Spark to Flame: A Finniss Story

Pt II: Mist to Rain

They spend the next few hours skimming along the perimeter of the arena, tossing rocks into the electric wall to make sure they're going the right way, and eventually they come across a tree that is thick and sturdy enough to climb.

Katniss is the one to go up, hesitant to leave Peeta and Mags but happy to leave Finnick as she makes her way to the top of the tree, careful to keep a steady pace and firm grip on the branches as she moves along. 

The overhead view of the arena was truly something to behold. She could see the entire thing from right there, from the endless jungle to the boundless sky above her head. It would have been breathtaking, had it not been for the simple fact that it was nothing more than a Capitol creation, a tool for bringing people like herself to their dooms.

 She takes an arrow from her quiver and shoots it into the sky, curious to see how far it will go, and is surprised to find that the forcefield they've been following along doesn't just go past their heads, but over them as well.

With nothing else to see or do, she climbs back down, keeping her eyes fixed on Peeta and Mags as she shares her findings.

"The forcefield is a dome, there's no way out...and I wasn't able to find any signs of fresh water."

She leans back against the tree she's just climbed down from, letting her words of disappointment sink into the minds and hearts of the others, when Finnick decides to speak up.

"It's gonna get dark soon," he says, and though she looks up at him in surprise, he keeps his eyes focused on the ground. "We should set up a perimeter, make camp. We can take turns sleeping. I'll take first watch."

She scoffs at him, and he finally looks at her, eyes guarded as she shoots him down. "I don't think so. If anyone's going to be taking first watch, or any watch for that matter, it's me."

This seems to spark something inside him, because a moment after she's said it his eyes flare with defiance and his mouth twists into a humorless smirk.

"Oh, Honey; that thing I did for Peeta back there?" He points back to the trail behind them, and her mouth turns downwards in a scowl. "That was called saving his life. You're so sure that I want to kill you? Think again. If that's what I wanted, I would've done it by now."

His smile drops into a scowl of his own, and he angrily marches off into the jungle ahead of them, leaving her and the others to stare after him as he goes. She glares at his back, not about to let his words get to her and weasel their way into her heart, and silently hopes he smashes into a forcefield.

She turns back to Peeta and Mags, heaving a sigh as she wipes the small particles of tree bark off her hands. "Okay. Why don't you guys get some rest? I'll take first watch tonight."

Mags nods and goes after Finnick, and Peeta gives her a small smile.

"Okay," he says. "But only for a little bit."

~*~

Finnick quietly sighs to himself, trying to keep watch while simultaneously ignoring the fuming girl beside him.

They set up camp for the night as he'd suggested, and now only he and Katniss remained fully awake out of the four of them, Peeta and Mags resting in the tall weeds about twenty meters away.

It doesn't come very difficultly for Katniss to pretend he isn't there; in fact, she acts as though he's nothing higher than the dirt she's seated herself upon, and he has to say that, although it's hardly polite of her to do so, he's impressed. She's annoyed at him for staying up with her, he knows, because that might mean she has to talk to him, and she doesn't want that. No, she'd much rather stew in her own negativity and let it build until she snaps; anything if it meant beating him at his own game. He doesn't particularly want to talk to her either at the moment, but he knows it's necessary if they ever hope to make it through the Games without tearing each other's heads off.