Worth Three Lions [LBL vs Inbetweeners]

[Kire]

Marchello Donner

"I didn't care - I'd finally f o u g h t b a c k."

Velocity's district partner had had a bottle of booze in his bag, and after a few minutes had pulled it out. Eventually we had gotten to sharing it. After giving a toast to Velocity - I was sure she would have partaken if she had still been around - I drank deeply. My legs, both missing and injured, were hurting me and finally I had sat against the wall taking swig after swig from the bottle until I began to feel disconnected from everything. While I had become used to being cold all the time, and hardly noticed any shivering, it was odd to feel warm again. The alcohol in my veins filled me with warmth and I cherished the feeling. What was nice was that the overall sense of soreness, both physical and emotional, was dulling from the drink.

When I turned my head to look from Elverum to the girls my vision blurred and swam as I grew dizzy. It wasn't the same as the dizziness I had experienced yesterday and this morning, it was a much more comforting kind. I gave Elverum a sloppy smile and rubbed my palms against the ground. "I needed this." I indicated the bottle, or at least it looked to me like I had but my depth perception may have been thrown off from the booze. Between the two of us we had managed to drink the entire thing, and while I may have been somewhat unsteady on my feet with my cane leg, I felt like I could walk the length of the world without stopping. I clearly was drunk. Good.

It was getting late so I thanked him and got up - it was tricky but with the help of the wall I managed to stand - and stumbled over to where Lexi and Kate were. I pulled at the scarf around my neck, feeling suddenly overly warm. I tried to catch the eyes of both of them and wink, grinning like an idiot I'm sure. "Isss it jussst meee, or issss it reallllyy warm in heeeere?" I pulled at the scarf again, then tried to tug my gloves off. I was only half successful. Lexi came up to me with a panicked look, as though I was suddenly missing a head or something. "Marc, what are you doing?" Her hands were on mine, stopping me - or at least attempting to. I continued to grin at her, trying to wink again but not quite managing properly. "You'll get hypothermia like this."

My muddled brain didn't link the term to the probable death I would face and so I pulled my hands away and attempted to pull off my scarf again. It didn't seem to want to budge. "Haaiipohthurmehah? But youu'lll keeep me warm, riiiighht?" My words were slurring suddenly more than they were before, perhaps because there was a specific part of my body that was getting very warm due to how close she was. I could hear her exasperation in her movements as she adjusted my scarf back into proper place. As soon as she went to fix my gloves I was back to tugging at the scarf, hoping to pull it off this time. "Not if you're naked." I went back to removing my gloves, but I only managed to get one half off. Lexi trapped the hand in question and roughly tugged the glove back down on my hand. I flipped the mutt-skin hood off of my head, bending in as though I was going to kiss her - I probably would have too if she hadn't dodged to the side and fixed my scarf.

"I thhhought that you liiiked meeeee." I gave her what I approximated to be a puppy-dog look, though it could have just been a little bratty pout. Either way, it was close enough to what I wanted. "When you're sober." She took advantage of my pause in the removal of my clothes and fixed the hood of my pelt cloak back onto my head. Once more I was fully covered. I went back to yanking on my scarf, amused and hurt by what she had said, but mostly amused because of the look on her face. "Whellll I like youuuuu sooooo." I kept pulling at my scarf with one hand, but with the other I went to stroke her face. I was a little surprised when I actually touched her cheek, because some small part of my mind had continued to tell me that she wouldn't allow me to touch her, but then I ran a thumb over her cheekbone and down to her jaw. I didn't notice the light hands fixing my scarf once again.

Lexi stepped back from me and I gave her another pouting look. "Where aaaree youu goiiing?" I extended a hand towards her but I couldn't reach. "Iii don't care abouuuut haaiipohthurmehah." I grinned at her as playfully as I could manage. "The coooollld never booothered me anywayyyy!" I winked and flipped my hood back once more. "Seeeeee?" I smiled at her, probably looking like a moron. The face she gave me was one that said plain as day that she didn't think so. Then everything kinda faded out and I think she helped me to lay down but I don't honestly remember much else.

*  *  *

I had one hell of a headache when I woke up, and I wasn't exactly woken by a gentle touch either. Once more I was shaken awake, except roughly this time. With a silent helping hand, I stood up and made sure all of my stuff was in order. We then headed out just as the sun was beginning to show and made for the only direction that wasn't the solid wall of trees that made up the forest. It took a while to get there - long enough for the sun to now be more or less overhead - before we found some sort of determinable landmark. The scattered handful of igloos was kind of beautiful in its own way, but it was also somewhat sinister too. It felt like there was a presence here, one that had been here for a long time but had left no visible signs. To be truthful, it creeped me out - though I suppose the hangover didn't help in this regard.

I saw them before I heard them, two shapes crawling out of an igloo. The moment I recognized them every complaint about my hangover died in my throat. What replaced them was a single word. "Fuck." I pulled hatchets from my belt and then the jar of tar from my bag. I smeared the black goop over the blades and lit them, looking at Kate and Lexi. "Guess who." It wasn't a question. I nodded to the two figures, who I noticed were trying to balance on each other and hop forward. It seemed they both were missing part of their legs. Now they understood how I felt. The thought that the girl from Four had also had part of her leg missing make me smile grimly. It seemed like that career pack wasn't having the best of time.

It took me a moment to realize that there were only two of them. The other girl was gone somehow, disappeared or dead. Perhaps that last cannon we had heard yesterday had been for her. I had been passed out during the anthem - or at least I don't remember anything about it - so I could only assume they had left her behind for one reason or another. Careers were tough, so maybe they had ditched her because she turned out to be weak. Whatever the reason, it would make our lives easier to only have to deal with the two of them. "We really need to stop this feud," my voice wasn't pleading, it wasn't kind. I just wanted to not have to look into their faces anymore, especially that little shit from Ten. "And there's one way I know that will end it for sure." I knew I didn't have to say what that was, both Lexi and Kate were intelligent and would be able to figure it out within seconds.

I limped forward until I was within range with my throwing axes and then I brought back my arm. I really was sick of that fucking little prick. I threw it, hoping to hit him full in the face.

