The Price of Fame and Fortune (Hunger Games)

33

This is it, it's hunting time.

We stood in the field of doors. I twirled my axe in anticipation while Liam kept flicking his eyes between doors 64, 63 and 62. 

Trent pulled on the nape of his shirt and gave me a small smile. I shrugged. "We can quickly stop at another arena if you want a weapon. You know...just in case".

He shook his head. "Don't need one. Thanks though".

I frowned and nodded. Everyone's going to be armed but him. I gave him a pointed look. "Remember, lookout means lookout and not joining the fight, yeah?".

He gave me a slight glare. "Believe it or not I know the plan".

I nodded. "Okay". 

If he deviates I'll kill him myself. Liam suddenly turned to us with a smirk. "Who's feeling lucky number sixty-three?".

Trent shrugged and I gave him a small smile. "Better than nothing".

Liam nodded to himself and gripped my hand tightly while entering the arena. I ignored the thunder and felt an immediate influx of hot air. I frowned before opening my eyes to a terrain I had to think to name. Then it hit me, a Savanna. Barren, long grass, and about one to two trees max with zero leaves. I could easily picture lion mutts to go along with it.

I tipped my head in alarm and pulled on Liam's hand. I bit my lip. "It's too open here. We can't hide".

What I mean to say is, Trent can't hide.

Trent joined us with a thunder clap as Liam observed the arena in thought. He tusked. "They might be here, the cornucopia's empty".

Well shit!. I stared at the sky in frustration but followed behind the boys non the less. Now, we don't even have a plan. We're just going to fight two or four and take comfort that we're more elite. I frowned, god I hope it's only two careers. 

We walked for about twenty minutes and already we'd all started to sweat. Trent had gave me a pointed look at our joint hands but I just shrugged it off. Like I need to have that conversation with Trent. I'd be mortified to say the least.

I was so in my own head that I hadn't even realised that the boys had stopped walking. Suddenly, Liam pulled on my hand with a smile. He winked at me and the next thing I know I'm down in the long grass with both of them either side of me. 

I huffed in annoyance and turned to Liam with a glare. "What the hell was that?!?".

Trent instantly hit my arm. "Shhhhh".

I shot him a glare too only to falter when I heard voices and metal against metal. I pulled down two stains of long grass and gasped. There, right in the desert like savanna was a bloodbath. Districts One and Two. Literally spears against knives.

A single boulder is all that separated the two pairs of careers. 

Satin held a knife in her mouth while she dove behind it, missing a spear from Enobaria's cousin hitting her in the stomach. Fragrance chose that moment to roll from the other side of the rock. He threw a knife into the girl from Two while she was still staring after Satin.

BOOM.

I pulled the grass back and swallowed in slight fear while Trent jumped in shock next to me. I bit my lip and turned to Liam. "We should go down there, right?".

Is that still even the plan!?!

He shook his head and shrugged. "Might as well let them tire themselves out".

I nodded, yeah good thinking. Why didn't I think of that?!?...it's obvious. Why further expose ourselves to unnecessary risk?...it's a miracle I've made it this far.

So we sat, hidden behind the long grass like lions stalking prey. Silent and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. 

BOOM.

I pulled on the grass a little to see the boy from Two on the ground while Fragrance and Satin high fived. I frowned, sickos. I hope Liam and I don't look that ecstatic after we kill.

Satin giggled as she plied out the knifes from the bodies. Fragrance leant against the boulder casually. Even from here I could see their generic beautiful faces. The way her eyes shined in excitement and the way Fragrance's smile showed all his satisfact-

BOOM.

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

Right there, directly in Fragrance's throat was a stick. I frowned, sticks just don't fly into people's throats...unless it's an arrow.

Satin whipped her head up in panic. Her blonde hair flowing around her madly as she took in her cousin's body still leant against the boulder. All I could hear were her screams. I crouched lower into the grass and shuddered causing Liam to raise an eyebrow at me. "But I-I destroyed all the bows in Katniss' arena".

I was surprised that Trent was the one to snort in amusement."I doubt Katniss was the only victor that won using archery in the past hundred years, Vicks".

I tipped my head to the side in frustrated consideration. Fair point.

Liam nodded nonchalantly and went back to watching the scene with greater interest. "Everyone watch where the direction of the next arrow comes from". 

I bit my lip and pulled the grass back and watched as Satin tried hitting her cousins face. She was...hysterical. I was so busy watching her that I didn't even see the direction the arrow came from. I just know one second her t-shirt was white the next it was red...

BOOM.

My breathing was heavier as I crouched even further into the grass. Both Trent and I turned to Liam expectantly. His eyebrows creased together in thought. "They'd know we're in here with them, the doors too much of a give away. Anyone see what direction?".

I shook my head and Trent tusked. "The right? But I'm not sure".

He nodded in thought before he suddenly shook his head. "On the count of three we're all going to run back to the door. They can shoot us easily in this arena. We have to be close to use our weapons, they don't. It's advantage District Twelve".

I scoffed in panic. "This isn't a goddamn tennis match, Liam!".

He gave me a pointed look before flickering his eyes from Trent and I. "On the count of three we run in a crouch, in the grass. It's a twenty minute run but we'll have the head start it'll...buy us time. They won't be able to shoot us accurately if we're running. They'll have to stop to shoot us down, kind of hard if we're running. When we're in the field we go for the first door we see. Any Questions!?!".

I swallowed and I'm pretty sure Trent shook his head. Liam nodded and locked eyes with me. "Okay. One...Two...Three!".