Rest was dire, just as was food and water.

Shelter was a possible luxury but not as necessary.

And Haymitch was the one who needed it. Katniss could tell he was close to crumbling and that meant they needed to settle down and try and get some rest soon or it could spell disaster when they were faced with more crazed killers and Capitol fabricated sabotages. Even though they hadn't made it to the edge like he wanted, for now they needed to stop and had to get as much shut eye as possible. She was sure somewhere, some sneaky bastard wanted to make the sunrise right now but Katniss had a feeling they could have a couple more hours before day two was upon them. "I'll be fine, so will you." She told him with a nod as he moved towards a bush.

Katniss looked around and remained standing. She paced around the area again before she circled back to where she left Haymitch. In another situation, she may have considered letting him rest his head on her shoulder, or even her lap but right now she had to be ready to strike, to move and evade danger and ensure Haymitch wasn't injured either. The mist had been the worst thing to deal with. Though with some more contemplation, trying to rest had been pretty bad. The ambush that jolted her awake wasn't so bad as much as the reality of death itself. With another soft sigh, she tried not to think about the countless tricks they might be forced to face soon.

The Games were nasty and she wondered how long they would last. Most of them lasted around a week but she also wondered if they'd drag it out even further since it was such a special one. Katniss rubbed her eyes, trying to ward off the sleepiness that threatened to overtake her. She wasn't as tired as Haymitch but she was starting to feel the ware of stress. The physical strain was nothing compared to the mental and emotional stress which went unseen by the millions of viewers, most hungry and dirty, while the few privileged never felt the distress of cold or disease.

When daylight broke a few hours later, Katniss was sitting down, her head hung forward. While she let Haymitch sleep most of the time, she managed to grab twenty minutes here and there, unwilling to try sleeping after how horribly it had gone for her. When they were up and ready to go, Katniss looked around, finding the daylight somewhat comforting but not much. "We'll need to be careful here." She mentioned as they faced the marshes once again. "Something tells me we can't rush through this." She said and began to walk down the thin strip of solid land, careful not to slip into either shall body of water on either side of her. If they ran into someone out here, she didn't think they'd get out of it.

Even though Gale wanted to make whatever mushy berry concoction was needed, he was willing to let Prim do it. He didn't want to botch it up and leave them without anymore berries to use. He gave her a small nod and a shy smile before stretching. Sleep did sound really good but he also wanted to make sure they were okay. Right now, they were out in the open and anyone could pin them down. Of course the area they were in also lent itself well in the sense that quick ambushes were impossible unless someone traversed through the waters and questionable terrain. So while they were out in the open, he wasn't sure who could get to them before they noticed it.

"Sure, don't let me sleep for long though."

He took a deep breath and then exhaled.

"I'll take the next watch soon." He assured her, though it also give himself some assurance too. He kept watching her as she then began to do as she needed to ensure the injury on her leg was dealt with in the best possible manner. He knew Peeta had to prepare them for their escape as well as a backup plan of having to live in the Wilds but he wished the mentor could give them something more, something they could actually use in the coming week. If they were to break out, they had to still be alive after all. Gale knew his anger with the boy was somewhat due to being tired as well as stressed.

Getting comfortable wasn't a possibility but Gale at least managed to find a way to sit so he wasn't too close to the edge. In years to come, he was sure the last few hours would fuel nightmares. For now, he sat cross legged and propped his elbows on his knees and swung his neck forward in a slightly right direction. It was by no means comfortable but it would do given their location and situation. When Prim woke him up next, he waited until she settled down before he made sure his hand was on his sword at all times. Dawn was quick to greet the pair and when it did, Gale felt pretty terrible, sore and dirty but at least he was alive, as was Prim and the others.

"The mountains still seems far away, we'll do what we can." He told Prim as he put the bag over his shoulders and then shifted his sword to his other hand so they could keep going. His stomach growled and he felt his cheeks flush in brief sheepishness. It wasn't distracting yet, but Gale knew finding food would have to wait for the time being. "Those pastries back at the Capitol weren't that good, Peeta's were better back home." He tried lying aloud, hoping to force his mind to think of surviving, as opposed to breakfast foods.

