Snippet #1887930

Just when I thought things would be peaceful for the night Caelib appeared from behind a tree, decreeing that he wanted to join our alliance. Caelib was from my district, I had spent many days admiring his good looks with my friends. I had always idolized him, and kind of had a crush, but I wasn't sure if all that was enough to let him join us.

I knew he could definitely carry his own weight. He had attended the same school as me, Burgins Academy. It was a school where careers were trained in their unique fighting style. I had witnessed Caelib defeating almost ten other boys with nothing but his spear. He was also talented runner, as I had found out in a track meet.

As Catalya emerged from the cave she snapped back her arm, and then brought it back down to a resting position in a quick motion. Her whip went flying through the air, and upon contact I heard Caelib yelp. The cord wrapped itself around his hand, the metal shards digging themselves into his skin. As I saw Caelib's expression of pain I felt enraged.

I pumped the muscles in my legs, propelling myself in Catalya's direction. When our bodies collided I heard a bone-shuddering thud, and I brought her to the ground. Everything after that was a blur of white, the hard packed snowballs falling all around us. One hit me in the back of the head, leaving a large welt, but at that moment I didn't care.

"Don't touch him!" I screamed. The voice that came from my throat was unrecognizable, as if it were not even my own. I glared down into Catalya's eyes a deep longing to slice her face in half developed inside of me, but I fought the feeling and got off the girl. Angrily, I stomped back towards Caelib. "Leave! You cannot join us." I said, my eyes began to produce tears but I refused to let them fall.

I was torn between clinging to the only familiar person in this arena, or my own survival. Although in the end I knew which one was more necessary. "I won't kill you, but you have to leave. Go now!" I yelled, and then I walked back into the cave. Hunkering down next to the fire I let a few tears escape from my eyes, but I knew that I shouldn't appear weak so I did my best to stem the warm flow.