Book 2: The Victors

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The two quickly grab weapons, Isla loading up with a belt of knives and a dagger. Finnick grabs a trident, obviously put out just for him. "I'll check this side." He says, turning and disappearing around the corner.

Isla watches her edge of the island, and sees Gloss approaching the island. She sends a knife flying through the air, and it skims his brow as he dives into the water for protection. As the water begins to settle, she can hear Finnick talking. Had Johanna caught up with them already? Not wanting to risk it, she turns and follows the way he had gone.

As she turns the corner, Finnick is talking to Katniss. He holds up his wrist, a gold bangle is glistening in the sun. "Good thing we're allies, right?" He says, and the girl just stares at him in confusion, a bow and arrow in her hands. Finnick's trident is in his hand, but lowered to his side. Before Katniss can respond, the male victor from District Five rounds the corner behind her. "Duck." Finnick instructs, and the girl does as she's told. His trident buries deep into his chest.

Suddenly, the two are friendly. Gathering extra weapons, and Isla stands there, dumbfounded. She doesn't know whether to kill Katniss, who seems to have accepted Isla as her ally, too, or wait for Finnick to give some sort of explanation. She chooses the latter, as Katniss is now frantically looking around for Peeta, and Finnick is helping her search.

"He's over here." Isla informs them, as she had seen him stranded on his pedestal. "Does he not know how to swim?" Isla asks as they jog around the island. Katniss shakes her head. Odd that the girl would know how, but he wouldn't. Although, it seems unlikely that either would know how to at all.

They find him, seeing he's being confronted by another tribute, who is attempting to drag him off of his pedestal. Isla looks at Finnick, who is debating whether to throw his trident or not. It's a long shot, and if the man pulls Peeta down, his weapon could penetrate the wrong target. Isla shakes her head, not wanting Finnick to risk himself for the boy. Without warning, she unclips her belt, and dives back into the water. If Finnick wants to save the two from Twelve, Isla won't let him risk his life to do so.

She can hear Finnick's protests just barely as her head is underwater. She ignores him, only coming up for air momentarily. Isla will need to take the man by surprise, as she has abandoned her weapons on the rocks, and he clearly has a strength advantage. Finnick seems to catch on to this, as his yells stop as fast as they started.

She swims up behind the large man, who Peeta nearly kicks in the face. He's angry, throwing profanities at him. Just as he opens his mouth to shout some more, Isla grabs his neck in her arms, her hands placed strategically on his skull. With one simple movement, she breaks the specific spot of his spine that will end his life with ease, as he is unsuspecting of the attack. He begins to sink, so she lets him go.

"Uh- thanks." Peeta seems shocked, as he was so busy fighting off the male, he hadn't even noticed Isla swimming over either. He's crouched down, taking a minute to collect himself.

"C'mon." She grunts, waving for him to jump in. He looks at her with wide eyes, then over to Finnick and Katniss, who are watching as the careers begin to regroup by the cornucopia. "We don't have time for this." Isla growls, jumping up, catching his wrist, and dragging him off of the pedestal.

His belt keeps him from going deeper than a foot or so, and he gasps for air as he rights himself. She puts herself under his arm, and helps propel him towards the others. Peeta does his best to help, kicking his feet, but it doesn't do much but make it harder for Isla to steer them. She just pushes on, and makes sure he has a secure hold on the rocks before letting go.

Katniss helps him get up, and Finnick does the same for Isla. The two District Twelve victors take a moment to hug, reunited in the arena, finally. Isla just glares at Finnick as she fastens her knife belt back on, who seems to avoid her gaze. She knows she won't be able to ask him about their alliance until maybe dark, when the other two might go to sleep. That is, if she doesn't kill them first.