SINCE IKO'S SHOULDER hadn't completely healed overnight, and Opal's ankle had only swollen up in her brace, both girls stayed behind to watch the supplies this time round. Before they'd left to set the traps they'd made last night and go scout the arena, Alex had woken Iko up early to redress her wound and check on the stitches. A couple of them had snapped, but the medicine had worked. The gashes seemed to have knitted itself back together, leaving behind surface wounds that were much shallower, and less bloody. Still, the area was sore and feverish, though the inflammation had mostly gone, and the wounds didn't smell infected anymore. After cleaning it up with some water from the river, Alex reapplied more of the greyish ointment, put on clean bandages, and left. Iko hadn't been too happy about being left out of the hunting party. Neither had Elias, who had been dragged along to replace the two girls.

As Iko was sitting atop one of the crates and chucking knives at the cave wall with her left hand, trying to figure out the range of motion she had with her injured shoulder now that the medicine seemed to have an accelerated healing effect, she realised now that they never really put their plan to split up and hide the supplies into action.

Despite her hurt leg, Opal was pacing the mouth of the cave, just as restless as Iko was. Her uneven footfalls only served to annoy Iko even more, but she didn't want to say anything, since Opal wasn't complaining about Iko's atrocious knife-throwing. Each time her knives hit the wall and bounced off, Iko had to suppress the urge to hock one at Opal both to feel accomplished again and to stop her ridiculous pacing. She could feel her sanity slipping a little more each minute, each failed throw. A lack of activity, she could handle, but a lack of progress, Iko could not. That being said, the fact that there weren't any exciting deaths meant that the Gamemakers would be forcing the tributes together soon with more tricks. Each day, the arena would grow more and more hostile and unpredictable.

Three days, and the only kills she'd gotten in were during the bloodbath. If she started anything now, Iko knew it would end in blood. What did Elias do with all this time? Waiting around doing nothing wasn't something Iko was used to. Each time her knives missed the point on the wall she was aiming for, her frustration only grew. Irritation crawled up her skin as one knife bounced right off and clattered to the ground.

Neither of them spoke the entire time. They even ate in silence, just listening to the waterfall. While Opal went to fill all the empty water bottles, Iko had moved onto sorting through the contents in the crates, taking inventory of what was left of their supplies, only stopping her restless fidgeting to listen out to any cannons and watch the walkie-talkies incase the others tried to contact them. But nothing happened, and Iko was getting antsy. Even Opal, who seemed off in her own world, immersed in her own frustrations, noticed, but thankfully kept to herself.

It was almost evening and the sun was dipping over the horizon when the others returned, empty-handed and equally frustrated.

The moment Alex entered the cave, he'd dropped his rifle on the ground and left with just his bow and a quiver full of arrows. He didn't speak to anyone, not even Iko, who'd been watching his gaze skim over everyone as if they were invisible, his expression carefully blank. Iko felt his silence, like the calm before a hurricane hit. Her instincts told her to go check up on him, but Iko figured he needed some time alone to blow off some steam first.

Even Titus and Sage had managed to keep up their noise and argue about something that was entirely pointless but harmless to the alliance, and though their faces darkened when Opal asked if they'd found anything interesting today—which they evidently had not—they shrugged off today's monotony and drew Opal into their debate about which would be the most painful way to kill someone. Iko wanted to give her input, but thought better of it. It was only Elias, who seemed unfazed by the lack of bloodshed, whose mood remained untainted as he retreated to his corner of the cave, away from the pack.

They'd burned through the entire day from dawn, setting their traps, radioing back on occasion to let Opal and Iko know which parts of the forest were rigged with traps designed to render their human victims entirely helpless, and found nothing. No kills either.

Later that night, when the sky darkened and the anthem began playing, Iko figured she'd left him alone for long enough. When she emerged from the cave bearing an apple and a packet of dried meat, she spotted Alex nocking an arrow and letting it fly. In a shower of splinters, it struck the trunk of a tree, completing a circle of arrows spaced out evenly. The sky was clear, and the moon hung in the pitch black, yellow and gibbous, like an unholy tooth, its bright beams illuminating the riverbank. When the Capitol seal appeared in the sky, and disappeared once the anthem stopped playing and the sounds of the forest and the waterfall came back, Iko watched Alex's jaw tighten in malcontent. He drew his bowstring and loosed an arrow into the neck of a reptile that scuttled out of the shadows, killing it instantly.

