Calm Before The Storm {Finnick Odair}

Bitten

Hebe kept watch over Gaia for most of the night, crouching over her body nervously. She'd occasionally check the girl was still breathing, carefully watching for the steady rise and fall of her chest. Then she'd return to peering into the woods, eyes constantly scanning for any signs of movement. Her axe was tightly gripped in her right hand, ears listening out for unusual noises.

Luckily they had missed the anthem so it didn't wake Gaia. Hebe worried slightly that she may never wake up. Her mind whirred furiously, flooding with possibilities. What if she went into a coma? What if her wound was infected? What if she died? Hebe wasn't sure she could continue in the games if her ally died like that. Not when she was supposed to protect her.

She remembered how she looked at the reaping. Weak. Scared. She looked like that now. It was the most fragile she had looked the whole time she had been in the games. Yet she was still beautiful, her olive skin glowed in the soft moonlight, her dark black hair flowing in a long bra on the floor.

Hebe began undoing the braid, stroking her hair as she went. She brushed it between her fingers, astounded at how soft it still was, despite the grease that should've accumulated by now.

Then she began humming softly. It was one of the pieces she used to play to her mother and father. She didn't know where it had come from, having been pulled deep from the recesses of her mind.

When it was all untangled, she began retwisting the hair back into its braid, humming all the while. Soon she noticed Gaia stirring slightly, and she halted her actions, whispering the girl's name. She got no reply, so continued with her plaiting.

Then she was suddenly pushed backwards, Gaia screaming at her.

"YOU'RE TRYING TO KILL ME! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!" She kept repeating those words, her yelling getting louder and louder until she was almost incoherent.

Hebe sat completely still, confused by her ally's actions. Then she sprung into action, unable to control herself as Gaia was whipped into a frenzy.

"GAIA!" She shouted, stopping the girl's cries. She turned and faced Hebe, her crazed eyes red and filled with tears. There wasn't even a hint of recognition in her eyes, all that was there was fear.

Gaia didn't know who she was. It must have been some kind of hallucinogenic in the mutts' saliva.

Hebe moved forward and held the girl's hands tightly, and began to sing her song again, slightly louder this time. Gaia's eyes widened, but she stayed quiet. She listened intently to the song, and when Hebe was done, she watched as the mist covering Gaia's eyes disappeared, replaced with familiarity.

"Hebe?" She murmured, as if still unsure who or where she was.

"Yes."

Then Gaia began whimpering, small sobs wracking her body. Hebe rushed over and wrapped her arms around her, rubbing her hands soothingly down the girl's back. Gaia buried her face in the older girl's shoulder, crying and apologising all the while.

Eventually she calmed enough to let Hebe lay her down on the floor and braid the remainder of her hair. She sang all the while, occasionally moving from her hair to massage the girl's shoulders.

The next time she checked, she was asleep, peacefully snoring. She looked like even more of a child now than usual. Hebe's current situation closely resembled her previous one with Luca, and she wept knowing that she couldn't protect him.

She prayed that he was somewhere better now. Somewhere without the games, or the starvation, or the hardship. Hebe let her eyes slip shut, eyelids batting in an attempt to reopen them. But it was worthless, for she was already asleep.