circus | finnick odair

mutts

Peeta's POV

I was sleeping soundly in my bed with my arms wrapped around Katniss when the pounding on the door began.

I jumped away, racing over to see Finnick banging his fist on the door.

"Finnick, what happened?" I say, walking over to the bed, shaking Katniss awake.

"They're about to release mutts, we're sending weapons and medicine down now." He says, yanking Katniss out of bed. "We are sending down ear pieces to communicate with Issac, Bray, and Bentley."

"Mutts? What kind of mutts?" I say, helping Finnick carry a half asleep Katniss down to the conference room.

"Of us," he replies, pushing the door open.

Inside, Plutarch and Haymitch are arguing with Coin while Johanna and Beetee are both watching the screen, biting their nails nervously.

"What's going on?" Katniss snaps, silencing all arguments.

"The gifts should be there soon," Johanna says, looking over at us.

"What did you send down?" I ask, sitting Katniss down.

"The same medicine they used on your leg in the first Games, the burn ointment Katniss needed but much more. We don't know what these mutts can do." Beetee says, cleaning his glasses on his grey jumpsuit. "We also sent weapons; we sent Bray fire arrows, Issac, Bentley, and Pennia are receiving weapons like Finnick's, they come back to you at the press of a button."

"What about Prim?" I ask, rubbing Katniss' shoulders.

"She has Chase's sword and her knives, plus the mutts won't go for her." Haymitch says, sitting next to Johanna.

"What?" Katniss says, glaring at Coin.

"The Capitol programmed the mutts to go for anyone and everyone except your sister." Beetee replies, his eyes still trained on the screen.

"Why?" I ask, furrowing my brows.

"So she can watch her loved ones die," Finnick says, covering his face with his hands.

~

Pennia's POV

After they took Chase's body away, we hunted. We caught a few squirrels and birds and ate them in silence.

None of us were prepared for another death among us, let alone the first.

"At least he's safe now, in no pain." Prim says, running her fingers down the blade of his sword.

"No longer a puppet for the Capitol," Issac mutters, keeping his eyes closed.

Then, we were once again silent. Losing Chase made it harder for us to blend; he was a link in our chain and now without him, our chain was broken.

When reaching for one of Prim's knives, a chorus of beeps sang from behind me. I turned, seeing countless parachutes floating to the ground behind us.

"Guys!" I say, standing and running to the closest one. I hear the others following my actions but I'm too busy tearing the gift from a tree.

I quickly snap off the parachute, opening the small container. Inside is a tube and a note; I pick up the tube, inspecting it before reading the note.

Pennia,
Mutts are coming. We sent these supplies down to assist you in fighting them. We've sent:
•burn ointment
•medicine that heals wounds
•a new machete for Issac
•a new dagger for Bentley
•a new bow and arrow set for Bray
•a new spear for you