In the not so distant past, sleep usually came after a day of drinking. Now that he had been thrown back into the arena with little warning and a new set of morals, it wasn't a lack of alcohol that was keeping Haymitch awake, it was stress and worry. After being ambushed only a few hours before, it was difficult for the former Victor to close his eyes and let them remain that way, and every time he began to nod off, his eyelids snapped open and he found himself searching for Katniss. Every time, she was okay, still alive and still sitting there, looking alert as ever, and proving that she could handle herself. There were many menacing things in the arena, but sleep wasn't the enemy and Haymitch forced himself to relax.

Eventually, rampant exhaustion had come for him, forcing him to sleep without much more of a fight and he stayed that way until the sun began to rise. Those few hours of rest could have easily been the difference between life and death, but Haymitch felt somewhat refreshed as he sat up and began to work out the kink in his neck. The hard earth below was hardly ideal for sleeping and Haymitch was sure that his muscles would be stiff and sore for the rest of the day—the real battle was always day two when the majority of reality set in, when people realized how uncomfortable they were, but still needed to survive.

Soon enough, the pair from twelve were up and ready to move, but the marshes that laid before them were ominous. Thinking back to the day before, when Haymitch had watched that tribute drown, sucked down into the water as if she were nothing, he knew there was no way out of that. “We just have to avoid the water,” he offered, which was easier said than done, “and be clear of this place before that fog starts up again.” So much time had been wasted in the wetlands the day before, and Haymitch was sure that if he and Katniss hadn't needed to run away, they could have been in the shadow of the mountains by now.

Following behind her, ax in hand, Haymitch made sure to check over his shoulder every once in a while. It was hard telling who could be lurking around, and the career pack often took advantage of nightfall to plan surprise attacks for daybreak. There was no safety anywhere, not even in numbers. “Maybe we'll find the others today,” he said, although he doubted it in the back of his mind. On day two, the alliance was probably still just as scattered as when they had come into the arena.

Together, they continued along. Haymitch made sure to watch his footing, to not get too close to the edge of the narrow strip of dry land and the black water on either side of them.

After all that Gale had done that day, only letting him sleep for an hour or so seemed unfair. As Prim allowed the berries to do their job, she looked around the area, scanning the darkness for anyone, good or bad, but there was nothing and the only sound that she could make out was the buzzing of flies in the distance, interrupted by the croaking of frogs. The blonde shuddered, and then reached to poke at the paste of berries on her leg, still wet and sticky, but the wound already felt better. She looked back to Gale and smiled softly, seeing that his eyes were closed—he almost looked peaceful, the way he had back at the Capitol.

The sun rose sooner than it should have, but Prim didn't think that the days would remain consistent over the next seven days. Regardless, she cleaned up her leg and protected the area with a makeshift bandage, wanting to keep out any dirt of water from the wound that was sure to be a scar soon. After, she gently woke Gale, her pack now resting on her shoulders as she looked toward the mountains. They seemed like a world away, and she hoped that the journey would prove to be worth it in the end. “Even if we make it to the edge today,” she said, but never finished, already making bargains for their progress as they set out.

The growl of Gale's stomach was loud, and only served to remind her of how scarce food was. “Do you want some chocolate?” she asked, thankful to have found the extra supplies in those buildings the night before. In the back of her mind, she was sure that those in the Capitol were enjoying a rich breakfast, while the tributes and the rest of the districts starved to death.

Being careful was something you needed to accept and adopt quickly. Katniss hadn't been as careful as she should have last year. But this year, this year would be different. It had to be, she wouldn't be the only one at the end, she'd make sure of it. Last year, she was ready to kill herself and Peeta if it meant proving a point, if it meant truly escaping the evil monstrosity of The Capitol. Things were different now. She couldn't be so rash. She had survived and now she had to do it again, except she would make sure that the others got out too. She and them could refuse to fight if they were the last one standing. Or perhaps they could find a way to dig their way out. Plans weren't her thing, clearly, but Katniss could at least hope Haymitch or Gale might be thinking of something to help them out.

