AN: For Red in the Caesar's Palace New Year's Exchange. Using the requested prompt – Murmuration.
-x-
Clove watched through the fog of her breath as the sky shifted from black to grey, waiting for the comfort of color and light to bring some warmth. Her fingers and nose were numb from the frigid morning and her feet stung in her wet socks. She was given two minutes to get ready for the morning calisthenics and a four mile run through the switchbacks; she cursed herself for not expecting training to resume as usual after the New Year festival.
She tried to compare the colors that seeped into the clouds from the sunrise to the flash and excitement of fireworks strewn amongst the stars. Out of all of the combinations she saw the night before, none resembled any she saw on their run. The hills offered no harmony to play along with the white that covered their path. The rhythmic crunching of snow under the children's feet muted nature's soundtrack.
What kept her awake and her mind off the biting chill, was to keep up with Cato's steady pace in front of her. She remembered his warmth when she was huddled against him and her peers in the town square, watching the fireworks. What intrigued her most was that he found more entertainment in chatting and shoving his other classmates. The cacophony of booms and music that filled the square and resonated in her chest never made him flinch. Her heart had raced and her cheeks were flushed, not from the cold or the colors that swirled in the street and sky, but the fact that last night was the closest she had ever been to the boy.
Once the group reached the end of the run, their instructor paired up the children. The objective was to descend the mountain back to the school without using the main trail. The pair that returned first, with no injuries, would receive a reward. Clove was excited about her partner, but he didn't feel the same way. He just ran his glove under his nose and told her to keep up and hopefully they would be home before dark. Maybe he would have better odds next week.
She wondered if he had noticed that it was her standing shoulder to elbow with him in the square, and if he had any idea that her thoughts of him did more than keep her warm at night. She struggled through the knee-high snow bank and began to fall behind. He was more surefooted than she, having had two more years of training and sharing none of her privileged upbringing. He was at home in the mountains.
Pride started to move her legs faster, wanting to prove to Cato that she wasn't a useless first year Career. She often heard him tease her other classmates, saying they were no more useful than the coal from 12. Once out of the snow bank, a clearing allowed her to lengthen her stride and close the ten-pace gap. She kept her eyes to the blonde hair peeking out from under his cap instead of watching his feet. More concerned with catching up, she failed to notice a twisted root that crossed her path. The cold offered no buffer from the pain, but amplified the sharp shock that shot up her leg.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Clove cried as she rolled over, gripping her ankle. Her eyes were clamped shut, afraid of any tears that would appear and give away her weakness. Cato groaned and cursed his way back to her and threw down his pack. He tapped her hands away and gently held her ankle for closer inspection. She covered her face, still not wanting him to see her pain, and only let gritted cries through her teeth as he rocked her ankle side to side.
"Just a sprain. No big deal." He sighed. "So much for not coming in last." She held her breath when she heard his disappointment. They definitely would not receive any kind of reward tonight, but surely reprimanded instead for her carelessness.
"I'm sorry. I was just-" She uncovered her face when she heard the rip of fabric. Her entire leg was throbbing in pain; she hadn't realized she landed her knee on a sharp rock. Red soaked her pants and the snow. "Oh no. Cato, I-"
He shushed her and reached into his pack, bringing out a small first aid kit. "I got it. Just hold still and we'll be on our way soon."
Her tears stopped and she felt warm again when he pulled his gloves off to clean and bandage her knee. His hands were pink from the cold, but she was more impressed with the callouses and scars. She managed a quiet 'thank you' as he helped her stand.
They decided the stick to the main trail for the remainder of their hike back to the school. She bit her lip each time he uttered a swear under his breath, cursing the burden of his partner and the remarks from his peers he was sure to receive upon their arrival. Clove bore every ounce of her weight she could and didn't make a sound, proving to Cato and herself, she wasn't weak.
After a mile of hopping and shuffling, they found a seat on a rock by the bank just big enough to accommodate the two of them. Her leg was still throbbing but she was grateful for the break. Cato set down his pack and pulled out a small bag of rations and tugged off his cap. His blonde hair caught the afternoon light and she was amazed by the steam that rose from the top of his head in the cold air. She set her bag down and wondered what would happen if she took her cap off. Would he notice how the light caught her hair, or if there was proof of her exertion from their hike rising from her crown? Instead, he kept his eyes to the frozen lake.
"You train with a sword, right?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"Uh huh," he answered with a mouth full of crackers.
"I want to train with a sword one day, but they have me using a dirk instead. My instructor says I might be better off with throwing knives," she said, adjusting the bandage on her knee. "I know I'm small now, but there's a few more years before I will volunteer." She was fixated on his jaw and throat as he chewed. He was only two years older than her, but he looked more mature than any of the other boys in his year.
"What year will you volunteer?" she asked, "It's too early for me yet, unless of course they pull my name and no one else volunteers. My instructor really likes me though, so I might be able to volunteer a year earlier than the other girls in my class. Wouldn't that be crazy if we both were in the same Ga-" Cato grabbed her wrist and shushed her.
"What is it?"
He brought a finger to his lips and pointed across the water. The sky was overcast, a grey blanket compared to the white on the ground. Suddenly, a massive black swarm approached the couple, darkening the sky.
"Cato, what's happening? Should we run?" Cato only held her wrist firmly, keeping her seated.
"Shut up a second. You'll see," he whispered.
"Cato. We shoul-" A gasp cut her words when the swarm shifted into a solid being, creating a ribbon across the sky. Twisting and pulsing, the phenomena drifted with beautiful unpredictability. It took shape as if it were a silk scarf stolen by the wind, and rolled over them like a wave. It split into two, then four streams, threatening to collide, and with a breath it became one again.
The hum became a roar and if it weren't for her white breath in front of her face, she wouldn't have known if she was breathing at all. Soon, she realized what they had been watching were birds, thousands and thousands of birds. Such small things, moving as one in the breeze, creating a gigantic creature much more breathtaking than the colorful crowd in the streets during the New Year festival.
Clove looked over to see Cato still watching the cloud that stretched and pulled into new shapes. His hand tightly holding hers. The throbbing in her knee was replaced by the pounding in her chest.
She didn't mind if they ended up last.
-x-
AN: Murmuration – a flock of starlings. I highly recommend searching for the video on YouTube. Happy New Year everyone. I wish you all the best! And thanks for reading!