His Innocent Victor // FINNICK ODAIR

Losses and Determination

"Wooly?!" Carrie yelled out. She was shook to the core at seeing her district partner so bloody with a barbaric stance and a savage expression. "What did you do?!"

"I did what I had to. There can only be one tribute left standing and I intend it to me!" Wooly said. Looking towards the girls only a few steps ahead of him he tilted head and slightly squinted his eyes with a smirk. "No hard feelings right."

Descending upon them the two scrambled to get up and run. Carrie took the bow that Flora grabbed from the Cornucopia and shot an arrow at her district partner. The arrow wizzed past Wooly's head and he looked at her with eyes filled with rage. Taking the axe he threw it at Carrie, the weapon imbedding itself into her chest. Dropping her weapon she looked up at a stunned and shell shocked Gunner before falling back into the boat a canon going as she landed.

Dynamite looked to her partner only to see an alligator coming ashore. Grabbed Gunner she pushed him into the boat before she started pushing the boat into the water. Having to walk into the water a bit to get the boat to fully start floating, she became a target to the hungry reptile. Dynamite screamed in pain as the alligator chomped down on her leg. Dynamite was dragged into the water by the animal, flailing around in the water trying to fight off the animal and bring herself to the surface to breathe.

Meanwhile Flora had been grabbed and knocked to the side. She landed on a sharp rock that cut her head. However she died during to the rock breaking her neck upon impact of her fall. Wooly had Jessika pinned to the ground using his bare hands to choke her. Jessika tried to push him away but the lack of air and the fact that she was physically weaker than her left her unable to do much except for flail her legs around. Jessika's hits gradually became weaker and her lids closed a bit as she started going unconscious.

The pressure around her neck disappeared and Jessika's eyes shot open as she took in a deep but painful breath. Coughing she looked over to see Gunner standing over her with a sword in hand. Wooly yelled out in pain as his side had been sliced open by Gunner who was trying to protect the girl who had done so much for him. Looking at the boy who was four years younger than him Wooly chuckled before grabbing a large knife from his own belt.

Gunner and Wooly circled each other until Gunner ran forward with his sword raised. Wooly ducked while stabbing the knife deep into the boys guts. Bringing the knife up he cut through Gunner's intestines and pushed the boy off of him. Knowing there was no way that the boy was surviving the wound her inflicted upon the small boy he turned his attention back to Jessika.

The blood soaked boy descended upon the girl who had just gotten to her feet. Jessika ran to the water to retrieve her labrys. Wooly caught up to her and tackled her into the water. The breathless girl and the injured boy both splashed around fighting for the upper hand. Unbeknownst to them the blood that was being washed off of them and the splashing around them had gained the attention of the alligator who had killed Dynamite. Abandoning the leg it had ripped off of its owners body the alligator swam over to the pair as the two fought and the alligator circled them Jessika felt a painful sensation going through her back.

Feeling whatever was lodged in her back stop, bringing her the tiniest bit of relief Jessika soon after felt Wooly stop fighting. Swimming to the shore she crawled her way to dry land before she saw Gunner who was still alive but going to die.

"Gunner!" Jessika said rushing over to him. Pulling his head into her lap she spoke to him. "I'm here. I'm here."

"Jessika?"

"Yeah it's me."

"Please don't leave me. I don't want to die alone." Gunner said crying.

"I wo-I won't leave you. I promise." Jessika said. Gunner looked at the girl before giving her a smile.

"You have to win. You deserve it."

"I'll try Gunner." Jessika softly said.

"Can you sing for me? A different song though." Gunner asked. Jessika nodded as her brain wracked through her memories trying to find a song she knew. Finding one Jessika immediately started singing. It wasn't pretty. And the pitch was off but she sang.

"Come stop your crying
It will be alright
Just take my hand
Hold it tight
I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry

For one so small
You seem so strong
My arms will hold you
Keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can't be broken
I will be here don't you cry

'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more

You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart
Always"

Gunner's eyes grew unfocused as he starred at the pretty flowers. His breathing stopped and his body went completely limp. Sobbing Jessika held Gunner to her chest as she cried. Ot was the worst pain she had ever experienced. Worst than when she sprained her ankle at 5, or broke her hand at 11, or the pain she could still feel in her back.

A hand reached out gently placing itself on her shoulder. Looking over Jessika had to blink the tears out from her eyes to see that Sparkle had come and sat next to her. It took a while for Jessika to stop crying. Only because she ran out of tears and was dehydrated from all of the fighting she had just endured. Sparkle gave her some water and she calmed down tremendously. Not able to handle the trauma of losing everyone she bad just recently bonded and connected with, Jessika's mind regressed. Going back to a time where everything was safe and okay.

"Come on we have to go. There's only two more Careers left who's by no doubt hunting us." Sparkle said.

"Wait I need to do something first." Jessika said. She took a piece of cloth from Carrie's shirt before dipping it into the swamp water. Sniffling she wiped away all of the blood from each of her dead allies. She and Sparkle carried Flora's body to the boat carefully setting her down next to Carrie. The two did the same with Gunner before Jessika pulled Dynamite from the water and dragged her into the boat. Finally she took the remains of Wooly and also set them in the boat. She laid them all side by side trying to make it as neat as possible. Grabbing the medical kit she took a bottle of alcohol and emptied it onto the bodies. Jessika lit a match on fire lighting the bodies on fire. She pushed the boat away watching them drift off before she turned to leave.

"Okay. We can go now."

Sparkle and Jessika walked for a while until they heard rushing water. Turning, the two saw a wave of swamp knocking down everything in its past. The two started running in vain as the wave swept them up.

Fighting to keep their heads above water both had to climb onto a fallen log and work to balance themselves so they wouldn't fall back into the water.  The game makers were flushing them back to the Cornucopia. Pulling them in for the end of the Hunger Games. Forcing them to participate in the final showdown.