What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

[justoutrunyou]

Who: Sandy and you!
What: Cassandra Marko Vs. The Geese of doom.
Where: The peat bog in the Southern end of the arena.
When: Sunday morning.
Warnings: Graphic Violence towards geese and children.

By the end of her first week, Sandy was warm, but hungry.

With Phil's extra jacket on over her own a shiny new knife from the sponsors Sandy was stalking along the edge of the pond, boots sinking into the mud with each step. This was a terrible place to hunt if she needed to run but perhaps the sticky ground would work in her favor?

The knife had come with a note with a single word on it. One that rang in her head as she tried to puzzle out it's meaning while she stalked as quietly as she could through the morning mist.

"Inquisition."

What did it mean? For all the learning Sandy had done since arriving here and for her vocabulary being advanced for her age she couldn't remember hearing a word like that in context.

Back in the moment her eyes settled upon what she hoped would be her next meal. A flock of geese were drifting lazily on the water but one had nested in the mud of the shore and she was fairly sure if she got close enough she could kill it, pluck it and make a fire to eat it provided she found enough dry wood.

Closer and closer she crept, body tight and face scrunched up in an eternal wince as she heard her boots squelching in the mud. Maybe geese were dumb? Maybe they were heavy sleepers?

Once she was no more then five feet away the bird's eye snapped open and it watched her.

She froze, even holding her breath till she could stand it no more and let the air out through her nose slowly.

The bird made no move.

She took another precarious step forward.

Still no move.

Another step.

It blinked and she froze once more teeth clenched so tight that it hurt her jaw.

Another step, the knife gripped so tight in her hand her knuckles were white. This was just a goose why was she so tense?!

Because she knew if she screwed this up she might go hungry.

One more step and she was close enough to try for a grab when the beast rose to it's webbed feet and let out an angry sounding honk!

Sandy was about to make her move when it was echoed by several other angry honks.

Eyes wide with a bead of sweat running down from her scalp she turned her head slowly and realized that while she had been so focused on her target the other geese had surrounded her and were approaching by land and sea. Some had their wings out like they were hoping to pen her in and keep her from running.

Sandy's eyes narrowed and she adjusted her grip. Was she really about to run from a bunch of birds?!

The original goose she had been menacing struck! Lightning fast it's head short forward and it's beak snapped at her hand leaving angry red bite marks as she yelped and jerked backwards stumbling over onto her rear and kicking up mud everywhere. Her shoe had gotten stuck in the mud and thrown her off balance!

As soon as she was on the ground the geese lunged for her honking up a storm. Sandy's world became feathers and angry beaks as she lashed out with her knife. Soon the color red joined the mix as bleeding geese stained each other with crimson and continued their ruthless assault on the girl.

"GET OFF!" She barked swinging the knife again and feeling her blade piercing a goose's neck. It's honking became garbled with the blood draining into it's throat but it continued it's attack even as she yanked the knife back out.

Plastered in mud, blood and feathers Sandy made a snap judgement. She was not about to get killed by geese. These weren't even mutant geese as far as she could tell!

Shielding her face with her arm she plowed forward, stomping on a goose in the process who's beak snapped shut on her pants so it was dragged behind her flapping it's wings to slow her down. The other birds were in hot pursuit as Sandy slipped and slid through the mud.

Comments

[voiceinthephone]

It wasn't long after the commotion that Sandy would hear a familiar voice yelling at the geese to stay away from Sandy. But the yelling was guttural, as if the owner needed this outlet more than to scare the birds away. Marko had been right, sponsors had been kind to Gray but something about him had changed. He seemed lost, desperate, and...sick.

Phil grabbed Sandy tight and seized the offending bird's neck, wringing it nice and fast to avoid unnecessary suffering for either of them. "A-Are you okay?" he asked, his concerns never wavering, but his voice was broken. Something had happened after they'd split up.

"Come on...we need to find shelter."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy let out a yelp as she was grabbed tight and only because she had recognized his voice did she not turn her knife on Phil. Instead she slashed out at another goose who was still lunging at her even as Phil finished off the original bird that had started this attack.

"Away from the water!" She managed to choke out as a feather burst from her mouth. She must have gotten it in while she was shouting at the feathered fiends.

