The Mockingjay's Melody

Chapter 10: Rowan Turner

I blinked as a cold droplet of rain water fell through the sky-hole and landed on my face. I blinked again and sat up as another one hit me in the eye. I looked to my right.

Autumn's mat was empty.

I put my hand on her mat. It was still warm. She must've just left. I stood and saw footprints leading from the cave.

2 sets of footprints.

I grabbed my bow and a hunting knife and began hurrying along the slope, following the footprints through the woods. I tread lightly, pausing briefly to hunt something, then continued on my way. I hurried past the river where we had gone swimming the day before. Something brushed at my delicate heart but I waved it away. I loaded my bow and hid myself behind a tree. The tributes from districts 1 & 2 were gathered around a bound & gagged Autumn. Thank goodness she was unconscious for it. They were murmuring amongst themselves. They made a camp close to their hostage but far enough away that I could sneak up behind Autumn and cut the ropes that bound her hands. They had forced her to her knees and she collapsed into my arms as the ropes loosened their hold. I took the gag out of her mouth and then, and ONLY then, did I notice the injection mark on her arm. The skin around the injection sight was pale and swollen and her arm was slowly bruising. No wonder she was unconscious. She'd put up quite a fight.

I hurried her back to the cave and laid her on the mat. She was already so pale. "Oh no no no no....." I hurried to grind some of the berries and roots into a small mixture of nutrients to help her body fight the injection material. I force-fed her the mixture then I sat by her side as her face slowly drained of color. Her cherry lips were now as pale as snow. I watched through the sky-hole as the quiet night seemed to slip away from me, her time remaining in this arena drained by the amount of material received through the injection. I shuddered, sobbing quietly over her lean form. When I stopped crying, I lifted my head and ever so gently, pressed my rough lips to hers, soft and petal-like. I caressed her lips as if they were flowers that would wilt at the slightest expulsion to rot.

As the dawn approached, I hadn't moved an inch. My limbs were stiff from sitting by her side all night and she almost looked as if she were sleeping. I took her frail hand in mine, which was now snow white by the way, and I kissed it as if she were a princess and I were a prince. I laid her hands over her chest and suddenly got an idea, something that had occurred in Katniss and Peeta's hunger games. I ran outside, grabbed the leaves that looked like the one Rue used on Katniss's wound, and dashed back into the cave. I chewed the pulp and laid it on the injection site. For several long minutes, nothing happened. Then she gasped, and her chest began rising and falling rapidly as her breath slowly evened out. She fell asleep shortly after, I guessed to fight the venom of the tracker jackers, then watched as the still and serene girl from district 4, fought her way to life against the capitol's most dangerous weapon.

She awoke sometime later and was still somewhat delirious from the tracker jacker venom. I gave her something to eat as she sat up weakly. She ate and then I left her to bathe with warm water I had boiled over a fire (Which had been somewhat risky, I admit). Once she was dressed, I told her to lie down while I hunted, gathered and picked roots for them.While I was out picking, gathering and all that, I heard several enraged shrieks and hurried back to the cave where Autumn was lying. I ducked through the entrance and stopped in my tracks as my worst nightmare came to life.

The Careers had found them.

The male tribute from district 1 was holding a needle full of tracker jacker venom to Autumn's throat. I growled and glared at the other careers as they slowly filed in behind me. Autumn's eyes were round with fear and horror. I looked into hers, my eyes full of sympathy. Hang on, Autumn. I'll get us out somehow, I thought. My thoughts were broken when the female career from district 2 lunged forward and kicked my knees in. My legs buckled beneath me and I collapsed, letting out a faint cry of panic as the rest of the Careers, except for the one holding Autumn, jumped on me. They knew I loved Autumn and they knew I wouldn't fight back as long as they had her. They planned to give the audience a good show, I thought grimly.

Closing my eyes, all I heard was Autumn's screams of protest.