The man by her side was one who walked with purpose, if he thought he was going to die, Katniss wouldn't have expected so much fight out of him. Thankfully though, he wasn't giving up which gave her a clue that some plan was in the works. If there was a plan, and she wasn't being overly hopeful in a hopeless place, then Katniss wanted to know about it so she could help, so she knew they were working for something specific, not just flailing their arms. In her mind, they had to be working toward something though, and she would treat the Games as if they were going to find a way out or a way to beat the system again and make a stand. Prim and Gale had a future, so did Johanna and Haymitch. People like Snow couldn't determine their fate. It wasn't right. With a stronger resolve, she kept her eyes forward, knowing Haymitch had their back, just in case the mist decided to try to come out and play again.

When Haymitch thought they might find the others, her first instinct, was to just agree for the sake of keeping a positive outlook. But she remained quiet, trying to think of the likely outcome. Gale and Prim were out there, possibly heading for the mountains to be safer. Could they find any of the other soon? Katniss knew to keep fighting for a chance at surviving, they needed to find them soon. The ones pulling the strings however, would have other ways of preventing that as long as possible. "You're not getting tired of me already?" Katniss decided to give an amused remark, rather than continue to mull over the odds of them finding anyone who wasn't an enemy. Looking up, the hair on her arms rose as she swore she saw a horde of bugs hanging in the air beyond where they were. They were tiny and black and Katniss was sure their only design and function, was to inflict pain of some sort upon the Tributes. "Looks like we have company."

For the time being, the collection didn't move.

It was as if they were unaware of her and Haymitch. Maybe, like the mist, this obstacle was triggered by something. Whatever it was, she didn't want to stick around and risk finding out. "Let's change our direction, try to avoid whatever it is they are." She muttered and looked around to see where they could go. The indented pathway was very narrow and followed a rough pattern. Soon she saw a way for their direction to change but it would also mean not finding the edge of the arena as soon since their direction would shift. Moving north, she hoped it wouldn't set them off. Trying to avoid being spotted was impossible though. The hum grew louder and she looked to her right to see the collection of flies coming toward them. "Shit shit." Katniss picked up the pace, forgoing a delicate pace, as she stomped along the ledge, her right foot dipping into the water sporadically. The swarm kept after them and as a large wheat field came into view, she dove for it and the swam stopped just as the mist had. Rolling onto her back, she looked at her wet feet, trying to see if anything had latched itself onto her.

"Gross...let's hope we don't have to eat these." She glared at the leeches and looked to Haymitch for some help as the stinging intensified.

Moving along wasn't easy and he knew the next few days would prove that.

When Primrose noticed the noises of discontent his stomach made, he felt guilty. He almost felt like he was back home as well, when food was hard to come by but at least back in District 12, people looked out for each other, had hearts. Being in the Capitol had been horrible, Gale knew he would bad but he didn't think the stark contrast between what he knew as home and what others knew as home. Back home, he had his family and Prim and Katniss had their mother. He vaguely wondered what Johanna and Finnick and Beetee and Wiress had waiting for them. They all had to have some kind of reason that was pushing them to fight the system, rather than one another. Gale knew his own reason for rebelling was Prim, as well as his own family and the home that he loved. He was sure the people watching them with dead eyes and painted faces, didn't have as much of a passion like the others they deemed to be entertainment.

Even if he did feel better than the spectators who were nothing to him, it didn't change the fac that they had a long way to go and that Peeta was still back there, trying to make the impossible happen. "I can wait a little bit longer." He told Prim, knowing he could wait a few more days before they dug into the chocolate and that if on the off chance something with their plan went wrong, the chocolate may be more useful when they were trying to find their way in the wilderness. It was a slim chance but it could still happen. He thought about Effie and what she may be eating or if she wasn't eating very much to show her support. The way Katniss spoke of Effie made him think she wasn't very bright, didn't care about the cycle of bloodshed she was involved with. But to him, the more he got to know her, he could tell Effie was the kind of person who did care about stupid things but who also did sympathize with what was going on. He knew she and Peeta were in a tough spot, just to make a difference and he hoped she was well.

