Timber

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Birds of Prey

Hazel shifted both of the axes in her hands, the grips were slick with sweat. Come on.

Elara's stance was wide and ready, her eyes sparkling with excitement. The long blade flashed in her hand as she shifted her weight between her feet. The strands of her hair swayed back and forth with her subtle movements. Yet, she made no move to attack.

Mia's soft cries echoed behind them as she and Aaron began to retreat from the center. Mia was leaning on Aaron; the grass beneath them rustled. Silus hesitated, torn between watching their retreat and Elara's standoff with Hazel. Elara's arrogant gaze flickered to Mia and Aaron. I need her focused on me.

"Come on, Elara," Hazel attempted to make her voice sound taunting, twisting her axes, "Unless you are afraid you can't beat me."

Elara's eyes narrowed; her gaze flitted back to Hazel, but she still hesitated.

"Here, I'll even make things fair. I'll put one of my hands behind my back," Hazel bent her left arm and tucked it behind her. She slid one of her axes into her waistband, reached out her free hand behind her, and took a cautious step backward.

Elara's hesitation waned as she observed Hazel advancing slowly.

Hazel's fingers groped the air behind her, "You seemed so eager to fight earlier. If you can't take me, there's no way you're going to beat my brother." She continued to take deliberate backward steps, drawing Elara further away.

Elara scoffed, her voice dripping with contempt, "I think you'll be surprised," tossing her hair over her shoulder, "Too bad you'll be dead when I kill him." Elara took a couple more steps toward Hazel.

Hazel continued backward, "Show me then," her fingers still outstretched behind her, "I love surprises. Or keep talking. It's the only thing you're winning at right now."

Elara glared, stepping closer, her weapon poised. "Snow's little pet thinks she's clever, huh?" Elara's eyes glittered in the sunlight overhead, "What would Senator Snow think of you putting yourself in danger like this, I wonder?"

Hazel tilted her head up toward the sky like she was looking up at God. Snow probably considered himself on par, so it was fitting, "Can't say for sure, but I'm certain he's watching." She internally scoffed, thinking about their conversation in his car, "I can imagine he's not exactly pleased," Hazel raised her eyebrow at her, "Should we at least give him a good show?"

Elara laughed, her tone laced with mockery, "If dying at my hands is a good show, then by all means, let's entertain him. I'd love nothing more than for him to watch me take out his pathetic little favorite from a district he probably forgets exists." Her smirk was confident, "I'll prove he backed the wrong horse."

"I don't know what's funnier, the fact you are insulting the Senator on live television." Hazel chuckled, looking around them before her eyes again settled on Elara, "Or that Snow preferred a 'pathetic' District Seven girl," allowing her gaze to appraise Elara in a leisurely fashion, "Over someone like you."

The insult clearly struck a nerve, and Elara began to jog toward Hazel, her face twisted. There we go. Hazel felt the telltale web along her outstretched fingers and paused her backward movement. Elara began to charge her now, her face reddened.

"I'll show him how pathetic you really are," Elara yelled, her knife flashing as she ran. Perfect.

"Haze!" Silus's concerned voice yelled behind them.

As Elara closed in, Hazel stood her ground; her weight shifted onto the balls of her feet. Just as Elara reached striking distance, Hazel sidestepped, allowing Elara to continue her pursuit. Elara's long, athletic arms shot out, and her knife sliced through the air toward Hazel. Once she was close-up, Elara's arms were much longer than Hazel had anticipated. Hazel threw herself backward and away from the blade, narrowly avoiding it. The sharp tip of the knife grazed the front of her green shirt, slicing a hair's breadth from her skin and leaving a jagged tear.