[IC] Beyond a Fire's Embers

[Genkai]

The approval of Haymitch would have been nice to hear, considering Effie and Peeta were giving him looks of stern disapproval as the interview began after a small break. Katniss watched Haymitch head on out, not too worried about his questions, as she knew his answers would be something more to watch out for. She stood by the others as their district's third tribute made his way out onto the glossy stage which was filled with lights and screens that showed various images and close ups of the two men who were sitting down now.

The first topic to be brought up was Peeta, which she knew would be brought up again when she was on stage next.

Haymitch didn't go into details, which was nice, but Katniss would have to do damage control for that herself. She and Peeta had talked that afternoon about what she should say and what she shouldn't say. Of course Peeta was more verbal about what she should say since he knew censoring her was impossible when it came right down to it. He and her talked about the story they would be okay with presenting, so that both her and Peeta didn't look like the bad guy, and that President Snow could be blamed for the star-crossed lover's falling out. Meanwhile, Haymitch had moved on from Peeta to having a plan. Katniss couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or not. If he had plan, Katniss knew she would have been told about it, if not to ask for her help, it would be to at least make sure she was on the same page as everyone.

A strange emotion filled her as she considered whether or not Haymitch did have a strategy. He was clever and helped orchestrate things last year, but Katniss wasn't sure if Peeta and Haymitch were able to plot again, or if Snow would be too suspicious of them this time. Before she could ponder further, the topic shifted once again, as things seemed to begin to wind down. Haymitch ended on a very stark note. Honesty wasn't something the Capitol favored, as the people in it content to remain obvious, just like those ruling above them. Katniss could tell that Effie was in a horrid mood thanks to the outbursts of Gale and then of Haymitch though by now, Gale's slip up didn't seem as bad since Haymitch's was clearly deliberate.

Haymitch was hauled to his feet and soon backstage with them.

Rather than anything or offer a smile back, she found Peeta pushing her off so the night could finally wrap up. She glanced behind her and turned back around and walked out to where Caesar was standing and waiting for The Girl on Fire. The entire crowd grew deafening as she appeared on stage and sought to find where Cinna had slipped into the crowd. Before she could find the man, Caesar had taken her by the arm and guided her back towards the setting. "Always the best for last, Ms. Everdeen." He smiled and kissed the back of her hand before helping her sit down. Katniss took a seat, trying not to make too much noise with her large dress. Once settled, she glanced up and out to the sea of colorful faces. She finally spotted Cinna and she finally felt comfortable. "Welcome back, welcome back." He cheered as the room grew quiet after a near minute of cheering. "I think we all want to know...how are you and Peeta?"

He leaned closer as Katniss remained quiet for a few seconds before forming a forced smile and clearing her throat. "It's not really easy for me to tell you this," She pressed her lips together, knowing her acting was pretty poor so she needed to get on with it. "Peeta and I broke up." Many people let out dramatic gasps and several others expressed vocal cries of dismay and heartache, as if somehow mattered to them. "We had to." Katniss glanced to the swarm of people in front of them.

Cesar managed to quiet most of the disappointed spectators down and then turned to Katniss and reached out for her hand, she gave him her smaller one and he cradled it between both of his hands, offering her comfort. "We were going to finally have a peaceful life together, one we earned." She knew she was getting off track. “We were so happy...for such a short period of time. But...after the Quarter Quell was announced, it just got harder as we both faced the idea of losing one another again. We couldn’t-we just couldn’t...” Katniss glanced down. She sighed heavily and looked up at the man, hoping she was convincing enough for Peeta, who helped her brainstorm ideas about the interview and how it could go. “Haymitch decided to take Peeta's place and for that, I am forever in debt." She said as Caesar squeezed her hand gently.

"I will always care for Peeta, but President Snow has ensured that even will I return home, Peeta and me will never be what we were before...at least with him, I know what happiness really feels like." Katniss blushed a little as her mind moved from trying to remember her and Peeta's discussions, to the person who was now on her mind: Haymitch.

Caesar knew he needed to change gears as it seemed talking further wouldn't do good for Katniss, Snow or the viewers. “What was it like to be in love with him? As I am sure those memories will help you push through the Games.”

A small smile tugged at her lips as she thought about Haymitch. “Well...I had never felt that way about anyone before.” Katniss said quietly. “I was happy and nervous and a little scared, if you believe that. But what can you do for someone who is in the arena with you? Who thinks they’re going die? How can you save them if they just want to save you and not themselves?” Katniss looked up, not thinking about Games last year, but the ones tomorrow, the ones that would test so much more than just her strength. "You had to fight for not just yourself or them but your future." She told Caesar. "But when I looked at him, by my side...I was filled with this warmth, like I was in the perfect summer day with the sun and breeze and of course the company." Katniss laughed a little, mostly at her girlish self at the moment, a little more than amused by her candidness. "With him, I felt strong and safe and in the Games, that's a very deadly combination because you are mentally ready to do anything to win."

"And we all know you would." Caesar laughed and let go of her hand as the topic changed finally, much to Katniss's relief as she was beginning to seem to gushy and weak but maybe that wouldn't bite her in her ass in twenty-four hours. "I feel we need to briefly talk about those in the Games this year, with you. Your sister, your friend and mentor."

Her demeanor changed as she gave a nod. "They will be just fine, each of them are strong and know what it takes to change the tide." She said, her eyes glancing to the cameras, not sure how much truth that truly had.

"Your District does seem quite formidable, I am sure you, Haymitch and Peeta were behind such progress."

"Effie and the stylists, the Avoxes too." She said, making note of those that were often forgot about. Katniss couldn't stand how the Axoxes were treated and she wished she could save every person the Capitol abused and mistreated. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow, I'm not nervous at all." She laughed softly, knowing he probably wanted to ask how she was doing, all things considered. "When I'm fighting, I will be fighting for so much more than myself." Katniss said. Caesar's face fell slightly for a very small moment before he decided to cut the interview short as Katniss had gone from her charming self, to a more calm serious mood. He knew ratings needed to end on a high note so he stood up and helped her to her feet.

"I can say, and everyone will agree, we look forward to seeing you tomorrow, although your dress will have to go."

"I was hoping to wear it, you don't think so?" Katniss had also realized her solemnness would make matters a little rocky with those she wanted to team up with. Johanna in particular. "I think I could win in this dress, maybe not the shoes, but definitely the dress!" She grinned and looked at herself, remembering Cinna's words. Caesar laughed, seemingly happier to end the night on a better note. "I could do with a little change though..." She admitted and spun around. Small bits of fire, the color of marmalade and goldenrod, began to flare from her dress as they then began to eat at the fabric. A wild cyclone of fire surrounded Katniss until she stood in a totally new dress which was much more like a iconic costume, than anything else. As the crowd let out cries of amazement and awe, Caesar tried to figure out what she now was as she rose her arms up and showed off the new wings. "I'm a mockingjay." She whispered softly and looked at herself again.

She was now ready to take flight and fight.

"Absolutely amazing, isn't she everyone?!" The blue haired man applauded and everyone else joined in. "Your stylist is one of a kind, someone like him is hard to find." He said quietly, something only Katniss could hear. "Let's bring everyone back out here for one final shot, so everyone here can wish you all the very best, so that the odds may be ever in your favor!" He called and Katniss turned to see all the other Tributes being directed out. She walked over to where Twelve was lined up. She stood next to Haymitch and Gale as everyone was alternating between males and females.

Caesar knew the symbol was controversial and also knew Cinna would not be in the best position now that he had sparked even more flames in the higher ups. He hoped the image wouldn't stick out too much, not because he didn't want to see Katniss make the changes she was capable of, but because he knew that President Snow wanted certain things to go certain ways. Caesar hoped tomorrow wouldn't be too hard for Katniss and her friends because of this striking action but it was likely too late anyway.

"You look very deadly." Gale smirked to Katniss.

"Jealous?" She teased him.

Johanna leaned down by the four, as she was behind them on the stage and purred,"I'm looking forward to tomorrow as well."

Of course they were in an alliance but it didn't hurt to have some fun, since that was now up to them to make, as the arena would likely be the exact opposite of fun.

[mmidnight]

Although Katniss's answers were decisive, they didn't seem to quell Peeta's anger very much. Not being in on the original plan was frustrating for Haymitch, but he didn't care how Peeta wanted him to behave in front of the crowd when anyone who had any sense of decency knew that these games had been manufactured to hurt not only Katniss, but all of Panem for having the audacity to hope for a better, brighter future. There was no way that Haymitch was going to leave that stage without reminding the people back home that he was on their side, that he didn't want to be there and although he was talking with the Capitol, laughing with the Capitol, he didn't support a single thing that they did. The real enemy was Snow and the people who silently went along with everything he said and did. Complacency was just as bad as letting people starve to death, as kidnapping children for bloodsport.

With the other tributes backstage, there was no way for Haymitch and Peeta to have any kind of confrontation. District 12 had already sold themselves as a united front, in sync from tribute to mentor and escort, and getting into a fight in front of everyone was only going to make them look more vulnerable come the morning. Haymitch stood there silently and watched as Katniss spun around to reveal her Mockingjay dress, the previous red fabric burned away so that those long, elegant wings could be shown off to the cheering crowd. The look on Peeta's face was unreadable, and Haymitch was unable to tell if this too had been part of the plan all along.

Just after Katniss was done becoming the actual Mockingjay, the tributes were hauled back onto the stage for a second time. Prim lined up alongside Gale and the new male tribute from District 11 to show some kind of solidarity against the Capitol. The blonde girl didn't really understand why it was going on, or if it was even written into the show, but defiance seemed to be the last thing that Snow would want. Regardless, Prim kept the worry from her face and did her best to ignore Johanna's voice in her ear. Ever since that first encounter with the older woman in the elevator, Prim had been less than a fan. Knowing that she was part of their secret alliance was almost enough to make Prim think that Peeta had lost his mind.

Almost as soon as they had stepped out onto the stage, the lights were quickly shut off. Prim kept hold of Gale's hand and migrated her way through the darkness. It was easy to follow the send of Effie's voice, which was growing increasingly more loud as they left the show area and walked back toward the elevators. Before they arrived, Prim pulled Gale back and held onto his hand as she leaned on her toes to give his cheek a kiss. She hoped that Gale understood her meaning, that she felt the same way and was happy that they had been honest—even to total strangers across the country.

“What were you thinking?” Effie asked as soon as the elevator doors closed behind the six of them. Her voice sounded less shrill than normal, more defeated and possibly worried rather than offended by lack of manners. “Why would you say that? And directly to the cameras!?”

The energy in the elevator was tense, but Haymitch was fully prepared for what Effie and Peeta had to say. “Did you want me to lie? These games didn't have to happen. You know that, don't you—or has that wig finally choked off your last brain cell?”

“You're not supposed to draw attention to yourself! Not like that!” Effie snapped, her voice shaking. “And you,” she turned her attention to Gale, “you ought to know better!”

Somehow, Haymitch thought that this outburst had everything to do with the plan, but he didn't regret what he'd said. “Leave him alone,” he said to Effie. “He doesn't want to be here any more than the rest of us.”

“There were things you weren't supposed to say,” Peeta finally chimed in, his jaw clenched as the elevator doors parted for their floor. The others were quick to shuffle toward the exit, but Peeta stopped Haymitch before he could get out, one hand on the older man's chest. “You've undermined me this whole time. I'm the mentor now and I'm trying to keep you alive.”

Glaring, Haymitch stepped toward the shorter man. “Do your job right, and I'll take your advice.” For a long moment, the two men stared one another down and Haymitch had the passing thought to get physical, but it wasn't worth it. Peeta wasn't the enemy, that's what he needed to remember.

“Enough,” Effie said softly, her arm coming between them. Haymitch didn't take his eyes off of Peeta until they were out of the elevator and the tension from the floors below had leeched into the penthouse suite. No one was saying anything, and a night that should have been grounds for the slightest bittersweet celebration now felt completely ruined.

Watching as Effie and Peeta walked off, presumably to piece together damage control, or talk about whether or not Haymitch could be trusted, Prim looked around the room. The Avoxes had set out a few treats for them, but a bottle of sparkling cider was left to beautifully chill in the bucket by the snacks. Prim left Gale's side and walked over to it, her fingers wrapping around the thin neck as she lifted it out of the ice. “We said we'd go to the roof, right?” she asked, wanting her friends to be happier. After all, it was the night before everything changed, before reality got to be too much and Prim didn't want her last night of sanity to be marred with anger. She wanted to enjoy the time she had left with those who mattered most to her.

Looking to Katniss, all of them still in their interview clothes, the blonde offered a smile. “Lead the way?”

[Genkai]

It was a cheesy display but Kastniss knew it could still give Snow some trouble and if that was the case, she had no complaints partaking.

Neither did Gale.

And just as it concluded, Gale was also happy to have Prim's hand remained clasped with his own as they headed for the elevator. Most of the other districts had gotten out ahead of them so thankfully the crowd had died down. He was mentally drained but the small kiss upon his cheek reminded him that sleep could come later, and that for now, they had a little get-together to have up on the roof. As they were all alone though, Effie was quick to get her criticisms out. Gale knew she had been keeping herself under control but he hadn't thought to make a fuss now, words couldn't be changed or taken back. He saw no point in getting upset now and before he could open his mouth to tell her such, Haymitch had already spoken up for both of them, much to Gale's surprise.