If anything, she was better off than them.

"We're pretty close to the field up ahead, it looks like it could give us a lot of cover but then there's not telling what's inside." He at first imagined a bunch of leg traps and pits people could just walk into without even noticing. He then thought about the sort of creatures that might plague and prowl among the tall thin whispers of honey and grain. It looked so pretty but Gale knew by now that when it came to pretty things in the haze of the city, that it could be very very dangerous. "Your leg feeling alright?" He asked her as they kept walking. With what little sleep they had, it was making a difference when it came to their perception and now at least, things would be a little easier and there would be less slip ups. Hopefully. Gale rubbed his eye and kept moving and saw the shoulder head length field waiting for them not too far away. "It might be easy to get lost here." He considered and knew that enemies could also be lurking.

"We should make some kind of tether so we're together." Holding hands wouldn't cut it this time. Gale approached the grass and took a knee. He then began to used his blade to carefully cut around the edge where his shoulder met his chest. He then removed the long sleeve of fabric and motioned for Prim to come a little closer. Gale then tied both their backpacks together. It wasn't much but it had to be good enough for them. He then put his pack on to test the strength of it. At least now, the pair could walk side by side and even have some space between them but stil, it did its job, which was to keep them connected. "We will take this slowly, the tall grass might be even trickier than the marsh." He said, wondering if he could believe it, despite the horrors they saw, at least they could see them. In the grass, they'd nearly be blind. "I don't know if there's anything here we could forage but I doubt it. What do you think?" He looked to her, considering her more of an expert on the matter.

The arena was the great equalizer. Despite how much the careers had trained over the years, Haymitch had witnessed lesser districts triumph over natural winners time after time and sometimes, it didn't matter how careful a person was—death came for everyone eventually. It was a sightly pessimistic outlook on things, to assume that he (probably) wasn't going to make it out alive, but that wasn't something that he planned to tell Katniss. The less she knew about everything, especially the plan that was currently hanging in the balance, the better because there was already enough stress plaguing all of them and Haymitch knew how worried she was about Prim out there. For now, he could only hope that Gale was protecting her.

“I was tired of you the moment I met you,” he quipped in return, offering her an easy smile as they walked along. It was the most natural they had been with one another since being thrust into the arena, and those small moments of reprieve were excellent motivation to keep going, to stay sane and not obsess about whatever may have been lurking around the next corner. As it was, Haymitch could nearly see the end of the marsh area and he was more than happy with the prospect of being back on dry, solid land soon. Unfortunately, artificial nature had other plans for them.

Up ahead, a swam of small, black bugs that resembled gnats hung in the air. Haymitch paused, hands on the straps of the pack around his shoulders as Katniss suggested trying to go around. It was, more or less, their only option, but the former Victor didn't think that the insects were simply going to stay in one place and let them pass without incident. There was someone behind those controlled, more than likely poised with a finger on the button and ready to send the bugs on the attack. “Where else can we go?” he asked, looking down at the narrow path they were already on—it didn't branch off anywhere else, but that seemed to be the idea.

At first, the plan of moving slowly and in the opposite direction seemed to be working but a loud humming noise soon caught up with them and forced the pair into a hard sprint. Haymitch felt his foot slip every few paces, dipping into the black water on either side of the path as the wheat field drew nearer. If they could just make it there, he thought, the bugs would stop the same way the dangerous mist had.

Diving, Haymitch slid onto a patch of dusty land, dirt rising around himself and Katniss who had turned onto her back. “Those?” he asked, catching his breath as he looked down at the few leeches that hung from her legs, “don't think that's a good idea.” With dirt-covered fingers, the aging Victor reached out and grabbed the wriggling, black body before sliding his finger across Katniss' exposed skin. A trickle of blood made its way down her calf, and Haymitch managed to say something soothing to her as he pulled the parasite free. The teeth were notable in size, ringed with red and still champing at the bit. With little consideration, Haymitch tossed it out into the field, hoping it would soon shrivel and die under the steadily rising sun.

