Pom Experiences Fear

Pom did not complain as she was led into the tube. In all honesty, she didn't really understand why she was being put into such a small, enclosed space, or what was really happening. It wasn't like she was going to run away or anything! A few more moments passed, with the peacekeepers staring at her confusedly from outside the glass, unsure as to why she seemed so calm. Pom smiled cheerfully back at them. Suddenly, the floor of the tube gave a jolt, and she began to rise up and into the arena. She was quite unfamiliar with the beginning of the games, as she had usually been sleeping when they were broadcast on television. This meant that Pom had absolutely no idea what was coming. She looked around herself with mild curiosity. This was by far the strangest elevator she'd ever been in. Before long, she was completely out, and squinting against the glare of the sun. A cold breeze rippled through her fur, and she looked around herself. There were trees wider and taller than any she had ever seen or even imagined before, and almost no other vegetation besides a few bushes. A small frown creased her face. How were they supposed to produce fruit like that? She turned slightly, and what she saw next had her ears pressed flat against her head and her eyes wide with fear. It was a cave. And above the cave, a golden symbol in the shape of a horn. The cornucopia was inside the cave. While Pom had not been paying attention to most of the games, she did know what the cornucopia was. The cornucopia, and what it contained, meant life. Shaking slightly, Pom turned around, scanning the forest behind her for a sign, any chance that she would be able to avoid the cave entirely. She was so distracted with her search that she barely even heard the countdown, and then the gong. The games had begun. 

All around her, tributes sprang off of their platforms, most of whom made a beeline straight for the mouth of the cave. Pom took a few shaky steps towards the forest, and was about to break into a run when a low, ominous growl caught her off guard. There were wolves in the forest. They were massive, far larger than she was, and since she had neglected her training she had no hope of taking them down in paw-to-paw combat. This fact hit her like a truck. For her entire time in the Capitol leading up to this point, she'd always assumed everything would work out fine. That was what she always did. Now, doubts were beginning to creep into her mind. If she allowed them to stay, they would tear her apart. So she shook her head, turned around, and before she had even the slightest chance of second guessing herself, she dove down the tunnel and into the caves. It was even worse than she had imagined. The tunnel had a thin trickle of water running down the floor, and the walls and ceiling seemed to press closer and closer the deeper she went. It was terrible. Pom wanted to scream. Until suddenly, she was out. 

The cornucopia was in sight, resting in the middle of an enormous cavern. A crack in the ceiling allowed the sun to shine down onto the glistening metal surface, casting reflections onto all walls of the cave. She wanted to cry tears of joy, but also anguish. For surrounding the metal horn was a deep lake of water. She would have to swim. Pom stood staring at it all for a few seconds, her head buzzing with a dozen conflicting thoughts, before another tribute shot out of the tunnel behind her and she remembered where she was. She began to run down the slope to where the pool began, hoping that if she leapt far enough out, she wouldn't have to swim as far. This did not work as planned. She tripped over a small pebble and landed face first in the frigid water. When she tried to let out a yelp of shock and fear, water flooded into her mouth. Fortunately, she was not far enough in that she could not stand, and she managed to spit out the water and regain her bearings. Knowing she had to keep going before her doubts came back, Pom launched herself into the pool and churned all her legs fiercely, hoping with all her heart that she was actually moving. The water pressed against her skin on all sides, and it felt as though her lungs were about to burst, when her foot touched the hard and scratchy ground and she opened her eyes. Somehow, she had made it! She lunged for the cornucopia, grabbed the first thing she saw in her mouth, and plunged back into the water. On her way back, something large and slimy brushed past her legs, and she shuddered. It felt as though this arena had been specifically designed to spite her. First there had been no fruit, then there were caves, and finally there was deep water. Miserably, Pom hauled herself out on the far bank and dashed away from the pool. 

She had no idea where she could go next, but she knew it had to be somewhere hard to reach. Her gaze flitted for the briefest instant towards a narrow crack in the wall, but the thought of hiding out in there made her want to be sick. No. She'd have to find a place in the open. Outside wouldn't work, as the wolves there looked very hungry for some Pom-flavoured food. All the passages leading out of the cave she was in made her stomach turn at the thought of even going near them. That left only this cave, which, although brimming with tributes, was the only option she had left. Pom scanned the walls for any signs of ledges, and found one just a few paces away from where she now stood. Still clasping her prize in her jaws, Pom began to climb up the wall, finally heaving herself over the lip of the outcrop and rolling over to the wall, where she lay for a few moments, breathing hard and staring at the ceiling. After she had mostly caught her breath, she finally dropped what she had been holding since the cornucopia. It was a small hammer with a durable plastic handle, which was probably a good thing because had it been made of wood, it would be quite chewed up by now. Pom picked it up again curiously, but she lost her grip on it and dropped it on her paw, which hurt quite a lot. Jamming her paw into her mouth, she glared at the hammer. It wasn't going to be edible at all. And what she needed the most right now was food, or at least a plan on how to get food. Her mind wandered back to the slimy thing that had touched her leg while she was swimming across to the cornucopia. Maybe it was edible? She shivered at the thought, and fervently hoped it wasn't. Even if it was, it would probably be disgusting to eat. She watched as the rest of the tributes swarmed about on the floor beneath her. There were so many different colours and shapes. It would have been quite enjoyable in any circumstance other than this. Pom was suddenly reminded of her own pelt, and how she must stand out like a beacon against the drab greys and browns of the rest of the cave wall. This spot she had found would not last long at all, but she had no idea where else she could go. Unless... Pom quivered slightly at the thought. She would need to go into the smaller passages eventually. As soon as the excitement around the cornucopia had calmed down, tributes would start hunting for targets. And Pom was like a low-hanging fruit.