But then another squabble broke out between Peeta and Haymitch and Gale was about to step in but Effie managed to give them some space, literally. They got to their suite and parted ways. Gale kept hold of Prim's hand up until she went off to grab them a bottle to drink on the roof. He could use a stronger drink but he knew it wasn't wise before the Games. He gave Prim a smile and stepped out. He would like to change first but he knew the night could only go on for so long and that would just waste what precious time they had together. It was very likely they could be separated, perhaps even for a few days. Gale wanted to make sure their heads were in the right place so their plan could work, but more importantly, so that they could survive. "I think the sun set not too long ago..." He leaned over to peer outside of the window that made up the walls around their luxurious accommodations.

Katniss was also eager to get out of her dress, though she had no idea what sort of magic Cinna had done that had allowed her to shed her poofy red one but whatever it was, it was pretty cool. For now though, she was more willing to go along with the black outfit she now had on, even if it was a bit overly dramatic for her tastes. Clearly her fashion sense was pretty much nonexistent. As they got into the elevator, she kept glancing at Haymitch, not noticing the bomb known as Effie, was about to explode. When their escort began to then nitpick at the boys, Katniss couldn't help but roll her eyes. Haymitch's actions weren't really out of the ordinary for him, so she wasn't sure what the big deal was. And then she started in on Gale and that seemed to be the breaking point for the ex-mentor to bite back. For once, Katniss wasn't that eager to jump in with them and have an argument.

Personally, she wanted to just move on and not hurt anyone's feelings right before walking into Hell in the morning. She could tell Gale was antsy to say something though. Thankfully the elevator doors opened and they headed out. Effie had to break up a small but tense moment between Haymitch and Peeta, before both of them headed off, making Katniss wonder what was wrong with Peeta. Her heart went out to him but before she could go follow the two and figure out what was really going on, Prim caught her attention with a bottle of bubbly cider. "Oh." She had totally forgotten about the idea of heading to the roof on their last night in the Capitol. She gave a nod and glanced down and then looked to Haymitch and Gale, both seemed like they'd be warm enough in the wind but she figured some air would do them all some good either way. "Right, come on." She laughed a little, mostly at her forgetfulness.

Helping get some snacks, Gale followed Katniss, Haymitch and Prim up. Katniss led them around to the emergency stairwell and they climbed up two more flights of stairs before the girl pushed the heavy door open and revealed the skyline which was mostly purple and blue, with only hints of pink thrown in like chiffon ribbons. "What a view. I'm glad we made it in time to see the last bit of the sunset." Gale commented as he moved a brick with his foot, wedging it between the door so they could leave without worrying about it locking somehow. Glasses weren't really needed, they could just pass the bottle around and chat at their leisure. In Gale's mind, this was a pretty nice idea, one that he would surely reflect upon the the next few days. "I'd suggest a toast but I don't think we really need one." When they all made it out, Gale would be sure to give a mighty speech though, hopefully with Peeta and Effie by their side, no longer mad or anything like that.

"Please, I've suffered enough tonight." Katniss teased Gale and helped open the bottle with Prim. She took a drink and handed it to her sister before walking over to the rail. On the roof, there were many plants and even some benches with grass. It had changed only slighty between the time she and Peeta had gone up to talk about why they wanted to win or at least hold out as long as possible. Back then, which seemed like an eternity ago, Katniss couldn't understand Peeta's reasoning when she had Prim to think about. But now she could and yet things had also changed for herself and those around her. "I wonder if they'll be stingy with weapons tomorrow, given there's twice as many of us and there are others who are decent with a bow." She commented, though she didn't really want to talk strategy. She didn't consider, that Finnick or the other three would snag the weapon for her though.

Gale sensed Katniss's anxiety and took the bottle from Prim when she was done. For a moment, he wondered if he could tell Katniss now, if this would be a good time to tell her about the plan. She had every right to know. He took a chug and glanced down into the green bottle and licked his lips. "They want a good show right? No use trying to get into their heads at this point." He pointed out.

Nodding, Katniss leaned out and looked at the buildings and people down below, pitying them all. "You guys were really great tonight." She said, changing the topic. "Very cute, I bet District 12 is going to be well known for its cultivating love interests, rather than its coal." She laughed softly and turned around to face Prim and Gale.

"At least Prim and I will look a hell of a lot more convincing than you and Peeta."

"If they thought I was really in love with him, they're even stupider than I thought." Katniss shot back with a smirk.

Gale glanced to Haymitch for a moment, before handing him the bottle, though he knew it wasn't the sort of drink he was likely craving. "Well...I have faith in us. I couldn't say that when we were pushed onto the train but now, after nearly two weeks, I think we've all got a real shot." He said, trying to pick his words carefully.

[mmidnight]

Thankfully, Katniss seemed to be on board with the plan and diffusing the leftover tension that Haymitch was obviously still feeling. So many things were riding on the Games, and Prim didn't want to let one bad night, hours before the start, ruin their chances of making it out alive as a group. Aside from the four of them, there were others to think about as well, and Prim was sure that Johanna and Finnick, or Beetee and Wiress weren't currently about to punch their mentors for reminding them of their place. All too suddenly, Prim understood why Haymitch had been kept partially in the dark, and why Katniss had been told nothing. After that display, Snow was going to be looking at them under a microscope.

The climb to the roof didn't take very long, just up a stairwell and through one final door before the four of them got their first taste of the outside world since the parade. That event seemed like a lifetime ago to Prim, and it was hard to realize that they had all changed in the last two weeks, that they were stronger and more cohesive, capable of actually getting to the end. Prim took a deep breath of the night air as her blue eyes focused on the sky, the setting sun setting the horizon ablaze with rich colors. In a way, it reminded her of home—those times back in the Seam when everything had been so much more simple.

While the moods of the others seemed to have lifted, Haymitch was still thinking about Peeta. Although he wasn't usually one for apologies, he felt that he owed the baker that. Talking about the Games, drawing attention to himself felt like a mistake, even if it was the only opportunity that Haymitch had to show Snow that he couldn't get away with everything. Still, Haymitch's intentions had never been to jeopardize the plan or make Peeta's work harder for him by opening his mouth. Sighing, the former Victor raked his fingers through his hair, watching as Prim and Katniss popped the cork on the bottle and had a drink between them. At least they were bonding.

“There probably won't be as much as the first time,” Haymitch said, trying to anticipate the moves of the Gamemakers based on the last Quell. “They know you're the best archer, so there's going to be a bow. If you don't get it first, you better hope that someone who likes you does.” That more or less went for all of them—although Haymitch didn't think that anyone would go for a weapon they were unfamiliar with, stranger things had happened. “Just try to be fast,” he advised. This wasn't going to be like the other years where Haymitch warned against the bloodbath, they would all have to work to get what they wanted.

The conversation was quick to move on, but Haymitch didn't think that discussing couples was a pertinent use of their time. “We have to try and stick together tomorrow,” Haymitch said before the bottle was passed to him from Gale. Sparkling anything was never his drink of choice, and something harder to shake off those pre-arena jitters would have been ideal. Still, Haymitch took a drink and settled with the bottle in his hand for a moment. “The career pack is going to be twice as big, and they won't break off until they have to turn on each other. We find Johanna and Finnick tomorrow and stay close.”

To Prim, that sounded like wishful thinking. “What about Beetee and Wiress?” she asked, but Haymitch seemed to have forgotten about them. A group of eight people was hard to manage, even more painstaking in an unfamiliar environment and unlike the careers, none of them were out to win the games. Trying to stay together seemed like the best option but seven days was a long time and it was hard to believe that the Gamemakers, even Plutarch, wouldn't try and break them up just for the sake of throwing Snow off. Talking to Peeta before the Games was starting to seem more urgent and Prim hoped that the baker would fill in she and Gale before they were isolated inside the Capitol's playroom.

“Yeah, them too, I guess,” Haymitch answered and took another drink before passing the bottle back to Katniss. He hadn't meant to put a damper on everyone's mood, but being realistic was better than ignoring what was going to happen in the morning. There was a very good chance that despite Peeta's plan, they could all be dead soon.

Even with the last minutes of the sunset, things had turned serious once more. Prim looked around at her friends, from Haymitch to Katniss, whom she loved so much and then to Gale who had become so much more than just a comfort. “No matter what happens,” she said, also attempting to be realistic, “I'm glad we all had some time together. It's not easy, but if I have to be here, I'm glad it's with you guys.” Then again, the blonde couldn't help but feel the same kind of guilt, that feeling that said if she had just gone and died the year before, none of this would be happening now. The only way to repay Katniss for what she had done was to get her out of the arena and away from the Capitol alive.

“Anyway,” she said, shrugging as she looked down at her shoes, which were starting to get uncomfortable again. “I'm not letting any of you out of my sight tomorrow.” With a small smile, Prim slipped her shoes off and sighed with relief once her feet were back on flat ground.

[Genkai]

For Haymitch to fully step out of the role of 'mentor' was a challenging one and Gale knew not to question the recent conflict openly. Still, he knew that the man and the much younger one were bound to clash when it came to the management of their team and though it should have been done sooner to clear the air quickly, he wasn't very surprised by Haymitch's different style and expectations, throwing Haymitch off who was not only a tribute again, but also sober as well. Gale had to respect Haymitch for committing to certain things but he also hoped that the man could calm down. As the bottle was passed around and said blond began to fill them in about how things were likely to go down, it was made evident that Haymitch was determined to give them all the best chance at survival and he wished he could reciprocate the same, but their plan was too fragile now, to risk giving away.

"Same here." He could only say to Prim.

He knew it wouldn't be that easy but for now, he could understand the need to live in the shade of fantasies before it was time to stand in the blinding light of reality, that enemies were plentiful and chances of survival, plan or no plan, were slim. Gale took the bottle and took another few gulps before he set it down, the glass making a sound as it hit the concrete under their feet. Prim had gotten out of her shoes and he figured it might be about time to wrap up their little get together. As nice and as needed, as it was, he knew their last night needed to be a restful one. He was sure that sleep would be hard to come by during the Games and probably impossible to retain once they made it out. Katniss and Haymitch were proof that their lives, everything, was about to be altered forever. And thus it was tough task to get them all out but Gale just hoped, that the risk paid off, that he wouldn't be wishing for death, years down the road like some past victors.

While she considered herself a realist, most would likely call her a pessimist.

The skyline seemed unbearably untouchable, even more so than usual and she wished she could see beyond those lights, hear beyond those noises of inauthentic existence. The longing to be anywhere else was starting to make her chest ache, the more she stood around with the others who were there because of her inability to just properly die a year ago. If she was dead, Prim would be safe and everything would be the way it was supposed to be. Katniss noticed her own silence after Gale had chimed in with his agreement after Prim said they would all be able to keep track of one another. She was sure that they would be randomly placed in a circle around the middle of the arena, probably paying special mind to make sure District 12 would have a hard time meeting up. Still, she didn't voice her thoughts, even if she knew they were what they needed to expect and prepare for.

"You know, Rue and I developed a system for keeping track of each other." She instead brought up, knowing her point would be better made if she added a solution, rather than just poking holes and making Prim's notion, a problem or unlikely situation. "Maybe we should find a way to signal each other if we're in the thick of it." She paused and wondered how easy it might be to mistake an friend for a foe. If she ever hurt someone she loved on accident, Katniss would never be able to handle it. But the Games were truly unpredictable. She remembered seeing footage from about ten years back of a tribute who was fighting off a group and when her male counterpart tried to help, she ended up stabbing him on accidental but the blow had been fatal, leaving her alone. She was from the Ninth District and didn't last two days after that. "Accidents happen and we could get picked up by other tributes and put in a touch situation, we need to be able to find each other and know if something isn't right." She told them.

Gale knew Katniss had a point so he nodded and thought for a moment. "The mockingjay whistle-"

"It's too obvious now." Katniss cut him off. "What about...the song, The Hanging Tree?" It was used around their home but nowadays, not so much. Now that she was older and knew what death looked like, she had been able to decipher a different, more honest meaning for the song. She was sure it wouldn't be as subtle but whistling was out and she knew clapping or yelling would be downright stupid. She then wondered if Prim knew the words or not. Katniss used to sing it with her father but whenever it came to her after that, she sang it to herself, usually when she was alone or just thinking to herself but she knew it was likely that Prim knew of it and she was sure Gale did and that Haymitch probably did too. "Anyway if any of you can think of something better, let me know in the morning but these heels are killing me." She then quickly laughed at herself and looked down to see Prim had discarded hers already. "I think Prim would agree..."

The idea of the song had come rather out of nowhere but he understood the slightly twisted logic.

"I think it's a fine idea." He told her though he'd think of any other alternatives as well. "And yes, we should get back to our rooms before mother or father notice we're up past curfew." He smirked, referring to Effie and Peeta as such, as he was sure they were busy trying to tidy up whatever mess Katniss and Haymitch made. Gale hoped he and Prim hadn't done any damage but something told him, pretty loudly in fact, that he and Prim's interviews had been very well received. Bending down, he picked up Prim's shoes for her and headed for the heavy door and held it open for the others. Katniss flashed him a smile before grabbing the bottle and finishing it off as she then walked through the door with the others. The door shut firmly behind them and they made their way, quietly, back to their suite to see no angry faces waiting for them. "Look." Gale pointed to a big glass vase filled with white roses on the dining table. "Those weren't there before...were they?"