OOC Notes
[Marchello attacks Jordan Scoff-Reye with Throwing Hatchets]
L_looQaA200+10000
Bruised Head -- 3.5 damage

[Fire]
1-50
+2

[presto]

There's a memory of how we used to be
That I can see through the flames

[/presto]

[googlefont="Nothing You Could Do:400"]200+10000�1-50

[kousei ♚]

[presto] d a m a g e 1 8 . 5 [/presto]

[presto] f i f t e e n [/presto]

[presto] d i s t r i c t t e n [/presto]

[presto] I r o n [/presto]

[presto] t a b l e b y e l e g a n t [/presto]

[presto] J O R D A N   S C O F F - R E Y E Five times I blacked out after barely managing to escape from the mutts. The first few times had been from simply trying to move and the final two had been from trying to hastily bandage and stitch up my bleeding stump but it was just too painful. Before I knew it I'd be seeing stars and black and a few moments later I'd be face down while the cold slowly envelopes me. It's a nightmare, no, it's more than that. It's a never ending loop where death could be the best thing that could happen to me. Prunging into the arcane would be so much better than this, anything would be better than this. The cold made my stump numb and yet every prick of my needle sent shockwaves of pain through my body and I'd find myself gritting my teeth and biting back tears. I don't even bother to see if Jeff is okay. I guess I'm just selfish in that way - I could talk for as long as I want about how I tried so hard to protect Riot, Levi, Quartz, Jeff. At the end of the way I put myself in front of all of them. When those mutts near tore Quartz's head off I wasn't concerned for her, I was concerned with my own safety, I was concerned with getting myself out of here. I just grabbed Jeff and started hopping, dragging him along with me. I should've died. I shouldn't had my throat ripped out by the mutts, I should've joined Quartz, Levi, Riot, Bree. I should've keeled over and died like a normal person. I should be with you Mantel. But here I am, poking at my numb stump with any supplies I can scavenge from my backpack. Kill me now, kill me now, kill me now. I prop myself against one of the igloos and begin cradling my half leg. I should've died, I should've died, I should've died. So wby didn't I. There has to be something unfinished, something unsaid that I need to say, something left to do that I need to do. But I'm oh, so numb, can't I just go to sleep? Yes, that would be best - just go to sleep and never wake up... The anthem snaps me out of my numb trance, illuminating the red snow in a sick green. Quartz Caplin, District one Mystic Trotter, District nine Gaia Cross, District Twelve. I don't care about any of the names. The only name that stands out to me is the girl from one who haunts me in my sleep. _______ When I wake up I am numb, and I'm not talking about my stump. Die, die, die. I use my hrapoon to hoist myself up and balance myself on my good leg. I've become number than the snow, colder than the air - I almost don't care anymore. My harpoon is my guide, it's me and Jeff's guide, we use each other to walk. We just rely on each other and maybe that's the beauty of it. We ain't even whole but we ain't broke, we're far from it. "Th-this is our town Jeff, let's hold the fort just the two of us yea?" Is all I say before I chuckle harshly, ignoring the foggy breath hovering in front of my face. We ain't moving and we'll hold this town, it ours and ain't no one gonna take that from us. And it isn't long before my statement is put to the test because I see three familiar figures appear in front of us. I don't even say anything, I just take out my jar of tar and slather it on the tip of my spear, and with just a few scrapes of a flint the flames dance across Mantel. I stare at them, my knee doesn't buckle, my hands don't shake (from the cold or otherwise) because I want to fight them. I have to fight them and hold this town because it's ours. If we die here at least we'll die in a place that's ours. "We really need to stop this feud," Marchello begins and I smile beause we both know what's coming. Hell, the whole nation knows what's coming. "Yes, we really do." I reply. "And there's one way I know that will end it for sure." He finishes. And before I can react his flaming axe hits me full in the face. For a minute, beneath the aching and burn I'm sure I'm dead, my head snaps back and the axe just falls next to me. "Seems like we both have cimpletely different ideas on how to stop this." I say coldly and I lunge. This is my town, now and forever. [/presto]

[Jordan lights Mantel on fire]

[Jordan attacks Marchello with Mantel (flaming harpoon)]

YHiUOKbXspear

[3116 -- Shallow Cut on Right Calf -- 3.5 damage]

Fire

1-50

[Minor burn +2]


(I really hate not finishing posts but I just want to see my attack before I finish with post. I'll finish this ASAP I swear.)

spear�1-50

[charade]

Katelyn Persimmon

"We don't want to survive... we want to l i v e."

The night they spent in the castle was almost peaceful compared to the previous three. Behind the walls of the castle, a majority of the chill was kept out, though the cold was still present. Kate had talked with Lexi at length about the differences between their home districts.It was surprising to hear that the other girl worked in a building, and that six had institutes and a college. It had long been said that Sixer’s were smarter than most, but now she understood why. It sounded like all they ever did was read books and figure out new ways of helping people with medicine.

Eleven sound rustic in comparison. She told Lexi that her father managed a cherry orchard and that she sometimes helped out by collecting the fruits that the mechanical pickers dropped into baskets, sometimes in the orchard he managed, but sometimes others as well. That she mainly helped her mother around the house and baked pastries whenever there was extra. She told her about the rolling fields of grain and corn and sugarcane and how they shined when the light hit them just right; about the sweet scents of the bushes and trees that filled the district when they were in bloom, and how the community got together.

All that talk was over by the time they watched the anthem out of a window:, partly because they were out of things to talk about, and partly because while they had been talking, Marc and the other boy had taken it upon themselves to get rip-roaringly drunk, and Lexi needed to attend to Marc. Katelyn sat by awkwardly when the boy had started to fawn all over her, speaking in a much louder voice than he probably realized given his state, but she made no move or sound to interrupt them since she was focused on the sky.

It started with the girl from one. Velocity’s killer. Katelyn let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, all thoughts of revenge leaving her mind. She had been so sure that the pair from one with the boy from ten would be off trying to murder people that it hadn’t crossed her mind that one of them would perish. Then the girl from nine, followed by the girl from twelve. Neither of whom she knew anything about. They had not seen more than one group since the bloodbath.The anthem faded after that, leaving the arena bathed with a hellish green glow. Katelyn took some small comfort in knowing that she had outlasted half the careers, but there were still so many tributes out there.

The other career from one. Mason. The boy from three with the pipe. The male career from four. The girl from five. Both tributes from seven, neither of whom she had seen since the bloodbath; Velocity’s partner who they kept running into. Chas-something, who she had talked to briefly in the center, the boy from ten who had nearly killed her with his spear and... Katelyn gulped. That was it. That was everyone else out there. If all went well, they’d be able to avoid people for another day. If not, then just like on day two, they’d probably be responsible for another face in the sky.

Only one other thing of note happened before she went to sleep, and that was that a parachute bearing an armored vest winged its way in through a window and by her side. It matched the ones that her two allies were wearing. Kate was speechless. Perhaps some people in the Capitol appreciated the way she had dispatched the mutt. Or perhaps some others were touched upon learning what she had done for several families over the past few years. Whatever the case, Katelyn said thanks aloud before letting her tiredness overtake her.
                                                         ***
They set off as soon as the sun was out, the three of them having agreed that it was a bad idea to stay in one place for too long. The gamemakers might get bored and send a ridiculous amount of mutts to uproot them, or worse, other tributes might equate the large building with safety and surprise them. The boy from eight had vanished during the night. They headed south, since all they could see in the other directions was more trees, and there appeared to be another kind of building or several in the distance. They walked in silence, slow going because of Marc’s leg, but eventually, they reached the place with the cube built buildings.

