Finding the Lost District (open)

[Jasik]

Icarus Blight

I swing from branch to branch, loving the feeling that I'm flying. I barely touch a branch before swinging off of it and gripping another, then another, then another. Finally, I swing to the ground, rolling on my shoulder to break my fall. I stand up with, pumped with adrenaline. It's getting late, and I decide to make camp. I begin looking for branches to make a shelter when something glints through the trees, catching my interest. There it is again, something shining in the gentle twilight. Excited at the prospect of discovery, I begin to leap over branches and run through the forest like a deer until there's only a few trees separating me from the mysterious glint. Time to be careful. I quickly climb to the top of a tree, so high that the weak branches bend slightly even under my weight. I peer through the layer of leaves that separate me from my new discovery.

Buildings. Lots and lots of buildings. Tall ones, small ones, crumbling ones, sturdy ones. I've never seen so many buildings at once, and none so big. The only buildings I've ever seen have been ancient, tiny shacks scattered through the wilderness, left over from what my father used to tell me was called "North America". Even those were rare, run down little things, really only a broken roof and a couple of walls falling apart, but they provided better shelter than branches. One time I found what looked like a village -- a good-sized cluster of the shacks that I lived in for a couple of months until a wolf pack came and claimed the place. But this is just unreal.

I pause. What if this is a district? I don't want to be caught. I've been living in the wilderness for my entire life, but my father used to mention that if the "Peacekeepers" found us we'd be in big trouble. But there's no one in the streets of this place, and a lot of the buildings are falling apart. There aren't any signs of life. After some though I leap to the ground, the only thing keeping me from breaking my legs being my occasional grabs at branches. I hit the ground running and tear through the brambles and bushes until I'm standing on the outside of a tall fence. It's breaking apart from years of neglect, so I just slip through a hole and stare in awe at the place. I know there's a name for it in the back of my mind somewhere. My father used to tell me stories of the old days, back when there was a war. He said a certain place got destroyed, but I can't remember exactly what it was...

District 13. That's it. The lost district. He never told me much more, but it always intrigued me. Mouth hanging open, I take a step, then another, until I'm walking through the maze of buildings, staring in awe at my surroundings. Suddenly, I know something is behind me. I don't know what alerted me -- a change in the air, a tiny noise, a feeling that I'm being watched -- but I spin around, quickly pulling my quarterstaff off of my back and holding it ready.

((lol sorry for the long post, but this is my first post for this charrie and I wanted it to be epic xD))

[GirlOnFire]

( OOC: I like long posts, don’t worry )

Aderyn Lacole;*

It’s been awhile since Aderyn had gazed upon the wonder that is the remains of District 13. For the entirety of your life your told stories of this place, of the war and how because of it, nothing but shambles remain. She used to wonder here all the time, roaming from building to building. It’s not nearly as destroyed and rundown as she had always imagined as a kid. Sometimes she would take refuge in building that were still in strongly standing. The place has a ghostly feel to it, you walk the streets and expect to see faces peering at you through the windows. She often wonders how many other people have stumbled upon this place in their wonderings. Perhaps she is not the only one who takes refuge here. Perhaps she is not the only one who marvels at such a place.

Now she stands inside one of the smaller buildings, probably a house once. One of the walls has fallen in and the roof is supported only by the three remaining. It’s been so long since she explored all the houses that she’s almost convinced they’ll be different. Houses that were once standing will be fallen and nothing but rubble. Aderyn runs her hand along the wall, imagining the life that used to inhabit these very walls so long ago when the distinct sound of walking rouses her from her musings. Instantly alert one hand reaches for her large knife on instinct and pulls it out of her belt. The knife itself is only about as long as half her arm, running from the tips of her fingers to her elbow, but it does it’s job well.

