lone wolves walking [f/i/l/x/h]

l u c k y
nachtnebel

"Don't look at me like that." Lucky shoved the creature's poking head back into his satchel's front pouch. The blood on his hands, mixed with the slosh and snow that collapsed on Xylia, made a mess of his clothes as he tried to wipe it all off. It wasn't his fault that she stayed in the pit as snow, ice, and water tumbled from above. She buried herself, and did that to herself. Anyone with two eyes could see that was the truth of the matter. She was stuck there, and Lucky killed her to save her from the anguish.

His companion dug through the pouch and looked up at him again, its fur as ghost white as it was when he first slid his spear through Xylia's throat. It was mad at Lucky for what he did, he could tell by the way its eyelids squinted together. The stupid little creature thinks it has some moral high ground on him because of what he did. Lucky swung his satchel forward and held it up to his face, the creature's eye directly lined up to his. "I don't have to kill you to win the Games, but that doesn't mean I won't!" Lucky's body ran warm as he chastised the thing. Worthless, stupid thing. He thought when they first crossed paths that something in common with one eye a piece, but now, he felt it mocking him. And like all of the kids who poked fun at him in class, it would regret it if it wasn't careful.

The satchel swallowed the creature again and it did not re-emerge. "Stay in there, you dumb little." Why did he get stuck with such a judgmental creature? Gunner was friends with his crow. He heard him talk most nights during their watch about Lucky and how much he 'hated' him. Hate was the best way for Gunner to display his affection. They were friends, he knew that, and maybe with more time, they could have been something more. Xylia and Rita were his friends too. Lucky felt stronger with them around, whether they gave him confidence or a shield. But they were all gone. That well ran dry.

Who else in the arena would want to be his friend? If Xov knew what he did to Lionel in the cabin, did everyone? Lucky kicked stray rocks as he maneuvered the far edge of the mountains that divided the Fold and the Ice Sheets. No more friends, just enemies. The creature squirmed, wanting to be let out. "No, no, no, you're either on my team or you can suffocate in there. If I let you out and you so much as look at me the wrong way, I'll tear you to pieces." Lucky heard his father in his voice, scolding, abusive, and cold, getting what he wanted by the threats he spat toward a defenseless little creature who depended on him for survival.

Lucky climbed partway into the night before settling within an indentation in the mountain. The wind and bitter chill in the arena ceased further and further by the minute. The pockets of snow in the crease were mostly melted. He laid down his tent flat across the surface as a blanket and removed most of his layers. He was used to these sorts of temperatures in Four. Was it hot? No. Not yet, anyway. He wasn't a meterol- meteorgis- meteorologist, but Lucky did know there was no point in wearing layer upon layer of wool and his leather armor in this weather. He'd probably collapse from it.

Before settling in for the evening, Lucky unlatched the satchel and the creature came crawling out. He watched its every move for the first five minutes, daring it not to heed his words. It obeyed, whether it was under fear of Lucky or fear of his new axe. He relaxed, finally, arms stretched back, watching the sunset behind a veil of water droplets from the indent's entrance. Arms cradling around his axe, the boy rested. Pure exhaustion made it easy not to dwell.

His eye opened to the sound of cracking, and a layer of dust fading onto the bridge of his nose. But Lucky jumped as the cracking turned to crumbling and the dust turned into a collapse of rock. The veil of water shifted to a stream at the entrance. With only a few moments, Lucky grabbed his things and ran out from the collapsing mountain.

The avalanche of wet snow and rock terrorized him as Lucky maneuvered the side of the mountain. He kept an eye on the sky above, careful to dodge the onslaught of tumbling debris. Thankfully, it seemed like most of the destruction was moving inward, and Lucky rested on the outside. He already survived that initial crash the day before, he did not need to be swept up on the second go.

Lucky wrapped himself in his cloak once more. The decorative faces that once glared at him and whispered to him melted away like the arena's snow. He did not need to see the faces to know that they were still judging him like the creature that ran a few paces behind. No friends, just enemies. When painted as a villain, act like one. Lucky's entire exterior was covered in darkness: his cloak, his leather armor, his ripped jeans. Even the bone helmet that crowned his head. Maybe the Capitol wanted him to be their villain to feed the story. Heartthrob to heartless.

Every muscle in his body obeyed, playing the part. He was left with the only thing he walked up onto the stage in District Four with: a desire to win by any means necessary. The stripped-back version of Lucky Nachtnebel before he allowed everything to get so messy. The plans, the strategy; he could smell victory to the point where none of it mattered.

Reaching the beach unveiled a new sunlight to the arena that hadn't yet been uncovered during its winter season. Lucky clutched his axe in one hand and Xylia's glaive in the other as he heard shouting from ahead. Above, maybe? He recognized the voice of ten. The girl who scored the ten, Felicity. Still alive. He figured that would be the case, given how she handled herself in that cabin on the first day. He knew not to mess around with her.

But there were others, too. Xov from Twelve, Hal from the Training Center. And was that Ines hiding away in the crevices? Lucky pretended not to notice, wandering around the stony edge of the beach. Mouth agape, Lucky's breaths loomed as he looked away.

His axe spun on instinct, hoping to catch Ines by surprise. Lucky turned to the right, in the direction of his patched eye. He swung with force, unsure and uncaring about precision. "Are we hiding?" He whispered cruelly in her direction.

[ lucky attacks ines ; pike (axe) ]
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[ 11013 -- Shallow Cut on Right Calf -- 3.5 damage ]

l u c k y
nachtnebel

Of course, as soon as Lucky turned his head, Xov closed in. He turned back to Hal, eyebrows raised as if to say I told you so. She came for him again, saying she wasn't afraid of the water anymore like she confessed to him in the Training Center. Xovvy's axe bit through the leather on his chest. He left her alone, he left Ines alone, what more did she want? Did she… have a secret crush, perhaps? Wouldn't be the first person who pretended to hate him because they wanted him that bad.

Hal was methodical, at least, accepting Lucky's rescinding apology as he moved on to Felicity again. Lucky felt bad for him, knives and blades flew in his direction and all Hal could do was take it and try to fight back. "Never apologize for doing what's best for you," he said, and Lucky nodded in agreement to Xov. "See? My good friend Hal gets it." He attacked out of necessity, not out of hate. Lucky committed to his allies and his allies only. He wanted to tell her that if Marcellus didn't want to die, he should have been less expendable in Lucky's pecking order, but he kept that thought to himself. There was no need to poke a bear already up his ass.

Lucky sheathed the glaive between his belt and his jeans, leaving both his hands to march with the axe. He jogged a few paces removed from Hal as knives continued to fly at him from Felicity and now Ines. Hal took a couple of swipes in Felicity's direction again. "Oh! Oh!" He commentated, although neither shot connected. It was bold, though, considering the smoke that rose out from her gun. "Just a little bit closer, dude! Like I taught you," Lucky said, axe raised at his chest and he joined him. Were his words of encouragement welcome? Probably not, but Lucky switched sides again, joining Hal against Felicity.

With Gunner, Rita, and Xylia dead, his allegiances shifted with every wave that crashed against the shore. Whatever made sense in the heat of the moment was what he'd work with. As much as Ten's score intimidated him, there were kids with half her score still alive. Inga and Gunner, the other two who had scores of nine, were dead. If he killed her, he might solidify himself as the top dog.

Axe raised, he passed Hal, and sprinted to Ten. A bull rushing toward red, he knew exactly what he was doing.

As long as the water swayed, no one was safe.



[ lucky attacks felicity ; pike (axe) ]
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[ 11072 -- Shallow Cut on Right Bicep -- 3.5 damage ]