[voiceinthephone]

Sandy would be dropped off as Gray led the charge back into the clearing, and due north. Both dead birds would become their dinner and probably breakfast at this rate. "Lead the way!" he called out to her as he took out the hunting knife and used the techniques Sandy had taught him.

By the time they were safe, the guard was breathing hard and leaning against the nearest tree. He was silent as he turned to see his friend, "Any wounds on you?"

[justoutrunyou]

Once she was on her feet and in control again she felt better about things. No offense to Phil especially with all he'd done for her but she was always more confident on her own two feet to being carried.

Breathing heavy and feeling too warm in her extra layers now she rolled up the sleeve on his jacket that she was wearing so her fingers could run along the bite marks on her face. A bit of blood and a lot of stinging but she'd live.

"Nothing that needs stitching I-"

But her reassuring was cut off as a silver orb fell from the sky attached to a parachute. The cracking of branches drew her gaze upwards where the item had been caught in the trees.

"Sponsor gift." She pointed at the dangling prize too high up to reach without climbing one of the thin branched trees.

"Maybe they like how we handled those monster birds." She muttered not sounding too convinced.

[voiceinthephone]

"Maybe, maybe they want to liven up the party with favors," Gray breathed, hoping it was something worth their while and danger. He smiled as he saw his old jacket serving its' purpose and keeping Sandy warm. He had stolen Dandy's jacket to make up for his own, the man wasn't going to use it anyways.

"Not that I'm ungrateful or anything," he added to whoever it may have concerned. Surviving on rocks and scavenged meat was taking a toll on the guard's body, making him use up even more body fat as time progressed. "I think we can climb it..."

[justoutrunyou]

"Maybe give me a boost?" She offered hoping that between the two of them they could reach a branch sturdy enough to support her while she swiped at the parachute with her knife.

She shrugged off her backpack to lessen the weight, knowing that Phil wouldn't try to steal it out from under her. He had earned her trust and to be entirely honest she owed him.

[voiceinthephone]

"Sure thing kiddo," Her trust would be validated, as he merely set the valuable asset aside and gave Sandy a boost, muttering "Alley-oop" as soon as she was secure. He also kept an eye out for any incoming Tributes that could try to attack them.

"Tell me you've been having better luck than I have," he tried to sound relaxed as he did before, back at the training center.

[justoutrunyou]

The extra height was almost enough. Stretching out her arms she felt her fingertips brush the soft metal container that she knew contained some prize or treat for her. A reckless swipe and she left Phil's shoulders hanging for a moment before the branches gave way and she dragged the container and the parachute crashing to the ground.

"I'm OK." she immediately reported sitting up with a parachute on her head. Yanking it off with an embarrassed blush she focused on opening the orb.

Inside was a single First Aid kit and a note which she picked up and read silently before rolling her eyes and showing it to Phil.

Plainly the note read "Helping!!! <3 Gary"

"This guy feels guilty because I yelled at him for almost getting me killed in the special kids arena." She explained with half a smirk.

[voiceinthephone]

"Or maybe he likes you," the former guard poked fun at that, almost forgetting what had him so distraught. "What death was that? The squirt guns?"

He rubbed his face, to will away any emotion that wasn't the mask and settled against the tree, "At least we'll eat good for the next two days if those hellbirds are any help" He tilted at their two dead geese with hope for a fire or something to cook them. Part of him wanted to ask if Sandy had kept the gin she'd promised when they ran into each other earlier in the week. But something about the atmosphere started to change, and it wasn't just the incoming sponsor gifts that rained all over the Arena.

"Know anywhere safe?"

[foundafamily]

The Arena is dangerous--that much Firo knew going in.

He did not expect some of that danger to come from geese.

He spots the struggle a little ways away and has to stop and rub his eyes to make sure he's not hallucinating. With that established, he runs for the scuffle.

Making a lot of noise probably isn't a good idea, but he wants to give her some warning before he goes charging in. He'd hate to get that knife to the gut just because she mistook him for an attacker. "Hey! You need a hand?"

[justoutrunyou]

An unfamiliar voice. Male, not too old and offering to help.

