“It wouldn't be the first time,” Haymitch replied, his voice free of any kind of irony. Much of his previous time in the arena had been spent watching bad things happen and wondering what else could go wrong, only to find that the Hunger Games were incredibly capable of getting that much worse. This time around, the former Victor didn't expect anything to be easy, or to go smoothly. Not only was the Quarter Quell important, a larger than life event for the Capitol, President Snow was actively trying to take Katniss out and that meant that everyone had to suffer. Although they hadn't seen much action or gore aside from the initial bloodbath, Haymitch was prepared for the worst.

The two continued to walk along, the land beneath their feet remaining consistent and Haymitch was glad to hear the snapping of twigs and rustled leaves kicked from their boots. The marsh area was what worried him the most, unpredictable in the day time and sure to be nearly impossible to navigate in the dark. Still, Haymitch continued on with Katniss, hoping to make it to the edge of the arena before either of them collapsed from exhaustion. As long as they kept moving, Haymitch told himself that he could keep his head up, that he wasn't tired. Walking was often the difference between life and death.

The mention of Beetee and Wiress caught his attention and Haymitch laughed softly. “Now if we could just find them,” he said, pausing as Katniss inspected a pair of perfectly-placed trees. The alliance wasn't something that the former Victor had given much thought to—his highest priority was still protecting Katniss, with finding Prim and Gale as a close second. He knew that Finnick and Johanna were still out there, alive and hopefully well, but part of Haymitch had been honestly surprised not to see District 3's former champions broadcast among the stars. He supposed winning once made people a little more confident.

With no traps impeding their journey so far, the pair finally made it to the edge of the forest. Haymitch could see the moonlight glittering off the puddles of water in the distance, picture perfect until he recalled the danger of the hidden whirlpools. “Yeah, you're right,” he said, thinking that Katniss was right about the layout. He supposed that they would find out in the morning, or after a few more hours hunkered down behind some tree as shelter. Sleep was beginning to feel more persistent and Haymitch concealed a yawn behind his hand before reluctantly removing the pack from his shoulders.

“You gonna be okay?” he asked, gravitating toward a nearby bush to hide behind and catch some rest. He was worried that there would be another ambush, a bigger attack and the two of them were so out in the open already. For a moment, Haymitch was tempted to leave Katniss with his ax, but she was so much deadlier with a bow and probably didn't need the extra help.

Compared to Katniss, the blonde had never thought of herself as strong or even capable, but training for the Games had revealed another side, someone who could survive without her sister around to hold her hand. Still, that new mentality was fragile and all it took was a tumble onto some pond water for Prim to feel like she was struggling all over again. Gale's words were the reassurance that she needed, there to keep her grounded and she was more than happy to hear that he didn't thin of her as a burden. She smiled softly and directed her attention toward a patch of dry land that was big enough for both of them to sit down.

The berries that they had come across earlier were good for a lot of things, but they didn't work miracles and Prim flinched as the juice touched her open wound. “It's...better,” she said, noticing that some of the pain lessened. Reaching for the bag, Prim offered a smile. “I'll do it,” she said, well-versed in treating injuries. “You should try and get some sleep.” He had been up much longer than her, and having to carry her had probably only made Gale more tired. Two hours may not have been a lot, but the sun was sure to rise soon and trying to find time to rest during the day just seemed dangerous.

“I can keep watch,” she added and took small handful of berries from the backpack. She crushed them between her fingers worked them into a jelly-like paste, their bitter scent already wafting through the air. Gingerly, Prim set the berries on her leg and sighed as the sap inside immediately got to work. The wound wasn't going to heal overnight, but if the toxin was leeched out by morning, Prim knew that she could cover it and they could keep moving like nothing had happened.