Katniss swallowed.

She hadn't told anyone except Haymitch and Peeta about Snow visiting her months ago and giving her white roses.

She had a feeling this wasn't his way of showing his support.

"Anyway, see yuo guys in the morning." Gale nodded to them and headed slowly back to his room with Prim beside him as he looped his arm around her neck, his free hand brushing against her upper shoulder.

Once back to his room, the door closed behind him, Gale felt the undeniable urge to wrap his arms around her and kiss her like there was no tomorrow, and that's exactly what he did. He pressed her against the door, making sure not to be overly forceful but enough to prove he didn't want to lose her, that he was so lucky to have found solace in her because she would be a big driving force in the week ahead of them. He pulled back for air and brought up a hand to cup the side of her face, as her heels had been thrown to the side of the room, making a clattering noise as they rattled against the wall. Like Katniss, he was sure that they would be separated come the start, and that they needed a plan to reunite or identify one another at least but all of that was fading away as he wanted to enjoy the evening with Prim and forget about the war brewing around them. "We're not going to be the same after tomorrow." He said softly, looking into her eyes with a soft but serious gaze. "I want you to know that I will still love you, no matter how much we change."

There would be restless nights and pain, scars that would never heal but if he could get out with Primrose and get away from it all or make the Capitol pay, Gale would happily endure it all if it meant innocent people were no longer forced into something they didn't deserve.

Katniss watched the two figures turn a corner and vanish and she looked back to Haymitch, her expression of content understanding had now turned into solemn anxiety. Of course she knew Snow could enter anywhere as he pleased but it made her skin crawl to think he was in a place she viewed to be something like a sanctuary. She wondered if he knew she was on the roof or if he had wanted to speak with her. Either way, she knew sleep would be impossible to come by, even if she had Haymitch's company and comfort. "You mentioned a plan?" She glanced to Haymitch before they moved to retire themselves. "I hope it's better than Snow's." She said, and with that she headed off to her room to get changed. Even if she couldn't sleep, she was sure as hell going to at least be comfortable while counting the hours until the Games began all over again. "Haymitch." She sighed as she flailed her arms, trying to get her dress off as she stood in the middle of her room. He could help her unzip and hopefully he'd stay the night. Even if she couldn't sleep, she'd be able to watch him and play with his hair at least.

"I used to think that song was simple. But now I know it was about a dead-man, probably asking his lover to die with him because neither of them could be free, even with all of the warnings he gave her." She pulled her hair around her neck so he could unzip her. "Now I wonder if he knew death was better than where she was stuck, alone." She laughed softly. In her mind it nearly seemed fitting for it to bind their lowly district together. Though she didn't notice she had applied genders to where there hadn't been any, that she could have been the murderer and that Haymitch or even Peeta could have been the one she was trying to save by summoning them to death's damnation.

[mmidnight]

The day had been incredibly long and filled to the brim with anxiety. Even after going on in front of the whole country with Caesar, and now being relatively sure that the citizens of the Capitol liked her, there were still knots in Prim's stomach. She couldn't stop herself from thinking of everything that could go wrong come more, every what if scenario that was beyond her control. Although she trusted Peeta, she didn't know Plutarch enough to trust him and knowing that he would be shepherding not only her life, but the lives of her loved-ones was troubling. Despite the planned promise to break free from the arena, Prim knew that Plutarch still had a job to do, a show to put on, and that she and her friends would suffer for their freedom.

The Mockingjay whistle was something that Prim and the rest of the competition now knew all too well, but the blonde had to agree that they needed a way to find one another in the thick of things. It would have been stupid to assume that the four of them could stay together the whole time, or that the Gamemakers wouldn't try their hardest to break them apart. “I remember that song,” Prim spoke, nodding at the mention of The Hanging Tree. She knew the words from her father, who would constantly sing it to Katniss, and after his death, Prim would sometimes find herself humming the melody. The song had been passed down from generation to generation and Prim didn't doubt that both Haymitch and Gale knew the words as well.

At the very least, the others were planning to find one another again when they eventually lost one another tomorrow morning. From the standpoint of a mentor, Haymitch could say with certainty that he was proud of them. Although Katniss had changed from the moment she volunteered, Gale and Prim had come a long way, and even if the younger blonde was still the weakest link in their chain, Haymitch no longer thought of her as a burden. “Sounds like a plan,” he nodded, not caring what the signal was as long as they had one.

Now that the drinks were gone, and the sun had fully set, the air had turned colder and it seemed as though everyone was ready for bed. The night before the Games was always the worst, and Haymitch remembered the sleeplessness that had plagued him twenty-five years ago. In the pit of his stomach, he was sure that history would repeat itself and that he would be up until the quiet, early hours of the morning. The only difference this time around was that Katniss would be with him; there was someone to empathize with, someone who understood just how hard it was to revisit a nightmare and duplicate the near impossible task of cheating death.

As a group, the four made their way back from the roof, descending the stairs and entering into the quiet penthouse suite once more. Upon entering the main lounge area, Haymitch's eyes immediately fell onto the vase full of white roses. While Prim and Gale seemed to be confused by the gesture, the former Victor knew exactly what those flowers meant, and who the threat was aimed for. Months ago, back when the ground had still been frozen over and before the Victory tour had kicked off, Katniss had told him about Snow's sudden visit and the words that had been spoken between them—this wasn't good.

“Goodnight,” Haymitch said, keeping his voice casual as Gale and Prim left down the opposite hallway. When the two were out of sigh, Haymitch put his hand on Katniss's shoulder, hoping to keep her grounded in reality. “Don't let him scare you,” he told her, although it was unsettling to know that Snow could come into their suite whenever he pleased. It made him wonder if the old man was listening too; eyes in the back of his head and an ear pressed to every door. There was nothing to be done about it, not now when the Games were mere hours away. The arena would settle the score, and start a war that could only be finished by the very people the Capitol had been oppressing for much too long.

Following Katniss to her room, Haymitch allowed the door to close behind them. “My plan is the same as last time,” he told her, desperately wishing that he could have told Katniss the truth. She deserved to know, even if Snow was watching her like a hawk. “Just stay alive, sweetheart. Stay alive and watch your back.” Speaking of which, Katniss was currently having a hell of a time reaching hers, and Haymitch smiled softly as he stepped forward and clasped the zipper between his fingers. He gave the metal tag a tug, the fabric parting to reveal her creamy skin. He leaned in a placed a kiss at the nape of her neck, taking in her warmth and the way she smelled. Little things were easy to remember when things got hard, and Haymitch didn't want to lose the image of Katniss before the Capitol attempted to damage her even more.

Before Haymitch allowed himself to become too caught up in everything that Katniss was, he stepped away from her and tugged at the blue suit coat, now feeling too confined. He tossed the jacket onto a nearby chair as Katniss waxed poetic about that tired song from District 12. “I always hated it,” he mentioned, laughing softly. “I never really cared what it was about, and it doesn't apply to any of us. We're just using it to keep in touch.” He knew the lyrics well enough, everyone from 12 did, Haymitch just hoped that random bursts of song within the arena wouldn't make them easier for their enemies to find.

After taking the vest off as well, Haymitch took a seat on Katniss's bed. His eyes followed her around the room as he tried to think of a good way to kill some time. “Are you tired?” he asked, although it wasn't hard to guess the answer. There was always more training, but that seemed like a waste of time—they were as prepared as they could be. “I just want to let you know...” he began, his voice suddenly taking on a softer tone, “I'm not going to let anything happen to you tomorrow. You matter the most.”

Across the suite, Prim followed Gale back to his room with new questions on her mind. Mostly, she wondered what the white roses meant, and who they were for. During the interviews, the older girl's burning and transformed dress hadn't been the only shot at the Capitol and Prim was worried that Gale and Haymitch had made themselves bigger targets. Now Peeta's anger was starting to make more sense, and the blonde wished that things could have been done differently. The Hunger Games were always won in the hearts of the public before a victor emerged from the arena. There was little time left to ponder, however, and Prim soon found herself wrapped in Gale's arms, her back pressed to the door as he kissed her.

For some reason, it felt like goodbye—the kind of kiss that conveyed all of those unspoken words and promised to remember better times. Looking up into his eyes, Prim held his gaze as he spoke, not wanting to admit that Gale was right. The blonde felt her lower lip quiver, and she clenched her jaw to keep herself steady. “I love you,” she whispered, not even the Games could make that phrase sound any less sweet, “no matter what.” Leaning in once more, Prim pressed her lips to Gale's, kissing him just as intensely as he had kissed her and hoping to make him understand that he had made her strong and that having him by her side through all of this had made everything that much easier. Prim didn't know how she could ever thank him.

The kiss soon became more intense, a little more desperate and Prim pulled Gale closer, quickly minimizing the space between them. It was all so sudden that she realized how frightening all of this was, and how much their world was going to change when the sun came up. Prim didn't want to let this moment slip through her fingers, her own digits now winding through Gale's hair. She pulled away, slightly breathless and her eyes a little glassy. “I should change,” she said, biting down on her bottom lip.

[Genkai]

It was still unclear if Haymitch had a plan or not.

The girl wanted to believe that if he did, he'd tell her and the others. But it didn't seem like he had one, or even an intangible idea, which was surprising. Haymitch usually had some solid advice or way to stay alive and despite all the talk on the roof, Katniss had thought based on the interview, that he really did have some kind of secret plan. But now she was seeing that might not actually happen, considering he was recycling his old mantra of staying alive, which really went without saying at this point. It was likely he was lying to Caesar about it, just to throw Snow up in arms but even then, that seemed a little risky and the more she thought about it, the more unsure Katniss became.

Fingers tugged at her zipper and she breathed in, not wanting to dwell on things that could be real or not.

Right now, the moment called for different thoughts, not those of deception or death, but of what they had left.

It wouldn't be easy to place her mind elsewhere but Haymitch was developing quite the talent for taking her out of the darkness.

She held the dress against her as they spoke and Haymitch began to shed off his own layers of designer fabric. She moved around and slipped the dress off, her back to Haymitch for a moment before she tossed it in the designated hamper and grabbed a tee shirt and shorts. Then she turned and got into said articles of clothing without worrying about being shy or uncertain, the two of them were beyond that point. Katniss moved back around the bed and once she had, Haymitch had asked whether or not she was tired. She gave him a look but it softened. He knew he didn't need to ask. "Not really." The thought of President Snow sending her a message was enough to keep her up, filled with anger while she pretended she didn't feel lost and vulnerable.

At least she had Haymitch, she wasn't alone in the darkness. She didn't think a year ago she'd care for him at all but now he had become such a big part of her life, that she couldn't imagine losing him. Haymitch then moved on from the idea of sleep. His tone was different than it usually was and she looked to him. He told her he wouldn't let anything happen to her tomorrow and that she was most important. She reached over for his hand. "Then I get to protect you the day after tomorrow." She told him simply and scooted over and put his arm around her. She would compromise and give him half the days. "We'll find a way out of all this." She said, though she didn't think it was possible, that wasn't important. Katniss leaned up and kissed him. "Then you're still stuck with me, just so you know." She teased, her lips still brushed against his lips.

Gale hadn't meant to give Prim the impression of finality.

He just wanted to kiss her and remind her that they weren't bad people, but people surviving who had a lot to live for.

When Prim told Gale that she loved him, a smile formed at his lips though he was pretty sure one was already there. But hearing her say those words felt right and there would never be a time that they'd be able help him feel better, feel like he was home and away from all the other crap going on. He wanted to believe that in a week, those words would be able to remind him that survival had been vital and that they still had one another, as well as Katniss and Haymitch and Peeta. The dark reality couldn't hur them tonight, as it would have plenty of opportunities come daybreak with the sound of the gong signaling the beginning of the 75'th Hunger Games. Gale kissed her, throwing every bit of his emotion into it, knowing words and actions, when used together, could be pretty powerful.

And this power could enough to change things and get away.

He could tell that Prim was getting a little more intense with the kiss as he pulled her closer, refusing to let even the slightest of gap exist between them, as the Games would pull them apart soon enough, and more than enough. Gale breathed in as her small fingers moved through his hair and the kiss broke. He quickly gathered ample air in his lungs and stepped back, unsure of what to at the moment, as his own mind had been knocked clear across the room. He hadn't expected that display to come from Prim but he was pretty sure he liked it. She said something, he only noticed because her lips had moved but he hadn't heard it. "Um what?" He asked and she repeated herself. "Oh right yes." He cleared his throat and found the redness from his face disappearing steadily as he gathered himself.

"I'll be here." He said to her, his voice slightly abnormal.

Gale watched her leave and he stood there for a couple seconds before he dared his feet to move. He got undressed rather quickly and headed into the bathroom to wash up and brush his teeth. He then pulled on a long sleeve shirt and pants and ran his hands through his hair. It didn't feel the same, not compared to Prim. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and licked his lips, reminding himself that tomorrow was different, that tonight didn't have to be tense or any different. When Prim came back, in comfier clothes, he got into bed and she joined him. He wasn't ready for bed yet, nor did he want to talk about the next day. He just wanted to back in his alone time with Prim. "I'm so glad this hasn't torn us apart, but has brought us together, a closeness I only dreamed about back home." Gale said as he pulled her against the side of his body. "I don't have any regrets now, and I don't plan on having them in the future." He leaned down and kissed her again, his lips capturing her upper lip briefly to give her a small sweet suck.

