May the Odds Be Never in Your Favor

{10} Sneaky As a Snake

Prim's POV

"Crusher?" I ask, baffled.

A smile spreads on his face. "Prim, it's so good to see you." He walks toward me and helps me stand.

"Get away from her!" I hear Katniss yell as she burst from the trees, arrow notched.

"Whoa! Hey, calm down." the big dark-skinned guy says.

"Get away from her!" Katniss yells again, this time pointing the tip at Crusher.

"It's fine Katniss," I say, walking toward her. "They're my friends. Now put down the bow." I rest my palm on the string and gently guide it downward.

I look around at the people around me. Mags and Heavenly lie on the sand, breathing heavily. The dark-skinned guy walks to two girls who stand on the sand also. One's younger than me and the other is around Katniss' age. They both have a dark tint to their skin too.

"That's Chaff," Crusher says, pointing to the big guy. I remember him now. He's one of Haymitch's friends. I've seen him pass a bottle to Haymitch on T.V. once in a while. I also remember him as the guy who greeted Katniss with a kiss the night of the Tribute Parade, also. He should be a treat.

"That one there is Fluorescent," he points to the younger one, "and that's Brienne." The older one stares at me coldly. "All from District Eleven."

A cannon makes me jump and my eyes skip to the tree line. "Peeta!" Katniss yells into the trees. "Peeta!"

"Prim!" I hear Peeta yell back. "Prim, we need help." Katniss sighs visibly when Peeta breaks through the trees with Cory in his arms. Finnick comes out with Bram limping slightly.

"Prim," Peeta breathes, "Cory. Please."

"Oh," I run over to where Peeta has placed Cory face-down in the sand, exposing her flesh-torn back. "I need a knife." I say. Peeta looks at me stunned. "To cut away the fabric." I clarify.

Bram limps to me and hands me the knife that I threw at the money mutt. I smile at him without thinking and go to work, tearing at the jumpsuit like a hurricane pulling at the earth. "I need water," I say. Peeta just stares at Cory blankly so I turn to Katniss. "Now," She looks at me and nods.

"Don't worry," I say to Peeta, "it looks a lot worse than it truly is."

"Anything I can help with?" Crusher asks.

"Um…Cloth. Uh. Something to wipe this blood up with. Do you think you could get something?" I look up at his green eyes.

"Yeah," He smiles kindly and jogs away.

"Anything I can help with, Princess?" Bram questions, plopping down next to me.

"Princess?"

"Yep, you look like one." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"I'm really not in the mood, Bram." I say, taking the water from Katniss.

Bram's fixing to say something but Katniss demands, "Stand up. Now." I smile a little as he does what she says. I pour the water on Cory's back and she groans, crying out a little.

Katniss grabs Peeta's hand. "Hey," He looks at her. "She's going to be fine."

"I hope so," he says, "I can't afford to loose her too."

_____

I watch as the colors mix together to create a soft pink. I scrub at the cracks in my skin and under my nails. The blood travels up my wrists and I rub at them too. The stain of the blood doesn't fade, but at least it's gone.