“Do you have anything to wrap that with?” he asked, looking up at her as he reached for a second leech.

The time at the Capitol now seemed like a cruel trick. Before Katniss had won the games the year before, Prim was used to getting by on very little and making do with whatever Katniss happened to bring in from the wilds but all of that food that they had been offered the week before had temporarily erased a lifetime of struggle. Out in the arena, there was nothing prepared and every meal either needed to be caught or stolen from someone else. Prim knew what it was like to feel hungry, to bargain with herself that she could wait a little longer but hunger made people crazy sometimes. “Are you sure?” she asked, wishing that Gale would eat something if he needed it. Staving off the hunger pangs was easier than trying to fill up when times got desperate.

After a little more time was spent plodding through the swampy marshland, the next area finally came into view. They were almost back where they had started and inwardly, Prim wondered if another calamity was on the verge of nullifying their progress, to send them back to the start. With the image of that centipede still in her mind, Prim didn't want to risk taking shelter in the town for another night.

“I'm okay,” she assured with a nod as they straddled the invisible line between each zone. The field was nothing but tall grass, easy to get lost in and it was sure to make a fantastic hiding spot for tributes and mutts alike. “A tether?” she asked with a raised brow, unsure of the idea. It was better than holding hands through the field, but if even two other tributes were to sneak up on them, fighting them off was going to be close to impossible. Before she could even say anything, Gale was cutting at his shirt.

“We have rope!” she objected with a huff and immediately reached into the pack to produce the coil she had salvaged the night before. “You can't keep cutting up your clothes like that,” Prim went on, sure that she sounded a bit like her mother when she nagged, “what are you going to if they—if the temperature drops? What if something sticks to you?” It was the first time that she had panicked since being raised up into the arena, but the heaving in her chest felt justified as her shaking hands began to reproduce one of the knots that Katniss had showed her during training.

Haymitch's remark made her scoff in amusement, mostly because she knew it was true. But that felt like so long ago, and when you thought about what kind of people they were, not just to each other, time really seem to elongate itself. There wasn't enough time to look back and laugh at how things had changed. Even if she wanted to, it wasn't the right time nor place. Katniss hoped there would be time, whenever this was over. Maybe when it was, there would be a way to escape, to be rid of every stupid thing the Capitol had put everyone through. It was wishful thinking, the sort Katniss rarely indulged herself in, but it was better than thinking that in three days, her mother would be without both daughters.

No, she and Prim would somehow make it out and with any luck, Haymitch and Gale and everyone else who wanted something better, would be out of the clutches of the evil man who thought he could rule over everyone without any consequences. By the time she and Haymitch managed to make their escape, her mind was nowhere near Snow and what he was truly capable of, instead she was thinking about her survival and Haymitch's. They had a goal to get to the edge of the arena and at least that would grant the pair some protection. Whether or not it would pay off, was unknown but Katniss was willing to follow Haymitch's plan because it gave them something to strive for, no matter how small in the grand scheme of things.

Tiny pricks of pain attacked her ankles and calves and she chewed on her lower lip as a means to do something that didn't entail snapping out in anger. Thankfully Haymitch tended to the little buggers and she watched with a cringing face as he got them off of her. Even with them coming off, the pain hadn't gone away but she hoped it would, given a little bit of time. Her mind went to her sister and she felt a bundle of worry for the girl but also appreciation. Even Gale, had done so well with training and despite the grim obstacles in the arena, she was sure they were getting along fine, she could feel it and it made the pain slightly less annoying.

"Thanks..." She finally said after letting her breath out in small doses. "I...I don't...no." She bit down on her lower lip again but tasted blood so she stroked it with her tongue, not wanting a foolish accident to somehow be the thorn in her side that distracted her or became infected somehow. "I'll be fine though." Katniss waved a hand at the man, giving him a strained smile. Honesty wouldn't save them though, "It hurts but I think once we get moving, it'll go away." She told him now.

