Early in the morning, Enobaria took Cato and Clove and Iri out one by one and gave them to their stylists. Iri walked into the room and saw the plane that would send her straight to the tubes, from there she'd enter the arena, her heart began to beat faster.
She sat across from Clove and a few seats from Katniss. Peacekeepers walked around with a machine that would insert a tracker into the Tribute's arm, Iri didn't even flinch when it was her turn. Once they reached the tubes they all went to their separate rooms, away from everyone as she heard Cinna's voice. She turned to see him and walked over to him, hugging him.
"I know I've already said it, but I'm so sorry you have to go through this again," Cinna said.
"Thank you," Iri smiled, a tear falling from her eye.
"As you already know, they put all kinds of stuff right in front. Right in the mouth of the Cornucopia. There'll be several daggers, don't go for it-"
"Cinna-"
"Iri. Trust me, I know you're a fighter, I know you can protect yourself out there, but listen to me. It's a bloodbath. And you know they're just trying to pull you in. That's not your game. You were smart last year, no doubt about that, but the Tributes are different this year. Some are on the same level as you. You turn, run, find high ground, I've already told Katniss to find you there or vise versa. Look for-"
"Water. I will, I promise."
"Iri. You can do this,"
Iri hugged him one last time before he gave Iri something. A Mockingjay pin.
"Isn't this Katniss' pin?" Iri asked.
"It is. When you get into the games, even though you promised her you'd protect her, she won't know who to trust. This is what you'll show to her to show that your her ally. Believe in her but also believe in yourself, the way I believe in you," Cinna answered.
Iri put the pin on the inside of her jacket and walked into the tube. The tube shot up as she was lifted into the arena. The brightness caught her by surprise as she tried to look for Clove and Katniss. No luck. She tried not to freak out but it became difficult as the countdown started.
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The sound of the alarm telling them the games had begun snapped Iri out of her old state of mind. She began to run straight for the Cornucopia despite what Cinna had told her. She was fast and was one of the first to the Cornucopia. She grabbed several daggers as Tributes ran closer. A District 3 female ran toward Iri. Swing. Bang. The familar sound of the cannon going off. Iri grabbed the bloody dagger from the dead Tribute's body and swung at another Tribute. District 4 male. Down he went, cannon went off again. A District 5 male and a District 6 female ran toward her, male on the left, female on the right. As they came close to her, she threw her arms out quickly, a dagger in each hand and the daggers landed in their necks. Down they went, cannon went off one after the other. She grabbed the daggers and began to look for Clove or Katniss once again. She saw a glimpse of Katniss fighting with a District 9 boy for a backpack. At the same time, Iri and another girl threw a dagger at the boy, both hitting him and killing him in an instant. As he went down and the cannon went off again Katniss saw Iri running toward her.
"Iri?" Katniss said.
"Get down!" Iri yelled.
Iri lifted the backpack up quickly as the girl threw a dagger at them. That's when Iri realized the girl was Clove.
"Katniss, you have to get up, now!"
She got up as Iri threw another dagger at a Distrct 6 boy, hitting him.
"Go, go, go!" Iri yelled.
They both ran into the woods, Katniss carrying the bag and Iri holding the daggers. After running for a bit, Katniss stopped.
"Why'd you stop, we've got to go now!" Iri yelled.
"I can't trust you!"
"Are you kidding me right now?!"
"How can I trust you?!"
Iri quickly moved her jacket to show Katniss the Mockingjay pin she had.
"It's a good thing we're allies, right?" Iri said.
"Where did you get that?" Katniss asked.
"Where do you think?" Iri asked as she saw a District 8 boy running toward them, "duck," she said as she threw another dagger at him. He fell but not before he threw a dagger at her. She blocked it with her arm but the dagger punctured her skin. She groaned in pain as she left the dagger in her arm as she ushered Katniss to run. They both continued to run until she found a tree they could easily climb. They both do but this hurts the wounded Iri. They get up high and strap each other in as they listen to the cannon going off more.
"And of course... there's the familiar boom of the cannon. Which marks the end of another fallen Tribute. Iri, our Girl on Ice wasted no time as we can see." Caesar tells the people of Panem.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven more cannons go off. Once they stop Katniss looked at Iri laughing to herself.
"That's 13 people on the first day. You think that's funny?" Katniss asked a bit angry.
"Listen, Eve. Every time that cannon goes off, it's music to my ears. The more it goes off, the closer we are to victory." Iri answered.
Katniss saw Iri's arm bleeding as Iri quickly took the dagger out of her arm. She groaned, trying to be quiet as she reached over to the end of her outfit, ripped a piece of her clothing off, and using her teeth, wrapped it around her wound tightly. After she finished covering her wound she jolted her head back onto the tree.
"13 cannons went off. 7 after we got up here. How many people did you kill before you found me?" Katniss asked, but Iri avoided the question.
"We should find water, we can't survive up here for the remainder of-"
"Do not avoid my question, Iri Kentwell. How many people did you kill?"
"6."
"S-so... you killed the other 6 people? I cannot believe I fucking trusted you, I got up on this tree with you- are you gonna kill me?!"
"Are you out of your damn mind? No! Why do you think I would risk my life trying to keep you safe and get hurt in the process if I wasn't trying to protect you?"
Katniss didn't say another word for a moment, she looked ahead as the sun began to set.
"The 7 that went off... are you scared that one of them may have been Rue? Or Peeta? Your sister even?"
"I'd like to not think about that possibility. More or less hope they're all okay and when I find them, I'll have my answer."
"The silence is nice-"
"And the silence is about the only thing you get to enjoy... for only a moment at least, then chaos.. and the silence becomes violence. That's what these games are to everyone, a killing spree that's actually legal."
The sun goes down and Iri can tell Katniss is getting tired.
"You get some sleep. I'll take first watch," Iri said.
"Not a chance-"
"Honey, that thing I did back there for you earlier, that was called saving your life. If I wanted to kill you, I promise you I would've done it by now... you get some rest, please. And let's stop this fighting for the night, if you're so concerned about it by the morning, we'll revisit this conversation, okay?"
"Fine,"
YOU ARE READING
The Yellowjacket and The Mockingjay
Action"You would've never survived what I had to," "I guess we won't have to find out if that is indeed true." Iri is a Teenager from District 2 who is already a Victor when she volunteers for her sister and becomes a Tribute once more. She has to fight f...
