District 2 Male: Ares Finn

In silence, Ares feels a tug at his heart as he sits in the room nestled beneath the arena. He had not realized until this moment how emotional or painful of an experience it will be for him. It was a room like this one where Bellona spent her final free moments without the fear of death looming over her head. Ares knows deep within his blockaded heart that he has let Bellona down by disobeying her final words to him. Her final words that she would ever say. She told him to never volunteer, to be more than a tribute or a Victor. Bellona had learned the hard way that the games are not games at all. They are a painful and gruesome reality used to show who is in power.

"Ten seconds until launch." The voice is robotic and monotone, sending shivers down his spine. Ares let's out a deep breath and stands up onto his feet. For a brief second, he stands still pulling the thick fur jacket tighter around his large frame. Underneath of the jacket is a thick pair of khaki pants, a loose cream colored shirt, and hiking boots that just reach above the ankles. Ares stride, over to the entrance tube with confidence that no one would ever see. He wants to shake and beg to not do this, but he can't let down himself.

As he stands on the platform, he contemplates what the arena could be. In only the preliminary activities, Ares can deduct that these game makers, are far more creative than many. The arena, they create will reflect that very creativity. With the clothes given, Ares knows that they will be beginning in some sort of cold climate, but the style beneath the coat reflects a warmer environment.

After what feels like seconds, a glass shields Ares from the rest of the room and he begins the rise deep into the arena. At first, all Ares can hear is the steady beat of his heart and the whirring of the platform. A black shadow engulfs him as the final bit of light is ripped away. Then like a beacon of hope, a light appears. It slowly grows brighter until Ares is completely blind. Moments later, he is given his first glance at the arena and the only thought he can comprehend is, This is going to be a messed up day.

In the center of the wide expanse of deep snow with twenty four tribute evenly dispersed is a single lamppost. Now this lamp at first glance is utterly plain and normal with absolutely nothing remarkable about it. It seems ordinary, but to Ares it tells him exactly what he shall be facing in this arena. That lamppost represents the magical land that Ares or anyone who reads will recognize. The lamp comes deep from the pages of Narnia.

This book has deep meaning to Ares as it was the first book he had read after the fire in Victor's village. Misty tears form in the brute from Two's eyes as he thinks about that point in his life. He will not let them fall though and when he pushes away the overcoming sadness. Ares is left with nothing, but anger and fury. The Capitol is about to ruin the book that Ares had found solace within. Dark blood is about to be spilt on grounds of the place he could only dream of going, and it sadly might be by his hand that the snow may be stained crimson.

Ares balances his weight out on the platform, preparing his body for the extreme exercise ahead. His muscles coiling up as he readies himself to leap off of the platform before he tries to tackle running through the snow. Trainers back in two had prepared him, but no amount of training could prepare him for the nerves. Now his palms are beginning to become clammy as he clenches his fist tightly, bending forward ever so slightly.

Ten seconds to go and he wonders what would have happened if he had never volunteered. Would he have brought his family glory in another way? Seven seconds before the games start, he wonders how life would have been if his parents and Athena had lived? Would he be more prepared for these games? Four more seconds and the only thing still on his mind is Bellona. What about her? Would she be proud of him? Has Ares honored her name properly? Mere seconds before the games begin, Ares murmurs the words he wishes his sister could hear.

"I'm sorry Bellona." Then the loud gong rings out through the snowy landscape and Ares has launched himself deep into the snow. Running straight towards the post where something worthwhile must me hidden.

His feet sink deep into the snow, each step is labored and quickly running his strength into the ground. His breathing is still even which is a plus, but sweat is already running down his sharp jawline. Adrenaline pumps through his veins like a drug pushing him to go faster. That is the moment a young girl steps out in front of Ares. He stops in his tracks and takes in the small framed child who can barely hold the sword clutched in their hand. It was almost humorous, but he couldn't find it within himself go laugh at how helpless she seems. All throughout the training, ceremonies, and parades she always seemed to be smiling. Seeing her so helpless is making it even harder for Ares to kill her. Even with the sword in her hands, she didn't stand a chance against Ares. Bright orange curls are pulled out of her face, causing her to stand out even more against the pale white snow. With a sigh, Ares leans forward just slightly putting on his best smile. Which could barely be counted as a smile. It was him, curling his lips just slightly.

"I'm going to pretend to hit you. Drop to the ground and play dead." The little girl looks up at the man she had judged to be an emotionless brute, but this show of compassion changed her view. Ares could see all of this within her eyes as she nods towards him. With a quick snap of his arm, Ares sends his fist hurtling towards the girl stopping it millimeters before it contacts flesh. The girl crashes into the snow before falling silent. Keeping her breathing shallow to hide the fact that she is alive. Ares turn his eyes to see another tribute looking straight at the two of them with suspicion. Ares sees this so, he kicks the sword from the girl's hand and turns his head to smirk at the tribute. With that, Ares spins on his heel to grab the nearest box before darting deep within the awaiting pines.

Ares finds himself unsure of where he is running or which way he is going in general. Pine branches brushes against the coat making a rustling noise and it is driving him into madness. Sweat is trickling down his forehead while the cold harsh winds sting his cheeks, making them blush a bright red. Ares does not want to stop here, where he is completely exposed. However, his body needs to rest to regain the strength he has lost to walking through the deep snow. Giving into his bodies demands, Ares sinks deep into the snow.

Sitting deep within the cold snow, Ares finds himself unable to think straight. The snow melting due to his body heat begins to seep through the pants. A chill runs through his body, covering his skin in goosebumps. Ares bends his fingers ever so often trying to keep them from freezing solid. A light blue already forming towards the tips. With each deep breath, Ares can see his warm breath in the cold air. Just as he is about to stand a sound coming from the distance catches Ares attention.

Bells jingle not too far away and with each second they grow closer. These bells give Ares a feeling of nostalgia, back in two around Christmas, all the children would run around ringing bells. Ares would sit on Bellona's shoulders as they run through the district, telling the district about how joyful this time of year is. The bells also send a wave of fear through Ares, the bells represent the reign the White Witch has over Narnia.

Ares scrambles not in cowardice, but intelligence, to find a hiding spot. Only a fool would dare cross the White Witch, Ares could claim to be many things, but a fool is not one of them. He finds himself just beyond the snow bank, crouched behind a large pine. His head scraping against the rough bark. He closes his eyes, holding his breath as the bells draw even closer. Ares can now make out the sound of hooves against the snowy terrain. The bells have become deafeningly loud, then all at once, they stop. The world going completely silent, waiting to see what would unfold.

"Come out. I already know you are there." Ares mumbles a curse as he hears the soft chilling voice of the Queen. To any normal person it would have instilled fear and they would have run away; to Ares he feels compelled to listen to her every word, to come closer. In one swift motion, Ares stands and spins on his heel. Stepping out into the open, he makes eye contact with the White Witch herself. For a moment, he is taken aback by the sheer beauty of the Queen and the carriage. Her lips that were before pursed in a thin line, curl upwards. She waves him closer and blindly, Ares does as he is told. He steps over the large snow bank and steps up into the sled.

"Sit." Ares does as he is told. She smiles at him kindly, though her eyes betray her. "What is your name, son of Adam?" Her words flow off of her tongue like silk and Ares finds it comforting.

"Ares." Once more she smiles at him, placing her arm around him, her touch is chilling and leaves goosebumps even through the jacket. The fur she wears, drapes across his shoulder as well.

"Well is there anything I can get for you?" She stops her voice and leans a little closer. "Ares." The way she says his name is almost mockingly like she knows that he needs her. Determined to not let her put a dent in his pride, Ares shakes his head. Seconds later, his stomach let's out a long and dragged out growl. In this moment, he regrets not eating dinner lady night or breakfast this morning. The White Witch let's out a laugh and Ares joins in nervously. "It seems your stomach betrays you. How about some Turkish Delight?" Before Ares even had time to refuse, a silver platter is placed in front of him. The scent coming from it causes saliva to the pool in his mouth.

At first, Ares takes the first one and weighs it in the palm of his hand. In the end, he pops it in his lips and groans at all the flavors. Not thinking twice, he eats three more like they are nothing. Ares does not know when he will be able to eat again, so on instinct he eats all that he can. Sighing the White Witch takes the platter and tosses into the snow and turns to face Ares.

"Tell me, son of Adam, what are you doing in my woods?" Her sickly sweet, but icy tone sends a shiver down his spine. Ares reigns in the fear he has begun to feel and looks at the pale white woman.

