all memories | day 2 | mutts v. carbon & sorrel

Carbon Chem

---

The sun had began to set quite early and despite that it was middle of summer at home, I was fully perturbed that the gamemakers had to make our setting something that was colder than their hearts. The snow that blanketed the ground and the glass lake and chill everywhere, I snorted and watched the fog seep out and dissipate into the air.
After a few minutes, I knew that sleep would be a wanted thing between us. That was the only thing that was going to save us. Now that we each had a wolf, we could use them as our first alarm to danger. Their senses were greater than our and even if they didn't fight alongside us in battle, their presence would be needed in so many ways.

I found a spot and sat, Tux immediately wrapping his body around me and laying his head against my right knee and I was able to relax against him. Despite the pain in my ribs, I watched as Sorrel tried to sit with her wolf and I began to think back to twelve and when the winters hit, it was harsh and unforgiving. My friend, Josiah, was constantly at odds with the weather. His clothes were never warm enough and he never could afford the finer things twelve could offer. Some people were just born unlucky, yet here I was the one in the games.

"Sor, come on over here. Let me keep you warm please. It's the only way to ward off the chill. Maybe you can have your wolf sleep in front of us. Block out the wind?" I'm more concerned about keeping her warm and out of the elements and even if the chill becomes too much, I'll know in my heart that I did what I could to protect her. In the end, it'll also keep me warm cause at this point, to keep her safe, I have to stay safe as well.

Sorrel takes her spot beside me, allowing me to put my arm around her neck and pull her in close. To feel this warmth is amazing and it's something that I never thought I'd get to experience in situations like this. Who knew when my last day would be. Tonight? Tomorrow? Maybe I'll still be fighting for my life with cracked lips and bleeding stumps by the end of this. Her wolf piles up in front of us and it blocks off the cold enough that it's comfortable.

"Why is it so cold. Couldn't they make it warm?" I shake my head knowing the words that escaped next came out harshly.

"Because the gamemakers are bastards." I accuse.

"They could be nicer since we're likely to die. Why let us freeze to death. That wouldn't give them anything to use." I felt her shrug her shoulders and a lighter topic crossed my mind.

"I have a question. What did you do for your training session with them?" I block out the chuckle wanting to escape, my lips drawing up on one side in jest.

"I made a flower crown. What did you do?"

"A flower crown? Like you made me?" I wondered if it looked similar and I remember it all too quaintly. Too bad the snow replaced what would have made us both happy. "Well, you see, the irony in it is that I only got a five and to be honest, it comes in handy as much as washing a muddy shirt in the dirt. Don't laugh when I tell you, please." I shifted, grimacing as my breath hitched with the movement before continuing. "I ate bugs..."

I sighed. "I ate bugs because I figured that I could get away with showing them I could handle the situation if I needed to and couldn't find food. I could be resourceful and like I said, they are bastards. You know why?"

I finally began to chuckle, letting the movement jostle my broken rib but it couldn't stop the chuckle that emerged. "There's not bugs in the middle of the fucking winter."

"Bugs are gross. I'm glad there are none here." Her response made it clear she didn't like the outcome but what I mentioned next brought a surprise.

"You know what I thought would get them? The last one I tried was a scorpion. They didn't even flinch." I scoffed at the thought that even what I had to endure, they dismissed me as if I'd done something so common.

Sorrel's amazement gave me just the confirmation I needed. I didn't need the gamemakers approval. Talk about warmth was brought up, much to my dismay. I wanted to think of something different then the obvious.

"Hey Sor, got a joke for you." She responded with a question. "What falls in the winter, but doesn't get hurt?"

"What?"

"Snow." It's a moment of delay before she bursts out laughing and feel my heart warm itself with the sound. A return of a joke is made and a deal the the following night to be a joke off was created. I felt bound by happiness that I wasn't in this alone. Slowly, I began to nod off.

The sun had risen to the top of the day before we felt a need to stop. Both of our wolves flanked each other while we walked on the outside of them. Their strength pulling the sled so I didn't have to and aggravate my ribs that had healed practically overnight. I felt relieved until that was something caught my eye. In the heat of the moment, I turned to my sled and retrieved my weapon just in time for something to come carving against my cheek, drawing blood, but when I looked to Sorrel, her arm began to paint the ground a crimson shade and my lips pursed together.

"Sorrel! Move!"

[Carbon attacks Froste]
cEv0vS6zHDspiked blunt
14159 -- DEEP GASH ON CHEST -- 9.5 damage +1 for Mutt tamer

Carbon Chem

---

Sorrel's attention to the fight is focused now. Moment's ago, she was deterred to fighting, missing twice and yet somehow she seemed to snap out of it after I try to take down the bigger of the two. We were a team, together we can stay alive and keep living but how long can we attempt to keep this up? The harsh reality of this arena has barely even crossed our minds. The snow and ice and the frigid temperatures is all part of their place.

It's not part of mine.

In a flash, my partner's weapon lands a hit that even I was surprised to see out of such a meek character. A half grin appearing on my damaged face. The mutt decided to fall slowly while the smaller of the two decides to go between two thought processes. It's attention to us divided almost and I ready my weapon again. It comes at me though, flailing it's spines at me and I raise my arm in the niche of time and it's barbs bury themselves deep into my arm.

I gasp.

This pain is numbing with the cold and I hesitate for only a moment, letting the moment register. Okay... focus. Fight first. Heal later. It's only a flesh wound. I convince myself and I glance to Sorrel. If I don't something it might attack her next. She could end up hurt worse then myself. This is what I am here for.

"You better stay away from her, or I swear you'll regret it." I bite.

[Carbon attacks Byte]
Ot4UK08eZDspiked blunt
14027 -- GASH/BRUISED RIGHT HAND -- 3.0 damage

Carbon Chem

---

My breath holds longer then I anticipated when I missed. When I picked up immediately where I left off before the creature could run off and cause me another moment of hesitancy before I gathered enough courage just to breath and let my muscles do what I needed to. I'd deal with the emotional aftermath once this thing was gone and out of our lives. I begged Sorrel to run, needed her to do this one thing for me before I watched it try to kill her again but she refused me.

She blatantly refused to leave repeating the same damn statement over and over. She can't. She can't. Why the hell can she not?

For one, I didn't want to see her get hurt and two - I didn't want her to see me suffer. Her gentle soul shouldn't have to witness stuff like this. I was used to seeing the dead and the dying. I was conditioned to be here. Sorrel? No.

The night before we were released into this place, she shared her heart to me and even though we sat in silence, watching through the window view of the twelfth floor, it was enough that I admired her for who she was. The flower crown she gave me sat on my pillow that night and I held onto it promising that she would survive longer than any crown she would ever make.

And I prayed that flowers would always bloom near her so she'd create life wherever she was.

In this winter wasteland, I saw no flowers. I saw no life. I only saw blood and held back tears from her and that hurts my soul more than the needles that these mutts were created out of. "I don't want you to see m-" I try once more to coax her to leave, pointing to the opposite direction when I felt the sensation of pain and my blood ran cold as the creature took its chance to spear my stomach. I choke out a gasp, immediately drawing my hand to my side, stumbling awkwardly before drawing my hand up to see the damage done.

I shake my head. "Go!" I say to her. "DAMNIT SORREL - RUN!"

I hiss out, feeling heat roll down my front. I feel anger at her in a way I shouldn't but it's not the end. Not for her at least.

I was a different story, but I keep one hand on my side, and the other on the only thing standing between it and her.

[Carbon attacks Byte with his icy/spikey blunt weapon]
8bc7TczoGbspiked blunt
14083 -- SPLIT SKULL -- X damage