Listening intently to Rye's plan, Emery gazed at the blazing fire through the trees. Smoke rose from the dancing flames as swaying ribbons glowing grey against the black.  She felt dread creep upon her like spiders crawling over her arms and up her back, moving straight for her thumping chest. Remembering Eden, sorrow stirred in her heart and mixed with the dread to make despair. Acknowledging the concoction of emotions within her, she clenched her teeth.<span style="font-style: italic">At least he wasn't killed by Stark</span>, she thought, trying to find a silver lining.<span style="font-style: italic">I have to be strong</span>, she told herself.<span style="font-style: italic">For Rye's sake.</span>She blinked once and added,<span style="font-style: italic">And my own.</span><br/><br/>Her vision outlined the fire with a white outline from staring at it for so long. Emery sighed and tore her eyes from it to look at Rye. No sooner did she turn to look at him did he place his lips upon hers. She inhaled a sudden breath through her nostrils from the surprise. Passion and elation broke her free from the harrowing feelings that restrained her. Closing her eyes, she lifted her hand to place on Rye's face, but he broke the kiss before she could and dropped down from the tree. Once he left her touch, bewilderment replaced all the emotions inside her. Shaking her head, she huffed and whispered, "No time for emotions!" With that, she leaped down from the tree and, after stumbling a little, she ran toward the Cornucopia after Rye.<br/><br/>***<br/><br/>"Is now the best time to be doing that shit?" lamented Lars, picking sunflower seed shells from his mouth and chucked them into the fire. He and Jacobine sat near the fire pit, where the crackles of it could somewhat drown out the sounds coming from inside the tent. Jacobine put a hand over his eyes, watering from the tangible glare of the fire on his face.<br/><br/>"Whatever keeps them happy and out of my face," he murmured as he began cracking his knuckles by grabbing each finger and pulling them down until there was an audible snap. "I don't care."<br/><br/>"Maybe if they weren't so busy humping," muttered Lars bitterly, "we would be able to catch those other guys." Jacobine gave him a dull look and said, "Don't try to make this out to be their fault just because Stark bitched you out. Hell, you should be grateful to be on this team, seeing as you're not a Career." Lars stiffened his back as if he was going to retort, but just glowered at Jacobine and returned to eating sunflower seeds. Jacobine rolled his eyes and propped his cheek on his fist with eyelids closed. They shot open when he heard Lars utter a stifled grunt and saw him fall back with his eyes wide open, looking past him. Before he could see what was behind him, a sudden force against the side of his head sent him into the ground. He instinctively rolled upward and blinked repeatedly, holding his throbbing temple. Through his clouded vision, he saw a hazy figure above him and covered his head with his arms. After receiving another blow to his arms, he pulled his leg toward his chest and jutted it out, striking the figure with his foot.<br/><br/>Emery fell backward from the kick, dizziness sweeping over her when the back of her head met with the ground. Recovering quickly from it, she sat up and saw Jacobine on his feet with an hatchet in his hand. She stood up just as he darted for her and blocked his downward chop with her crowbar. The clash of metal against metal forced both of them away. His dark eyes were wide and menacing, but the rest of his face was expressionless. She stepped back as he sliced at her diagonally from either corner over and over again, making a sideways hourglass shape. The hatchet made a whooshing sound as it cut through the air; she felt the air blow on her when it was slashed. His movements were too quick for Emery too sneak in an attack. All she could do was back up and lift her crowbar to counter his blade. After a few seconds, Jacobine surprised her with a horizontal swipe of his hatchet that split open her right arm. Crying out, she recoiled even further as he tried his downward chop again. Seeing an opening, Emery brought the crowbar against his face. As he remained stupefied by the strike, she swung her crowbar wildly at him as he staggered back.<br/><br/>Seeing that he was too disoriented to attack, Jacobine forced himself against Emery and grabbed her crowbar. Once she gripped it with the other hand, he emitted a bellowing cry as he whirled both of them around until she released the crowbar. She flew back and landed on the ground just before the fire. As she began to sit up, he ran toward her with her crowbar raised. Emery lifted her hands over her face as the crowbar came down on them. She stuck her legs out and tripped a still running Jacobine. The tribute fell upon the fire pit and screamed as the flames engulfed him. Emery stumbled away from the fire and got to her feet, cradling her gashed arm.<br/><br/>Blazing like the sun, Jacobine crawled from the pit and rolled away, moving his mangled hands over his burning body and moaning to a god that would not hear his cries. His hand reaching for help found an dense object. He pulled it close, like a child would a teddy bear, and ignited the bomb.