Marc saw them first. Two tributes near one of the houses. But it wasn’t until he said, “guess who” that she realized that the tributes were ones that she knew. In fact, it was what was left of the career pack that they had tangled with twice. The pair of boys looked like hell, covered in barely healed wounds and each missing a leg the same as Marc. Katelyn felt like throwing up. So much had been taken from these tributes. Lexi had killed two of them, and they had lost their replacement the previous night.

They had taken Marc’s leg, but now they only had one pair of legs between them. Steeling herself, she followed Marc’s example and set a couple axes on fire and threw one,. It didn’t matter who the tribute was at this point, or that they had fought twice already. If they weren’t Lexi or Marc,then they were an enemy. That’s just the way it was, no matter how hard it grieved her heart.  Of course, this was offset by the fact that two days ago the career pack had nearly killed them. While Marc's axe bounced off of ten's face and left a bur and a bruise, her own weapon left a deep furrow along the tributes hand, sending a spray of blood out across an igloo. In another time and place, she would have apologized; as it was, she knew her eyes were watering (though given the chill it was a difficult feat in itself. Now, four days into the arena, all she could do was what needed to be done.

-Katelyn lights axes with tar using jar of tar & one match-
-Katelyn attacks Jordan-
009swm4I200+10000
-- Deep Gash on Hand -- 8
1-50
+2 (Minor Burn)

[presto]

I watch the sun coming up
Over the trees and rooftops
It’s like it’s piercing the sky
I wish it all could just stop

[/presto][googlefont="Montez:400"]
200+10000�1-50

[Python]

[presto][/presto]

ellexias

i won't compromise
i won't live a life on my knees
you think i am nothing
i am nothing

The last thing she expected to see was a bottle of alcohol. There was irresponsibility to be anticipated in an arena of terrified amateurs – herself included, although she hadn’t yet made any grave mistakes – but willing intoxication was a new discovery. She hadn’t noticed the bottle being passed between them until after Katelyn painted a vivid picture of her home District. It was all nature and resources, the types of colors one wouldn’t see in Six. Everything was white and grey there, but Katelyn’s home sounded beautiful. Orchards, fields of grain, landscapes of corn and sugarcane, fresh air that smelled of bushes and pine, and community effort. Six was individualistic and reserved. Katelyn’s District sounded like the epitome of sincerity and humanity.

She couldn’t withdraw bragging rights about her own district. She loved the education system and all of its opportunities. Most of all, she loved her job. But sometimes the high expectations were too heavy a weight on childrens’ shoulders. Not everyone could be high achieving. There was too much stress to pass around as a result, and too many synthetic coping methods. Drug cartels were not unheard of. She had treated addicts before, hence why she could recognize Velocity’s withdrawal symptoms from a mile away. District Eleven sounded much more pleasant, but perhaps she didn’t know the whole story.

She didn’t get a chance to ask before Marchello came stumbling up to them, eyes droopy and speech slurred. He was sporting a grin and unwrapping his scarf, suffering excessive warmth from the alcohol pooling in his gut and humming through his veins. It made him forget that they were standing in a castle of ice, and right outside was a snowstorm that could freeze him into a popsicle. A dead popsicle with a still heart and blue blood. ”Marc, what are you doing?” She abandoned her throne and grabbed his hands. Up close, she could smell the booze on his breath. Ridiculous. ”You'll get hypothermia like this."

He didn’t seem to process the threat to his health. He was grinning and slurring away happily. Any moment now a flock of tributes could barge in and slaughter them. Now was not the time for goofing off. ”But youu'lll keeep me warm, riiiighht?” After his scarf was fitted properly, she moved to readjust his gloves. He was being defiant, and she shook her head. ”Not if you’re naked.” She would exchange body heat in the evenings for survival and comfort, but there was a line to draw between appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Perhaps in a different context – away from danger and safe in their District – she could consider herself dating material. Here it was all about living through another cold night, “cold” being the understatement of the century. There was no romance to be had.

She continued to fumble with his clothes, dismissing his notion that she “liked” him. ”When you’re sober,” she stated coldly, because the recklessness was frustrating. She would not let her efforts and his life go to waste over an unsuppressed urge to drink free alcohol in the worst possible setting. He was lucky there were castle walls to serve as barriers until dawn. She ignored his advances and focused on keeping his scarf around his neck, even as his hand carresed the side of her face. She blamed the alcohol for his odd behavior, but people always said the substance was like a truth serum. It didn’t matter to her in this context.

He whined when she withdrew, but she left him in favor of catching sleep while they safe from the wind. When the anthem blared through the hallways – horns as obnoxious as ever – the images of dead faces were projected onto the ceiling. Velocity’s killer was the first to appear. Lexi simply pursed her lips, and counted herself thankful that she wouldn’t have to face the career again. She was clearly deadly. The next two were girls she didn’t recognize, meaning the other careers were still alive along with that menacing boy from Ten. The thought didn’t bring her comfort, but she slept through it regardless. Fatigue was a powerful, unrelenting force.

The castle's crystalline walls glistened from the morning sun. When they rose from their ice beds, they found their “guest” having vanished, and the castle practically empty. They stepped around shards of ice and bloody paw prints on their way out, Lexi bristling from the harsh drop in temperature. Fortunately, the winds were gentle and the snowfall was light. The land was already coated in white, but a day with more sun and less snowfall was a blessing in her eyes.

They trudged through blankets of slush until they came across a wide plain of miniature ice houses. They were kind of cute, but her admiration of the structures wasn’t long-lasting. Two tributes revealed themselves among the houses, a pair of faces she recognized. A pair of faces she had never wanted to see again unless they were in the sky. There was a twist this time, however – they were missing legs. There was no telling what had happened to them in the past day, but it must've been gruesome. It also levelled the playing field.

She felt a burst of confidence after Marchello’s words. When she had started to think like a fighter instead of a healer, she didn’t know. Probably day one, after she panicked and lodged an axe into Levi’s skull. There was too much history between them now. Marchello wouldn’t back down, so neither would she.

They were beyond hesitation.

[attacks Jeff – ice pick]
u9vObfm7axe
block

accuracy reroll
axe
Shallow Cut on Right Hip -- 3.5 damage

i hear god's whisper
calling my name
it's in the wind
i am the savior

words: 922, graphics: rook
theme: god's whisper by raury

axe�axe

[sbeeg]

Ryder stared at Quartz' bracelet instead of the anthem overhead. It had been a long, difficult day. There were only two of them left. Just Jordan and himself. He picked at the blood dried on the girl's token with his nail but it stuck firm to the jewelry. The anthem echoed through the arena but he didn't want to see her face in the sky. After seeing Levi's and Riot's, he couldn't stand for another ally's face to shine overhead before vanishing forever.

