Saving the Tributes || Demigods in the Hunger Games

.oOo. Nico .oOo.

I waited until Thalia gave me the thumbs up signal. Then I vanished into the shadows of the night.

I reappeared in the normal spot in the tent, looking around and spotting the tributes. But there was something off... wait, where was Ethan?

"Hi, Nico," Hayley said nervously.

"Hayley," I greeted absentmindedly. "Where's Ethan?"

The violet-eyed demigod was nowhere to be seen.

Lodi coughed. "He... drank one too many cups of nectar," she said in a small voice.

I groaned and covered my face with my hands. "Oh gods. He's gone, isn't he?"

They nodded. I let my hands drop and looked around the tent. "Describe him again?"

"Uh..." Kalex frowned. "He had these awesome purple eyes and curly black hair and was really skinny and--"

I cut him off. "Got it." I mentally debated whether or not to tell Piper that her district partner was a son of Dionysus, but then remembered that a) she probably knew, and b) I can't anyways. I internally cursed. "Well, now you know what happens."

The traumatic light in everyone's eyes told me that they were all going to avoid the nectar and ambrosia from there on.

After checking that the rest of the supply was securely locked up, I slipped another roll of bread and beef jerky into my torn jacket and vanished.

"Ethan's gone," I said as soon as I re-emerged in the forest. Thalia scratched her neck.

"How?"

"Nectar," I said shortly. "Too much of it."

Jason shook his head sadly. "It's because the districts don't get many nice things, or a variety of food," he guessed. "And you have such a supply at the huntress tent. I guess he couldn't resist."

"Yeah, and Dionysus's drinking problems were apparently transferred to him," I muttered. "Are we close yet?"

"The careers are camped right in front of us." Thalia moved aside and I spotted the glow of the firelight. "And Percy and Annabeth are on the opposite side of them."

"Can we not get around?" I asked, but Jason shook his head.

"Unlikely. Leo told me they have night-vision sunglasses. The only reason they haven't spotted us yet is because Thalia's keeping up a pretty strong Mist."

"Can we get Hazel to help?" I asked. "Thalia, can you make a message out of Mist so that only Hazel can see?"

Thalia gave a low laugh. "That's not how the Mist works," she said. "At least, not my Mist. Can you make a little bone pop up out of the ground?"

I frowned. "It might be noticed."

"I can help with that," Thalia said.

"Fine." I scooted closer and peered cautiously. "Get ready."

I summoned the smallest bone I could sense that could still be seen. Hazel was leaning up on the tree, her eyes scanning idly around. The single bone scuttled around with her eyesight as she cast it left and right. It didn't take long for Hazel to finally find the milk-white bone, glimmering in the firelight. Her eyes widened, and after a quick glance around, she nodded.

"Safe." Thalia muttered. I kept the bone up as we began our very slow trek towards the bushes across from us.

"How are you so quiet?" I demanded under my breath to Jason.

He grinned at me. "Who said I was walking?" I looked down and eyed his feet, which were hovering about an inch over the ground.

I rolled my eyes. "Wow. Cheater."

"Hey!" A harsh whisper shot at us. My head jerked forward, and I spotted Annabeth peering over the bush. "What're you doing?" She asked as we neared.

"Sh!" Thalia raised a finger to her lips.

We crept closer. "We had to meet up with you. No one else is in the plains but Thresh, and he might actually win this thing."

"We have to wait until morning to get to Katniss," Percy muttered. "Does Hazel know?"

I nodded.

"Hold it up, Pinecone face." Percy groaned and shifted, cracking his back. I waited for the angry yell of Careers, but all remained silent. Percy shifted again. "I really had to do that."

"Well, since you're all refreshed, you take first watch," Jason said and he lay down in the underside of the bush. The only barriers were the small stumps where the bushes grew from, but if anyone stood up they would ram their head into the bushes. We did have to get uncomfortably close to remain inside the brush, but other than that it was an abnormally large bush.

"How long?"

"An hour," Annabeth mumbled. "I call last watch."

Percy cracked his neck. "Fine," he mumbled, inch-worming his way to the side of the bush. I groaned and scooted to the side, turning away from them. Hazel caught my eye through the bush (honestly, her eyesight is amazing) and stuck her tongue out at me. I rolled my eyes back at her and wished I could shadowtravel to the tent and stay there. But then I wouldn't know what time would be morning, and there was no way for the others to bring them to the tent. If only Apollo had extended the stupid telepathic connection...

I turned over and stabbed my shoulder on the branch. It was all the gods' fault.