"Feel any better?" Iko drawled, lifting a brow.

Alex sighed, yanking his arrows out of the lizard's motionless body before moving onto the arrows embedded in the tree trunk. "Five tributes. Why is it so hard to find five kids in this place?" When Iko opened her mouth to respond with the obvious, Alex's lip twisted as he waved an arrow at her. "You know what? Nevermind. Don't answer that."

"It's a pretty big arena."

"I know," Alex said, tipping his head back, irritation scrawled over the tension in his face. "I know."

It was only natural they'd be a little annoyed, but Alex's agitation came in quick bouts that emptied itself out before anyone could notice. It wasn't like him to express his frustration like this. Granted, Iko supposed the Games were affecting him, too.

"Here," Iko said, shoving the food into his arms. "Eat something before you keel over."

Catching them right before they tumbled out of his arms, Alex grinned, but the light didn't reach his eyes. "Shut up."

They sat side-by-side on one of the rocks by the river, the white noise of the current lulling them into a comfortable memory, and for a moment, it was like they were by the lake behind the quarries back home, just the two of them. Iko blinked, trying to shake herself out of the engulfing false sense of security before it sunk into her skin like a poisonous comfort. They have always been there for each other. They will always be there for each other. Even when the others have gone, have died bloody in the arena, it will always be the two of them. It always has been. And if there is anything Iko knows, it's that the arena cannot change this.

Propping his bow and quiver against the rock by his feet, Alex bit into his apple. "How's your shoulder?"

"Functional," Iko said, with a derisive flick of her fingers. "I think I can throw with my left hand now. It's still a little sore, but the medicine is surprisingly effective."

"Imagine how many injured workers in the quarries would still have jobs if the Capitol could send us a little help, right?" Alex drawled.

Iko slanted him a warning look. He knew better than to say things like that. Especially with President Snow and the whole of Panem watching, eyes glued to their screens, unable to miss a single word. Already, District Two was massively favoured over the other districts. Even if Alex thought he was going to die so she could go home, it still wasn't something that needed to be voiced.

"Let's go back inside," Iko said. "We'll check the snares tomorrow."

Alex shook his head, lifting his half-eaten apple and untouched packet of dried meat. "Can we stay out here until I finish this? I don't feel like being around them right now. If I hear Titus and Sage argue again I might shoot them both in the knees."

"Just as long as you leave Titus alive for me to finish off."

"Deal."

* * *

WHEN THEY slipped back into the cave, they half-expected the others to be asleep by now. But the torches were still lined up against the wall, and the others were sat in a circle, heads bent together, deep in discussion. Iko and Alex exchanged a glance.

"Oh, good! We were just going to get you," Sage said, perking up when she finally noticed both District Two tributes at the mouth of the cave. "We were just thinking—"

"We should go hunting tonight," Titus said, crossing his arms over his chest, and even though he'd intentionally cut Sage off, it didn't look like she minded one bit. "We're all sick of staying in and doing nothing, and none of us are even that tired. Thoughts?"

Alex flicked Iko a questioning look that read: I'm up for it if you are.

Iko nodded.

A devilish grin glossed over Alex's lips as he picked up his discarded rifle.

"Let's go."

Two words that sent euphoria surging through their veins.

Leaping to her feet, Sage let out a vivacious cheer and brandished her sword. Titus marched over to Elias—who looked all too reluctant—slung an arm around his neck, and declared that Elias was coming along too. Opal had volunteered to stay behind with the supplies because hobbling around in the dark on her still-sprained ankle wouldn't be doing anyone any good. Alex beamed, baring his teeth in a vicious grin. Iko felt it, too. Deep inside her veins, an electric hum sparked to life as she brushed her hands over her belt of knives. Metal hissed against metal as they unsheathed their blades. Bullets clinked like pieces of gold as they grabbed handfuls of ammo to reload their firearms. Weapons were a silent language they knew better than anything else. Killing came to them like muscle memory. Glory, they ate like air.

As they exited the cave, Alex slipped a knife into Iko's hand. She glanced down at it. It was the knife he'd taken from her on the first night.

"Does this mean I'm not an asshole anymore?" Iko asked, lifting a brow as she slipped it back into its rightful slot.

Alex cocked his head, feigning contemplation. "Eh. You still are."

