The Tributes[]
So here's the tributes! If you want to sponsor them you can, but you can only send 10 gifts, notes or packages to a tribute, although it can be from any district you want. As you can see, here are my training scores for them, so choose who you want to sponsor.
District 1:Glare Flicker, 11
District 1: Shimmer Delaroy, 10
District 2: Rasputen Darklege, 10
District 2: Autumn Redstone, 9
District 3: Elex Twieres, 5
District 3: Circuta Nelmaro, 6
District 4: Alexander Lettom, 11
District 4: Karina Lettom, 10
District 5: Stone Woods, 9
District 5: Dawn Spruce, 7
District 6: Gavin Jarvis, 8
District 6: Angelia Nox, 8
District 7: Matteo Sadar, 7
District 7: Vanessa Lockhart, 7
District 8: Ash Redfern, 10
District 8: Samantha Stone, 5
District 9: Echo Stone, 5
District 9: Sapphire Rolland, 4
District 10: Fiero Kalymer, 10
District 10: Destiny Watson, 11
District 11: Thorne Shadows, 11- VICTOR!!!!
District 11: Lily Dawn, 8
District 12: Briar Thorn, 6
District 12: Salik Cardashian, 9
Check Out the Chariot Rides![]
So, I don't really know why, but my blog isn't showing that I posted the chariot rides on here, so I did them somewhere else. It's in my pages I'm following, so just make sure you click on chariot rides and enjoy!
Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor. -Rosella![]
Day 1- Bloodbath[]
Deaths:
1. Samantha Stone, speared by Glare
2. Alexandar Lettom, stabbed by Gavin
3. Gavin Jarvis, skewered by Karina
4. Elex Twieres, stabbed by Glare
5. Circuta Nelmaro, stabbed by Glare
6. Stone Woods, decapitated by Glare
7. Vanessa Lockhart, speared by Autumn
The tributes are raised into a clearing in the middle of a thick forest. In the middle of the clearing is the Cornucopia, and just to the left is a black lake. It's not poisonous though, but only Alexandar and Karina know that. To the south and west, the tributes can see snowcapped mountains. It's chilly out, but the tributes are all wearing body-heat-reflecting capes of different shades. Most of the Careers are wearing neon colored ones. All of the tributes are wearing dark green tunics, brown belts, brown tunics, and thick green boots. The trees all around are thick and are all different.
The gong sounds. Ash is first to the Cornucopia, and grabs the largest pack and a bow and arrow and heads for the mountains to the west. Glare is close behind, and throws a spear at Ash, who it would've killed, but he dodges it. Samantha is not so lucky. Glare turns around and sees the little girl. She is speared before she can react.
Lily, Destiny, and Shimmer have already disappeared into the trees, along with Thorne, Briar, and Salik. Lily headed westward, so did Thorne, Shimmer went south, Destiny, crazily, went north toward the mutts, and Briar and Salik, having already allied, are going east.
Karina and Alexandar have reached the Cornucopia at the same time as Elex, Fiero, Gavin, and Circuta. Gavin goes for a pack, but Alexandar had the same idea. Gavin realizes this as he sees him eying his pack, grabs a knife, and stabs him. He dies. Karina screams, "Alexandar, NO!" and looks at Gavin with hatred, who is running away from the Cornucopia, toward the southern mountains. She picks up a trident, and without hesitation, throws it at Gavin. He is skewered through the head by it, and Karina runs over to his body and pulls it out of his skull after grabbing a fairly large pack from the Cornucopia. She heads south alone.
Elex and Circuta are both taken down by Glare, but not before Circuta opens a large gash in Glare's stomach. Glare sees stone running toward the Cornucopia and grabbing a sword, and runs after him. They duel for a few minutes, right in front of Dawn, and finally, Glare disarms Stone and decapitates him. Dawn runs southeast, sobbing.
Matteo and Vanessa run toward the Cornucopia, but Rasputen and Autumn get there first. Autumn drives an arrow into Vanessa's side, who collapses but isn't dead, and Matteo looks stunned and picks her up in his strong arms, running off. Autumn looks like she wants to finish them off, but Rasputen stops her. "It's not worth it," he says, looking into her eyes. "Does it really matter? He can't get far with her." He's really just making up excuses so she won't kill them, because he feels bad for them, but he knows if he reveals he's not a killing machine the other Careers will murder him.
* * *
Destiny has gone pretty far when a large box held by a silver parachute falls from the sky. In it is a bow+arrows, a book of safe plants in the arena, some dried fruit, some water, and a random saddle. "Okay. Thank you sponsors. Someone really wants me to win this year," she says to herself. Just then, six cannons fire. "Uh oh," Destiny says. "The Careers will be hunting now. Even if there are only three of them, they're tough. Better climb a tree," she says, grinning just a little evilly. Little did she know Fiero had followed her and had heard her entire conversation with herself.
