And we run

All's fair in love

We fall asleep on the beach. I wake to a bright light pushing against my eyelids--the sun, telling me to rise and shine, because a new day has begun. 

Terra's arm is wrapped around my shoulder, warm and absolutely heavenly. She is still asleep, and I smile as I watch her breathe softly. 

Honestly, Terra is beautiful. I'm not even blinded by my stupid little crush--she is objectively gorgeous, her cheekbones strong and accentuated perfectly by soft waves of blonde hair. Her eyelashes are long, and her eyes are currently closed, but when open they are a stunning shade of forest green. 

She has a beauty mark right next to her mouth, a small brown dot that could almost pass for a freckle. I brush my thumb against it gently. Her skin is warm as well, and her eyes flutter open at my touch, meeting mine. She smiles, and my stomach twirls. 

I look up, movement in my periphery dragging me out of the moment. There is a rustling in the far-off trees on the beach, and a flash of red hair catches my eye. 

"There's someone there," I whisper, and Terra gets up quickly, silently, following my gaze. The moment is ruined, but honestly, I would rather have both of us alive. 

I don't know what I would do without Terra right now, and not only because she is the one protecting the both of us. 

I don't think I'd survive, or at least not for long. This arena is meant for fighters, something I very much am not. 

"Who's there?" Terra shouts, even though I bet we both know who it is--who else could ever share Taura's signature red hair? The expression on her face is fierce, but when she reaches for her bow, her hand is shaking. 

"Terra," I whisper urgently, close enough to her ear that no one else can hear--as if someone all the way on the other side of the bay could have heard, anyways. "There's probably more of them. They'll get us both."

Something in the back of my mind prevents me from saying 'killed,' and my voice quivers slightly. 

"I can handle Taura," she says, confirming both of our suspicions on who it is. "She's just overconfident, that's all. With Vulcan, all she was doing was dodging."

"But that was Vulcan," I counter. He was much stronger than Terra, and definitely more vicious, too.

"Exactly, that was Vulcan. You didn't see him, later on? He was totally losing his mind--could barely aim a shot."

Terra smiles, tilting her head to the side just a bit, as if to emphasize how perfectly unharmed it is. "I'm all sane, so I think we're good. I can handle Taura."

I consider this.

"What about the others? She was traveling with some more tributes, right? Someone had to've set that fire."

"Well, I don't know who," Terra starts, rising to her feet, bringing her bow and arrow with her. "But I'm sure whoever they are, they can't be that bad. C'mon, we'll be fine. I'll watch your back."

I hesitate, staying on the ground for just a moment longer. "You're sure?"

Her smile returns, and words can't explain how grateful I am to see it. "I'm sure. I have a plan. And nothing will happen to you, I can promise that."

She doesn't mention anything about herself, so I say nothing in response, a coward. We set off.

By the time we've reached the beach and the spot where Taura must've been, she is long gone. This is expected, obviously, so Terra already has a plan. 

"We'll lure her out with a fire," she says, already gathering the larger beginning logs. "They want to think they can act like the careers, hunting all the rest of us--they can be met with the real careers."