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"We thought it was rain," Johanna rasped. "But it was hot blood choking us. We were stumbling around blind."
"Tick tock," Wiress mumbled vacantly.
Alistair eyed her with concern. "What's the matter with her?"
"Dehydration and shock," Beetee supplied. "Any fresh water?"
Katniss moved to fetch it when suddenly Wiress latched onto an irritable Johanna again. "Tick tock!"
"Hey, stop that!" Johanna snarled, shoving the frail woman away roughly.
Instantly incensed, Katniss stepped up and pushed Johanna in retaliation, shouting, "Leave her alone!"
Peeta pulled her back as Johanna seethed. "What's YOUR problem?" she asked sharply.
"I got them out for you!" Johanna yelled, shoving off Finnick. "Not that you appreciate it."
"Got them out for me?" Katniss questioned. "What's that mean?"
Peeta weighed in gently. "You did want Wiress and Beetee as allies."
Katniss exhaled slowly, trying to regain calm. "Just...let's get her cleaned up. Please." She shot Johanna one more tense look before guiding Wiress away.
"Tick tock, tick tock," Wiress uttered incessantly as Katniss cleaned her up. Suddenly she froze, eyes widening. "It's a clock! You're a genius, Wiress!"
She bolted up, shouting for the others. "This entire arena is a clock! Each section triggers a new threat every hour!"
As she rapidly explained the lightning, blood rain, and more being meticulously timed wedges, the group made their way to the Cornucopia centerpoint. "Wiress, you genius!" Finnick exclaimed.
"The tail points at twelve where the lightning hits that tree," Alistair noted.
Peeta scratched a clock face into the sand. "So twelve to one, lightning. Then blood rain. Fog. Monkeys."
"And more blood," Johanna added darkly.
"It doesn't matter, we'll be safe if we know where the danger is," Peeta reassured.
Just then, Wiress let out a sharp gasp behind them. They spun to see her speared brutally through the neck by Cashmere's knife glinting wetly red.
Seeing Cashmere end Wiress brutally, Alistair instantly loosed an arrow straight into her heart. More footsteps pounded in and Johanna's axe thunked into Gloss before she could avenge her brother.
Chaos erupted as Brutus and Enobaria charged to retaliate. But suddenly the Cornucopia jerked violently, flinging them all off-balance as it started spinning rapidly.
Alistair speared his knife into the metal floor, anchoring himself against the whipping waves crashing over the rim.
The acceleration was too much. Losing his grip, Alistair slammed backwards only for Peeta to grab his wrist last second. "I've got you!" Peeta shouted over the roar of water and screeching metal.
