Snippet #1907478

Britty waited as the girls babbled among themselves. She wanted to tell them that she could arm them to a better degree than they were now, but before she could speak, a large canon fired and the ground began to rumble.

What the -

It was then that she heard the chattering squeaks. If you have ever opened a barn and watched a hundred rats pour out, you would now this sound in an instant. She peered around the edge of the tree and saw the pack of giant rats running towards them, almost nimbly across the surface of the muck. They were quite well-adapted, she had to give them that.
But there was something strange about their focus.
She tried to think quickly about where to go or what to, but she waited to see what the others had up their sleeves. When the bunch came close enough, the girl from district 5 threw one of her arrows, javelin-style, into the middle of them. One fell instantly and started to sink, the arrow still poking out from its flesh. The rest kept running; but they were not in hunting mode. Britty could tell there was something else going on.

"Why would they -"

District 5 questioned. She was cut off by two giant snakes, slithering easily over the swamp. And they were in hunting mode. Britty knew that the snakes would see them first, and she would easily be able to get away if she ran now. She stuck her feet into the most solid chunk of mud she could find at the base of the tree she was hiding behind, and shifted her body weight as if preparing for a race.

"Anyone got a long stick to hit them with if needed? Then again-this is the arena...I think our chances are better with the rats; last time I checked most snakes can't climb and those who can can be knocked down fairly easily..."

That was fair logic, thought Britty.

She decided she couldn't leave them behind anyways. She refused to let the arena turn her into that person.
Carefully she rounded the side of the tree and began to approach the two. Suddenly she realized that their plan was not going to work. The girl from District 5 was not a climber. Britty had remembered seeing her in training, trying to climb the obstacles and ropes while many other tributes didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It had definitely not been her strong suit. On the other hand, Cattail and done amazingly well and probably climbed faster than anyone else Britty had noticed.

"Wait -" she said quietly as she saddled up to them, "District 5 can't climb, remember? Snakes can lift, like, half their body length up in the air - she'd be dead. Red, what if you climb and distract them, and...eh..." she was trying to speak as quickly as possible, because time was running out. But she hated admitting that she had taken the bow.
"I know where the bow is. I'll take Five to it and she can take out the snakes!"

It was a long shot. If they didn't trust her or go for her plan, she would have to run off and leave them here. Cattail might make it, but she had no real weapon. Cadie was a goner unless she started running, too. Time was ticking away, and she waited for their answer. The snakes were quickly approaching.