Hunt and Chase

Cornucopia

I awoke several times in the night, out of paranoia. By morning my snare had caught nothing. I dismantled the snare and figured it was best to make my way out to find food and get back to the cornucopia, hoping to get more weaponry.

I trecked along back the way I came, being careful to watch my back. Game was hard to come by apparently so, I pulled some berries off of bushes, blueberries if I recall correctly and patches of wild strawberries, I had enough to feed me for now but, I needed something of substance sooner rather than later.

In an hour or so I was on the outskirts of the cornucopia. I climbed up one of the trees just inside the forest to watch for Careers. One walked out, rubbing her eyes, it seemed as though they had just awoken. It was a good chance to get them off guard but, I needed to wait till the strongest of them were gone.

From what I saw, as most of them emerged to discuss the day's plan; was that my earlier guess had been correct. The boy from Seven, both from Eight, and both from Nine were there, the boy from nine looking the weakest, they'd probably leave him as a guard. They had all gone back to the mouth of the cornucopia, presumably to eat breakfast. They set off in pairs to hunt, tributes or game; I didn't know.

I watched the boy from Nine, Tycho, I think his name was. I knew there was no way I'd be able to sneak past him, he looked tense, scanning every side of the forest. If I could take him by surprise then, I'd have a few minutes to snatch better weapons and supplies without being caught.

I crept my way around the side of the forest to one of the bridges that took you to the cornucopia, only accessible by land, the podiums had been placed on either side of the bridge. The ground crunched quietly under my feet, crossing into the soft grass, bloodstains here and there through the grass. I tried my best not to think about the tributes who had died there.

I crept around the side of the cornucopia, throwing knife in hand. He hadn't moved, not even his head in the past several minutes. I aimed my dagger for his head and threw. He took a gasp and instantly fell to the ground as the knife buried in his skull. He writhed on the ground and the cannon fired.

I took off running into the cornucopia, scanning my choice of items. I get my hands on a whip, a slingshot, and a full set of throwing knives, plus a Capitol grade first aid kit and another medium-sized backpack. I dash out if the cornucopia and make the run back towards my cave, knowing the Careers would be on my tail any minute now.

I managed to make it back to the cave without conflict. It seemed no one else had found my hiding place as I scanned the area. I reset my snare and began sorting my new supplies. In the medium bag, there was a roll of bandages, two more loaves of bread, another bottle of water, a second dagger, this one with a serrated blade, and a fishing hook. I transferred the contents to my large bookbag. Leaving the whip at my side but, tucking the throwing knives into slots inside my jacket, my other dagger still in my belt.

I decided to treat myself to a bigger lunch. As I was about to take a bite of an apple slice another cannon sounded. I would have to wait till tonight to see who it was. This larger lunch was a half loaf of bread, four or five apple slices to finish off the one from yesterday, the bread slices topped with cheese, some of the wild berries I had picked, plus a good amount of water.

I reluctantly left the safety of my cave and scoured the mountains for game. I managed to peg down a few mountain quails, sadly no eggs though. I was about to make my way down, then a growl came from behind me. I whipped around pulling out my whip to see a mountain lion. No, not just a mountain lion, a muttation. It looked exactly like Chase, beautiful gleaming blonde fur and captivating cinnamon eyes. I don't have time to think about the possibility of her being dead before the creature pounced at me. I lunged out of the way only for the creature to hit is head on a boulder, it was only able to slash a gash in my left leg. I dragged back but, quickly regained balance and slashed my whip at the creature, leaving welt marks all over its body. The creature cried in pain and attempted to lunge at me again but, only fell to the ground. This was my chance to make it out alive. I snatched a knife out of my jacket pocket and sent it flying into the muttation's head. The creature became a rag doll on the ground.

I sat there on the mountain top cleaning and dressing my wound, night approaching soon. If I didn't leave now, who knew what would happen in the night. "It wasn't her, it wasn't really her," I keep telling myself. I found thave killed her, I couldn't have killed something made from her, it was a trick, a sick, cruel game.

I hobbled my way down the mountain and inside my cave. The bleeding from my leg had stopped but, the cut hurt like hell. I tried my best to ignore it as I watched tonight's fallen from the cave entrance.

Only two deaths today, Tycho from Nine, the boy I killed this morning and the girl from Seven. Things were moving too slowly, no wonder they sent the muttation after me. It wasn't Chase though, she was still alive. That thought both relived me and panicked me, I couldn't be the one to kill her.

I plucked one of my quails and made that tonight's dinner with a bit of bread and cheese. I ate slowly, savoring the taste of what could be my last meal. It dawned on me that everything I did in the next days, hours, even seconds could be my last. It scared me.

Sleep was restless that night, plagued by nightmares of the muttation and watching Tycho's body fall the ground over and over again.

But I had survived, hadn't I?

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Bam! Double feature tonight kids!