Every part of him was tired. The bleeding at his stump had finally stopped but he had lost a lot of blood. His eyes were drooping with sleep but he was to scared to sleep. The mutts might come after again and snatch more of their bodies.

Blue eyes drifted to his leg, taking in the the sight of of his body ending at his thigh. He relied on his legs so much in his life- mostly running from people he had stolen from. Now he was nothing. Just a kid with a single leg. The most he could do was stand outside and beg-

A bitter smile broke across his face. He'd never have to beg back in District One. He'd never make it back there.


The morning was bleak. He had slept for maybe two hours the whole night and was feeling it every time he moved. When he awoke he tried to pull himself to his feet, but immediately fell into the snow. He might have cried if he had any extra water to spare. He hadn't had anything to drink since entering the Games. His tough was as rough as sandpaper, and his throat was incredibly itchy.

He never thought of the Games like this- dying slowly, being hacked into pieces while starving to death. He thought it'd be a quick death. A sword in an eye. A knife in the back.

Ryder couldn't handle this kind of slow death.

Jordan and Ryder struggled together to stay standing. With only two legs between them they were quite a pair. Ryder searched his mind for something to say. Something clever, something witty, but nothing came. He was out of jokes just as he was out of energy, out of food, out of blood, and out of life.

Three figures appeared in their little igloo town. The same three that had murdered Riot. The three that he had hated so fiercely only days ago. He only felt numb now. The boy spoke to them saying something about ending a feud.

Ryder didn't care. He couldn't careless what this insect from District Six did to him. He could kill Jeff and go on to win for all he cared. He was nothing to him. His eyes scrolled the faces of all three of them and even though the memories of hatred flickered in his mind, his chest was still hollow. They were just kids. Just children, killing for what?

Ryder had not been born for this. He was just an orphan who had to steal every meal he had ever eaten.

Jordan had not been born for this. He was just a kid from ten with a lot of heart and even more demons.

They weren't made for this fight. They were not destined to be players in this Game.


Suddenly, the boy lurched forward, hurling a flaming hatchet that smacked Jordan right in the head. The blonde girl did the same, only her axe found home in Jordan's hand, slicing it open and sending blood spewing from his palm.

The other girl swatted at Jeff, scratching his leg but he hardly noticed it. His eyes were focused on the tributes attacking Jordan.

No. No, this was wrong. Jordan was a good kid. A smart boy who didn't deserve to die here in this frigid wasteland. He couldn't lose another one. Not again.

He couldn't do this alone.

[attacks Marchello]
|Tk3KAQ0axe
[Block -- 0.0 damage]

axe

[Kire]

  I am hypnotized as I fantasize
                                                          Forgetting lies and pain but I can't go back

Now that we were all a match, and if anything I had the advantage because of my cane leg where they had only a missing piece, I was able to avoid getting badly hurt by their attacks. The boy came at me with his flaming spear, driving at me as though it was a cattle prod. I moved back and the tip of the spear dived from where my heart was to my remaining leg. I gritted my teeth against the burning, which was worse than the actual wound itself. What was with everyone going for my leg? I had already lost the one leg and now everyone seemed determined to damage the one I had left. I smirked at the axe that was suddenly lodged in the boy's hand, raising my eyes to look at Kate and nod in acknowledgement and appreciation. She had come out of her shell yesterday and showed that she was very much able to fight her way to the top. I was really glad to have her on my side.

Lexi swiped at the boy from One, only achieving a glancing blow due to his jerky movement, but it was enough for me to have the time I needed to get into position. As the boy struck at me I brought up a pair of axes to catch and deflect the blow. I wasn't in the mood to turn all of the snow red again. I moved away from the boy, hoping to put enough space between us that I would be able to block his attack again when he tried next. Besides, if he fell in trying to get to me then all the better.

I brought my arm up, taking aim at the kid from Ten and steadying my breathing. I had to focus because each time I had done that before I had done well. Nothing could distract me from driving this steel into the flesh of this boy. I had to save my own skin, and in doing this I would also be protecting Lexi and Kate. That was more than enough of a reason for me to do this right.

I breathed in. I breathed out. I breathed in.

I threw.

OOC Notes

Marchello attacks Jordan
0YMhXhHv200+10000
Bruised Arm -- 2 damage

fire roll below

Fire
1-50
Extinguished

200+10000�1-50

[kousei ♚]

[presto] d a m a g e 1 8 . 5 [/presto]

[presto] f i f t e e n [/presto]

[presto] d i s t r i c t t e n [/presto]

[presto] I r o n [/presto]

[presto] t a b l e b y e l e g a n t [/presto]

[presto] J O R D A N   S C O F F - R E Y E Oh, Fuck it. Hot, white pain shoots across my hand and I yell out, it's a yell of pain, agony, defiance. It huts so much. But I don't drop Mantel, I could never let Mantel go again, not like I did all those years ago. "D-didn't your momma ever tell you not to throw axes at cripples?!" I spit at them, ignoring the red dots dripping on the snow and down my arm. I don't laugh, I'm too numb for that. And it hurts too much for me to even laugh at my stupid comment. What am I even doing here? I'm fighting for my life, or at least trying to. My last swing barely even scratched the piece of meat standing before me and the fire only nicked his skin, causing disappointment to build up within me. I can't stop now, I'm a butched butcher, there's no resting in this job. They're just cattle standing before me, cows, cattle, horses, chickens. They have flaming axes, shiny weapons, they all have murder in their eyes but in the end they're just animals I gotta butcher- and in the end they all end up the same. Me and Mantel, we'll do this together because there's nothing stronger than two brothers bonded together. I won't stop, I've come too far to stop now. I don't care how much this hurts, I don't care how tempting it is to throw down my spear. I have a job to do and I don't get breaks. This crimson snow is my battle ground and these igloos are my salvation. Mantel, we've gotta do this. Jeff, we're still in this. At least that's what I tell myself. I don't even feel like it's me fighting anymore, Mantel's guiding me, he's telling me what to do, how to do it, why I've gotta do it. I don't care how much it hurts anymore, they can hurt me all they want - I'm gonna keep on swinging until three people fall. Or until I fall, which ever comes first. I hope it's the former. No matter what I feel Mantel will help me, he'll guide me through this, walk me through this. I'm just his puppet, whatever he tells me to do I'll do it. Stab, stab, swing, swing, stab, stab, kill, kill. See it's not that hard when I think about it. But it's easier said than done - especially since I'm nothing but a helpless cripple now. No, I'm not, I'm dangerous, much more dangerous than anyone cam even imagine. I remember when we almost killed Marchello, when we almost killed his friend. We were hacking and slashing, we were actually killing them. (Victory, victory, victory has to be ours). These round houses that stand proudly around us, this snow that could be nothing but a battle ground or my shroud. it's all urging me on to swing, to fight. I can't stop, won't stop. There's so much red, my red, my blood staining the snow. I'm wounded, maimed, crippled - hell I can't even stand up straight without Mantel holding my hand. But a wounded animal is much more dangerous than a whole one. I'm not a crippled cow, I'm a wounded bull that can't be stopped. And I'm so fucking enraged. And then I finally erupt. Fuck it. When I stab at Marchello's throat I'm screaming. "JUST FUCKING DIE!" [/presto]

[Jordan attacks Marchello with Mantel (flaming harpoon)]

mi771ZE1spear

[3131 -- Deep Gash on Right Bicep -- 8.0 damage]

Fire

1-50

[Extinguished]

spear�1-50

[charade]

Katelyn Persimmon

"We don't want to survive... we want to l i v e."