It took only a moment for Sandy to weigh her options as one of the Geese clamped it's beak down on her knife and tried to twist it's head and beat at her with it's wings to make her drop it. Other geese were biting down on her arms, legs, neck. One caught her ear and she yelped throwing a punch into it's eye making it release her.

"Get these things off of me!" She cried out in response.

[foundafamily]

It didn't look like they could afford to lose much time, so he replied as he ran the rest of the way to the struggle. "Okay, okay! Just, uh... Keep thrashin' about so you can try and shake 'em off!"

It would up the chances that he'd accidentally hit her, but he wasn't using any weapons, so he was sure she'd come out okay. Probably. At least he was trained to be very precise.

The real challenge was figuring out what to do about fighting a huge bird--Firo's experience was entirely limited to people. He kicked out at the goose she'd just punched, sending it away from the knot of wrestling birds and humans. With that temporary reprieve, he grabbed for the neck of another one of the geese biting her and pressed up under its beak. The trick was one he'd used often on humans and apparently it worked fine on other animals too: the creature beat at him with its wings, but let go.

"As soon as you can, get some distance between yourself and these guys, okay?" He imagined she'd probably need some help with any injuries afterward, but he'd rather get the geese taken care of first.

[justoutrunyou]

The weight of geese was slowly decreasing and that gave her a better view of what she was aiming for. The next angry bird that thrust it's beak at her had a knife run across it's neck making it flap away to die somewhere else.

Another stab, another kick and she was pulling away from the squabble just in time for reinforcements to arrive waddling out of the bushes with their wings spread for attack.

"I'm out!" She shouted over her shoulder barreling forward and away from the growing gaggle of geese. Once she had at least twenty feet between them she spun around knife in hand to make sure that her savior didn't need her to rescue him next.

[foundafamily]

At least she made it out. Firo managed a short sigh of relief when she called out--and then it was cut short by a growl when a goose bit down on his hand. He shook it off, pushing it into its nearest friend.

Then he looked up just in time to see more of the demons approach. "...Ah, shit." Firo tended to at least make an effort to clean up his language around children, but with hissing reinforcements on the horizon, it wasn't the first thing on his mind. Getting mobbed was never a good thing, so... time for an undignified retreat.

He kicked out at the surrounding birds, then grabbed for the nearest one. While he wasn't a large person, he was stronger than he looked and Firo needed every ounce of that strength to subdue to frantically flapping creature. Then he threw it at its friends.

With the geese all in a tizzy, he turned and bolted for the kid. If she didn't start running when he reached her, he would grab her by her sleeve and start pulling her along. "C'mon, let's go!"

[justoutrunyou]

She did not need further prompting. As he grabbed her sleeve and the two ran together she picked up speed till she was half dragging him.

"Thank you!" She gasped for breath throwing a glance over her shoulder to see that thankfully the geese were not fast enough to make this chase last long. Once she was satisfied they weren't still following she slowed down face scarlet from the multiple layers she was wearing along with the running and various beak marks on her face.

[foundafamily]

Her speed surprised him, but Firo was thankful for it all the same. Even when the geese were nowhere to be seen, he didn't quite relax.

Catching his breath, he scanned the horizon for any obvious danger. "Damn it! That was crazy!"

Venting could wait, though, he realized. He tilted his head to one side as he examined her, taking note of her injuries. There was nothing really bad as far as he could tell, but he couldn't imagine she was entirely comfortable. Even his small scrapes stung a bit. "For a bunch a' overgrown pigeons they got you pretty good, huh? You look terrible."

With that flattering observation, he swung his backpack around and started digging through it. He had scooped up something for injuries, hadn't he?

[justoutrunyou]

She was taken aback by how honest he was and it actually earned a lopsided smile from her.

"That's nothing. In my second arena they had this giant duck with teeth like knives." She held her hands up to her mouth to mime a horrible traplike jaw opening and closing.

Her face stung but she'd live. What was the worst that would come out of some cuts on her face? Even if they were deep she had some rubbing alcohol stashed away that she could disinfect it with later.

"I'm Sandy." she added in a late introduction.

[carnagecarnival]

He likes Sandy. Fuck, he likes Sandy a lot. And with the Nameless gone, he felt ever more responsible for her, in that strange untrollish way.

