Chapter 2:

Clove jerked awoke frightened forgetting where she was at. The girl's wild eyes immediately closed in pain as they took in the bright rays of the sun. She relaxed realizing she was still in the tree where she slept with Katniss.

Speaking of Katniss said girl was know where in sight. Clove looked around the trees and didn't see her in them nor was she anywhere on the ground. Panic arose in her and her chest tightened fearing the worst for Katniss. Clove quickly untied the rope from around her and grabbed her pack sliding down from the tree.

The knife girl knew calling Katniss was a dangerous thing to do it would in an instant give her position away to the other tributes or the deadly careers. So she opted to just walk around and try to catch any signs of the girl on fire.

Clove walked passed the spot where the girl from district eight made her fire it was still smoking but the flames died long ago. Clove notice that the gamekeepers had already retrieve the girl's body and it was probably on it's way back to the girl's home district. But none of that concerned her as much as finding her ally.

It was blistering hot again the gamekeepers have no mercy for those suffering the heat of the arena. Not even the large expanse of shade from the trees helped with the heat and Clove didn't walk far before she had to stop. Clove sat on the ground at the base of a tree and reached into her pack for her water bottle. It was still a little cool and it helped quench her thirst. Damn where is she? Or the better question is what happened to her? Clove wondered.

Clove didn't know how long she sat by the tree but the girl was beginning to drift off into a day dream. In this dream she found herself by a large silver lake surrounded by clouds of thick white mist. It felt peaceful here the girl thought. Mocking jays sat perched in the trees mimicking a nice musical tune. There was green vegetation and colorful flowers everywhere Clove turned her nose up at the strong sweet smell of the flowers. But they're just to beautiful that she walked even closer to them and picked the only flower she did recognize. It was a bluish-purple pinnate flower that experts of herbology call Lavender.

Clove smelled the lovely Lavender flower closing her eyes as she inhaled it's sweet aroma. A soft crunch of broken twigs and leaves caught her attention and she spun around at the sound. It was Katniss she was wearing a long soft white gown and, her usually braided her was down her back and flowing like long grass blades in the cool breeze.

Katniss smiled at Clove who blushed a little and looked back down at the flower. Katniss stepped closer to Clove and reached out for the Lavender in her hands and softly held it. "It's an interesting thing as to why you choose this flowers above all the rest." Katniss said still smiling. Clove only stared down at the other girl's hands watching her play with the flower's petals.

"And why is it so interesting fire girl?" asked Clove waiting for Katniss to speak. Katniss looked up and at her then back down at the flower. "The Lavender it means devotion Clove." whispered Katniss. Clove had to strain her hears to catch that last word but she heard it clearly. Devotion? Clove thought of a lot of things she felt devoted to.

"If you're doubting the fact that I lack devotion you're dead wrong." Clove said with defense in her voice. Katniss reach to place her hand on Clove's cheek and stroked it smoothly. "I know you have it. You have a devotion to your district, to your friends to your family and to yourself." explained Katniss. "You can scratch out a devotion to the friends part that's completely over." said Clove. "Maybe and maybe not who is to say." Katniss said walking away from her and towards the silver lake. Clove followed her .

They both sat by the lake side in silence for a long while. Katniss began singing a unfamiliar tune that the mocking jays immediately picked up. The mocking jays carried the song all around them. Clove began thinking over what Katniss said about her devotion to her friends. Well Glimmer was never considered a friend nor Marvel but Cato was a different story altogether. She grew up with Cato and trained side by side with him at their home in district 1. Losing him felt like losing a brother and Clove still refuse to believe that he truly betrayed her. All she had to do was get Glimmer out of the picture and get her friend back.

But then that would mean betraying Katniss because she was at first her main target before things took a different turn for the worst. If she joined back up with Cato then they both would be hunting Katniss. Clove felt sick at the thought of any kind of harm befalling the girl sitting beside her. Clove figured she never hated Katniss it was only admiration and envy that she felt towards the girl on fire. But still Clove wondered what she would do if she had to choose Katniss over Cato. Anyone outiside her bubble would think she would choose the boy she grew up with but that's not always the case. After spending one day with Katniss she felt different than she ever felt before but Clove couldn't put a name to that feeling just yet.

