What am I living for? [Leisure thread - Amberly/??]

"Soon enough you'll be on your own
Steady and straight
And if they drag you through the mud
It doesn't change what's in your blood"

~

My footing slips on the banks of the water before I fall in front of the bird, scaring it. The slippery slope threatened to push me into the water, but my nails dug deep into the muddy part and I instantly glanced to where my allies were to observe their musings on my haphazards of trying to catch this word. Instead of catching it, it hops in my direction making a noise before flittering away a few feet before another word joins it.

In all seriousness, I glare at the bird.

I'd love to eat the damn thing if I actually caught it but I remember so many games where people would use it as a delivery to send something to someone else in the arena and all you needed to do was say the name and it would be done.

"Come on, you stupid word. What other chore are you given from the gamemakers other than being a stole pigeon for some tribute? You're worthless, in whole. Sit still, would you?" I wondered if the canons heard today would show me the least wanted thing tonight. Would his picture show in the sky and leave me alone in this arena until death was to claim me as well?

What I wouldn't give to be back on the train and chatting with him, even if it wasn't much collaboration between the two of us and he really didn't seem interested. The comfort of someone from home was more desireable then fighting on my own.


[Amberly catches words?]
5FnpAf3sEV1-4

~

"Soon enough you'll be on your own
Steady and straight
And if they drag you through the mud
It doesn't change what's in your blood"

~

Inside my backpack, bubba flaps around wildly. I can see my pack moving from the inside and I can only hope that he doesn't ruin anything I've got in there, but a momet later he becomes still. With his ability to see, with it being dark inside, he's finally calmed down, but a honk still emerges once in a while. His friends, hop curiously close to the bag though knowing its friend is in there, captured by a tribute with unknown intentions, but they are not ones to immediately fly into danger. Instead, they keep their distance and I watch the biggest one with delight. It's black feathers painted just teh right color of ebony and its eyes flicker with speckles of grey.

"You have no desire of being caught, do you Skittles?" I put my hand out for it, but it only makes him flap backwards. "Conversation in this arena is so scarce. Yet, you'll sit here and listen to me. Are you able to deliver outside of the arena, big guy? You know I have a cousin that would love to get a message from me if you are able to get away from this place and be free. Think you could do that for me?"

A sigh escapes my lips and I grab for the pen and paper that was gifted to me not long ago. I open it to the first page and begin to trace the bird on the clean sheet. Soon enough, smudges and all, my attempts to draw the bird draws it closer to me. "Haylee would love to have you visit her. Haylee Angevin. Might you let me catch you?"


[Amberly catches words?]
5xG9zIZGHG1-4

~

"Soon enough you'll be on your own
Steady and straight
And if they drag you through the mud
It doesn't change what's in your blood"

~

*HONK*

I scoop my arms around where he hopped. Though, he anticipated my movements before I did. He flew up and around my head, fascinating me with his elegant feathers and agility to fly while his brother’s honked noisily not far away. They were taunting me, bringing out a grin I couldn’t help.

“Yeah. Yeah. Shut up.”

I can’t help but think back to when I was seven and for the first time saw a bird that wasn’t afraid of a human, or me for that matter. It was especially weird since everyone my age at that time was afraid of me. I had ‘troublemaker’ stamped on my forehead because of the fights I got in way too often. That bird though, it was young and learning to fly and didn’t seem to mind my presence. I only got to pet its head before it took off and I watched it for about ten minutes when footsteps came clambering over to where I had been sitting before a hand shoved me.

“So Skittles… wanna come over here and we’ll be equals?”

*HONK - HONK*

[Amberly catches words?]
DUIWMQBM9_1-4

~

"Soon enough you'll be on your own
Steady and straight
And if they drag you through the mud
It doesn't change what's in your blood"

~

I sigh out loud at the bird. It tickles me that the bird is so keen to not being caught that I just simply stop trying for the moment and admire the birds movement. It’s buddies keeps its distance from me unlike Skittles and it dons on me that maybe he’s the leader of this band of beasts. I grin at him and lean back on my hands and for a moment, a small bit of pain twinges from the cuts on my arm. Though they were stitched, it feels tight and the skin around the wounds are a bit red, but it’s nothing that I can’t really handle. It just reminds me that everything I”m fighting for is real and that my life is only but a small flicker of a flame and it’s dwindling with every day. My odds to go back to my district comes get higher with every canon boom and my mind has to remind me that sooner or later, I will have to disband from my group and I’d be on my own.

I’ve proven myself already against my enemies and those that caused their own death by hitting us first.

*HONK*

Skittles snaps at another bird suddenly making my eyes dart over to see that he begins to claw at the other bird for something it found on the ground, but Skittles’ claws must have hurt it or something as it makes a weird sound before flapping off and I smile at it. “So you have to fight for yourself just like me. No one else is going to give you anything and those that try to hurt you or take something that belongs to you, you will fight.”

It’s more of an observation. One that is interrupted by the presence of my ally. The others are off doing their own thing, but River seems interested in what I’m doing and attempts to try to catch a bird just like me. I watch with joy as the bird also makes a mockery of her and a chuckle emerges.

“They don’t wanna be caught. I've tried so many times already and all I’ve been able to capture was Bubba here.” I point to the bag about the same time it bounces around and he honks out loud just to let his presence known to the newcomer. “He’s not happy, but Skittles… won’t let me catch him.”

I hold my hand out, showing her that as soon as I get close to him, he always backs off. “He’s skittish. That’s why his name is Skittles.” I shrug.


[Amberly catches words?]
YgEPor8riw1-4

~