Retreating through the broken down wall in the back she slinks around the side of the house, being very careful not to knock and small pebbles with her feet or make any noise at all. It is after all, illegal to be out here and Aderyn has no idea is Capitol people are ever sent here to hunt down wonderers. Peeking around the side of a house she see’s him. Not very big in size and the brown rag of hair on his head indicated he does his own cutting. Very clearly not a Peacekeeper, but even the smallest of people can be the deadliest. Her first thought is to turn around and pretend as if she’s never been here, but her curiosity wins out. Before she can open her mouth or take even a step the boy spins and pulls out his weapon. It was all done in the blink of an eye, and she’s suddenly glad her knife is already poised in front of her defensively.

“Put that down before you hurt yourself, kid”

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[Jasik]

I don't put my weapon down. The few people I've seen in my life have either been hostile highwaymen or nutjobs so insane that they're convinced I'm a giant bar of soap. This girl is at least talking sensibly, so I'm fairly certain she's not insane, but she may still be a threat. I size her up. Probably a couple years older than me and about my size, but not thin from lack of food like I am. She might be a challenge. "Who are you and what do you want from me?" I ask. I try to sound more confident than I am, but my voice wavers a bit at the end. To make up for it, I tighten my already firm grip on my quarterstaff and take a step forward, waiting for her to attack. Then I notice the backpack she carries. It probably has food. My mouth waters. I need that backpack and its contents, but I obviously won't get ahold of it without a fight.

[GirlOnFire]

They stand face to face, a showdown, either clutching their weapon of choice to them like a lifeline. It very well could be mine, she thinks. Now that she’s facing the boy she gets a good like at him, and she see’s him doing the same thing. Nearly the same height, but the boy is slighter then Aderyn, as if he doesn’t feed as well.

She hears his voice quiver slightly when he speaks, betraying his tough exterior slightly. She shifts but does not step back when he boy steps towards her, as if in a challenge. She notices his eyes flick to her game back positioned tightly on her back and linger there. Does he mean to fight her for it?

She stares at him for a moment before taking a big risk, and lowers her knife, relaxing her aggressive posture. She does not answer his first question, you don’t give your name to strangers unless you want the Capitol on your back.
“I’m hunting, what’s your excuse? It’s not often you run into folk out here.”
She remains alert and cautious as she awaits his next move.

[Jasik]

The girl lowers her weapon, but I don't put mine down. I still don't know if she's a threat. I decide to tell her the truth, though. If she's an enemy, I can just dash off. The wilderness is so expansive, she would never find me. "I live in the wild," I say. "I've lived out here all my life, and I don't intend on leaving it." My eyes wander back to the bag that I'm now sure is full of food. I haven't eaten since yesterday morning. I haven't been able to catch anything or find edible plants. My stomach growls. I long for nourishment, but it's just out of reach...

[GirlOnFire]

She relaxes more now, after the boys admission, taking an even bolder risk and places her weapon back in her belt, crossing her arms over her chest. The boy keeps his weapon and body is a defensive stance, obviously not trusting the girl standing before him. But who can blame him? She had snuck up on him after all, not to mention trusting people to quickly is a sure fire way to get yourself killed. She recalls the way his eyes dart to her bag when she had said she was hunting.
“Why don’t you lower your weapon, hmm?” It’s not that she was scared, but she’d feel a hell of a lot better if she wasn’t the only one standing without their weapon. She slides the game bag down her arm and shifts it to the other one, the weight of it beginning to make her shoulder tender.

[Jasik]

I lower my quarterstaff, but I don't strap it back on my back. I just let it hang at my side, prepared but not threatening. Now I can't take my eyes off the bag. I want it. I need it. But how can I get it? I'm not gonna beg, but I have a feeling I can't fight for it. How can I get ahold of it? Maybe if I can get her to approach, I can grab it and run. I'm not above that kind of thing. When you're starved most of your life, right and wrong don't really matter much anymore. I take a tentative step forward. "My name is Icarus," I say, keeping my eyes fixed on hers, though it takes a lot of effort to not stare at the bag. "What's yours?"

