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Super short welcome! 

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Take care and stay safe! ~CANGEL

***

Scarlet Wolfe

     Scarlet paused at the entrance, just shy of the opening. If anyone had discovered her shelter, they might be waiting outside, ready to strike the moment she emerged. Like Ambrosia, one mistake or lapse of focus could make it her last.

     After a moment of debate, Scarlet reached for the bow that was laying against the larger pack and slowly slid it out of the ice cave, watching for any sign that someone was waiting to strike.

     When the bow was halfway out, and nothing happened, she took her pack off her back and tossed it out the cave. Scarlet counted to sixty in her head. Nothing moved and the only things she saw were her pack, the bow in the snow, and the pine branch covering the opening. Scarlet slid out of the cave slowly, feet first with a blade in her hand. Better to lose a foot than her head.

     As she emerged from the cave, she was greeted by nothing but the snowy ground and sea of brown tree trunks that blurred together with the growing darkness. She gathered up her pack once more, wincing as it brushed against her wounded back again. Scarlet shoved the bow back into the cave and kept the blade in her gloved hand as she scanned the trees around her.

     Scarlet started walking north—or what she thought was north—with quiet precision, her senses alert for any signs of danger. The forest around her was growing darker, the shadows lengthening as the sun dipped below the horizon. She quickened her pace, searching for a suitable vantage point.

     After walking north about half a mile—or what she hoped was north—she found a small rise in the terrain, partially sheltered by a cluster of pine trees. It offered a clear view of the sky above while providing enough cover to keep her hidden. Scarle crouched down, positioning herself so that she could watch the sky without being easily spotted.

     As she waited, the sky above her shed its last traces of light. Scarlet didn't know why, but she was surprised to see stars in the sky, becoming brighter and brighter against the deepening blue. Scarlet's breath fogged against the cold air, the insides of her lungs prickled, and Scarlet pulled up the hood that she'd all but forgotten about.

     Scarlet's eyes were drawn to the large projection that appeared in the wide expanse of darkened sky. The seal of Panem appeared first, lighting up the sky with colored dots exploding it and raining down the sky, before disappearing. The seal faded and the sky went completely dark for a moment, then the faces of the fallen tributes appeared.

     Augustus from District 1 appeared in the sky. His confident grin and strong build looking so out of place in the sky among the dead tributes, yet Scarlet had killed him. She had ended his life with her blade. No hesitation. And even now, no remorse. After a count of ten his face disappeared, replaced by District 2's female tribute. Ambrosia. The opponent that Scarlet dreaded facing the most. Cold, logical, smart, deadly, and paired up with Crimson. She never thought that she would be glad to see a tribute die, but as she stared up at the sky, she couldn't help but feel relieved.

    When Ambrosia's self-confident eyes faded from the sky, they were replaced by a much smaller, and a much more nervous face. Linux from District 3. Scarlet stared at her orange hair and scared eyes. Scarlet had killed her.

     Loach and Roe's faces appeared. Even though it couldn't be confirmed, she knew that it had been Crimson who killed them. There was a flash of guilt that she could have warned Finnick sooner, even though it was irrational, and she told herself their survival would have only hurt her, the guilt wasn't easy to shake.

     The female from District 6 appeared next, indicating that both tributes from District 5 had made it through the bloodbath safely and the male tribute from District 6. Scarlet recognized her as the girl who had taken Scarlet's blade in the leg when Scarlet was trying to leave the metal shelter. Indiana had been killed by Ambrosia, shortly before Dawson had killed Ambrosia.

     Indiana's face fades away, and the District 7 female's face lights up the sky. Azalea. Scarlet didn't recall her death, so it likely happened on the other side of the Cornucopia, or sometime during the day afterwards. Both District 9's tributes were killed. Valerio, the tribute from District 10 who had beat her to the Cornucopia appeared in the sky next.

     Scarlet should have expected it, when the next face appeared, but she didn't. When Dawson's face was projected onto the night sky, Scarlet barely hid her flinch. She met his nervous grey eyes head on as she felt he deserved it. In her head she saw his grey eyes wide with shock and accusation as she turned on him. In her head, his final interview words floated through her mind.

     I'll do my best to make you proud. Mom. Dad. I love you both.

     That boy who sat tall in his seat, trying to appear strong for his family, and had bravely faced the Cornucopia to help rescue Scarlet was now dead. At her hands.

