Disclaimer: The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins. I don't own it… yet.

I stalk through the wheat field and look around. I spot movement out of the corner of my eye and turn, my sword now pointing now pointing at… a rabbit.

"Damnit!" I whisper.

The feast is about to start, and I don't want Clove there while Thresh is still running around. I know she can take care of herself, as she constantly likes to remind me, but compared to Thresh, Clove is like a rag doll. So, that's how I ended up searching for Thresh in the wheat field, where he's been hiding out for the entirety of the Games, and Clove ended up hiding in the cornucopia and waiting for District 12 to arrive.

God, I hate that stupid girl on fire. I don't see what's so great about her. There's no way she could be better than Clove or me. We're faster, stronger, and actually know how to use a weapon.

I hear a scream from afar. I laugh to myself. I can't wait to see what Clove will do to Katniss. I smile at the thought. I hear another scream, but this time it forms a word. Not just any word, my name. The smile suddenly falls from my face.

"Clove..." I turn and begin to run. "Clove!" I turn again. I'm starting to panic and sprint in the direction of the voice. I run, and I run, and I run. I have to get to Clove. I need to save her.

I can finally see the clearing up ahead. "CLOVE!" I look at the scene in front of me, and a sob escapes my mouth. Clove lay motionless on the ground, and Katniss and Thresh are talking about something, but they soon stop and Katniss runs into the woods. I don't even consider chasing after her. Thresh sprints to the table and grabs both his and my backpacks, but I run right past him.

I finally get a good view of Clove. She lay on the ground and is breathing heavily. There is a large dent in her skull, and I know that only Thresh could have been strong enough to make that dent. I fall to my knees and sit by her side. I stroke her dark hair and stare into her brown eyes.

"Clove," I whisper and tears begin to fall down my face.

"Cato,"

"You're going to be okay." Panic creeps into my voice and I start to yell. "Just stay with me. You're going to be okay!"

"Cato, it's alright." Clove says calmly. "It's alright."

"No, Clove! It's not alright! I let you get hurt! I didn't protect you!" I'm sobbing by now.

"Cato," I look into her eyes and see the girl I met years ago. "It's no use." I look away. "No, Cato. Look at me. You're going to win." She attempts a smile. "Besides, I never needed your protection," she adds weakly.

Before I realize it, I'm saying, "I love you." I smile at the thought. "I always have. I've just been too dumb to realize it."

She stares at me with wide eyes and finally says, "I love you, too." She coughs, and her eyes begin to close. Her chest stops moving.

"Clove?" I yell. "No! You can't die on me! Stop! I need you!" I'm yelling at her at this point, but if she can hear me, I don't know. But, I don't care either. "Clove, stay with me!" I finally hear a canon in the background. I start to sob. "Clove…" I say and my voice cracks. For a moment, I just take the image in. Her brown eyes, her freckles, her dark hair. I lean down and kiss her forehead. I get up because I know that I have to move.

Slowly, I make my way to the edge of the clearing. "Clove…" I'm shaking. I don't know what to do. "Clove!" I yell. How could I let this happen to her? I loved her, and I couldn't protect her. This is all my fault! I couldn't keep her safe, and Thresh got to her.

At the thought of Thresh, I swell with anger. "Thresh! Wherever you are, I will kill you! You will pay for what you did to Clove! I will tear you limb from limb. Then, you can go rot in hell!" I shout to the world. I will find him. I will kill him.

I turn back to the clearing, just in time to see Clove's lifeless body being picked up by a hovercraft. "Don't worry, Clove. I will kill him for what he did to you. For what he took away from me. I will avenge you."

And that concludes my first real fanfiction! Thank you to anyone who read this! Please review!