[GirlOnFire]

She can tell how he struggles with keeping his eyes locked with hers, fighting to not look at the bag. She wonders if he’s forming some kind of plot in his head to get a hold of the bag. She can’t blame him, before she taught herself to hunt she went days without food. The feeling is not good, the cramping and the nausea, the intense craving for it. He has lowered his weapon now, and no longer seems threatening, now he looking like a hungry kid. She remembers when that was her, before she gained back at least half the weight she lost.
To her surprise he introduced himself, this could be a ruse of course. Get friendly and then attack. She would have be keep her guard, be on her toes.

“Aderyn.” She offers, not her last name, and no other information.
“Can you make a fire, Icarus?” She can make her own fire, of course she can, but she has a bag full of game, and this boy has none. She is an accomplished huntress, what is eaten now can be gained back.

[Jasik]

I nod slowly, allowing myself to look at the bag again. I can almost taste the perfect nourishment. My eyes flick back up to Aderyn's face. "I make them all the time," I say slowly. "I can't eat game without cooking it, right?" I offer her a quick smile, but then the hungry longing takes its place. Maybe if I can just get this girl to sit down next to a fire with me, I can swipe the bag...

[GirlOnFire]

“I’ll make you a deal, Icarus, make us a fire and we can split some of the game in my bag here. Do you have any water, by any chance?” Despite the amount of game Aderyn had in her pack, she didn’t actually have any water. It wasn’t an issue at first, she didn’t’ think she would be out in the forest for so long. But not she can feel the thirst creeping up her throat, her mouth going dry. It sounded like a fair deal in her own ears. Water for food? If he had water, then they each had something the other was in need of.
Aderyn shifted on her feet, once again shifting her game bag to the other shoulder as she waited for his reply.

[Jasik]

"I do have water," I say. I pull a battered canteen out of my knapsack and pass it to her. I grab some dry wood, probably a part of a house at some time, and bring it into a house that looks sturdy and hasn't fallen apart much. I stack the wood in the hearth and pull out my firestarter. I scrape away at the little metal block with my knife, sending off sparks onto the wood until they catch and begin to blaze. I coax the flame into filling the entire hearth. I turn to Aderyn. "So, how about that food?" I ask eagerly.

[GirlOnFire]

Aderyn walked over to where the young boy had made the fire, accepting the bottle of water he passed her eagerly. The boy was very eager for food, as she was for water, so before she opened her game bag, she took a nice long swig of it. It was cold and refreshing, soothing her dry throat. She sat down next to the fire and slid the game bag down to the ground in front of her. When she opened it, she took out the game on the top, which she had already cut to cook able pieces. She handed the boy a generous amount, knowing that he could say some of it-should he see fit-for tomorrow. “Go ahead, take it” She said, holding the meat out to the boy.

[Jasmine ((AKA Jaybird))]

Kale made her way through the forest jumping from branch to branch. She found a house and decided to check it out.She jumped onto a tree above the house. She took out her her bow and a couple arrows ready to shoot of anything made any move to hurt her. She was weary around people every since 7 years ago... But that was in the past.

[Jasik]

((Sorry for the late response, I've been busy. And Jaybird, they're in a house, so how can you be on a branch above them? xD))

I accept the food from Aderyn. I resist the urge to wolf it down raw and use some sticks to make a rough spit, slowly turning the meat over the fire. As I tend to the flames and cook the meat, I can't help but feel like I'm being watched. I look around, but I can't see anyone. Slowly, I return my attention to the meat. After a while, I look up at Aderyn. "So, where are you from?" I ask, trying to make small talk.

[Jasmine ((AKA Jaybird))]

OOC: srry you can tell i was tired i fixed it ^^

Kale quietly made her way to a window and found some people in the house. They where cooking, and it made her stomach rumble. She hadn't eaten since yesterday night. She was about to leave when she tripped over a large log that had fallen to the ground. She knew that would get the others attention. She hoped they didn't hear her.