A/N: I don't own anything. Thank you for the follows, favorites, and reviews. PM me if you have any questions, suggestions, or anything. Enjoy!

-Rooney1077

Katniss Everdeen had never felt so blindsided and confused in her entire life. Well, not counting her father dying and Prim getting reaped and her becoming a tribute in the Hunger Games. If Katniss were being completely honest, it was an overstatement. What Katniss could not wrap her head around was how someone could fall in love with Katniss or even begin to like her when they would have to kill her the next day and didn't knew little to nothing about her. This had to be a joke, some sick joke Percy was playing on Katniss because she wasn't falling over him like he was probably used to. Katniss got over her shock quickly before a wave of rage settled over her. How dare he? How dare Percy Jackson make a fool out of her, make her look weak? Katniss had never felt so enraged in her life. Again, another overstatement. Katniss wanted to push past the other tributes and run across the stage, find Percy, and shoot him like Katniss shot her a squirrel in the woods back in 12.

Katniss spent so much time thinking about different ways to kick Percy's ass, she hadn't realized that someone was tugging her shoulder. Katniss snapped her head to the side, seeing a man with swirling black and white hair waiting for her irritably. Katniss blinked, looking at the stage. No one was stirring by Caesar, she was next.

Katniss walked up the steps to the stage and across the floor to shake Caesar Flickerman's outstretched hand. The blare of the cheers from the audience and the realization that she was actually having the interview with Caesar rung in her ears. She could see Caesar's lips moving, probably asking her a question, but Katniss couldn't hear. "What?" She asked dumbly, causing Caesar and the audience to laugh.

"Look like someone's a little nervous. Rightfully so, I must admit. I said, the Capitol must be a change from District 12. What's impressed you the most since you arrived here?" He repeated.

Katniss racked her brain for something that would sound stupid or embarrass her and her District, and the remembered what Cinna had told her. Be honest, be honest, Katniss chanted. "The lamb stew."

Caesar laughs along with some of the audience. "The one with the dried plums?" Katniss nodded, a small smile appearing on her face. "Oh, I eat it by the bucketful," he turned to the side, facing the audience. He placed a hand on his stomach in horror. "It doesn't show, does it?" The audience cackled. Katniss realized he was helping her. Caesar turned to her with a serious facade. "Now, Katniss, when you came out in the opening ceremonies, my heart actually stopped. What did you think of that costume?"

Katniss looks to Cinna in the audience. He gives her a nod. Be honest, Katniss thought again. "You mean after I got over my fear of being burned alive?" She asked. The crowd laughs a genuine laugh.

Caesar cracks a grin, "yes, start there."

Katniss locked eyes with Cinna again. The words effortlessly flowed from her mouth without thinking. "I thought Cinna was brilliant and it was the most gorgeous costume I'd ever seen and I couldn't believe I was wearing it. I can't believe I'm wearing this either!" Katniss picks up the skirt, showing it off to the audience. "I mean look at it!" Cinna catches her attention. He's mouthing something, twirl for me, Katniss thought. He twirled his finger slowly. Katniss nodded and stood up. She slowly turned in a circle once. The audience roared in approval of the small flames dancing along the dress.

"Don't stop!" Caesar chided with a fascinated smile. Katniss nodded with a large smile and twirled faster. The flames grew larger, licking along her arms and the bodice of her dress. Katniss began to feel dizzy, off balance.

"I have to, I'm dizzy!" She giggled. Katniss surprised herself as the sound came out of her mouth. Never in her life had Katniss Everdeen giggled. It must've been the nerves and the twirling.

Caesar wraps an arm around Katniss, steadying her. "Don't worry, I've got you. Can have you following in your mentor's footsteps." The cameras find Haymitch, and everyone hooted and hollered for him. He sways them away with a smile, pointing back up to Katniss. "It's alright. She's Safe up here with me." Caesar helped Katniss back into her seat. "So, what about the training score? An eleven. Give us a hint what happened in there."

