The Hunger Games: Death of the Mockingjay

Chapter 32

I stay crouched as low as I can in case there's any other snipers out here in the dunes. At a guess I'd say we've got only another hour of daylight before our time is up and the Brotherhood attack the mount. It could be that's what they've been waiting for, to come at us under cover of darkness and if I was being honest, it's exactly what I'd do if I was attacking the mount.
I need to hunt the Brotherhood down and draw them out then lead them back to the mount so we can fight them on our terms. I skirt round another large patch of sand, as before the surface is damp as if water is rising from underneath somewhere. While examining the sand pool I almost walk out in front of them. In the far distance there's a group of tributes stood around while their leader Draven, who I first encountered back at the ship talks to them. It looks like they're finalising their plans before the attack. I count the tributes, six including Draven which would mean that the group just a couple of hundred meters away are all that's left of the Brotherhood pack. Plutarch said the odds were even meaning they had the same number left as we've got. But, now I've killed the sniper that leaves them with just the six tributes that are meeting in front of me. For a moment a feeling of victory washes over me, knowing that for the first time we actually outnumber them but then I remember that Steph is injured and out of the fight, the fight will be equal, not withstanding any guns they might still have. I drop to the ground and crawl forward to keep myself concealed while watching what's happening ahead of me.
Draven looks angry, waving his arms and pointing at the others. A junior member of the group insolently answers back and Draven responds with a heavy slap to the face of  the young tribute. It appears that things aren't going well and Draven isn't happy with his team.
Then the group suddenly disbands and they fan out into a skirmish line and walk toward me. For a moment the strategy confuses me but then I put all the pieces together. The sniper.
When I took him out I practically advertised the fact that I'm not on the mount, I couldn't of found a more blatant way of killing an enemy tribute than by using an incendiary arrow. Even now I can still see the smoke and the grass fire, a huge sign advertising my location to the brotherhood.
No, the Brotherhood are moving in on me, they know I'm here somewhere near and they want blood.  I quickly back away and find better cover. Fortunately this area of the dunes is quite hilly and I can make my escape in the hidden valleys but what about Steph? The Brotherhood are making their way straight toward where she's hidden. Yes she said that she'll be hiding but the odds of a tribute stepping right over her have drastically reduced. I need to try to come up with a plan but what can I do?
To lead the Brotherhood toward the mount would mean taking them past Steph so the only other option is to head toward the forest which is in completely the wrong direction.
I look back in the direction of the mount and then the forest, it appears I haven't got a choice but how do I lead the brotherhood away from Steph without getting myself killed, I'm outnumbered 6 to 1 as it is. There's only one way I can do this and I pull out an incendiary arrow, arm and string it then shoot in the direction of the Brotherhood, then I do the same with another, this time aiming at the centre of their skirmish line. The arrows explode and create a flaming barrier that will make them head inland and go around Steph. I'll have to keep a close eye on them as once they're clear I'll go back to the original plan and lead them back to the mount, if there's enough daylight left?

*

I run through the dunes trying to keep in the valleys of the larger ones so I can stay hidden. I stop every now and then to check on the Brotherhood's progress and they've upped their pace, with all six of them now rushing forward, I get the impression they know they've got me on the run. Twilight starts to move in and it's now obvious that I'm now at a massive disadvantage. I'm outnumbered out in the dunes in fading light and there's no way I can lead them to Peeta and the others now, to do that would lead to defeat and the deaths of my allies. Somehow I've either got to kill the Brotherhood clan myself or keep them busy until the morning when I can lead them back to the mount so we can spring our trap. I take off at a steady run toward the forest now safe in the thought that the fading light will hide my escape but I was wrong.

"There, she's running toward the swamp!" I hear a voice shout out. It came from a tribute that was much closer than I expected, it appears that in my attempts to stay hidden in the valleys between the dunes I'd lost sight of them and allowed myself to get flanked from the side. I'd thought they'd all advanced as a skirmish line as I saw earlier but they've spread out to try and find me.
I run as fast as my legs will carry me while trying to catch a glimpse behind from time to time to check on my pursuers. The flames from the grass fires illuminate the sky behind me making a sort of false dawn, and I spot an opportunity, a chance that I could take out another tribute. I run up to the tallest dune I can find and crouch down, string my last standard arrow and aim back toward the flames and wait. It only takes a few moments before the first Brotherhood tribute appears about 50 metres away at the peak of another dune, his body silhouetted perfectly by the glowing orange sky behind him. I release the arrow at my target not able to see its flight because of the bright glow behind my enemy. His body suddenly twists to his left and I know from experience that I've most likely hit him either in the left shoulder or his side. And impact of my arrow knocks him off his feet and he stumbles from the top of the dune into darkness. I can't see where he's gone or the extent of his injuries because of the bright light of the fire which blinds me. I don't waste any time and run before others come after me. I've already seen that Draven has no problem with sacrificing his tributes in his quest for victory and the death of another member of his faction won't slow him down. The remaining five tributes will continue the pursuit until they chase me down. My only option is to run head long toward the forest and the swamp and try to hide out until morning.