* * *
Lily has stumbled upon a lake when Thorne comes upon her. "Hey," he says, grinning.
"Um, hi." Lily is uncertain.
"Allies?" Lily glares at him.
"Why should I trust you?" she asks aggressively.
"Because, I want to protect you," Thorne says, willing for her to understand.
"Er, why?" Lily asks, suspicious.
"Well, just trust this. I didn't go into the battle at the Cornucopia, and I followed you all this way. How could you possibly think I did that for nothing?"
Lily considers this. "Okay, allies." He smiles now, really smiles, and Lily can't help but think how handsome he is.
"Did you know I have a sister named Lily?" he says.
* * *
Matteo has found a cave. Vanessa is growing paler and paler by the minute, and losing a whole lot of blood. "Vanessa," he says, picking up her hand. "Stay with me." She is breathing shallowly, and Matteo knows in his heart that she won't last the night. She smiles though, and props herself up on a rock in a cave. "You and I both know what's going to happen, Matteo." She kisses him. "But, Vanessa . . ." Vanessa shakes her head like he's a silly little child. "No buts. I'm going to get some rest." He settles down beside her, and she falls asleep cuddled against him. Matteo also drifts off until he hears a cannon fire. "Hear that, Vanessa? Looks like the Careers are at work." But Vanessa doesn't answer back. Matteo realizes that she has died, her beautiful face pale and peaceful in the moonlight, her skin cold against his, and that the cannon was for her. He begins to cry, silently, and hugs her, pressing his lips to her head. He then lays her body in a sleeping position outside the cave for the hovercraft to pick up. "I'm going to find Autumn, and kill her," he says, his life changed as he charges off through the wilderness
* * *
Shimmer climbs a pine that would have been too small for any of the other tributes to climb. She settles in, completely obscured by branches, resolving to hunt in the morning.
* * *
No one hears from Salik, Briar, Dawn, Echo, Sapphire or Ash all day, except for a shot of Ash dodging the spear thrown by Glare.
Day 2[]
Deaths:
8. Echo Stone, shot by Rasputen
9. Salik Cardashian, speared by Karina
The Careers are on the hunt. Glare, Rasputen, and Autumn pass below the tree Destiny is in, but none of them notice the deep, penetrating purple eyes watching them. Glare says, "I swear, I heard someone over here." Autumn says, "Well, if you heard someone where are they? Who decided to let YOU lead, anyway?" Rasputen gives her a if-you-want-to-stay-alive-then-shut-up glare, and says, "Guys, if we want to win this thing, we can't be fighting with each other all the time." Glare and Autumn give each other one last deadly look. Rasputen has a feeling that Autumn is the kind of person who doesn't lie down and take it, and he's more afraid for Glare than for her. Suddenly a knife goes whizzing past his ear. "There IS someone here," he shouts, and looks around. Glare says, "I found him." He picks up Fiero by his hair, out from where he was hiding in the brush. Destiny almost faints. "What should we do with him?" asks Autumn. "Kill him," Glare replies evilly, but Rasputen retorts, "He probably knows where that sneaky one is, the girl from his district. Don't you, cowherd?" Fiero nods. "If you want to stay alive, you'll lead us to her." Fiero knows he can't do that, and Destiny is listening intently in the tree, almost pleading with her mind; "Don't give me away, Fiero, please." Fiero says, "This way," and leads them north. When she is sure they are out of earshot, Destiny jumps out of her tree, wondering about this boy whom, unlike all the other tributes, she knows the name of. The boy who never missed a chance to protect her in any way, even when the bullies at school teased her for her pencil hairdo, even when a dog nearly bit her in the third grade. "No. No more thinking about Fiero. I am going to win."
* * *
Angelia is running through the forest. She comes upon Karina, who has a trident on her in no time. "Allies?" Angelia asks. Karina thinks about her nailing the entrance post with a shiny silver disc during chariot rides, and looks into her amber eyes. She can tell Angelia isn't lying. "Allies." Karina confirms. Suddenly Briar and Salik come crashing down on the two of them. "Two more down," Salik says, and raises a rock. Karina strikes, jabbing her trident at Briar. Salik sees, and screams, "NO!" and jumps in front of the trident. He crumples, the cannon fires, and Briar looks stunned, tears filling her deep blue eyes. Suddenly, she knees Karina in the stomach, hard, and makes her double over. Angelia grabs a knife from Karina and is about to throw it at Briar, but Briar elbows her in the face. She falls to the ground and Briar runs off. Karina and Angelia look at each other. "She's a menace," Karina mutters to Angelia.