Katniss glanced up at the gamemakers in the balcony. They glared down at her. "All I can say, is I think it was a first."

Caesar placed a hand on his chest. "You're killing us! Details. Details." He sounded very convincing.

Katniss looked up at the gamemakers. "I'm not supposed to tell, am I?" She shouted.

They shook their heads. One of them, Katniss recognized him as the man who fell in the punch bowl, shouted, "she's not!"

"I have one more question for you," Caesar said seriously. He grabbed her hands, looking down and then back up at her. "It's about your sister." Katniss sucked in air at the mention of Prim. She didn't want to talk to the Capitol about her sister. "We were all very moved, I think, when you volunteered for her at the Reaping." The audience was completely silent, hanging onto every word Caesar said. "Did she come and say goodbye to you?"

"Yes, she did," Katniss murmured softly, staring at Caesar.

He nodded. "She did. And what did you say to her in the end?" In the end. It sounded like Caesar was implying that Katniss would probably never see her again. In the end.

Be honest. Katniss clenched her fists under Caesar's hands. "I told her that I would try to win," she paused. "That I would try to win for her."

"Of course you did." Caesar patted her hand with a sad smile. "And try you will." Caesar planted a sweet kiss on her hand and stood, bring Katniss up with him. "Ladies and gentlemen, from District 12, Katniss Everdeen, the Girl On Fire!" Katniss waved goodbye to the audience and Caesar and thankfully walked off to the curtains without tripping in her heels. She let out a large sigh of relief as Peeta took the stage. However, she didn't pay any attention to his interview. Katniss stormed into the hallway, past Effie who congratulated her, and to Haymitch, Cinna, Finnick Odair, Mags Flanagan, and Percy. Katniss makes a beeline for him.

Percy only has enough to say, "Hey, Girl On Fire, nice interview," before Katniss slammed her palms into his chest with a great amount of force and sent him falling into a wall and an ugly urn. The urn shattered into sharp, thick shards on the floor. Percy fell right onto the pile of shards, his hands breaking most of the fall. Unfortunately, his hands broke the fall right onto the sharp shards. Percy pushed himself up, blood gushing from his arms and hands, pieces of the urn still in his hands. Haymitch and Cinna pull Katniss back as she lunged for him. He winced as Finnick and Effie who just appeared pulled the shards from his arms and hands.

"Nice to see you too," he growled, looking up at her.

"You had no right! No right to talk about me like that–to say those things about me!" Katniss screamed against Cinna and Haymitch. She turned to Haymitch, her eyes burning. "This was your idea, wasn't it? To turn me into some fool in front of the entire country!"

Haymitch scowled at her. Finnick stood up, his face twisted in irritation as he looked at his tribute in the ground, bloody. "Actually it was mine," he said.

Haymitch ran a hand through his greasy blonde hair. "You are a fool!" Katniss glowered at him as he continued. "Do you think that boy hurt you? He gave you something you could never achieve on your own!"

"He made me look weak!"

"She's definitely taking it well," Percy muttered. Katniss glared at him fiercely.

"He made you look desirable. And let's face it, sweetheart, you can use all the help you can get in that department. You were about as romantic as dirt up until he said he wanted you. Now they all do. You two are all they're talking about: the star-crossed lovers from the 74th Hunger Games," Haymitch tried explaining some sense into her. Finnick helped Percy up. The boy stared at Katniss with a clenched jaw.

"We are not star-crossed lovers!" Katniss seethed, pointing at Percy.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Believe me Katniss, you are the last girl I would've picked to become lovers with. You're cold, and no matter how hard I try for you to warm up to me, you're still as icy as before. I would've at least chosen a girl who didn't hate me, but I'm your best chance at getting far, and you're my best chance." The joking, nice boy from before was gone. Percy regarded her as an annoyance as of now.

"He's right, Katniss," Cinna put a gentle hand on her shoulder, looking back at Percy.

"I should've been told, so I didn't look so stupid," she began, referring to the camera that went straight to her as soon as Percy 'declared his love' for her.