With a snarl, Iko punched him in the shoulder. Alex bumped her with his shoulder as they headed for the tree line at the head of the group. This time, they decided to explore the other side of the river, which Iko hadn't seen yet. Just like that, all frustrations from the fruitless day seemed to metamorphose into a charged hunger, a newfound blood pumping in their veins as they dove headfirst into the trees, letting the darkness swallow them whole. In the moonlight, the forest was all shadows and edges, a labyrinth of hazards. But they combed through the underbrush with caution, brandishing their torches like swords, the beams of light cleaving through the darkness. Eyes sharp, pulses between their teeth, their careful footfalls crunching against the ground like a heartbeat, Iko knew there was no chance in hell she'd rest tonight without another felled tribute by their hands.

It didn't matter that they were hunting blind. This was what became of the boredom of teenage monsters. They wanted blood. They'd brave the unknown darkness for it. After all, they'd been raised on this rush of power, the swing of a sword, the song of an arrow hurtling through the air, the sound of a spear striking a solid target, the catharsis of a knife slashing through skin. Viciousness was their mother, she birthed them the first time they knocked their opponent to the ground. Violence was their father, they honoured him in blood.

All the way uphill, Alex led them to all the sites where the group had set up the traps first, just incase someone got caught in one. All seven on this side of the valley were still untouched. Eventually, they burst out of the forest and into an open field. At the top of the hill, Sage let loose a war cry that echoed through the valley like she was trying to wake something sleeping underground.

Irritation flashed through Iko's blood and without hesitation, she spun on her heel and backhanded Sage across the face. Was she stupid? Was she trying to alert every single lethal predator from within a mile radius of their location? Was she trying to warn every single tribute they were hunting down that they were close?

The boys turned to the two girls, alarmed. Sage blinked, stunned, then her face reddened as her temper sparked to life, a thousand degrees of spite flashing in her eyes. In a blink, Iko had a knife in her hand and a challenge glinting in her cold stare. But before Sage could take a swing at Iko, somewhere to their left, a twig snapped.

A rustle of leaves caught Iko's attention.

She snapped her gaze to the source of the commotion just as a dark figure darted through the trees. Elias pointed his light back down where they came from just in time to catch long, dark hair streaking behind a girl's head like a rope. With no time to waste, Iko sprung into motion and broke into a sprint after the girl before they could lose her to the shadows and darkness. The others followed, and she heard them crashing through the shrubbery behind her, just a shade slower, beams of light from their torches spilling everywhere as they bounded over tall roots and ferns, kicking up dirt. Ahead, the girl glanced over her shoulder, fear flickering over her features as she spotted the Career pack chasing her down. That seemed to spur her into action. She zipped through the trees, trying to throw them off with a patternless course. Iko didn't dare line up a shot incase she missed and lost another knife she would never find again.

"Iko, go after her," Alex hissed, much closer than expected, "Sage and I will take her left. Titus, Elias, you flank her on the right. Try to run her into one of the traps."

Then, Alex switched off his torch, and the group split in different directions. Iko could feel the momentum of the downward slope taking over her body, and when she leapt over a gnarled root, she felt like she was flying. It seems like the girl had abandoned all efforts to shake Iko from her tail and was now running in a straight line. Alex had picked Iko to hunt her down directly for a reason. She clocked a faster mile than any of the other kids in the Academy. This was child's play. Feet pounding the dirt, adrenaline icing her veins, her focus was sharp and unwavering. As she slowly closed the distance on her target, Iko's grip tightened on the hilt of her knife. They were young and they were deadly and they were alive.

This was it. She could feel it.

There would be blood tonight.

And she was getting closer.

And closer.

And closer.

When she closed in within range, Iko threw herself at the girl and tacked her to the ground. With a shrill scream, the girl went down. Although Iko was much shorter than the girl, she was much stronger, and her last meal had been just a few hours ago, and the powerful impact sent them both tumbling downslope, flattening weak shrubs in their warpath, until they hit a bush.

Straightening up, Iko bared her teeth in a devilish grin, like a shark goading its prey. Even though the fall had bruised her a little, she felt none of the pain from the cuts on her arms and face. All she knew was that she still had her knife in her hands and the her terror on the girl's scratched-up face, illuminated by the pale moon. Instinctively, the girl scrambled backwards on her hands and her bottom, flinching away each time Iko stepped forward to close the distance. Still, the girl didn't dare take her eyes off Iko. It didn't matter if the others had caught up. Iko couldn't hear them. The night was silent, a rush of blood in her ears. Even the crickets had calmed to listen. The two girls held each other's gazes. One monster, one roadkill. One predator, one prey. If either made a single sudden move, the other would react.