* * *
Meanwhile, Echo and Sapphire have found Thorne and Lily. "You two are almost Careers. You both got mega-high scores in training," Sapphire says. "Join us or die a slow and painful death." Lily buries her head into Thorne's shoulder and he wraps a protective arm around her. "If you hurt her, YOU will die a slow and painful death," he says. Echo sneers. Just then, an arrow goes whizzing into his skull. The cannon fires as Sapphire turns around in horror to see the Careers coming at her, FAST. Lily takes Thorne's hand and runs off into the trees, scurrying up one and dragging him up with her. No one notices.
Rasputen was apparently the one with the bow that killed Echo. As they form a semicircle around Sapphire, Fiero sneaks off. They all lunge at Sapphire at the same time, but she kicks away Autumn's spear while dodging an arrow from Rasputen, and avoiding the slashing of Glare's blade. A knife comes out of nowhere and hits Autumn in the shoulder. Sapphire is temporarily stunned but uses this distraction to kick Rasputen's feet out from under him, punch Glare in the face, and push over Autumn before making her way into the trees. The Careers stand up, looking not only for Sapphire but for the knife thrower, but none of them can see Ash in the bushes, laughing his head off. "I'm almost becoming a troublemaker myself," he thinks.
* * *
Shimmer is walking through the forest, collecting berries, when she sees something out of the corner of her eye. It looks like a bunch of animals, running right toward her, and she immediately screams in terror, "MUTTS!" She begins running for her life. She takes a glimpse of what she is running from and realizes, they're not mutts, they're horses. Beautiful, wild horses, their manes glistening in the sunlight, their coats shimmering. "Whoa," she says. "This'll make the District 10 tributes happy, the master horseriders."
* * *
Matteo is still hunting for Autumn and Dawn is hiding out, waiting for something exciting to happen.
Day 3[]
Karina and Angelia are trekking through highlands. There are a lot of hills and the trees are thin. "This is a dangerous place to be," Angelia predicts.
Karina nods. "You're right about that. No more cover." It then begins to snow. "Uh oh," Karina mutters. "Now we'll leave tracks. Come on, Angelia. We need to find thicker forest, fast, and climb a tree. There are some great trackers in this arena." Karina thinks about the Careers.
Angelia has revealed in the arena to have a great sense of direction. "I have a feeling we should go that way," she says quietly, pointing to the west. "I think if we head toward the mountains the forest will thicken."
Karina thinks to herself that accepting Angelia's allies request was a good decision. She looks fondly at her own black body-heat-reflecting cape. "Lead the way."
As they begin running, a silver parachute falls from the sky and Karina picks it up. Inside is a bow and arrows. "Yes," Karina thinks. She sees Angelia has opened a similar package, and pulled out a slightly smaller bow and quiver of arrows.
"This'll make hunting a lot easier," Angelia calls. They both sling their bows over their shoulders and continue west.
* * *
The Careers are camped next to the Cornucopia. Glare is off hunting, and Autumn and Rasputen are sitting around a fire in the chilly weather. Autumn, for some reason, can't seem to keep her eyes off Rasputen, sitting across from her, sharpening a deadly little knife. No. Getting attached to someone in this death trap is NOT a good idea, she reminds herself.
He looks up to see her staring at him. He comes over to sit next to her. "Hey," he says. "You look cheerful."
"Do I?" Autumn says, laughing bitterly. "It's just . . . how can I kill these people? How could I ever overtake . . .," her voice drops to a whisper. "Overtake Glare?" she finishes. "He's a machine. He could probably level this whole forest if given the proper tools."
He looks at her for a few seconds. "Yes, but you've got the wits to match his, and you're lighter on your feet, and you have skill, and nerve." He grins at her. "How many teenage girls do you know who would stand up to that monster?"
She laughs, really laughs this time. "Not many, I have to admit."
"Exactly. I'm going to get some rest." He goes into the Career tent and switches off his lantern.
Autumn sighs. Stop being so nice to me, she begs Rasputen silently. I can't kill you if I fall in love with you.
* * *
Destiny walks through the forest, humming softly. She doesn't see Glare sneaking up behind her. He clears his throat. She whirls around, and says, "Crap."
He laughs evilly. "Crap is right. Speaking really isn't your thing, is it?"
She sits there, paralyzed with fear. "I'm guessing my death isn't going to be short and painless."
He chuckles again. "No, it isn't," he says softly, moving toward her. Destiny almost gags; he smells like blood and pretty much captures the essence of death itself. The rumbling of hooves distracts both of them for a while. Destiny turns to see Fiero, Ash, and Dawn riding on horses, coming fast toward her. Glare screams in a not-very-manly-or-evil way and runs, but Fiero catches up to him on his horse and clubs him with a rock. "You're not going to hurt her," he says. He then picks her up and they ride away.