"What about you?" The archer wondered. It seemed one had gotten hold of him and she was quick but careful to get it off of him. She flung it elsewhere over her shoulder and finally they got their feet. "I can't even see over the grass." She scowled and jumped from one foot to the other but was ultimately unable to get a good look at what was actually ahead of them. Katniss gave up and looked to Haymitch. "Anything could be hiding in there." She mentioned. In her mind, she saw beasts more than anything else, on the prowl much like themselves. "We could always try to kill something and use it for food?"

Gale was certain he could wait. The hunger wasn't new, in fact it was very much like an old friend. One that taunted him from time to time but was also there when not much else was except for those like Katniss and Primrose. Gale and his family knew luck as much as they did hunger and he wanted to wait until he didn't have a choice, until his body and mind were insisting that he eat something for the sake of continuing. For now though, he could greet the old friend with a fickle smile and know that in due time, they could find another meal and wouldn't have to resort to their ration so soon.

At the mention of rope, Gale felt rather stupid. "Right right." He nodded and then undid what he had done and threw it aside, finding no use for it. "Your memory is a lot better than mine." He laughed a little and could almost hear everyone else watching beyond the arena, having a good laugh at the boy's expense. It didn't matter though. The rope would be useful and then they could put it away again without wasting it or cutting it up. "It's fine, don't worry, I'll be fine." He told Prim lightly. Her concern was valid but he didn't think his clothes would matter much in a few days.

The attire they had to wear was somewhat confining, didn't suit Gale much anyway. He liked the lighter clothes that didn't feel so tight. He tried to shake off the mild embarrassment as she began to make a knot. Gale looked to her, not sure if she needed to work herself up over a simple gesture of him shedding his clothes. He didn't really care what happened to it but he also knew he couldn't be as careless as he was right now. Still, what was done was done and neither of them were going to take the time to sew it back so Gale wanted to move on and get going soon. With their backs to the marshy area, he still felt as though some kind of horrible thing could jump out and drag them into the murky depths where no remains could be found of them.

"If you need help, I can..." His voice trailed off when Prim finally made a knot. In his mind, a sleeve wasn't going to save him from a cut or some other thing. If anything, it would make sure he saw he had an injury in the first place. Plus the air felt nice. Still, he didn't want them talking in circles when they needed to actually move on now. Once they were attached and given a little more room to move around in case they needed to fight, they started to creep through the tickling grass.

With his bare arm, he felt the soft feathery touches and pursed his lips, trying not to break his serious expression. Gale found little point in looking around though, as there would be nothing noteworthy to see except the same bland color and shape all around them. He breathing in and out through his nose and kept looking ahead, hoping that wherever they were going, was safe. The ground under them was soft and dry and Gale was hoping the marsh had the worst of the trick's up its sleeve. After four or five minutes of slow progress, he finally noticed they were being watched. "Something is nearby." He said quietly and stopped. Yes, they were being watched by Gale couldn't hear anything distinguishable and wondered if it was a person or something else. As risky as it was, Gale began to undo the knot, needing them to evade quickly.

Behind dehydration, infection was just as deadly as any tribute. Haymitch didn't like that he and Katniss were without a clean piece of cloth, even if the bites on her legs and ankles were miniscule compared to some of the other wounds he had witnessed in the past—his own included. Still, it was difficult to tell what the base of the mountain held and stomping around through the weeds, dirt and grass was never the most comfortable or sanitary thing in the world. Knowing that there was no sense in complaining about it, Haymitch did his best to put Katniss' safety out of his mind. For now, he could only physically look after her, and she was doing on hell of a job in looking after him as well.

Now that they were both leech-free, attention could be given to the grassy field ahead. It seemed to stretch on for miles, the shoots taller than he or Katniss, who couldn't even jump high enough to find a point of reference. “I think we're going to be food for whatever's out there,” he said, not seeing a point in trying to sugar coat their situation. The marsh had been one thing, but at least they had been able to see their surroundings—this was blind spot after blind spot and if someone, or something, wanted to hunt them down and kill them, it would only be too easy.

