The Rebel Victor | I [THG]

Chapter Twenty-One | The Fever Begins

The next valley seemed like the perfect one to make camp in, not that they had much of a choice. They were both exhausted. The top of the ridge wasn't down a steep drop like the others. Instead, it was basically level with the rest of the valley. The source of the water was a big lake the met the two ridges that surrounded it. There was long grass, like the grass that grew in certain area's of the beaches back in District Four. Then there were tall narrow tree's, their branches with leaves didn't begin till about three quarters up the tree. So the forrest wasn't dense, and it would be asy to see any other tributes.

"Do you think the water is drinkable?" Fiona asked as they walked along the water to find a place to set up camp.

Quinn shook her head, "I gut purifying tablets, so probably not..."

"Should we just fill up our canteens now then? So by the time night comes we'll have something to drink?" she suggested.

Quinn nodded in agreement and carefully pulled her backpack off without irritating her burns too much. She dug through her backpack, and watched as Fiona poured out the tablets she got put them in a smaller pocket while keeping one out. Quinn quickly did the same thing.

"What was District One like?" Quinn asked looking at her, "I told you about Four, it's only fair you tell me about One."

A small smile spread across her face, "It's a lot differen't than Four," she replied. "My father owns a jewel mine, my two brothers work in it-- it's the biggest mine in One."

"So the Capitol people really care about you I bet." Quinn said nonchalantly, "Since your family gives them so many jewels." she added.

Fiona shrugged.

"What about training?" Quinn asked, "What was that like?"

"It didn't really prepare me for this sort of thing." she replied honestly as she dropped a tablet in her water and then closed it and gave it a shake. "I mean, I know how to fight, I know what you can eat and not...I know that sort of thing-- but I don't know how to get through something like the mist last night. Not again."

Quinn frowned as she dropped her canteen next to her backpack beside her. She pushed herself back into a sitting position and pulled her legs up to her chest. "That might have been my fault..." she muttered.

"How would it have been your fault?" she asked.

She sighed, "I caused a bit of trouble because of my private session." she told her, "The Game Makers probably want to get rid of me."

"I don't know why, people like you." Fiona stated as if it was obvious.

"My escort was talking about the riots in Seven after the interviews."

"I don't know if that means the like me though."

Fiona sighed heavily, "Well they agreed with what you said I think."

"Did you agree?" Quinn asked quickly. It would have been great to know somebody in the arena who agreed with her.

"The games are horrible, but for whoever wins, it's pretty great." she shrugged, "So I guess I sorta agree."

Quinn sighed and frowned, that brief moment of thinking that she agreed and wouldn't be totally alone was the best moment she had so far in the arena.

The two of them sat there for probably a half hour, maybe even an hour. Both of them were too tired to move another step. Quinn's bones ached, and her head was throbbing. Then as time passed, the sweating on Quinn's back didn't begin to stop. It spread and suddenly her arms, stomach, chest, and face were burning with heat.

"It got pretty hot out," Quinn muttered looking at Fiona.

Fiona turned and looked at her instead of the lake in front of them. Her eyes widened, "You don't look too good, Quinn."

"I'm just tired and hot, that's all." she shrugged, but as soon as she lifted her shoulders she felt her shoulders and back begin to ache even more than before.

Fiona reached her hand towards Quinn's forehead and gently pressed it against her forehead. "You're burning up, Quinn." she said quietly, "Did you try to cover your mouth when we were trying to get out of the mist?"

Quinn stared back at her. She tried to remember every step, and remember if she tried to cover her mouth. She remembered trying to protect her eyes, but had she tried to keep herself from breathing in the tracker jacker mist? No matter how hard she tried to remember, she couldn't pin point any specific moment of trying to protect her mouth.

"If you inhaled it, Quinn, that's not good..." Fiona frowned, "We should set up camp and you should get some rest."