The Hunger Games: How It Could've Gone

Possibility 2

(This is the scene with the 8 girl, remember her? The one who started the fire? Yeah, I decided to imagine her as a cunning Tribute, not an idiot.)

I lie smoldering in my bag for the next couple of hours, really thinking that if I can get out of this tree, I won't have the least problem taking out my new neighbor. My instinct has been to flee, not to fight. But obviously this person's a hazard. Stupid people are dangerous. And this one probably doesn't have much in the way of weapons while I've got this excellent knife. 

Then I see, in the first signs of light in the sky, that this person is darting away from the fire she made, just as I am gently untying myself. I scramble down silently, and decide to follow her and put out the fire so no one else sees it and guesses that another tribute must be here. I carry my knife just above my head, one hand wrapped around it, the other hand clearing away the foliage in front of me. 

I stop in front of the fire, still going. How do I put this fire out without water? I think. I've never learned because I've never been in this exact situation before. No one's ever left me in front of a fire without water before. I almost always bring a canteen with me on my hunts. Then I realize I can't put it out without water. There's no sand around. Should I ask my sponsors? Would they even listen? Really, would they even guess what I'm doing? Would they even guess why this is important? 

Haymitch would, he's the one who told me to never light a fire at this time of day. I quickly realized why, but that means he would know what I'm about to do. 

"Haymitch," I breath in tentatively, "Water. Water to put the fire out. Can I have water?"

I stare up at the sky, listening for signs of other tributes arriving. None yet. I look around at the trees. No parachute yet. I walk past the flame, and see that the girl is sitting in the bushes, far away enough and well-hid enough to not be seen unless she wanted to - and in this instance, she did. She smiles at me and puts her finger to her lips. And then she retreats deeper into the bushes, until I cannot distinguish her from the leaves and vines around her. 

Now I do hear footsteps. Even from afar, I recognize the girl from 2 first. She arrives with her pack, the blond girl and two blond boys, one shorter and slightly stockier than the other, and - Peeta. He freezes for a few seconds, staying behind, then continues coming towards me with the rest of them. They pick up speed. I don't turn and run. I have the knife. I could at least kill Peeta before the others get me. Before I die, and after I ask him why he allied with the Career wolf pack. I need to find out why he would betray me like that.

So I stand and face the wolf pack. I imagine that by now, the girl from 8 has run away, knowing the Careers are focused on me now. She baited me. Of course she did. She must've run through the forest until she could find suitable victims. She watched me sleeping. She's the real Girl On Fire, will she just continue doing this? Will she just continue baiting people to her fire, either who want to put it out, or who want it's warmth? The Careers are just tools for her. 

I have a sudden urge to ally with her.

But what good would that do now?