☆°.˙ ▍𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐘𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘

⎰𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧⎱

          𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐔𝐑'𝐒 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃 when the monkeys started to attack. They slid down the vines as if they were greased. They leaped impossible distances from tree to tree. Their fangs were bared, hackles raised, claws shot out like switchblades. Fleur knew exactly what they were, and they were not monkeys.

          "Mutts!" Fleur exclaimed loudly so that her allies would be able to hear her.

          Fleur felt a mutt push her down and raised its claws. Fleur glared at it before stabbing it with her knife.

          The air grew heavy with trampled plants and the scent of blood. The four positioned themselves with their shoulders touching each other and their weapons raised.

          They slashed at the mutts as quick as they could, but the mutts were quicker. Any doubts Fleur had with killing people were cleared away when it came to the mutts in Arena.

          Another mutt came towards Fleur but was killed by Finnick before it could reach her. The two watched as more mutts came towards them and used their weapons to block the mutts. Neither of the two realize that a mutt lunged towards Peeta, ready to kill.

          The high pitched scream caused Fleur and Finnick to turn towards the source of the sound and saw the female Morphling from District Six in front of Peeta protectively with a bite mark in her chest.

          Peeta buried his knife into the mutt's back and stabbed it again and again until it released its jaw. He kicked the mutt away and braced for more. Katniss loaded her bow and Finnick and Fleur stood behind her, breathing heavily.

          "Come on, then! Come on!" Peeta shouted with rage.

          Fleur frowned when she realized that the mutts were withdrawing. They backed up into the trees and faded into the jungle as if some unheard voice called them away.

          "Get her. We'll cover you." Katniss said to Peeta.

          Peeta gently lifted up the morphling and carried her the last few yards to the beach while Finnick and Katniss kept their weapons at the ready. Fleur looked around and saw that only the dead bodies of the mutts were there. The ones that were left alive had disappeared.

          Peeta laid the morphling on the sand while Katniss had cut away the material over her chest and revealed the four deep puncture wounds.

          Blood slowly trickled from them and made it look far less deadly than it was. The real damage was inside. She laid on the sand and gasped like a fish out of water. There is nothing they could've done but stay with her as she died.

          "Fleur and I'll watch the trees." Finnick stated before taking Fleur's hand and walking away.

          The two walked away from the three, giving them privacy, and walked towards the place where the bodies of the mutts laid.

          "I don't think they'll come back, Finnick. Like the fog." Fleur stated softly. "How about we get Katniss her arrows? I know she'll need them." Fleur suggested.

          Finnick nodded and the two began to collect Katniss' arrows from the dead mutts bodies. Suddenly, the vines shifted and the bodies disappeared. After a couple minutes of silence, Fleur turned to Finnick.

          "Finnick, do you want to talk about it?" Fleur questioned as she played with one of the arrows.

          "What do you mean?" Finnick asked in a slightly cracked voice and a broken look in his eyes.

          "I know you, Finn. You're hurting because of Mags death. You and I both know I know how that feels. Especially if they sacrificed themselves in the Arena. Remember what you said to me when we first met? It's not going to do you any good to keep it in there. You need to get it out." Fleur stated causing Finnick to swallow thickly and nod.

          "Later, Fleur. We can talk later." Finnick promised before the two walked back to Katniss and Peeta who were looking out into the water.

          "We thought you might want these." Finnick stated as he dropped the arrow's that were still coated with the mutts' blood.

          "Thanks." Katniss replied before she waded into the water to wash off the blood.

.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

          "Where did they go?" Katniss asked about the dead bodies once the group of tributes had walked towards the jungle.

          "We don't know exactly where. The vines shifted and they were gone." Fleur replied.

          They stared at the jungle, numbed and exhausted. Fleur unconsciously began scratching the places the fog droplets had touched with her knuckles. She had never allowed Ben to scratch with his fingernails, knowing that he could scratch too deep and always had him scratch with his knuckles. Not as effective, but safer.

          Fleur glanced over at Peeta and at Finnick, and saw that they were both scratching at their damaged faces.

          "Don't scratch." Katniss ordered, seeing the same thing Fleur saw. "You'll only bring infection. Think it's safe to try for the water again?"

          They made their way back to the tree Peeta was tapping. Finnick and Katniss stood guard with our weapons poised while he worked the spile in, but no threat appeared.

          Peeta had found a good vein and the water began to gush from the spile. They soothed their thirst and allowed the warm water to pour over their itching bodies. They filled a handful of shells with the water and went back to the beach.

          "Why don't you three get some rest?" Katniss asked. "I'll watch for a while."

          "No, Katniss, I'd rather." Finnick replied.

          "All right, Finnick, thanks." Katniss stated before she turned towards Fleur. "Fleur, are you going to sleep?"

          "I'm going to guard with Finnick." Fleur to which Katniss nodded.

          Katniss knew that Fleur was the only one Finnick was going to be able to open up to and she would help him mourn Mags. 

          Fleur sat down next to Finnick and the two looked out at the water. They stayed in a comfortable silence that Fleur broke.

          "Finnick, you need to talk about it. Mags' death hurt you, Finnick. You need to get your pain out." Fleur stated softly. "I'm here for you. I'm always here for you." Fleur promised.

          As soon as those words left Fleur's mouth, Finnick's resolve crumbled. Soft sobs escaped his lips as tears started to stream down his face. Fleur wrapped her arms around Finnick and held him close, knowing the pain of losing someone far too well.