Pov: Grian

I sit next to Mumbo's body until the capitol takes him away. And then don't move from where I sit, sobbing, as the ship disappears again, legs huddled up close to me, leaning against a tree. My throat hurts, head throbbing from where Doc shoved it against the tree... I don't care. I don't care about any of it.

Mumbo is dead.

Mumbo is gone. 

And I'm completely alone. 

BigB.

Iskall.

Keralis.

And now Mumbo.

The odds were NEVER in my favour. I don't know why I ever pretended they were. I don't care that I survived 2 career attacks and a fire. I don't care that Cub saved my life. The only people I tried to help are dead, or stole the one thing that could've saved Mumbo... 

I sit there, sometimes crying, sometimes not, for the rest of the day. 3 cannon shots go off. I don't know who it is, but hope it's the Careers, or maybe even Impulse. I start eating some of the food, starving. Drink some of the water. 

And then the music starts. 

I stare into the sky, blinking back tears as...

No.

Cub.

Cub's dead.

And then Mumbo. But it doesn't matter any more.

Cub's dead.

Scar's...

No.

I'm not.

I can't. 

He must be dead too. They were both killed surely.

I don't care about Lizzie, also dead. Or...

Zedaph.

Who we gave up our healing stuff for.

The stuff that could've saved Mumbo.

The stuff Impulse stole and didn't give back.

It was for nothing.

It was all for nothing.

Everything was for nothing.

I scream, drowning out the music as it comes to a close. Everything was for nothing. I'm back where I was before I found Mumbo, Iskall and Keralis. Except now I've got a whole lot more regrets and a lot less to help myself.

And I promised Cub I'd ally with Scar when he died.

And now he's dead.

So...

No. I can't. I'm not risking my life for HIM.

But... 

No.

I'm not going to.

But... I'm not doing anything else...

Blood covers me. Pain. Terror. People surround me as they run from the cornucopia. Fighting. Danger. I've got nothing. I saw BigB die... my ally. Dead. Gone...

I crash into someone, turning.  Cub stands there, a sword raised above my head. The fury of the moment fills his expression. He's going to kill me. End this. 

Recognition fills his expression, and he stops. 

And he sheathes his sword.

'Go. But when I'm dead you keep Scar alive.' He shoves a bag into my arms. Food. Stuff. A chance go survive.

He just saved my life.

I nod back, thanking him over and over, turning and running as well as I can away, and into the forest. 

And the truth comes to me.

I can't turn back on my promise. 

I can't. 

He could've killed me...

And he didn't.

He cared enough after the week we'd been in the Capitol together. He involved me in his plan at the start, with the parrots. He was always some kind of company after the long days training...

I can't let Scar die.

I sling my bag over my shoulder, keeping my trident in hand as the problem rises in my mind: I don't know where Scar is.

I head off in the direction I'm facing, trying to think logically. If he was near the edge, the fire would've got him. If he was too near the cornucopia, then False and Doc would've got him. If he was nearby, I definitely would've heard whatever chaos he and Cub were causing... I continue along a straight path through the darkness. There's no one there. I try to recall who else is left... obviously False and Doc. Etho and Joel are still somewhere. I imagine Impulse and Tango are staying low after Zedaph's death...

A snap. I turn, trident raised.

'I'm armed.' I warn as no one comes. A whisper. I don't recognise it. 'Hello?'

'He might be friendly!' I finally catch the words. 

'He started by saying he was armed!' Replies another. 'Gem- we should just move on. Avoid confrontation.'

Gem. I remember Gem. District... 11? Seemed pretty innocent, but beat me easily in a 1v1. And joined by whoever it is... the voice is female too. It's not False or Lizzie, so it must be Pearl. Which makes sense, since I saw them together in training.

'I won't hurt you.' I add. 'I'm alone, scared, and currently don't have allies.' 

A pause, before Gem and Pearl step into view.

'Hey.' I give as much of a smile as I can. 

'Hey... Grian?'

'Yeah.'

For a moment we don't do anything except stand facing each other. Gem glances to Pearl, and then back at me.

'So... how's everything been?'

'Bad.' I reply honestly. 'All my allies are dead, and now I'm indebted to Scar.' 

'We saw Scar, didn't we? And Cub. They're... somewhere that way.' Pearl points off in the direction I was going already. 'But... Cub's dead.'

'Yeah. I saw. That's... why I'm indebted. It's complicated, and I didn't chose it.'

'We're just travelling around. Trying not to get killed. We saw Martyn somewhere on his own, but he wanted to stay alone.'

'Well... thanks for... helping me. If you're in trouble, I'll try to help.' Memories of Impulse stealing the medicine rise in my mind again. I shake them away. More allies are better than none. 'I'd better head off and find Scar before he burns down everything or dies stupidly.'

'He's living right near Etho and Joel. He... stole a lot of stuff from them and now they're mad.' Gem adds

Of course he did.

'Well, I'll... I hope you survive. May the odds be ever in your favour.'

And I run off.

Through the trees, hoping Scar's somewhere, glad to have Pearl and Gem, if not allies, on my side if worst comes to worst.

Shouting. Joel. I remember what Gem said, breaking into a run. I've not even done anything and Scar's in trouble.

I try to look through the gaps in the trees for anything... Joel's there, fury filling his expression. Etho's behind, hidden in the trees, holding a bag of stuff. And Scar's...

I catch sight of a figure clinging to a tree branch. Scar. I keep my trident ready as I slow down.

'COME OUT SCAR! I KILLED YOUR LITTLE NERD FRIEND AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO KILL YOU TOO!' Joel yells. 'ARE YOU SCARED OF ME?'

'We should head back to our base...' Etho intervenes quietly. I freeze, thinking he's seen me. But I have to keep going.

'I... I still have your stuff, Joel!' Comes the fearless shout back from Scar. 'I can set it on fire if you want!'

'YOU WOULDN'T DARE!' 

I take my chance.

I charge into the clearing, slashing at Joel with the trident. He screams. Etho runs forwards, picking up the sword Joel dropped. I block it, stabbing. He dodges. Joel's still wailing as he sits on the ground, bleeding. 

'Get away.' I demand. 'Or I poke you.'

'Joel, we need to go.' Etho mutters. With a lot of grumbling, Joel stands, still nursing his arm, and follows Etho out of the clearing. 

I turn back to Scar. His eyes are wide as he looks down at me. I hold out my hand to him.

'Hey Scar.' I call. 'I'm your new ally.'

And thus, we have Desert Duo 

:D