Revolt 13 | Y.Jw

| 15 |

When Jungwon turned his back to me yet again to continue his venture down his dune I felt myself fight more eagerly. Straining my legs and muscles to continue moving me through the snow. 

Only when I had reached the foot of his dune I had seen his head disappear and I desperately clawed at the snow in front of my feet to thin it out and make it easier to start climbing upwards. The disappearance of Jungwon's black hair had made me go into full panic mode. I had just seen him and tried to yell for him and now he was just gone - just like that.

It felt like an eternity to even fight my way up the dune, despite attempting to walk in Jungwon's footsteps. I kept on stumbling and falling due to the deep snow. Time and time again I glanced up at the top of the dune, hoping to see him return - perhaps hearing my struggle. He never returned though and by the time I reached the top of the dune it felt like I had spent over an hour climbing it, despit it being no taller than a normal hill.

My legs were aching and my lungs screamed for me to just go and die by the time I knelt down on the top of the dune, sinking further down into the snow. I was too dehydrated and in lack of food to fight against the snow for much longer. Either it was my blood rushing to keep my body warm or it was footsteps nearby that kept drumming rhythmically in my ears. I could not really care. I could only gather so much energy.

One last strain on my body was what I was able to find. I planted my hands in the biting cold snow and pushed myself up once again. I pushed hard enough to make sure that I would just tumble down the dune. It was only snow so it was limited how much it actually could hurt me. All it could do was cover me in snow and make me cold and drenched to the core.

So much to find an old friend.

When I had stopped tumbling down the hill I laid still for a minute. It would be stupid to lay in the snow for too long, I was already just a droplet of ice cold water from catching a bad cold. Even though I thought I had used my last amount of energy and willpower I still managed to find some last droplet of determination that would be able to get me to my feet.

Within a day I had walked through the frozen part of the arena and in front of me stood a wild and lively forest yet again. A stark contrast that abruptly happened in a clean cut line. It must be spring that was awaiting in front of me. 

This would've meant I had ran into summer just after the countdown, moved my way through and walked into fall, only to wander straight into winter last night. I glanced around in marvel. Jungwon must be nearby if he really was trying to find me then. If we had to go to the frozen place to meet up he would wait for me, wouldn't he?

Somewhere nearby a bush rustled and this time I didn't feel the fear grip me. Just the rush to get through the snow was enough to exhaust me to the point of just welcoming my death happily if someone was to kill me soon.

"Ji?" a familiar voice spoke up from further to my right.

A sigh of relief escaped me as I tiled my head to my right and looked at a perplexed Jungwon, just staring at me as if I was a ghost. I couldn't even imagine how I looked. beat up from fighting Kyra and not cleaning any of my wounds, living on some pinetree bark and a mouthful of snow from this morning. I would've looked like shit.

"Jungwon," I whispered with relief before rushing towards him.

Quickly he had rushed forward, much faster than I had. By the time I had taken two steps he had taken five. Moments only lasted before he had me wrapped in a tight hug, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness," he muttered into my hair as he leaned his head on the top of my head, "I thought the canon was for you. Do you have any idea for how long I've been waiting for you here?"

"A day at most," I chuckled and he pulled a bit away before glancing me up and down.

"You're a mess," he remarked and I let out a small laugh before looking down at myself.

"Treebark and snow," I chuckled and he frowned.

"You're hoarse."

"Tired."

"You have a large wound in your right shoulder," he finished up with a stern look.

I only frowned at him. He arched a brow in disbelief and nodded down towards my right shoulder. When I finally looked down at my shoulder I noticed a wound of sticky, dark blood. I was unpleasantly surprised, I had not noticed that one yet but it must've been a gift from Kyra.

"The girl from Two attacked me yesterday," I excused and he nodded quietly, "did you get anything in the Cornucopia?"

"Backpack," he whispered with a small nod and glanced over his shoulder, "come on. I know where there is a running water stream, so you can get that cleaned. I don't have any medical supplies though. We'll have to wait and see how bad that is."

"Are you alright?" I questioned as he started guiding me through the forest.

He only glanced back down at me, snorting as a hand carefully placed itself on my back. He looked me up and down.

"Considering how you look I would say I never felt better," he remarked with a small laugh and I nodded quietly, "I thought it was you each time the canon went off. I hated when it went off after the announcement the first night. How was I supposed to sleep if I didn't know if the canon was for you or not?"

"You can check now," I reminded and he nodded quietly as I noticed the sound of running water.

"I have some food in the backpack we can share after we get that wound cleaned. I've been staying in a small tree nearby. It's quite big and the branches are incredibly strong," Jungwon informed and I nodded quietly, "I suggest we keep low profile until majority have died. Five are dead for now, it's only a question of time and supplies before more die. We'll do as we've been used to and do just fine."

"You think we can do so?" I questioned and he nodded quietly as we reached  a larger stream of water than what had been in the icey dunes.

"Get in the water and wash that wound. I'll keep a look out for us," Jungwon offered and put his backpack down on a stone by the shore, sitting down beside it.

"God I'm thirsty," I gasped as I was quick to slip out of my boots, "do you think I can undress more than just take off my jacket?" I questioned and Jungwon arched a brow in my direction, looking away from rumaging in the backpack, "on national television? Cameras are hiding everywhere, aren't they?"

"If I get out of here and find out you in your underwear have been sent on television all over the country I can assure you a few gamemakers are getting their heads cut off," he chuckled and I nodded quietly.

As Jungwon looked back into his backpack I tried to get out of my t-shirt, finding it hard to get the shirt over my head with just one arm functioning properly. The funny thing about injuries is that you don't feel them properly before you know they're there and now that I know of the wound in my shoulder I could only wince and whimper as I battled with getting the shirt over my head.

"Do you need help?" Jungwon called out, an apple nestled between his hands as he looked over at me, "I won't look, I promise."

"Please," I pleaded and looked at him.