\\Can't F.I.N.D. a b|r|e|a|k>> [Team SoT v. Hell]

It was as if they had already forgotten how to fight after yesterday's battle; Topaz could only watch as the entire alliance failed to land a hit on the big, canine brutes that were attacking them. The mutts either blocked their weapons or they missed altogether. It was ridiculous. The sheep from yesterday were laughable, forget about them. These had to be able to take about as much damage as a human, and were much more fierce. The Gamemakers had definitely sent these beasts to the lake on purpose. Get rid of the Career pack early on, and maybe the Games would take a different turn than usual. It was all about the entertainment.

Tope tried to imagine what the scene would be like at home as this fight was broadcasted in District One. This was her third fight in three days; she'd be surprised if one of her family members hadn't died of a heart attack by now. Not that she really gave a crap how her parents were doing; it was Sapphire she worried about. Saph would be blaming herself for all this, no doubt, since she was the one who had been reaped in the first place. She wouldn't be watching with the rest of the familiy, either. She'd be up in her room, possibly with a mug of coffee, depending on whether she could muster up the willpower to get down the stairs to the kitchen and make some. She would be watching, yes, partly because she was obligated to and partly because, though she complained about them often, she never seemed to be able to take her eyes away from the screen during the Games. Topaz knew better than to accuse her of liking them; she didn't. But for some reason, her younger, incredibly sensitive sister always watched.

The District One tribute attempted unsuccessfuly to envision Sapphire in the arena in her place. But she just couldn't see her here anywhere. She couldn't picture her on a metal plate facing the arena, allying up with a group of tributes, or swinging around a trident trying to kill the second batch of mutant animals she'd had to face. It was obviously meant to be, Topaz volunteering for her sister. Because Saph would never have fit in here. She'd have been dead within the first day.

Shoving thoughts of her sister out of her mind, because dwelling on Sapphire would prompt even more regrets about her untimely demise than Nash over there was already causing, Topaz turned back to the wolf-creatures they were fighting. They'd all aimed at the first one to come out of the trees, but still hadn't managed to even scratch it. What was wrong here? They'd gotten a fair amount of rest for a night in the arena; it couldn't be that they were too tired to fight to the best of their ability. She wasn't, at least. Could it be that these mutts were simply that good at evading attacks? That vicious?

She noticed the pair of them lunge at Anani, injuring him pretty well in the process. She cringed involuntarily, but was still, admittedly, infinitely glad they'd gone after the District Twelve boy rather than herself or Nash, or even Takeba, because there just seemed to be something...unfair about attacking Takeba. Even Topaz, who had been fairly blinded by bloodlust and Nash during their battles, had noticed the Four girl's hesitance to fight, yet strong ability to kill. Anani, though...again, she realized he had it coming. Part of her pitied him for being part of the district that was so targeted. His district partner, the deaf chick, had died on the first day, presumably in the Bloodbath. The Gamemakers were obviously going after Twelve already.

Whether he had it coming or not, though, Anani was her ally. She was supposed to fight for her allies. These two facts made sense to her, unlike the rest of the jumbled up thoughts in her head, so she acted upon them immediately, aiming to sink her trident deep into the flesh of the other hound this time.

[attacks Orthu, spear]
[dice=200+3000]
[deep gash right thigh, 8.0]

.:.:.:.:.:.:.
the lights go out &&
i can't be saved
tides that i need
to swim against