked up at the setting sun. She attached a rope taken from her pack to a tree and clambered up the bark. She then pulled out a thin coat and laid it on the thickest branch she could reach. The girl grabbed her rope and hauled it up onto the tree limb with her so no one could follow her.

She sat silently on her tree for a moment and then examined her resources. She opened up her pack all the way to find an empty water bottle, three apples, a pocket knife, and a fishing hook.

"Interesting choice," she mumbled. Jean closed up the bag and put her back to the tree, resting her eyes. She was tired, but she had to always be half awake so nothing could sneak up on her.

In the distance, there was the faint sound of a leaf crunching. Something - or someone - was there.

Jean jerked her head up and prepared her arrows. Seconds later, Paul and Reva popped out of the bushes. Jean squinted her eyes and made her way to the edge of the branch, feeling it tremble slightly under her weight. Reva looked up and waved at Jean.

"Hey, Jean! We have another alliance partner!" Reva started to climb the tree, Paul right behind her.

"I didn't agree to this," Jean argued. The two continued to climb until they were on branches neighboring Jean's.

"Nice to meet you," Paul grinned, holding his hand out to Jean. She raised an eyebrow, then turned towards her pack. After sealing it and pulling it over her shoulders, she leaned against the tree again.

"No funny business," She pulled her hair up into a ponytail as if expecting a fight.

"Don't worry about me. I'm not looking to get on your bad side."

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Alaya saw the sun begin to set, and started to run at a slower speed. Fewer tributes would be walking around during nighttime. She needed to get to a river - water was her main priority.

The tall girl grasped one of the daggers in her hand and peered around a tree. She could hear the flow of water. She was close. Alaya picked up the pace, jogging now. She could feel the moist air sink into her skin. She approached the water and the first thing she did was dive in.

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Max continued in the direction Alaya had gone.

"She did say we were going to be allies, right?" A sudden chill swept through him, and he looked around anxiously. If someone popped out of a hiding spot now, he was dead. He had nothing but an apple wrapped up in his coat pocket. Max pulled his hood over his head and glanced at the surrounding area.

"Dirt, grass, trees, rocks, and sticks... This is all useless garbage," he thought. Then it came to him. "Use your resources." He remembered Alaya's advice.

Max leaned down, shoving all the resources he could fit into his pockets, then started to climb a tree. When he reached the top, he noticed the sun was starting to set. He studied the scenery - there were some mountains straight ahead of him, framing the sky as the sun lowered. He emptied his pockets onto a particularly thick branch.

He had at least three wildflowers, nine long, thick, grass stems, a stick, a pile of rocks, and a mound of dirt. He started to create different things. He weaved the grass stems to create a small bowl he would be able to use to scoop water with. He then took the stick and started to sharpen it using the rock to make a short spear-like weapon. He investigated the flowers - they were lavender. Max remembered back to his time in the capitol. He'd been reading up on edible plants. Lavender fell under that category. He used his sharpened stick to chop one of the flowers into bits, and then ate it. After putting the rest of the items away, he rested his head on the tree.