The Jabberjay's song (A Hunger Games story)

Chapter 17 (Kat)

I shimey my way up and out of the tight cave, climbing as fast as I can while making sure I'm not being followed and keeping my backpack secure. Once I'm out of the crater, I break into a run, sprinting as fast as I can for at least an hour. I need to avoid running into the other tributes for as long as possible and the best way I can do this is to use the first day in the arena to run like hell and get away from the cornucopia. 

Once I'm out of breath, I use the break to inspect the contents of my backpack. I lift it carefully off my shoulder as I slump down on the dirt. My pack is still smeared with Jorge's blood. I guess it's there to remind me of why I'm still here. Because I killed someone. Someone who was just trying to survive like me. I ignore the wave of emotions that I struggle to process as I pour my supplies onto the ground in front of me. I have four different knives, including the small throwing one I retrieved from Stella, a canteen of water, a heat reflecting blanket, a small pack of bandages that will come in handy, and a loaf of bread and a knapsack full of apples. Not bad, not bad at all. 

_

I run for another hour or so, taking small sips from my water supply, before I decide to rest for the night. I search for a tree with a hollow trunk, and tuck myself inside it with my backpack, and blanket covering my body. After trying to get some sleep and failing, I am lying awake in the darkness, when the faces of the dead tributes appear in the sky. I don't pay much attention to it. But I'm secretly overwhelmed with relief when Akio's face is nowhere to be seen. 

_

I am awoken by the sound of talking, and I immediately jump to my feet, anticipating an attack. I press my body to the base of the tree and listen, desperately trying to pinpoint the sound of the conversation. 

"I say we go after the weaker tributes first. We move as a pack and take them out one by one." Say a voice. 

"Astra's right. We need to get rid of the stragglers." says another that I register in my brain as belonging to Eros

Another voice joins in. "They're pathetic you know? they can't even fight!" several others respond with a chorus of laughter that rattles my bones. For the first time in a while, I allow myself to admit that I'm scared. Really scared. Those voices I hear now are the career tributes, and they're on the hunt. If I don't do something now. If I don't move soon. It could be my face projected in the sky tonight. 

"I've got an idea." I hear Apollo shout above the others. "It's only the second day, but there are plenty of tributes who won't have water. As far as I can see the biggest stream runs throughout most of the arena. So people will be drinking from it right?"

"Right." confirms several of them.

"so." Apollo continues. "We poison the stream. We put toxins in there water source and we take out several of them at once."

I hear congratulations and cheers of praise passed around amongst the group, at this great idea.

"Are you sure that will work? do we have enough poison to do this?"

"of course we do!" shouts Kristian. "There's several crates and canteens of it in the cornucopia. If we walk up the river and distribute a bit of it everywhere, then it will work for sure. Besides, this stuff is capitol engineered poison. I bet just a drop would kill you. So if we use all of it in the water source. It will totally work."

Shit.

I'm fixed to my spot inside the tree, but I realise I have to move soon. If they're as close as they seem, they're going to find and kill me in a matter of minutes. At least if I run, that way I might have a better chance at making an escape. I shove everything I have inside the backpack and swing it onto my shoulder before bolting forwards. 

Suddenly my world comes crashing down as I trip over a root and hit the floor with a loud thud. I wince, not because I'm in much pain, but because I realise I've just broadcasted my location to anyone nearby. Suddenly there is a flurry of wings, followed by the sound of squawking. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a white crested bird, that has a navy blue collar and jet black feathers.

A jabberjay.

Jabberjay's are a species of bird genetically engineered by the capitol during the war many years ago, as living devices used to record and repeat human sound and conversation. They can carry words with them for miles and the noises they repeat sound hauntingly human. It hits me that the conversation I just overheard from the careers, was nothing more than the disjointed song of a jabberjay. The careers are probably discussing this by their base which is likely to be near the cornucopia, and there words have simply been carried by the jabberjays. which means I am safe. For now. However, this gives me a huge advantage. These birds have informed of the careers' plan, now I know how to stay out of danger. Avoid the river at all costs. But then another thought forms in my mind, and it's as though the blood inside my flesh has run cold like ice. AKio doesn't know. If Akio didn't get enough water at the cornucopia, it's likely he'll turn to the stream as a water source. Which spells certain death, for him and all the other tributes who will inevitably drink from the tainted river. 

I have to find and warn him. I have to find my best friend Akio, and I have to stop him from drinking anything from the stream before it's too late. My only hope is that he has enough fresh water to last him from now until I find his location.