Effie interrupted. "No, your reaction was perfect. If you'd known, it wouldn't have read as real."

"You didn't even say you loved me. So what does it matter?" Percy scowled.

Katniss sighed, feeling her anger go away, understanding. She thought back to her interview, her giggling, her spinning. The only real substance in the interview was when she talked about Prim. He did her a favor. Katniss looked to everyone. "After he said he loved me, did you think I could be in love with him, too?"

Clio, Percy's stylist, nodded. "I did. The way you avoided the camera, the blush." Everyone else nodded, agreeably.

Haymitch gripped Katniss's shoulders. "You're golden sweetheart; you're going to have sponsors lined up around the block for you." Katniss, embarrassed at her reaction, looked at Percy, but he was being led away by Finnick, Mags, and Clio. Haymitch nodded his head at the screen. "Come on, let's watch the rest of Peeta's interview and then go up and eat." Katniss nodded, begrudgingly, allowing Haymitch to lead the group to a couple of chairs. Cinna gave her a pat on the hand, tell her she did amazing in her interview. She gave him an appreciative smile.

Katniss continuously asked Haymitch about the details of her and Percy's situation for the rest of the night. Were they allies? Were they friends? Did they have to stick together in the arena? Was Katniss going to have to act like she loved him? At the thought of having to act like Percy's lover, she wanted to vomit.

Katniss wondered how long Percy had known of Finnick's plan. Was it the whole time? Was he just talking to her from the beginning in hopes that she would magically fall in love with him? Katniss wondered if she would have to be the one to kill Percy.

If the time comes, Katniss would easily get the job done. Or so she hoped.

The actual Games didn't start until 10:00 A.M. Percy was, of course, awoken ridiculously early that morning by a sad-looking Clio. Percy wasn't allowed to sleep in on the last day he may be alive, which irritated him immensely. Last night after the interviews, Percy had said goodbye to Finnick, Mags, and Orchid. They wouldn't be accompanying him to the place where the arena was. Finnick reminded him of what he was to do when the gong sounded.

"The Careers don't trust you, so be sure to stay clear of them. Grab Amelia, and take a backpack–it'll most likely have the bare minimum essentials. After the bloodbath, when the coast is clear, you can go back and get what weapons or whatever you need, alright?"

Percy nodded, crossing him arms. "What about Katniss? Are we not sticking together?" He was confused as to how he was supposed to show the entire country how much he loved Katniss if he wasn't going to be with her in the arena.

Finnick shook his head. "Not right away. She doesn't trust you yet, and you don't know if she'll try to kill you or Amelia in your sleep." Percy nodded understandably. "Take your time. But at some point, you too will have to find each other to make sure and sell the star-crossed lovers." Finnick made a broad gesture with his hands.

Mags gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before following Orchid and Finnick. Percy said goodbye to Amelia, telling her he would see her tomorrow, and left for his room to try to get a good nights sleep.

Clio gave Percy a small jacket to put over the clothes he slept in. Just before they left, Percy grabbed Annabeth's cap and stuffed it in his pocket. Clio led him to the top of the Training Center where a small hovercraft was waiting for him. Inside the hovercraft, a woman dressed in all white directed Clio and Percy to two chairs. She pulled out a long syringe. Percy tensed as she walked toward him with it. "It's just your tracker, Perseus." Without warning, she shoved the needle in his skin, and pushed the metal tracker deep into his forearm. Percy held back a wince at the sudden pain. He nervously gripped the white and blue hat in his lap. Clio's eyes shot toward it, and stole it away. Percy was about to chew her out, but Clio just gave him a wink and a 'shh', putting her index finger to her bright purple lips.

An Avox directed Percy and Clio to a small table with food for them. Percy immediately ate everything, including Clio's food, which she graciously let him have. "You need if more than I do," her tone was surprisingly sad. Percy thanked her, and continued to stuff his face with the delicious breakfast. The ride to the arena was about 30 minutes. The Avox led them toward the ladder, that descended down into the catacombs beneath the arena for the tributes and stylists. Percy looked around, wondering if he'd see Amelia or Thresh and Rue or anyone that was familiar. He saw no one but his own reflection in the stainless steel walls.

