Young Writers Society

Ara Ordoe

At some point, Ara had fallen asleep. The last thing she remembered was crouching in an alley in the dark by the convenience store where Aspen and Kyran were camped out. Now, she awoke slumped against the alley wall in bright mid-day sun. Her head was still foggy, and her clothes were soaked through.

Had she broke into a cold sweat in her sleep? Was she ill? She pushed herself up and looked around. No, she wasn't ill. But the snow that had once covered the arena was gone, and water stood in its place. Strange plants sprouted everywhere, even around her in the alley.

Ara pulled off the sweatshirt she had taken the night before - or, what she thought was the night before - and shoved it into the backpack along with the thermal hat. She groaned and stretched, her body sore from falling asleep in such an odd position. She felt so off. Like something was wrong inside her.

She walked out of the alley and peered into the convenience store. Aspen and Kyran were still inside, talking amongst themselves. Ara turned and walked back toward central park. Those two seemed to be fine for now, but Ara needed to find some sort of food and fast.

She only hoped she wouldn't run into any other tributes until she started feeling like herself again.

Ara is wandering back into Central Park, and is still feeling unwell. If anyone wants to run into her, she'd probably be in the mood for a fight or even a brief alliance.

Gabriel

His eyes narrow and his lungs aching in the dense humidity that permeated the air, the sweltering sun beating down on his head and back as he jogged. He had decided to take his alliance-mates on a short detour and had begun passing some abandoned houses and alley's before he finally spotted movement.

He froze, his dark eyes scanning the area before another movement took his attention, it was a girl. He signaled his mates to stop, and he turned. "I'm going to check this out. Stay back." he said as he unhooked his bow and notched an arrow.

He patted his pants and felt the dagger, ever at the ready, before he began moving forward.

Silent footsteps as he wadded through the shin-deep water. It was strange, but he felt as though something were wrong, something felt not-right to him. He swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing against the nervousness he felt and he pulled back the string as he rounded the alley's corner.

Gabriel came up short when he was face to face with Ara Ordoe. He steady his hand, right shoulder still aching, and flashed her a cool smile.

"Nice to see a not-so-friendly face." he greeted her with a wicked glint in his eyes.

She simply watched him, and he narrowed his eyes a moment before lowering the bow only slightly, keeping it aimed at her heart rather than her head.

"I'm up for an alliance, if you're willing to help me get rid of the other two I have tagging along?" he offered her, knowing that his former alliance-mates were waiting for him to return, and with a small surprise he shouldn't have much problems in shooting them down.

Holly had his dagger but it was obvious she wasn't a great shot.

He waited for Ara's answer, knowing that in the end it would be like making a deal with the devil - soon she'd want his soul.


Plans on betraying his alliance-mates to pair with Ara - is currently feeling unwell

I'm confused. Is Ara no longer part of the alliance? It's fine with me if she leaves, I just didn't know about it.

Steyna Cole

We trekked through the woods, trying to find our next meal. It wasn't long until we came across a rabbit hole, and now all we had to do was wait.

Waiting was boring. We couldn't talk, because then the rabbit would never come out. I pulled out blades of grass, examining them. After that grew old, I started to count them. After a few minutes had passed, I had a pile of grass by my leg.

Wait. Grass? There was no grass, it was all snow!

"Hunter!" I hissed. He gave me the death glare and gave me the quiet sign.

"Hunter, it's important! The snow is melting!" He looked around, and I could see the shock.

"Steyna, it's probably the Game Makers! We have to go to high ground, now!" He grabbed my arm and we ran like never before. The heat was growing intense now, and I took off my hat and unzipped my jacket.

We came across a small pond. I started panicking. As far as I knew, that pond hadn't been here before. There was a small incline, and water ran down it and gathered in the pond.

"It's not going into the ground. It's staying on the surface. This is bad." Hunter said worridely. I grabbed a stick and prodded the bottom of the pond. It only covered half the stick, so I figured we could wade across.