Clove let out a sigh and fell on her backing looking up at a real sky and not the arena's artificial one. Clouds moved peacefully by in the blue expanse. Katniss leaned over her blocking her view from the sky her long dark hair fell softly around Clove like a shroud. Clove looked up at her loving the beautiful light gray eyes of the other girl. Katniss began stroking her hand over Clove toned stomach her fingers traced Clove's muscles. Closing her eyes Clove shivered at the touch and hoped Katniss would not stop. But soon Katniss's movements did cease and Clove felt empty without the touch.

Katniss gazed down at her with a serious and pleading look. "Do you have any kind of devotion to me Clove?" asked Katniss. Clove was stunned at first from Katniss direct question. She figured that she did they were allies now after all and Clove felt a devotion to protect Katniss or so she thought. But with assurance in her voice Clove said "Of course I do." The girl on fire smiled weakly and leaned down to brush her lips against Clove's who forgot to breathe at that moment.

Clove made to kiss back but Katniss pulled away from her before she could. But not before Clove saw tears forming in her eyes, and Katniss stood walking over to the silver lake. Katniss crushed the Lavender flower and let it fall silently into the lake making soft ripples across it's smooth surface. Katniss turned back to Clove with a look of complete hate and Clove flinched a little not expecting that from the other girl.

"You're good at killing people Clove but lying isn't a strong skill you seem to have mastered yet." Katniss said to her darkly. That's when the mocking jay grew silent and still and peered down at clove with beady black didn't know what to say to Katniss who began crying. Clove rushed over to wiper her tears away but instead she was wiping blood that was flowing out of Katniss's eyes. Clove look at her hands covered in blood and felt fear fill her heart.

Her once peaceful dream began to change and contort into scenes of horrific images. The flowers transformed into hissing black snakes that spit out venom and the silver lake turned into blood and began bubbling with steam arising from it. The cool white mist turned into hot steam and felt as if it were choking her to death.

"No don't say that. I do have devotion to you I do." Clove pleaded loudly. Soon the mocking jays flew around the her do what they do best mocking her. The birds flew left to right crying out "I do, I do." Clove covered her ears trying to drown out the bird's taunting but it was no use they only grew louder. Katniss ran towards Clove and tackled her to the ground a arrow in her hands aimed at Clove's exposed neck.

"Maybe I should just end you know and save me and anyone else from the hurt you mean to cause." said Katniss through clinched teeth. Clove thought about herself dying and seemed content with the fact that it would be by the hands of Katniss and no one watch as Katniss raised the arrow ready to strike her in the heart when a cold splash fell over her body, and this dream world began to fall away from her unconscious sight.

For the second time that morning Clove awoke frightened. She felt cold and wet with the effect of the dream still felling real to her. Wait wet? Clove looked down at her body and saw she was drenched in water from head to toe a tall dark shadow loomed over her. Clove looked up into the smiling face of Katniss.

Clove now sat with Katniss around a small fire next to a stream. The knife girl was furious and refused to look or even talk to Katniss. Katniss apologized to Clove for leaving her alone but she wanted a early start with her hunting. Katniss did manage to get a bird that looked some what like a wild turkey and a few fish was caught in the stream, but all her snares that she had made were empty. At least we want starve today thought Katniss.

Clove was left sitting in her undergarments while her shirt, pants and jacket were drying on a log near the fire that Katniss cooked the bird over. Despite being mad at Katniss she was thankful the girl found them something to eat.

"Next damn time you decide to disappear to go hunting in the early morning hours let me know." Commanded Clove as she shivered from the chills her body were producing. Clove then realized she wasn't hot anymore that drench from Katniss helped a lot. "And why the hell did you pour freaking water all over me!" Clove yelled at the other girl. Katniss merely shrugged and said "You looked cute sleeping almost like a little puppy but then I realized I hate puppies, and I usually throw water all over them when they slept near my house back home." Katniss explained. Clove decided not to respond to that and went back to her silent treatment at Katniss.