"You are no more than a character in a book. So I should be the one asking you the question. What are you?" He pauses for a slight second and points his finger right at the Witch. She stares at it in such a way that it looks like she could bite it right off. "Doing here." He finishes, moving that same finger to point at the ground. The White Witch is left speechless for a brief second, then she smirks. Already having found a way to play this in her favor.

"If I am." She gestures to herself. "What you say I am, then what does that make you?" She leans forward, so close that Ares can feel her breath on his cheek. Unlike his own, it is icy and holds a certain chill. "Do not mess with me. Son of Adam. You do not want me as an enemy." Her voice is calm, yet it seems to be screaming at him. That is what worries him even further. His breath hitched in his throat, Ares' hand ever so slightly twitches towards the sword strapped to his side. She wants him to stay. This is nothing more than a trick to mess with him. Ares knows he must find a way out. The White Witch sees this and frowns, remembering that prophecy.

"Are you going to kill me, Ares?" Not sure what else to do, he impulsively jumps out of the sled and takes off running through the pines. His sword still strapped to him tightly. The snow still hinders his running, but now that he is rested. The running is the least of his worries, the man who had been driving the Witches sled now chase him. Ares ducks under a lower branch, but finds himself falling to the ground. His breathing has become rampant and labored, but whatever silent prayers he sent up as he lays on the snow is anwsered.

Standing ahead of him in all its glory is the wardrobe that started it all. Tall and wooden with two huge doors. On instinct, Ares clambers onto his feet and pulls on one of the metal handles. He finds himself scrambling inside, to be greeted by the warmth of coats and more darkness.

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District 3 Female: Rosella Van Carter

She should have expected it by now. The weird thing was, she hadn't.

All she could feel as the metal plate lifted her from the launch room, away from the safe and comforting arms that sheltered her from all the dangers ahead, was fear. She swallowed at the lump in her throat again; the lump that would never go away since she arrived in the Capitol, formed by the paralyzing fear that continuously pulsated in her chest with every beat of her heart. It was too late to turn around and walk away from the inevitable horror that would undoubtedly expand beyond her horizons. The crowd was already waiting for her.

The bloodbath was never a fun event for the tributes, and even Rosella wasn't feeling prepared for the day when it would all begin. She knew that as long as she was exposed to the 25 other tributes who wanted to win the Games as badly as she did, she would forever be at the brink of danger. There was no reason not to feel scared of losing in these Games; possible death was almost unavoidable. Yet there was no reason to let this bloodbath, this highly anticipated commencement to the Hunger Games, mar her chances of arriving home a victor. For Rosella to truly achieve her objective, she would have to rule fear out no matter how bad the situation in the arena gets.

She would make her district proud. All she had to do was believe.

The metal plate soon clicked in place. Fear instantly converted into confusion, and she blinked.

Was this really the arena?

She glanced down at the snow that blanketed the ground, twinkling under whatever amount of glaring sunlight could penetrate the clouds. She glanced up; pine trees whose branches dipped precariously from the weight of freshly fallen snow surrounded her in every which way, blocking her view to anything beyond them. She glanced to her left and right; the boy from 11, Shadow Thanatos, and the girl from 13, Xavi, were standing beside her respectively on each side. The 26 remaining tributes stood in a circle around a single illuminated lamppost, wrought of iron in the simplest fashion with its light flickering faintly in its muggy glass chamber, packages resembling Christmas gifts lying just by the pole in a heap.

A shiver went up her spine, and she made no effort to hide it.

"This isn't it," she whispered to herself, allowing the anger to fill her up entirely, venom dripping from her tongue as she repeated the words from last night. The public interview in a beautiful library, a place which was supposed to serve some enclosure and privacy, away from prying eyes, was baffling enough; and a bloodbath in a winter wonderland, a place so full of pure beauty that any sign of gore would ruin the perfect image, couldn't have been more infuriating.

Rosella bit back a curse, her teeth sinking hard into her flesh. What were the Gamemakers trying to achieve as they augment the definition of a ruinous landscape to a whole new level, altering forever the typical perceptions of perfection? She couldn't seem to understand why the entire nation was so fond of destruction.

But she had no time to reflect on it. Before she knew it, the gong sounded, signaling the start of the Games.

With some effort, she pushed herself off of her plate, falling face-first into the snow; she quickly rolled through the rest of the tributes like a bowling ball in desperate recovery, knocking everyone over with brute force as screams of protest escaped their lips. A sheer wave of elation instantly flared in her chest as she neared the pile of gifts, just ahead of several other tributes. If only she could just get there first—

Thump.

A knife suddenly impaled itself in the ground a few inches from her left, and she somersaulted onto her feet, trying to find the source. Soon she caught sight of the young girl from 7—Aspen, was it?—still standing on her plate with an evil smirk plastered onto her face. It must have been she who threw the knife at her, tried to mark her as a dead tribute early in the Games. Had Rosella not been fast enough, she'd be history.

Rosella ignored it, however. The need to kill tributes was secondary in comparison to getting her supplies at the lamppost; her chances of survival would drop to a nil if she escaped emptyhanded. She stooped down and picked up a small red package lying in the snow, and then wrapped her hand around a sword near the large pile of goodies, heaving at the same time a bright blue backpack. Just as the other tributes began to close in, she weaved her way through them, forcefully shoving them over, and fled into the woods.

The scent of metallic blood instantly filled the air the moment she reached the trees, the shouts and grunts of the other tributes creating a dissonant and horrifying symphony to her ears. She was lucky not to witness the horrendous sight of the sinful crimson fluid soaking into the pristine white that continued to fall from above in gentle swirling bunches, the bodies of dead tributes littering the snowy landscape. The last thing she wanted was an incentive to go insane. She stuck close to the trees as she ran; they could serve a good hideout if another tribute decided to pursue her. The grip on her sword tightened, and her adrenaline pushed her forward as she sprinted like the wind, trying to put some distance between herself and the others.

A couple moments later, as she reached another empty clearing, she collapsed into the snow and let out a groan. Her muscles protested from overexertion, the pain rebounding just as quickly as it came, and all she could register was exhaustion. She took several deep breaths as she tried to calm her erratically beating heart, pounding hard against her chest, but alas the repose didn't last very long. Soon she heard footsteps crunch in the snow from her right, and she jumped up quickly to see the boy from 8, Syne Nighes, approach her with a dagger in each hand, his eyes glaring deep into hers.

Rosella knew him well. He was the boy who wouldn't speak a word, who had lost his voice long ago in a traumatic situation. It was strange to see him without his partner, Rii, stuck to his side, but that was the least of her problems. Once again she felt the urge to scream. Clearly, Syne had just used his silence to his advantage.

With a defiant cry, she lashed forward with her sword. Syne, however, was quick to parry the blade with one of his own; the undeniable clang from the metal resounded in her ears at the same time the jingling of sleigh bells filled the air. But Rosella paid no attention to that at present.

"Oh, that's how you want to fight?" Rosella growled, removing her blade as she whirled around and slashed at his side, opening a deep gash. A look of panic graced Syne's face instantly as he dropped his blades to examine his wound, but before he could even move, a breeze suddenly blew from behind, and Rosella watched in horror as Syne began to turn into stone in front of her, his limbs immobilizing as a hard and earthy material coated him completely from head to toe.

This, Rosella knew, was nowhere near typical in the Hunger Games. She spun around; standing behind her in a beautiful sleigh, pulled by reindeer of small stature harnessed with silver bells and conducted by a dwarf of some sort, was a tall woman who radiated elegance and beauty, her face just as pale as the snow that still continued to fall. A crown of icicles sat atop her head, and a shawl made of white fur was securely wrapped around her shoulders, atop her white lace snowflake-printed dress. In her hands she held a staff made of gleaming gold, with a clear-cut crystal sphere on the top. She held her head high with such fierce determination and coldness, it made Rosella shiver.

"You didn't have to do that." The words instantly flew out of Rosella's mouth before she could stop herself.

The woman only chuckled as she continued to eye Rosella with her icy glare. "So this is how you greet your saviour, isn't it? I have practically saved your life." She gesticulated to the boy in stone. "You'd rather have this son of Adam kill you?"

"You could have killed me," Rosella reminded her softly, a hint of an edge laced in her voice. "You didn't even have to help me; I could have killed him just fine. You could have turned me to stone too, and yet you didn't. Why are you showing me so much favour? Why did you spare me?"

The woman said nothing. She stepped off of the chariot and approached her with silent footsteps, drinking in as much as she could of the girl with her own eyes—ice blue ones, Rosella noticed, quite similar to the ones that she herself possessed. The creepy feeling of being judged upon with a silent demeanour made Rosella flinch; it was something that she still wasn't used to.

