The Loric Games

Chapter 33: Healing Factor

Marina (Number Sevens)'s POV

"The bird found one of us and they're in trouble..." John explains. I always thought it was weird that John could to talk to animals, it made him seem almost crazy, but it has come in handy at times like these.

The strange bird takes flight again and hovers above us.  My heart is pounding in my ears. Someone is in trouble, I hope it's not Eight. I impulsively start running after the small bird.

"Guide me," I shout to it, panting slightly.

The small, gray bird flies forward into the woods, I do my best to keep an eye on him and not trip over anything. I can feel my speed taking over, I duck under branches and over roots. I hear John calling after me, but in many cases, time is of the essence.

We get deeper and deeper into the forest. I just hope the bird isn't guiding us towards one of the Careers.

I hear screaming, someone in desperate need of help.

"KATNISS!! KATNISS!"

I hate to leave John, Adam and Dani, but someone might need our help. I've never turned down a cry for help.

I'm behind a tree when I hear a gasp of pain. I peek from around the tree and see a scene of carnage. One of the tributes is stuck in the Career's net and her stands over her, having just speared her in the stomach. My own stomach twists violently, then I see the girl from District 12 shoot the Career in the neck, most likely where his main artery was.

I'm torn at that moment to help the boy, after what he just did to the helpless tribute, but I force myself out from behind the tree.

I rush over to the boy with the arrow in his neck. I remove the object quickly and press my hands against the wound, blood spurting everywhere. I can feel my healing working hard to heal him before he dies. His pulse was barely beating at all and I'm covered in blood by the end. His breathing evens out and he starts to roll over, still unconscious.

I know immediately that he is a Career and that he attacked the other girls. He can't be trusted at any point.

I freeze his hands and feet together to make sure he won't get away. I turn to see the two girls not far from the scene of the restrained Career.

"Can you sing?" the younger one says gently.

The younger one is quite small in stature with light brown skin and thick curls surrounding her head. She has a spear in her stomach. I realize that she must have been attacked by the Career. Around the two girls are a net. The one leaning over her is whom I recognize as Katniss, the tribute from District 12. Both girls are crying, knowing the inevitable death of the younger one.

I start walking towards them, knowing I can do something.

Katniss immediately gets up and arms herself with an arrow from her quiver. She must have been the one who shot the career on the ground. She doesn't quite process everything right away and the fact that the threat is now encased in ice.

"Stay away," Katniss warns. "She may be dying, but she'll die in peace."

"I don't want to hurt her," I say honestly. "I can help her."

"How could you...?"

I look at the younger girl and I know time is of the essence.

"I don't want to fight, I just want to help."

"What help could you offer?" Katniss barks back.

"Something you wouldn't understand at the moment. Please, she's dying..."