Safe and Sound

NOTE: I haven't edited this chapter, so it might go a bit weird and incorrect in some places. I'm not quite sure if it does, but if this is the case, it all can be blamed on my awful typing and over excitement to get this one finished :P Don't be afraid to tell me if there is something major or if there is something confusing, I won't bite as long as it's polite :) Thanks guys and enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Nine - Eleven Down

I only stopped running when I knew I was quite well hidden from the bushes and trees, relatively far away from any immediate danger. As I stopped to catch my breath, I decided it would be a very good time to take a look at what was actually in my black and orange backpack.

It turned out that I had actually picked up a quite a good pack. It had a thin, black sleeping bag, a coil of rope, some crackers, three knives (that were sadly blunt, but still useable) and an empty drinking flask. I put the contents back in the pack and was about to get up, when the first cannon shot went off, which startled me slightly. The bloodbath was over. There were more cannon shots. Eleven precisely. Eleven dead, thirteen left alive. Thirteen was known to be an unlucky number. I shuddered at the thought, then stood up again and started what I knew what was to be a lengthy trek to get as far away from the Cornucopia as I could before nightfall. Plus, I had to find water, otherwise it would be a very short Games for me.

I started walking, considering my plans for the night, which would consist of getting up high, so I could be away from everyone and therefore, any immediate danger. I was good at climbing and I could generally scale pretty much any tree. By day, I could travel quite fast on the forest floor, by night I would be a mockingjay and take refuge in the trees, call them my home for the night. I was good at staying hidden at great height, it was something that seemed to come naturally. My family were, even before we started starving more than usual, were built naturally quite thin and agile. I held on to that hope that if I stayed hidden, I could win the Games. As I walked further with that thought in mind, a pang of guilt suddenly ran through me. I felt bad about Grayson. He had many talents, but he didn't seem to know it. He was amazing with a knife and he looked deadly when holding a sword. I hoped he had bagged something like that at the bloodbath, instead of getting caught up in it. If he was one of those who had died, I knew I would never forgive myself. Grayson wasn't my friend as such, but he was quite likeable, what with his quiet ways and random comments and kindness. If there was a choice of who would have to be sent into the Games, I definitely wouldn't send Grayson. He was too innocent and far to good and pure...even when he looked deadly carrying a sword.

I continued onwards, my bow poised with an arrow nocked in the bowstring. I liked this bow, it was comfortable and light. My quiver held many arrows. So many, in fact, that each arrow was secure because of how tightly together they were packed. I could have turned my quiver upside down and it would have been most likely that none of the arrows would have tipped out. For now, I felt I was more or less ready for what the Games could throw at me. But most likely not.

I kept on the move, looking about for water. I decided I was quite safe so I put the arrow I had previously nocked into my bow back in the full quiver and held my bow horizontally with my left hand, using my right to push aside branches and check for any signs of water. I was getting a little bit thirsty now and I really didn't want to go mad because of dehydration. That really wouldn't appeal to the people of Panem and I would be lucky to get a single sponsor if they all thought I was crazy. But I supposed it would be a more entertaining death for them if I went mad.

I walked for a good, long hour and I still hadn't found a single water source. This did worry me slightly, seeing as the only one might have been that small river right beside the Cornucopia. I wouldn't be able to go back without being caught and most certainly killed, so I figured that I would walk slowly and continue drinking my own saliva until I had found a place where I could fill my flask.

This went on for a long time and soon, evening was creeping up on me and fast. I didn't want to go through the night looking for water, but I also knew I wouldn't be able to sleep without it. My tongue and the back of my throat were beginning to feel rather dry now and it was giving me slight discomfort. I had always hated being thirsty, in my opinion, it was much worse than being hungry. So I made my decision to continue my work in the trees. I wasn't as quiet and careful as people from District 11 usually were, but it would do until I found water. Then I would continue by foot after sleeping in the tree.

So as darkness started to encase the arena, I climbed up the nearest tree and began moving as swiftly as I could through them, looking through the leaves to see if I could see the tell tale sparkle of water below. With that slither of hope in mind, I moved as stealthily as I could, which surprised even me. I was quieter than I thought. Yes, I mad rustling noises, but no, they weren't very loud at all. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep away from danger in the trees for the whole Games, but I could always use them when I needed to hide form something...or someone.

I spent a long while moving from branch to branch and carefully climbing from tree to tree, careful to stay out of sight. I knew I wasn't close to anybody, but if someone was to spot me from below...all it would take was a spear or a knife and I would be gone from the face of this earth. I continued my careful movements, my tongue and throat cracking as time ticked by, but eventually, I saw it. It was a small source, but it was water all the same. The only problem was, there were people sitting quite close by it. I crouched down in my tree and looked down to see the Careers were sitting in a small group, backs to the pond. They were about fifteen metres away from the water, but if I was to make a wrong move, that would be the end of that. I parted the leaves more to take a better look at the Careers. It was dark, but I could make out that it was made up of the tributes from District 1, 2 and the girl from 4. Typical. They were the strongest and there was no way I was going to get past them without being seen and killed. I had slumped against the limb of the tree, when I heard something. Something about me.