[mmidnight]

Did a plan still qualify as such if the main goal was to keep Katniss in the dark? Haymitch wasn't so sure, but having to lie to Katniss when she was clearly looking for guidance left a bad taste in his mouth. The former Victor didn't imagine that things would be any easier once they reached the arena, which was sure to have unimaginable tortures waiting for them. The hardest part was letting Katniss think that she and all of her friends were going to die, and the helplessness that came from that feeling. Normally, Haymitch was ready with some kind of reassurance, anything to ease the girl's mind and get her back into survival mode, but this time, there was nothing he could do. He didn't want to jeopardize Peeta's plan, and Haymitch could only hope that his relationship with Katniss, and hers with her sister and Gale would still be in tact by the time they escaped the arena.

As Katniss shed her dress and tossed it into the clothes bin, Haymitch did his best not to let his eyes linger on her for too long. They were well past the point of modesty in front of one another, yet all compliments felt rather inappropriate considering the subject matter. As much as Haymitch would have liked to talk about anything, or think about something happier, his mind had been rather goal-oriented since the announcement of the Quell, and it was difficult for him not to give advice when mentoring (no matter how poorly he'd done it at times) had come to be a part of who he was. Again, the temptation to tell Katniss the truth was strong.

After she had changed and joined him on the bed, Haymitch was at a loss for what to do with himself, and he allowed Katniss to take his hand into her own. He looked up into her shale-colored eyes and listened as she spoke. Her job was to stay alive, not worry about him, but no matter how many times Haymitch told her that, Katniss never seemed to listen. She had grown up protecting those around her, and Haymitch supposed that it was foolish of him to think that she would suddenly put herself first. Sighing, he wrapped his arm around her as Katniss pressed herself close to his side, her body warm and comforting as they sat there in the darkened room.

“I can think of worse things to be stuck with,” Haymitch laughed softly before kissing her back. Although his anxiety over the morning wasn't even close to subsiding, being with Katniss helped him to forget. He wished that he could have frozen time and stopped the Games from coming, but as he kissed the girl in his arms a second time, Haymitch realized that this was the next best thing. A selfish life, spent mostly intoxicated was nothing compared to the fleeting months of happiness that he had spent with Katniss. Reaching to cup her cheek, Haymitch deepened the kiss and pulled her closer.

After they had detached themselves from one another, Prim left the room. She could feel her cheeks burning as she crossed the hall and entered her own room, intending to change for the night, but as soon as the door closed behind her, she was leaning back against it. Closing her eyes, the blonde put her head back against the door and took a few deep breaths as she wondered what had come over her. The stress of the games already felt like too much and when things got rough, people tended to stick together. Gale was what Prim knew, and she didn't want to bother Katniss with her worries because the older girl already had enough to think about.

Now that she had calmed some, Prim pushed herself away from the door and reached for the zipper on her dress, which was conveniently located on the side. After getting undressed, Prim found a t-shirt and a pair of shorts to wear to bed before going into the bathroom to wash her makeup off. She was a little sad to see it go when Portia had put so much time and effort into her look, but the task of scrubbing it off in the morning wasn't something that she wanted to deal with. It took a few minutes of working her fingers over her eyes so that she didn't look like a raccoon, but after, the blonde was back to looking like her normal self. She reached for a towel and then released her hair from its braid.

When Prim came back into Gale's room, everything felt normal. It was just another night for them, more time spent at the Capitol and if Prim hadn't known what was coming in the morning, she would have been able to relax without worry. Getting into bed beside Gale, Prim soon found her place in his arms once more. “I don't either,” she replied, happy to hear that he didn't regret what he had gotten himself into—out of all them, Gale was the one who never had to be there. She kissed him back sweetly, much more innocent than the kiss she had left with. “I just wish we could tell Katniss.” Lying was still something that didn't sit right with her, and Prim hated that her older sister thought she was going to die.

[Genkai]

Both of them were rightfully on edge, they had an insurmountable task set out before them and odds were, things wouldn't end well. Stil, they were given some momentary reprieve of solitude before Hell began to rain down on them. Knowing who to trust, and for how long, would be a tricky task but Katniss hoped she could trust outsiders like Beetee and Finnick for as long as possible. But the endless barrage of situations was enough to pull her away from the oasis which she and Haymitch were sharing, and from that, she wished not to leave so she pushed all other thoughts away as he kissed her again. Katniss found a mild shiver run up the side of her body when the man rested his hand against the side of her face.

When the kiss broke, the pair were rather content, cuddled against one another. It was this particular type of warmth which made Katniss remember that she hadn't even been loved like this before. She knew her new-found relationship wouldn't be secret for much longer but she didn't care. She had him by her side and she would proudly defend him when lives were on the line. With some distance built between them, the girl was able to admire Haymitch's face more slowly. She wasn't thinking back to how he may have looked ten year ago, but was instead admiring who he was right now. She liked that person, in fact she loved him. From his hair to those grey eyes of his and even the light stubble that often graced his angular face.

"I love you, everyone else better watch their backs tomorrow because we have plenty to fight for." Giving him a smirk and another kiss, she wiggled deeper into the bed and the two turned out the lights, ready to try and get some sleep before dawn.

Lying to his best friend, wasn't something Gale felt happy about. The two of them hardly kept secrets and had know each other for quite some time. He knew it was hard for Prim to lie to her own sister, but Gale still felt guilty in his own way.

Katniss was a strong person who had been burdened by too much. He wanted to help, as did plenty others. The plan they had was going to work, if they thought otherwise, even for just a second, it would all fall apart. They had to trust Beetee, Wiress, Finnick and Johanna, as well as the others staying back at the Capitol who would help pull strings to the best of their abilities. Gale kissed Prim on the cheek softly as he mentioned that she wasn't fond of lying to her sister. "I know." Gale said with a heavy sigh and used his free arm to massage his neck. "I don't like it either, and I'm sure she won't once it all comes out but it is the right thing." He told Prim, trying to have faith.

The next seven days would be very hard and getting wrapped up in the mental stresses would only tire them out even more. The physical endurance alone, was more than enough to weaken anyone but they had numbers on their side. As did Careers, yes but Gale knew their team was stronger and had everything to prove through making a change and rising up. The more he thought about the end of their plan, the more hopeful and inspired he became. The Capitol was a hateful place but he wanted to believe that with Katniss acting as a mockingjay, the other Districts would also rise up and take back what was theirs. It was all coming clear, bit by bit. "We're part of a bigger picture." Though he didn't know as much as Effie or Haymitch, Gale still could tell from rumors and the interviews, that change was on the horizion and he was not going to be on the sidelines.

He gave Prim another simple kiss and got more comfortable so they could rest. "That picture is brighter than where we are now and you're in it, that's all I need to believe in for all of this crap to be worth it." He said softly. When the next morning finally came, there was a knock on the door and in his groggy state of mind, he allowed entrance without worrying about Effie or Katniss. Instead, their visitor happened to be Peeta. He rubbed his eyes and looked over to Prim who was fast asleep, holding onto him. He leaned down and kissed her temple before gently nudging her awake. "Prim, wake up. Peeta's here." He said and rubbed her side as she soon woke up. The mentor closed and locked the door behind him. "What time is it?" He asked the boy.

"7:25." He replied. "I need to talk to you both about the next seven days." He said, not wanting to wait any longer, they didn't have anymore time for that. "The other four will be looking after you, they've promised to put the alliance before the others from their own Districts." Peeta paused and Gale swallowed, understanding the grave significance of that. "In turn, you will also look after them as if they were from 12. Make sure Katniss and Haymitch have a clear head and remembers who our enemy is." He told them. "I've been told that there will be a long radio tower at the center of the arena, located under the cornucopia. The other mentors have agreed to send extra survival supplies, just in case things get rough. But you'll be on the look out for special wires and other intricate tools which Beetee and Wiress will use to construct a device that can be launched up to the tower's highest point. You'll need Katniss for that, the device will be designed to explode upon impact, thus giving us on the outside, a way to extract you." He told them.

"How?" Gale asked quickly.

"We've been given use of a helicopter. Just be there by noon on the seventh day and we'll be waiting. Finnick, Johanna, Wiress and Beetee have all been given their own instructions. Yours is to keep Katniss and Haymitch alive, along with the other four. The Gamemaster is on our side and has given us enough information about the location of the arena itself, that we can only tell you about the center of it and nothing else." After all, their intel had to be used carefully and Peeta needed more knowledge than those going into fight. "I will be communicating with you through gifts. The events at the Ball have helped us out and even with last night, things are alright." He smiled and stepped back, trying not to let it show, just how uneasy he was about this. He knew he should be going on and he wanted to get everyone out safe.

"Thank you." Gale said softly.

"Good luck, I'll see you at breakfast." He said and headed out.

Meanwhile, Katniss hadn't been able to sleep much but she did manage to get a few hours at least. When she got up, she saw the sun had just risen and she knew from now on, any sunrises or sunsets would have to happen when she in the Games, trying to not die. She sat up and realized she should have done more to wash up the night before. Either way, she spent some time stroking Haymitch's hair before she finally forced herself out of bed to take one last how shower. She got dressed in the clothes the Capitol wanted them to wear: a black skin tight ensemble. She had on a grey tee shirt underneath and then pulled on the long sleeve shirt and pants and found them easy to move in, much to her surprise. She headed out and saw Haymitch had gotten up too. "Why don't you go get dress and come back, I'll teach you how to braid my hair." She grinned, figuring he'd need to know sooner or later.

[mmidnight]

No matter what was happening around them, the fight in Katniss never seemed to be gone for long. Haymitch smiled softly as she spoke, sounding as though she had the world in front of her and nothing to regret. For a moment, the former Victor almost thought that this was going to be easy, and that he could get in, protect everyone and get out with minimal suffering. That false sense of security was dangerous, and Haymitch knew better to get caught up in fabrications of the future just because Katniss was putting on a brave face. That was his job, to reassure her, to make her feel like everything was going to be okay and he was failing miserably.

“I love you too,” Haymitch replied, wanting to reassure her that they were in this together and that he cared just as much as she did. It wasn't very like him to be so emotional, but Haymitch had never had anything to lose before. Eventually, Katniss had turned out the lights and the two did their best to catch a bit of sleep before the morning. It was a slow process, but eventually, he drifted off with Katniss still in his arms—and that was exactly where she belonged.

Getting to sleep that night had been stressful, and every time that Prim would start to relax, a new worry would suddenly flash into her mind. There was so much to consider, so much to manage and all of the anxiety that the blonde had been swallowing down since hearing of Peeta's plan was now keeping her occupied. In the darkness, Prim laid there with Gale and listened to his quiet breathing, she could see the slow rise and fall of his chest and his presence alone was reassuring. Gently, she traced her fingers over his skin and attempted to join the last few moments of peace they truly had together. After what felt like hours of stark alertness, Prim's eyes fluttered closed for the night.

It felt like she had just gotten to sleep when Gale was gently waking her, announcing that Peeta had come to see them. The blonde groaned tiredly and rubbed her eyes before sitting up, but her attention was entirely on the newest mentor. The finer details of the plan sounded simple enough, and Prim thought that it could easily be accomplished if they all stuck together. Finnick was someone that she trusted, as were Beetee and Wiress because Katniss seemed to like them so much, but Johanna was another story. Prim didn't vocalize that particular concern, or any others—it wasn't her plan to poke holes in.

“Thanks, Peeta,” Prim said once the blond had finished giving them their orders. “We'll see you out there.”

Now that it was just she and Gale once more, Prim sighed and leaned back against the headboard of the bed. “How are we supposed to when it's noon?” she asked, trying to get those last-minute jitters out of the way. The toughest part was ahead of them, looking like they didn't know anything all the while trying to keep everyone alive. Staying together seemed imperative if she and Gale were going to pull off their part of the plan.

Exhaling sharply, as if to signal that she was ready for whatever the Capitol threw at them, Prim threw the covers back and turned to Gale. “I'm going to take a shower—try and wake up a little more.” It was still early, but attempting to go back to sleep wasn't an option. Prim slipped out of bed and turned back to Gale, but before leaving the room, she cupped his face in her small hands and gave him a kiss. “I love you, okay? Remember that and we'll be okay.” It was a reassurance for herself, but those three words needed to be said while there was still a chance. After, Prim left to get ready for the day.

Unlike Katniss, Haymitch hadn't even bothered to change for bed. He had still been in his suit pants and collared shirt when he'd fallen asleep and while the outfit wasn't the most comfortable thing he'd ever fallen asleep in, it certainly wasn't the worst. He was still coming to when Katniss's presence in the room forced him to open his eyes. Her hair was still wet from the shower, but she was already dressed for the Games. Haymitch made a face, thinking that the apparel from his year was much more appealing—at the very least, it had been much simpler.

It was too early for a suggestion like that, and Haymitch scoffed as he sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. He was tired, the night had been hard on him, but he had just enough energy to function once things got started. “Isn't that what your sister's for?” Haymitch asked, having no intention to braid anything or ever learning how it was done. “Make her do it.” The girls had been braiding for one another since they'd arrived at the Capitol, and Haymitch didn't see why the task suddenly fell to him and his incompetent fingers.