"My," the woman breathed softly, looking deep into Rosella's eyes—a bit too deep for comfort. "What beautiful eyes you have, my dear. And what lovely hair you have too. Why, I looked just like you once long ago—a rare astonishing beauty at your age." She chuckled lightly before continuing. "Ah, all the joy we can find in this empty world we live in."

"The world is never empty," Rosella quietly muttered. "There's always a constant evolution of matter, tangible or not."

"My goodness. Beautiful and witty...why, the world should be lucky to have people like you."

"You don't even know what you're saying. This isn't just...whatever this place is. And this isn't just your so-called 'empty world'."

"You really think I don't know?" The woman laughed, her voice as light as the sleigh bells donned on the harnesses of her reindeer. "You are in Narnia, and I am fully aware of the circumstances in which you are in. As a matter of fact, I have been warned of your arrival, along with 25 others—"

"Where it's always winter and never Christmas," Rosella interrupted her, sudden realization striking her like lightning as she reached into her coat pocket, pulling out the forest green hardcover book which she picked up at the interview. It was then when she realized the connection between the book she picked up and the world in which she landed in.

Her grip went slack, and her copy of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobeplummeted towards the snow.

"Ah. I see you have read our story," the woman intoned, picking up the book and handing it back to her. "So you must know who I am, do you?"

Rosella nodded. "Yes. You're Queen Jadis, aren't you? Queen Jadis of Narnia, who claims to be a queen but in reality is more of an evil witch. The White Witch, the author called you."

"Evil? Remind me who saved your life, daughter of Eve," Queen Jadis reminded her harshly.

"Daughter of Eve? I don't accept this kind of address," Rosella snapped back. "The name is Rosella Van Carter."

"Rosella..." Queen Jadis nodded, her eyes never leaving hers. "Well, what an exquisite name for a beautiful young woman like you. And exactly how old are you, my dear? 18? 19?"

"17. But don't try to change the subject. Why did you spare me?"

"Didn't I already answer that question for you? A beautiful and smart young woman like you shouldn't be wasting her time fighting for glory against other useless tributes. She should be bathed in glory, looked upon like a queen, a person of status. I am here to help you, Rosella. Imagine all the things I can give you if you stay with me."

"Hold on." Rosella almost doubled over at the last few words. "Stay with you?"

"Yes." The Queen swept a hand. "Join me, Rosella. I can take you to my home, and you would never have to worry about bloodshed again. You would be spared from the Hunger Games. You would live a long life with me while I battle all of your adversaries. You would be bathed in riches beyond your wildest dreams. You could even ascend as the heir to my throne! You could easily attain your happily ever after with my aid. All you have to do is accept my offer."

She stretched a hand out to the girl, who just stared at it in complete indecision at first. The offer seemed absolutely tempting, undeniably compelling. If she took it, she would never have to witness bloodshed again. She would be spared from spilling the blood of others, seeing her own wounds open on her flesh in return. She would be spared from everlasting insanity, and she would take the easy route to victory, never to worry about the rest of the tributes as they fought long and hard against each other. It sounded too good to be true.

But it sounded wrong. She turned towards Syne, his final cry forever engraved in stone. If the easy way out meant ruthlessly turning everyone into statues...

"Still hesitant, I see." Queen Jadis frowned, her eyes softening. "Yes, his end was brutal. But I can easily spare you from that."

"Is that all you really can do?" Rosella demanded. "Turn people into stone?"

Suddenly, there came a rustle in the trees, and a girl—probably from the Capitol—burst through the pines into the clearing, her light brown hair flying behind her as she ran. At the sight of Rosella she paled, her breathing becoming increasingly ragged and rapid as a scream built from within. Before she could make her move, however, Rosella picked up one of the fallen daggers and threw it at the girl, impaling her deep in the chest as she stumbled back, laying forever motionless in the snow.

The Queen stood speechless. She stared at Rosella in disbelief, making no effort to hide her shock.

"A fighter, a thinker, and a looker," she murmured in awe. "Rosella Van Carter, you have given me more reason to give you all you have ever desired. You are right in the fact that I can turn people into stone; but I also have proficiency in arms, just like you. Still, I need someone like you to help me rule Narnia. Imagine what the both of us can do as a team. You would never have to worry about the other tributes again."

By this point, Rosella was standing yet at another crossroads. It was either take the Queen's offer, or suffer at the hands of the other tributes. She wouldn't deny that the offer was tempting; she had to commend her for her undeniable power of persuasion. For a moment, her lips were pursed, ready to utter the word of acceptance...but her mind flashed towards the coin in a pouch strapped to her belt, the quote deeply engraved in it.

It is not our abilities that define who we are, but rather, our choices.

It was not what she could do, but what she chose to do, that would show the nation who she was. She couldn't allow anyone to fight her battles for her. Worthy heroes would rather charge into the battlefield alone than let anyone else take away their worth, steal their place in the spotlight. Victors should be admired for what they have done, not for what they could have done in another's place. Rosella didn't come all this way just to take the easy route out of the Games. If she wanted to come out a memorable victor, she had to prevail in her own battles alone.

So she steeled herself as she let the word escape into the air.

"No."

Instantly, the serene smile dropped from the Queen's lips. "No?"

"I appreciate the offer," Rosella said. "I really do. But I don't allow others to fight my battles for me. I want to prove myself a worthy contender, and I don't want anyone in the way. And though I do exude a friendly disposition, alliances haven't been something that I would consider. I'm sorry."

"You're a determined one, daughter of Eve," the Queen murmured after yet another moment of uncomfortable silence. "But I wouldn't turn the offer down so quickly. Know that you would never get this opportunity again if you refuse."

"As tempting as it sounds, I can't take it. I made a promise to my nation last night. I cannot break it now."

Before Queen Jadis could respond to this latest volley, a female robotic voice instantly filled the air.

"Tribute identified. Name: Rosella Van Carter. District 3 tribute. Currently possesses a sword. Please move 50 m closer to reach point-blank range."

Once more, Rosella bit back a curse. Time was hard to tell, but she knew she must have stayed too long. She turned to the witch with an apologetic look and quickly curtsied, making sure she kept incredible grace and poise this time.

"I'm sorry," she repeated hastily, blinking away tears as she grabbed the remaining dagger from the snow and ran. Seconds later, she heard the sound of jingling bells fading away in the distance, and she knew the Queen had disappeared, disappointed in Rosella's refusal.

But Rosella couldn't worry about that now. She hitched her coat and sprinted through the woods as the girl from 5, Esther, chased after her, glancing down at a watch strapped to her wrist once in a while and brushing her bright orange hair out of her eyes.

"Shit," Rosella muttered, stumbling as fast as she could through the pines. She flew past the lamppost and into the forest opposite of her, where she was quick to notice several pairs of footsteps, freshly imprinted in the snow, leading towards a door of some sort several feet ahead of her.

She trusted her gut as she bolted towards the door, shocked to feel fur coats like her own brush against her. She felt her body flare with heat, but she didn't dare stop until she burst through the door, looking behind her to see a tall old-fashioned wardrobe standing in front of her.

"So I escape through a wardrobe," she murmured to herself. "How...unusual."

She cast the coat off of her, throwing her things into her backpack, shouldering it and clipping the sword to her belt. Her eyes wandered about the room, taking in the dark pastel colour of the wallpaper until they fell upon a cerulean blue book lying on the floor beside the wardrobe, silver letters deeply embossed in the cover. She frowned as she realized the pattern the Gamemakers set for these Games. Pick up a book, go into its world, fight, and locate another book. Repeat.

Great. Now all she had to do was go with its flow without dying.

From behind her, the wardrobe began to rattle; Esther must have passed through, and Rosella would be dead if she didn't get a move on.

Without hesitation, she closed her fingers around the blue book, bracing herself for what was to come.

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District 5 Male: Montgomery 'Monty' Bean

As the tube rose revealing a snow covered forest, Montgomery Bean's little face lit up. He had never seen snow only dreamt about it. As Monty's dark brown eyes scanned the pine forest his mind raced with possibilities. Was he on a mountain? No there was no slope. Could he be in some frozen wasteland? No he couldn't be, there were trees here. He caught sight of the lamppost in amongst the trees. 'I'm in Narnia!' He thought to himself excitedly. 'Now the coat makes sense.' When they had given him the fur lined coat Monty's mind took him on a mountainous adventure.

His fingers found a hole in the rock. Using his strength he pulled himself. He reached up again just a ear piercing scream echoed through the crag. This time his fingers found a ledge and as the snow beat down upon him Montgomery Bean, the mountain rescuer, used the last of his strength to drag himself to safety. Before him a large cave opened up like the mouth of a monster. Sharp, jagged spikes of rock clung to the roof of the cave's mouth like rows of teeth. Clambering to his feet Monty peered into the darkness and gulped. Another scream rattled through the cave. Whoever needed saving was definitely somewhere within the caves guts.

