Kindling the Spark

Strike Two

16: Strike Two

Haymitch POV

The careers haven't come back yet. It's nightfall now, they should be back. Unless they know we are here and are too afraid to attack. That said, they could be planning an ambush. It's a decision of the bigger risk- staying here, where we are generally safe from mutts and unusual weather, but open to attacks from the careers are moving into the more covered forest area to hide. The careers would probably go after Katniss and Finnick, knowing that they are the greatest threats in terms of sponsors and weapons. We can't afford for them to die.

Johanna, perhaps we could. It's bad that I'm analysing my friends like this, I know, but there isn't room for sentimentality in planning a rebellion. I look across at Johanna. She is scowling at Katniss. I thought they might get along well because they are both rebellious and strong, but apparently not. Much as I respect her, I have to pin this one on Johanna. All Katniss did was try to help with Johanna's scratches.

Johanna is terrible at getting people to like her. Not that Katniss is much better at that though. Her acting was terrible, though it is improving. The baby act was done well. It can only be expected though, now that practically her whole life is acting for a different audience. The Capitol, the rebellion, I can see that Katniss could care less about both of them. She wants to help people, but not as much as she wants to keep her family safe and sound and live in peace.

Johanna is too rebellious, too emotional. In mind's eye, I see her at the interviews, swearing at the Capitolites. It was brilliant to watch and probably even better to do, but Johanna can't see the big picture. Swearing at the Capitolites won't bring them down, unfortunately. Johanna could have done a lot more damage if she had acted the part and made people love her, like Finnick. That was what we had planned and agreed, but she had to blow things up.

If she had done her job properly, I think, we would have had our spy in the careers. She's even better with the axe than I am, they would have accepted her. She could have poisoned their food while the rest were hunting, her mentor had agreed to send her the poison. Idiot. I don't want her to die, but it'll probably be her own fault if she does. Across from me, she stabs into her meat. I wonder who she's imagining. Most likely Snow, but it could be the game maker that made her Games, or her stylist or someone like that.

"The careers should be here now," Katniss says. "In my Games they were always back before nightfall so they could find their way back easily and so tributes couldn't ambush them easily. Do you think that they know we're here? Could they be planning an ambush, do you think?"

"Maybe," I respond. "They are always back before nightfall in every Games I've seen. They could be planning an ambush or they could be too afraid to attack us. There are eight of us after all."

"I doubt Nuts and Volts will be any use in a battle though," Johanna butts in. "Or Mags. There are only five of us who can fight, if you count Electra."

Electra glares at Johanna. "Just because I didn't go axe-crazy in my Games doesn't mean I can't fight. And Beetee can harness electricity to kill six tributes at once, so I think it's in our best interests to keep him alive. And unlike you, all the rest of us can use our brains and not just our weapons."

Johanna stands up, rage in her eyes. That was a bad idea, I think. "Without me, you would be dead now! I saved you from the mutts, you would have all died if it wasn't for me," she shouts. "Using your brain, that was very useful when there were ten gorillas chasing you through the forest."

"I killed gorillas too," Electra points out. She draws one of her short-swords. "See the blood? You're not the only one here who can fight, Johanna, so don't act like it. You make it sound like Katniss is so inexperienced, but at least she can get sponsors, and she scored higher in training than you did."