I stepped gingerly into the freezing water, feeling it soak through my pants. As the water came up past my knees, I found a drop off. The hard way. Water filled my nose, and it was pitch black. I couldn't see the bottom, but I could barely see the top too. There was a splash by my right, and Hunter dove in to grab me. I couldn't swim, and my clothing was dragging me down.

I shoved Hunter away, trying to tell him to swim to the top. He shook his head. I screamed, and water entered my throat. I coughed, but no air came. I sent him a pleading look as I floated down to the bottom. It was mucky, and I could feel the soggy grass beneath me. He gave me a longing glance and swam to the top for air.

"This is it." I thought to myself. I picked up the blades of grass, not feeling them between my fingers. My vision started to fade, a dark purple. I tried to take one last breath, and my lungs filled with water. I closed my eyes, ready for whoever wanted to take me away.

Steyna Cole (myself) dead. Hunter is still alive.

Because of all the snow melting and a bit of game maker influence the map now looks like this:



Everything outside side the lines is full of water. Everything inside the lines (including central park) has some water, about a foot in the low parts, but is fairly dry.

Sorry I haven't posted: Storm warning last night and slow internet.

Fern Le Rose

The arena was flooded. I looked down from where we sat on our tall building, where the water was slowly rising. It had amazed me how easily Erin had lived through the water, swimming easily and thickly through the water. Like she was actually a fish. I knew that if something like this would happen Erin would be good at it: I just didn't know how good. A shiver went up my back. I send a glance over at Erin, her hair dripping water. Erin could beat us all at the end if stuff like this kept happening.Stop. I told myself. It's to early to make those kinds of presumtions. I needed to trust Erin, and Marco for that matter. It was way to early in the game to make foolish choices: stabbing my alliance in the front came later. Much later, if we got lucky. I look down at myself, trying to escape the inevitable. I was soaking wet, my red hair dripping softly. I stiffle a laugh. I've never been this wet in my life, except maybe to bathe.

"Does swimming always get you this wet?" I ask.

Erin looked at me like I just told her that the Capitol was breeding horses and decided to end the Hunger games. Marco just rolled his eyes. I cover my mouth to hide my giggle. It was ridiculous, and probably not something I would normaly do. I didn't really know anymore. " I guess so, huh?"

"So." Erin said. "Sometimes even worse."

Worse. I couldn't even imagine. From the stricken look on Marco's face, he couldn't either. We both had grown up in the same district, after all. District 1 and water was like District 12 and animals. It just didn't mix. It was a miracle Marco and I had survived at all. I can bet we'd be hearing a lot of cannon's tonight. I gulp, watching the water sway back and forth. It wasn't getting much taller, thank goodness, but instead seemed to stay the incredible depth it was. I squint my eyes, peering over the endless seeming water.

"Is this what an ocean looks like?" I ask.

I'd never seen an ocean before, and this is what I would imagine it to be. Hauntigly beautiful, to scary and shimmery depths. The life and the death of District 4 and their ancestors before them. Erin scrunched her thin eyebrow's. When she spoke, her voice was husky from shock.

"You've never seen the ocean?"

Marco answered for me. "No. Neither have I, for that matter. District one is far, far from the ocean."

Erin looked out across the deep water and it's soft deadly waves. "I... I guess it kinda does. The ocean is larger, deeper, darker. More wonderful, more scary. Even more deadly."

A hush falls over us. Something about Erin's voice made us shut up, like when Marco spoke of whoever those scary birds had spoke to him about. Something from her past, better left buried. I knew the feeling. There were just some things you regretted, some what-I-could-have-done. Regrets.

When Marco speaks his voice is dreamy. "I would like to see it... someday."

He spoke it with hesitation, as though it was something he shouldn't be saying.

"I would too." I confirmed. "It would be something."

We both knew, in the back of our minds, that only one of us could ever see the ocean. If either of us lived that long, that is.

"It is." Agreed Erin, staring into the distance. "It never seems to end, but somehow still manages to be beautiful... wonderful, and wet. Life it's very self."