It was at that moment, his stylist pushed Monty out of his dreams and into the tube. Now Monty found himself found himself in Narnia. It was a place that he knew of and when he dreamt he often found himself passing though on his way to save his princess. He also knew of the talking creatures that lurked in the trees. He found himself shivering despite wearing the thick tan coloured coat. It was then that he noticed the other people, each of them wearing a similar coat. Some of them stared into the forest in confusion; others smiled clearly recognising the world they were in. Those who clearly recognised the world eyed the pile of bags half buried in the snow around the lamppost.  A countdown shone bright red in the cloud filled not that any of the tributes noticed it. As the numbers slowly ticked down Monty began to dream again.

He took his first step into the cave, quickly followed by another. The intrepid rescuer Montgomery Bean would save the trapped Princess even if the cave did look like the insides of a dragon. Water slid down the spikes that clung to the before dripping onto the floor. The further he made it into the cave the wetter the floor became. The floor itself began to slope gently down but the added water made the path slippery. Monty's feet slid from underneath him and he landed on the floor with a thud. Pain shot up the rescuers spine but he had bigger problems he was starting to slide down the tunnel. At first he slid slowly but as the slope got steeper he got quicker.  Just as he thought he was reaching the bottom-

A bell rang through the trees causing some of the snow to fall into large piles underneath the branches that once supported it. The other tributes ran for the bags. Monty stood there momentarily shocked by the turn in events. Snow clung to his hair as he watched others struggle through the snow and blizzards until he took the plunge. The snow came to his knees making it extremely difficult for him to move. Taller tributes had the advantage here and Monty was not tall.

The battle was well and truly raging by the time Monty won his fight with the snow. Blood dyed the white snow a deep scarlet as limbs poked out at odd angles. One arm had been detached from its owner, a blonde haired girl who lay against a nearby tree. Her cornflower blue eyes watched blankly as Monty trudged by. Monty refused to look at her and tried to hurry past her as fast as his little legs would let him.

Another casualty of the fight lay just a bit further. This time it was a black haired male lying face-down in the deep snow. Blood was already drying around a large stab wound in his back. Tears sprung into Monty's eyes as he wondered what evil spirit had possessed everyone and made them kill.

The closer Monty got to the lamppost, the more bodies there were.  A black-brown haired girl, a periwinkle blue eyed boy. It made Monty want to run and hide but a voice in his head told him 'That everyone needed supplies' so he pushed on. Each body made him shiver in fear. He grabbed the first bag he came upon and tried to make his escape. Every step sapped his tiny body of energy. It was not long before he was heaving, panting and needing a break.  He slumped to the floor too tired to care about his freezing bottom. As he flashed in and out of consciousness he returned to his dream world.

Montgomery Bean slipped further and further into the earth, landing at the bottom of the steep slope with a splash. Sat in six inch deep water the rescuer sat for a moment stunned by the icy puddle. Something long and thin swept past him as he realised that it was not just a puddle but a stream. In the darkness he stood up, blindly feeling his way down a narrow tunnel. Every so often he stopped to listen to the rushing of the water and the occasional high pitched screams of a damsel in distress. Then he would move on. Montgomery reckoned that he was miles under the mountain. It had probably been hours since he first entered the cave and he guessed that he probably had many more miles to go. Suddenly the tunnel veered to the left, after a couple more steps the tunnel split into three.

It was the jingle of bells that pulled Monty out of his dreams this time. A large white sleigh approached Monty's spot. It was pulled by albino reindeer and a short, fat, bearded man.  Monty recognised the little man as a Dwarf. The sleigh stopped just in front of the tired boy and the door swung open revealing a beautiful woman inside. Everything about the woman was white from the jewels in her silver crown to the heels of her shoes. Her long flowing dress covered her pale skin.

"Who are you little boy?" The queen asked. Her voice sweet and seductive.

Monty stared at the woman. His eyes grew wide. He knew who she was.   "My name is Monty."

"You would make a great knight Monty. Would you like to be a knight?" She waited until he nodded in response. "I can make you a knight." The Queen declared as she looked down at the small boy. A charming smile played on her white lips.

"A knight?" Monty asked her, wonder filling his voice. "A real knight?"

"Yes, a heroic knight, a legendary knight. Everyone will sing songs of Montgomery the brave."

"Montgomery the brave." Monty repeated slowly, savouring the sound of each word. "I like the sound of that."

"All you need to do is come with me." The Queen held out her hand waiting for Monty to take it. So tempting was the offer that Monty almost forgot who she was. This queen seemed so kind, were the stories wrong about her? The queen started to become impatient "If you want to be a knight you must come with me now!"

Without thinking Monty climbed up onto the pure white sleigh and sat down next to the Queen. "How will you make me a knight?" He asked her as the sleigh starts to move.

"When we reach my castle I will grant you magical powers." She replied. "Do you want a lemon puff?" Quickly she shoves a plate of cakes in his face.

Monty's stomach rumbled and he was suddenly aware of how hungry he was. He hadn't eaten since breakfast not that he knew how long ago it was since breakfast. He took one and shoved it into his mouth.  "Thank you!" He said with a mouth full of food.

"Take as many as you want." The Queen says with another smile. Monty took another cake and quickly eats it before she could change her mind. The steady rocking of the sleigh gently sends Monty off to sleep.

A scream echoed through one of the tunnels, helping Montgomery to choose which way to go. Quickly he rushes through the tunnel. The screams were becoming more urgent and were really close now. He bursts into a spacious room. The only thing in the room was a young girl, probably slightly older than he was. Her brown hair was cut into a neat bob. Her childish face was contorted in pain. She was chained to a chair, or well it was a throne made from twisted bits of white metal. Her torturer was a tall, thin figure wearing a flowing white dress. Her crown matched the throne her captive was sat on. The white Queen suddenly turned around an evil smile spread over her face.

Suddenly Monty woke up. Terror froze him in place as he realised that the queen would not turn him into a knight. She just wanted to hurt him. He looks around as he tries to find a way to escape. Pushing to door open Monty takes a leap of faith out of the door of the sleigh. Lucky for him he lands in a large snow drift. Before the Queen can react Monty is up and running.

Rushing through the trees Monty searches for some form of shelter. He finds it in the form of a wardrobe. Six feet in height and made of thick panels of golden wood. Monty pulled on the round handles and jumped in. His landing was soft and made up of loads of fur coats similar to his own. Pushing through them he realised the wardrobe had no back instead it just kept on going. Rail after rail of these coats stretched on as Monty made his way further into the wardrobe.

Pushing through the last layer of coats Monty notices a single book resting on the floor of the wardrobe. Reaching down Monty gently caresses the leather cover before snatching it up and shoving it into his bag. Taking a deep breath Monty pushed the doors open to a blinding white light.

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District 5 Female: Esther Tehnos

Esther had never liked the snow.

The colour of it was white, the colour of all things pure and cleansed. It sparkled through the air when it fell from high, dancing in a way foreign to humans but ever so beautiful, forming shimmering stars that twinkled through the daytime. Yet still, beyond the divine grace and glimmering glamour, snow was deadly. It was cold and stinging to the touch, capable of taking lives without mercy, something utterly evil behind its elegant facade.

And that too, was the Capitol.

Beyond the glistening buildings, shining fountains and gloriously fashioned people, the Capitol was of pure evil and maliciousness. It was a city that took the lives of innocent children without remorse, for the sole purpose of entertainment. Children were placed into arenas out to destroy them, and this year they had been landed into a bloodbath of the ice age.

There was so much of snow, shimmering sheets of white spread across the arena to no end, even layering upon the trees of an endless forest beyond the Cornucopia, like how the water of the ocean swallowed everything it touched. The arena seemed to have been bathed in snow and cold, for with each puff of breath came a little cloud.

Esther cringed at the arena laid before her, for all the blood that would be spilt would leave all its crimson stains imprinted onto the pristine snow, for it was the day of the bloodbath. She became engrossed into what she wore, because upon a mere glance at the arena she had already memorized it, and all the tributes would be the same as previous years. Some would look much too confident and snarky, but most terrified out of their wits and trembling uselessly on their pedestals.

They wore deep brown coats made of a thin, fuzzy material, fitted with a large hood. Soft fur adorned both the hood and hoodie, blended together with an array of colours. The hem reached down to Esther's ever-so trembling knees, where smooth black pants stuck to her legs and combat boots covered her feet. Despite the coat being so thin, it was somehow warm and snug.

