Saving the Tributes || Demigods in the Hunger Games

.oOo. Piper .oOo.

We can't see you!

Oh yeah. No turn around... yeah. See that oak tree over there?

I glanced over, but there were no oak trees.

Oh I see. Percy gripped my shoulders and turned me 180 degrees. I was suddenly aware of a large oak tree directly in front of us.

That one. She's in there, Frank confirmed. Suddenly, Piper gasped.

Hazel, lead them away. Now. Guys, you need to hide!

Without looking, I ducked behind a tree into a bush and crouched down, recoiling on instinct at the branches that scratched my arms.

Dang it, Wise Girl, Percy grumbled next to me. Why'd you pick a bush?

I shot him a look in the darkness. Would you prefer we climb the tall tree above us? The one Katniss is in?

Percy looked like he was about to reply, when he froze, his head tilted to the side. Hear them?

Hazel! The other way! Frank yelled.

What? Hazel sounded frantic. "Oh hey, um, guys, I think I saw a fire over this way."

"Where?" The harsh voice of Cato sounded.

"Over here." I could hear the crunching of leaves as several pairs of feet drew closer.

Go left a little more, Piper tried to help.

No, other left! Frank groaned.

Told you it was hard, Percy grumbled.

Not helping, Piper scolded. Don't make a sound.

You don't say?

"No, I mean this way."

"Which way is it?" Asked the other boy, Marvel, impatiently.

"Here."

"We just came from there!" I heard Percy's district partner say suspiciously.

"Hey, give her a break," a new voice said. "It's almost morning. We're all tired. If we keep going now, it'll take another day to get back to camp."

There was a crunch of leaves, as if someone took one step back. Or closer.

"You don't tell us what to do, Lover Boy," Cato said. "You said we were close to her."

"We are," Peeta said. "We found her snare back there. She's a hunter. If she set a snare, she's coming back for it."

"We'll just wait there then," Clove reasoned.

Hazel laughed. "And let her see us before she gets close? Not likely."

"You have a better plan then?"

"Keep looking for other tributes too. We'll waste valuable time on an assumption that Katniss set the snare, and that she'll come back for it. In the meantime, Leo could be sleeping away and letting other tributes snag our stuff."

Now it was Cato's turn to laugh. "They won't be snagging stuff anytime soon, if it works."

"It will."

"Then why are you so uptight about it?" There was a sound of someone turning. "Come on. Let's keep going."

I tried to crouch lower in the bush as the footsteps drew nearer, knowing that Cato was the leader and that Cato was about to walk right by us. The sky was lightening too, meaning that it was easier to see me and Percy hiding like rabbits in a bush. I could see Hazel running ahead to catch up with Cato, looking around sharply.

In a bush under the oak, Percy said. Hazel's gaze snapped to us quickly.

"What're you looking at?" Clove asked. I could see the glint of a knife, and my fist curled on empty air. Our useless spear dug into my side.

"Nothing," Hazel said quickly, but Clove was walking closer to us. I could feel Percy's hand moving to Riptide.

I held my breath as Clove stopped six feet away from us, her gaze casting right over us. Finally she shrugged.

"Must've been like a bird or something," Hazel said her eyes narrowed in concentration.

Clove shrugged. "Must've been." she turned back around and I let my breath go.

That was close, Percy breathed. How did she not see us?

The Mist, I guessed. Hazel winked at me for confirmation before jogging to catch up with the careers. We waited until the sound of their footsteps disappeared before standing up.

"Thank the gods for Hazel," Percy said, and I was surprised at the rasp in his voice. I realized that neither of us had spoken since we got into the arena, and I opened my own mouth and cleared my throat.

"Yeah." I removed the spear and rubbed the spot where the handle had dug in uncomfortably, then replaced it. "Let's rest here. We've been walking all night."

"All night?" Percy asked.

"Well, except for that half hour break we took," I said, warning in my voice. Go with it, Seaweed Brain. Trust me.

Percy nodded. "Right. Let's rest here." He slumped under the tree and fidgeted for a comfortable spot on the forest floor. I stretched, reaching my arms up to the sky and lifting my head just enough to peer through the branches. Just enough to see Katniss untie herself from her sleeping bag and pull a long, serrated knife from her backpack.