Hunt and Chase

Run Boy, Run

I fly off my podium towards the backpack, the boy from Two and girl from Eleven ran straight towards the woods. My feet thundered across the rocky beach and into the tall pines trees. The cornucopia was useless, you had to swim to get there and fight away everyone else.

Two cannon shots sounded, I didn't look back.

I grabbed my way up a tree and settled on a high branch, the densely packed forest giving me plenty of cover. I steady myself to sit with my back against the trunk and begin to search through my bag.

Two more cannons sounded.

A canister of water and windproof matches, a length of rope, a bottle of iodine, two bottles of what I assume is freshwater, two loaves of bread, a wedge of cheese, three apples, a dagger, and two throwing knives, plus a blanket.

This had to be a joke, there was no way I had hit the jackpot on supplies, plus three weapons without so much as looking at the cornucopia. "Off to a good start already," I thought to myself.

I hooked my knives in the belt I was given and kept the dagger in hand, found my way back down the tree and continued on. I could hear running water nearby but, steered clear, thinking there would a pack there for water. I directed my way towards the mountains and foothills of the arena, hoping to find a cave in my search.

There was a snap of a twig behind me. I swiveled to see nothing, but a rabbit. I took one of my knives and slung it at the creature. Fresh game was always a treat. I scanned my surroundings and kept the treck.

Another cannon fired. The real show must be starting now. I had a feeling the Career pack this year was larger than many in the past, I figure I would let them fight amongst themselves and go in for the final kill if I had to.

I never moved in a straight line, I always zigzagged between trees or bushes, keeping footfall light against the dusting of pine needles over the earthen floor.

Approaching the mountains you could almost see a small opening up in the foothills. I climbed up and down, scanning around me to make sure no one was around until I made my way into the cave.

It was a decent sized cave, a foothill rising over the entrance, making camouflage easier. I used my rope to set a snare at the entrance of the cave, whatever it caught, game or tribute was a good catch.

I crept back out to the edge of the forest to take some fallen branches and pine needles for a fire. The evening was approaching quickly, the sun setting on the far side of the arena.

Once nightfall hit, I lit my fire in the far corner and began dinner. I ate all of the rabbit and a slice of the bread loaf with a sliver of cheese from the wedge, it was better to conserve even though I had a sizable amount of food for the start of the games.

Another cannon fired. Part of me wishes it was Chase or Amaris, I could stand to be the one that killed them. Another part of me wishes they stayed alive. I knew Chase was unless she had gotten caught up in something bad but, I wasn't too sure about Amaris.

The Capitol anthem began to play, something they also didn't change after the war, and then the fallen were shown. Both from Three, the girl from Five, both from six and the girl from Thirteen. Six down, eighteen to go.

I knew none of the strong ones would die tonight unless it was from unseen circumstances. I laid down for the night on the wall of the cave against the entrance, wrapped in my blanket pondering who would be part of the Career pack. All the tributes from Eight and Nine were way too friendly with each other and we're too strong to let that force fall apart, the boy from Seven was the same way with them. The only other one I can think of that would be a part of them or, a threat to me is the girl from One, Esmeralda, she was, intimidating, to say the least.

With my fire extinguished, soon I drifted off to sleep, dagger in hand.

I had survived, the first night.

_____
I know this one is short, don't yell at me. I think the end of the first night is a good place to end it though, not a lot happens at night during the first few days anyway. Well, the murders have begun, they can not be undone, it's in my official Death Record, I'll have to take a picture of some of the madness that has gone on in this journal that I've used to prep for the story. I'm gonna give you guys my diagram of the arena later on but, I have to show the key for you to understand anything and I don't want to spoil anything for you. Anywho, I think that's it, I promise things will pick up on the action soon. Have a nice day guys.

~ Tori