The Jabberjay's song (A Hunger Games story)

Chapter 23 (Kat)

We say our goodbyes to Clio, before heading back into the woods, in the opposite direction we came from. I try not to think about whether or not we will see her again, because that thought proves difficult, painful even. Instead I focus on the brief but pleasant time we shared. I appreciate the humanity that I was able to find among her, even here in the arena. It gives me hope. 

Akio finds a pond, and we fill our canteens with water, before each adding an iodine pill and leaving it to sit. We didn't eat this morning, as we only have enough food left for one meagre meal, which isn't great, but we have to make it last. After waiting for around ten minutes, the pills have finally dissolved, meaning our water is safe to drink. We both allow ourselves to take small sips, before giving into the thirst and gulping down the water. 

_

The first canon startles us both, and when it's followed by a second, around half an hour later Akio and I decide to check up on the stream. When we reach it, I stare into its shallow depths and our suspicions are quickly confirmed. There is a yellowish-green tint in the reflection of the water, undetectable to the average tribute. But easy to spot when you know what to look for. 

"They've spread the poison." I say under my breath. Akio stays silent, and as we stand on along the bank for a moment, when suddenly the bloated body of a fish catches my attention. 

"Yeah they've definitely done it." says akio as he follows my eyeline towards the dead creature. Slowly, I brush my fingers through my hair and let out a quiet sigh, before slumping down at the foot of a tree. I am just about to suggest that we move away from this area, when the thunder of approaching footsteps brings me back to my feet. I just have time to tell Akio to run, before a pair of tributes is upon us. 

The first tribute comes tearing towards us with some kind of machete. I pull out a knife and let it fly in her direction, but the girl anticipates it, dropping to the ground as the blade whips past her cheek. Akio retrieves his own weapon and I'm just about to send the next knife into the girl's chest, when my arm is wrenched backwards by another tribute. A male, stocky build with dirty blonde hair and angry eyes. I recognise him from the reaping. His name is Carlos. Him and the girl seem to be in some kind of alliance. 

 My head impacts the ground, sending a shock through my bones, and suddenly the air in my lungs is purged as Carlos's fist connects heavily with my chest. He quickly pulls me to my feet and swings a sword in my direction, but I duck, causing the blade sinks into the trunk of a tree instead.  I retrieve another knife, quickly sending it into Carlos's thigh as he spins to face me again. This causes him to fall to his knees, giving me enough time to throw another blade in the girl's direction. This time I don't miss. The knife sinks into her shoulder and she cries in pain, freeing Akio of her grasp, and letting him drop to the ground. The girl tribute rips my weapon from her flesh and quickly takes off running. Disappearing into the woods just as quickly as she came. 

Carlos is back on his feet now, having copied the girl in freeing the blade from his thigh. But he's limping heavily now, which gives us the advantage. I start to run back in the direction of the stream, followed by akio, and then the boy from six, who seems increasingly angry. I reach the bank and wade into the water, my breath hitching in my throat at the temperature. Carlos splashes in after me, dragging his sword behind him and completely ignoring Akio as he scampers up a tree and out of the way. 

I signal to Akio who calls out to my attacker from his place in the branches. Carlos loses his focus, looking up at my partner for a second. But a second is all I need. I stab my last knife deep into his uninjured leg, causing him to collapse face first into the water. At first I'm unsure if my plan has succeeded, but after a couple of seconds, Carlos begins to convulse, a web of sickly green veins creeping up his flesh and turning his eyes bloodshot. As the boy continues to twitch like a malfunctioning toy, I yank free his pack as well as the bloodied knife from his leg, before wading back to the river bank and watching as his shuddering movements slowly come to a stop. 

Carlos's canon sounds, and Akio climbs down from the tree. 

"Holy shit. That worked." He says, patting me on the back. 

"It certainly did." I say between breaths. 

_

To solve our hunger problem, Carlos's pack, though slightly wet, contained another loaf of bread and some strips of beef. Akio and I eat this sparingly, against the amber glow of the fire. At first I was opposed to making one, due to the risk of attracting more tributes. But the flames provide some much needed warmth, and I decide that it's worth the risk. 

"It feels like we've been here forever." says Akio, slowly chewing on a piece of bread. "Here specifically or in the arena?" I ask. 

"In the games, in the Capitol. It feels like forever since we were back in twelve." He says. I chuckle. "It's only been a few weeks. Maybe not even that!" Akio sighs but continues to talk through mouthfuls. "There's nine of us left." he says sullenly. "We could make it. We could win this." I bite the inside of my cheek. I fail to see how there is a "we" in this. Only one of us is going to make it out of here alive, and there's still five career tributes left. The odds of this, certainly aren't in our favour.