They finally made it to the Stockyard, or the Launch Room, as the Capitol called it. Many of the Districts called it the Stockyard, as it is so much like the place where animals go before they're slaughtered. Clio began to lay out Percy's clothes he would wear along with the cap while Percy took a long shower. He stayed under the constant stream of warm water, wondering if that would be the last time he would feel water as warm or water at all. Percy climbed out, and dried off quickly before heading over to Clio whom was waiting for him.

She allowed Percy to put on his own clothes this time. Percy pulled on the itchy, tawny pants and comfortable black boots before tugging a light green shirt over his wet head and pulling on a black hooded jacket. Clio stuffed Annabeth's hat into Percy's jacket pocket. "Everything comfortable?" She asked. Percy moved and walked around. He nodded silently.

Percy waited for two hours, drinking water and chewing on a loaf of bread, green bread like the kind from home. A nice voice belonging to a woman stated it was time for launch. Percy hesitantly looked over to the transparent tube in the middle of the room, and then glanced back to Clio. He pulled out two knots tied in the form of fish, grey and green. He made them on the last day of training for Annabeth and his mother. Percy handed them to Clio. "If I don't win, give these to my mom and Annabeth Chase, please."

Clio gave him a small smile. "I'll give it to them personally. Though, I hope I won't have to." She squeezed Percy's arm and led him to the tube. As soon as Percy stepped into it, it closed sharply. Percy turned from Clio with one last smile and glanced up, looking for whatever awaited him in the arena. Percy wondered if he would be hit with a wave of water, or if he would immediately feel the sting of cold wind, or if sand would seep into his boots the moment the tube breached the surface. Percy silently hoped it was water. He could survive easily for years around water if he had to.

Percy was instead hit with the smell of pine and a bright white light, making him wonder if he was already dead. Percy shook off the sting in his eyes and looked around. 23 other tributes were all glancing around them, taking in the sight of the tall trees, the Cornucopia, and the other tributes. It was a forest, something Percy had never been in. Percy lived closer to the city in District 4 than any forests, so he had never been able to go inside any. Great. Numerous trees varying in type and height darted from the ground, blocking what lay beyond them. They thinned out a little ways behind the Cornucopia, and Percy could just see the sparkle of water.

Percy looked for Amelia, who was one pedestal to the right from Percy. They locked eyes, her brown ones panicked. She glanced to the ground, and Percy could tell she wanted to step off. No, Percy mouthed, shaking his head slowly, stay right there. Percy glanced at the semi circle the tributes made around the tall, silver Cornucopia. His eyes found Katniss to the right of Amelia, a few pedestals away from them. She glanced at the bow and arrow leaning against a crate hesitatingly, and then looked to the woods. She found Percy's eyes; they also looked panicked.

"Ladies and gentleman," Claudius Templesmith's voice boomed all around them, "let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!" Percy waited anxiously, watching the clock count down from 60. His eyes searched for a backpack, easily finding two of them leaning against each other to the left of Amelia, a little ways in front of the tribute that separated her from Percy.

5...4...3...

Percy glanced back at Katniss one more time.

2...1

The gong sounded loudly, and Percy immediately jumped off his pedestal, his boots crunching in the short, green grass. He ran to the right, past the backpacks, going straight for Amelia, dodging the boy that was in between them. He needed to get Amelia before anyone had the chance to kill her. She stood on her pedestal looking around at everyone as they sprinted for the Cornucopia. Percy tugged her from the pedestal. He pulled her toward his chest and picked up her legs. He sprinted toward the two backpacks, carrying Amelia in his arms. Amelia grabbed the two packs and stuffed them under her jacket. Percy glanced up to see Katniss run toward a backpack, only for another tribute to steal it away. She looked around, panicked.