Always surly in the morning, Haymitch left the room to get a shower and ready himself for the Games.

After taking a hot shower, Prim felt better and much more alert. She did her best to shut her mind off as she dressed herself in the tight, black fabric that had been laid out for her. It didn't look very comfortable just lying on her bed, but it was easy to move in and Prim was glad that the Capitol wasn't trying to kill them by keeping them still. Before leaving the room, the blonde took a few deep breaths and then headed out into the main area. She could already hear Effie tittering around.

“Morning,” she greeted the escort and Peeta with a measured smile. Effie's own expression was much of the same, a front to conceal how sad she was. Again, Prim tried not to focus on it as she sat down and took a plate of eggs. Her appetite wasn't much, but eating now was better than starving later that night. Taking a bite of the fluffy yolks, Prim looked up to see the others arriving to the table.

[Genkai]

His refusal to learn how to braid hair was expected but she still thought he'd need to learn sooner or later. Of course, he had selected the "later" option and for now, she let him off the hook and would let Prim do it before they left. By now, both girls could braid hair pretty easily but somehow braiding their own hair did post more of a challenge as opposed to pleasure, like when they had the rare "girly" comment about boys or their lives. Katniss would give almost anything to go back in the past to when they barely got by every week, living on scraps. At least back then, no one was actively trying to murder them, and that their own survival was in their own hands, no one was seemingly pulling strings around their surroundings.

She headed out and rubbed her eyes, trying to tell herself this wasn't a dream or even a nightmare, that it was just real and they had to get through it. The day they had been dreading, the one she had been dreading for months, had finally arrived and she wanted to be ready to give everything back that had been ripped from her hands. She was ready to show everyone that the Capitol couldn't control them, couldn't do whatever they wanted without their share of the consequences. And in Katniss's book, they had a lot of debt to collect and she was more than eager to throw it back in their faces. "Hey." She greeted the others and looked over at Prim, pleased to see her sister was also taking the final morning in stride.

Prim had come such a long way and Katniss owed it to Haymitch and Gale and even Effie. But most of all, it was Prim who picked herself up and kept moving forward when Katniss had been doubting her. But Prim was becoming tenacious and that would serve them well in a few hours. As her older sister, Katniss wanted to celebrate Prim's growth but knew their time was limited as it was, still she would do her best pass along her praise while they had time together. She sat next to her sister at the table and served herself a good portion of food but not any amount that would make her bloated or tired. "I am really proud of you Prim." She said as she set down the glass of orange juice she had just poured for herself. "You have done so much and I know you have the skills to make it to the end." She said.

Hearing Prim say those three words would give him the will to move any sort of mountains if need be. Gale knew their love would be put to the test very soon but he didn't worry about that. The plan was ambitious but now they had a better picture of how things would go. All they had to do was find each other and stick together. He got ready once Prim had taken her leave. He got showered in record time and got dressed in the regulated uniform and found it oddly comfortable. He would have thought they would have given them hardly anything and then drop them in some frozen wasteland. That would be too easy of course.

As he headed out, he found he was the first to do so. He was about to get some breakfast when Effie stopped him and motioned him off towards where she and Peeta had their rooms. After some walking around the large suite, they got to her room and of course, it had ungodly amounts of make up and rigs and outfits, too many for the boy to bother counting. Effie went over to her dresser and pulled out a necklace. The chain was black and strudy, the links larger than most with a small steel falcon with golden eyes taking flight, both wings expanding. She then began to sniffle and he pulled her into a hug as the woman began to babble about how sorry she was for all of them and how she would do everything she could to keep everyone safe and how much she admired their District. Gale kissed her cheek and stepped back.

"Thank you, Effie." He said and put it on and slipped it under his tight black top. He grabbed a tissue and handed it to her and she said she'd fix her makeup and she'd be right out. Gale nodded and headed out and made it way up to the table. Soon Haymitch, Effie, Peeta and the ladies joined them. He couldn't ignore the nerves inside his stomach. It was as if little bugs were flying around, fighting to escape from within. He touched the small bump where the falcon was and tried to reassure himself. He looked at Prim who was sitting diagonally from him. "How much time do we have?" He asked and looked from Effie, to Peeta who set down his fork and swallowed his hash browns. He said they had less than an hour and suddenly the bugs sprang to life again. "Thanks."

"The hovercraft will take everyone at once, you'll have time with Peeta before take off." Effie said, trying to show the four that there wasn't anything to worry about.

But there was a lot to worry about.

"They'll put trackers in our arms." Katniss spoke up. "They did it last year." She remembered, it had hurt.

Probably on purpose.

Even though Peeta knew the general layout, he couldn't give much away, as much as he wanted to. "I know you're going to want to run straight for the weapons, don't." Peeta said, knowing every mentor would have a similar tactic, expect for those who were bloodthirsty and fine with killing. Peeta knew Gale and Primrose needed to be eased into that part, if possible. If they charged into the mess, they would surely be killed in the chaos. "Supplies are put closer to you than the weapons, if you can get a backpack, do it but it's not necessary." He said. "Run the other way, find someplace tall and get your bearings, try to find the other allies." He said and stopped himself, knowing Snow could be listening in. Shit. "The order everyone is in, is supposedly random but...you four need to meet up fast but don't let that give you tunnel vision either. You all can survive on your own if needed." He said firmly.

"If you can locate each other within the first day or two, that's good." He nodded. "But like I said, don't run around looking for them when you could be running into a trap or end up missing someone who is hiding and looking for Tributes who have one thing on their mind: shelter, fire, water, friends." He gave examples before continuing. "Those people die quick because they forget about their surroundings. Like I said, figure where you are and what and who is around you. Forage quickly, keep moving but be careful."

Gale tried to take it all in but it was still a lot. "Alright..." He looked to Prim and Katniss, remembering the song they could use to signal each other. They couldn't tell Peeta know but it would surely come up and he'd get the idea.

"It's not as impossible as Peeta is making it sound." Katniss spoke up, knowing Haymitch would want to add his own two cents in now. She took a small bite of her toast and then a large drink.

[mmidnight]

Normally, hearing praise from Katniss would have made Prim incredibly happy. It wasn't every day that the older girl found a reason to speak highly of someone, and the blonde knew just how rare this moment was. However, those words had fallen flat, and Prim didn't think that there was anything for Katniss to be proud of when she and the rest of their alliance had been lying to her face almost as soon as they had arrived at the Capitol. Still, Prim managed a smile and did her best to think about just what Katniss was saying, how proud she really was. Acknowledgment, no matter how much guilt it was soaked in, was still nice to hear. “Thank you,” the younger girl smiled, “you helped me a lot, though.” They all had, and Prim was grateful that the others even cared to lift her up.

Soon enough, the others began to arrive to the table, but Haymitch was the last to show his face. Hearing that they had less than hour before all hell broke loose was intimidating, but Prim managed not to look worried on the outside. Instead, she forced herself to eat—another bite of toast, another forkful of eggs and a swallow of juice—it was a system that seemed to work well enough, even as Peeta began to give them the rundown of how things would go. In that moment, he seemed like a natural leader, as if the mentor position had been made for him, and he hadn't just stepped into it after Haymitch had turned into a tribute once more.

The hovercraft, the trackers, the general feeling of unavoidable doom was something that Haymitch was all too familiar with. He didn't need Effie, or Peeta (especially) to tell him how things were going to go, not when he had been a mentor for more than two decades and had suffered through the arena once before. The only difference about this Quarter Quell was that things would be more sophisticated, more advanced and the horrors that would be inflicted upon himself and the others was mostly unimaginable. In the back of his mind, Haymitch knew that everyone only wanted a good show, that television was always going to be terrible trash, but there was no real way to rationalize what was about to happen to them. Bitterly, the former Victor stabbed at a piece of breakfast sausage.

“A backpack isn't going to save my life,” Prim said after Peeta had finished.

Looking up from his place, Haymitch raised a surprisingly proud eyebrow. Out of everyone at the table, Prim was the last person he expected to question Peeta's methods. He was planning on doing it himself, but a mouth full of dry toast had prevented it. “Finding each other isn't impossible,” he agreed, looking to Katniss, “but finding each other without weapons is.” He paused and looked to Peeta and remembered the line he was now toeing with the boy. “There's no telling what could be in a backpack, but...if you're fast, I'd try and get both.”

For years, Haymitch's advice to his tributes from District 12 had been the same—snag a backpack early, run fast, run far and stay alive. Somehow, the older blond didn't think that same advice would qualify this time around. These latest games weren't just about punishment, they were about punishing one person, the girl across from him who had dared to defy the Capitol. If she ran, they would find her, if she didn't arm herself, they would find her quicker and Haymitch had to agree that backpacks weren't going to do much of anything for anyone in the long run. If this was the previous year, Haymitch would have agreed with Peeta in a heartbeat, but there was so much more at stake this time.

Although Prim wanted to cooperate with Peeta, do everything he said and make sure that the plan went smoothly, not having a weapon just sounded crazy. She hadn't trained for nothing, and when there were members of their own alliance that she didn't trust, Prim didn't want to be without something to defend herself with. She was fast enough, she thought that much of herself. Looking to Katniss and then to Gale, Prim had a decision to make.

“The bloodbath isn't worth it,” Peeta spoke up to the defiance. “It's a good way to get yourselves killed.”

Seven days was such a long time, but Prim didn't want to die within the first few minutes of the games. She was inexperienced, had no idea what the bloodbath was like aside from seeing it on television and she supposed that Peeta was only trying to keep them safe. She idly pushed bits of egg around her plate, having lost her appetite entirely.

When the mood was sucked out of a room, Effie was always there to fix it. “None of you are going to get yourselves killed,” she promised with a smile. Her expression didn't falter, although Haymitch knew how sad she was. The brightly-colored woman had never been one to get overly attached to her tributes, but that had changed the year before when they had started to show some promise—she cared deeply for Katniss and Peeta, and now Prim and Gale and although he didn't like to admit it, himself as well. Haymitch would have been lying if he said he didn't care about her too.

“You can give all the advice you want,” Haymitch shrugged and then looked pointedly to Katniss with an amused grin, “doesn't mean they'll listen.” The Girl On Fire had cherry-picked every word of advice he had given the year before, but it kept her and Peeta alive. “Instinct just kind of takes over, anyway.” If they didn't listen, if they all ran straight for the cornucopia, it would be no fault of Peeta's.

[Genkai]

While Haymitch might have been impressed by Prim's remark, Katniss was not.

She was getting rather annoyed with how people were treating Peeta. First Haymitch and now Prim. Katniss was sure being a mentor to four Tributes was hard enough but add on her and Haymitch, who had plenty of his own wisdom and hardened experience, and she was sure Peeta was struggling. Sure, they had given him a birthday party but it still didn't excuse how people were snipping at the poor guy. While she wasn't sure if she was going to go for a pack or a weapon or both, she knew Peeta's advice had been given to give Prim and Gale for a better chance at surviving as opposed to getting caught up in a mess like Katniss had last year. She remembered dealing with some rotten people when she made the risky decision to go for the cornucopia.

Still, Katniss figured Prim and Gale were nervous, despite outward appearances, she just hoped they trusted Peeta's advice, as well as their own instincts. What they did in the moment would be their own choice to make as she and Peeta were proof of that. So she refrained from say anything herself as the topic of what to do continued to be passed around. Gale seemed to also take that route as Haymitch and Peeta offered some more morsels of advice before the mood grew more serious and stiff. Effie tried to mend the atmosphere but the damage was done and each person was now left to their own thoughts and ideas as to how to approach the issue of arming yourself but also not getting caught in a bloodbath with nearly fifty other scared and angry people.

"Listen to Peeta." Katniss gave Haymitch a look when he gave her one. She smirked slightly and looked back to Gale and Prim. "But it's up to you what you do out there." She nor Haymitch could babysit them and that went without saying so Katniss didn't bother with pointing that out. She would look out for them but she also knew if she spent all of her time fretting and worrying, she wouldn't last longer than a day or two. "We may have experience but each Game is different." She contested with a shrug, not wanting to really get into a fight over who was right, Haymitch or Peeta. Now wasn't the time, now was the time to get pumped up, or at least happier because in the Games, finding good cheer would be more difficult. "Anyway..."

"Anyway," Gale spoke up, wanting to move on. "We should probably thank Peeta and Effie for being so supportive."

"Oh Gale, it's been our pleasure, let me assure you." Effie fawned.

"Will we get to see Portia and Cinna before we go?" Gale asked.

Katniss glanced to Effie, wondering the same thing.

"Well...it's possible, I'll see what I can do." Effie considered as they finished up breakfast.

Gale got up and helped clean up but the Avoxes ushered him away so he headed down the stairs and saw Katniss and Prim braiding each other's hair as usual. He moved to the couch, having seen Effie waddle off towards her room with Peeta in tow. Haymitch seemed to be doing his own thing and Gale hated having to play the waiting game. It wasn't fun. He thought he should say something to get everyone more prepared, as the tone still felt very depressing. They were going to go in and fight and with Peeta's help, they might actually win and come out alive somehow. Of course he could see why Katniss and Haymitch wouldn't be thrilled, having been kept on the outside but he would have hoped Prim would be able to help buck everyone up.

