The Career pack moved through the woods, huddled close together against the cold. As the days continued, snow had begun to fall harder and harder.

"It's gonna storm soon," Penelope said, her gaze fixed on the sky. "I can tell."

"So what do we do?" Hazel asked.

Leonardo was surprised that her striking green eyes fell on him as she said this. Before he knew it, everyone's gazes were on him.

Why are they all looking to me? I'm not their leader!

...Am I?

"Er...I think we should build a shelter," he said. "If Penelope's right, we need a way to stay safe during a snowstorm."

He instantly felt shocked at how the words tumbled out of his mouth so surely, so confidently. The rest of the group nodded agreement.

Madison's eyes flickered to Piper. Her heart instantly ached with longing–longing to tell the cat mutant how she felt.

What are you waiting for, Maddie? she insisted. Tell her!

"Good idea, Leo," she blurted. "I'll go ahead and find some...wood or something."

"Are you suggesting you leave us?" Monica asked. "Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"Of course. Um...Piper? Do you...maybe wanna come with me?"

She was shocked when the cat girl shrugged and replied, "Sure."

Maddie's heart skipped a beat. She felt lightheaded with happiness. Soon, Piper would know her true feelings.

"Okay. Let's go, then."

***

A few minutes later, Madison felt herself moving through the woods, trying to find wood as she dusted snow out of her hair. She and Piper had split up in hopes to find more supplies–but she'd be back soon.

As soon as she gets back, I'll tell her, she thought excitedly. Oh, but what will she say? Will she like me back? Will she turn me away? Will she think I'm weird for liking her?

She sighed, forcing herself to relax.

Well, we'll just see when she get back.

A flash of black caught in the corner of her eye. She flinched, but missed it. Probably just a raven or a crow flying close to the ground.

Before she even knew what was happening, something had crashed into her. Madison cried out in panic as she was knocked flat on her back, the back of her head slamming into the snow. She found herself glaring up into the angry brown eyes of a particular wolf boy.

"I don't think we've formally met," the Latina growled. "Marcus, was it?"

"Goofing around even when you're about to die?" Marcus snarled. "You're a fool. No wonder your girlfriend abandoned you."

"Piper didn't abandon me!" Madison spat. "And she's not my girlfriend! Wait...how did you know–"

"Isn't it obvious? I've been watching you two for ages. I know Piper left. You shouldn't have left your group, Madison. Because now, you're going to die."

Maddie struggled beneath him. "Get off me, you stupid mutt!" she screamed.

Rage sparked in Marcus' eyes. He leaped up, slashing one of his scythes across Maddie's collarbone. The dark-haired girl shrieked in agony, her brown eyes alight with with agony. Blood immediately began to ooze from the wound, pooling around her chest and soaking her clothes. Marcus raised his weapon again, prepared to finish the job, when suddenly a blur of light brown crashed into his side, knocking him away. Piper yowled with fury as she slashed her claws across the wolf mutant's face.

Marcus howled with pain heaved, throwing Piper off. The cat mutant hissed, readying her claws again, but her opponent was already fleeing into the woods, blood dripping into his eyes. Piper hurried toward Maddie, sheathing her bloodstained claws and kneeling beside her. Madison's breathing was rapid and shallow, her dark eyes pained and her face twisted with agony.

"Maddie?" Piper breathed, her heart speeding up with panic. "Maddie, talk to me."

Maddie wheezed, coughing up blood. Bone gleamed from within the wound. Her brown eyes locked with Piper's green ones, swimming with agony.

"Piper," she wheezed.

"Yes, Maddie?" the cat mutant's voice was broken and desperate.

"Piper," the Latina girl repeated, coughing again. "I...I–"

"You what?" Piper's voice raised in despair. "Don't go! Please!"

"I like you. A–a lot..."

A weak smile played on the dying girl's face as her voice faded, trailing off gently. Piper watched, helpless, as the light died from her eyes.

A second later, a cannon went off.

Tears sprang into the cat mutant's eyes as she moved closer to the girl, pressing a soft kiss on her cheek.

"I liked you too, Maddie," she whispered, burying her face in her friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before...I'm so sorry..."

***

It felt like hours that Piper had been laying beside Madison's lifeless body, sobbing quietly with her face buried in the girl's neck. Only when her tears were all dried out and she'd said her final goodbyes did she leave Maddie for the hovercraft to come and collect.

Now, the cat mutant trudged soundlessly through the woods. She barely seemed to notice the cold as she dragged her furry feet through the snow, her miserable green eyes fixed on the ground. All she could feel was the grief and sorrow weighing her down, the empty space in her heart where Madison should've been.

It should've been me, she thought over and over. It should've been me.

She knew she should be heading back to her allies, telling them what had happened. But she didn't want to. She didn't want to go back and relive the gruesome death she's just witnessed. She walked on and on, moving deeper through the woods, until she emerged into a clearing. In the center of it was a small lake, completely frozen over.

Piper found herself walking toward the lake, refusing to stop until she was standing directly over the frozen water. Taking a deep breath, she lifted a foot and stomped as hard as she could on the ice. It cracked and splintered, plunging the cat girl into the icy water.

Cold water immediately seeped into her fur, chilling her to the bone and stinging her open eyes. Her world seemed to slow down, and bubbles swirled around her with every movement she made. The last time she was underwater, she'd been panicked, struggling as hard as she could to get free. That was the time Maddie has saved her. But now, she was strangely calm. Accepting. She let the water lap around her, slowly draining the oxygen from her lungs.

Face after face flashed in her mind. Uncle Bill, his face pained but warm as he hugged her goodbye, before she'd left for the Capitol. The other Tributes, the scared looks on their faces as they waited for the Bloodbath to begin. Holly, her eyes glaring at her with disgust, her angry face as she screamed at her daughter. Her words came flooding back to her like the water around her.

"Useless..."

"Burden..."

"Stupid..."

"Why couldn't you have been a boy?"

"I hate you!"

Piper's lungs burned, screaming for air as the last of the oxygen left them. She began to feel lightheaded, the world starting to spin around her. The water seemed to grow even colder.

Maddie's face appeared in her mind. Her sassy but cute half-smile, her beautiful face. Her warm brown eyes, shining with laughter and compassion, with care and love. Her laugh echoed in Piper's ears, bright and lively. Her voice replayed over and over again in Piper's mind.

"I like you."

I'm sorry, Maddie, thought the cat mutant. I should've been there to protect you. It's my fault you're dead.

Maybe now I'll get to see you again.

She closed her eyes and allowed herself to float motionlessly in the water. A few minutes later, she stopped moving completely.

And then the cannon boomed.