Buttercup ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

02

|02|

                It took hours for the— train to get to district nine, and Kasha visibly grimaced as she relized it wasnt even a train at all— well not for people atleast, it was a cattle cart, made for animals. The peacekeepers shoved them into the dark cart, leaving no room to be gentle, and slammed the door shut behind them.

Panlo huffed staring at the closed door with discomfort. Kasha tensed as she heard a shuffling in a nearby corner, but Panlo didnt seem to hear it. She eyed the corner warily, hearing a person move again. Kasha pounced forward slamming the body into the wall. Kasha could only faintly see them due to the darkness of the train, the only light was from the cracks in the walls.

Panlo jumped back, only now sensing the presence of other people.

"Who are you?" Kasha asked bitterly, her grip only getting tighter.

"W-what?" The boy stuttered out. "Im Hy."

"Your names Hy?" Kasha raised an eyebrow, earning a weak nod from the boy.

"Were from district five." He stated. Panlo moved towards them, crossing his arms over his chest. He quickly glanced towards the girl in the corner, but said nothing. Hy as if he sensed him looking said, "Thats Sol, shes my district partner."

Kasha nodded, stepping away from Hy. "Alright, you stay on ur side of the train, and We'll stay on ours." Kasha pulled Panlo towards the other side, then sat in the corner as she watched Hy shuffle back towards his district partner.

"Way to scare the shit out of him— he looked like he was about to shit his pants." Panlo chuckled.

"He'll be fine." Kasha mused leaning against the wall.

Kasha was growing bored of sitting with Panlo in the corner of the train, doing nothing. They had barely spoken a word to eachother, both trying to come to peace with the fact that most likely neither of them would be returning to district nine. It wasnt easy, Kasha wanted to go home, she wanted to see her family and her friends. She needed to look after them, she needed to make sure they had food on the table, which they rarely ever had. It wasnt a want, Kasha needed to go home, she had to make sure her siblings could survive off what little they were given. She only make so much in the fields, but it was better than nothing. She had to fight, and try her hardest to get home, even if she didnt want to, she knew that if she didnt she wasnt just sacrificing her own life, but three others aswell. She tried to keep reminding herself that Kassian wouldnt let them starve, that he would make sure that Whylen and Seeder came up with enough money to feed Judai, but she also knew that Kassian had two little siblings he had to look after aswell, and he wouldnt put their lives at risk for Kasha's family. Each moment they spent in the train, the farther they got from district nine, every now and then they would stop, most likely to pick up the other tributes since they're would always be some ruckus outside. There was nothing that reminded Kasha of her home, all she could smell is old cattle, and she could barely see anything exept the outlines of Hy and Sol. Kasha could already feel the rumbling in her stomache, she hadnt eaten reaping morning—though she wished she had, and now she was facing the consequences. She wondered if Panlo was hungry too, but if he was he wasnt saying anything. He was too distracted by tracing figures in the dirt of the train cart flooring. If Kasha knew she was going to be reaped, she would have stolen something from the market and stuffed it in her pockets so atleast she would have something to stop the pain in her stomache, though she didnt think it mattered too much— she'd be dead in a few days anyways.

A small scrape on the other side of the compartment made Kasha flinch, but she rolled her eyes as she relized it was only Sol, the girl from district five squirming around.

"What are you doing?" Kasha asked, squiting at Sol.

"Trying to see where we are." Replied Sol, banging on the side of the train cart. She hit her hand against the bottom of the wall, trying to break through, but she didnt end up doing much.

"Oh dont be stupid about it." Kasha scoffed, pushing herself off the floor. She was going to do it herself, afterall it couldnt be that hard— it'd be easier than how Sol was going about it. She felt Panlo's hand grab on her arm, pulling her back down. He held a finger to his lips, then pointed upwards. Kasha frowned, but followed his finger anyways.

Tweak Tweak

At first Kasha didnt know what it was, untill she heard the small flapping off the wings—

"Then how do you want me to do it—" Hy snapped.

"Shut up!" Kasha said quietly, Sol dropped silent, before her head snapped up towards the roof, and she shuffled back, hearing the winged creatures. Panlo tugged Kasha closer, as if he was trying to sheild her from any of the animals swooping down on them. Kasha made the mistake of glanced up again, seing the eyes of not one, but many bats looking down on them.