"I know it may sound stupid to say, but...I am looking forward to the Games." Gale spoke up. "I mean, we've been working towards them for nearly two weeks and they're finally here and we don't have to count the days anymore or worry about knowing this or that because it's time." He began to say. "There's going to be forty-four people trying to kill us but I've been looking at the odds and...at least a fifth or fourth of that amount should be killed in the fist couple of minutes, if not the first day." He pointed out. "The ones who do get away with packs or weapons or both if they're fast and lucky and have guts, sure they're more dangerous but at least we still have better odds than when the Games began." He said. "We're going to keep seeing each sunrise until we don't have to fight anymore and I'm looking forward to showing some of those jerks we had to train with, just how dangerous District 12 really is."

It wasn't the kind of motivational speech Gale had been aiming for but it was better than arguing about tactics or made up situations. The best thing they could do was focus on the task at hand and take one step at a time while only worrying about the future a little bit when it came to surviving, as opposed to where people would be and who was after you. Even so, Gale wanted to make sure everyone had their head in the game, no pun intended, and so far, he wasn't convinced that the other three were hung up on the little things. He wanted his friends to be able to go in and not feel unsettled or upset for anything. "We've all come a long way, doing our own training but also getting along." Some of this was old material but he felt the need to impress upon them, the faith he had in them. "We shouldn't be here but we are and we're going to be fight as hard as we can." By now, Effie and Peeta had walked back into the living room.

"Because if we don't, Effie is going to cry and ruin her make up." Gale grinned and gestured to her.

The others turned and the woman let out a strained laugh as she motioned for an Avox to come over with the glasses of warm bubbly cider with odd decorations coming out of the tall flutes of varying colors. Gale grabbed a green glass and took a sip, finding it funny that the sensation tickled his nose but also calmed him down. Katniss had snagged a rose colored tall glass and sniffed the flower sticking out of her drink. He shrugged and took a drink all the same. "We're so proud of you and know you'll do fantastic! I've heard through the grapevine that Sponsors are already interested in helping out." She encouraged them, not minding if anyone was listening in on their conversation.

Katniss finished about half before she set it down on one of the glass tables and walked over to Peeta and Effie. The archer wasn't one for mushy moments or even giving much praise unless it was sarcastic but she could see how stressed the two were and to show her gratitude, she briefly hugged them. Peeta whispered a word of encouragement in her ear before he said it was time for them to go. After some hugs were exchanged, the four of them, plus Peeta, headed into the elevator. As the machine slowly glided downwards, Katniss could see other clusters forming in the lobby, mentors and tributes mingling together as the last couple of minutes ticked down. "Any news on the stylists?" Gale asked.

"No, sorry." Peeta replied as the doors opened and they stepped out. As they walked towards the outside exit to where the hovercraft was, they had brief comments about what to do and not do but for the most part, it seemed like Peeta was less inclined to say much though and Katniss wasn't sure why. She caught the faces of some of the others she knew and some of those who were clearly scared, the younger fresh faced tributes. Gale spotted their old friends from a week ago but didn't say anything about them to Prim, as it didn't matter anymore. A huge knot was tightening itself in his stomach but Gale was doing his best to remind himself that they were all capable people who had a chance, plan or no plan. He glanced to Primrose and smiled but it soon fell as they stepped outside into the sunlight.

How long had it been since he had felt such thing?

Katniss was also welcoming of the sunlight. She had missed it for so long and hated how structured the Capitol was in regards to letting their pets out of their cages so infrequently. Either way, Katniss was trying to take Gale's words to heart and stay focused. And she was. Katniss had done this before, she knew what to expect, generally speaking, and she was ready jump in and get things over with. Gale had been right, the anxiety had been the worst part. The Games were about politics and strategy and that was much easier to deal with on the small scale than going toe to toe with President Snow. So Katniss hoped this would prove to him that she wasn't willing to follow his orders or take his threats lying down, that she had plenty of fight left, if he really asked for it.

And he was.

"You four are over here!" A woman in white gear gestured to them and then to the middle hovercraft. There were three and the other two were nearly full by the look of it.

"It looks ridiculous but the view is amazing." Katniss told Prim, leaning in close to cut through the noises around them.

Gale swallowed and glanced around. Peeta stayed back by the door with the other mentors and waved to them. Gale shook his head and got on and sat down. A man inside helped buckle him up. "Your arm." Gale held it out and there was a sharp pinch and a click before the man moved on. Gale rubbed his forearm but saw no mark. He had to assume it was the stupid tracking device. Katniss and the others joined him inside and the same procedure was done on them and the other stragglers trailing behind at the last minute. After everyone had been tagged and checked in, the large objects took to the sky. Gale took a deep breath and tried to get comfortable but as soon as he did, he found himself shaken with a jerking motion.

They had landed but they weren't outside.

The tributes had been taken under the arena and were now being separated to be put into their respective cells before the start of the Games. "Prim, Katniss, Haymitch, I'll see you soon!" Gale called out as he was being taken off. Katniss only got a glance of him and the others as she was taken in a different direction and down a curving hallway with dim lighting. She was taken into a tiny room and she saw Cinna waiting, she smiled, unaware as to why he'd be there and why Snow would allow him to be.

[mmidnight]

The last hour in the penthouse had gone by way too quickly for Prim's liking. Before she knew it, she found herself and the others being carted downstairs and to a large hovercraft. The interior was sterile-looking, mostly metal and intimidating but the blonde found a seat and did her best to remain calm. The Games were really happening, the Capitol was going to steal parts of her that she would never get back, innocent that she wasn't ready to give away. In the end, Prim hoped to be able to say that all of this was worth it, that rebellion had given everyone a new world to live in with a bright future free of pain and oppression. Happiness was just on the other side of seven days, inches out of reach and all Prim had to do was stay alive to get there.

“Your arm,” a woman dressed in white demanded, interrupting her thoughts.

Prim's expression was skeptical, but she gave the woman her arm anyway and remembered that Katniss had said something about this at breakfast. The needle was much different from the ones used at the Reaping, and the blonde winced as the hollow metal pierced through her forearm. The tracker that now sat a few centimeters beneath her skin was already glowing to life and the blonde reached out to touch a finger to it as the hovercraft lifted off into the sky. The sudden movement was jarring, and Prim reached for the gold jewelry that was tucked beneath her uniform—Effie had been kind enough to turn Gale's gift into something wearable. They all had something from home now and District 12 finally felt like a real team.

In no time at all the hovercraft touched down at its location, and the tributes inside were being herded away from one another. The next time that Haymitch would see anyone would be inside the arena, but he looked for Katniss first as Peacekeepers took them in opposite directions. “I'll see you in there,” he called to her before roughly being jerked away and lead forward, much deeper into the holding area. The former Victor remembered this all too well, the waiting game that was the real nightmare, solitary and cut off from anyone else for hours before the Games finally began.

The holding area was just as Haymitch had remembered it, and he wasn't surprised that the Capitol hadn't sprung for something more than a makeshift bed and blank walls. All of the nerves that he felt from the night before and into the morning were slowly turning to anger. Over the course of the last month, Haymitch had let his emotions get the better of him only a handful of times, but he hadn't been furious and vengeful since the announcement of the Quarter Quell all the way back at the end of winter. He wanted Snow to pay for this, he wanted everyone to see what a fragile system the Capitol kept and he wanted everyone back home and in each impoverished district he'd visited over the years to be brave enough to rebel. All he had to do was keep Katniss alive—it wouldn't be hard, and he'd already done it from a distance the year before.

Waiting felt like years, but eventually, another pair of Peacekeepers had come for him. Walking between them, Haymitch was lead to another, smaller room and he knew the drill from years ago. Stepping onto the platform, he steeled himself for the upcoming bloodbath and didn't flinch away from the watchful eyes of the men in front of him as a crystal clear descended around him. In less than ten seconds, he was pushed to the surface and squinted into the slightly overcast sky. Craning his neck, Haymitch quickly looked around—there were dilapidated buildings, some in better conditions than others and a large tower that sat stretched on top of the cornucopia. Its mouth was wide and full of deadly weapons, their blades and blunt edges sharp and waiting to be put into the frightened hands of those around him. Both tributes new and old wore the same look, total fear underneath a crumbling mask of determination.

Just as Haymitch suspected, the order was random but he found Katniss easily enough. They were six people apart, but Haymitch made sure to catch her eye even as Gloss gave him a sickening smirk. With Peeta's words in mind, he looked around for Gale and Prim as well, but the two were nearly at opposite ends of the circle, while both Finnick and Johanna were closer. Up ahead, the timer began to count down and Haymitch crouched on the platform, feet behind him and ready to push himself into a sprint for one of the axes that were just barely inside the cornucopia. His nerves were alive and shaking, but the former Victor knew better than to start early. Almost every year, some overeager tribute got themselves blown up, and Haymitch was better than a premature death.

The clock had reached zero, and the 75th Hunger Games began with a bang, and the sound of forty-eight scrambling feet hitting the rocky surface as they sprinted toward backpacks and weapons. Prim ran as fast as she could, her mind on the knives she had been told not to go for. The thought of not having a weapon was still terrifying, and the blonde was willing to brave the bloodbath if it meant making the next seven days easier. All around her, people were flailing, constant movement and thick sprays of blood as the careers began to mow down the less fortunate, weaker tributes who hadn't made a run for it. Turning back would have been a death sentence.

Somehow, after nearly tripping over the body of the girl from 8, Prim made it into the cornucopia. Her hands were trembling with adrenaline as she reached for a set of familiar throwing knives and then frantically looked for someone familiar. The only person she saw, however, was a small redhead, the girl that Peeta hadn't saw as worthy of saving and the person she had spent half of training with during her first day. “Iva!” she called out, and attempted to grab the girl from the sword of Golden, the new male from 1. The blade sliced through the young girl's back and popped out of her chest with enough force to splatter the side of Prim's face with warm blood. Iva's eyes were wide with surprise; she'd never seen it coming.

Prim thought that she was going to be sick and for a moment too long, she was frozen in place. Her hesitation earned her a hard shove to the ground from the boy from 2, followed by a tight hand around her throat. The blonde struggled, coughing as she kicked her legs and struggled to find a way up. Her fingers grappled over the ground, hands reaching for a nearby rock and her actions seemed to be on autopilot, an instinct to survive as she swung the rock in her hand. The stone connected with the boy's temple and Prim's fingers came away covered with a viscous warmth. She didn't even take the time to look at him before she raced to her feet and spotted Gale just outside the shadow of the cornucopia with a backpack and a sword, fighting off a girl with a javelin.

Haymitch was in the thick of things, exactly where he hadn't wanted to be twenty-five years ago, but this time, the stakes were much higher. He managed to meet up with Katniss faster than he thought he would, and he appreciated how fast she could run when she got to the only bow first. Somewhere in the fray, Johanna tossed him one of several axes, and it was just in time for Brutus to come for him with a heavy sword. Haymitch used the handle to block the blade from slicing through the top of his head as bodies fell around him to the left and the right. The sound of metal clashing against itself was loud enough to drown out everything else and with one final kick, Haymitch had the upper hand over his enemy from the second district. He wasted no time burying the blade of his ax into Brutus' chest and gave the handle a hard tug to dislodge it from the man's blood-covered chest.

Weapons in-hand, Haymitch knew that it was time to hide. He saw Gale and Prim running toward a thicket of trees and tall grass beyond the line of buildings that surrounded the radio tower and staying together was still a priority. “Come on!” he called to Katniss, reaching for her hand to pull her away from the fray. He let go so that they could run, and on the way, Haymitch grabbed the last forgotten and trampled-over backpack. Whatever was in there, he just hoped that it wasn't crushed.

The terrain was uneven and soft beyond the buildings, and it got more muddy the further they went. Soon enough, the sound of death and destruction could no longer be heard, and the wheat-colored grass was a tall enough cover. Breathing heavy, Haymitch pushed the weeds aside and was glad to see Katniss's pretty face. In a place so void of happiness, she was a breath of fresh air. “Worst's over,” he said, shifting his feet around so that he didn't sink deeper into the damp ground. “Let's find a dry spot and check out what's in the backpack.” Gale and Prim couldn't have been far off.

Although there were forty-six other people somewhere in the arena, the area was expansive and it was easy to feel completely alone after breaking away from the cornucopia. With the radio tower now a dot in the distance behind them, Prim had been running toward a small clump of trees on the other side of a narrow stretch of water. The boots on her feet kept her skin dry as she and Gale tromped through the muddy wetlands, their progress slow but eventually worth it. After being choked, Prim's windpipe felt sore and nearly crushed, and she rubbed at her neck as she braced her back against the thin but sturdy trunk of a tree. In that moment, she was just happy to be alive and unable to think of much else besides where Katniss had ended up—the blonde could only hope that she was with Haymitch, or Finnick. Despite what Peeta said, she still didn't trust Johanna.

“You got one,” Prim breathed her praise, nodding toward the backpack slung over Gale's shoulder. Water in a canteen would have been a nice surprise after such a long and terrifying run. Straightening up, the blonde looked around the expansive area, seeing that it stretched on for miles. From what she could see, there was no hill around to get a better look, but the tree looked stable enough for her to climb. After all, she was much lighter than Gale. “We need to find Katniss.”