Strangely however, upon Esther's wrist, there was a watch bounded tightly. She studied it, and her eyes widened as it portrayed the words "Esther Tehnos, female tribute of District Five, age 13." But she had to tear her new interest away, for the countdown had come to an end.

The gong sounded.

I guess this is it, then.

Esther seemed to be the first to spring off her plate, landing on the snow with a soft crunch. She watched the other tributes struggle through the snow that swallowed their feet, a small smile playing on her lips as she realized her troubles with the element would be much less compared to them; only her foot sunk in, but barely, when others pulled their ankles out with each stride.

The first to fall was, ironically, the boy from One, who seemed a powerful Career. He did not fall in defeat; instead he had foolishly slipped, and soon there had been another upon him, and a knife buried deep into his back. But Esther would not mourn the death of him, because it was one fierce competitor gone.

Stinging wind slapped across Esther's bare face and snowflakes found their ways into her eyes as she ran, yet with her determination set on retrieving something, it almost did not matter.

"Going somewhere, Five?"

Esther's feet scrambled for a hold in the powder snow, desperately evading the gleaming blades of the trident in front of her. It belonged to the tribute from Four—Kanai—, of course; he was as sure to use one as sure as the Hunger Games were deadly. His eyes buried into Esther's, shining a deep green like emeralds, yet also with the lush feeling of a summer forest. They demanded a challenge, and even as Esther thought of the Capitol folk whispering among themselves at the early fate of a young girl, only one thought ran prominent through her mind.

How did he get here so fast?

Kanai would not answer her question and nor did she ask it, for the trident had pierced through the air once more, lightning-fast towards Esther's heart. The snake had struck, but the prey hadn't yet become harmed. She slammed herself onto the snow with a speed surprising even herself and purely on mere instinct and reflex; with an audible, sickening thunk, the trident seemed to have found home in another body.

The scream sounded shriller, younger than the rest that were echoing throughout the area; Esther only figured it to be Nadia, the young Capitol girl that truly had no chance in the arena—why had she even entered the bloodbath? Yet she did not look back, for she was sure she had made an enemy out of Kanai.

Only some yards completed the distance between Esther and the Cornucopia, but surely the various alliances swarming around it would overtake the little girl flying solo. She saw Katelyn, from Four, fall to Syne, a sword reaching through her abdomen. She saw Slate overtake Rosella in combat, her spear pinning Rosella onto the ground, writhing in terrible agony. Esther had cringed at the thought of all the crimson stains there might be, and now it had become reality.

She was a bird caught amidst a hell-brought storm, and should she not break free of it soon, Esther would be lost forever—dead, her wings broken.

She didn't know how she sensed it—perhaps a distinct whistling through the air—but she knew it was the Career from One, the girl Ruby who had sent the arrow cutting through the air with unnerving ability. But Esther had sensed it, and dove toward the ground where the porcelain handle of a knife had been halfway buried into the snow. The white bits of snow erupted all around her, yet still her fingers wrapped around the knife, clutching it tightly as she stood again.

Get out of here.

But Esther could not, when the only thing she had acquired was a knife, though one that

deemed worthy of fighting with. She circled around the tail of the Cornucopia, letting out a small cry of joy as she found a pale blue backpack. A sigh of relief slipped through her lips when no more tributes seemed to come for more both, and set on a hike to nowhere, through a forest of pines. Truly Esther could but marvel at the beauty of the winter wonderland, for the crystal snow placed upon the trees that would always stay a fresh green was a captivating sight, and she could not tear her eyes away.

Suddenly, a sound—what sound?

What is that?

In the edge of Esther's peripheral vision, her eyes saw something appearing around a corner formed by huge rocks, and the jingling sound of bells grew. She turned around, swift and quick, raising her knife in a threatening manner. But she faltered as what lay before her was processed into her mind, for she had never seen anything of the sort before—yet, somewhere in her mind, a voice whispered of recognition.

The sleigh itself was a beauty, and something not quite seeming man-made; something of the supernatural, like created by the magic of ice and snow. It seemed to have no definite shape, shifting and swirling within a solid formation, but with beauty unimaginable. Only the blades of the sleigh remained unchanged, glimmering silver with a deadly glint, and pushed through the layered snow effortlessly.

The creatures that stood in front of the sleigh, however, were even more so breathtaking; they were almost like deer, but their pelts were such a pure, white colour with no imperfections. Adorning the top of their heads were magnificent horns, which twisted and split in perfect elegant precision, speaking of no flaws or defect. Yet, the creature who took their silver reins in hand was even stranger.

It was very human-like, perched upon the very edge of the sleigh, but dwarfed so much it was quite a height shorter than even Esther. Wasn't it called just that—a dwarf? Despite its size, however, Esther had become rather taken aback by the sheer glare it bore, its eyes digging into her own. It all of a sudden spoke to another with a deep, gruff voice, though the eyes never leaving Esther's.

"Your Majesty, the daughter of Eve."

Esther's eyes flitted to the other figure in the sleigh, and her eyes widened as she found everything in her brain piecing together into something fathomable. There was a woman sitting in the sleigh, her back held straight and her gaze on Esther unflickering. She retained an unnatural beauty, yet it was that of ice and snow; cold. Her skin was almost a deathly white, and a crown of icicles adorned her snowy hair.

But the most frightening of all was the glittering silver object in the woman's hand—it was a wand.

The White Witch.

She was the supposed Queen of Narnia, but also the White Witch, the powerful sorceress that had placed an undying spell onto the land of Narnia, so there was only winter. She was the one who slayed the great lion Aslan to feed her own greed and power. She was the White Witch, the evil villain of Narnia.

"Spectacular," the White Witch told the dwarf. Her voice was a shade gentler than ice cold, rather with the coldness of snow. It portrayed some form of gentleness, but Esther knew it was all faked, only put up for a show.

"Dear, you must be so miserable, so wet and cold!" The words spoken from the White Witch were directed to Esther, yet she did nothing but simply stare. "Come join me; we'll have such fun, dear."

The witch placed a slim hand onto an empty space next to her, watching Esther carefully. "Please—do you not believe me?"

Before Esther could refuse, the White Witch had twirled her wand, and a flurry of sparkles surrounded Esther. When they faded away to nothingness, the girl's coat, once soggy with melted snow, had become warm and snug again. But, with it came a new sort of longing within Esther, murmuring encouragement to join the Witch.

"Daughter of Eve, you will not regret coming with me. I promise, dear," the woman purred soothingly, her dark eyes mixing into Esther's own. An unspoken conversation came to life within the gaze shared between the two, and Esther suddenly felt drawn to the Witch. She could provide her comfort the arena would not; she could help Esther.

What?

"No, no, no..." Esther muttered, backing away. Her back met the branches of an evergreen, and snow came flying down from the tree she had shaken. Her feet changed direction, freeing Esther from the hold of the tree and pushing her to the place she had come from.

The White Witch called from behind her in a panicked voice, "Dear, come back!" The sound of whips lashing the air found Esther's ears, and she ran even faster.

She was sure she had come from this way; there was even her old prints to prove it. Yet, somehow, the pines had shifted to show a new trail, and her footprints leading to a place where Esther thought she had never seen. Still, she followed them, because she trusted her instincts.

Suddenly, Esther was pushing through not the branches of trees in the winter wonderland, but coats much like her own, hanging in a wooden box. Perhaps she had missed the transition with a blink of her eye, or maybe it had always been in front of her; she had just missed it. Yet for some reason, Esther didn't question it; it could have been that she had crossed a small lamp post just a second before.

When the coats had finally gone, her eyes landed on the shape of a rectangle, laid out in front of her.

Esther only remembered collapsing onto the ground.

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District 11 Male: Shadow Thantoes Morte

"Revenge is so bittersweet," those 4 little words rung through my head as me and my tube began shooting up to the impending bloodbath. I wasn't entirely sure why, but I knew I had better things to focus on then this stupid qoute. My plans for how I was going to destroy these tribute wasn't entirely thought through. All I knew was to flea and let the weak kill the weak.

"Weak people are never worth my time," I mumbled as I felt the vibrations of the tube stopping at the surface. They had given us a strange fur coat for some stupid reason... Well I guess it's not as stupid as I thought I mean, the arena clearly gave evidence of needing something to keep us warm. It was noticeably cold and, was like some sort of winter wonderland, the area was covered in thick snow, I could tell was deep and thick enough to cause trouble to walk in. Pine trees covered the outskirts of it making it impossible for me to notice anything else evident of the rest of the arena. It reminded me a lot of the book I had picked up in the Library the previous night, what was the name of it? The Lion, The Witch, and the something...