"Who's that girl from District 12 again, I've forgotten her name." The girl from 4, asked. I perked up and crept along the branch, looking through the thick leaves down at them, hoping that the canopy of green kept me hidden.

"Harper Anselin, I think." The girl from District 1, Glow, said. "I think that's her name. What about her, why do you ask?" I sucked in a breath. This can't be good. Whatever this is, it can't be good.

"Yes, Harper Anselin. That's it. I was wondering if she got killed in the bloodbath. Did any of you see her? I saw her running and picking up a sheet of plastic, but that was it. I was a bit distracted with this kid from District 7 who thought it would be great to try and slice me open. I showed him." The girl from 4 said again, making a violent gesture in the air. I grimaced, almost feeling sorry from the boy from District 7.

"I'm not sure," The boy, who had tried to kill me, from 2 said. "I think so. I threw a spear at her and she ducked. If so, I think she got out of there pretty quickly. I'm not one hundred per cent, though. I think we'll find out soon enough, they should be showing the faces of the dead."

"It's because of her score in training. I didn't think she could do much at all. Did you see her in the group training? She was awful at everything." The District 4 girl said, chuckling slightly. I glared down at them. I wasn't that awful! The District 2 boy then suddenly looked like he had realised something, but he seemed to push it down, not wanting to seem like the weakest in the bunch.

"She seemed to steer far away from the bow and arrows, she must be awful at that then. She did everything else, didn't she? She kept glancing over at the archery area as if it was going to kill her at any moment. She seemed to listen to her inner voice; she stayed far away from the bows and arrows. Ryker, why do you sound so worried about her? I personally think you should be worried about the boy from Twelve. Now he seems likely to put up a fight. He looked scary at the bloodbath, even when he was scarpering off towards the woods. He almost scared me." Glow said, causing the Careers to laugh. But the District 2 boy, Ryker, didn't say or do anything. He looked scared, even.

"Did you say she stayed away from the bows and arrows? Tell me, if she didn't use those at all and was awful at everything else in the training centre...how did she get eleven and a half, a score no one thought possible until now?" Ryker said. I shrunk back into the tree, definitely not wanting to be seen. The other Careers were muttering quietly among themselves, now looking intently at Ryker, who wasn't finished, "And guess what she picked up at the Cornucopia? The only bow and arrows there. I almost killed her as soon as she stood up. If it wasn't for her fast reflexes, I would have got her right in the heart. She must have got the eleven and a half from doing archery, and to do that, she must be damn good with a bow. I personally think we have underestimated her, that she isn't just a favourite. We need to keep our eyes out for her, she could pick us off one by one while we sleep and make a run for it when we're all dying slowly and painfully." I smiled slightly, feeling proud of myself at last. I could have waited here until the Careers fell asleep, then killed the one who was watching, then kill the rest of them all as they slept. I could have done that easily. I knew the places of the body which could mean that they could be dead within a few seconds, but it would painful for them. Stop it Harper, you're blood-lusting! You can't do that! It's the first night, I forbid you to become a monster!

"So shall we just hunt her down? Is she now our priority?" The District 4 girl asked. My proud smile fell instantly. I did not want to be top priority for the Careers. Ryker nodded and looked up and around at the other Careers.

"She may look weak, starving and vulnerable on the outside, but if we are to consider her score and how fast her reflexes seem, she sure as hell must be vicious on the inside." Ryker said. I could practically feel Haymitch burning with pride and anger at the same time. Pride at how the Careers seemed slightly wary of me, but angry at how they had now decided to hunt me down first. I was at the top of the slaughter list. I slumped against the tree, regretting everything I had done throughout training. If I had gotten a zero, I would have been much better off.

"Sorry, Haymitch. I don't think you're going to get a victor this year." I breathed, resting my head against the tree, "But I'm going to make every single one of these arrows count, anyway." I had forgotten how dry and cracked my tongue was, so it hit me with great force when I remembered. I could have groaned out loud, but I would have definitely have been caught and killed. The small pool of sparkling water glistened, beckoning me, calling out to me. I had to get there and I would get there, but I would undoubtedly get caught, unless I was very quiet. I leaned back against the tree, but I nearly fell out when I heard the anthem of Panem play loudly. I looked upwards through the canopy of leaves above me, where the massive screen showed the faces and Districts of those who had died in the bloodbath and first day. The eleven tributes who had lost their lives to the Games, leaving an unlucky thirteen behind. I squinted through the leaves above me, memorising who had died and who hadn't. Was Grayson alive? According to Glow, he had escaped the bloodbath, but he might not have escaped the wrath of the tributes running into the forest.

Both from District 3 (I had heard somewhere that the girl was called Futura, not that it mattered), surprisingly, the girl from 4, both from 5, the twins from 7 (Lindell and Jack), the young boy (who looked about thirteen) whose neck was snapped from District 8 and both from 9. That was a wide variety of people who had perished. I was shocked about the boy from District 4. I thought he would have survived and be apart of the Careers, but he might not have been made of the correct stuff to be a Career. I was feeling slightly relieved that Grayson had made it. I wondered if any of those tributes were his kills. I hoped not. I couldn't picture Grayson killing a person, but at the same time, I could.

