The 151st Annual Hunger Games

Games~ Day 2~Part 1

Hanson Fox's POV:

I march quietly through the forest, watching for other tributes. Ever since Zane died in the bloodbath I've been out on my own. I have no interest in finding another alliance so why not go out looking for other tributes to find? I'm sure they'd like it if I paid them a visit.

I adjust my sword in my hand, shining the cold metal under the sun's early rays. I came out early, hoping to catch tributes off guard. I haven't handled a sword in a while, having only trained with spears. This was all I could grab from the cornucopia besides a small pack. The weight of the blade feels sturdy in my grasp and I duck around yet another clump of trees. Two tributes whisper softly, hidden in among the landscape of cliffs beyond the temporary cover of bushes. I spot a knotted blonde ponytail swiftly moving between the rocks and peer out, searching for the illusive tributes. A frantic face appears around the cliffs and they quickly turn away from me. They've seen me. The tribute motions behind her and another girl comes from below the jagged edges of the rocks. Juliet and Mayella.

I drop my pack behind the bushes and take only my sword. Juliet looks back again, fear flashing across her pale complexion, knowing I'm not just going to leave. I must admit, the rough surfaces of the rocks are hard to get a grip on with the flimsy soles of my boots. They already have a head start but I'm not going to let them get away. Juliet pulls Mayella along and they slowly make their way back towards the cornucopia area. I skirt the edge of the rock field, trying to cut them off. Beyond the layout of large rocks is nothing but the sudden wall of a cliff, an impossible escape.

Both tributes drop their packs, as I did, and pull out their weapons, holding them out nervously. I flip my sword in my hands, taunting them. I move suddenly towards Juliet, faking a strike and she jumps back with a shout. I laugh keeping Juliet's focus. Mayella watches, frozen in place, as I circle her ally. Juliet tests her strength, hitting her axe against my sword. Metal clashes with metal and Juliet flinches. I parry her next strike, turning on my heel and coming around her other side. She stumbles around the jagged rocks and struggles to keep up her defence. What she doesn't know is that I'm not going to keep gently going back and forth with half-hearted strikes. I lunge for her ally, who's too shocked to even react when I come at her. Juliet spins around, attempting to block my sword but I'm too quick, causing Mayella to fall back in surprise.

Felicity Ginger's POV:

A cannon goes off somewhere, making me jump. I stare off towards the rock field where it went off and see a large hovercraft leaving, long brown hair flowing from the metal claw that hangs down. I cast my gaze to the rough ground. How is this entertaining?

Whoever lays high above the arena in that crude hovercraft was just another part of these never ending games. My allies continue walking and I jog to catch up.

"Who do you think that was?" I whisper, elbowing Axel who walks quietly beside me. He looks up, startled that I'm speaking to him at all. Ever since the reapings I've barely seen him besides during training.

He shrugs, "Probably someone like Poppy or Juliet, maybe even Corie, she seems pretty insane."

I nod my head and we continue walking in silence. I notice he fiddles with his hands as we make our way along the river bend, glancing up at me once or twice. Inuk and her district partner seem to be arguing up ahead and even though I don't bring it up, I know our carelessness of noise is probably alerting numerous tributes to our location.

Keith Kidd's POV:

I laugh as Clennan attempts to climb the tall coniferous tree, failing miserably. He tosses his pack down to me, relieving himself of the dead weight. The contents hit the ground and Caspian picks it up and throws it over his shoulder. Clennan manages to grasp another branch but his fingers slip immediately after. I pull my axe from around my waist.

"Want me to just hack it down? Then you could get to the top." I shout up. Clennan glances down, an unamused expression on his face. He jumps down from his low perch and punches my arm.

"I doubt you could even try." He remarks. I ditch my pack and approach the trunk of the tree however I never get a chance to climb. Just as my foot reaches the first branch Corie lurks out from a clump of bushes, a stack of throwing knives in her hand. I push myself away from the tree, repelling backwards. My axe lies on the ground and I bend to pick it up, rapidly facing the young tribute. Red stands with his spear in his hand, ready to throw if necessary. Corie smiles and approaches our small alliance. She throws a knife, the sheer force causing it to lodge in a tree beside Caspian, a warning.

"You don't have to play this game, Corie. Stop now and let them see what happens when even a Career turns down the games." She laughs and her eyes glint with joy, making me wonder how this young girl from district 8 came to be so ruthless.

"Oh, but I do. You see I want to win. And, to do that, I think I have to play. Doesn't mean I'll follow any rules though." Clennan begins to speak but she throws another knife, not taunting us this time, and his sentence is cut short.

BOOM.

The cannon sends me out of my daze and I lunge forward, swinging my axe towards her. She giggles, spinning out of the way and aiming this time, for Caspian. She releases her knife but I throw my axe, knocking it out of the air. My axe lodges itself in a nearby tree, too far away to retrieve. Corrie watches me intently, waiting for my next move. I glance at my pack, sitting a few feet away, the cost of me throwing it carelessly away. I'd do anything to have my dagger, which is kept safely inside it. I approach Corie, glaring down at her. I try to intimidate her, deep down not really wanting to hurt her. She watches me, tilting her head and surveying my moves. And she does the last thing I thought she'd do.

She runs. The young girl turns and runs back through the bushes, picking up her throwing knife on the way. I watch her disappear amongst the trees and turn to Red, who looks just as confused as me.

I shrug, "She probably won't be gone for long."

I grab my pack and motion for Caspian and Red to follow me. We look back once more and head through the dense, overgrown plants and through the forest, leaving Clennan behind.

Chloe Bloom's POV:

I sit in the cold sand on the edge of the water. The tide comes up periodically, washing over my bare feet. To any unknowing person this would feel peaceful. To the Capitol citizens, my allies are hunting in order to have a scrap of food to eat, I'm on the lookout to avoid sudden death and I'm under the commands and wishes of whatever the Gamemakers want to do to me. The Games are the worst thing, hands down. I'd rather go back to living with scarcely anything as long as I had Airyn and safety.

I stare up at the various landscapes surrounding me while I wait for Poppy and Ashlyn to return from the water. Cliffs rise up beyond a veil of trees and the sand of the beach seems to stretch on for miles. Rocks are strewn in masses under the canopy of the cliff's edge and the forest is dense and dark. This arena truly does have every biome you could think of. I wonder why that is. Last time the Gamemakers tried this it didn't work out because there were too many artificial aspects needed so that the biomes didn't combust each other.

I'm drawn away from my thoughts as I hear Poppy call out from the waves. She holds a newly acquired spear above her head, a fish caught in the net she holds. I smile, forgetting my current situation. She laughs and starts running back to the sand, against the grating waves. I tilt my head, looking behind Poppy to Ashlyn, who seems to have less luck with her net. My gratitude blossoms and I think of all the people in these games who are alone right now, without loyal allies.

My face falls as my thoughts bunch together, remembering one particular ally who should be here with me. Lark, as mysterious as the bird she shares a name with. I think of how much she would've loved being on a beach. Growing up in the polluted district 3 didn't give her much chance for nature walks. I squint my eyes, staring down at the very ground I sit on. My hands drag across the sand, causing it to sift through my fingers. I lift it up and let it fall to the ground, reminding me of an hourglass, and just how little time I could have left.

A/N- Thank you so much to everyone that has stuck with this book. I know I don't always update regularly but I thank those of you that are still reading, it means the world to me.