Even with missing limbs, the boy from ten was still extremely dangerous; in the span of a few minutes he had managed to cut Marc's leg and then stab him deep into his arm. Katelyn felt a jolt of sympathy pains. Ten had brutalized her arms with the spear as well. The career was having more difficulty, as was Lexi. Katelyn felt that it had to do with the snow and severed legs. It was snowing lightly, the flakes a flurry of icy dust around them, an almost tranquil feeling broken by the bloodcurling screams coming from ten's mouth and the blood that was rapidly painting the area.

At least the fire on his weapon had gone out. Katelyn's eyes flicked to Marc's and his rapidly growing wounds. Every day it seemed that he got more battered and bruised, leaving pieces of himself all over the arena everytime they ran into these tributes. It was uncanny. Were the other tributes in the arena truly that far away? Where was Mason? Or the various other kids they had seen at the bloodbath? The arena wasn't terribly big, or at least, it didn't seem like it. They'd probably run into them sooner or later. 

Readying other ax, Katelyn focused on ten. She didn't want to harm someone from a fellow low district, but he had made up his mind, that much was clear. His lot was in with the careers, and he was intent on killing Marc. So he had to be stopped. Quietly asking for forgiveness in her mind, she attacked. The ax sailed wide, singing him with the fire that enveloped it, but missing him with the blade. Katelyn huffed in surprise. She must have thrown it too hard for it to go that far; because it kept going and vanished into the snow surrounding them, she couldn't even tell where it had went. But that meant that Marc was still in danger, so she got another ax ready and waited for a better opportunity to strike.

-Katelyn attacks Jordan-
YeuuTUm0200+10000
-- Miss (Axe lost) -- 0 damage

1-50
+2 (Minor Burn)

[presto]

I watch the sun coming up
Over the trees and rooftops
It’s like it’s piercing the sky
I wish it all could just stop

[/presto][googlefont="Montez:400"]200+10000�1-50

[Python]

[presto][/presto]

ellexias

i won't compromise
i won't live a life on my knees
you think i am nothing
i am nothing

There was comfort in fire. It was a heat in their hearts and a warmth for their frosted skin, but wielded maliciously it left nothing but destruction in its wake. The flames soaring between their bodies was a terror. Any moment now she expected their enemy’s clothes to catch fire, for their skin to burst and bubble in flames. She knew flesh wasn’t very flammable, especially in this crisp air, but this was a synthetic fire fed by tar. It was abnormal in that it was fueled by a capitol product, a mystery substance that could contain anything from anyone’s wildest imaginations. It wasn’t just “tar,” she didn’t think so. It was something more potent.

It was not her element to wield. Instead of fire power, she only had the wooden grip of her axe. It had struck down two so far, and there wasn’t as much as a scratch against the blade. It was sturdy steel, forged for battle and blood and shearing against swords. It didn’t feel as heavy in her hands as it used to. As opposed to letting it dangle by her side, she held it in front of her chest like a protective shield. She had learned with experience that this stance was best for both offense and defense. She could deflect a strike and counter like a viper. She wasn’t as coordinated or agile as the careers, but she had proven herself capable of bringing death. She was a real contender, and she knew this now.

She also couldn’t let the power cloud her mind. As easily as she could fight, she could fall and decorate the snow with her own corpse. Despite their injuries, they were still worthy opponents, and she didn’t know the game plan. Did Katelyn and Marchello want to kill them both, or cut down one and leave the second for dead? It seemed unusually cruel, even by Games standards. The lack of communication was starting to plague her. She was not their leader. Someone was supposed to call the shots but it didn’t seem to be any of them. There was no strategy, just a barrel into battle courtesy of Marchello’s angry impulses. Perhaps that was the instinct they needed, but she also needed reassurance. She needed a moment to think.

There wasn’t much time. Katelyn and Marchello were playing target practice with the one-legged Ten boy who had threatened to kill them only two days ago. She decided to distract herself with the remaining career. The bite of her steel left a shallow mark in his pelvis, not enough to bring him down. She wanted to distract him and keep him away from Marchello. He was the prime target, the weakest link, and the biggest mouth. He had a greater advantage with the cane, but he was still crippled. He was prey.

Not on her watch.

”Excuse me,” she said, eyeing the boy from Ten and grimacing at the audacity of his words. ”What were you doing the day before yesterday?” She circled him. It was clear he was a ball of rage, a rubber band stretching and stretching until he eventually snapped. He screamed at them to just die already. It wasn’t intimidating anymore, just obnoxious. ”As I recall, Riot made my friend a cripple, and then you tried to kill him.” The image of his leg in the snow flashed behind her eyes, but she was too focused to feel nauseous. It buried itself beneath surges of adrenaline. ”You don’t like how the tables have turned? Too bad, we don’t make exceptions.”

She was beginning to feel as strong as she sounded, and in the depths of her troubled mind she wondered if it would be her downfall.


[attacks Jeff – ice pick]
9oCvQAWLaxe
Shallow Cut on Left Thigh -- 3.5 damage

i hear god's whisper
calling my name
it's in the wind
i am the savior

words: 617, graphics: rook
theme: god's whisper by raury

axe

[sbeeg]

Pain rippled through the boy's body, forcing his teeth to grind together to take his mind off of it. He struggled to stay balanced, holding on to Jordan and helping his ally stay afoot as well. It was hard for the two of them to attack and not fall in the snow, but somehow they had made it this far.

The boy blocked his blow and Ryder cursed himself. The only solace he found was that Jordan's harpoon slashes a large cut in the other boy's body, smoke rising from the flame petering out. The blonde girl threw an axe but it whizzed right by them, lost to the great whiteness behind them.

He held his breath as he tried to dodge a blow from the other tribute, but she managed to nick his leg before he could get away.

These tributes were as just as tired as they were. They may not be two inexperienced boys clutching each other just to remain at eye level with their attackers, but they were tired nonetheless. This was a brutal arena and it was taking its toll on all of them.

However similar they may be, they were still attacking them- attacking Jordan. The kid was looking rough, and Ryder held him tight to his side.

