Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fanfiction; they are all rightfully Suzanne Collins'.

So this is my first story on . I hope you like it; it's a little tragic though. It is set during Mockingjay (so obvious spoiler alert) and it picks up from when "The Star Squad" are escaping reptilian, white, mutts in the tunnels beneath the Capitol. This is basically an alternate ending/event. Enjoy! Oh, and reviews are greatly appreciated, they let me know people are actually reading my work!

Katniss as we Know It

Katniss P.O.V.:

Gale climbs up the ladder and onto the cold ground. His neck bleeds freely; a mutt must have got him. I wait impatiently for the rest of our squad to arrive. I count the remaining people. Soon enough, I quit. I haven't the heart to see who isn't here. I rock back and forth on my heels trying to block out the terrible sounds below. But one sound forces me back into reality. The groan is far and distant and unmistakably Finnick's. I scramble to the edge of the hole and follow the ladder down with my eyes. There lies a bloody blob, which apparently is still alive. My heart sinks as I see Finnick's despair. "Finnick!" I shout. He turns his head towards my voice, and I'm met with pleading, sea green eyes.

Gale seems to notice my urge to help Finnick, and orders me, "No Katniss", he says. Surprisingly, his voice is steady. I guess he's trying to convince me not to go and help Finnick. "He can't be saved."

But people have never been very good at making me follow their orders. I slide down the ladder before Gale can stop me. Down below, a mutt is dangerously close to Finnick's neck. I shoot the mutt in the brain without a second glance. This gives me time to get in a position to guard Finnick. There are plenty more mutts around, but hopefully I have enough arrows and bullets.

"Leave, Katniss!" Finnick's voice is hoarse and raspy. "Go while you still can!" His voice cracks. Talking weakens him.

"No," I say firmly while blasting a mutt's head clean off, "You deserve life more than I. Annie and your unborn son need you." Finnick seems to give up on talking; it probably would kill him if he tried anymore. I'm stupid, I think. How could I possibly think that I could defend Finnick, who is probably good as dead, against what, like fifty or more vicious mutts? But something from above interrupts my thoughts.

"C'mon Katniss!" says a gruff voice. Gale. He climbs down the ladder and pulls on my shirt. Why won't he just let me do what I want? I think.

"No!" I shriek. I won't let anyone else die for me; especially Finnick. All this death only adds to my misery and President Snow's pleasure. But Gale has always been stronger than I, and he hoists me up the ladder. My dreams for keeping Finnick safe are crushed, and I stop fighting as Gale pulls me along.

Peeta P.O.V.:

I vaguely remember being hurried up the ladder by Cressida to escape rampaging mutts. I sit, cradling my head in my hands.

"Why are we still sitting here?" I ask no one in particular. When I hear no answer I look up from my hands, and then I realize how little of us are left. But my thoughts become confused as an episode attacks me. Suddenly, I feel my fists ball up and I'm clenching my teeth. "She did this!" I shout. It's all clear to me now, If Katniss just died like she should have in the arena, then none of these people would be dead right now. Katniss is a filthy mutt, who causes death and destruction wherever she goes. My sudden outburst has caused Cressida and a few others to look up startled. Before I can continue my rant against Katniss, I hear voices emerge from the hole with the ladder.

"Stop resisting!" I hear Gale shout as he emerges with a fear-stricken Katniss from the hole.

A painful moan comes from deep down in the tunnels. I look around to see who isn't here. Finnick. I think. Then the realization hits me, Finnick is being gnawed on by filthy mutts, and Katniss was probably trying to tear him apart too. One final scream and I know it's over for him. The fragile allegiance I have been trying to keep with Katniss is broken in that instant.

"You stinking MUTT!" I scream at Katniss. "You trying to kill Finnick?" I harshly push Katniss towards the hole again. To send this demon to whatever Hell she came from. "All of these deaths are your fault!"

"No, Peeta. Shh…Shhh…" Katniss says trying to console me. She's obviously trying to appear innocent against all the murders she has committed. But I can hear the fear in her voice. Good, I think. This mutt deserves to be afraid of me.

"I can't believe you." I snarl as both my feet crush her wrists. How dare she think that her 'soothing' words will make me forget her actions? Katniss is now teetering on the edge of the dark hole, held only in place by my feet on her wrists.

"Back off!" Gale growls as he lunges for my arms to wrestle me away from Katniss.

I almost laugh at his feeble attempt. I have always had muscle, more than him at least. So I easily give him a punch to the face that knocks him unconscious. Blood spurts from Gale's nose, but in his state, he won't feel anything at all. My mind is directed back to Katniss as she lets out a quiet whimper.

"Peeta, please, you love me." Katniss pleads. She's desperately trying to make me love her again. No chance of that happening.

"MUTT!" I scream, spraying her with spit.

The rest of our squad try to help, but back away hearing my last outbreak towards Katniss.

"Remember the bread, Peeta?" Katniss asks quietly.

A shadow of recognition flutters through my mind at the thought. A starving girl, out in the rain. She is rooting through the bakery's trashcans, desperate for food. I love this girl. Ever since the first day of kindergarten. I purposely burn the bread I'm supposed to be baking. Seeing this, my mother slaps me hard on my cheek. She tells me to give it to the pigs. I walk out into the rain and toss the bread to the pigs. Then, silently, I toss it to the girl. She hungrily takes it and looks into my eyes. We both know I have saved her and her family from starvation.

But this memory is overpowered by the lies – no, truths – that the Capitol has told me about Katniss. She is a mutt, and killed lots of people, always wanting to hurt others. So I respond coldly to her: "You can't exactly replace everyone with bread, Katniss."

"But-" Katniss begins to mumble.

She doesn't have time to finish her sentence. My decision is made. I dig my heels into her flesh and force her back into the dark hole from which she came. With a single movement I shove her and she topples over the edge. "I hope you find Hell!" I scream at her. That is her origin anyways.

Katniss screams, a horrible scream, as she plummets to her sure death. The sounds become lost as she lands at the bottom. Thud! A sickening sound indeed.