"My little sister likes puppies a lot though but she seems to like just about any kind of animal." said Katniss. Clove only stared into the fire wondering when the bird will be done and they could eat. But then the remnants of her day dream crept back to the front of her mind and she felt hunted somehow.

"Do you like flowers fire girl?" Clove asked. Katniss was almost shocked by the question at first but she recovered and answered yes. "I like Lavenders." said Clove eyeing Katniss intently. Katniss didn't undertstand where Clove was coming from with her talk of flowers but it felt nice having Clove speak to her again. Plus she needed something to distract her from staring at Clove in her underwear and bra Katniss felt herself blush, For some reason Katniss could not find herself to not gaze at Clove when she wasn't looking.

"So you like Lavenders they are lovely flowers." Katniss said trying to find something in common with Clove. "Yeap that they are and did you know they mean devotion?" asked Clove who looked at Katniss even more intensely. Katniss felt uneasy under the knife girl's stare. "No but I do now." Katniss said smiling at Clove. Clove turned her nose up at the other girl. "You smile to damn much given our circumstances." Katniss left the bird roasting on a stick over the fire and began using a knife to scale the two fished she caught. "It just feels nice not to be alone given the circumstances." said Katniss.

Finally Clove's clothes were dry and she and Katniss indulged themselves on their lunch for today. It wasn't as hot as it has been and there has been no signs of the other tributes until the sound of a cannon went off. "I wonder who it was this time." Katniss said. But Clove just ignored her and the cannon and continued to eat. Katniss gave her a nudge and Clove rolled her eyes. "Like I even know but I hope it was that bitch Glimmer but that's just asking for too much." Clove said with a mouth full of bird and fish. "Though I rather finish her off myself." added Clove wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve.

Katniss then began to wonder about the other tributes and Peeta. "Do you have any idea where they are now?" asked katniss quietly. Clove thought of who they were then she realized immediately. "They might still be near that lake near the Cornucopia." Clove said. "Before the games began we planned several strategies of hunting down the other tributes, one was sleep and rest during the day and hunt at night." Clove explained to Katniss. "So that means we do the exact opposite in order to avoid confronting them." Katniss reasoned. Clove only nodded her head in agreement with Katniss and bit into the soft flesh of the fish she held in her hands.

Katniss turned to Clove suddening and said, "I may have to kill Peeta." Clove rolled her eyes at Katniss's outburst. "Sure why not destroy the only good thing you have going with the Capitol in the games so far." said Clove with a hint of sarcasm. "You know the Capitol were eating out the palm of your hands right with the whole star-crossed lovers act?" "Keep up the act as long as you can fire girl you get sponsors that way."

Katniss listened to Clove and knew she was right but because of the fact that Peeta has joined up with the careers she may have to kill him. Katniss quickly finished what was left of her food and began cleaning up. "What are you doing?" Clove asked as she licked her fingers clean. "We need to move on and I'm trying to erase our presence her so we want be found out." Katniss said back to her.

Clove started to pull her shoes back on when she felt a small round thing in the right shoe. She pulled it out it was the acorn that Katniss threw at her head yesterday. Clove twirled it around in her fingers and examined it more closely. Katniss saw her and asked it she were gonna eat it or eye rape it to death. Clove turned red but asked if acorns were edible. Katniss simply nodded her head yes so Clove broke the acorn apart and peered at it's yellowish-orange insides. Before Clove could take a bite out of the acorn Katniss said something to her. "Did you know some people believe that the acorn is a symbol of life and immortality?" Katniss asked Clove. Clove just ignored the girl and bit into the acorn but quickly began spitting it out from it's bitter taste Clove thought it was the most horrid thing she had ever tasted. Clove wiped her tongue with her hands and Katniss tried to suppress her laughter.

