Spark to Flame: A Finniss Story

Pt IV: Tornado to Hurricane

When they awake the next morning, Tigris is carrying a tray full of food and freshly-pressed clothes down the steep staircase of the cellar, the light streaming in behind her being the only signs of daylight.

Katniss feels achy but rested, and she tiredly yawns herself awake as Gale and Johanna stretch their overworked limbs towards the breakfast Tigris has prepared for them. The ex-stylist sets the tray and clothing down on an old, dusty table in the far corner of the room, tucked away with the rest of her paraphernalia, and goes about checking on their wounds and stitches, starting with Gale.

Katniss feels a weight on her chest as she breathes in, and as she looks down she finally remembers Finnick. He's fast asleep against her, having not moved an inch from where she left him the night before, and she smiles sleepily down at the top of his head and kisses his hair. Tigris comes over and nudges him and he finally stirs himself awake, and though Katniss would have preferred to let him rest, she knows that they're not completely safe here and that they need to keep moving if they're ever going to reach Snow's mansion. If they stopped to rest for even a second longer than absolutely necessary, they may never complete their mission.

Finnick reluctantly rolls forward and sits up, and Katniss immediately misses the warmth. He stretches his back for just a second before the pain stabs him and he remembers his wounds, and she stretches out an arm and lays a gentle hand on his spine, reminding him not to push himself. He turns his head to glance back at her and nods, silently giving his appreciation for her concern, and she proceeds to move out of the way and let Tigris inspect his stitches to make sure his wounds aren't infected.

Once she has decided all is well, the cat-woman drags the table of food and clothing over to the middle of the room and lets them eat, moving to keep watch at the top of the stairs while they gorge themselves on instant potatoes and sparkling water. Katniss almost expects to see a tail swishing back and forth beneath her robes.

"President Snow has ordered all Capitol citizens and shop owners to house refugees from the outer rings of the city," the striped woman says once they've all gotten a mouthful of food. "Even with this hiding place, it's not safe for you to stay here anymore."

Her eyes slink over to Katniss', gleaming as though curious as to how she'll handle the situation, and the young Mockingjay clears away any remnants of tiredness to get her brain working at full capacity.

"...Okay, then. I guess we'll have to leave as soon as we're done eating."

"That won't work," Tigris says, crossing her arms and lolling her head lazily to the side. "The broadcast was early this morning. The refugees have been passing by all day. Luckily, none of them have dared to ask me for shelter, but I blame that on your typical Capitol greed; Snow told them he was willing to take in a number of refugees into his own home, so I've no doubt that's where they're all headed first."

Katniss pauses in her chewing, trying to think.

Hmm...well, if the refugees were already swarming towards Snow's mansion, then there was absolutely no way they would be able to just slip out of Tigris's shop and expect to reach their destination undetected. They wouldn't make it two feet before someone recognized them. She supposes that they could wait until all of the refugees passed, but that could be days. They didn't have days. The rooftops were a no-go, too, as Snow would most definitely have Peacekeepers and drones and everything else under the sun keeping a bird's-eye-view on the streets, safe-guarding his home and ensuring his own survival. And though they could chance it, she highly doubted that anyone was up to trying the sewers again.

She exhales, frustrated with their lack of options.

She glances around the room, hoping to find an answer in the walls or floor or one of her teammates, or the pile of clothes hanging on the rack in the corner-