Chapter 2 is up and I guarantee you, it's much longer than chapter 1 was! Slight romance between Cato and Glimmer but nothing special yet. Enjoy!
Chapter 2: When Tracker Jackers attack
Glimmer woke up the next morning with Cato's arm resting underneath her, cushioning her head. She smiled and snuggled up even closer to him, careful to not wake him up. An angry Cato in the morning was the last thing they all needed. He could snap all of their necks in a single stroke if he really wanted to. Glimmer knew that would be the fate they would all suffer later on. After all, Cato was out to win it all and only one of them could win anyways.
Might as well be a powerful Career like Cato. At least they would suffer a less embarrassing death if Cato killed them all than if Lover Boy or the Girl on Fire killed them off. Pfft! Glimmer almost cracked up laughing while laying next to Cato, who was still dead asleep. Lover Boy killing them? He was too afraid of his own shadow to dare try! Plus, he was weapon-less, which was another minus towards him if he did have plans to kill them. And Cato could kill him whenever he wanted to. As soon as the Girl on Fire was dead, he was good as dead.
Glimmer closed her eyes again, enjoying the peacefulness of the forest arena, despite knowing she couldn't let her guard down for long. She felt Cato stir underneath her. He moved closer to her and stuck his nose in her hair. Glimmer shivered slightly.
"You smell good..." Cato murmured.
Glimmer giggled softly, touched by Cato's flattery. Might as well enjoy his good side until it was time to die. Until then, Glimmer refused to think of Cato as the person who would kill her with his own hands for his own gain.
"Thank you..." She whispered.
They were letting down their guards with each other, a secret that would remain between the two of them until they both died. The others didn't need to find out they had a moment of weakness with each other. Glimmer knew that would be bad. Very bad, especially for Cato, who was constantly being viewed as the big shot. The one who could win it all.
"Should we wake the others?" Glimmer asked softly.
"No," Cato responded just as softly. "Let's just... enjoy this peace for a little while longer."
Glimmer felt a strange warmth settle in her body when she heard Cato's words. They were only loud enough for her to hear. There was no way the cameras could pick up his voice at that volume. If the Capitol had heard him, Cato would have quickly become the laughingstock of the Districts and the Capitol for being a softie. That, they both knew.
But they also knew Cato was a badass killer. And you don't mess with Cato. Simple as that.
Glimmer closed her eyes, enjoying the controlled sun on her skin. It wasn't every day that life was so peaceful like this.
"Cato..." Glimmer whispered.
"Yeah?" He whispered.
Glimmer opened her mouth so she could ask him something but out of nowhere, a Tracker Jacker nest fell in the middle of their camp and Tracker Jackers swarmed everywhere. Everybody jolted awake, screaming as they got stung by Tracker Jackers. Glimmer and Cato quickly got up, grabbed their weapons and ran for the river. The others did the same. Glimmer tripped somewhere along the way and the Tracker Jacker swarm quickly surrounded her.
"Cato! Cato!" She screamed.
Just like they were supposed to, the venom from the Tracker Jackers started to give Glimmer horrible illusions. She continued to scream for Cato but she knew she was done for. She could see him running for her but she knew he was all a part of her illusions. He'd never come for her. He was only looking out for himself.
"Glimmer!" Cato shouted, swatting away annoying Tracker Jackers as they stung him everywhere.
He ignored the stings and lifted Glimmer into his arms and ran. He had to reach the river! Or they were both dead meat! Cato knew he didn't want to find out what happens when the Tracker Jackers do manage to sting you enough to cause more than illusions and extreme pain.
Cato ran, even though extreme pain and fatigue were both setting in quickly in his body. And Glimmer didn't look too good either. Just a couple of more feet...
As soon as his shoes touched the sandy banks, Cato jumped face-first into the water with Glimmer. They both landed with a huge splash and the stings seemed to stop burning a little. When they both resurfaced, Cato came up gasping for air. Glimmer didn't.
Inwardly, Cato was panicking like crazy. He didn't get this far so Glimmer could die on him!
"Glimmer, there's no way you're dying on me!" Cato said.
Cato rushed onto the banks and tried to set Glimmer down as gently as possible, even though he knew every minute could be her last. He leaned down and started to give her CPR, breathing life back into her, praying that he wasn't too late to save Glimmer.
*Please, please, please, stay alive!* Cato thought desperately.
Just as all hope seemed to be lost, Glimmer started to cough up water. Cato breathed a sigh of relief and helped turn her on her side. He noticed Marvel, Clove and Lover Boy had all made it fine. Cato growled and stormed over to Lover Boy and grabbed him by the neck. Lover Boy's eyes widened with fear.
"You dumbass!" Cato shouted. "This is all your fault!"
"Break his neck, Cato!" Clove shouted encouragingly.
"I might as well." Cato growled.
"No, I can help..." Lover Boy protested.
Cato shook his head.
"Too late."
With one swift turn, Cato broke Lover Boy's neck and let his dead body fall on the riverbank. Cato smirked at Lover Boy's dead body.
"I'll let the Girl on Fire find your body." He said to Lover Boy. "Just so she knows who the hell she's messing with."
After the remaining Careers caught their strength and managed to rest up a little once the illusions stopped messing with their minds, they got up and went hunting for the Girl on Fire. The Careers all knew that the Girl on Fire was all Cato's for the killing. Period.
I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I was wondering how I would continue this but then I remembered that I have the book. *slaps forehead* Well, more chapters to come real soon! Reviews would be well-appreciated!
