Hey guys! So I know a lot of you were asking for an alternate ending the my story 'The Diamond Ring,' so I decided to give it a go. This starts of repeating chapter 8, just a different ending to the feast scene.
If you haven't read 'The Diamond Ring' then it would probably make more sense if you read to first seven chapters and then came here, but anyway… I hope you like it!
Enjoy :)
Disclaimer- All credit for the amazing Hunger Games goes to Suzanne Collins
Another two days past in the arena with no other deaths since Marvel and Rue. No longer having to guard any supplies Cato and Clove spent mort of their time camping by the lake, sitting in the grass, under the trees…
"There haven't been any death's in a while…" Clove said as she watched Cato pick at the grass like he used to back home.
"I think the gamemakers will do something about that," Cato replied. "They're not going to wait much longer… it's getting pretty boring for the audience."
Clove nodded and stood up walking to the edge of the lake. "Want some?" she asked him and he shook his head. Bending down, she cupped her hands and let the water fill them, briefly getting distracted by the rainbow of colours sitting on the water, coming from the ring around her neck. She quickly sipped the water from her hands before standing up and tucking the ring back under her shirt as not to make anyone suspicious.
"What are you thinking about?" Clove asked, watching Cato stare into the distance.
Breaking the stare, a smile crossed his face, "I was just making up my mind the first thing I'll do when we get home."
Clove laughed and lay down on the grass, her head on his legs. "I know what I want to do." Cato knew why she didn't say anymore. They both wanted to go back to being a couple… maybe even letting people know.
The silence of the wind and running water is soon taken away by the sound of the announcement warning. "Congratulations to all remaining tributes!" Started the voice of Claudius Templesmith. "I am here to announce the first feast of the 74th hunger games…" there was a pause where the two exchanged glances, hoping for more. "Now hold on. Some of you may already be declining the invitation," he continued.
"Yeah right!" Cato said confidently and Clove agreed.
"But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you needs something desperately," he was right… both Cato and Clove would have gone out hunting for the remaining tributes days ago if they had the weapons. At the moment they were just trying to stay alive after loosing almost all they had in the explosion. "Each of you will find that something in a backpack, marked with your district number, at the Cornucopia at dawn. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance," he finished.
"We're going right?" Clove asked, sitting up excitedly.
"I think we'd be stupid not to," Cato replied, looking briefly in the direction of the cornucopia.
"I'm glad," Clove said. "I'm sick of waiting around, I want us to go home already… together."
Cato nodded and smiled. "So… how do you think we should do this?"
Clove sighed and paused, thinking. "I'll get the backpack,"
"No way!" Cato cut in.
"Let me finish," she said quickly. "I'll get the backpack, you stay hidden. As soon as you see another tribute, get them…" she finished evilly.
"Twelve?" he asked.
"If she comes yes… but I'd say look out for Eleven. He's strong, the quicker we get him the better."
Cato nodded in understanding. "You sure you want to get the backpack?"
"Defiantly," Clove replied. "Don't worry about me. I've got this."
Cato nodded and shook his head laughing, amazed by her never-ending confidence. "Just be careful okay," he added quickly.
"Don't worry," she replied. "I will…"
The next few hours past even slower than usual but it was soon dawn and the couple started heading back up the cornucopia, preparing for the feast.
"You wait here," Cato told Clove once they reached a hidden point to the side of the golden horn. "I'm going that way," he pointed to the other side, in the forest of the arena.
"Go as far as you can," Clove added. "If we get one of them before they reach the cornucopia we can take their backpack too."
Cato nodded in approval. "I like the way you think."
Clove let out a quite laugh, "I'll be here when the feast is over."
"I'll see you then," Cato replied. "And remember… be careful!" she nodded as he ran off in the opposite direction leaving Clove staring at the golden horn, waiting for her chance to get closer… and run.
As she heard the parachutes dropping the backpacks as at the entrance of the golden horn she started making her way around the side. By the time she caught the first glimpse of the backpacks, district five's was already gone. She resisted the urge to call for Cato to go after her, knowing she was to fast and he was to far in the opposite direction.
Still left on the table was a small orange pack, labelled with the number 12, next to it, two large blue packs, one with 11 the other with 2… hers. Checking her jacket, she felt the knives she had tucked away encase they became at all necessary.
But as she started moving closer to the packs, she noticed twelve hoping to pull of the same as five. 'Not so fast twelve,' she thought to herself, picking us speed, running around the side of the golden horn. She quickly reached into her jacket, grabbing the first blade she set her hands on and throwing it in her direction.
The knife whizzes past her, only just missing and the next thing she knows she's dodging an arrow thrown her way, piercing a small cut through her upper left arm. She sees Twelve reach for her pack, growing more and more furious she grabs another knife, launching it towards the girl. Another arrow comes shooting her way but it misses by inches so she doesn't even bother moving.
'Now's my chance,' she thinks, slamming her entire body weight into the girl, sending her to the ground and pinning her down. "Where's your boyfriend District Twelve? Still hanging on?" she teases; wanting to enjoy every minute of this moment she had waited so long for.
"He's out there now. Hunting Cato," she replies, struggling under Clove's grip. "Peeta!" she calls, making Clove send her fist into her windpipe, cutting off her voice. She briefly looks around, still holding down Twelve for the slight possibility she could be telling the truth.
"Liar!" she says grinning evilly. Even if he were out there Cato would get him within seconds. "He's nearly dead. Cato knows where he cut him. You've probably got him strapped up in some tree while you try to keep his heart going. What's in the pretty little backpack? That medicine for Lover Boy?" She continues to tease, her pulse growing stronger the more energy she gains through her determination and confidence. "Too bad he'll never get it!"