"Lets just get moving fire girl before I have to think twice about our alliance." threatened Clove. Katniss just gathered their packs handing Clove her own pack and they both made their way through the woods. "If you had planned on betraying me you would have done so by now." Katniss stated. "Maybe you are starting to reflect you favorite flower the Lavender." "It means devotion right?" Katniss asked Clove to make sure she was correct. Clove nearly stopped in her tracks at what Katniss said. Clove then recalled what dream Katniss had said to her before. "Maybe, and maybe not who is to say." Clove said smiling a little. Katniss huffed at the other girl. "So you can't give me a straight answer for now then?" asked Katniss. Clove simply answered her "Maybe, and Maybe-" Clove was cut off as Katniss threw another acorn that hit her in the face.

Clove rubbed her cheek where the acorn hit her. "Damn do you have a bag full of those nasty thing or something?" Katniss ignored her and broke into another acorn that she pulled from her pocket then threw the empty shell at Clove while eating the insides. Clove nearly lost her lunch at the sight of Katniss chowing down on the acorn those things were simply nasty.

"Well I got them to snack on but they make excellent throwing weapons against you, and they are so small you never see them coming." teased Katniss. Clove just watched Katniss in silence she seemed enjoy the girl's her playful nature.

Once again it was scorching hot even if the sun was beginning to set or seemed to set one forgets that the sky was fake. But the clouds, the sun, and moon move as if they were real. Katniss and Clove had walked enough distance between them and their last resting spot but they stayed close to the stream. Clove refilled her water bottle and told Katniss it was time to settle down for the evening. Katniss agreed because the careers would surely be on the move looking for their next victims.

Clove groaned when she saw Katniss climbing a tree. The girl moved like a leopard with her agility and gracefulness something of which Clove both lacked. Clove slowly made her way up the tree grunting with effort to pull her heavy body upwards and, over a branch that she now sat on clutching her stinging stomach. The rough bark wasn't to kind on her stomach her skin burned and felt tender to the touch she winced from the pain.

Katniss pulled out a rag then poured water on it, and hopped down to Clove's branch because she was up higher than the career girl. Katniss without waiting for Clove's permission lifted her shirt and started softly rubbing Clove's stomach soothing her reddened skin. Clove soon relaxed and leaned on the tree trunk behind her letting Katniss rub her stomach. Clove felt like a puppy then with the way she like how Katniss rubbed her belly.

Clove moaned a little and soon realized that she was enjoying Katniss's touch a little too much. "That's good enough fire girl." Clove said a little weakly. The knife girl knew her face must look as red as she felt it but thankfully it was getting dark and shadows shrouded them some. Katniss pulled Clove's shirt down her fingers brushing against Clove. Clove but her lip and turned her head refusing to meet Katniss's eyes who only gave her a puzzled but concerned look in return.

Katniss leaned forward and touch Clove's cheek with the back of her hand then she felt Clove's forehead. Well she doesn't appear to be running a fever or anything like that thought Katniss. "I'm fine Kat now go back to your own personal tree branch I just need some sleep is all." Clove assured her and Katniss did just that.

Both the girl's strapped themselves on their branches preparing to go to sleep. Two cannons fired into the night but Clove and Katniss were to tired to even care. Katniss just hoped it wasn't the little girl Rue from district 11. As the faces of fallen victims lit up the sky Katniss was relieved to not see Rue's face up there but had almost hoped to see Peeta's face.

Clove just wished it was either of the district 1 bastards but the odds were not in her favor this time. Clove looked up at Katniss and said, "We need to form a plan to bring them down soon." Katniss nodded her head in agreement and knew that now that she had her bow and arrow her odds of survival seemingly grew in her favor and for Clove's.

But for the past few days now her and Clove both have had a peaceful time and, Katniss began to dread what the gamekeepers are cooking up to make things more interesting for the residents of the Capitol. Katniss noticed that Clove and already fallen asleep and she to began to feel the oncoming of sleep until a bright orange light grew in the distance and Katniss eyes grew as well. She was wide awake as ever before. "Clove wake up!"