Hear our hearts {burst} again [Stars - Morph trap]

Disregarding their run-in with the ferocious lion-mutt, Demeter considered their third day of evading death a rather uneventful one as a result of the distance they covered and the silence shared between her allies. With their new found knowledge of plant types and poison status, Ailis and Heather had gathered food for themselves and stored a few bundles for later, awarding Demeter with a few moments to herself to set up their small camp and sip her water. Filling the angry pit that was her beastly growling stomach was an impossibility with limited resources, but with some liquids in her system purged of bacteria and disease she could at least recuperate from fatigue and internal cravings. Water was of the utmost importance in the arena, and with all of their jugs emptied they would need to return to the river for if they hoped to survive the next couple of days while the odds increasingly worked in their favor. This was what struck Demeter with the idea of returning to the surface where golden sunlight would warm their skin - a simplicity of life she hadn't realized was so seductive until she was deprived of it. She placed her suggestion out in the open once the girls returned, but whether or not they agreed failed to be of any importance since she was the self-proclaimed “leader” of the trio and the only one who could maintain their stability as a pack.

The blaring familiarity of the anthem was an event Demeter could anticipate with excitement. It was the only part of these games - other than her token, the tube of lipstick from two - that connected her to the outside world. At the end of each day, she could relax and watch the starry skies for something that wouldn't catch her by surprise. It was a ritual, a minuscule reliever awaiting her at the end of another stressful day of gore and physical exertion, and as soon as the music reached her ears she cast her gaze to the stars in hopes of seeing the faces of the past who would push the odds forever in her favor until the crown was atop of her blonde head. The darkness did not change, however - the names never appeared, the haunting faces never displaying. Her odds were the same. It was then that her face contorted in perplexity, and simultaneously, the sound of shifting plants echoed to her right. With her allies in sight, she immediately knew the noise did not belong to her pack and with a prompt scramble she was standing tall like a skyscraper and pointing the tip of her blade at the creature wandering into dangerous grounds. It was a girl.

A stray. Her first thought? Kill it. The lost were meant to be plucked away one by one until only the strongest packs remained - packs that would tear one another apart like savages until only two remained, and only one destined for championship. With the dissatisfying anthem still ripe in her memory, there was an empty void she could only fill with the death of this wandering child, and with dragon’s claws extended and glistening beneath starlight she lunged at the lone wolf until the sweet voice of Ailis stopped her dead in her tracks. Her teammates - they were hesitant to kill the intruder. They wanted to spare her life and recruit her. Her, join them? As much as she wished to discard the idea like garbage, there was truth in the girls’ words. Four was always better than three, even if they couldn't trust such an unfamiliar face. Another shield to add to the group, perhaps? The idea was bittersweet, but the vote was two against one, and even with her authority she felt she could not argue with the two of them.”Alright, listen here, girl. I’m never fond of the idea of mercy, but I’ll make an exception just this once. You have two options: you can either join the dead tributes in their coffins, or stick with us and survive another day. Ten seconds.”

And she had chosen to join them. A wise decision on her part, considering Demeter was growing bloodthirsty and antsy from the lack of cannons sounding in the arena. Still, as they settled for the night Demeter couldn't resist the urge to watch their newest member - Alaska Putley, her name was - like a hawk. She could not be trusted until she proved her worth, and until that happened she would consider the girl disposable at a moment’s notice if she even suggested any abnormal or suspicious behavior. Curled up next to Ailis, she watched the newbie until she could not defend herself against the lures of slumber any longer, and fell into its embrace until the morning sunshine peeked into the caverns and coaxed her into stirring. Again she was forced to nudge her fatigued allies awake and usher them forward into the caverns and out into the open world. The rushing river water was a welcoming blessing, cleansing the underworld’s filth and unforgiving scars from the surface of her grimy skin. The sunlight’s warmth healed her aching bones and fed her with an endless stream of energy as if she were a blossoming flower in spring absorbing everything she could so she would grow and prosper as the capitol’s next beautiful champion. Flipping her matted blonde curls behind her, she opened her arms wide and basked in the golden glow as she felt her heart beat, pound, race. She pressed her palm against her chest suddenly, breathing labored and forehead wrinkled, wondering why the melted icy chambers were pumping out of control. Beads of salty perspiration blended with the water drenching her skin, and she swallowed a lump. Something terrible was infecting her system, turning her vision fuzzy momentarily and prompting her to grip her weapon like she was trying to grip reality. What is happening to me? Panicked and pleading for a logic, she turned to her allies for an answer.

But what she found were not the faces of three sweet dandelions.

”Did you think I would disappear forever, little nobody?”

A feral bellow erupted from the dragon’s throat and pierced the tranquil atmosphere, her blade gleaming beneath the poisonous sunlight and her eyes ablaze in the flames of a broken past as she pounced on the figure that was the source of her nightmare.

I never missed you, papa.


[dice=4]

[attacks Alaska - Xiphos]
[dice=200+1000]
[Shallow Cut on Right Forearm -- 3.5 damage]