     His face faded from the sky replaced by the seal of Panem. Dawson had been the last of the tributes that had died during the first day of the 67th Hunger Games. Scarlet let out a slow breath. She had survived another day, but the numbers were dwindling, and already, the endgame was approaching. Eleven tributes had been killed in this year's bloodbath. She needed to stay sharp, stay vigilant, and most importantly, stay alive.

     With that in mind, Scarlet carefully made her way back to her shelter, her steps were light and deliberate. She knew the dangers that lurked in the night, both from the elements and from other tributes. Once she located her shelter, Scarlet circled around with the branch, once more erasing her steps, and as she slipped back into her snow cave, she felt a small measure of safety in her familiar surroundings, but the threats of the outside never left her mind, and she remained on high alert.

     Scarlet placed the small pack down on the ground, careful of its contents, and pulled out the sleeping bag that she would use tonight. She set it aside for the moment, as she placed the small pack within easy reach, ready for a quick escape if necessary and once she was sure that everything was in its place, she settled into her sleeping bag.

     Scarlet closed her eyes, wishing that sleep would come, but with the faces of the dead flashing in her mind, she knew that sleep was something that would be granted anytime soon.

     Eleven tributes had been killed today. Scarlet had killed three of them in the bloodbath, and one afterwards. The blood of four tributes would forever stain her hands.

     For their deaths to not be in vain, she needed to survive. She needed to become the next Victor.

     As Scarlet sat burrowed in the sleeping bag, she leaned against the side of the cave, feeling the shadow of the cold from the snowy wall, her resolve hardened.

     Scarlet couldn't focus on the dead. Only on her the ones that were still alive. Only on the threats that remained. Instead of remembering the events of today, Scarlet focused ahead to tomorrow. Tomorrow she would find a spot to build a fire. Get some much-needed water. Set some snares. And then she would set traps for any tribute that thought to come after her or was unlucky enough to stumble across her.

     There were 14 tributes, other than her, that were left alive—as of the fallen tribute commemoration that the Capitol had just provided.

     There were two Careers left alive, paired with Crimson. Today, they would have spent sorting through their supplies, getting the Cornucopia set up for their stay. Tonight, they may have ventured into the woods to start hunting. Scarlet wasn't sure if they would hunt through the night in the freezing temperatures or stay close to the Cornucopia.

     Ayoel, the male tribute from District 3. Both tributes from 5. The male tribute from 6. The male from 7. Flax and the female tribute from District 8. Melania from District 10. The female from District 11. And Lilian, from District 12, remained.

     What concerned her the most was the Careers and Crimson. She thought that they would hunt for her and when they did, Crimson would eventually lead them to her. She would need traps in place and ready to slow them down. If she could evade them long enough for most of the other tributes to die, Crimson might be forced to turn on them before they turned on him.

     In the back of her mind, she was aware that the males from Districts 5, 6, and 8 had all survived the first day. In the Training Center they had grown close, spending most of both days together. If they had found each other and formed a Pack, then they could easily become just as big of a threat to Scarlet as the Careers were.

     Only one fact remained though, Scarlet could never let down her guard. She could never forget where she was. She had to be flexible in her plans. Adaptable. And she could never take any assumptions as fact. Tomorrow when she woke up, there could be five more dead. Scarlet wouldn't know until the next night fall, unable to hear the booms that announced each death. She could only be sure of the deaths that occurred by her own hands.

      Scarlet glanced at the entrance of her snow cave, making sure it was still well-concealed. She gripped the hand of her blades, feeling the security that the weapons provided against the knowledge of the threats lurking somewhere out there. She closed her eyes, willing herself to rest. Every moment of sleep was precious, a chance to regain strength for the battles ahead. Her breathing slowed, and she drifted into a light, restless sleep, her hands never straying from the blades she held close to her chest.

     Tomorrow would bring new challenges and new dangers. But Scarlet was ready. She had to be. For Cadmium. For Cassandra. For herself. She would fight. She would survive. And she would win. 

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Well, I hope you enjoyed Day 1 of Scarlet's time in the Arena. I hope that you are ready for Day 2!

Place any predictions here! I would love to read them! Seriously, please do! How long do you think this Hunger Games will last? Who do you think will be the next one to die? When will Scarlet and Crimson meet? Will they have to face each other in the Arena? How many tributes will Scarlet kill? What about Crimson? 

Kindly remember to vote! 

Take care and stay safe! ~CANGEL