We all find ourselves in a comfortable silence, thinking about faraway ocean's and life and fish. I squint my eyes at the bright light. Was it just me or was that...green? I scramble up from the roof of the builing, turning west. The sun was a little less bright there and-

"Fern?" Marco asked.

"Green! I see it! Get up here guys! It's a bit away, but it's definitley there! It absolutely has to be land!"

I was bouncing out of my skin. All this ocean talk was nice, but I still loved land. Erin grabs my arm and helps herself up and Marco find's his way next to me.

"It is." Marco confirms. "We could swim out there, especially since the water shallow's out after a while. It's obvious."

Erin nodds, a shadow of doubt on her face. "It might be an illusion. Even if it's not, most of the arena is flooded. All the living tributes will be there. It'll be super close. It might be better to stay here, even just for a little while."

Her idea was right. Not the illusion part, for I knew in my heart that real land was there, in front of our eyes. The part about the tributes, elebow to elebow, hunting each other for food. Marco doesn't seem to understand her views, however.

"There's no food out here in the middle of this mini-ocean. Your right about the tributes, but there's no way to avoid it. This is THE Hunger Game. We've been training for this our entire lives. We need to show those other kid's what a real career pack is like. We have to go for land."

Our entire lives. I look down were I knew my scars hid. Our entire damned lives. I bit my lip. He had to make such a convincing argument, didn't he? I hated it, but he was right. I send a glance at Erin. She and I were the oringinal careers after all. She nodds slowly and reluctantly.

"Fine." She says. "But if we die, I blame you."

Her voice was void of humor, and with reason. Marco gives a subtle nodd and we all dive into the water. The cool icey water seeps into my almost dry skin and my first thought is: Why did I agree to this? I blink my eyes open, terrified to see I was still underwater. It was so blue here, so wonderfully blue and green, the most beautiful colors... I feel my body stopping, slowing down. So beautiful... I wouldn't mind just... The next thing I know I feel hot air abrubtly stinging my face. I cough, spluttering, and trying to tread water.

"Wha?"

Erin and Marco are both staring at me. I knew immediatley that Erin was the one who pulled me up. Marco looked more embarrased and Erin looked more worried.

"Fern!" She scolded. "What in the world happened to you? You just dived in and then..."

I shake off what had just happened. The water had been so hypnotizing and inviting, like an old siren. I couldn't tell that to them, especially not Erin. They couldn't understand.

"Let's just say I got a little...carried away."

I kick off, not letting myself focous on anything but moving. I owed my life to Erin, in a way I couldn't explain. Maybe I could have saved myself, but the water...

Before I knew it, the water was getting shallower and shallower and the land closer and closer.

"We're almost there!" Erin cried, for she had tooken a slight -erm- rather large lead.

"Not almost," Marco cried, loudly, because he was right next to me." I can touch!"

Erin, ahead of us, moves her leg's down.

"I can to!"

I try, my leg's flailing across the sandy ground, not really touching. Of course. I take a deep breath and propelle myself foward with the last bit of my strength.

"And...Now, after that little struggle, I can to."

Sorry so long! I just pressumed that Four was by the ocean, being the fishing district.

Kyran Oleander Hehe, I realize I'm frozen at the moment, because I'm going away for vacation, but I found a little free time.

The fire was warm. I could feel it through my gloves, and it felt nice. It was like being at home, sitting around the wood stove with my family, talking about our day. My father would always talk about work, and my brothers would end up debating comic book characters. My father and I talked about pretty much everything. Work, home, what could be done around home, etc. I remember when Tasha would come over, and we'd do homework together, or her favorite, jigsaw puzzles.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the tattered picture of her. It was her school picture from this year. I wiped off a smudge with my thumb. I looked up at the sky, hoping she'd know I was thinking of her.

"Who's that?" Came the voice waking me up from my daydream.

"Huh?" I was out of it for a moment.

"Who's that? The picture. Your girlfriend? Sister?" Aspen asked. She scooted closer to me to get a better look. I handed it to her, praying she'd be careful with it.

