The MCYT Hunger Games

Chapter 21

PoV: Scar

'I can't believe you Scar!' Grian snaps for the 50th time as we sit, safe, in our camp. He's still holding a wad of moss to his bleeding shoulder. 'Why would you intervene with what they were doing?!'

I don't reply, knowing I didn't do anything. That the peacekeepers hated me for still existing already. Of course Fwhip ran past the grave I'd made for Cub. Of course that was where he'd died... and of course I'd been caught there was the peacekeepers came and got Grian hurt. 

I stab the ground with a stick, eyes narrowed, not even listening to Grian's rambling on about how untrustworthy and dangerous I am and that I'm lucky he was there to save me... I don't care. If he doesn't want to be my ally he doesn't have to be. I never asked him to be here...

'Scar are you even listening to me?!'

'It wasn't my fault!' I snap back, looking up at him. Grian narrows his eyes. 'I didn't do anything! I was just there and they started pointing their weapons at me...'

'Oh, of course it wasn't... the same way every other chaotic or downright dangerous thing you did 'wasn't your fault'!' He shoots back.

'It wasn't my fault!' I repeat. 'Why don't you believe me?!' I snap the stick I've been fiddling with, glaring at the pieces. 'It's not my fault the Capitol hate us.' 

Grian lets out something between a sigh and a groan, starting to bandage up the injury on his shoulder, anger only growing as he can't get it right. I shuffle over.

'Let me help.' I offer. 

'You've helped enough.' Grian spits back. I shrink away, hurt, just watching in silence as he continues to struggle, throwing the bandage away in frustration. 

'It doesn't matter... it's not hurt too badly.' He lies. A pitiful snuffle, then a sob, and he starts crying. For a moment I don't move, wary of getting shouted at again. But sympathy fills me and I crawl quietly over, taking the abandoned bandages, and sit down next to him. 

With only a brief pause, I start dabbing at the wound, clearing out any of the gunk he must've missed. Grian falls silent, too shocked to cry, glancing over.

'What are you...'

'Try not to move.' I murmur back. 'It'll only hurt more.'

The healing cream lies a little way away. I pick it up, covering the injury with a thin layer, conscious of his little subconscious winces and sounds of pain. Then I wrap up his shoulder in a couple layers of bandages, making sure it's not too tight or loose, and tying a little knot.

Grian just stares at the ground, swallowing, awkward. He wipes the last of his tears away, giving only a brief mumble of thanks. 

'Tell me if it starts hurting again.' I reply as I start packing everything away again. 'Ok?'

No reply. I glance up and catch him stifling a yawn.

'Sleep. You're exhausted.' I invite. He pauses, not moving, only glancing up at me for a moment. 'It's more comfortable over here.' I signal to a patch of moss over by one of the trees. 'I'll keep watch for us.'

'Yeah... yeah.' Grian shuffles over, curling up on the ground facing away from me.

I watch as he lies there, and eventually falls asleep, before letting out a yawn of my own, and starting to organise everything... medical stuff and the bottle of water in one bag, food in the second, and everything else in the other. I tie a small scrap of fabric around the handle of the other-stuff bag, knowing we'll need a distinguisher if we have to run.

Satisfied, I then, I grab my bow, aiming a couple arrows at one of the trees in practice, hitting with pleasing accuracy. A glance at the sky. It's still daytime, probably not too late into it, but I can't go and do anything without abandoning Grian... The last time I abandoned an ally...

I don't think about it. I can't. I need to be strong. I can't just break down. I need to be here for Grian...

I gather up the arrows and fire again. A couple of misses. But I can't worry about getting perfect... There isn't time.

I pause. Grian's started making some kind of indiscernible half asleep noise. All I can tell is it's not good.

'...no... No Mumbo...' He mumbles, I turn back, frowning.  He's shifting around, clearing having some kind of nightmare. 'Mumbo... No don't... Don't kill... MUMBO!'

Grian bursts awake, eyes wide, sitting up, panting, before he starts sobbing. I run over, falling at his side.

'Grian, it's alright. You're alright... Everything's ok...'

He hugs me, holding on tight. I hug back as he sobs, not knowing how else to comfort him.

'They're... He's dead... He's dead...' He chokes out. 'Mumbo's dead...'

'I know... I know... But you're alright now... You're safe, ok?'

Grian doesn't reply, just cries. I keep hugging him, he keeps hugging me, staying there for a while until...

Cannon shot. Grian freezes, the moment so quiet I hear his ragged breaths as they slowly speed up until I can hear his panic as he hyperventilates.

I push out of the hug but stay next to him. He's staring at the ground, shaking. With a jolt I realise he's having a panic attack.

'Grian, Grian listen to me.' I place my hands on his shoulders, though conscious of avoiding his injury. 'Breathe in... Hold... And out...' I don't know if he's listening. 'Breathe in... hold... And out...' He definitely isn't listening to me. I fight my own panic and slowly accelerating speech. 'Grian, it's going to be alright... Look at me... Grian, look at me... try to calm down... Breathe in...'

'SCAR I KNOW HOW TO BREATHE!'

He shoves me away. I hit the ground as he scrambles to his feet.

'Grian!' I yell, trying and failing to stand up quick enough to catch him as he sprints into the forest behind him and out of sight.