We're going to be okay he wanted to say. The only thing keeping the words from leaving his lips was that Ryder just couldn't lie to his friend.

[attacks Marchello]
TcvSCnUWaxe
[Deep Gash on Right Forearm -- 8.0 damage]

axe

[Kire]

Marchello Donner

"I didn't care - I'd finally f o u g h t b a c k."

The ashes call my name

I had been slow, I had been too worried about where I put my cane leg to see the boy's incoming attack. I brought up my arm just in time to keep the spear out of my neck, catching the spearhead deep in my bicep and grinding my teeth against the pain. The fire that had flickered around his weapon had vanished, unwilling to continue. I sighed somewhat at the thought that I might not sustain any more burns from him. I just had to be careful enough to not set myself on fire.

Kate came up behind the boy and tried to lodge an axe in his flesh but missed. At least the flames licked another raw patch on his skin so that maybe, just maybe, he might die soon. Lexi swiped once more at the guy from One, once more landing a light blow. Apparently the lack of part of his leg didn't make much of a difference on his dodging and diving. He was still quick, even though Lexi was thankfully quick enough to at least hurt him. We might just be able to end this after all.

Then I felt a different kind of fire in my arm and looked down to see a gash deep in the flesh of my forearm, welling up quickly with blood. I narrowed my eyes at it, willing it to stop. I needed that arm to throw these damn axes, so I would rather it didn't go numb any time soon. When I looked up I saw my opportunity. The boy from Ten was in the open, turned away from me enough that I might be able to move before he noticed. I set myself into a solid position, raised my axe, clamped my jaw shut, and took aim.

I wanted to finish this, I wanted to end it.

"This is for kicking me in the balls."

I threw.

[Attacks Jordan]
e9oHfv56200+10000
Severed Ear -- 8 damage

[Fire]
1-50
X

The blood that sprayed from the side of the kid's head was oddly satisfying, like I really had avenged myself for that incident in the training center. I pushed away the notion that he wouldn't have done it if I hadn't punched him, telling myself that he probably would have anyway, and felt a small, dark smile rise into the corners of my lips. His ear fell into the snow and left a small ring of blood just below it. Then the smell of burning hair reached me and I looked up to see what damage my fire had done.

Then Kate screamed.

The entire side of his face was burning, and it was crawling over his flesh from one side to the other before travelling downward in a huge burst of cooking meat smell. My jaw went slack and I had to force myself to swallow. I was transfixed by the terrible beauty of the fire consuming his body. I couldn't tell if it was Kate screaming or the boy, but someone was still screaming. Maybe it was me, but no it couldn't be because I was clenching my jaw so hard that my teeth felt like they would break. I stood there, unable to focus on anything but the horrible scene in front of me. It was hard to see the body through the fire but each time I got a glimpse the flesh was always a horrible shade of red and black. I had never once realized how terrible burning to death was.

I wanted to throw up, but I couldn't look away.

Eventually the figure fell still, the flames still burning, and I was slowly released from my spell. I looked at Kate, trying to give and take comfort from her. I turned to look at Lexi, tried to meet her eyes. I saw her go in on the boy from One but it was then that I couldn't hold onto my urge any longer. I spun away from everyone one, dead or alive, and bent over to retch.

OOC Notes

[presto]

Pouring the fuel, fanning the flames
Breaking the habit and melting the chains

[/presto]

[googlefont="Nothing You Could Do:400"]

200+10000�1-50

[charade]

Katelyn Persimmon

"We don't want to survive... we want to l i v e."

Back and forth, back and forth the five of them danced. Even missing a leg, the career from one was surprisingly nimble, and managed to avoid getting seriously injured from Lexi's swing. Katelyn would have liked to say something, but the time for words was long past. There was nothing she could say to make things better or worse. The fact was that whether by gamemaker design or sheer coincidence, they had not only dogged the career pack but slowly whittled them away ever since the bloodbath. She knew it. Lexi and Marc had to know it. And she knew that the boys from ten and one knew it.

Especially when ten launched himself at Marc, screaming for him to die. It was clear that he was going for Marc's throat, but her ally managed to get his arm in the way; for all the good that did, as the spear created a deep wound that was the same as the one ten had given her two days prior. More crimson stained the ground and the strange little houses around them, painting the brilliantly white canvases in every increasing shades of pink and red. Lexi snapped at them,  declaring that  this was no different from what had happened before,  down to the tables being against them. 

And then one of Marc's axes practically lodged itself in tens face, destroying an ear. Katelyn started shrieking. But not because of that, rather because the gooey substance and the flames leaped from the ax to ten's head and clothes, quickly engulfed him in flames that didn't behave the way that fire should have. Katelyn backed up rapidly, almost slipping on the snow as ten became a literal human torch. It was the most horrible way she had seen someone die in the arena thus far, and that was saying something given the bloodbath.  She caught her breath, just barely registering the various screams and curses around her as the cannon fired. She couldn't afford to stop moving because of this. This was a horror she'd have to deal with when night fell. She refused to look at the boy from ten as his skin blackened and fried, shutting herself away from and it and looking elsewhere.

It was like time itself slowed down as she stared at the crippled career from one. By all rights he was one of the most dangerous tributes left, perhaps only behind Mason and Alexis. She had no doubt that some of the faces in the sky the previous night had been put there by at least one of the careers.  But here was one of them, wounded, dying at the mercy of three tributes who had taken much from him already. Lexi had killed Riot and Levi on consecutive days. His district partner had died at the hands or claws of someone or something the day before. To top that by Marc killing his last friend, well, Katelyn felt an overwhelming amount of pity for him. 

She had watched Velocity die, but what was one to four? Who knew what was going through the careers head? Katelyn wanted nothing more than to run away from this horrid scene and all of the soul searching it entailed, but her feet were rooted to the spot.  If they left him, he'd be potential easy pickings for any tribute or mutt that came across him. If he survived that, and got better, he'd come after them with a vengeance and Katelyn was doubtful about how many more days Marc could take being a punching bag. 

Was it truly merciful for her allies to have killed all of his and then to just leave him there? Would true mercy be letting him die with the boy from ten instead of letting him cling to a false hope that would be dashed the minute another alliance came across him? And what of Marc and Lexi? Would they still  trust her if she advised them to let an avowed enemy live out of misplaced pity? Katelyn hefted the throwing ax in her hand and gave the career a tearful look. She knew what she had to do. She just hoped it wouldn't turn out like the boy from ten. Her next action would be cold, far colder than she had ever thought herself capable of. But perhaps that was what the arena made people.