"Yeah, she's my girlfriend. Tasha. Tasha Bernstein." I nodded. Her name felt good on my tongue. I hadn't said it since we said goodbye at the beginning of the Games.

"She's pretty." Aspen said quietly. She handed me the photo and I slipped it back into my pocket. The fire made a sudden sizzling noise. I looked over,and didn't see anything. It made another sizzling noise, that followed a popping sound.

"What's up with the fire?" I asked Aspen. She shrugged. Then I saw it. A thin stream of water coming down the street. It made a small puddle near the fire, making it hiss and pop.

"Water? Why is there water?" Aspen wondered.

"Is the snow melting?" I thought. She shook her head.

"It can't be melting. This arena is sub-zero. Unless..." She trailed off in thought.

"Unless what?" I was curious.

"Unless the Game Makers are doing something. Do you think they're making the snow melt?" I never got to answer her question, because just then water came rushing down the street. It was like a dam opened, and everything was flooding out at us.

"Get on top of the building! Now!" I screamed at Aspen. She grabbed our stuff and threw it on top of the convenience store. She tried to grab the ledge, but couldn't reach it.

"Step in my hands!" She nodded. Her boot slipped around in my hand, but she managed to grab a hold of the ledge, and hoist herself up. The water was getting dangerously close.

"Help me up!" I shouted up at her. She took a minute, and I thought she was going to leave me. That's when I saw the rope I grabbed earlier dangling down from the top of the building. She peered over the edge of the building and shouted, "I tied it to a pipe up here! It should be able to hold you! Try climbing up!"

I shrugged and started climbing. Lifting heavy crops all day made my arms strong, so I climbed up the rope pretty fast. I pulled it up over the side of the building just in time to see the sidewalk swallowed by water. The building shook with the force of the water.

"We made it." Aspen sighed. I nodded numbly, watching the whitewater flow down the streets and fill every crevice in the land.

On top of the convenience store. With Aspen Cypress. They're right on the border of the new map I think. Sorry it's so long, I got carried away!

I have updated the list. In your next posts you can all write about the gamemaker saying that there is going to be a feast. There is one thing every one of you will need soon enough. He will also say that the feast is at the cornucopia at sunset the next day. A few moments after the speech ends you will be attacked. For every person there will be one wolf. So if you group has two people in it. Two wolves will come to attack you and so on.

Erin

She was so tired that she wanted to collapse to the ground and never move again. Despite being dripping wet, she was also still very hot from the sun rays which she was sure the game-makers had rigged to be hotter then ever got in the most brutal summers of Panem. She was glad that she finally got to swim and show the game-makers her true talent, and now she was sure that sponsors would be flooding in her way. But, swimming, saving her allies, she hadn't really been thinking. She had just been concerned with staying alive and helping her allies. The general area was still wet, with warm water up to her ankles in places. She let it cool her, sooth her, comfort her, and made each second last as long as it could. She was sure that the cameras were on them now.

Fern and Marco weren't in good shape, either. They were half-standing, half-kneeling next to her, out of breath, their clothes torn, just like her. For the first time, Erin was able to eye the surrounding area in its heat. The skeletal remnants of the buildings were a lot easier to see now, but most of the area was completely submerged in water -- all that looked to be able to cross was the grassy, wooded area that stood in front of them. They've made the arena smaller, Erin thought. They're bringing us together so we'll have to kill each other. Soon this will all be over. With these thoughts, she could not help but look back at Fern and Marco. Her allies. Would it be them, her, or someone else? The one thing she didn't want was for them to be the last ones alive -- that would make the killing difficult. She didn't want to think on it right now. Marco was starting to glare at her, but she turned away. Was he jealous that she could swim so well, or thinking along the lines of what she was thinking?

"Do you have a plan?" He asked.

"Um, why are you asking me?"

This made Marco smile. "We just saw you swim incredibly. If it weren't for you, Fern and I would have died. I think that qualifies for you to lead the way."

