{terrible lizard} kiara vs. ink vs. stegosaurus

Under everything,
Just another human being,
Uh-huh.
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When I ran, I didn't dare run far. Who knew what dangers awaited me outside of my area that I had already determined safe? I walked a little ways away from the tower so I would be concealed and then lay down to sleep, trying to ignore how thirsty I was. When the faces appeared in the sky, I turned and promptly ignored them. I had counted the cannons, and I knew that besides myself, ten remained. But I don't want to know who has died. I don't want to know which innocent tributes are gone now. I don't want to remember their names or images of them at the opening ceremonies or the interviews. I don't want to think about them talking about their families or the people they loved back at home. I don't want to imagine sobbing mothers and still, ice cold hands. Tonight, I don't want to feel.

When I wake up, my hand instantly flies to the morning star at my side. I grip the handle for a moment as I search for threats, but spot no immediate ones. The tower rises out of the sea of crimson not to far away, and I prop myself up onto my elbows to stare at it for a while. My tongue is dry, but I know that drinking my water could be dangerous, so I ignore it. Instead, I drag myself into a standing position, aching joints popping into their proper sockets with a satisfying pop and spine slowly uncurling with tiny little cracks. I tilt my head up and take a deep breath, trying to ignore the fact that I can almost smell blood in the air. And then my heart skips a beat and my eyes open wide as I take a sharp intake of breath.

I'm going to die today.

The thought came out of nowhere and so I think that perhaps I am beginning to topple into the void of insanity despite the fact that Imi's laughter and Luke's music still anchor me to this world. I take a deep breath and pretend that I can smell the Queen Anne's lace of the meadow where we used to play. This calms me slightly as shimmering images of laughter and beautiful flowers fills my mind, and the grip on my morning star relaxes. I'm okay. I'm alright. I can still dance to the music if I wish, and smile at the memories. I can still think of my parents' smiling faces and warm summer sun and nights spent in front of the fireplace when my father played his old guitar. I can still remember music lessons with Luke on top of our hill. I haven't lost my mind. Not yet.

Breathing deeply, I gather my things and trail back toward the tower, as cold and unforgiving as a harsh winter breeze. The tower grows as I cautiously approach it, yanking out my morning star and preparing myself for an attack. But as I near the entrance, I am momentarily shocked into stillness. Inside are tall towers, giant vegetation, all green and beautiful... but also sinister. I can sense that something is wrong in here- something waiting, watching. Did I just see those plants over there shift slightly? Something in here is waiting for me. And yet... and yet I don't mind. I'll take it head on. That's one less tribute to worry about, yet? It's Day Three and I still haven't killed anyone. I can't last much longer than this. I remember my earlier thought and quickly step into the jungle. I have to prove myself wrong today. I have to show that I am good in battle or no one will sponsor me.

Almost instantaneously after I have stepped into the tower, they are upon me. I screech, not caring what hears me, because they are quick and furious and biting what feels like every inch of me. Mosquitoes. Stupid bugs. I swat at them with my arms and run as fast as I can, but they are upon me, gnawing at my flesh and drinking in my blood. Horrified, I flee as fast as I can. Gradually, the biting stops. The mosquitoes leave, though the furious itch remains. But I am uneasy- the Gamemakers wouldn't just make mosquitoes attack me with out a risk. Where's the fun in that? They may be carrying a disease, and if that's the case, I'm dead. I breathe deeply, silently praying that I have nothing deadly in my veins as I move on.

[dice=4]

The ground is spongy and the air is thick with heat- within minutes I am soaked with sweat. The plants are huge and beautiful, rising majestically and towering beautifully above my head. I look up in wonder, enchanted by this beautiful place. Everything is still and yet I can still sense danger hidden behind every flower, every leaf. I don't dare touch anything for fear of being poisoned- instead, I keep a firm grip on my morning star and keep alert for other tributes. When I get attacked, I watch to be ready so I can land a quick, fatal blow and move on. Yes, I have practiced and now I am completely prepared for a tribute's attack.

But not for a dinosaur's.

The roar comes from not too far away, somewhere to my left. My immediate instinct is to flee, but then I see it and I know there's no chance. This thing would catch me in seconds. I must fight it here and now. My eyebrows rise in surprise when I see another tribute not too far away, also fighting the beast. Should I attack her instead...? No. No, I'll need her help if I'm going to take down this thing. Then, once it has fallen, I'll give her three seconds to run before I attack her, too. So, shouting out my own name to alert her of my presence, I take a running step forward and attack.

[attacks stegosaurus, morning star]
[dice=200+12000]
[miss, 0.0 damage]

.:.:.:.:.:.:.
stuck to a growing black balloon
my neighbors are slowly glowing maroon
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Kiara didn't register the presence of the other girl until she saw a flail slashing for the creature, but never make its hit. Her eyes found the tribute - a dark-haired girl she didn't recognize, as usual - and she knew she had to make a decision. Attack the girl and try and kill her, or focus on the muttation and hope that she did too. Kiara would love to have another kill on her hands, but was it worse risking her own life? She knew she would never be able to outrun something as large as this animal; yes, she was fast, but this thing was massive. Besides, what if she wasn't able to kill the girl right away? The mutt might kill her before she could, and then what was the point? There was only one thing to do, really; perhaps if she had the chance later she'd attempt to end the girl's life, but right now there were more pressing issues to deal with.

"You attack from that side, I'll take this one?" Kiara suggested, making sure the girl knew that she wasn't going to attack her, that she knew killing the mutt would be more prudent. She stared at the armored beast, trying to determine how, exactly, the Gamemakers had managed to recreate a creature that had gone extinct millions and millions of years previous. This was definitely a dinosaur, not some sort of mutant lizard posing as one. There was no doubt about that. How had they done it? And if the Gamemakers could do something like this, what couldn't they do?