"I...I know my words are worth nothing."she said in a quiet but audible voice, the beginnings of tears staining her wide azure irises. If this was the only way she could help people in the arena, by putting them out of their misery, then it would have to do, even if it broke her heart."But I'm sorry." With that paltry apology hanging in the air, she hurled the ax, praying that if it found its mark, the careers end would be quick. As it was, the axe chopped off one of his fingers, and Katelyn would have thought he'd have died from it, but the career was still standing. Bloody, beaten, and nearly dead, but still standing. A far braver tribute than she herself was in her estimation. She backtracked as Lexi closed in, and wiped her face."Don't make him suffer. Please."she whispered to the other girl in a pleading tone. While Lexi couldn't catch the boy on fire, she knew there was still painful ways to go at the end of an ice pick.

-Katelyn attacks Jeff-
hsp9RzY8200+10000
-- Severed Finger -- 8 damage
1-50
+2 (Minor Burn)
Sorry about this <//3
[presto]

I watch the sun coming up
Over the trees and rooftops
It’s like it’s piercing the sky
I wish it all could just stop

[/presto][googlefont="Montez:400"]

200+10000�1-50

[Python]

[presto][/presto]

ellexias

i won't compromise
i won't live a life on my knees
you think i am nothing
i am nothing

Scrape after scrape, lunge after lunge – she must’ve looked like she was stumbling around, swinging her axe like an amateur. The one-legged career was proving to be an agile match. His maneuvers were experienced and impressive despite his amputation, and coordinated unlike Marchello’s clumsy attempts at propping himself up with a wooden cane and duct tape. This was not a compatible match for battle; Lexi was reliant on few past experiences and lucky shots, while this boy must’ve had a life’s worth of career training. Her confidence diminished. Who was she to believe she could be a warrior after two kills? They were purposeful, yet most likely accidents. It was fate’s way of granting her second chances. She was screwing this one up entirely.

Perhaps close combat was unwise. She didn’t have a choice given her solo weapon, but Marchello and Katelyn were playing it smarter and safer. So far it wasn’t too effective – their aim was off and bloodshed was minimal, but any moment now there could be just one chance toss, one twirl of the blade to end it all. She had seen people take soaring axes to the skull before. It was never pretty, and always unanticipated. The shock factor always silenced the televisions. Their blood would spatter and their bodies would drop like an anchor. The entire District would stare in awe at the televisions in the Square and at the College. Lexi was usually at home feeding her father, or pacing down corridors at the medical center. Patients would always commentate on the Games themselves. There was no such thing as nostalgia with them.

Lexi pivoted and glanced in the Ten boy’s direction moments before a flaming axe whizzed past his skull. For an instant, she thought he had dodged a bullet. Fate was a tease. But then she spotted the bloody clump of flesh fall from his face, and when he turned his head the scarlet patch revealed itself. She stared in confusion for the split second it took for her to process that his ear was missing, and the extra second it took for the flames to engulf his face. She gasped and took a step back, his form reduced to a human torch as the flames licked his torso like hellfire. Katelyn’s screams startled her further backward. Her bottom fell against the edge of an igloo. She couldn’t look away.

Fate was cruel today. There could’ve been an easier death, but this, this she would never wish on anyone. This was not something she would ever do in an unethical experiment. This was not entirely unheard of, yet in an arena sprinkled in white it was the last phenomenon she expected to witness. A severed head, maybe, as horrifying as that was also. But immolation? A devouring of human flesh by earth’s most terrifying element? She had always looked away when it happened on television. When the skin blackened, they usually censored it and panned to the expressions of the killers or the allies. This was not something that paused, not something she could pretend wasn’t happening. She could smell the odor of roasting flesh, she could taste the ash on her tongue, she could see his skin boiling and melting, she could feel the searing heat, and she could hear the screams.

When he collapsed, she found the shocked faces of her allies and looked to them for guidance. She was slack-jawed and wide-eyed, and expected them to abandon ship. Katelyn stepped forward instead, tears leaking from her ducts like raindrops, and continued the onslaught. Her axe pummeled a finger straight off of the boy’s hand. The snow around his feet was decorated like a painting. ”Don't make him suffer. Please.” Katelyn said to her, and she swallowed thickly. Why was it up to her to finish the job? Was it her experience, her composure?

I feel like I’m going to throw up.

Except there was nothing inside of her, nothing but bile. She had to fight it.

Killing him wouldn’t help suppress it, but what choice did she have? Abandonment was its own agonizing death.

[attacks Jeff – ice pick]
3mQyyaHcaxe
Deep Gash on Left Bicep -- 8.0 damage

i hear god's whisper
calling my name
it's in the wind
i am the savior

words: 681, graphics: rook
theme: god's whisper by raury

axe

[Kire]

Marchello Donner

"I didn't care - I'd finally f o u g h t b a c k."

When I had straightened after vomiting and turned back to face Lexi and Kate, I saw the sprawled figure of the boy from One leaking blood into the snow like a leaking faucet of crimson. It seemed that we had ended this feud just as I had hoped. My eyes scanned the two girls, checking for any injuries. I hadn't seen the two boys go at them, but when my back was turned anything could have happened. It was hard to know what had gone on after Ten had caught on fire - I did that - so I had to be sure. They looked physically fine, though I could say nothing about their emotions. I didn't know what I was feeling at the time.

I wasn't exactly in perfect shape, but I hadn't been for some time. I was just glad that my leg had only been scratched this time so that I didn't have yet another gouge taken out of it. I had felt like a scratching post yesterday after being mauled by those cats. Now I was feeling a little better, though the wounds in my arms ached and I was starting to get really tired of being a pin cushion. Actually, I was kinda just getting tired overall at the moment. I decided to sit down, shrugging my pack off and settling myself comfortably in snow spattered with red blood and ash.

Shifting my pack to rest in front of me, I opened it and pulled out my water jug and the potato I had roasted yesterday. I was so thirsty and my mouth watered at the sight of the slightly burnt potato skin - I had forgotten how long it had been since I had indulged in something more substantial than a fistful of fresh snow. I supposed that had been enough to sustain me until now but I was really in the mood for something satiating. It took a moment to judge what I needed most, and then I had popped the top off the jug and drained half of the water without taking a breath. The first bite into the potato was just as wonderful, filling my mouth with a good texture and a flavour other than snow and water and blood for once. The potato was gone in a matter of moments, and the rest of the fresh water followed suit.

When I had finished I felt better, the headache I hadn't realized I had had faded and I was better able to stand without falling. For once I managed to get up on my own with only the help of an igloo wall. I slung my pack onto my back and couldn't help but look at the burnt corpse of boy from Ten, the remains that still seemed to smolder with either hatred or lingering tar - it was too hard to guess which. Beyond the body I noticed the shape of a bag, and sticking out of it was the most vivid piece of cloth I had ever seen. Startled, and unexpectedly amused, I went over to the pack. Opening it, I discovered what must have been the boy's things. Part of me hesitated at rifling through his stuff, but surely it didn't matter now that he was dead.

