↔↔↔ = Character Change

◐◑◐◑ = Time-Skip(with same character)

~~~

There had been a long and awkward silence between Link and Johd as the duo walked through the trees, sometimes helping each other climb over fallen tree trunks and pushing branches out of the way.

Link was torn. The Gamemakers had destroyed the entire arena, and with no remorse or consideration...

He knew that Gamemakers were very cruel, but triggering an event in the middle of the night?

"So, do you have any siblings? Any family?" Johd suddenly said, making Link blink.

Link was quiet for a moment, thinking.

Johd was making conversation? Was Link's family something Johd could use against him?

Johd looked over at him, seeming to take Link's silence as an "I don't want to talk about it."

"It's alright if you don't want to tell me, I only thought since--"

"No, no it's fine," Link interrupted, going on a whim that it would be alright to share, just this. "I was just thinking. I have a brother and 2 sisters. All younger."

"Woah, okay," Johd seemed surprised, but Link couldn't tell about what exactly. How many siblings he had? How quickly he opened up? Was he too quick to--?

"I live with my aunt and 2 younger cousins, both girls. They are ridiculously annoying," Johd said with a strangely loving eye roll.

Link opened his mouth, but quickly shut it again. He WAS going to ask about Johd's birth parents--because that had been the first thing that had popped into Link's head--but then realized one thing. If Johd had wanted to tell Link, he would've said it in the first place.

"Go on, ask," Johd snapped, suddenly irritated.

"Ask what?" Link glanced to his left. He knew very well what Johd was going to say.

"My real parents? 'What about them?'" Johd's voice was mocking, but Link couldn't figure out what he had done wrong...

"I wasn't going to--" Link said, realizing they had stopped walking.

"Like you weren't. I saw your face when I said it."

Link thought. Had it really been that obvious what he was thinking?

"Well, since you wanted to know so badly. They're dead! There was an accident at the train station, and they died! Nine years old, Link, I was nine years old."

"I didn't even want to know! I don't care!"

Link's fists tightened around the bow and arrow for just a moment, but then he threw it to the ground.

Link let out a sigh. He lowered his voice.

"I'm not going to fight with you. I'm just... not. Think whatever you want, but I could not possibly care less what happened to your parents. Maybe in an alternate universe it would matter, but right now--in this arena--it doesn't matter. What matters is that we get out of this alive, and the only way that's going to happen--"

"--is together."

Johd took a step back, slumping his shoulders with defeat.

"Okay, okay. You're right. I'm sorry. Let's just... forget this ever happened"

↔↔↔

Kefira was STILL asleep. Admittedly Marisa wasn't surprised. When was the last time Kefira had slept? She didn't sleep last night at all--the tsunami prevented that-- but had Kefira even slept the night before?

Marisa honestly could not remember. Yesterday had felt like centuries to her. To everyone, she was sure.

But Marisa was tired. Very, very tired...

She strained to keep her eyes open, thinking of the disastrous consequences of having no one on guard. Other Tributes had managed it in the past, but, with so little area they could even explore after the tsunami...

Marisa yawned, then slapped herself in the face. She absolutely, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, could not fall asleep.

Her eyes drooped, but she lifted them back up.

No, no, no, no, no--!

Surely...

Just five minutes couldn't hurt.

↔↔↔ 

Kimi chased Louis down, screaming his name. She carried his spears, planning to give them back to him.

"Louis, Louis please stop! Stop running!"

Louis didn't even glance back at her, instead continuing to run.

"L-Louis wait!" 

Louis finally looked back, and that was all it took.

Louis tripped over a fallen tree, sending him sprawling down a rocky, jagged hill.

Kimi gasped, leaping over the tree and sliding down the hill after him.

Louis rolled, screaming, and sticks snapping as he went.

 Kimi's shoes were hot, but she didn't slow down. 

Louis hit the bottom the hill with a loud thud.

Kimi skidded to a stop directly beside him, falling to her knees.

"Louis, Louis tell me you're okay!"

Louis coughed, several small cuts across his face and arms and legs. His outfit was torn, holes ripped in haphazard shapes.

Tears streamed down Kimi's face as she forced her arms around Louis in the tightest hug he'd ever experienced.

"Please... don't ever run away like that. Ever again."