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the massive spiked tail coming straight at her, so she flattened herself to the ground as fast as she could, successfully evading it. As she sprung up once again, she gave an audible sigh of relief; if that thing had made contact with her head, she would've been dead for sure. But she wasn't out of the water yet; this dinosaur was far from dead, and if they weren't able to get a few good hits in, they'd both be dead for sure.

[attacks the stegosaurus, axe]
[dice=200+11000]
[deep gash left bicep 8]

Do you wonder why we live and why we die?
Do you wonder why we laugh and why we cry?
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I am unprepared for the attack, so I cannot dodge it, as she did. The tail makes contact with my arm and I hear rather than feel it break, a sickening crack before it explodes in red hot pain. I let out a tortured cry, then hiss in a breath through my teeth, locking the tears inside and just being grateful that it wasn't my right arm. I take a threatening step forward and then falter, a sudden fear of the creature rising inside of me. I'm going to die. But no. No, I can't die, because Luke and Imi are watching and I have to get home to the people I love. I need to see them again- just one more glimpse of their faces to assure me that fighting is worth it instead of just giving in to the pain. Because it seems all to easy to just drop my weapon and let it have me. But then I see the girl lash out again and am reminded that my life is worth saving.

"Luke, Imi, if you're watching, you better realize I'm doing this all for you," I mutter, frustrated with how weak I must seem right now. I focus on the piano notes for a moment, beautiful and clear as they drift along through the summer air. The sweet taste of lemonade and the smell of Queen Anne's lace consumes me, and I feel myself come alive, ignoring the pain as best as I can and approaching the prehistoric monster again, determined. I have to help her take it down. Misses are no longer acceptable. It's time to reunite this beast with it's friends in extinction.

[attacks stegosaurus, morning star]
[dice=200+12000]
[miss, 0.0 damage]

.:.:.:.:.:.:.
salad days add up to daily shit
sparked imagination until the sparks just quit
.:.:.:.:.:.:.

Another fucking miss? What are you, blind? Kiara shot an angry glare in the direction of the other tribute as her flail missed the stegosaurus yet again. What was her problem? You'd think two on one would be pretty easy, but basically Kiara was fighting this battle by herself. The girl hadn't made a single hit since the fight had started, and the stegosaurus was already beginning to beat the two of them up. Kiara could only hope that it went for the other tribute again and ignored her, but she doubted it; how stupid would a creature have to be, to attack the one that wasn't even making any hits? Well, don't dinosaurs have small brains, anyway?

Maybe it was her weapon that was failing. Clearly she wasn't very good with that flail; if she was going to make any decent attacks, she would need a weapon she was at least competent with. Suddenly Kiara had an idea; she looked over to the pile of her supplies that sat in a heap off to the side and saw the two weapons she'd taken from the bodies of the two girls after the bloodbath. One was a flail - that wouldn't work - but the other was a harpoon. Who knew? Maybe it was exactly what the other girl needed to use. But would Kiara get it back after the fight? Doubtful; no one in the Game was that generous. More likely she would take it and run. But you don't need it, anyway - you have the hatchet.

Deciding quickly that this was the more strategic move, Kiara dashed over to her items and picked up the harpoon. "Hey, you! Catch," she said, passing it over to the girl. Before Kiara could see her response, though, the dinosaur's tail came flying at her; she'd been distracted for a moment too long. Wincing with pain as the spikes raked across her chest, Kiara lashed out blindly, hoping to make contact with something

[attacks the stegosaurus, axe]
[dice=200+11000]
miss

Distant flickering, greener scenery,
This weather's bringing it all back again.
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The pain in my arm has made me wary, and so when it attacks me I fly backward a step, and the tail passes by me harmlessly. But I see where it was aiming- had it not been for my reflexes, I'd be dead right now. It's funny, how much that kind of thing impacts a person. I stand very still, breathing deeply, my eyes staring at the place where my head used to be. Just another reminder that death is always just a breath away in this horrid place that I must call home until the indefinite end quickly approaching me from behind. Almost instinctively, I glance over my shoulder. A veil of vines and leaves conceals the beautiful jungle from me, but I suspect many dangers awaiting. I can't stay here much longer. It's too much of a risk. But then again, I'm sure that the giant dinosaur will outrun the half starved tribute girl any day. I clutch the harpoon, ready to attack again, but the other tribute beats me to it. Hair wild, eyes wide, she probably mirrors me, and yet the appearance is all the more horrific as the blade comes down on the beasts throat, successfully killing it.

"Off with your head," I whisper coldly, though my stomach twists at the sight of it. I stare at the fallen creature for a long time before stepping forward and picking up my fallen morning star. I consider giving her back her harpoon- she did, after all, just save both our necks. Then I frown, and angrily shove it into my bag. For a moment, I detected a sense of fair play within myself. A dangerous thing in the Arena. I'll repay her by not attacking her, which is the best I can with the rule forbidding alliances. Even if they were allowed, though, I don't think I could trust this girl. Something about her makes me nervous. I eye her in distaste for a moment, unsure of what my next move should be. Should I warn her not to follow me? Threaten to attack her if she doesn't scram? No. No, neither would be acceptable in this situation. So instead, I nod in her direction.

"If I were you, I'd get out of here before you have to take on something even bigger all by yourself."

And with that, I sling the satchel onto my shoulder and flee from yet another fight, my eyes alive and glowing with a new kind of determination. That near death experience set me back on the right path. I know my goal now. It's not to hurt or kill. It's to survive.

Because my life really is worth it.

((OOC: Will code later. ^^))