Wilted Roses ; The Hunger Games

X. sacrafices

ROSE AND CONNOR trekked through the forest with one goal in mind, food. That small loaf of bread wouldn't last them forever, Connor had already started picking small pieces to hold him over until we could find proper food. Just that morning Rose saw someone through the trees light a fire to cook up the meat she found before her untimely demise. She thought their mentor would at least tell them never to light fires, it was only common sense.

Rose heard very unusual sounds coming from behind a bush which understandably startled her, she pushed Connor behind her to protect him as she wielded her sword, preparing for an attack. She wasn't sure if it was some sort of animal, if it was she hoped when she killed it she could cook it into a nice dinner, but she knew it was trouble.

     Emerging from the bushes was the male from District Nine, though something about him seemed strange. He restlessly clawed at her shoulder where Rose spotted two small holes, no doubt an animal bite. The area around the bite looked inflamed and dried blood curled to the surface.

    Foam spat from his mouth as he breathed like a rabid dog. Like a rabid dog. As Rose put together the dots it was too late because he had already sprouted from his feet, jumping through the air before knocking the two of them on the ground. Connor let out a shrill yell as his back hit the ground and he winced in pain, Rose used her sword to push his clawing body off of her, or at least try.

     He was suddenly ripped from her body before Rose could process what was happening. She blinked intensely as she takes a moment to catch her breath. Daryl from District Eleven stood above her as he stood strong in front of the District Nine male who was still clawing at his shoulder though he had now found a new target.

     "Go!" He demanded as the rabid boy jumps onto him, Rose was still in shock when she began stammering away, hardly being able to get to her feet before the boys screams of agony rung through the trees.

     "Its too late for me! Go!" He demands as Rose turned on her feet, wishing she could have properly thanked him before his struggling stopped. Their pace quickened to a run as they rushed through the trees, two cannons boomed behind them.

     Daryls selfless act echoed through Roses mind as they reached the beach as well as Rhodes angry screams as he found his body, she had concluded that he was bitten by a snake. Rose was grateful for that information because now she knew to stay away from snakes at all costs, though the green forest might make it easier for snakes to blend in.

     Rose felt too exposed at the beach, she felt like everybody could see her even though it was most likely they were more occupied with the task of surviving the day to care. She came to the beach in hope that she could possibly fish, one of the only things Rose was confident she could do.

     "Rose!" Connor called out as he was scanning the beach for anything important. She was snapped out of her thoughts and whipped her head around to him to see him pointing to a small and rocky cave, blending in perfectly with the rough rocks of the beach, which was covered by bushes and vines. Rose furrows her eyebrows as she walks towards it, it almost looked untouched, almost. Rose truly had no way of knowing if anybody had already claimed the cave unless she went in there and looked herself.

     She pushed the thorny bushes out of the way as she kneeled down to search the cave. She turned to Connor and brought her finger up to her lips to signal him to be quiet just in case there was anyone there who hadn't spotted them yet.

    As she crept into the darkness of the cave, she readied her sword in her hands. It was definitely bigger on the inside, the deeper she went the roomier it got. There were see-through holes among the ceiling, Rose recognized the locations as small bodies of water and places covered by bushes or rocks. Rose began to wonder if The Capital even wanted this to be found, it just seemed too much like cheating but if they didn't want it found, they shouldn't have put it in the arena at all.