l'autunno ; p,t,b,j, day 5

The pixies lead Bellamy astray before he realizes where his feet are taking him. Ever the boy chasing wonders.

Larissa and Perry are still asleep in their makeshift beds when he first hears the bellchime laughter, the flutter of dragonfly wings, little hands tugging at his brown curls and urging him so sweetly to wake up. When his eyes finally open, sunset irises shining with surprise, his expression soon shifts to a calm smile as he realizes they mean him no harm. Almost in a trance, he rises to his feet, sparing only a brief moment to put on his boots and secure his armor strappings before starting to follow the little sprites that hover at the forest’s edge. They beckon for him to join them on an adventure into the darkness.

Before he can step through the treeline, however, Tinker runs up behind him and tugs at the back of his pants leg with his mouth clamped down on the fabric. Bellamy just laughs, glancing down at his friend affecitonately, and then back up to see the creatures still whispering, still flying, still calling for him as his mind feels more and more dizzy. “Don’t be worried, buddy. They last time I went off on my own I found you.” He crouches down to pat Tinker’s head, rustling his tuft of white fur, little clover blossoms peeking out of his glossy coat. “Really, what’s the worst that can happen?”

The bunny’s ears droop downwards as if truly considering all of the most terrible options, and so Bellamy laughs warmly once more and reaches out to scoop up his little friend into his arms. “Okay, then how about this? Larissa and Perry don’t need our protection. They’re tougher than the two of us combined.” He looks over just long enough to see their still sleeping bodies, a few pixies now flitting above their faces, most likely whispering the same things they whispered to him. “But as long as you and I have each other, we’re solid. You’ve got those sharp claws,” he squeezes Tinker’s fluffy paw, totally harmless despite his boastful claims, “and I’ve got my dagger with me. No monster in this arena, no matter how big or scary, is a match for the dream team.”

Tinker squeaks in approval, ears perking up and standing straight, now not quite as bothered by Bellamy traveling into the woods if it means he gets to come along for the ride. Just to be safe, using his last rational thought before he allows himself to be spirited away, Bellamy reaches up to unclasp the cape from around his shoulders and watches as it flutters down to the soft earth to rest. If he doesn’t come back, and they wake to see him and Tinker have disappeared, at the very least this will show them the direction to follow in order to find him again. He does not allow himself to consider the possibility that they might prefer to let him stay gone.

And so he goes -

---

- and he stops in his tracks.

Blinking in a daze, shaking his head, he glances down to see Tinker kicking at his chest over and over. “Whoa, buddy! What happened?” he asks in concern, not quite sure how much time has slipped from him, but from the excited squeak and expression that his friend gives him, he can only imagine that the bunny had been trying to get his attention for the last few minutes. Allowing himself to take in the space before him, he is shocked to see nothing of the forest he had stepped into. Instead, there is an endless sea of soft grass and wildflowers stretching out before him, the very same clearing where the Bloodbath had occured days ago.

He barely has the time to process that there are other tributes here, all standing in a spaced out line and staring at the same invisible entity, before his attention is fully gripped by the glimmer of light that twinkles within the archway that looms above them. His heart thrums with energy, even Tinker leans forward in his arms with his ears on full art. The music is the most beautiful, somber sound he has ever heard, like magnolia trees bursting into full bloom just to wither and wilt and decay. Somehow, he can recognize that this is a song of death, of passing, of mourning, of autumn. A gust of wind swirls colorful leaves he didn’t notice resting at his feet.

It’s as he’s watching them dance in the air that he finally notices Perry at the opposite end of the line, and his lips spread into a wide smile at the sight of her. He holds Tinker in one hand, safely tucked under his arm, as he lifts to other to wave at her excitedly. Ever the fool, he does not sense the danger until it is directly upon them. When a massive, awe-inspiring, terribly deadly creature takes its first steps through the shimmering light, he can feel his heart jump up into his throat. Massive moth wings flutter behind the almost humanoid creature, a glimmer of scales and dust sparkling on the cool breeze. Everything seems just a little bit colder and dimmer, paling in her presence. Even the trees seem to tilt forward on their trunks as if to bow at their queen. Then, and only then, does he notice the three bounties that surround her, and how there are only four of them in attendace.

Ah. This isn’t the fun adventure he hoped for; it is a feast.

It’s as quick as he makes that horrible realization that he hears the clash of metal, and he lifts Tinker to perch on his shoulder as he removes his dagger from the loop on his belt. “Okay, bud, the minute things start to get intense you need to make a run- OW!” He yelps in pain as steel splits his skin, the weight of the bunny leaving his body as it leaps forward and makes a mad dash to a nearby log, hiding behind it and peeking up with drooped ears. Bellamy can’t judge him, that’s the safest place for the little guy in all this chaos. He glances at his attacker, eyes shifting into a deep crimson as rage takes over. “I’m a runner, not a fighter,” he lies as he turns on his heels and bolts towards Perry, hoping to lead the idiot after him and into a carefully placed trap.

“Well, hey there, stranger!” he shouts as he jogs up to her, already in the middle of her own combat, and he eases in beside her like a missing puzzle piece. The scarlet in his stare gives way to honey and sunshine the longer he looks into her familiar eyes. “Okay, sooo: I’m gonna help you with your situation, and then I’m gonna need you to scratch my back before someone else skewers it. And someone is currently trying to do just that!” He turns his blade on the tribute Perry is facing, more than happy to rely on the advantage of having strength in numbers. He’ll flay her terrors, and she can flay his.

“Nothing personal,” he says as he strikes, but oh.

It certainly is.

(bellamy attacks jayson, knife)
8JNBHBrNEqknife

[accuracy]
knife
(3.5)

Silly little Thomas doesn't know when to quit. He tries to change tactics too, turning from Bellamy to Jayson - good choice.

He lands a blow that, albeit slightly impressive, doesn't do much to sway Perry. The kid's made his grave, now it's just her job to help him lie in it. No one gets away with slicing up her boytoy like that, not even if they've got a wicked sucker punch.

And speaking of her boytoy; her precious little idiot with the shiny little arrows - Perry's just about to really go after Thomas when the sound of Bellamy's bowstring shudders and Jayson goes silent.

Perry turns, and her face turns fierce. Precious Jayson's on the ground, precious Bellamy standing above him proudly.

Better than her, she supposes.

There is undoubtedly another universe where her and Jayson were the ones standing together throughout all of this. There's undoubtedly another universe where they are something closer to friends.

She doesn't spare a long moment to mourn for it.

Her grin turns terrible.

"Get lost." She says to Thomas without even looking at him, because now her boy is running towards her, sprinting across the clearing, and she laughs in delight as his arms wrap around her waist, so reminiscent of their time in the sky, and he lifts her in circles.

Perry holds Bellamy's face in her hands, her nails against the crinkles in the corners of his eyes. Her hair flies around them as they spin, as she leans in to whisper their next plan in his ear.