The MCYT Hunger Games

Chapter 10

PoV: Cub

Scar doesn't wake for the entire next day. 

I keep myself busy, setting traps, trying to find something for his broken leg that's better than rest. But by the next night, I run out of things to do and my worry starts to grow.

Only when I see smoke elsewhere do I light a fire to keep us warm. I still don't touch the food, knowing it can last even longer if we ration it. Besides, I'm not too hungry, only thirty, but I leave the water alone too. It turns out Ren's the only person who died today. Which means Keralis didn't, but I barely remember Ren either. I'm sure he was in District 8, and had befriended Martyn. I never spoke to him. Guilt fills me at my apathy, exhaustion growing my emotion. I can't sleep, though. If me and Scar are both asleep, anyone can come and find us. I can't risk it... I can't risk any of it. My fingers fiddle with my own vex pin and as the other fire goes out, I extinguish mine too, leaving only darkness, smoke, and a growing cold.

Cannon shot. It takes a moment to realise how close I was to falling asleep as I look to where it came from. The smell of smoke still lingers in the air, and in the distance, flickering light. I frown.

Fire.

'SCAR! FIRE!' I yell, trying to wake him. His eyes blink open. 

'W...what?'

'There- fire.' 

'What are we setting on fire?' He sits up, clearly excited at the idea.

'We need to go now. There's a huge fire heading our way.' I pause at his hidden yelp of agony as I pull him to his feet, grabbing the bag, bow and sword. Scar's quiver of arrows are around his waist. 'Can you walk?'

'I don't know...' He risks a step, stumbling forwards. The fire's already closer, visible through the trees. There's no way we're outrunning it at this pace, but there's no way I'm abandoning Scar either. 

'Ow...' He mumbles, barely standing, let alone running. I stop, trying to hide my unease at his slowness. He looks away, almost ashamed, as he sees me. 'Just go on without me. I'm not gonna make it far.'

'Scar, come on. I run over, arm around his as some kind of support. He speeds up as much as possible, but not by much. Not by enough. So I stop, crouch down, and decide. 

'Climb on. I'll carry you.'

'Cub, you can't.'

'I can. Just until we're out the way.'

Clearly still unwilling, he lets me carry him, and we do speed up. My body yells at me to stop, but we can't. I hear the fire behind, feel the growing heat, and solider on... He doesn't speak. I don't either. I can't see how far the fire's got to, but Scar can. 

'It's slowing down... we can stop here, it's safe' He tells me. I do too, trying not to let him see my exhaustion. And then I recognise the area. 

'We can't stop here.' 

'Why?'

'Etho and Joel.' 

'They're not here... must've run from the fire too.' Scar slips off my back, unwilling to let me risk anything else. I turn to see Scar's right, the the fire's slowing down. We should be safe.

'Hey! They've got medical stuff!'  Scar's call distracts me and I look to see him scavenging through Joel and Etho's abandoned supplies. 'We can steal some of this... ooh! More arrows!' 

'Scar, they'll attack us...'

'Not if we have all their weapons they won't... food too... why would they leave all this behind?' 

'It might be a trap.' I listen for voices, looking for rope or anything amiss. But there's nothing. The only sound is the crackling fire as it glitches away, leaving the forest dark and blackened behind us. 

'No traps. Just stuff we can take.' He throws over the medicine. I catch it and, after a second, shove it in the bag.

'...didn't even reach our tree.' 

'Scar!' He looks over, eyes wide, slipping his borrowed arrows into the quiver, before aiming one. Joel and Etho appear.

'Hey... guys... how's it going?'

'Are you- ARE YOU STEALING OUR STUFF?!' 

With a yell of fury, Joel attacks. I block him, defending Scar and realising too late he has an axe. Pain blinds me as it hits my shoulder. I grab my sword, slashing back as I step away, glancing over at Scar pulling himself to his feet. He fires at Joel. It hits, but barely. He screams again.

'Keep an eye on Etho! I've got Joel.'

'You sure?'

'Yeah... I can handle him.'

Hoping he's not just being overconfident, I accept Scar's bravery, turning to Etho. His eyes are wide as he steps away.

Scared?

I run at him, ignoring the pain as I attack. The sword hits a tree, lodging too far in for me to get with one hand.

'Let us go.' I offer. Etho doesn't reply, instead jumping, grabbing a branch above. A moment later he's disappeared into the tree. I give the sword a lame tug, then fall backwards, out the way of the way in case Etho's brought his fishing rod with him. 

'Scar?'

'...yeah?' I turn and see him backing away, wincing with each step. Without the sword, I'm unarmed. But there's another on the ground.

I dart forwards, snatching it up and ending up between Scar and Joel. The latter doesn't see me, hitting again with his axe. This time I block it, stumbling from the impact. Scar gives a small laugh behind. I can't see what caused it, stabbing at Joel. 

'Up here!'

Etho. Joel turns, lowering his axe and stepping over.

'They've- they're taking all our stuff!' He protests. Sure enough, Scar's now pertained their 2 bags of supplies, as well as the extra arrows. 'Let me kill them!'

Etho's reply is inaudible. All I hear is 'killing'.

'Come on.' I urge too. 'Before they change their mind.' Scar nods, hobbling away. Then he stops, grabs a fallen branch, and continues, leaning on it for support. We stay in silence until Joel's arguments have faded away, at which point Scar burst into laughter.

'We just stole all their stuff!'

'They'll want it back...' I grimace, picking a tree on the edge of the destruction. I can't climb it with my arm, and Scar can't with his leg, so just sit down, leaning against the trunk. Blood runs all the way down my sleeve staining it bright red and, with the focus on the fight over, the pain becomes all I can think about.

'Oh my goodness... no... no, this isn't good... I didn't realise you were...' He snatches the bag off me, finding the medicine, then pauses. 'Rest.'

'You need rest too.'

'You need it more than me. Sleep. I'll deal with your injuries. Just get some rest.'

'Scar, seriously. You've got a broken leg...' I insist, though knowing he's right.

'And you've got a huge cut in your arm! Sleep. Please... or I find some kind of plant to force you to.' 

I laugh, but close my eyes.

'Wake me if anyone attacks us, ok?'

'Ok.'