The girl's hand closed around something.

A beam of light cut over the cowering tribute from her right.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you, sweetheart," Titus drawled, stepping into view. The girl let out a whimper, and recoiled, a rock tumbling out of her hold. She couldn't be more than sixteen, already devoid of fight. There was no place for weakness in these Games. Titus flicked a glance at Alex, who closed in on her left with Sage, their weapons drawn and trained on the girl. Titus' lips were curved into a wolfish grin. "What should we do with her?"

"Get rid of her, obviously," Sage said. Then, she jerked her chin up at Elias, who hung back, unable to meet anyone's eyes. "Hey, Ten, do you know her?"

Elias flinched. In the time that they'd spent hunting the girl down to this moment, Iko hadn't even registered her face or even realised her district number. The girl's gaze snapped to him. Her pathetic eyes went wide. Desperation twisted her pallid features. "Elias, please. It's me, Lila. Remember? I'm your neighbour. I've lived next to you for years. Please help me. Please—"

Titus let out a laugh like he was taking chunks out of the air and spitting them back out. "Oh, this is so precious. Hey, Ten, you've had no kills so far. That's kinda unbecoming of someone in the pack." His expression turned cruel, like the light glinting off a snake's fangs, his voice dripping venom and vitriol. "Why don't you claim this one?"

Horror flickered over Elias' face. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, a million convoluted emotions warring for dominance in his wide eyes—fear, disgust, sadness, anger—until he couldn't bear to look at his district partner anymore.

A darkness inside Iko reached through her chest and twisted its roots through the empty space between her lungs. Riding the toxicity of the environment, Iko flipped the knife over her knuckles. She sent Elias a look that cut him to ribbons. "Gut her, or we gut you first."

Alex handed Elias a gun. "Through her heart. And make it quick, we need to get moving."

Through her heart—she suffers less. Iko almost scoffed. Leave it to Alex to ease up on the guy and still maintain his tone of brutality.

For an endless moment, Elias stared at the gun dumbly, like he couldn't figure out what he was supposed to do with it. A beat passed. Alex lost patience and pressed the barrel of the gun to Elias' chest until he realised what his fate would look like if he refused, or if he took too long. Lila sniffled, swallowing down the lump in her throat.

"It's okay," Lila whispered, her wavering voice retreating into her body. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Resignation. That was the look on her face. Iko couldn't help the disdain tugging her lip into a snarl. How could one resign to death so easily—especially when they were begging for their life just seconds ago? Did this girl have no shred dignity, or was she so sheltered that she wouldn't even think twice about bringing her district shame?

Lila attempted a reassuring smile, but it collapsed, melancholy tinging her eyes. "It's okay. I forgive you."

Elias opened his mouth, but no words came. Perhaps he wasn't good with them. Perhaps it was the fact that nothing he could say would ever make this right. People from home were watching. Iko wondered if Lila's parents would ever find it in themselves to forgive Elias the way Lila was right then.

"For fuck's sake, can we hurry this up a little?" Sage let out an explosive sigh, staking the point of her sword into the ground and leaning her weight against it like a cane. "I'm not getting any younger here!"

Elias' hands shook as he raised the gun, aiming for Lila's chest. Lila's composure fell apart and she let out a muffled sob.

Iko heard Alex's bowstring tighten. His voice was granite when he spoke to Elias. "Three seconds. Make your decision."

"Just like putting down cattle, big guy," Titus mused.

"Two seconds," Alex said, his voice low, the threat clear as a knife to the heart. He trained his arrow on Elias' back. Elias' finger was already on the trigger. He just had to pull it. Just one tiny sliver of pressure, and the night would be over. They could go back to the cave and savour the small victory. But for a fraction of a second, Iko didn't think that Elias could do it. Didn't think he had the guts to kill his own district partner. And he would end up with a silver arrow through his own heart before Iko was allowed to finish off Lila.

Already bored, Iko traced her index finger over the edge of her blade. If Elias didn't—

"One."

Elias squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the trigger. A gunshot rang out. Lila's body dropped to the ground, her empty eyes open and glassy, blood blossoming from a hole in her chest, right where her heart should be. A canon went off. Elias' face went dead.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.
poor elias. anyway.... i miss writing action.