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"run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up." - dean karnazes
_________
They were running through the trees when they decided to stop. Coralia wanted to make a comment about the baby, but she bit her tongue.
"We need to get water, soon." Coralia stated, hating the feeling of how dry her mouth was.
It wasn't a surprise when the canons started going off. The tributes looked up, counting how many deaths there were.
"I guess we're not holding hands anymore." Finnick chuckled. Coralia slapped his arm, giving him a firm look.
"You think that's funny?" Katniss asked. It was obvious that the pair from 12 didn't trust them yet. Coralia couldn't say she blamed them. Finnick pointed upwards.
"Every time that canon goes off, it's music to my ears." He replied. "I don't care about any of them."
Katniss pulled a machete that she had stashed in her quiver out. "Good to hear."
"Wanna face the career pack alone? What would Haymitch say?" Coralia locked eyes with Peeta, who didn't know what to say.
"Let's just keep moving." Coralia suggested.
"Good idea." Peeta agreed. As they started walking, Coralia leaned towards Finnick, whispering in his ear.
"Has anyone told you that you can be slightly arrogant?" She asked, and he grinned.
"I think you may have reminded me once or twice. I recall your father had strong thoughts about it, also." He replied, to which she rolled her eyes in reply.
Peeta was slicing the vines with the machete Katniss had 'threatened' Finnick with moments ago. Beads of sweat formed on Coralia's forehead; the humidity was insane.
Coralia was lost in her thoughts until she heard Katniss screaming: "Peeta, no!" Before she could react, she was sent flying back, practically landing on top of Katniss. Both girls stood up, and Katniss rushed to Peeta.
"Peeta? Peeta? He's not breathing!" She exclaimed. Finnick pushed the braided girl off of him, causing her to try and reach for an arrow. Before she could, Coralia grabbed her arms.
"He's helping him!" She said, and Katniss watched as a Finnick gave mouth to mouth to the baker's boy. Katniss's arms relaxed a little bit, so Coralia let her go.
Coralia could see, now, that it wasn't an act. Maybe they weren't ready to get married, but they actually did love each other. She saw the same look in Katniss's eyes as she had in her own, towards Finnick.
"Come on, Peeta!" Finnick huffed. Katniss cradled his head, and Coralia kept watch, in case anyone saw this as an opportunity to kill them.
Peeta awoke with a gasp, and Finnick backed away, letting Katniss take over. Finnick looked at the brunette from his district; the look in his eyes knowing that this rebellion was more important than ever.
Though she had agreed to the rebellion; to keep Katniss and Peeta alive, Coralia still hoped that if it came down to it, Finnick would win. It was selfish of her to think, but she couldn't help it.
***
"It's a dome. We're at the edge of the arena. We couldn't find any signs of fresh water." Katniss stated, after climbing a large tree.
"It's getting dark soon. We should set up camp — take turns sleeping. I can take first watch, if you would like." Coralia suggested.
"Not a chance." Katniss huffed.
"Honey, that thing I did back there for Peeta? That was called saving his life. If Coralia and I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be standing here now." Finnick remarked.
"We aren't the enemy, Katniss. I know it's hard to see when we're in an arena and told to kill each other, but we aren't the threat." Coralia added.
Katniss nodded, and they started walking to set up camp for the night.
***
Coralia drifted in and out of sleep as Finnick and Katniss talked. Coralia's head was resting on a smooth rock, and Finnick would smile anytime he heard little snores from the girl.
Coralia woke up when she heard the sound of a parachute near — one sound that had always brought her comfort when she was in her own games. As she picked herself off of the ground, she heard Katniss saying it was a spile. Coralia didn't register what it was until she saw water flowing out of the tree and out of the small pipe. Finnick grabbed her hand, helping her towards the tree, though he knew she was perfectly fine to walk there on her own.
The feeling of water on her tongue after being thirsty for so long felt like heaven.
***
Katniss watched as the other three tributes slept; she had offered to take first watch. She mainly kept an eye on Peeta, but couldn't help but to notice that Finnick and Coralia were holding hands.
Every once in a while, Finnick would call out: 'Cora!' in a panicked tone. This comforted Katniss a little. She knew someone couldn't keep an act up while they were sleeping. Coralia kept stirring in her sleep the same way Katniss did; it wasn't hard to tell she was having nightmares. Katniss looked away, trying not to fall asleep.
***
Coralia's eyes were wide as she realized what she had done. Her district would hate her for killing one of their own. Blaze had left her no other choice. As the events of the games reoccurred in her dreams, she watched herself brutally killing him.
As Coralia woke up in a gasp, she heard Katniss screaming in pain as fog hit her skin.