Day 4[]
10. Matteo Sadar, stoned by Sapphire.
Dawn, Ash, Fiero, and Destiny have arrived at camp by the time night is spent.
Destiny looks up at Fiero and asks, a bit breathlessly, "Why on earth do you keep risking your life for me? Not a smart thing to do in here, you know."
Fiero blushes a little and dismounts the horse. "Call it a whole bunch of extra favors."
Ash and Dawn look at each other and smile knowingly.
"We formed a secret alliance. We're planning on ambushing Glare. He's our biggest threat at the moment," Dawn says.
Destiny shakes her head. "No," she says. "I know what you're going to ask, and it's not going to happen. I absolutely don't do alliances."
Ash grins at her. "You don't have to stay in the alliance all the way until the end," he informs her. "Once we've finished off Glare you can go where you want, alone if you'd like." He strokes his gray horse. "But I'd suggest coming with us. Wouldn't it be nice to get Glare off the map?"
Destiny considers this. "Alright, but only until Glare is dead. Do I have your word that you won't follow me?"
Fiero glares at all of them. "Yes, you have our word. Take a horse; we'll travel faster."
Destiny smiles and selects a coppery one from the herd Fiero has tamed. "I'm going to name her Ginger," she says to no one in particular.
Ash grins mischieviously, handling his silver, sponsor-sent spear. "Are we ready to convert others to our cause?"
* * *
Lily and Thorne have stumbled upon a small waterfall. "That's really good luck," Lily says.
"It looks clean," Thorne observes.
Lily wraps her dark blue cloak around herself and shivers. "It's gotten colder."
"Yes, it has, little Lil," Thorne says, using the same pet name he used for his Lily back home.
Suddenly Lily bursts into tears. "I'm going to die. I have no chance, Thorne."
Thorne moves over to her, and gives her a big brotherly hug. "You've got more of a chance than I do. Now get some rest."
Lily nods, her turquoise eyes puffy and swollen. "Thanks, big brother."
* * *
Sapphire is creeping quietly through the forest, when she comes upon Matteo. He's gone a little insane, and he's talking to himself. "I'm going to kill her. She won't make it past dawn," he mutters.
Sapphire accidently steps on a twig while trying to walk off, and Matteo jerks his head around. "You," he shrieks. He jumps up and follows her, thinking that she is Autumn.
Sapphire shimmies up a tree and waits for Matteo, ready with a stone. He crashes in, and she takes aim, trying to hit him straight in his temple, which would immediately kill him. She throws it really hard, and hits her mark, the cannon firing.
Sapphire feels a little guilty. "He used to be so playful," she thought. "They turned him into a monster." Then she remembers the beautiful girl with the brown hair he used to talk to, Vanessa, and how she saw her image in the sky on that last night with Echo. "I probably did him a favor," she resolves, saddened.
* * *
Karina and Angelia have found the best hiding spot ever.
* * *
Rasputen decides it's time to leave and find Shimmer. He begins readying himself, and packing. He decides to leave tomorrow night, but there's still the issue of leaving Autumn with Glare. He knows he doesn't have the guts to do so.
Day 5[]
11. Briar Thorne, killed by poisonous plants
12. Karina Lettom, killed by poisonous scorpion/spider mutts
13. Angelia Nox, killed by poisonous scorpion/spider mutts
Sapphire is sharpening her new arrows with a stone when she hears a strange clicking. She looks down and gasps in horror. Emerging from the log she is sitting on are silver insects that look like a cross between a scorpion and a spider and are most certainly mutts. She screams and shakes them off her but feels a searing pain as she is bitten on her hand. She begins to run and vividly insane visions much like the tracker jacker venom, only ten times worse begin. She sees Echo being killed, she sees her family's throats being slit, while all around her the forest becomes darker and darker. Blood begins trickling down the darkness. She screams and cries but has one clear thought -- I have to keep running. She screams again.
* * *
Ash, Dawn, Fiero, and Destiny hear the clicking too, and then a scream. It sounds so much like Ashlyn, Ash thinks. Fiero grabs Destiny and drags her onto the fastest horse, named Spark. He then climbs onto one himself and they ride off. Dawn and Ash look at each other darkly. "Don't, Ash," says Dawn, but Ash is already running off into the frosty forest. Dawn gives up, mounts a horse, and rides off.
Ash finds the screamer -- Sapphire, the girl he rescued from the Careers after her boyfriend died. She was a tough one, but now she was on the ground, crying. All of a sudden, a very creepy spider thing crawls onto her back. Ash yelps and picks her up. Away he runs, easily outsprinting the pursuing spiders with his immense speed. He mounts his horse with her, and rides off also.
* * *
Karina and Angelia are toast. Their hiding place was a cave in the northern mountains, and the mutts have found them inside it. There is no way out. They hold each other and wait for death.