Erin was about to say something when she was interrupted by the loud booming voice of the Hunger Games announcer -- his name was blanking on her right now. "Ladies and Gentleman of the Hunger Games! If you have made this far, I congratulate you. There are ten of you left, and with the drastic change in weather as well as the downsizing of the arena, we figured that it would be the perfect occasion for a feast! It will be at the Cornucopia, tomorrow at sunset. But this is no ordinary feast. It contains something that each and every one of you need to survive the games. We hope to see you there, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Then silence. Before they had the time to ponder over what to do, Erin was caught off guard by loud, ravenous noises.

"Do you hear that?" Fern asked.

"Yes..." Erin replied. "What could it be?"

Then Erin lost her footing and saw the answer looking at her straight in the face with glowing eyes. With the screams of her two allies she knew that Fern and Marco were getting attacked as well. The wolf was slowly starting to tear away at her skin, and she knew that she had no weapons.

"Help me! Help me!" She cried. Limply trying to fight the wolf back, her eye caught two people on top of a nearby building about thirty yards away, which looked to be a convenience store. They were also getting cut down by two wolves, and within a second, there was a scream, a shot of the cannon, and one of them was gone, just like that.

And Erin began to panic when she saw the water. Of course, she thought. I'll drown it. With all of her strength she pushed the wolf upward and managed to get up, running as fast as she could to where the water was deeper. Of course, the wolf followed her. The blood running down her legs stung terribly, but she had to tell herself to stay strong.

She plunged in the water, swimming as far as she could. The wolf still followed her, but it slowed down. Once they were about fifteen yards in, and deep enough, she saw it fall limply to the ground. All of the stress and anxiety seemed to melt away at that very second. Still, Erin knew that she was in bad shape. Slowly, she began to swim back, seeing how the others were doing. Marco would be okay, she thought. He had his sword.

She has beaten the wolf, but is badly wounded and in need of medicine. Aspen Cypress dead. On the border of the new arena.

Kyran Oleander

The wolves seemed to come out of nowhere. With their seemingly massive muscles, they easily jumped the building, landing silently on the roof. Before this, the Game Makers claimed there was something we needed at the Cornucopia. The wolves had caught us off guard, and neither of us had our weapons nearby.

As Aspen made a lunge for her axe, it bit her fatally in the throat. The amount of blood was unbelievable. It quickly made a puddle around her body, and I heard the cannon. My wolf took a step back, to regain it's footing, and I saw Aspen's wolf give me a deathly snarl, and it jumped off the building into the night.

"Maybe it's job was to kill Aspen, and it's job is done, so it's gone?" This was the reasoning I gave myself, and I was just glad I only had to kill one wolf now. I grabbed my spear and drove it through the wolf's back. It made a grunting noise, but shook me off. It bit me in the leg, and I could feel it's razor-sharp teeth sinking into my flesh.

I screamed in agony, wishing for my pain to end. It shook my leg around, making it 10x worse. I saw Aspen's axe a few feet away, and I tried to crawl towards it. My arms were just long enough to reach the tip of the handle, and by the time the wolf realized what I was doing, I had the axe planted in it's face.

It whined and backed away, where it fell off the roof. I heard the thud, and I listened to make sure it didn't get up again, and I knew the wolf was dead.

But now, I had other problems. My leg was gushing blood, Aspen was dead, and the Game Makers wanted us to all go to the Cornucopia, so we could kill each other.

Today was just not my day.

I heard screaming and feet pounding, and I noticed the river had lessened to half it's size, with a slow lolling current. A blonde kid ran up to the building, being chased by a wolf. He saw the carcass of my wolf and looked up at the building, trying to see me.

"Wow, this kid must be pretty stupid. He has a bow in his hands, and he hasn't used it yet?" That was when I noticed the small silver arrow sticking out of the wolf's back. I recognized the kid. Hunter Williams, from the hunting district. I chuckled, but the movement shot a needle of pain through my leg.

"Please help me!" He shouted at the sky. Those were his last words, because he stopped long enough to be tackled by the wolf. Even I couldn't mistake the crunching and cracking sound of his bones against the pavement. The wolf swiveled it's head, looking for it's next prey and sulked off into the woods.