Percy, without thinking, called her name. "Katniss!" Her head snapped up, her grey eyes searching for the voice who yelled for her. She found Percy's eyes. Percy grabbed one of the backpacks and threw it to her. Katniss caught it with ease, staring at him before she fled for the trees. Percy stared at the place where she was distractedly, and then felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder.

"Percy!" Amelia yelled. He looked down at his shoulder, seeing a shiny silver blade peaking out from his jacket. His eyes widened, and he looked behind himself. Clove, the female tribute from 2, stood a few yards from him and Amelia with a sick grin, holding a set of blades. Percy took off in a sprint for the other end of the woods, just dodging another knife. Percy swerved past tree after tree until he and Amelia got deep enough into the forest where they couldn't see the Cornucopia. Percy breathed heavily setting Amelia down against a tree trunk. He plopped down next to her, careful not to push the blade in deeper in his shoulder.

Amelia looked over at him, her eyes widening. "You haven't taken the knife out?" She whispered, her hand going from the knife in his right shoulder. Percy flinched away, causing pain to flare up in his shoulder, slowly making its way down his back.

Percy clenched his fists. "If I take it out, it'll bleed faster. And if there's nothing in that backpack that'll close it up, I'll lose a lot of blood or it'll get infected."

Amelia furrowed her eyebrows. "Doesn't it hurt?"

Percy wanted to roll his eyes at the stupid question. He wanted to give her some kind of rude, sarcastic retort, but didn't see the benefit in that. She was just worried for him. Percy shook his head. "It's fine. Just a sting." Percy wanted to change subjects. He nodded at the backpack in her lap. "What's in there?"

Amelia unzipped the backpack, and pulled an unopened box of matches out. Percy wouldn't be using that unless for emergencies. Starting a fire would only draw unwanted attention to them–probably get them killed. Next she pulled out a small, silver thermos, handing it to Percy. He spun the cap, opening it, hoping to find water or something else, but it was empty. Percy set it down next to the matches. Amelia pulled out a small, reflective blanket and rope. Percy sighed in relief at the rope; he could do basically anything with a rope. Amelia set the backpack on the ground covered in leaves with an irritable sigh.

"That all?" Percy asked. Amelia nodded and started putting everything back in the backpack.

"What now?" Amelia questioned, looking around at the trees, almost in awe. Percy guessed she had never been in a forest either from the looks of it.

Percy stood up, slinging the backpack around his uninjured shoulder. Percy's eyes raked the trees for an idea. In reality, Percy had no idea what to do. The forest was not in his list of places where he thrived in. He had no idea how to hunt for food in a forest, and they didn't have any weapons, except for the one stuck in Percy's shoulder. Percy closed his eyes and thought back to his conversations with Finnick, searching for anything that would help them.

"Retrace your steps. Find a source of drinking water. Do not create a fire. Find or build a shelter before nightfall. Fashion a weapon you can use for self defense. Find a source of food. Travel in one direction during daylight," Percy muttered.

Amelia frowned. "What?"

"That's what Finnick told me. First, we find water," Percy replied. He pulled out the thermos from the backpack and handed it to Amelia.

"How do we do that?"

"Well, living things need water right?" Amelia nodded, having a feeling she knew where Percy was headed with it. "So we follow animal tracks, or bird, or even bugs. They need water to survive, so we just follow them and they'll hopefully lead us to water," he explained. Percy turned from her and began trudging through logs and piles of leaves looking around. "You look at the sky for birds. I'll look for tracks or bugs," Percy called back. Amelia nodded, and followed him, occasionally looking up at the sky.

They must've walked for hours, pushing through thickets, trees, shrubs. Percy made sure they didn't step on any snares. Amelia was getting tired of walking, and searching the sky for birds. She was also thirsty and hungry. "This is pointless," she groaned, stopping.