Me and the other 21 tributes stood in a perfect circle, instead of a cornucopia though, what was in the middle of us proved to be a simple lamppost, with One small candle glistening through the foggy glass. Boxes that looked similar to Christmas presents dotted the area between us and the lamp, maybe they were supposed to be like backpacks in previous games? I gripped my coat tighter around me trying to block out the frigid air. I wasn't sure if there was a timer going or if it was started or not but, I was sure as hell that I wasn't going to step off my pad until other tribute did as well. I know the consequences of stepping off to soon, instant death!

What felt like an eternity finally ended with the feeling of steps quickly moving in random directions, some toward the boxes in the center, some toward other tribute, and some into the woods. My feet instantly began charging for the pine dotted woods. "Leave the idiots for their own demises, I prefer to kill them on my terms, not the game makers."

My feet quickly trudged through the deep snow looking for some sort of hiding place, or maybe a tribute I could kill, whichever came first.

A few minutes of strenuous running later found me coming face to face with a very strange sight, the sound of sleigh bells rang though my ears as a sleigh driven by some sort of midget and two gigantic raindeer came to a stop right in front of me. Inside the sleigh was what only could be described as royalty, a beautiful queen looking women draped in pure white attire, sat elegantly on the sleighs passenger seat. Her ice crown hung perfectly on her head. She looked at me intently with her dark eyes and thin lips turned up in a smiles, "Oh, this must be the great Shadow, come sit my boy."

I looked at her raising an eyebrow, "Now why would I do that lady? I don't even know you."

Her smile still hung on her face and she didn't even seem taken aback by my indifference, "Well Shadow if you get in you will get to know who I am, and if you don't I can just tell my driver here to sat the raindeer on you." The little midget looked at me and snapped at his rope around the two deer, they immediately turned around looking at me as if they were ready to tear me limb from limb.

I swallowed hard looking at her, then back at the raindeer. Slowly I got in the sleigh. "Good boy Shadow," she said sweetly before looking at her driver, "Start the sleigh please." Immediately we were off, "So how long do I have to be here lady?"

She looked back at me, running her hand along my thigh, "As long as you want Shadow, but really why would you want to leave?" "Because I currently am in the Hunger Games, I need to fight!"

She waved her free hand in he air, "Aww who cares about the silly Hunger Games! I could give you more, so much more than the Hunger Games could ever give you... If you just stay."

I looked intently at the magnificent queen sitting in front of me, I could tell whatever the reason she wanted me to stay for was not a good reason, she had some sort of ulterior motive but, who words intrigued me, "What could you give me that the Hunger Games could not? They offer fame, and fortune for the winner."

"Your deafness..."

"What about it?"

"You stay and I will cure your deafness..."

I looked at her trying to hide the shock I felt welling up inside me, my deafness, the thing that has hindered me most all my life... And she says she can cure it. Her eyes clearly showed me the evil in her soul, my brain told me this was a trap, but it also couldn't move itself to leave.

She ran her hand over the side of my face gently, almost motherly, "You have a lot of scars my son, on your heart and on your body. Stay and let me heal them." I blinked away the tears forming in my eyes, what the fuck is this bitch doing to me, I know damn well she's lying but, my body keeps melting for her.

I bit my lip hard looking her in the eyes, trying to will my body to move, "I-I c-can't."

She looked dead center into my eyes, almost like she was looking through my soul, "You want to, but you try to resist, don't resist Shadow, just give in."

My mind finally got the balls to snap out of this and move, "N-no!" I pushed her away from me and jumped off the speeding sleigh into the soft snow. She starred back at me with hurt eyes as the sleigh continued to speed forward. I breathed hard looking into the cloudy sky, "She was putting my mind under some sort of spell or whatever, but I don't do spells, that's for the weak minded fools."

I slowly stood up and began walking, walking to wherever wasn't here. My mind full of thoughts about whether that lady really could of cured my deafness, if she really could of healed me.

I was walking mindlessly through the snow, hoping to find some sort of shelter. The trees felt like they were packing closer and closer together, pricking my constantly with their stupid pine needles. Then I walked through the trees and came face to face with a clearing, a small clearing that face the evidence a battle had just happened. I saw a girl tribute, district 4 Female Kate, laying dead in the snow, a red slush seeping around her, an Ax slammed into her chest. I picked it up looking around for whoever May of been the one to end the young girls life.

Out of nowhere, I felt something grace right above my head and I saw movement in a tree signaling to me it had hit one of the pine trees. A throwing knife was stuck 3 inches deep in the tree. Whirling around I saw the origin of that potential kill shot, district 7 male Theo sitting high up in a non-pine tree a bunch of throwing knives in his hand. So he had sat a teal using the remains of a fallen tribute, smart! I looked at him smirking, "You here for a fight, you leave in a body beg!" I chuckled, throwing the Ax in my hand like a throwing knife hitting him in the chest, nocking him out of the tree to the cold, hard, ground. A loud moan filled the air, as I walked over and saw him laying in the snow. He obviously wasn't going to be walking away from this, his body was twisted into a completely wrong shape for any human to be able to stand up Scott free, I picked up the Ax again swinging it hard on his skull shattering it to pieces.

I didn't feel like waiting around for some more tribute to kill, I wasn't the type to be patient, so I started off again in some random direction. Mere minutes later I came slamming into some sort of dark wood door, "What the fuck is a door doing in a fucking forest!" I rubbed my nose opening the door. It was like some sort of closet I guess, it had a bar overhead with coats similar to mine hanging from it. I felt like something was behind the coats though so I ventured inside, as I did my hunch proved right, for inside a lone book lay on the floor just waiting for someone to collect.

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District 13 Female: Xavi Uriendah Liason

