PAWNS | FINNICK ODAIR

FURY IN A BOTTLE

"Okay, wait, hold up!"

Those words were a relief to all of them. Katniss, Peeta, Lara, and Finnick had all been running for a few minutes. They'd been trying to escape the careers that would surely hunt them down if they knew where they were. The only person who didn't run was Mags, since Finnick carried her on his back.

Which is why they had to stop. He was tired and clearly everyone else was too. Their wetsuits were clinging to their skin from the mixture of sweat and water.

"God, it's hot," Peeta panted, "We need to find fresh water."

Lara nodded in agreement as they squatted down to rest. Their conversation stopped just in time for the sound of cannons to begin.

As soon as Finnick and Lara heard them, they sighed in relief. The former even smiled and let a chuckle pass his lips.

"I guess we're not holding hands anymore."

Katniss took personal offense to that comment. She glared and narrowed her eyes.

"You think that's funny?" she asked rhetorically.

He scoffed, "Every time that cannon goes off, it's music to my ears. I don't care about any of them."

Lara knew that was a lie. Otherwise, he wouldn't be sitting here with them while putting his life in danger to protect them. Of course the district twelve victors didn't know that but Lara did. The act Finnick put up was pretty good.

"Good to hear," Katniss murmured, unsheathing a weapon. Lara simply scoffed because she knew Katniss would never use it.

"You wanna face the career pack alone?" Finnick asked, "What would Haymitch say?"

"Haymitch isn't here right now."

Lara had enough so she stood up and stepped between them. She looked down at Katniss with a sharp glare.

"If it wasn't for us, neither of you would've made it past the cornucopia," she stated, "So don't make us regret allying with you or I might just be tempted to use you as bait for the careers."

She faked a smile and motioned for Finnick to get up. All of them followed his actions, rising to find a better spot. Katniss and Peeta took the lead and scouted a few feet ahead.

Finnick stopped Lara before she could get too far. He asked Mags to hand him something before he gave it to her.

Lara's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the double speared batons. They were short and compact, but had deadly sharp arrow points on each end. It made every swipe and slash fatal. They had been the weapon she used most often during her games.

"Figured I'd grab it for you."

She smiled and put them back in the sheath he'd pulled it out of. She slipped the sheath over her shoulders and let it rest on her back, feeling the nostalgic weight both literally and figuratively.

She didn't need to say thank you because he already knew. It was just something they understood.

He picked Mags back up and they followed after Katniss and Peeta.

"Did you see Octavian?" Lara asked quietly.

He nodded, "I caught him running out with Johanna. I don't think he even tried to get to the cornucopia."