The flow of blood out of my leg never slowed. I knew what I had to do, but I hated the thought of it.

"It's for your survival." I said to myself quietly. I crawled over to Aspen's body and ripped the sleeve off of her arm. I tore it into small strips and used it as gauze for my leg. The pressure was enough to slow the blood almost to a stop, but the pain was excruciating.

I fell asleep that night in a cold sweat, hoping the wolves wouldn't come back.

Still on top of the convenience store, Hunter Williams dead. Severe leg wounds, using Aspen's clothing as a bandage. Has her supplies. Aspen was killed in Elinor's post. The hovercraft will come for her body soon.

Ara Ordoe

Ara just stared at Gabriel. She knew him from training in the capitol; he was strong and had good use for a bow. Ara, on the other hand, was pretty pathetic at this point. She still only had a dagger for her weapon and she'd just more or less abandoned her alliance with Kyran.

She wondered what Kyran's girl back in eleven was thinking right then. Something that had been growing in Ara's mind for a while surfaced. She didn't want to die. She didn't want the games to claim her life. Gabriel smiled at her and held out a hand. She knew he might be her only ticket to survival for a while.

"Okay," she said, holding out her hand. "As long as others live, I will not kill you Gabriel."

Gabriel grinned, his long back hair falling over his eyes. "Same to you."

At that moment, the gamemaker's voice boomed over the area. "Congratulations, remaining tributes," he said. "You have made it far and fought bravely. As a reward, there will be a feast of sorts at the Cornucopia tomorrow at sunset. Those still living may find a key to their survival. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Ara looked at Gabriel skeptically. "So what do you think about that?" It was a test of sorts, really. She knew what she would do, but she still didn't quite trust him. She needed to know his head was in the right place.

"I say that everything that could happen in this arena is aimed to kill off more tributes," he said. "But the gamemaker isn't one to tease. There will be something for us at the Cornucopia."

Ara nodded. "So what do you propose we do?"

He shrugged. "Can't really do much until we get rid of those guys," he gestured back to where he had left his old alliance mates. "But then I think we should try and check this Cornucopia thing out."

As Ara was about to voice her agreement, two wolves came out of nowhere and took her to the ground. She pulled her dagger on one of them, but it wasn't enough. "Gabriel!" she shouted. "A little help here?!"

Ara has struck up an alliance with Gabriel. We'll see how long she actually sticks around. They're under attack, but please don't let Ara die xD

Gabriel

He narrows his eyes and pulls an arrow from his quiver and notches it, just as one of the wolves turn towards him. He lets the arrow fly, landing it straight between the wolf's eyes. It slumps, dead, to the ground. He turns, notches another arrow and aims, but the other wolf is aware of what he does.

Gabriel grinds his teeth in anger, trying not to waste time as he finally gets a clear shot at the wolf and he lets fly another arrow. This time hitting the wolf in the shoulder. The wolf reared, anger striking in it's strangely human-like gaze but he quickly notched another arrow, pulling the string taught before preparing to let it fly. The wolf backed away, before turning into the darkness and fleeing.

Gabriel loosened his hold on the arrow, sliding the arrow back into the quiver and pulling the other from the other wolf's carcass. He glanced over at Ara and held out a hand, his much larger than hers. He turned, "Isn't the Gamemaker a sly man.." he muttered, knowing full well that these wolves had been sent for a purpose.

He turned to examine how high the water was and judged it to be about the height of his shins. It would have to do, and if he had to he could always drowned her if she decided him unworthy of an alliance. He held back the laughter, before turning to look at her.

His bow was slick in his palm, sweat beaded on his forehead in the heat and he glanced over at his shoulder - it was a rough patch of skin now. He sighed, before looking back at her. "Which district are you from?" he asked as an idea sprang to mind, perhaps he could put this alliance to good use.


Killed one of the wolves, another fled - currently in alliance with Ara Ordoe - is wondering if he can abuse his alliance

Calligraphy- checked the list. Marco Denver wasn't on the list. I may be wrong, but do double check please!