Percy sighed, turning around. He was dripping in sweat, his bangs sticking to his forehead. He rubbed his eyes and threw the backpack at Amelia's feet. He placed his hands on his hips and stared at the young girl. "Look, I know you're tired and stuff. I am too. But that's not gonna go away by sitting here or complaining. We need to find water." Amelia rolled her eyes and plopped down next to the backpack. She put her head in her hands. "We're close, I can feel it. If we just–oomf!" Amelia looked up to see a body hurtling for Percy, throwing them both to the ground. A boy with dark hair wrestled Percy to the ground, straddling him, his hands squeezing Percy's neck. Amelia sat in shock as the boy tried to choke Percy.

With a growl, Percy hooked his leg underneath the boy's and spun them around so Percy was on top. He started to punch the boy in the face, until the boy pulled out the knife from Percy's shoulder. Percy let out a scream of pain before having to dodge a stab at his head. The boy tried to stab Percy again, but he caught the boy's hands between his own. Percy turned the knife in the boy's hands, pushing against the other boy's hands. The knife slowly headed for the boy's face. Percy took the chance of taking away one of his hands and punching the tribute on the ground, causing the boy to lose focus. Percy took the knife and stabbed the kid in the chest 3 times, making sure he was dead. A second later, the cannon boomed, signaling his death.

Percy let out a breath, and leaned away, the knife still in his hand. Blood from his shoulder dripped onto the kid's face. Percy breathed heavily, looking down at his hands, the boy's blood soaking them. His eyes wide, Percy pushed himself off the boy and scooted back. Percy just killed someone. He just killed a kid. It sunk in, just like the knife had sunk into the boy's chest. Percy started to breathe quickly, his heart pounding. Percy dropped the knife and clenched his head. He wanted to cry, but he remembered where he was and the cameras. Percy quickly shook his head and rose, wiping the blood from his head and hair. Amelia was sitting against a tree, her brown eyes wide with shock and fear.

Percy wanted to scream at her, ask her why she did nothing when the boy almost killed him. But he understood that she was terrified, remembering that she was only 13 years old. She was a kid. Percy grabbed the knife, wiping the blood on the ground silently. He made his way over to the backpack and Amelia. Percy reached out to touch her shoulder, but thought better of it. "Amelia," Percy said. She slowly turned her head to face him. "I need you to light a match. We need to cauterize this," he nodded down at his shoulder that was still bleeding. Amelia didn't move. "Hey," Percy snapped his fingers in her face. "Amelia, I need your help. Come on."

The young girl blinked, and then went to work. She pulled out the box of matches and took on out. She slid the match along the box, lighting it. The fire was small. Percy took the match gently and placed it under the side of the blade of his knife. After a minute, the blade turned a dull orange. Percy blew the match out and tossed it away. "Amelia, I need you to hold this. Carefully." Amelia nodded and slowly took the knife from his hand. Percy quickly took off his jacket and bloodstained, light green shirt, wincing at the movement of his injured shoulder. He set his clothes on the ground beside him and scooted closer to Amelia. "I need you to press the flat of the blade, the hot side, against my shoulder," Percy said softly, pointing to his stab wound. "Okay?" Amelia nodded silently.

Percy placed a part of his shirt in his mouth to muffle his scream. He then grabbed onto part of the tree to steady himself. Amelia locked eyes with him, and Percy nodded. The girl slowly pushed the hot end of the blade against Percy's wound, searing it shut. Percy screamed as the fire burned him. The pain was excruciating, the worst pain he had ever felt, but it was over in a few seconds. Amelia quickly pulled the blade away from him, and tore the shirt from Percy's mouth. He breathed heavily, his tan chest rising and falling slowly. He looked over at his shoulder. The wound was closed, but the skin was burned and charred. Percy leaned against a tree, catching his breath. After a moment, Percy stood.

"We gotta go," he said, picking up his shirt and jacket. "The hovercraft will be here soon." Percy nodded over at the dead boy. Amelia stood up, grabbing the backpack. Percy threw Amelia his shirt and jacket. She put it in the backpack. Percy wanted to let his seared skin breathe before covering it with something that will probably irritate it. It may even get me sponsors, Percy thought. "Let's go."

Amelia caught up to him, walking at his side. "Water?" She asked, staring up at him.

