"I got to tag along, wish you good luck." Cinna said as Katniss walked over, closing the gap between them. She hugged him and he pulled away, eyes looking to where the cameras were located. He re-positioned them and carefully pinned the mockingjay pin inside of her shirt, near her collar. "Good luck." He smiled to her.

Katniss wasn't sure what to say and she wasn't sure when she'd see him again. "Thank you for everything."

"Just go out there and know I'd still be betting on you if I could."

"I know." She smiled nervously. The usual noise signaled it was time to step into the pod and await the countdown. "Thirty seconds left before I go back out there."

"Don't think like that, just...just remember who you're supposed to be fighting." He said and helped Katniss into the small glass enclosure. Suddenly three peacekeepers barged into the tight room and charged toward the dark skinned stylist. Katniss banged on the glass but it wouldn't budge as the three took out their batons and began beating Cinna in the head. He fell to his knees and mouthed something to Katniss but she couldn't figure out what he said as the three men in while circled around him and kept pounding him and kicking him. His backs, his side, his head, every inch of the man was being attacked.

14...13...12...11...the tube rose and she found herself unable to smack her hands against the indestructible barrier between her and her friend. Tears threatened to fall down her face as she turned to face the arena. The light was blinding, despite having just been bathed in it. The image of blood splattered against the while room she just rose from, was crippling her sense of survival. Was he dead? Was he alive? She wasn't sure which sounded like the better of two evils. 

The girl saw they were in a ruined city with streets and alleys behind them, she wasn't sure where they led but in front of them, there was a large old building and atop it was a tower of sorts that shot straight into the clear blue sky. She could smell gravel and dust as she surveyed who was around her. In the middle, there was the cornucopia in the building which was held up by four steel beams. It was hollowed out for the array of items, weapons and other supplies that surely looked tempting to the idiots in the circle. The rest of the countdown seemed to take forever for Katniss and she tried not to think of Cinna and what kind of message Snow was determined to leave her with before the Games truly began.

When the bang sounded, she ran forward and found her nails digging into her palms as kept her fists tight.

As she ran, a young boy came forward but her brain couldn't connect where he was from or even what his name was. He was clearly getting choked up as hell broke loose. Katniss sprinted towards the building and lunged for a backpack, only to be pulled another way by the same boy who had caught up to her. Whoever he was, he was quick but Katniss was stronger and tougher and hungrier. She yanked it from him and he stood there was people were gutted and sliced. She felt like she was where she was a year ago, a deer caught in the headlights. She had thought she'd never have to kill again, that blood would never stain her hands.

A dark skinned individual charged for them and Katniss pushed the kid down and caught the fist of the third party. She kicked him in the gut, and while still holding his arm, she twisted it to the right and dislocated his shoulder. She then grabbed the backpack and smacked him over the head with it. She then threw him aside and turned to see Finnick holding out a bow and set of arrows for her. "You got me a present, how sweet of you. And here I didn't get you anything-" Her remark was cut off by the blond mermaid.

"Just go!" He pushed her back toward where they had come from. She nodded and headed off, dogging the bodies that already littered the harsh ground under her feet. Her eyes wandering, looking for anyone else. Prim. Gale. Beetee. Even Johanna would be a relief to see but Katniss only saw innocent dead bodies and blood. She found her fists tightening, coiling around the weapon she had been given. She had to calm down. She wasn't thinking like herself or acting like it and it would be those mistakes that would let her die an early death. A voice called out to her and she looked up to see Haymitch had made it. That was one good thing but it couldn't outweigh everything else. Her lips moved but she couldn't say anything as Haymitch pulled her along.

As they hurried along, she found her brain struggling to adjust back to such a hellish place. "They." She tried to speak but couldn't. If she could just get it out and move on...maybe she'd have a better chance. "They got Cinna." She finally choked out as they finally finished running along the road. Now it seemed the ground was soft, almost soggy. She could smell dirt, it was almost calming. She looked to the man as he pulled them off to another area where they wouldn't succumb to the unknown depths. "They came and they-they just." She gasped for air as she tried to blame anyone but herself but it wasn't happening. "They beat him. I don't think he's..." She trailed off and swallowed as they moved to a small patch of dry earth and squatted down.

She looked down and set her arrows down and just put the bow over her back and took the pack down and wondered if each one might be different. At least Haymitch got one too. She hoped Prim and Gale had got a weapon, if not at least a backpack. She had lost count of the canons she had heard but right now, her mind was being torn in too many awful directions. Her numbs hands finally uncoiled to revealed redness but she remained focused on the items. She pulled out a bit of rope, a tin oval shaped canteen that could hold about four cups of water, there was also a blue tarp and some chocolate wrapped in tinfoil. "They've been generous..." She muttered and sniffed the chocolate.

His heart had been beating frantically.

It hadn't really calmed down since they got into the air and were transported to the arena.

Gale had to wet his lips several times as he waited to get into the small cramped pod. He kept thinking about Prim and Katniss and Peeta who was watching. A lot would happen in less than a few minutes but he was ready. He had to be. And he was. He really was. He got inside as instructed and soon he was lifted up to the arena. He looked around, quickly making note of landmarks and where people were and who might be an issue right off the bat, and who he could get away from more easily. He could see many scared faces, as well as eager ones and he remembered the warning. Do not get off the pad early.

Or else.

Letting a slow breath, the countdown drew closer and closer to zero.

He was really ready.

As the Games finally began, he took off running down the straight line, eyes dead set on the sword. He knew Peeta and Haymitch had different ideas on how to handle the madness that was known as the cornucopia but he figured that if he got a sword first, then it would be pretty easy for him to get supplies since he'd have a weapon while some other unfortunate souls, wouldn't. Gale's bet was a big one but as he got to his destination, he found himself lucky to grab hold of the solid heavy weapon. As he held it up, he heard a cry behind him and turned to see two people hacking a small girl with their own weapons. His heart sank and his stomach lurched. He was going to be sick.

His grip weakened and Gale found himself gagging as fresh iron rich blood reached his nose.

It was a different smell then when he had to skin animals. He ran around the two and saw a pack laying on the ground. As he went to pick it up, a girl with a sharp javelin attacked him. He staggered backwards and swung the pack on his back and used his full weight to counter her attack. Luckily his weapon was heavily and much better than her slim weapon. The two metal object slid against one another until he broke them apart and she fell backward. He hovered above her and hesitated. He couldn't kill her. He couldn't. He should but he couldn't. She grabbed for her weapon which wasn't far from her.

Out of instinct, Gale lunged his sword toward her hand to stop her. She let out a shrill scream and Gale knew she needed to be put out of the pain and suffering. His face was twisted in conflict as he muttered an apology and quickly stabbed her in the neck, knowing it would kill her instantly, rather than risking a blow to the chest. He backed up and had to remind himself where he was. He had to keep moving. He looked around and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Beetee, Wiress and some others scurrying off and that gave him some comfort, which he needed at the moment. 

Breathing in, he hurried along and spotted Prim. They met up and wasted no time moving in the opposite direction of the mess. He was happy to leave it behind them. He gave Prim a weary smile as they kept moving until the sounds of agony could no longer be heard. "Yeah." He smiled to her when she mentioned his pack. "Getting the sword helped." He said, trying to joke but their black clothes already had stains of blood. It was hard to remember where they were, but they at least needed to remember who they were, and never forget that. "Yeah, let's keep moving and I'm sure we'll run into each other." Gale agreed but in the back of his mind, he wasn't sure if that needed to be their first priority.

"See anything?" He called to Prim, hoping to calm his heart. He had Prim and soon they'd find the others and Peeta's plan would start to form.