Fern Le Rose

I froze when I saw the eyes. I knew what they were as soon as I saw them. Wolf eyes. They'd trained us about predator's like that. We locked eyes and just for a minute I thought I saw something human in them, something that wouldn't kill me. Off to my side I saw Erin run off and Marco pull his sword. Three wolves. There were three of them, one for each of us. That's alway's how Panem worked. Evenly. That's when the wolf lunged at me. Totally unprepared, I jumped back. The wolves claws barely grazed my stomach, ripping my torn clothing even more. I'm not going to loose. I just needed time to think. The wolf lunged at me again and I hopped aside, expecting it. The wolf meets me at the ground, baring his teeth menacly. Not going to loose. I feel my adreniline speed up, almost at comand. I drop to the ground, rolling on my back as the wolf jumps above me, thinking that I would be in front; not below. I reach my leg up to kick with a harsh jar: there were some advantages to being a short girl facing a long wolf. The wolf drops, rolling over. I beat it! Still, things were never that easy. The wolf jumped up, growling. It's amber eyes watered a bit, but that was the only mark that I'd hit him. I guess I didn't hit a vital organ, or the wolf would be whimpering on the ground. I take a deep, ragged breath. These things were tough, I just hoped that Erin was doing ok. Oh, and Marco to. The wolf lunged at me. We shouldn't have left our supplies behind. No, that was stupid, I see it now. I grab the wolves paws, wishing I had my dagger. I feel it's claws sink into my hands and wince, using what was left of my strength to toss it aside. It only made it a few inches away from me, but landed on it's back. I panted wishing once again for one of the items I had worked so hard to get. Wait... I feel a small, especially wet part of my arena costume. It feel's squishy and immediatley I know what it is. My poison. I had tucked it into my suit after I had met Erin: I'd forgotten all about. The wolf get's up, glaring at me and running at me again. I pull out the bag with lightning speed, the poison dripping all over my hand. It had sprung a leak, something I didn't expect. Someone else would've noticed, gotten hurt by it. Not me. Having an immunity to poison sure helped you not die. The wolf jumped up at me and before I could even think about it, I shove the poison into the wolves mouth. It chokes on the poison, but seems to realize it's got my hand too. It moves it's mouth and my hand jerks with pain, like a thousand little pinpricks. I kick it with what's left of my strength and it struggles away, revulsing. I craddle my hand, not looking at it but watching the wolf. It tries to start running, but it's leg's drop under it. On it's face appears a look of pure pain. It wasn't a mutt after all. It lay's it's head down and spit's, realizing it's fate. The spit drops off it's muzzle and it coughs a pitiful soft cough. Then it's fate ends. I knew it was dead without a second glance. I turn my back to it, examaining my hand. It's covered it blood and purple poison, so thick that I can't see flesh. It doesn't hurt, just has a soft num sensation. I would get over it. Somehow. I look around, trying to spot Erin or Marco. My instincts knew that Marco would be ok, but Erin...? My little alliance...

"Fern!" I hear my voice called by a familiar tone.

"Erin!" I call, whirling around to see Erin's small lithe frame running towards me.I meet her halfway and envelope her in a hug. She stiffened, semi-shocked, but eventually relaxed. "You're alive!"

I was so relieved. I don't know what I would do without an alliance, even this far into the game. To loose them to another human was one thing, but to loose them to wolves.

"Shocker, huh?"

I force a chuckle. "Yeah, it's pretty amazing."

We stand there, rocking back and forth. I open my eyes, which I hadn't notice were shut. I notice the shards of my clothes and the rash that was clearly visible under the remains. I strain my neck trying to see the rashes on my leg's. Totally visible. I gulp. I knew it would happen, someday in this game. I would worry about the past later. For now I just needed to enjoy Erin and hope-or not hope- that we could find Marco.

Survived wolf. Hand injury. With Elinor's Erin. Can't see Marco.

Marco is in bold. He is not on the list because ultraviolet hasn't posted in so long. He is is right before the list.