"Dahlia Blossom. Don't let the name fool you. She's better known as the Black Dahlia. And she didn't earn that nickname by smiling and looking pretty."
"She sure knows how to perform for the camera."
"Because she knows how to play the game. She alwa...
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In their search for water, Dahlia and Cove pass by a hatch with wisps of smoke escaping it like a chimney. They ignore the tribute stupid enough to try and light a fire in a tunnel. The Careers would eliminate that idiot without fail. Every year, at least one tribute will make the mistake of lighting a fire. They never learn from the failures of previous years. Not long after they continue on, a loud boom signals the end of another young life. The two girls don't flinch, they just keep walking.
"I can hear water." Cove gasps out, rushing towards the source. They find a small hidden trickle of water flowing out from between some rocks. The precious liquid appears to drain down into the caves through little cracks in the ground. "That must be how the stala-things are being made."
"Stalactites." Dahlia corrects with a small giggle as Cove waves her off and immediately fills her mouth with the cool water. "They normally take ages to form but I'm sure the gamemakers had no trouble speeding up the process."
"Those geniuses can be quite brilliant sometimes." Cove states, wiping away the water that has dribbled out of the corners of her mouth.
Dahlia pauses at those words as the water pools in her cupped hands. "They're still geniuses who couldn't think of a better way to keep the peace than forcing kids into an arena to kill each other." The statement tastes bitter in Dahlia's mouth and forces the pair into silence. Cove doesn't argue with that because she knows it's true. "They're telling me that all those brains in the Capitol and not one of them can come up with a better alternative? It's bullshit." This comment is reckless. One might even call it rebellious. Dahlia had no idea of the murmurs of agreement spreading through the districts. She hadn't yet learned that words like that can have repercussions.
"We should fill up the bottle and keep moving." Cove suggests quietly, unzipping the bag on Dahlia's back to collect the flask. "It's too dangerous to stay in one place up here. We'd be spotted from a mile away."
"Wait." Dahlia holds her hand out to stop her ally and Cove stares at the younger girl in confusion. "I can hear voices." The pair strain their ears and, sure enough, an echo of voices is heard. "It must be the Careers. We're right above the Cornucopia."
"I can't hear what they're saying over the sound of the water." Cove complains as the fountain drips onto the damp rocks.
"Fill up the flask." Dahlia orders as she clambers over a boulder. "I'll try and figure out where it's coming from."
Cove nods in agreement, bidding her ally goodbye for the moment, "Be careful."
"Come and find me when you're done." Dahlia set off on nimble feet, making light work of the uneven ground. The further she travelled from the water source, the clearer the voices became. Then it didn't take too long to figure out where the sound was coming from. Another hatch carved into the rocks directly above the Career Pack. Flattening her body against the ground, Dahlia places her ear against the thin crack to listen in on the Career's conversation.
