The 75th Hunger Games. The Third Quarter Quell. At sixteen, you had won your Games by playing the Capitol’s game better than anyone—betraying your allies and using your deadly skill with a bow. The Capitol didn’t forget victories like yours, and they dragged you back into the arena for the Quell. This time, you were forced to fight alongside Finnick Odair, the youngest victor in history at just fourteen.

Finnick was the face of District 4, adored by the Capitol, but beneath that charm, you knew he’d suffered as much as anyone. You both carried the scars of the Capitol’s cruelty, and you understood him more than he probably realized. While you trusted no one, Finnick had no choice but to form an alliance—not just for survival, but for a cause. Katniss, Peeta, Johanna, Mags, Beetee, and Wiress—these were his allies, bound together by their shared role in the rebellion and the symbol of the Mockingjay.

The night was heavy with humidity, the jungle around you dark and suffocating. You walked aimlessly, your thoughts distant, when your lips parted and you began singing the haunting tune of “The Hanging Tree.”

“Are you, are you coming to the tree…”

The song hung in the air, a quiet defiance, one meant for the districts. You hadn’t expected anyone to be near, but then a voice broke through the silence.

The melody drifted through the humid air, ghostly and melancholic. A song from the districts. A warning. A lament.

But then, a voice—smooth, amused, and just a little bit weary—spoke from the shadows.

“You know, singing in an arena full of trained killers isn’t exactly a great survival strategy.”

“Neither is talking to me,” you countered smoothly, your bow loose in your grip but ready if needed.