[Genkai]

"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.

[mmidnight]

The first time that Haymitch made it out of the bloodbath alive, he'd thought that it was some kind of miracle. Back then and up until recently, kids from 12 were simply fodder, there to be picked off and add to the body count before the real show started. Keeping his life for a second time as an adult, with his broken frame that had suffered through years of abuse was the real miracle, and Haymitch was hardly able to believe that he was still standing. Although he had acted as though his nerves were calm, they had been anything but and knowing that the worst was over for him and Katniss was going to be enough to get him through the night. If the bloodbath was unable to take him down, he might as well have been invincible.

Whatever small moment of euphoria that Haymitch was caught in was soon cut short by Katniss's breathless panicking over Cinna. His eyes were full of concern as he listened to her, watched her as she internally beat herself up for what had happened to the stylist. He wasn't surprised that the Capitol had pulled something like this, that they thought to send an extra message before subjecting her to the arena for a second time. Unfortunate as it was, and while Haymitch didn't want to get on her bad side, there was very little that either of them could do. They were just as trapped as Cinna had been, and if they stuck around to lament over the loss of a friend for too long, they were going to be just as dead.

“You can't think about it,” Haymitch said, shaking his head. “Don't think about it. That's what they want, and there's nothing you can do from in here.” Getting a message to Peeta or receiving one from the outside world on the state of the dark-skinned man was impossible, and Katniss needed to understand that. In the arena, there was no room to worry about other people—which was always why Haymitch found alliances to be so dangerous. “We have to move on,” he said, doing his best not to sound so callous. He cared about Cinna, and he was sorry that the man had been used as a pawn by the Capitol, but getting killed over it was exactly what Snow wanted.

Making it over to a drier area, Haymitch kept an eye out for any enemies as Katniss began to pluck through one of the backpacks. He had to agree, the Capitol had been rather generous that year—a canteen and rations were hard to come by in the same pack. “I bet that wasn't meant for us,” he chuckled, attempting a joke that fell rather flat. It didn't matter what they said anymore, Snow couldn't do more damage than he'd already done. “Here,” he was quick to move on, and slung the other backpack down from his shoulder to hand it over for inspection. “Maybe it's more of the same.” Two canteens would have been a godsend.

After going through the second backpack, Haymitch looked to Katniss. Although he was sure that they were on one camera or another, he reached over and took her hand. “We should find the others,” he suggested, giving her fingers a reassuring squeeze. It was better than any speech he could give about Cinna, and Katniss needed to keep her head in the game. “Or at least find some cover. There's nowhere to hide out here.” Making camp among the weeds was hardly appealing.

The loud bang of cannon fire left a faint ringing in her ears, and Prim was unable to tell if she had killed the boy from 2 who had tried to choke her to death. The blonde supposed that she would find out come nightfall, when the images of the dead tributes were flashed in the sky, and the anthem was played just so the living remembered who was in control. She still felt sick from the bloodbath, and her hands were now sticky and dirty, feeling just about as uncomfortable as her insides as she leaned back against the tree to catch her breath. Seven days of this was going to be tough, but Prim needed to remember what was on the other side. Gale being there helped to keep her grounded, a goal that wasn't going to slip through her fingers.

When Gale mentioned the sword in his hand, Prim attempted to laugh but there was no humor to the sound. “That girl's dead, isn't she?” she asked, hesitant and heavy as the realization that their hands would never be clean again began to set in. The Capitol had taken away pieces of them that no government should have ever been entitled to, and Prim was just angry to have fallen into their trap. While she knew that killing was unavoidable in the arena, the blonde hadn't thought that she would be so willing—when threatened and backed into a corner, it was hard telling what a person would do. Shaking her head, Prim dismissed the question entirely. “Sorry,” she murmured, “never mind.”

Giving her sore neck one last rub, Prim turned to the tree and began to climb up the thin trunk. Despite its size, the growth was sturdy enough and it didn't take the blonde long to gain more than enough height to see at least half of the arena. Looking down at Gale, Prim pointed ahead of her. “There's a bigger field over there, and I think some mountains. Maybe there's shelter there.” At least, that was what Prim hoped since there didn't seem to be many large stretched of forest to hide in for the night. Still looking, she squinted her blue eyes, trying to spot Katniss and Haymitch, or maybe Finnick or Beetee. However, there was nothing, just artificial air blowing the artificial grass around.

Again, Prim looked down at Gale before climbing a few feet higher and sitting herself against a thin branch. “Should I sing the song?” she asked, but wondered if it was too risky. If Katniss wasn't close by and an enemy was, she and Gale would have to run for their lives again. An ambush wasn't something the blonde wanted to risk.

[Genkai]

All she had to do was keep breathing.

Inhale and exhale.

Inhale. Haymitch insisted she try to not think about it, to not let them toy with her as they wished. Katniss knew that was their plan. She knew Cinna had been reduced to a pawn to get to her and she hated it. She hated herself for involving everyone else. She hated the Capitol for everything they had ever done. Exhale. After she looked through the pack, Haymitch attempted to make a joke but she didn't take the bait, not finding the humor in anything at the moment. Cinna was hurt, more likely dead and she was supposed to keep moving? She held her breath for a moment and finally let out a shaky sigh, not willing to suffocate herself and take the cowardly, meaningless way out.

After they scrounged through his backpack, it was time to keep moving. If they stayed out in the open for much longer, they'd be targets. Katniss had seen other long range weaponry back in the cityscape and she wasn't willing to be on the receiving end of any of it. And there were others with an affinity for a bow and she didn't want to risk provoking them, even if it meant getting an extra arrow out of it. "Yeah." Katniss gave a nod as she felt him take her hand and give it a squeeze, reminding her of who she could be, not who the Capitol was forcing her to be. She kept breathing in and out, slowly. She got to her feet and put the backpack on and gave Haymitch a smile.

But she wasn't going to let Snow get away so easily without trying...

Katniss turned, unsure where a camera could be stashed. She saw a shriveled up bush with the support of tissue paper. That may have something small attached to it. She was going to say something, anything. As she thought more about Gale and Prim and Peeta and CInna and even her own District, her anger began to boil. "The Capitol kills innocent people who don't agree with it." She growled. "The Capitol only cares about control and keeping itself safe. It doesn't care about anyone outside of its shiny walls where it brainwashes everyone to believe killing like this serves a purpose. It doesn't. They killed my friend and they will kill yours without caring either." The more she spoke, the more bitter the words tasted but at least they were true, which those watching deserved. "Stop listening to their lies!" She glared and turned away and bit down on her lower lip, knowing she shouldn't have wasted the energy.

Nor should she have been too loud, just in case an enemy was around but Katniss didn't care. She should have said something like Haymitch and Gale had when she was on stage the night before. But that didn't mean she wanted to stop trying to help anyone else watching. She was sure they had cut away if she was ever being streamed live but even so, she knew people had to have been watching, even if it was just those in control. Finding cover or shelter would be tough, given the terrain. She walked along the dry edge, making sure not to slip into the ponds of water surrounding them. She kept looking around the horizon for any signs of new landscape or people.

"I don't want to risk wand find out what's hiding down there." She muttered, looking down into the marsh to her right.

With her balance helping her traverse the thin edge separating two murky marshes, she finally made it to an area with more solid land for them. Katniss could see the city in one direction but just wetlands anywhere else. "They spared no expense making this so expansive." She sighed and heard someone approaching behind them. She turned and saw a girl with dark sleek hair running toward them with a spear though Katniss could tell she was new, otherwise she would have been more careful and thrown it at them instead of trying to get the upper-hand with close combat with the two of them. Katniss felt no need to shoot or defend herself. Part of her briefly considered making her an ally but Katniss couldn't be sure how to trust, as many would support Careers before her.

The young girl, from District 7, was closing in and Haymitch seemed to be willing to take her out. As the gap closed, the girl let out a yell and lunged for them but slipped on the earth under her and fell down. She tumbled down into the marsh off toward their right and started struggling for weeds or dirt to grab onto, there was an odd noise followed by a severe change in the still water. A whirlpool quickly formed and began to spin the tribute around and around. Katniss stood there, not willing to help since she knew if she did, she'd have to kill the younger girl anyway. And as much as she wanted to look away, she knew she couldn't. "Help help!" She cried out as her head finally was pulled into the middle of the vortex before the water became calm once more and a canon sounded. Katniss could feel the panic and turned to Haymitch.

Katniss breathed in.

"I'd rather keep moving than stick around this place." And then she exhaled and turned to keep walking.

As they did so, Katniss wondered about her sister and the others. She was sure Haymitch had his own concerns as well and she knew they needed to have a clear head if they were to get far and figure out where the others were and if they were okay. Part of her was eager for nightfall, then she'd be able to rest easier if the knew the status of the others. Katniss looked back to Haymitch again, not wanting to regret holding anything back if the worst happened. "I couldn't do this without you." She told him, though she didn't want to put pressure on the situation, they had enough of that already. "We's going to see this to the end."

Prim's question about the girl threw Gale off but he knew he needed to acknowledge it.

"...Yes." He nodded.

Gale had taken a life, a human life. He couldn't lie about it. That would be wrong, disrespectful and only darken his soul further. For ever life he had to take for the next week, Gale refused to forget who he was and who they were and why they were fighting. He was sure the other girl had a home, some family, people who cared and were now crying because of his actions. He had a family too. He had all of his friends with him and he knew he couldn't put one life over the other, but right now he had to, even if he didn't like it. The fact he didn't, was what reminded him that he wasn't part of the entertainment value or trying to win for glory and riches. Gale was doing it to save those he loved. He would kill and he would remember and he wouldn't be the same after it was all over, even after an eternity had passed.

Prim apologized and dismissed it which he appreciated.

He looked around, checking what was around them before he turned his gaze back up to Prim to see how she was doing. He was sure if she saw anyone nearing, she'd say so but he still wanted to keep moving, just to be safe. He was already considering the kind of deadly pack people were forming to combat the mighty district twelve. He almost wished they hadn't gotten such promising scores but he also considered that having them was like having a target on their back's, thanks to the Gamemakers. Gale licked his lips and settled his rampant thoughts. He couldn't keep thinking about the dead or those who wished them dead too. He had to think about those he was fighting for and that the fight was going to be worth it.

The mountainous region sounded promising but the length to it from the forest they were in was unknown. He still thought it would be their best bet for now while they try to escape injury. And hopefully along the way they could find any of the others and get some food. He looked around the area again, wanting to take their time looking around before they left and headed for the mountains. He knew there would be some food, some wildlife to keep them all going, as it seemed pointless to put nearly 50 people in a huge arena without any food, otherwise the fights wouldn't make for much television and things would be cut rather short.

Above him, Primrose moved a bit higher and he found himself getting anxious.

"No." He called up to her when she asked about the song. He knew it would be the best chance to see if Katniss or Haymitch were in the nearby land but he also figured it would carry rather far thanks to her height. The song would likely be heard by plenty others who would then target them. And even if Katniss heard it, the chance of them pinpointing where he and Prim were, was low. He thought it was best to wait and do some more walking and foraging before they tried to signal for the other half of their tributes. "Let's wait a bit, come on down." He suggested to Prim. According to statistics, many of them would die die due to either injury, accident, natural causes or hunger or dehydration. He wanted to make sure none of them made a mistake that would cost them their lives.

As Prim careful made her way back down the trunk, he circled around it, offering any advice he could as far as foot placement went. He had faith in, he just wanted her to come down safely without twisting an ankle or cutting herself, as those would surely be detrimental and require some help from Peeta, which Gale wanted to save for their escape. When she was almost down, Gale slipped his arms around her and lifted her back down to the ground and placed a very light, quick kiss to her temple before he let her go so they could plan their next move. Though they should have consider what Katniss and Haymitch might be doing, Gale thought they needed to focus on themselves and forage and make their way towards the mountain Prim had spotted, as it seemed like a wise move and could give them a good base camp. If they picked the right spot, they wouldn't need to be so worried about being ambushed.

"How about we look around for anything and then head towards those mountains?" He asked Prim, wanting to know if she was okay with that plan and if not, what she thought would be wise. They needed to work together in order to make it out, after all. They were both new to the Games and although Gale had more experience in the wilds, he still wanted to hear Prim's ideas and take them into consideration. She had a fresh perspective to offer and he didn't want to lead. He wanted them both to be leaders, making choices together and weighing options, rather than being passive wanderers. "There's got to be something useful for food or even making medicine." He considered.

Even if Peeta could give them aid, he knew Prim's might be more immediate, given in an emergency.

A frantic flutter of wings was heard overhead and Gale's head spun toward the source. He had a feeling danger was close by but he couldn't tell if it was a tribute or something home to their setting. He gripped his blade and stepped close to the blond girl. As much as he wanted to forage, they needed to do it on the move now. "Come on." He whispered to her and turned, watching where he stepped, before he quickly began to weave between the bushes and thick trees around them. As they quickly but carefully moved, he stopped and saw a colorful bush, filled with white and green berries. He recalled seeing them during training, they had some kind of healing property. He looked over his shoulder again, unsure if they were still in danger from the unknown.

"What do you think of those?" He asked Prim as he looked back to the bush, his heart still beating quickly but evenly.