* * *
Rasputen is just about to leave when Autumn finds him. "Where are you going?" she asks suspiciously.
Rasputen looks for an excuse. "Hunting."
"No you're not," Autumn says. "Do you hear that clicking?"
"Yeah," Rasputen replies.
"Spider mutts. If you go in there now, you'll be killed."
Rasputen's eyes widened. "They let the mutts loose on the fourth day?"
"Apparently." Autumn is worried about Rasputen. She knows he had some sort of connection with the girl from District 1, the blond twelve year old, and if he goes in there looking for her, he may never come back.
"I have to go in there," Rasputen says. "Just trust me, Autumn." He gently kisses her forehead and sprints off.
Autumn grabs a pack and follows. "Rasputen, wait! Wait!"
He turns around to see the beautiful girl running toward him, her long auburn hair flowing out behind her. This is the point where Rasputen falls in love. "I'm coming with you," Autumn says. The clicking noise subsides as Rasputen nods.
"Let's roll," he says.
* * *
Thorne and Lily are unaffected by and unaware of the mutt attack all day and night. They are furthest south of any of the tributes.
* * *
Briar has eaten some strange berries because she was starving and delirious. She begins to feel sick and is dead by the end of the day.
Day 6[]
Fiero and Destiny have waited for more than half an hour for Ash. Dawn is out gathering firewood now that it's morning.
"Maybe he's not coming back," Destiny says hollowly.
Fiero laughs a little nervously. "He'll come. Ash is really intelligent and smart, and brave. He'll make it out."
Destiny was bitten by a mutt as they ran off and is just coming out of the horrible visions. "Fiero, have I ever told you I'm deathly afraid of spiders?" she says shakily.
"No. But I figured when I . . . when I heard you screaming." His voice is pained at the memory.
"What's wrong with me screaming?" Destiny asks quietly.
"You have no idea. Everything. I can't stand to . . . to hear you in pain any longer." He moves closer to her and cups her chin in his hand. "Destiny, have I ever told you I'm deathly afraid of losing you?" He bends down and kisses her gently.
When he pulls away, Destiny is blushing bright red on her pale face, making her look like a doll. Then she slugs him.
"Ow!" Fiero exclaims.
"That's for kissing me!" Destiny says. Then she stands on tiptoe and kisses him again. "And that was for being the very best thing that's ever happened to me. The one who protects me when everyone else is set on hurting me, the one who I know I can trust, the one who noticed me, and fell in love with me even when I was the laughingstock."
He laughs softly. "It really isn't hard to fall in love with you," he says, and kisses her again, pulling her into his arms. A silver parachute falls from the sky. Destiny opens it to reveal a bowstaff, some food, and some water.
"I think this is for you," she says, grinning.
His face breaks into a somewhat evil smile. "Oh yeah, that's mine."
* * *
Rasputen and Autumn have been searching day and night for the little golden-haired orphan. "Still no sign of her," Autumn says tiredly.
Rasputen looks her up and down. She is absolutely, positively the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Her hair is dishevaled and ratted, she has dark circles under her eyes and her face is smeared with dirt, but she still has the most beautiful eyes -- stormy, tempest gray eyes that seem to move with the clouds. She's amazing, he thinks. "We'll find her," he says, putting his arm around her. Autumn stares up at him and lays her head against his chest.
"Rasputen, I think . . . are we falling in love?" she asks.
Rasputen looks down at her. "I don't know about you, but I did last night."
"I think I did . . . just now," she says. They look into each others eyes for a few seconds, then, as time stops, Rasputen bends down and lays a kiss as soft as rain on Autumn's lips.
"It's time to go, fairy princess," he says. "Glare will be on the move, and so will our little golden child."
Suddenly, a streak of golden blond hair comes into their vision. Shimmer is standing before them, a little knife with a sharp blade in her tiny hand.
"W-where did you come from?" Autumn stutters.
"None of your business. Who are you looking for? Who?" she asks wildly, looking from Rasputen to Autumn to Rasputen.
"You," says Rasputen slowly. "Alliance?"
* * *
Sapphire has also come out of the terrible visions caused by the mutt venom. "You saved me," she says to Ash.
"Yeah, I did. That makes twice now," he says.
"Wha --" she sees his amused expression with one eyebrow teasingly raised. "You threw that knife," she realizes.
"Yes I did. But you could've made it out alone, the way you handled that. Which comes to a matter of business I'd like to discuss with you. Will you join our team to take down Glare and the other Careers?"
"They killed Echo."
"Yes they did."
"Count me in."
"And us, if you'll take us," says a timid voice. Lily emerges from the shadows, followed closely by Thorne.