When the anthem ended and everything went quiet and still again, the Careers had decided they were going to pack up for the night. They all took drinks from their flasks, which made my mouth go even dryer, and settled down. Glow was the one to take first watch. As the other Careers curled up in their sleeping bags, she sat down and held her, rather sharp, sword. Her back was to me, but I was going to wait for a little bit before I risked it. Once I had either succeeded or failed, I would go far away from here before settling down myself. I just wanted to get a drink first. And get a drink, I shall. I thought to myself as I made sure my quiver was secure over the top of my backpack. I slipped my head and torso in through the gap between the bow and the string, making sure the bow was on my back and that the bowstring was around my front. I pulled my left arm through, just to make sure that it wouldn't fall off my back and that I wouldn't fall off the tree. I hated carrying my bow this way, but it was only to descend the tree, so I would endure.

"Watch this Haymitch." I said under my breath, before edging back to the limb of the tree, wrapping my arms around it, as if embracing it. I then took a deep breath and started shimmying my way back down until I was at the actual trunk of the tree. The trunk was always the hardest because it was the widest part of the tree, therefore making it harder to get back down. I wouldn't be able to shimmy here. I would have to grip it. Many people would have found that hard and rather daunting, but I was experienced. I found all the nooks and crannies, holding on to them as I moved down the tree as fast and quietly as I could, making sure that I wouldn't get Glow's attention.

I stopped when I was about five foot from the forest floor, before letting go of the tree and landing on two feet in a deep crouch, hands extended out. I straightened myself out, wearing a smug smile. I hoped this was entertaining the Capitol enough. I then took my bow off from my body and held it in my left hand raising it. I then used my right hand to reach behind me and pull an arrow from my quiver, making my moves slow and precise as I stepped sideward towards the water, slowly and carefully. I nocked my arrow in and aimed it towards Glow's back, ready to fire if she turned around. I was about five metres from the small pool of water, which had thick, tall water plants one side of it. Perfect.

I fastened my pace to a scurry and eventually ducked behind the tall plants, still keeping my eye on Glow, who was now fiddling with the end of her long, golden ponytail. Her sword was lying beside her, instead of being in her hand, meaning she wasn't as alert as before. However, it also meant that she was still ready to leap into action if it should arise. And from what I had seen of her during training, she was pretty good with a sword. Not Grayson good, though.

Keeping the sword in mind, I put my bow and arrow down, and crept forwards. I was still hidden by the plants, which were tall and thick enough to allow me to crouch down and still remain completely unseen. I took my quiver off gently and eventually took off my backpack. I then unzipped it quietly and took out my flask. My tongue was throbbing now, it seemed to sense the water. I reached out and dipped it into the pool, filling it up until it was overflowing. From what I could see, the water looked very clean. There were no bits of dirt floating about and it looked crystal clear. But I was going to have to wait a few minutes, until I was far away from the Careers. Especially if they were going to be hunting me down, wanting to get to me first.

I screwed the lid back on the flask, put it back in my pack, which I slung over my back along with my quiver. I then picked up my already nocked bow and slowly backed away into the trees behind me, bow still poised and ready to shoot. A good advantage on having a bow was it could be used over long distance. Especially the one I was using. It was a good, powerful weapon to have in the arena, especially when you have no allies. It's the best weapon, besides knowledge, of course.

Once I was sure I was out of earshot, I turned and ran for a bit in a random direction, until I found a good, sturdy tree that other people would find hard to climb. I put my arrow back into my quiver with the others and then scaled the tree easily. I then found two, thick branches that would be able to support me in a comfortable 'v' shape, once I had tied them together at the end with my coil of rope. I then got my flask out and had a few sips. It was clean and fresh and never before had water tasted so good. No matter how much I wanted to, I wasn't going to drink all of it at once. I was going to have to save it until I came across another source. I knew the Careers would move on come sunrise, so they could try and hunt me down. That was when I would go back to that pool and refill my flask. Once I had snacked on one of my crackers and another sip of water, I got my sleeping bag out and slipped into it, tucking my quiver and bow with my backpack. I made sure that they wouldn't fall off, before trying to get myself comfortable. I was about to drift off, when I realised, I could fall put the tree during the night and break my neck. That scared me. I sat in thought for a while, the chirping of the birds the only sound to be heard, when it came to me. My sister always used to talk about Katniss' tricks for survival. She also slept in trees...and belted herself in. My belt was stretchy, meaning I would be able to belt myself to the branches while still remaining in my sleeping bag. I smiled to myself and did just that. If I fell, I would find myself dangling, suspended by my stomach. That would be fine with me, the belt would be able to support my weight.

I then rested my head down again and closed my eyes, shivering slightly. I did up my jacket all the way, but it was still quite cold. I was pinned down by my belt, so I couldn't move. I would have to endure with the cold nipping at my nose. At least I wasn't dead.

Well, not yet anyway.