But there was something about all this that got right through his changed and bettered layers to the motherfucker within who culled the unfunny and laughed at the cull. How is he not supposed to be amused at someone slipping on through the mud as a bunch of birds got to follow?

And so, he allows himself just one guilt laugh, then he's running forward. "REACH FOR MY HAND!" He calls out, as he skirts by.

Sandy was fast, but he was tall, and far more hardy. She'd be safe up on his shoulders or even in his arms.

[justoutrunyou]

His voice cuts through the pandemonium so effectively even some of the geese turn their attention onto him and make to attack. Sandy however starts clawing and stabbing to drag herself towards him climbing over shrieking flapping birds. When she feels her hand make contact with his wrist she grips it in a tight death grip.

"STUPID FUCKING BIRDS!" While Sandy doesn't normally curse as often as Pruna or the tall troll. But she knows how much he appreciates it in his own way.

[carnagecarnival]

She grips his hand tight and he uses that, hauling her close, then taking her up in his arms. Without once stopping his run.

"Climb up, little sister!" He tells her. With an added. "FUCK, AIN'T NONE OF YOU TOLD ME YOU HUMANS HAD HONKBEASTS! Honkbeasts. IS THIS ALL BEING MOTHERFUCKING FOR REAL."

There are still quite a few angry and bloodied birds following behind. He grins at them and offers quick kicks.

[justoutrunyou]

She doesn't need telling twice. Scrambling up him like a cat scaling a tree she casts an exhausted and annoyed look at the birds as his long strides put some distance on them. In spite she raises a middle finger at the birds who in turn honk angrily.

"Honkbeasts? Yeah OK. I guess it never really came up?" She mused finding it easy to relax now that she was safe in his grip. "How often do we talk about birds and animals from our worlds anyway?" After a thought she added "Not counting Duck." Sandy reasoned Pruna's pet would likely be sitting somewhere in the District suite right now comforting Pruna over her early death.

[carnagecarnival]

He misses the flipping of her middle finger, but he hears the angry honks. He can't help himself. He lets out an echoing honk of his own. Maybe two.

He closes his mouth as she discounts duck, giving a fake pout what all she can't see. But he laughs again sure enough. "Apparently not all enough. YOU KNOW WHAT ALL HONKS? Messiahs do. MESSIAHS AND THEIR FAITHFUL. When as they've done at with the chasing us down, I'm going back and getting one of them fuckers."

He is, quite unfortunately, entirely serious about this. But he's more serious when he asks, "YOU ALRIGHT? Some blood on you there, sand sister."

[justoutrunyou]

It's almost enough to make Sandy groan but she opts to roll her eyes again. Of course he wants to tame one of those stupid birds. That just makes perfect sense doesn't it? It does for a crazy person. As much as Sandy admires the Inititate she's aware he's not entirely sane sometimes.

She manages to smile when he asks if she's OK. "I've had worse." She promises. "And some of the blood is theres." Some of it, most actually and that's enough she can be proud of.

[carnagecarnival]

What a strange world that would be, a world wherein he was entirely sane. The world would need be mad in his place, and all would then contradict itself.

But like the honkbeasts as he may, the note of pride in her voice when she tells most of the blood is her doing, brings him pride of his own, with a faint, "Heh." Then, "YOU LET AT THIS BROTHER KNOW IF YOU'RE NEEDING. I got myself first-aid packs as I ain't yet needed using for."

In the meantime, he'd keep heading riverways. Back to where he'd stashed his things, including his spear. Fishing was a breeze to him. She could be set off with the food what she'd wanted on.

[justoutrunyou]

Lately Sandy had been taking advantage of the generosity of grown ups, especially evidenced by her wearing a man's sized jacket that was too big for her and had the number of another district on it. But Initiate was a friend so she wouldn't take the first aid kits unless she needed them.

Fish however was another story.

"You're getting along alright?" She questioned as they returned to his things. He'd already gone through enough pain, suffering and temporary reprogramming. Add to it what he'd endured in the last arena while Sandy had been stuck at home watching and she was always wondering if there was one straw left that could break him completely or if he'd passed on through to the other side and was almost invulnerable to mental and emotional anguish.