She opens her jacket, purposefully displaying her seemingly never-ending array of knives. Selecting one of the smaller, sharp and more painful looking one's, she holds it close to Twelve's face, thinking back to Cato's words. "I promised Cato if be let me have you, I'd give the audience a good show." Twelve continues to struggle under her grip but it doesn't worry her. She thinks about Cato and how he's probably already got Eleven, that would just leave Five, and easy target and Lover boy, an easier one.
"Forget it Twelve," she says, fixing her grip tighter. We're going to kill you. Just like we did your pathetic little ally… what was her name? The one who hopped around in the trees? Rue? Well, first Rue, then you, and then I think we'll just let nature take care of Lover Boy. How does that sound?" she asks, growing more and more confident as she thinks about the coming end to both Twelve and the games. "Now, where to start?" she questions, brutally scraping away at the blood on her forehead from previous wound she had given her.
She angrily tilts her head from side to side, deciding exactly how she should start. Twelve tries to bit her hand but Clove is to quick, slamming her head to the ground without a second thought. "I think... I think we'll start with your mouth," she says, carefully tracing the outside of her mouth with the tip of the blade. "Yes, I don't think you'll have much use for your lips anymore. Want to blow Lover Boy one last kiss?" she asks and quickly grows even more furious as Twelve manages to hit the side of her face with a mouthful of blood and saliva. "All right then. Let's get started."
She ready's her arm to press down on Twelve's mouth when she feels herself being lifted of the ground. It takes her a second to realise what is happening when she finds herself being held helplessly above the ground by Eleven. He throws her to the ground and she stops herself from showing her pain. "What'd you do to that little girl? You kill her?" Eleven shouts, scaring her beyond what she even thought possible.
She tries moving herself back on the ground, struggling to find her voice to call for Cato. "No! No, it wasn't me!" she eventually managed to get out.
"You said her name. I heard you. You kill her?" Eleven shouts and Clove know he's talking about Rue his district partner. "You cut her up like you were going to cut up this girl here?"
"No! No, I-" she starts, telling the truth but to terrified to do anything else. She see's him pick up a rock, much larger than anything she could hold in one hand. "CATO!" she finally manages to call. "CATO!"
"CLOVE!" she hears his voice but her split second of hope disappears knowing he's too far to reach her in time. Knowing this is the end; she shuts her eyes tight and waits as Eleven brings the rock down hard against her head, knocking her to the ground.
She's not bleeding. The pain seems so unbearable the dent starts to numb every other feeling.
"CLOVE!" she heard his voice again and she's surprised she's still alive, let alone conscious. She lets the ground support her head as the world around her starts to blur. The next thing that registers is a figure next to her… Cato.
"Clove… Clove, please answer me!" He begs frantically as he grips her hand, tears forming in his eyes.
"Cato…?" she manages to choke out through the pain.
"I'm here…" he replies, with the last bit of hope he has. "Stay with me Clove… please… I can't leave without you… you have to stay with me… please."
"I-I'm not going anywhere," she replies, her eyes blurring more and more and darkness seems to enclose her.
He kisses her hand, still gripping it tightly as he tries to figure out what to do. After a short while she speaks again, her breathing still harsh. "Cato?" she says unexpectedly, as her head turns sharply in his direction. "Cato… where are you?"
"I-I'm right here…" he replies, still gripping her hand.
She stares into the darkness of her eyes as she tries to follow the sound of his voice. She doesn't panic, she knows what's going on… she's just surprised she's still alive.
"Cato?" she repeats.
"Mhm?" he chokes out, swallowing hard.
"I love you…" Clove says, and she knows she's just told the world… but she doesn't care. Lifting her hands, she presses them to his cheeks, running her fingers over his mouth, nose and eyes… as if to make sure he's still there.
"I know…" he replies, his brain finally realizing what's going on. "I love you too…"
Surprised and worried about her calmness, he gently picks her up, holding her close to his chest as he takes her back to the lake.
"Cato, am I going to die?" she asks, as he walks, still holding her close.
"No…" he replies firmly. "You're not going to die… it's just going to be dark for a while, that's all."
He tries his best to make his voice sound strong and is quite glad she can't see the look of worry on his face. Seeing her break, breaks him just as much.
As they reach the lake, he lays her down on the grass. "Don't go to sleep…" he tells her, not wanting her to loose consciousness and possibly not wake up.
She nods as he walks to the lake, filling his hands with water and allowing her to take a sip. "I hate the dark," she almost laughs and he has to smile. Only Clove could laugh at a situation like that.
"You always have…" he replies, going back to the lake and noticing a silver parachute sitting quite obviously on a rock next to him. "We have a present," he says aloud, reaching for the parachute and opening the supplies inside.
You've done something right. It won't cure her sight but I'll heal her head –E
The note from their mentor read. The 'love' thing, he thought. It's helped them…
"Clove?" he asks, walking back to her as he opened the small silver container. "Clove?" he repeats after getting no reply.
As he walks up to her, her head is lolled to the side, her breathing sharp. "No Clove. Don't go to sleep!"
Thinking as fast as he could, he notices to container is filled with a fine, dusty, pink coloured powder, the lid listing the simple instructions of adding water for easier consumption. He does so, and gently lifts Clove's neck up, pouring the powdery liquid down her throat.
She swallows is, her eyes fluttering slightly. Sighing, he lies on the grass next to her and silently thanks anyone who will listen… for keeping her alive.
So I hope you like it! I have absolutely no clue where the idea came from; I sort of just started writing. Please review and tell me if you'd like me to continue :)