[mmidnight]

Although most of the people that Haymitch cared about were currently in the arena with him, the thought of Snow being able to get to Katniss or Gale's family without anyone knowing was unsettling. He couldn't help but worry, and wish that he was still in control as a mentor. Even though Peeta wouldn't have made it through a second time, Haymitch wanted to pull the strings for everyone from a distance, to make sure that nothing went terribly, catastrophically wrong, and that the Capitol's reach wasn't so broad and unchecked. Battling with his emotions in front of a nation wasn't going to happen, and Haymitch did his best to keep his head in the game. Katniss needed someone steady, someone present and Haymitch wasn't going to let her down.

Unfortunately, in the time that the former Victor had hesitate, Katniss had already stomped her way over to one of the cameras. There was a fire inside of her, Haymitch knew that, much provoking Snow when there was nothing that she could do to stop his wrath was a foolish idea. “You feel good about that?” Haymitch asked, completely unamused as Katniss stepped away from the small bush and began to continue along the edge of the mash. He followed behind her, angry with himself, her and the Capitol for getting them back into this mess.

After Katniss's outburst, the most important thing to do was find safety and a shelter, and if they could manage, try and meet up with the others. Haymitch assumed that Katniss was worried about her sister, but he thought that Prim would be fine if she was still with Gale. As long as they stayed alive, gathering in a larger group didn't need to be a priority just yet.

The water that made up the marshy wetland was a deep blue, bordering on black and Haymitch was careful not to walk too close to the edge. It was hard telling what the Capitol had stored in those muddy depths, and Haymitch found himself nodding in agreement with Katniss. “I hate this place already,” he said, some of his anger diminished as they continued along. Staying angry wasn't going to accomplish anything, and Haymitch quietly told himself to remember who the real enemy was—Katniss was his ally, and so much more than that. The Capitol wanted to see them fight, Snow wanted to see them tear one another to shreds. Haymitch refused to give the old man the satisfaction.

The sound of an extra pair of feet treading through the damp grass caught Haymitch's attention and Katniss seemed to sense that they were no longer alone. He turned in time to see the newest tribute from 7, the girl that Johanna hadn't spoken very highly of, but she now seemed rather determined with that oversized spear clutched in her desperate hands. This was the part that Haymitch, the parts that made him sick as he sacrificed what little shreds of humanity had left. The cry from the girl's mouth prompted Haymitch to raise his ax, but he didn't even have to strike the girl before she was tumbling down into the water.

Around her, the inky water began to swirl and churn into a vortex and Haymitch could only stand there and watch as she called out for help. Saving her wouldn't have made any sense, especially when she had just tried to kill them. The whirlpool began to suck her under, and the young girl flailed her arms with all of her strength but the water was too much for her. Soon, there was nothing left of the girl, and in the distance, a canon broke the silence that had settled in her wake. “Let's go,” he said, turning back to Katniss. “We need to get away from this water.” Because if anyone was going to take him out, it better be another person.

Now very careful of where he stepped, Haymitch looked over to Katniss. “It's the town or those mountains,” he said, nodding toward a shadow on the horizon. “Unless you've got a better idea, sweetheart.”

The vantage point from the tree wasn't the best, but the view gave Prim an idea of where they were and how far the arena extended. The games had just started, and the blond told herself that Katniss couldn't have been that far yet. She hoped that Haymitch was keeping her safe because after watching Gale kill someone and being unsure of whether or not she had done the same thing, seven days was starting to feel like years. Part of her wondered if they could even make it that long, if their competition was also that skilled to stay fed, hydrated and alive for a week without exposing themselves to someone else who just wanted to go home. Prim felt sick.

When Gale told her not to sing, not to call for Katniss, the blonde agreed and carefully began to make her way back down the tree. “We have to look soon,” she stressed and continued to follow Gale's advice as he helped her get down to the ground safely. Prim appreciated the extra caution because a twisted ankle or a fall could spell disaster for them and there was no guarantee that Peeta could help that sort of injury.

Before her feet could touch the ground, Gale had already swept her up to into his arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. Prim closed her eyes and embraced him briefly, her quivering lower lip thankfully hidden from view. They had only been in the arena for a handful of minutes, and the blonde wasn't going to break down already—or at all, if she could help it. “Yeah, that's...” she paused, and collected herself, “let's do that.” Focusing on something, aiming for shelter was a good idea and Gale's presence helped to keep Prim focused.

The mountains were quite the walk and Prim hoped that she and Gale could stay hidden on the way. It was hard to tell what horrors were lurking in the arena and what the Capitol had designed to terrorize them with, but Prim didn't hesitate to follow Gale deeper into the arena. Knowing that the Capitol was in charge of what happened, whether they found food, or shelter, or got attacked by Mutts, was hard to take in, but Prim agreed with Gale—she hoped they found something useful too.

Before they could move out, the sound of frantically fluttering wings sounded from above. Prim whipped around in time to see a common Jabberjay, its black feathers contrasting sharply with the sky above. Warily, she looked to Gale, who whispered that it was time to go. She nodded and quietly collected her knives before moving deeper into the brush and wetlands. Those birds could have been anywhere, listening and repeating and Prim was even more nervous. Their song wasn't going to mean much when it was falsely echoed by a mutt.

“Those are for cuts,” Prim said when Gale pointed out the berries. “Shallow ones, like what you and Katniss used to get from climbing through the fence all the time.” The blonde laughed softly at the thought of a simpler time, and hoped that one day, it would return. Taking the backpack from Gale, Prim unzipped one of the pockets and knelt down by the bush. Her careful fingers plucked the small berries from the bush and deposited the green and white orbs into the one pockets for safe keeping. Prim didn't doubt that they would come in handy soon enough.

When she was done, Prim zipped their pack and turned back to Gale. “Let's keep moving,” she said, her eyes falling to the mountains once more. “I don't want to stay here with these birds...”

[Genkai]

The town the advantage of being close and had plenty of shelter to offer. A downside, was that the careers may have already staked out areas of it. And although it felt secure, Katniss wasn't sure what traps could be lurking in the ruined town. The mountains seemed like a long shot, anything could happen between now and then. She really wasn't sure but her gut was telling her to take a gamble and go with the mountains. She hoped Gale and Prim would see them and head that was as well, as opposed to sticking to what felt safe, but was surely dangerous. Of course the whole arena was dangerous but nature was what Katniss and Gale knew best. "Mountains." She replied and looked at the horizon and squinted.

"It could take us a day, and that's if we don't run into trouble." She considered. Of course she was anticipating trouble in the guise of blood thirsty tributes, traps and terrifying creatures but for now, they couldn't try to predict anything, as it would only distract them from the present. The goal was now known and Katniss was sure they could focus and keep moving steadily and carefully. Had the girl not drowned, they could have checked her for anything useful. Scavenging bodies was uncommon though, as most were evacuated before anyone could get to them, aside from the initial convergence at the cornucopia. "There's nothing here for us." That much was certain. She bent over and touched the water with her finger tips and then brought them to her nose.

The water didn't smell bad but she didn't think still water was good to be drinking.

"I have this picture in my head of Johanna, she's already at the mountains, sitting on some rock made throne with Finnick fanning her and feeding her things while a pile of bodies sits under her." She joked. Humor was hard to come by. Both Haymitch and herself were evidently finding it hard to find a middle ground. Being in the arena was giving them a different dynamic they weren't used to. And they had just started getting use to intimacy, Katniss hoped this ordeal wouldn't drive a wedge between them. They needed each other, inside the arena but also outside of it. "This water is no good." She concluded and wiped her hand on her pants and kept moving, pushing the few bushes out of their way as they kept moving toward the tall grass in the distance.

"Anything could be hiding up there. Let's keep close."

Seeing the jabberjay was a sign, an ominous one.

As Primrose mentioned what the berries could do, he nodded, thinking about how useful they would be. It was better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not have them. She then mentioned a moment, like so many, back home. His lips smiled but only briefly. Gale moved to where Prim was and helped her get some but she seemed much quicker, and less clumsy. "I keep squishing them." He laughed at himself and wondered if Peeta was laughing right now. The blond baker was good with his hands, nimble, while Gale was better at making traps, as opposed to being gentle with berries or making things cute. The further thing Gale could do well, was skin animals. So he stepped back and just held the bag open for Prim to finish gathering.

After she finished, she zipped it up and he put his pack back on and looked around.

Prim didn't want to linger and he knew why. Those birds could be real horrible, they could mess with your mind and Gale didn't want to provoke them. "I'd rather have them, than tracker jackers." He said. Both creations were bad enough but he didn't think surviving a tracker jacker would be easy. Katniss' survival last year was due to Rue, if it weren't for her, Katniss would have died. He swallowed and gave Prim a nod, wanting to just move on, all the same. "If we see anything, we still need to stop. If those are hanging around, it's a possible sign that the Gamemasters are hiding something useful and just want us to be scared off."

Or possibly tortured. Either way, Gale didn't want to run off and miss a key herb or rabbit or something. He patted her shoulder and headed back along the general direction they had been heading. Gale kept an eye out for anything else. About three minutes later, he looked up and saw two more jabberjays in the tree. He froze and looked to Prim, knowing they needed to keeping. "Don't worry about-" He stopped himself when he saw a squirrel scamper along another one of the long branches. It made sense, try to go for the game and the birds would surely begin their tricks. He looked back to Prim, unsure if she wanted to keep moving quickly, or try to get the food, risking the birds spotting them. Clearly The Capitol wasn't going easy on anyone and he had a sickening feeling of what he'd be forced to hear if those birds opened their beaks.

[mmidnight]

From experience, Haymitch was already anticipating trouble. The arena that they were currently in had been designed to force all of the remain tributes together, with little cover between areas the makeshift town where the Cornucopia sat was sure to provide the most action, and like Katniss, Haymitch was interested in finding out what each building housed. The current threat was, of course, the Careers, who were known for parking themselves in the most vital places and waiting to pick off unsuspecting tributes. For the former Victor and the Girl On Fire, both seemed to understand that staying far away from the town was in their best interest—at least for now. Haymitch had no problems moving on into the great unknown, and agreed with Katniss before they got moving again.

As Katniss mentioned Johanna, Haymitch laughed softly. “Maybe that's what we'll find,” he said, although he was sure that his old friend was going to have just as hard of a time as he and Katniss were. It wasn't something that Haymitch wanted to think about, and he continued to move his feet forward, blue eyes on the mountains ahead. “If we find her, though, anyone that we trust, we have to stick together,” he added after a beat and craned his neck to check behind them. Every breeze that rustled through the reeds was alarming, and Haymitch wasn't going to let himself or Katniss get ambushed on the first day. For now, finding safety was top priority, and then food. Thankfully, they had the chocolate ration if all else failed.

“Maybe it'll rain soon,” Haymitch said after Katniss had commented on the water. After seeing that girl drown in a whirlpool, the former Victor didn't exactly feel good about sticking his hand into any pond and filling up the canteen. Water was such a vital thing in any games, though and there was nothing more allegedly boring than watching a bunch of people dehydrate. “If we get desperate, I'll test it out.” That may not have been what Katniss wanted to hear, but it was better him than her. She had to make it to the end; no one else mattered.

The two moved deeper into the wetlands and Haymitch kept his eyes out for any animals that could be cut out for dinner. He saw the odd squirrel every now and then, but the most abundant source was frogs. They croaked and uttered their throaty noise with almost every step—Haymitch had half a mind to catch some of them, but it was hard telling if they were poison. In nature, bright colors were a warning, but the Capitol was bound to trick anyone with even the most earthy-looking animal. Pushing those thoughts from his head, Haymitch looked forward and squinted as the visibility was instantly lowered.

“Is that fog?” he asked, looking to Katniss and then back to the lazily approaching wisps of grey.

The appearance of the berries told Prim that there were advantages to the arena, it was just a matter of where a person looked. Quickly, the blonde gathered the green and white berries into the backpack and even laughed briefly as Gale clumsily squished a few of them, “you have to be gentle.” She smiled, but there wasn't time for that kind of closeness when they were so out in the open and left exposed. After gathering at least two handfuls of berries, Prim figured that they had enough for anything that happened to go wrong. Cuts and scrapes were bound to happen, but at least they were somewhat prepared and Prim felt good to know that her knowledge of nature was finally going to come in handy—Haymitch was wrong, it wasn't entirely useless.

“Hiding something like what?” Prim asked when Gale mentioned the tracker jackers. It was hard for her to believe that the Gamemakers had put anything special to be found in the arena, and year after year, gifts seemed to come from sponsors. It was the first time that the blonde had thought of Peeta since the cannon sounded, and she wondered how he was doing with the other, more experience mentors. So far, Prim could only hope that she and Gale were doing their part and making it easy.

Soon enough, they were moving out again and Prim kept hold of her throwing knives just in case they needed to act quickly. In the distance, another pair of Jabberjays were perched on one of the sparsely placed trees, and the blonde watched as a single squirrel scampered along a close-by branch. “Do you want to catch it?” she asked, lowering her voice. A small squirrel seemed almost impossible to get with a large sword, and Prim didn't know if setting up a trap was worth it. However, food for the night seemed rather important. It was a tough call, but Gale was the one with all of the hunting skills and Prim wasn't going to argue if he wanted to chance it.