Sapphire grins. "Take them. They're amazing. I don't know what they did to impress the Gamemakers, but they both got insanely high scores in training."
"That makes seven of us, then." Ash begins to run off, since the horse was killed in the mutt attack. "Try to keep up," he calls mischieviously over his shoulder.
Day 7[]
1. Sapphire Rolland, killed by Glare
2. Dawn Spruce, killed by Glare
3. Shimmer Delaroy, tortured to death by Glare
Lily wakes up to see Thorne standing, looking out at the sunrise from their cave. "Hey, big brother," Lily says. "What are you thinking about?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just . . . I have a bad feeling about today." He begins pacing.
"Today's the day, isn't it? The day Ash and the others have been planning to take out Glare." Lily approaches Thorne, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Yes. I don't want you killed in that fight, little Lil. You're too much of my tiny little sister now." Thorne sits down, looking at her.
She laughs. "You're worried about me?"
Thorne smiles sadly at her. "Hard not to be. You're not very big in comparison to Glare, you know."
She giggles. "Don't worry, I'll be careful."
Just then Ash walks in. "Hello, people. Today's the big day. Glare will hopefully be gone by the time the sun sets!"
* * *
From Autumn's point of view:
It just felt so peaceful, that one night we had together. Me, Shimmer and Rasputen. I had just received a bow and arrows, two bottles of water, and a basket of food from a generous sponsor. Add that to the dried fruit, the two groosling Rasputen had shot earlier, and the edible plants Shimmer was able to find, and we had a pretty good meal going for us. Shimmer was so sweet. She immediately took to us, and she kept telling me how pretty I was. She and Rasputen were so cute. She sat on his lap and helped him cut the apple-like fruit she'd found, and when he dropped the fruit on the ground, she gave a clear, musical giggle and said, "You're so silly, buddy!" He laughed and gave her a small peck on the cheek. It felt like we were a family.
Once Shimmer had fallen asleep nestled against Rasputen, he slowly eased away from her, smoothed some golden hair behind her ear, and came over to sit by me. He pulled something out of his cloak and showed me. It was a picture of Rasputen, holding a little girl who looked exactly like . . .
"Shimmer," I muttered, moving in closer. Same golden hair, same bright green eyes, same dimples that showed up whenever she smiles.
"Yeah, she looks like her, doesn't she. Her name is Crista. She'll die if I don't make it out," he said quietly. I stared up at him, looking so solemn and now, so much older.
"But, you will make it out," I tried to reassure him.
"No I won't. I'll die protecting you," he said. "But you . . . I'll do everything in my power to make sure you win. Promise me . . . promise me you'll look after her."
"But . . . you can't sacrifice yourself for me!" I said urgently. "You can't . . . you can't leave me here alone."
"Autumn," he said quietly. "Promise me."
"Alright, I promise." I looked up at him, again, tears filling my eyes as I imagined going home without him. "Can we talk about something else?"
"Now I've upset you," was all he said as he stood up and began walking away from me.
"No, it's just . . . I," I stuttered, catching his hand.
"I know." He opened his arms and I walked into them, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Be strong, Autumn," he whispered in my ear. He leaned his cheek against my head, but not before he kissed my forehead."I'm making you weak."
"You have no idea how you strengthen me," I murmured, pulling away and looking into his sky blue eyes.
"Oh, fairy princess. Falling in love with you was a good idea," he chuckled, then bent down and kissed me, but this time, long and sweet, pulling me to him so that I could feel the steady beat of his heart.
The next day I awoke to a scream. A high-pitched scream of absolute pain and terror. And I sat up, knowing exactly who was making that noise, and knowing what this was going to do to Rasputen. He jerked upright and looked into my eyes, and then, before I had a chance to stop him, he was off running, running for all he was worth, running to rescue his little golden child. Shimmer was gone.
I jumped up and ran after him, just as Shimmer screamed again. "Rasputen," she said, and there was such anguish in her voice.
"Coming! I'm coming, Shimmer," he yelled ahead of me, ripping through trees and tearing through bushes. He was sobbing.
"NOOOOO," came another scream. "Rasputen, Autumn, HELP!" I felt myself propelled forward by anger, ready to strangle whoever was eliciting those sounds from that little girl.
From Rasputen's point of view:
I rushed forward, not caring that I didn't have a weapon, not caring that it was probably three degrees outside, not even caring that I might also die. I rushed toward the sound of her voice, the sound of total, excruciating pain escaping my Crista's lips, even though in the back of my mind I heard someone whispering, "no, not Crista. This is Shimmer." I didn't care. I ran into a clearing where I came upon Glare. He had tied Shimmer to a tree, slumped unconscious, and blood was pouring down both of her arms.