Digging around. I withdrew a jug of water, full by the sound of it. Eagerly I placed it among my own scant things. It turned out the vivid cloth was a winter coat patterned in a rainbow. I smirked at it and, once pulling my mutt cloak off for a moment, shrugged into it. Somehow it fit me despite being for a boy about two-thirds my size. I didn't complain, it felt warm. I went back to my search, finding a very thin roll of bandages, a block of frozen meat, gloves, and a few other pieces I immediately discarded. I put the meat into my pack, pulling off my scarf to wrap it up so that it might keep both my other things and the meat itself cleaner.

Turning, I spotted Kate. I knew all of our supplies were getting low, but surely hers were some of the lowest since she had been needing so much healing herself. I didn't have as much care for myself seeing as I still had the extra that Lexi had handed me from the girl from Four's stash. Besides, I wanted her to go far and in order to do that she had to be able to take care of her wounds. I might not always be around to receive the attacks for her, and Lexi too. I didn't resent them for it, if anything it was nice to know that I could still be of use to them for a bit. If I went home, well I suppose I had Maye and December and Augusto but they probably had a family that feared for them every day.

I crushed the gloves in my hands and threw them down roughly - none of us needed them, they would just be some extra thing to carry, so there was no point in holding onto them - refusing to keep thinking about anything outside of the arena. I walked up to Kate and extended the hand with the bandages in it. "I, uh, found this and I thought you could probably use." I placed them into her hand and turned to walk back a bit. For some reason I didn't feel comfortable being near either of the girls right then, and so I went to sit by myself by an igloo - one that was also a distance away from both bodies.

I felt something in my sock, the one I had left, and groaned. Rolling my eyes at how stupid it was, I unlaced my boot. It took me a moment to work the thing off, and then to peel off the thick fuzzy sock that acted as the second layer on my foot. I brushed off the sole of my foot, then tried to reach into the sock and dig out whatever had bothered me. There was nothing, though. Frowning, I retracted my arm and looked at it. Then I reached inside my boot but couldn't find anything there either. Suddenly the wind kicked up, a fierce breeze that whipped snow at me and made the igloo behind me feel like it was going to come tumbling down on my head. The sock was ripped from my grasp and whisked away faster than my eyes could follow. As soon as the wind had started, it stopped. I was left disheveled, coated in a fine layer of snow so I looked frosted, and completely missing my sock.

My mouth was in a wry grin as I straightened my remaining sock and stuffed my now-cold foot back into my boot. Some of the heat was still in the footwear and I sighed a little as my foot started to thaw again. All I could think was that some Gamemaker had been annoyed at me and had decided to play that prank on me, or perhaps decided to have that cruel joke. Well I hoped they saw that I was laughing.

Now shod again, I felt the urge to return to the girls. Whether to tell them what had happened, or just to be with company again I wasn't sure. Whatever it was, I went.

I found them and once more checked that the two of them were okay. They seemed it, but I really didn't know what was going on behind their eyes. It could be anything. I still wasn't fully sure what I felt at the moment, but I suddenly knew that I wanted to feel a human presence again. "Hey, uh, Lexi. Mind patching me up?" I peeled away my new coat to reveal my two arm wounds. The cut on my leg wasn't so bad, but the two on my arms stung like hell and were next to impossible for me to tend to properly. My gaze shifted to Kate and I smiled at her. "This may need both of you, actually." I didn't know if it did or not - Lexi was the nurse, not me - but I needed the comfort of both of them being there, next to me.

OOC Notes
Marchello uses First Aid on Himself for -3
Marchello accepts First Aid from Ellexias Veristity for -3
Marchello accepts Frst Aid from Katelyn Persimmon for -3
Marchello uses 5ft of bandages on Himself for -1
Marchello uses Needle and Thread on Himself for -5
Marchello gives 5ft of Bandages to Katelyn from Jordan's items
Marchello drinks from his Purified Jug of Water
Marchello eats his Roasted Potato
Marchello loses Pair of Socks to the wind
Marchello drops Empty Jar and Scarf
Marchello takes Rainbow Coat from Jordan's items
Marchello takes Full Water Jug (Impure) from Jordan's items
Marchello takes Gulper Meat from Jordan's items

[presto]

Embracing the fear, chasing the fight
The glow of the fire will light up the night

[/presto]

[googlefont="Nothing You Could Do:400"]

[charade]

Katelyn Persimmon

The hard times are getting harder... It's colder where you are"

Lexi's ice pick was wrenched out of the careers arm with a sickening squelch and his cannon fired shortly after he hit the ground. Katelyn stood still and looked at the bodies, unsure of what she was supposed to feel. Maybe they had granted their enemies a mercy, perhaps not. The boy from ten was still recognizable, but the fire was still smoldering. The boy from one was bloody and pale, almost as pale as the last of the unblemished snow that was around them. Lexi had ended it in one blow instead of drawing it out, just like she had asked.

It didn't seem so terrible after the fact; or maybe she was just numb to it. These were the eighth and ninth dead bodies she had seen on the ground. After the bloodbath she had been unable to keep her stomach from protesting, but now, now it seemed almost normal. And that terrified her. Only minutes ago there had been thirteen tributes in the arena, and now there was only eleven. Less then half the number they had started with. Most of the tributes that had died, she hadn't even known the names of. They were just a face and a number in the sky or on the snow.

Surely they meant something to some one. Thirteen sets of parents, siblings, boyfriends, girlfriends and other loved one, all in pain, all in mourning. Eleven sets desperately hoping that their tribute would come home. Her parents were among those. She wondered what they thought about her, having watched her chop off limbs and help her friends kill people; having ended the life of the girl from three in the bloodbath. A far cry from her life at home.

Marc passed her some medical supplies from the boys they had just killed. Rewrapping her old wounds with the new bandages, Katelyn was struck by an overwhelming dizziness; and for good reason. It had been a few days since any liquid had passed her lips, in spite of the icy moisture that was surrounding them. She twisted the top off of her jug and downed the water they had collected prior, greedily slurping it down until the dryness was quenched. It was only when she was trying to put the top back on that she realized her hands were shaking.

It was more death and destruction than she had ever expected to experience firsthand. Marc offered a dazzling smile and asked for some help with the blood seeping out of his body. She obliged by kneeling near him and checking out the wounds on his arms; Lexi would direct her as needed, but she felt that she had picked up enough at the training station to be able to help. She returned the boys smile, albeit weakly as the corpses several feet away put a damper on her mood.

As did the smell.

-Katelyn Drinks her purified water-
-Katelyn uses First Aid on Marc for -3-
-Katelyn Accepts 5ft bandages from Marc-
-Katelyn uses 5ft bandages on self for -1-
-Katelyn collects 2 axes from the bodies- (not 3 because one roll was an axe lost)
[presto]

I watch the sun coming up
Over the trees and rooftops
It’s like it’s piercing the sky
I wish it all could just stop
[/presto][googlefont="Montez:400"]