The heavy weight of a coat rests on my shoulder. A capital stylist, whose name I can hardly pronounce still, looks me dead in the eyes."You have potential. Do not let fear get the better of you, as treasonous as it may seem, our candidates are nothing short of pompous and rely on gifts from others. Keep that in mind. Do not fear anything but fear itself. You'll find comfort in it, I assure." The man said with a thick Bulgarian accent, odd seeing as Bulgarians were rarely in the capital, and still retained their accent after years of the district layout.I nod once, and thank him before swiftly walking to a circular platform, and take my last breath of safety. The platform begins to rise, and a chill swoops over my body, making me shiver. I close my eyes, not ready for any of the horror that's sure to ensue.I open my eyes once the movement had stopped. Arranged in a circle, were all the other tributes. I noticed the boy from my district shaking from the chill, rubbing his arms along with a few other tributes.I was used to the cold, and I instead held my head high and tried my best to look regal in a way. I knew my faux-confidence would scare the less confident tributes.A tall lamppost that was a matte black, stood flickering in the center with packages eerily similar to Christmas gifts I had seen capital children receive.Evergreens reached towards the grey-blue Sky, and contrasted with the glittery white that feathered the ground around our feet.A countdown startled me out of my observations, and I stood straighter, ready to run to the center.20...19...18...17...16...15...14...And off one tribute stepped. The boy from my district. Nick, was it? A slight horror ripped through me seeing as there was nothing left of the boy. It was as if he was never there. Screams were heard, but I had to focus.7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Run.I swiftly leaped as far from my platform into the snow that reached my knees. Shorter tributes were having more trouble than I, and for that I was fortunate. I pulled my already tired legs through the snow, towards the center and towards the packages.A small gleam of red caught my eye, right beside my knee. A small package, no bigger than a box meant for holding a bracelet was partially buried beneath the snow. I grabbed the package and rushed forward, not concerned about the other tributes seeing as they were far behind me, or on the other side of the mass of the packages.I grabbed a metallic package that shone a brilliant green. It weighed a decent amount but I knew my adrenaline would surely help me carry it. I dashed towards the closest pine, and felt a whir by my head, and saw a throwing axe imbedded into a tree less than ten feet in front of me.I turn my head to see Conn, and he simply nodded in my direction. My eyes wide, I ran. I ran faster than I had ever. Trees whipped at my cheeks, leaving scratches and trickles of blood to fall down my cheeks.I collapsed only a short distance later, adrenaline could only carry me so far after all. My calves and chest burned, while my mind was a dizzy mess. I let out a shudder, the pain from the cuts I had along my face finally registering.I sat down, and carefully picked up a handful of chilled snow, pressing it carefully to my cheek. Sweet relief washed over the maimed flesh. I pulled the snow away to see that it had turned a sickening pink. I sigh, accepting the fact that I hand just given myself no other option than moving farther from this area than I had initially wanted.I dropped the the bloodied snow beside me, hoping that other tributes weren't particularly good at tracking.Curiosity finally got the better of me, and I opened the large green box first. Ripping the thick paper back, it revealed a white box with the capitals crest on it.I gingerly pulled the top of the box of to find inside a leather bag. Unbuckling the buckle on the bag, revealed more useful items within. I had a scarf, a bottle of water and a small vial of antiseptic.I placed the water back in the bag, and set the antiseptic aside to use, and the scarf to wear.I finally turned my attention to the small box that was seemingly hidden. It wasn't wrapped like the others, it was just a box. I held the top of the box and shook it a bit, willing the bottom half to separate from the top. It eventually did and revealed a piece of paper on top.I pulled the card out and it read:Congratulations tribute, you are extremely observant. For that, I will give you something very valuable.Much love,Your GameMakersI set that in the snow, and beneath the card was something unexpected. It was a beautiful crystal, but nothing I knew of. I would've known if this was a crystal said to have healing powers. I knew however, to keep it.I placed the crystal in the box to protect it, and nestled it inside the leather bag.I picked up the antiseptic cream, pouring a small amount on my fingers. I touched my right cheek and hissed, it burned. I rubbed it in carefully and started on the left cheek. I felt satisfied with the care given to my wounds, and put the vial back into the back, and buckling it.I slung the bag over my shoulders and picked up the scarf and wrapping it carefully around the bottom half of my face, in hopes of giving my cheeks a break from the harsh air, and branches.I stood up, still slightly shaky, but definitely in better condition that before. I started off, deeper into the forest. I honestly didn't know whether I had passed this all before, because it all looked monotonous, and eerily similar to the place I had been before.Nightfall was coming, and the air was becoming cooler. Knowing I wouldn't have any problems with the temperature, I didn't think much about fire, seeing as it would only signal my location.I walked for a few moments longer before finding something completely different to the rest of the woodsy area. A road, almost. I heard the trotting of a horse maybe, along with bells, and panic rose in my throat. I backed up as close to the safety of the tree line as I saw something that made my blood run cold.The white witch. From a book I had read, years ago. This couldn't be possible, it simply couldn't."Oi! Child!" I heard. I peered my head around the tree I had apparently failed to hide behind.The carriage had stopped on the road, and a small bearded dwarf got out of the large white carriage. The horses I had heard, were in fact beautiful albino reindeer.The white witch smiled at me and began to speak. "Child, join me will you?"I knew better than to deny her request, and I knew how to play her game. I slowly made my way to her chariot, as the dwarf opened the door to the chariot. I stepped up, and the white witch held her hand out to me. I took the assistance, and finally I elegantly say in front of the Royal witch, acting regal myself."What on earth are you doing out in the cold, all alone my dear?" She asks feigning a sweet tone, that I knew was all an act."I am finding a way to survive." I said through the scarf I had wrapped around my face."Darling, remove the scarf would you? It's quite hard to hear." She saidI do as told, and hear a small gasp."What happened dear?" She asks seemingly concerned."I was running through trees." I mumbled softly."Oh my, come back with home to my castle with me. I can give you anything you'd like. You'd be much happier there." She reasoned"I really cannot, I wish to leave this world. I need to find a door. Do you know where a door is?" I ask hopefully"I do, but you'd be much happier with me I'd assume!" She said in attempt to convince me.That's when it clicked; bribery was the way to win here. The witch was greedy and would do anything to have something she desired. I pulled my bag off of my back, and retrieved the crystal."If I were to give you something desirable, would you help me?" I bargain"I would be inclined to, yes. What is it you have my child?" The curious greed shone through her voice clear as day."I have a crystal of large size, extremely valuable, but I'm sure you could figure that much just by looking at it." I say, pulling the crystal out of the box."Oh, it's beautiful. I'll tell you! May I have it now?" She asked, greed clear."After you take me to the door." I say smugly"Thad hardly fair! How can I be sure you're not lying?" She asked incredulously"You may behead me if I fail to give you the crystal when we reach the door." I say, knowing I had nothing to fear."Deal. Take us to the door." She yelled at the dwarf that was driving the large chariot.The chariot jumped forward, as we headed forward, and then veered off to the right into trees."You're the first today to know about the door, what a wise child. How did you know?" She asks, and impressed tone coating her words."I read books, unlike many of the other children who hardly know how to read. I can't fight much, but I make up for it in mental capacity." I say, slightly ignorant.She hums in approval. "So an outcast, really?" She questions"I would say so." I smile."I've forgotten my manners, what is your name?" She asks, attempting to make small talk I'd assume."Xavi." I shortly answerShe hums, "Well Xavi, you're the first today to wisely make your way through here. Everyone else gives in and is so very ignorant. Funny really."I was grateful for the sudden stop of the chariot, and the announcement of our arrival."You have a crystal to give me, correct?" She said holding her pale palm out.I nod, and hand her the box containing the crystal."I wish you well on your journey Xavi." The witch said smiling as I exit the chariot. She waves one last time and with that, the chariot begins to move. She's gone as fast as she appeared.I stare ahead at the large oak door, knowing this must be my way out, or at least my way to safety.I grasp the handle and turn. Warmth hits me as soon as I open the door and I rush into the warmths embrace.Coats much like the fur around my shoulders surround me, and I push my way through them and tumble on to the floor outside of the wardrobe. I notice another book, and I pick it up and sit there for a moment and let out a deep sigh.This was going to be a long game.

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Capital Male: Kolya

All his life Koyla had been training and looking forward to this moment. To stand here in the arena in front of the Cornucopia waving a sword around his head. Untouchable and undefeatable. Why then did he feel so sad and alone?

It had all been a blur, everything up to this moment and how he was here everything else stood out in sharp focus. How already someone was screaming as blood from their torn throat dyed the snow in a flood, how another body already lay in the snow, twitching.

Then his heart caught in his throat as he recognised the hair and form of that dead body. It was his sister and a cannon had just rang out. His sister was dead.Nadia's dead, how could that be?

Another yell was torn from his mouth, a shout of both anger and agony as his brain refused to comprehend that his sister was dead. I've always hated her, she was too like her mother.

But why then did he feel so bad about her death? It's either her or me, and I was the one who won!

He pushed all his feelings down and started to run off into the forest, something clogging his throat and making it hard to think. But the boy didn't stop and he ran and ran without stopping until his breath came in gasps and his heart pounded in his chest.

It was only then that he stopped, wondering what would come next. He could still faintly hear the screams of the bloodbath as they raced across the snow to his ears. But soon that faded away and he was left with a decision.

To go on, trying to hide shelter from the snow...or to go back and see if Nadia was really dead. It was if his brain hadn't comprehended that she was gone in the very few moments of the game. Games, how can this be a game! It's a bloody mess.

But it was a tradition, a punishment everlasting for the children of the rebellion and Koyla knew that the district's deserved it. But not my sister!

Unconsciously his feet had already started to move and although he was still trying to find a reason to stay away, the boy was already half way back. Not my sister.

To see the carnage was like a blow in the stomach for the boy from the Capital, he wasn't prepared for the blood and guts which seemed to be everywhere. However his mind did not stop to take in the carnage as it was processing that Nadia's body wasn't there.

One of two things could have happened, the girl could had dragged herself away or the Gamemakers could have already taken her away. Even then, he wouldn't know for certain. That was until he had won.

But if you don't win? The thought came unbidden and unwelcome as he frowned sadly down at the ground.

A noise made him look up. What the hell?

The sight was incredible and so out of place that he laughed softly and shook his head in surprise. He remembered something like this in that book he had picked up with the stupid man and that white women who looked like a witch.

"You want your sister back? I can help you for she isn't dead..." The words were convincing and Koyla stepped forward almost in a haze. It was as if his sadness had taken place over his reason and he suddenly would do anything for his sister.

So he got in the carriage with the mutated man and the women who was beautiful. Softly those words came tumbling out of her mouth, washing over him as did the warmth and the knowledge that his sister was safe.

It took his a ridiculous amount of time to realize what was happening and that the women in white who seemed to gentle was a witch with a black heart. Koyla wasn't sure what twigged it but it could have been the way she reached for what looked like a vial of something.

He shook his head once, hearing the words as if for the first time.

"Come with me child so you can sleep."

That didn't sound like a promise of life to him, so he darted forward and tried to get out of the carriage. The doors sealed themselves and he looked back with wide eyes. The soft smile of the women's face was now replaced with an evil smirk.

With a cry of rage he reached forward and with his bare arms smashed the glass window open and leapt out of the rolling carriage into the snow.

Koyla ran as if his life depended on it, he could feel the blinding pain in his right arm as something warm trickled down his flesh. The glass had cut at his body and he was now bleeding.

But that didn't halt his progress; nothing could halt his desperate wishing to get out of this place where his sister died and where he almost died.

