"Clove, you can't leave me.. Not now, not ever.." Cato mumbled out, dropping down on his knees to stare at the girl, the one who's eyes were slowly dimming into nothing. The one who had trained with him since he was young, since they could wield weapons. The one he was supposed to win with.
"Clove." He called out, a bit louder. His hands were shaking, and he could feel heat slowly pooling into his eyes. "You can't die. You can't! We need to bring honour! You hear me?" Cato had forgotten the meaning of "soft" right then and there, his voice going from slightly wobbly to a loud roar of anger. He was in denial. She wasn't going to die, they were going to win.
"Get up, Clove!" He boomed, his hands shaking frantically at her shoulders. But in few moments, he realised it was futile. His young lover couldn't be saved. Placing her small head on his arm, Cato let a tear slip. Just one. Only for her. Not for a show. A real tear, showing emotion. His body was shaking with anger.
"Losing you is blue, Clove.." Cato mumbled out softly, using his thumb to wipe away his distroct partner's tears that accidentally slipped. She couldn't help it, she couldn't move. "I'm going to stay here until the light leaves your eyes, I promise.."
Cato felt something rough and scratchy slip into his hand, and looked down. It was Clove, making the hardest effort to move her hand into his. Burying his face in her hair, Cato mumbled out, small enough for only her to hear once more, "Damn it, Clove, at this rate, you're going to die the most painful death of this Games. Except for Thresh. I will avenge you, ok?"
Cato closed his eyes, choking down a sob. He contemplated wether to snap her neck or not, get her death over with. But he knew better. Clove was going to die with dignity, and dignity meant pain in the Capitol's eyes.
The cannon hadn't boomed for a while, and Cato had a sudden twinge of hope that Clove might make it through. Maybe the sponsors could send some medication, though at this point in the Games, it was harder to find sponsors. Maybe if he held her skull tight enough, the blood would slowly cease, and she'd awaken and – boom. All hope left, just like that. Clove was now gone.
Cato eyes turned a dark shade, a deadly shade. He was going to win for his young lover, that was that. Banging his fist against the blood splattered ground, the crimson mess, watching it splash onto his clothing. Cato let out an angry groan.
"Loving you was red." He mumbled, staring at the pool of scarlet slowly drying into the dirt. Eventually, Cato got up, swore at the sky softly, and walked away from the scene, not wanting to see her get carried away. He was off to find Thresh.