"Yes," Percy replied without looking at her. They walked for a few more hours, deeper into the woods. It was beginning to get dark, so Percy suggested they find some place to rest for the night.

Percy pulled on his shirt and bunched up his jacket at the foot of the tree, giving Amelia a place to lay her head. He pulled out the reflective blanket, turning it on the other side and handing it to her. Percy said he would take first watch, but what first watch really meant was that he would be staying up all night as Amelia couldn't take care of herself and Percy. As soon as it was completely dark outside, the Capitol anthem began to play. The crest of the Capitol lit up the night sky.

The first faces to pop up in the sky were the tributes from District 3, then the male tribute from District 5, both the tributes from 6 and 7, the boy from 8 which Percy had killed, both from 9, and the girl from 10. That added up to be 11. Almost half had been killed in the first day. Percy let out a breath when he didn't see Thresh, Rue, Peeta, or Katniss's face in the sky. Percy tried not to think about what had happened earlier today as he sat against a tree, knife in hand. Think of something happy, Percy chided. Percy took out Annabeth's blue and white hat and clutched it tightly, breathing slowly.

Percy thought about his mother coming home everyday with a bag full of candy she had stolen throughout the day during work. Percy thought about sitting in the floor with his mom, eating the candy happily. Percy remembered walking home from school with Annabeth and Grover, giving Grover swimming lessons. Percy remembered Grover splashing around wildly in the lake behind Percy's house, Annabeth laughing at both of them while doing her homework. Annabeth helping Percy with his homework, and Percy finally giving up, but Annabeth never giving up. Percy wondered if Annabeth, Grover, and his mom were watching right now. Did they see him kill that boy? Percy prayed they didn't, but they probably did. Percy could only imagine the disgust on their faces, just like the disgust they showed when watching the past Games.

Percy needed to get his mind off of everything. He stood quietly, careful not to wake Amelia because if he did, Percy would be hearing about it the next day. Percy looked back at the young girl and thought, she'll be fine, I'm just walking a few hundred yards. Percy knew Amelia would want water the minute she woke up, and looking for it for just an hour or so by himself would do more good than harm. Percy grabbed the thermos from the backpack. He was sure not to step on any leaves so he would wake Amelia. Percy looked around at the trees, running his hand along the bark. Dry. Where there was water, the trees would be moister, as Percy learned at the Training Center in the Wildlife station. Percy was glad that he had "wasted" his time at that station.

Percy blindly followed along the trees that were moist in the dark of the night, not knowing where he was going or where he was stepping. After about an hour of mindlessly walking, until he stepped in something that splashed. Percy stopped, mid-step, and crouched down, widening his eyes to see better in the darkness. Percy cautiously dipped his finger in the liquid, hoping what he was touching wasn't blood or pee.

"Please don't be urine," Percy closed his eyes, and brought his finger to his lips. Percy let out a breath at the tasteless liquid, water. Percy splashed the cold water on his face, relishing in it. He ran his wet hands through his hair, sighing. Percy dipped the small thermos in the water. Don't drink, Percy thought. The water was most likely not clean. He would need to boil it later once he got back to Amelia. Percy grabbed a stick and stood. He began to make his way back to their camp, drawing a line in the mud and dirt, leaving a trail for him to find the next day.

Percy trudged back to camp, excited to wake Amelia and show her the water, not caring if she would be crabby the rest of the day because he interrupted her sleep. But when Percy saw the familiar tree and didn't see Amelia's sleeping body under and or any of the supplies, he panicked. He rushed under the tree picking up his jacket that she was sleeping on. Percy whipped his head around, clutching his jacket. "Amelia!" He whisper-yelled. Percy stood. "Amelia? Amel–" A blunt object hit Percy on the back of his head, knocking him out. Percy's body thudded to the ground loudly beneath his attackers' feet.

Cato, Marvel, Glimmer, Clove, and Peeta stood over him, Cato swinging a metal bat in his hand. He grinned down at an unconscious Percy, nodding. "Oh, this is going to be fun."