Unfortunately, there was no other way to the mountains and if they were careful, he and Katniss would come out on the other side in one piece.

Gripping his ax, Haymitch hacked at the tall grass in front of them, but the heavy blade, sharp as it was, didn't do much but bend them out of the way. “I think we're just going to have to wade through it,” he said, sounding dissatisfied, “it's probably going to take all day.” There would be no stopping for naps that day, no way to rest when they were sure to be waiting like sitting ducks for whatever lurked in the grass. “Let's get going,” he added, keeping hold of his ax with one hand and giving Katniss's shoulder a squeeze as he stepped into the grassy sea.

Just as he suspected, visibility was low and seeing more than a few feet ahead at a time was asking too much. “Stay close,” Haymitch said, his voice low as he looked to Katniss. “If we get separated out here, just keep heading for the mountain and I'll meet you there.” His life wasn't important, not the way Katniss' was and there were two other people out there who could help get her to the end. Even if Haymitch wasn't fond of Gale, he trusted the other man to do the right thing.

Stress was a funny thing. Although one shirt sleeve wasn't going to be the difference between life and death, it felt that way, and worse, the thought of losing Gale to some accident was starting to get to her. The blonde took a few deep breaths as she finally got the knot tied and did her best to remind herself that they had already made it farther than so many other tributes; they were still alive, still moving and sleeve or not, they had a plan to carry out. Glancing around, Prim hoped that she hadn't made more work for Peeta by letting her weaknesses show. Regardless, she swallowed her bubbling panic and prepared to head deeper into the arena.

Stepping into the tall grass, the rope between them dragged over top of the blades, which made the area feel less confined. It was a nice change from the marsh, no matter how unpredictable, and it was a relief to feel dry land under her boots as they walked along. “Sorry about before,” she whispered over to Gale as they went on, wanting to reach for his hand, but the middle of a strange field was no time for romance, “but I didn't get this rope for nothing.” It was just a joke, something to make the situation a little less tense but Prim quieted herself after. Aside from the sounds of their own feet moving through the grass, it was eerily quiet.

The progress was slow, but eventually, Gale stopped after hearing something. Shaking her head, Prim furrowed her brow, having not heard anything herself. “I think it's just us,” she said, but gripped the knife in her hand anyway, her fingers blanching around the handle as she strained to hear something among the grass. When Gale began to undo the knot between them, Prim reached to stop him, not thinking that it was a very good idea, but a shadow in the corner of her eye stopped her.

Behind them, there was the faintest rustling sound and whatever was out there, was making quick work of the grass that had slowed their pace. “Back to back?” she suggested, hoping to work out some kind of strategy before whatever was out there pounced. The centipede from the night before instantly came to mind, and Prim suppressed a shudder as she looped the rope out of the way and armed herself.

It was good of him to try and hack the tall grass but Katniss felt little shock when it refused to relent. She supposed the team had designed it so it wouldn't easily break and give Tributes with a blade, an easy fix to the problem of not having any kind of vantage point. Katniss hated how the stupid Game Makers had thought of so much. Just once, she wished they forgot about something or didn't push combatants so hard with their tricky technology. It was revolting to think they were getting paid to play God as if they were better when they were just luckier. Nothing more.

They got little rest the night before and Katniss had hoped that tonight would be better but he right, if they stopped too long, they would surely be cut down by someone else trying to figure out how to get out alive. She wondered if they could rest once they reached the end. But as Haymitch said, it would take all day. Part of her missed the marsh, as evil as it was. Looking over her shoulder, she made a conflicted scowl before looking back at what was in front of them. The unknown.

She started to walk but not before she felt hi squeeze her shoulder a little and mention that should they get separated, to keep going for the mountains. Katniss wasn't going to let that happen but she knew better than to act immature and hopeful. They needed to be prepared and stay focused. "Alright." She couldn't do anything except agree as they began to walk through the grass. She pushed the thin grass out of their way, not thinking about where cameras could be hidden or what traps could be laid out for them. All she wanted to do was get through the field without losing Haymitch or an arm.