His wish was granted, a wardrobe with coats and a book in it. A book...like the one in the library.

He reached down to pick it up then he remembered his sister, he knew she was alive because there had been no bloodied snow around where her body had laid.

She's alive! But do I go back?

Could he go back out there and find her. His question was answered when his feet touched the snow again. He had to find his sister first.

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Capital Female: Nadia

In all her dreams and travels through books, Nadia had never faced something more deadly and more beautiful in her life.

The scene before her was a winter wonderland, snowflakes falling and gently covering the earth white the slightest breeze would rock the trees and bushes. It was night, but that only added to the picturesque moment. It was so pretty Nadia though she could cry at the sight.

How could somewhere so amazing hold something so monstrous?

All around her stood the other tributes, all laying fact that this place however beautiful was also deadly and horrible. And all were dressed in the same coloured fur coat which was wrapped warmly around her own body. It was protection against the cold which seemed to grow more bitter and chilling every second. The girl wondered for a moment if even the weather was mourning that in a few moments souls would fly upward to meet their maker.

But then she remembered how they were under a dome, a fake sky was overhead and everything was wrong. Even the snow wasn't real.

She glanced to her right and something rose up in her throat when she saw her brother for the first time in what seemed to be years but in reality it was only a few days. The two children hadn't spoken since the reaping, since her name was called and he volunteered.

Nadia wondered if he volunteered for her, to protect her. But common sense told her to push that thought away, although Kolya often said he loved her she never really believed him.

Love isn't about words, but actions.

And right now the clock was ticking down and Nadia needed a plan to get out of here as soon as she could. The girl couldn't fight, and from the looks of the heavily falling snow she wouldn't be able to run fast either. Either way I'm in trouble, what would Kolya do?

But that question just offered certain death for she knew that her brother would run straight for the nearest sword and brandish around with a shout.

Nadia's brain raced and as the clocked reached the final number and as they jumped off the platform to race towards that streetlight she still was no further to reaching a plan. The snow weighed her down and her breath was already coming in gasps and sweat covered her brow.

Then the screaming started mixed in with a yell torn from a familiar throat. She looked up to see her brother reach a shiny sword and wave it around his head, his eyes alight as he raced away into the woods doubtless to try and find somewhere either defendable or to try and kill someone.

Everything started to get real now, here she was in the Hunger Games.

These games about blood and death and she didn't know what to do. I've no muscle to speak off, I'm not fit at all and I am going to die if I don't get out of here!

An arrow whistled past her head and she looked up to see the girl from District One with a bow in her hand, grinning triumphantly. As that arrow whizzed by her and got lost in the snow Nadia dropped to the ground, her chest heaving from fright and the adrenaline sweeping through her.

The freezing cold instantly made her body quiver and she fought against the interest to find a warmer and more comfortable position. Play dead! A cannon rang out and she sighed in relief, at least she had that on her side. Someone was dead and for all the other tributes could know, it was her.

For now, if she kept still and appeared dead, she would be safe until everything was clear and she could get out of here.

Something red stained the snow beside her as screams and cries of pain were uttered. Nadia felt the warm tears spring up into her eyes and start to trickle down her face. She hated violence, even in story form and to know that people, that children were dying and she couldn't do anything because she was so weak made her want to scream.

But she bit her lip to stop her own cries from tumbling up and spilling over. I have to live!

That was the mantra which made its home in the girl's body for the next half hour. It was all she thought and all she pictured. I have to live. Even when a body fell next to her and she saw the wide open dead eyes of Rii with blood pouring out of her throat. She didn't scream or move one muscle as those four words shone bright. I have to live.

That half hour past and silence reigned where once it had been so deafening, but to Nadia that silence was worse than the screams because when she stood to her feet she saw the bodies of five people. Instantly her eyes darted about trying to seek out the form of her brother. He wasn't there and a puff of warm air shone in the frigid air as Nadia sagged with relief and cold.

For the moment all was well and she started to walk out of that clearing, the snow bogging her down and making her process halted and laborious. The girl's breath was heavy and almost shallow as she struggled against nature. I need to get out of here!

Slowly she bent over to pick up a small dagger which lay getting tarnished in the snow. It was so surreal and dreamlike Nadia almost could make it into a dream.

If only in a dream someone would come along to be her knight in shining armour and save her from death by freezing or something equally as bad such as a sword through her gut or an arrow through her heart.

Nadia wondered how her words could turn down such a dark path after only a few hours in the arena. But then she remembered the Capital and how it twisted words and made evil seem good. I cannot end up like they are, I must be stronger than that.

The girl knew it was highly unlikely she would win, even if she knew almost all the books in the world and that this place was called Narnia because this setting was the same at the one the book had. The scene was the same and the girl wondered if she had opened the book in that library she would have seen her own face staring back as that Nadia in that book tried to escape her own little world.

Sighing she looked up only to clutch at her dagger and let out a little shriek of fright. Right in front of her was a covered pure white carriage with white reindeer and a little man sitting on the roof of said sleigh.

Her hand reached up to covered her open mouth at the sight. It was so beautiful and yet Nadia knew it had to be deadly, why else would it be here but to torment and try to kill her.

"Hello," she whispered, looking at the dwarf. The girl had only seen such things in picture books before and to see his wizard face and wrinkled hands was something incredible. Dressed in a royal blue suit the man nodded his head, snow getting caught in his long beard. Nida almost thought that he could be an elf for Santa but he didn't have pointy ears.

So she walked toward the chariot of snow, her heart pounding and her body ready to turn and flee although she doubted she would get far. The sight which met her eyes made her gasp again and this time forget to cover her mouth.

"You must be a princess!"

"I wish I was child, sadly that was never my lot in life, come it is cold out there you must join me in here."

A blush spread over the cheeks of the little girl as she realised she had spoken her thoughts aloud and that the women in the carriage had answered her with a soft tone and a gleam in her eye.

"Who are you then?" Nadia asked softly and the women in white primly shrugged her shoulders.

"Let's just say I am your fairy godmother child, get in love and let's talk."

The girl shuffled on her feet, feeling the heat of the carriage warm her body and letting the women's words wash over her. Slowly she nodded and took a step forward.

"Don't you dare Nadia!" A stern strong voice carried over the snow and the gentle wind, "I stepped into that carriage and she is nothing but a lie!"

Turning the girl looked at her brother who was standing at below a massive fir tree, his clothes slightly torn and bloodied and a cut down his left arm dripped blood onto the snow. She looked back at the still nameless women to see a glint in her eyes as she spoke

"You know that godmothers can grant you a wish Nadia?" The women sat up straight, her hands folded in her lap. "I can grant you your greatest wish, and I know what that wish is."

Nadia tilted her head, unsure how to respond as she could hear her brother mutter something which sounded like a plea to stop.

"What is my greatest wish then?"

The women smiled, almost in triumph as she thought she had won but Nadia's brain was still working in overtime trying to decide who to trust.

"To be strong, to be able to run and play like the other children, you've been held a prisoner in your own body, come let me help you!" Her words were softly spoken and the girl almost believed them.

But then a soft smile came over her face and then she shuffled on her feet, hiding her hands in the deep pockets of her coat.

"That's not my greatest wish," The smile grew almost sad as Nadia felt something wash over her. "It was before I stepped into this arena, to be able to run and jump without falling over... I wish I could have that but my happiness is not important."

She glanced behind her to see her brother standing there, already looking like a worrier and already so injured and changed.

"My greatest wish is that these games are stopped, that every year families aren't ripping apart for the Capital's enjoyment...could you grant that?"

There was silence as the white women stared at her, she went to speak but the girl cut her off. "Don't please, you are a lie made up by that Capital, do you think I would believe anything you told me?"

With that the girl turned and started to walk toward her brother, a soft curse was heard and then a sharp command to follow them. But it was too late as Koyla was racing towards his sister to help her along in the snow.

Nadia could feel the tears trickling down her face, how she wished she could be as strong as her brother and that feeling off utter helplessness was so strong now that the girl almost sank down into the snow and let it go.

"Nadia don't you dare, we're almost there! Come on!" her brother said sharply, cutting through the haze of hatred she was feeling for herself. Slowly Nadia nodded although she didn't quite know what she was agreeing too.

They stepped through something; the girl never looked up from her feet to see what it was. But it was warm and soft and there was suddenly a book in her hands. Her eyes filtered up to her brother's face.

"Well, you're the expert what have we to look forward too?"

Nadia sighed, a soft light in her eyes as she stared up in her brother's face only to see trust in there which she had never seen directed at her before.

"Do what you do best sweetheart, read and imagine!"

The girl nodded silently, opening the book and turning to the first page.