Peeta kills the monkey mutt attacking him, and the remaining monkeys abruptly retreat as if recalled by the Gamemakers. Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick bring the wounded District 6 morphling to the beach, but Katniss quickly realizes the internal damage is fatal. As the morphling dies, Peeta gently talks to her about painting and color, giving her comfort until she makes one last motion as if painting his face and then dies. Peeta carries her body into the water until the hovercraft retrieves it.

Afterward, the group recovers Katniss's arrows and notices their burns from the fog have scabbed over into intense itching. They return to Peeta's tapped tree for more water, then go back to the beach. Katniss lets Finnick take watch because she sees he is grieving Mags, and while she rests, Finnick gathers fresh water and shellfish. Katniss calls out to Haymitch for medicine, and a sponsor parachute quickly delivers an ointment that relieves the itching. The medicine leads to a rare moment of humor as Katniss and Finnick prank Peeta, and Katniss begins to trust Finnick more. Another parachute brings District 4 bread, reinforcing Katniss's sense that Haymitch wants her aligned with Finnick.

As they remain on the beach, an enormous wave crashes through another section of the arena, kills someone, and then recedes. Soon afterward, three battered figures emerge: Johanna, Beetee, and Wiress. Finnick recognizes Johanna and runs to her, and Katniss and Peeta follow despite Katniss's distrust. Johanna explains that she, Beetee, Wiress, and Blight were caught in a downpour of blood; during their escape, Blight hit the force field and died. Beetee is weak from a knife wound, Wiress is badly shocked and repeats only "Tick, tock," and Johanna angrily reveals that she brought Beetee and Wiress to Katniss because Haymitch told her to if they were to be allies.

Katniss and Peeta bring Beetee and Wiress back to their camp. Katniss keeps Beetee's metal cylinder and vine coil, then cleans his wound, packs it with moss, and gives him water. She also washes Wiress, whose fear and confusion persist even though she keeps trying to communicate with the phrase "Tick, tock." Finnick recounts the recent dangers while avoiding the pain of Mags's death, and that night Johanna stays awake with Katniss rather than sleep. In their tense conversation, Johanna confirms that Mags had been Finnick's mentor and says Haymitch specifically ordered her to bring Beetee and Wiress to Katniss.

At noon, Katniss sees the lightning strike begin again in the same wedge where it had started at midnight. Remembering the blood rain, the fog, the monkey mutts, and the giant wave appearing in different sections at specific times, Katniss finally understands Wiress's repeated warning. She studies the circular arena, connects each danger to a different segment and hour, and realizes the entire arena is arranged like a clock.