I heard a gasp behind me and looked to see Autumn. Tears were filling those gray eyes. She was covering her mouth in a sort of terrified trance. Glare grinned evilly at all of us. "Knew you'd show up here eventually. Well, well, well. Now I get to kill three."
Suddenly a shout came from the trees behind Glare, and a blond boy who looked like a big blonde cat was running at lightning speed toward Glare, spear raised. Next, a dark skinned girl, then a black haired boy. Finally, a blond girl, a brunette with a bow, and a redhead with stunning purple eyes came flying in from above. Another blond boy brought up the rear, and Glare was taking them all on. Before I knew it, two cannons had fired signalling the death of the blond girl and the brunette. Autumn was being a lot smarter than I was, skirting around Glare, who was dueling the three boys, and cutting Shimmer, who had regained a little consciousness, down from the tree. I rushed to help her carry the little girl.
* * *
As Thorne fights, he sees Glare being distracted by the District 2 tributes who are carrying the little golden-haired girl, Shimmer, out of harm's way. Glare loads his crossbow, aiming for the older girl's head. Thorne gives a shout of warning to the girl, who he knows is named Autumn, and catapults himself in front of the oncoming arrow. He snatches it out of the air and yells, "Run, District 2!" The boy, Rasputen, turns around, sees what has happened, and they begin to book it.
Suddenly Destiny lets out a bloodcurdling shriek. Glare's got her pinned to the ground and is bringing a knife down on her. Destiny kicks the back of his head, and for a moment Glare is stunned. Then he just grins and brings the knife down again with even more force. Thorne is scrambling for anything to stop it when his eyes land on a rope, the rope that tied Shimmer to a tree. He grabs it and whips it at Glare, knocking the knife out of his hand. Fiero barrel-rolls to the ground, snatches up Destiny, and runs off. Glare follows, and Ash begins to realize the attack has failed. Lily, who was aiming an arrow at Glare from a tree, shoots and hits him on the arm. He growls but bursts through the trees, not looking for the arrow-firing person but intently chasing the fleeing couple from District 10.
* * *
Rasputen and Autumn are carrying Shimmer back to the cave. They arrive and get a good look at the wounds, but it's far beyond their ability to heal. Glare has pierced all the way through Shimmer's arms in two places, rupturing arteries. Shimmer knows this and says dreamily, "Could Autumn sing for me?"
Autumn is struggling to keep her tears in, but nods. Rasputen holds Shimmer's head in his lap. Autumn begins:
When the cold of winter comes,
starless night will cover day,
in the vieling of the sun,
we will walk
in bitter rain
but in dreams,
I can hear your name
and in dreams,
we will meet again.
When the seas and mountains fall
and we come
to end of days
in the dark I hear a call,
calling me there,
I will go there,
and back again.
The mockingjays begin the tune as Shimmer's cannon fires.
Day 8[]
1. Destiny Watson, killed by cat mutts
2. Rasputen Darklege, killed by cat mutts
Fiero wakes up to a cannon firing, and then a meow. He looks up to see the creepiest cat he's ever seen. It is like the wolf mutts -- it has the eyes and hair of a dead tribute. This one is small and blond, with green eyes. It's Shimmer, and she's slitted Destiny's throat. "NO!!!" Fiero says. Her pale face is even paler than usual, and a bloody trickle is streaming down her neck. But Fiero knows Destiny would've wanted him to win for the both of them, so he begins to bolt. Another cannon fires, and Fiero wonders who it was for, while tears stream down his face.
* * *
The cannon was for Rasputen. He had woken to the sight of a mutt with brown hair and green eyes, plus another also with brown hair but with blue eyes. Samantha Stone and Briar Thorne. Before he could warn Autumn, they pounced at her. He had launched himself at them, intercepting them. They slashed his chest terribly while Autumn stabbed them with two arrows. After they had died, Autumn began to scream for help while Rasputen gasped for breath. Lily and Thorne ran into the cave where Autumn was shrieking.
"There's nothing we can do for him," Lily had said to Autumn. "I'm -- I'm so sorry," she choked.
Autumn knelt before Rasputen, pushing his hair out of his pale face. "Hi," he said. "You look like an angel."
"Thanks," Autumn said, sobbing.
Rasputen looks sad. "Don't cry. Remember what you promised. Be strong. For me and Crista."
"I will. It's just, the thought of me looking like an angel when you're the one who's going to be one soon." Tears ran down her face. She couldn't let his death go unsung.
But Lily is the one who starts it up. She begins an old song known to many before Panem.
May it be
an evening star
shines down upon you
may it be
when darkness falls
your heart will be true
you walk a lonely road
oh, how far you are from home.
Autumn joins in:
May it be
a shadow's call
will fly away
may it be
you journey on
to light the day
when the night
is overcome
you may rise to find the sun.
