Trials and Tribulations

Chapter Thirteen

It doesn't take long for the first unfortunate victim to make their way into the clearing. Leander, from District Twelve, pops his head out through the ring of trees, eyes scanning the ablaze logs, heat melting the surrounding snow to show the faux green grass hidden underneath. He stays still for a moment, pondering his plan. Tentatively, he takes a step forward.

"Now," Arden hisses.

Juniper grinds her teeth and quickly unsheaths a scimitar, burying all sense of morality as she takes aim from her spot perched in the tree. The shot is long-range, Leander standing across the clearing. Juniper sets her eyes on his foot.

Leander shrieks with pain as he registers the dagger embedding itself in his foot, pinning him to the ground beneath him.

Arden is already making his way down, dropping low onto the ground from the branches above. Leander's eyes widen at the sight of Arden, and the younger boy stumbles back, reaching down to yank the blade from his foot. He groans as he does it, and leaves the knife in the snow, turning fast to run away.

"Hey, where you going?" Arden taunts, gripping the scimitar in his hand, brandishing it easily. He had left his spear with the careers, so Juniper gave him one of her six weapons to offer.

Arden chucks the scimitar with less skill than how Juniper had done it. His aim is off, but he still gets Leander in his right hamstring, the boy collapsing to the ground with a cry. He groans and struggles to get up. Arden reaches him before he can, putting a knee on Leander's back coyly, yanking the knife out of the younger boy's thigh. Juniper, having also descended from her high-up spot, trails behind Arden, stepping carefully past the fire, towards their doomed first victim. Arden looks back at his partner in crime.

"Care to do the honors?"

Juniper shakes her head with a slightly queasy expression. "Not particularly."

Arden shrugs. "Suit yourself."

He reaches over to stick the blade into Leander's shoulder blade, but Juniper stops him. "At least have the decency to end it quickly."

Arden rolls his eyes. "Fine." The knife ends up in the back of Leander's skull, going straight to the boy's brain. Leander's body stills and his face slumps forward in the snow. Blood leaks from his wounds in a steady pulse, and Juniper stares at the imagery, attempting to keep her breathing steady, as the cannon signifying his death rips through the air.

Arden pops his lips. "Well, alright then." He stoops and yanks the scimitar out of Leander's head, making a face at the maroon-mottled blade and wiping it in the snow.

Juniper crouches and gently pulls the dagger out of Leander's foot, wiping it in the snow before resheathing it. "So, shall we press onwards?"

Arden flips his knife. "No. Let's stick around a moment longer, I think we can get someone else."

Juniper purses her lips. "Alright. Let's go up this tree." She gestures to the tree behind Arden, before turning and eyeing her pack which she can just spot from its position safely tucked away in their previous hiding spot. "Once we're done I'll go get the pack. We can leave it for now."

"Suit yourself." Arden turns and begins scurrying up the tree at his back, with less grace than Juniper.

Juniper follows him, traveling branch to branch, before perching next to her unlikely ally.

"Y'know, they say people who kill together, stay together," Arden speaks softly into Juniper's ear.

"Shut up, Munroe," she hisses.