"How many times do you think a person can get stung before they just die?" Drake asked. The faces of five fallen tributes filled the screen before him. Cassyus Beryl, Wren Dufty, Roselia Lochton, Teff Rancourt, and Kai Zale, all victors who couldn't make it through the bloodbath. bBut he was already anxious to move on to the next stage of the plan.

Amelia swiveled around in her chair, nose wrinkled in confusion as she looked at him. "What?" 

"Y'know," Drake gestured to the screen. "The bees? Because if they're too lethal, we might end this too soon. And I really don't feel like dying today."

"We told you two months ago we weren't doing the damn bees," Fawn said, sitting up straighter in her chair. Her pointer landed on his chest and she applied pressure until his chair was scooted a foot away from the table. "We're going with birds. Graceful, terrifying, hard to mess up, birds. Blood enough for the President, without screwing our heads under."

"You mean to tell me I've been breeding ten-thousand killer bees for four months and you're not going to use them?"

"Exactly."

★THE TASK★

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time for you to learn about the birds and the bees. More importantly, the specific lack of bees and the overabundance of birds. Only a few hours have passed since the cannons of the bloodbath and the sun is high in the arena. Make your camps, your alliances, whatever you feel necessary to keep you safe through the trials to commence. But pay attention to the world around you. Look at the foliage-- so many beautiful plants decorate the jungle most of you are calling sanctuary. Thick, creeping vines crawl up the trees, flowers burst forth in beautifully bold colors, and you narrowly escaped having to fight your way through these lovely plants as they all conspired to kill you. They'll lay dormant for now, but something else is moving in.

Like any island, there are a lot of tropical birds. However, this island is mostly populated by mutated strands of Jabberjays. You'll find they come in all colors of the rainbow and were designed with painful precision. The grey ones, the ones you may be most familiar with, lead the pack. They speak with the voices of your loved ones, whispering stolen words to throw you off your guard. The blue ones are quick, swooping down overhead with long talons to rustle the earth and narrowly miss your head. The yellow are hungry beasts, waiting until its brothers disorient you before nipping at your skin and ripping your clothes. Finally, come the red ones, three times the size of their counterparts, strong enough to force a grown man to the ground and peel the flesh from his bones. When it speaks, it speaks with your own voice. 

These birds have only one thing in mind: To work together, get you to the ground, and tear you apart. They're carnivorous and it's safe to assume that your lovely gamemakers haven't fed them in quite some time. Trying to pick them off one by one will leave you exhausted and open for attack, there's more than you could possibly fight. The one thing they fear above all else is the water that keeps them trapped on the island. Find a way to use it, either to hurt them or protect yourself. 

★WORD LIMIT★

2,250 words. 

★DEATHS AND BALLOTS★

Five deaths and Three ballots. 

★DEADLINE★

Sunday, February 26th, at 9:00 P.M. CST 

Three will be eliminated this task.

★BALLOT CHALLENGE★

For being the most balloted player last task: Kiefer Elwood will receive a challenge this round. He must receive a serious injury in the entry. Adel Aslet and Valentine Rachmaninoff will also receive a challenge for being the least balloted. They must find a way to include at least three of the five deaths.

In addition, Evelyn Gray also gets a challenge for answering with "Merryweather" in the last choices round. You will have one day less to turn in your entry. Making your deadline Saturday, February 25th at 9:00 P.M. CST. 

★★★CHOICES GAME★★★

For this task, your choice to make is:

Light or Dark?

Please put your answer below in the comments or at the end of your entry. Answers will not be taken after the deadline, and failure to answer will result in penalties of up to a half point deduction from your score.