Lily sings in an ancient language that has been lost to most everyone:
Morniea,
Utuliea,
Believe and you
will find your way
Morniea
Alantea
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now.
Rasputen smiles up at something, gasping for breath. "I . . . I see Shimmer. She's come . . . she's come for me." The cannon blasts and Autumn is crying so hard, Lily and Thorne tear her away from the boy's body and carry her to their camp, where she spends the night sobbing.
Day 9- FINALE[]
1. Fiero Kalymer
2. Ash Redfern
3. Autumn Redstone
4. Glare Flicker
5. Lily Dawn
This whole day is from the victor, Thorne's, point of view.
I wake up in a panic, but then relax. My little sparrow is still sleeping next to me. "Good. Safe." I mutter. I have an eerie feeling that things aren't going to go very well today. Suddenly I hear a low moan. I run outside our cave, but not far enough to lose sight of the girls sleeping within. A boy is lying in the underbrush, a spear sticking straight out of his chest. Suddenly, without making a sound, Lily is by my side. How she moves so quickly and silently I will never know. Lily rushes up to the boy's side, and I recognize him. He's my friend Fiero.
"No," I whisper quietly. I also rush to his side, where little Lil is holding his hand, whispering something.
"Fiero," she whispers gently. "Do you know where you're going?"
Fiero is fixated on her now. "No, Lily," he says, his voice full of pain. "Where am I going?"
"You're going to the land where stars dwell," Lily says, a single tear running down her cheek. "Where all the world is made of silver glass and the people there never grow old, never get hurt, never leave or get lost. And do you know who else is there?"
"Who?" Fiero asks in a choked voice.
"An angel. An angel with fiery red hair and beautiful purple eyes." Lily now has tears streaming down her face, but her voice remains calm.
"Destiny," Fiero says with a small smile.
"Yes. Do you know something, Fiero? The stars taught Destiny a song. A beautiful song about wonderful things. It was written by magic and moonlight. And do you know something else? Destiny wants to teach you that song, Fiero. She wants you to know the amazing things she knows, but you can't hear her," Lily says.
"Can't hear her yet," Fiero says, his eyes fluttering shut.
"Yes," I say, my own voice croaky with tears. "But you're close. You're very close. And she laughs while she waits, and the song floats up around her and makes her long red hair swirl."
Fiero gazes up, as if he can see this, and then he collapses. His cannon fires.
"Go," I whisper. "Be with your angel."
Another cannon fires, and I know that Lily is still alive, and so is Autumn, who woke up at the sound of a cannon.
And all of a sudden Glare is rushing away from us. Autumn, who has seemed to stop living, just sits there, as another one of the cat mutts, one with red hair and purple eyes, tears her to bits. I begin to slash at them, but they're all coming at us fast. We run away, Lily and me, until we reach the Cornucopia. There we fight as the mutts come, round after round of them, and I realize they do have nine lives. We fight them well into the night.
After the last one, the one who most looks like the girl from 7, Vanessa, is cut down by me, I say, "Well, little Lil, we did it."
But instead of a reply I get a scream. I turn to see Glare, who has Lily in his arms, holding a knife at her back. Then I see a silvery point sticking out of Lily's chest and then, inexplicably, Glare drops to the ground, a knife in his chest. His cannon fires. Clever Lily, who stabbed him at the same time he stabbed her. She sways, and I run to catch her. I lay her body across my lap. "Lil," I sob. "No, Lil."
"It's okay," she says, almost dreamily. "I'm going to my silver glass world now. I will rejoin my mother. She's my angel."
Suddenly a thought pops to my mind. And with tears running down my cheeks, I say, "Lil, I'm going to make a poem and I want you to make up a tune for it." She nods. I begin.
"Lay down,
your sweet and weary head.
Night is falling,
we have come to journey's end.
Sleep now
and dream of the ones who came before
they are calling
from across a distant shore
why do you weep
what are these tears
upon your face
soon you will see
all of your fears will pass away.
Safe in my arms,
you're only sleeping.
What can you see,
on the horizon.
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises,
the ships have come to carry you home,
and all will turn
to silver glass,
a light on the water
the grey ships pass
into the west."
And Lily sings, a soft, hopeful, happy tune full of joy and relaxing. But it all of a sudden swells to a forte, and all I can think of is two words. Light and freedom. And as she dies in my arms, as her cannon fires, I feel as if my sister really did die. But she's gone to a better place, I tell myself. And, just has the last echo of the cannon rings out, the sun rises over the eastern mountains. Lily's last name is Dawn. And she is gone at the dawn of a new day. But I've come to realize that a person is more than what is inside. They each symbolize something, and Lily was so many things. She was love, life, joy, beauty, happiness, freedom, but above all, she symbolized hope. Hope of a better day yet to come.