Book 2: The Victors

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Finnick sighs, "Maybe suicide, thought it was easier than waiting to die some other way." Isla cringes at the thought. What a gruesome, painful death.

A canon booms, indicating the woman has passed. Isla feels as Finnick rests his head on her shoulder, clearly exhausted still, as the two had hardly slept. The two from Twelve join them as a hovercraft lifts the body from the water. "She saved my life." Peeta shakes his head in disbelief. 

"Yeah..." Katniss trails off, obviously just as dumbfounded as Isla at the whole ordeal.

Finnick kills a few fish with his trident, providing a meal for the four of them. They have blended into the tree line, giving them cover, but allowing them to see the length of the beach on this side of the cornucopia. Isla wonders if maybe the others are watching them right now, also hiding in the tree line. Or possibly even on the beach across the island.

"Hey," Katniss hisses, motioning down the beach. Three people stumble out onto the sand, so dark that Isla can't tell who they are. Even their jumpsuits are discoloured. One looks exhausted, trying not to collapse as they enter the water. Another is clinging to the other, who seems displeased at this, trying to shake them off. 

Everyone sinks into the trees further, and Finnick, being the closest, peers through leaves to watch the newcomers. A look of confusion is evident on his face as he also tries to make out who they are, and why they look the way they do. Katniss has her bow in hand, an arrow at the ready, waiting for Finnick to say something.

"Johanna?" Isla is surprised as he whispers the name, and Katniss looks at him, too. Then, he says it louder. "Johanna!" He calls, bursting out of the leaves and towards the three people.

One of the figures, which Isla can now see looks to have a feminine build, tosses their axe to the ground. They walk towards Finnick, and Isla can hear Johanna's familiar laugh as she approaches the man from Four. Isla, realizing it's safe, leaves the cover of the trees and makes to join them. She's followed by Peeta and Katniss, who stills seems a bit weary.

"We were minding our own business, walking through the jungle, when it started to rain. I thought it was water, so we all opened our mouths to drink it. Turns out it was blood, thick, hot blood. We were choking on it, walking around blind. Then, Blight hit the forcefield." Johanna pauses, shaking her head. "He wasn't much, but he was from home." 

Isla frowns at the woman, then looks at the other two people with her. It's Wiress and Beetee. Beetee has already cleaned himself off, and is resting in the sand. Wiress continues to walk in circles behind Johanna, mumbling something. She walks up to Johanna, "Tik tok." She says, making to grab the woman. Johanna seems irritated, as she just shakes her off. But, when the District Three female tries to grab her again, Johanna loses her temper and tosses her to the ground angrily.

"Hey! Lay off her!" Katniss demands, stepping forward. Johanna whips around to meet the Girl on Fire's eyes, a look of pure hatred on her face. 

"Lay off her? Do you know what I had to do to get them here? I got them out for you!" Johanna snarls, and begins closing in on Katniss. Before a physical altercation can start, Finnick puts Johanna on his shoulder, and marches into the water. The girl from Seven continues to yell profanities as Finnick dunks her under the water repeatedly, cleaning her off.

"Got them out for me? What does that mean?" Katniss asks, looking at Peeta and then Isla. The two shrug in response. Isla really wasn't sure why Johanna would do that, considering she's the one who deemed the two from Three as 'Nuts' and 'Volts'. Plus, if she wanted to be allies with Katniss, Johanna simply just had to join Finnick and Isla. 

Katniss helps Wiress wash off, handling her odd rambling a lot better than Johanna. Finnick and Johanna join Isla on the beach, and Peeta gets the newcomers some water. Turns out, they hadn't had any luck finding a water source, either.