After several hours had passed and sun had been beating down upon their faces, Katniss began to smell something burning. Immediate panic overtook her and she looked around, trying to see where smoke could be coming from. She heard the screams of a teenage boy from District 6, she believed his name was Jaxob or something. Suddenly the boy rushed in front of them before running onward, his whole body in flame. The entire time he was screaming that it just came out of nowhere and sucked him up. Katniss cringed and drew her blade and ran after the boy, unable to continue to hear him screaming for his parents. She quickly shot for his chest but he fell to the ground and she missed.

Cursing, Katniss loaded her bow again and this time she finally got him. A canon was heard and she ran over to get her two arrows. She looked and thankfully saw Haymitch had caught up with where she ran off. "I know, I know, I shouldn't have deviated...it just wasn't right to let him burn." She glanced down at the burnt body, there was nothing to scavenge which meant they could move on. Katniss and Haymitch resumed their walking and as the sun began to set, she knew they had to keep going or risk being woken up by a very hot fire that was as clever as the mist or bugs. "When we get out of here, we'll rest."

Being by the mountains, would give them good enough cover to take shifts resting. Of course once they were there, they'd need to assess the area like any other and Katniss was well aware that it wouldn't be easy. As the sun set, she glanced to Haymitch. "Night time might be when beasts come out to play." She sighed and looked up to see only minimal light now. "We'll be in the dark soon too." She wasn't sure if the durable grass would break off to make a fire but if they stood around and wasted time trying something out, it might lead to a terrible mistake. "Let's try to pick up the pace." Was all she could suggest.

With the rope helping them stay together, as well as remove some of the claustrophobia the field held, Gale felt his spirits rise. He knew they had a long five days ahead of them but at least they were finally making some real progress. When Prim looked over and apologized, he smiled to her, not holding any sort of bad feelings. She was worried, he understood that, even if he didn't understand the extensive worry itself. The arena was a tough place and they were both doing their best to keep a level head, so Gale understood that they couldn't always be calm about things. "It's fine." He whispered in return, his tone light.

The girl tied to his side then added she didn't get it for nothing. Gale smiled a little more. "I love the gift, it's a great accessory with our outfit." He replied, knowing his own attempt at a joke was pretty poor. Humor wasn't his strong suit but he was trying to keep things good between them so they weren't bogged down with anything superficial. Soon they would find Katniss and Haymitch and they could all suffer together. It would be nothing like the party they had for Peeta but it would be something at least.

While Prim hadn't noticed the change around them, which he attributed to her limited time hunting back home, Gale wasn't going to take any chances, which meant untying them. She reached for him but stopped herself. That was good and bad. It meant she saw what he did but it also meant they indeed, had reason to worry. He didn't agree vocally to her suggestion, but instead did it. He put his back to hers and held out his sword. The grass rustled once more and a large mutation hound finally showed itself, its teeth barred at them. Gale's eyes widened and it leaped at them. His instinct was to run but that would be awful, leaving him defenseless.

Gale swung at the animal and hit its shoulder. It then hurled itself toward Prim. For the next twenty minutes, the pair took turns taking on the beast, needing breaks to catch their breath but finally they killed it. Gale had taken some clawed swipes to his arm as well as a bite but for now, he needed to rest and make sure Prim was okay. He wasn't bleeding heavily and thought he'd be okay. Of course now he wished he hadn't cut off his sleeve and turned back to Prim to see how she was doing. "You were right." He gave her a tired pained smile as he picked up their pack.

The pair started to treat their wounds which weren't awful, but needed treatment regardless. A sound could be heard and he looked up to see a shiny object fall and land off to the left, about five feet away. Gale jogged over to it and opened it to see some salve as well as a canteen half filled with water. He ran back to Prim, rather surprised that Peeta had managed to swing such things for them. Sadly though, there wasn't a lot of salve for them, probably enough to patch them up now but none to save for later. The sun was also beginning to slowly descend. "Let's save the water and keep moving. I don't think we'll find sleep tonight." He said as he returned his arm to Prim so she could work her magic.