ODDS

ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴꜱ

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓼𝓽 𝓯𝓮𝔀 hours had been fairly easy. The only thing in the way of a peaceful rest was the dehydration.

That, and the fact that there were people out there willing to kill us. But of course, in such a situation, we could only ask for so much.

"How's your hip doing, Knight?" Johanna asked, uncrossing her legs and leaving against the trunk of a tree. I sighed, closing my eyes, imagining water dancing in droplets on my tongue.

"Fine." My voice came out scratchy, and dry. "Just a sharp pain every now and then."

Johanna looked me over in doubt. I didn't have to ask. Finnick most definitely told her to watch after me. I didn't mind, really. I'd actually expected it.

Blight came back just then, panting and falling to the ground, a defeated look swirling across his face. No water.

"Nothing?" Johanna asked. Blight only shook his head. Johanna groaned. I didn't blame her, as I would've done the same thing if my throat would've allowed me.

"When are we meeting up with Finnick and Twelve?" I piped up. I had to clear my throat before using it.

"We planned on sticking together at the very beginning. But of course-" she motioned into the jungle to nothing in particular. "The damn careers got in the way."

I turned my head to the side, checking over Wiress and Beetee. They'd been awfully quiet.

"Soon." Johanna's voice sounded. Our eyes met, and hers held some sort of promise in them.

I only nodded. I didn't trusty voice to speak at the moment, and it had nothing to do with dehydration.

"What's that for?" I followed Blight's line of sight to Beetee, who held some sort of small coil of wire.

"Just in case." He answered. Johanna held a curious look on her face, one full of annoyance. She didn't really get along with many people. Everyone had been surprised when we'd met each other. They'd expected Johanna to dislike me, due to our clashing personalities. But somehow, we seemed to feed off of one another, thriving.

"Should we keep walking?" Wiress suggested. "We do need to find water soon."

I nodded. "And the careers could have followed us. Might need to put some more distance between us and the beach."

Johanna seemed to be in favor. "Yeah, sure. The sooner we find water the better."

Water would not be forthcoming for awhile.

***

"We've been walking for hours. We need to rest, maybe make camp for the night." Beetee called out to Blight, who had resumed position in front of the alliance. I agreed with him. My hip was aching worse than I had ever felt, and sharp pains had been shooting up my side for hours.

I slowly made my way to the ground, resting my head on a tree. "Yeah," I started, out of breath. "I can't go any further, right now."

I closed my eyes, trying to relish the act of actually sitting down. I let out a breath, feeling someone's presence by my side. My eyes fluttered back open to see Johanna that had moved past Wiress to get to me.

She examined my hip, then looked up to me. Shaking her head, she sat down. Then she pressed her fingers gently into my skin. I let out a hiss, jumping at the contact.

"Johanna!" I yelped, surprised by the tenderness of my hip. Walking had been one thing, but with pressure applied to it, my hip seemed worse. Maybe it was, I couldn't have known.

"I think it's a bone bruise, might have chipped your bone or something. What happened? I didn't see anything after Two grabbed your ankle."

I'd gotten a brief glance Johanna's way while fighting off Enobaria. I knew she'd had to drag Wiress out of the water while fighting off an attack of her own.

"She pulled my ankle and I lost balance." I winced as I got into a more comfortable position. "Was kind of asking for it. I did get her good with a kukris to the shoulder."

"Kukris?" Wiress spoke up, questioning in her tone. I looked to her, nodding as I held up one of my weapons.

"It's like a small dagger, but with a rounded blade." I explained. "Tradition says that it must taste blood, either that of the owner or the opponent, before being sheathed into it's holder after a battle."

Blight laughed from his place, causing a smirk to plaster on Johanna's face. It maybe she was smiling at me. Either way, it made my eyebrows raise in question.

"What?"

"You always seem to surprise us Miss Knight." Beetee relayed over the giggles of Blight. A light blush covered my cheeks.

"Haven't seen you blush since Finnick's message." Johanna teased, making my cheeks a few shades darker. I hid my face in my hands, shaking my head in the process.

This sent Blight into a straight out snorting fit, which made everyone else laugh, as well. I was glad that, for a moment, the attention was off of me.

I looked up, trying to gather as much breath as I could, and noticed the sky turning dark, clouds rolling in overhead. My heart sped up at the sight of it.

"Guys." I whispered. "I think we'll be getting rain pretty soon."

Johanna sighed. "Freaking finally. My throat feels like sandpaper."

The group agreed with subtle head nods and deep grunts. We'd settled down at this point, the only sounds the wind picking up, the sound of cicadas chirping endlessly, and our deep, slow breaths.

"I'm going to rest my eyes for a bit." I yawned at Johanna, who simply nodded her head. I sat up from leaning against the tree behind me and swiveled on the ground, careful not to mess up my hip anymore than it already was. I rested my head on the ground next to Johanna.

"I like your hair by the way. Short hair suits you." Johanna complimented in a whisper. A sleepy smile coated my lips.

"Thanks." I whispered back. Then sleep beckoned me forward, drifting out of consciousness and towards seas of blue.

***

I was half awake when it started.

In fact, I was the only one awake. Besides being aware that we could've been slaughtered over the hours we took for sleeping, I didn't mind. It gave me a chance to be alone in my thoughts.

I heard the patter of rain droplets in the distance. It almost sounded like a thunderstorm over the beach in District Four. I smiled at the thought. I wondered what Caspian and Tora were thinking now.

I sat up slowly, muscles still stiff with sleep. I winced at the pain in my hip. Just beyond the small camp we had made, rain poured thickly into the jungle.

I nudged Johanna, who grunted with displeasure.

"Jo, look." I whispered. Her eyes shot open, ready to kill. Her muscles softened, ready to find relief from the dehydration that had plagued us for almost a full day. I guessed that the Game Makers could somehow make us dehydrated at a quicker rate than normal. How could they not?

"Blight, Three, wake up." Johanna shook Wiress who woke up groggily. Beetee cleaned his glasses and Blight only complained.

"What is it?" He asked, still half asleep.

"Rain." I answered for Johanna. At this, Blight fully woke, standing to his feet and laughing. Johanna and I followed his example. I looked to Johanna, who actually had a smile on her lips. I gave a laugh of disbelief, which gained Johanna's attention.

"At least the Game Makers aren't total jerks." She decided. But she spoke too soon.

Before anyone could say anything else, we were coated in a thick liquid.

Blood rained from the heavens.