CATO POV

Clove's cannon had gone off signaling the end of her short life. I had been too slow, hearing her calls and for once fear had paralyzed me and she had paid with her life. Sure this was the Hunger Games, but for once I felt that maybe this wasn't right, sending 24 kids to fight to the death. You could label us; Careers, Tributes, Bloodbath, anything you really wanted but we were still kids. Snarling in an animalistic way i unsheathed my sword and gazed around furiously till I saw it shimmering in the grass; an arrow. Of course she would be behind this. That sewer rat, that Girl on Fire. She had outsmarted us in every way, getting a higher training score and stealing sponsors. She wasn't supposed to live, she was just some scrawny girl from District 12. Yet.. every time I thought of her I couldn't fathom myself killing her. ME Brutal, Bloody, Monstrous Cato couldn't fathom killing this girl. Because until she came along everything was so predictable, and the Games were basically over. Sure Clove was dangerous but just like Katniss, if I got my hands on her, arrow or knife wouldn't save her. Stalking towards the wheat field where no doubt Thresh hid, I had one goal in mind. Revenge. Revenge for Clove who would have been a Victor with me, we would have brought honor to our district. Instead she would be shipped back in a box, unable to experience the riches and finer things of life. All I knew for sure was that I would rip apart the remaining tributes till the fields were painted red with blood and the screams would never be forgotten by the Capital. I was a brutal monster and that's how I liked it. There was no room for love in these games; Love just made you weak. Yet why did I feel something like that for Katniss. Maybe because no other girl was like her that I had met. Maybe because being a tribute was an honor for us, just like volunteering was. Yet for Districts like hers they were death sentences especially for District 12. Yet Katniss still volunteered knowing there was a strong possibility that she wouldn't return alive; just so her sister could live another day. I knew letting my mind get caught up in all this was bad while I was hunting, but hearing Clove calling for me was still frozen in my mind, on repeat. Thresh had been hiding here since the Bloodbath like a coward. Sometimes I think if we had been successful in recruiting him into our pack, Clove would be alive and maybe Girl on Fire would be dead. From the moment I saw him I knew he would be one of the last ones alive. Lip curling, I thought at least he wasn't useless like Lover Boy. So he could throw weights, big deal it wouldn't prevent him from being shredded, or killed by some creation. The girl from District 5 was dead, caught by someone else, but I suppose she had killed her attacker as well. There was only 4 left and Top 5 hadn't been good enough for Clove. I could hardly care about Glimmer and Marvel, they were just something to fill the pack with. The District 4 tributes had been weak and I personally disposed of them in the Bloodbath. Call me heartless, or whatever other demeaning name you could come up with but this wasn't a place to make friends or be nice.

A rustling deeper in the fields drew my attention and I reverted back to training mode. Slithering silently throw the wheat, sword clenched in my grasp; an extension of my arm really. Whatever weapon Thresh had, his only chance was disarming me. Or severing my arms, which ever came first. I won't lie, this confrontation had been one both the Capitol and I had anticipated for quite some time. The rustling getting closer, I realized it was too quite for Thresh. No one of his size could move that quietly without training. It could be Lover Boy, but that fight would be a joke. Everyone knew the outcome of that. Descending my sword in an arc as a head popped out, severing it from its body in one fell swoop. Just a rabbit, I thought crossly. Normally I would be opposed to eating game, but I had to resort to that now thanks to Fire girl. Her and her stupid arrows, blowing up our supplies. Smart and crafty, it was a shame she wasn't a Career or a girl back things would certainly be different. But wishful thinking was just that; wishful. There wasn't no if's, and's or but's in the Hunger Games. Kill or be Killed; survival of the fittest in its purest form. Parents would be unable to ignore their children dying, forced to pray that theirs would be the victor. But 11 pairs of parents would mourn the loss of their child, taken before their time. Even the death of 12 year olds like that District 11 girl touched me a bit. Even our kids at 12 wouldn't survive so there was almost a negative chance that their child would. Sighing I knew there was a small chance I would find Thresh tonight, especially due to the fact that he had spent almost every moment of the games in here. Adding a wheat field just helped him even more, and rubbed salt in my wound. I'm sure at this point my mentor was screaming at me, for letting Clove die, for not ending these games sooner. She had wanted Fire Girl and I had wanted Lover Boy. I understood her need to get Katniss but mine was something different and unknown. Maybe a pang of jealousy every time I thought of Katniss in his arms. I wanted her in my arms saying my name instead of his. Honestly who named their kid Peeta?

Setting a fire, knowing that no one in their right mind would attempt to go after me now. The rage resulting in my district partner and semi-friends unnecessary death fueled my desire into winning even farther. Nothing would hold me back. Not Thresh and especially not Fire Girl and Lover Boy. I hated to admit it but Katniss dying would pain me for a moment. She would be the only one who died fast, even if she was semi responsible for Clove dying. Clove, Clove Clove I had to stop thinking about her. Unfortunately, thinking about it would cause slip ups. And those I simply cannot afford. Like most tributes I have a family to get back to, even though I didn't promise. Why promise something so unpredictable. Sure the Capital liked me, mostly the women of course but no where as close to Fire Girl before nerdy Lover Boy created the whole "Star Crossed Lovers". Since then she's been on a whole other level then I have been, especially with sponsors and popularity. But tomorrow popularity would save no one. They could pray and scream for mercy but none would come. Because mercy is something that doesn't register with me. I am Brutal,Bloody, Soulless Cato. And I will win the 74th Hunger Games in a way no one else ever has or will.

AN: Well this idea has floated in my head the last few days. I absolutely love the idea of Cato X Katniss since they work so well together. The first four chapters will be POV of the Final Four and Chapter 5 will resume to 3rd person POV. Read and review I guess and feel free to contribute ideas, and anything to help improve the story. I don't own the Hunger Games, characters or any variation. The story will be updated once or twice a week depending on how much time I have after school.