I don't own The Hunger Games. :D

Over the next few weeks, Cato and Clove became good friends. Whenever Clove could find a way out of the palace, she would bring Cato food containing protein and calcium for his bones and muscles. In return, Cato would show Clove around the parts of the city she had never seen. Cato was doing well with his training, and having Clove help with his training had had a good effect. He was swinging with more power, his lunges were more ferocious and his jabs were more lethal.

Clove prided herself on having her father's warrior instincts and skills. However, she failed to hear Cato creep up on her late one afternoon in the marketplace. All she felt was hands wrap around her neck and she was pulled backwards into him.

"D-don't hurt me." She stuttered. She may have had weapons training, but life inside palace walls had her unprepared for moments like this.

"Give me a reason." The man hissed. Clove thought his voice was familiar, but she shook off the feeling.

"Just…Just let me take my cloak hood off. I'll prove I'm the princess. You can have all the riches you want, just don't hurt me." Clove pleaded. Cato couldn't stop himself anymore; he released her neck and his laughter at the same time.

"You should have seen your face, Princess." He laughed as Clove turned to glare at him.

"Shut up. I was unprepared." She protested.

"I thought you told me to always be prepared." Cato grinned. He linked his fingers with Clove and she used her other hand to pull her hood down lower as the strolled through the busy marketplace. Her and Cato's relationship was a strange one, but Clove wasn't going to protest- she enjoyed it too much. Cato was the first boy, other than the servants and her brother, that Clove had regular conversations with.

"Do as I say and not as I do." Clove said firmly. "And you had better take me somewhere great now."

"I have someone that's dying to meet you." Cato smirked. Clove froze.

"You're not supposed to tell people that I sneak out of the palace."

"I had to tell her. I love her more than anything." Cato said. Clove allowed him to pull her along again, ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach when she realised Cato must had a girlfriend that he loved enough to share a secret as important as hers with. Eventually, they reached a house. Clove noted that it was in the poorer part of the village. Then again, the village wasn't exactly a 'rich' place.

"Hey, Trix!" Cato yelled, after giving the door a sharp kick to open it. "I have someone here to see you!"

"Who is it?" The girls muffled reply came. So the girlfriend's name is Trix. Clove thought. A girl no older than ten came bounding into the room.

"Hi, I'm Trix." The girl grinned, sticking her hand out for Clove to shake. Clove almost laughed as she shook it. Trix was definitely not a girlfriend.

"I'm Clove." She smiled politely. Trix's eyes lit up.

"Are you the princess?"

"The one and only." Clove said, pulling her hood back as Cato ruffled his sister's hair.

"Cato talks about you all the time." Trix grinned cheekily.

"Okay, kid. Go peel the potatoes." Cato laughed. Trix sighed, but went to sit by the small fireplace and did as she was told.

"Cato?"

Cato turned around, wide-eyed, at the sound of his mother's voice.

"Mom. You should go back to bed." Cato said, rushing forwards and resting his hand on her elbow. Clove saw him take a small vial out of his pocket.

"But I want to see him. I want to see your father." The woman muttered. Clove could see that she was clearly tired and confused.

"Come on." Cato gently pushed her inside the room she had come from. Clove could hear him telling her to drink some more tea. Clove turned around at the sound of another door opening.

"Hi, Buck!" Trix grinned from next to fireplace. She waved Clove over and she sat down on the floor next to Trix.

"Kid." The man grunted. He had brown hair, but the same blue eyes as Cato. He was wearing muddy overalls. "Who are you?"

"My name's Clove." Clove said quietly.

"The princess?" Buck asked, pulling his boots off and leaving them to dry on the ledge of a small window.

"Yes." Clove sighed a little.

"You're going to get my brother killed." Buck stated, pulling off his jumper. He was left in a tatty brown shirt and trousers.

"What?" Clove asked with a frown on her face.

"When your parents find out that you've been spending all your time with a villager, they'll have his head."

"Buck that's enough." Cato said, stepping out of his mother's room and sitting down opposite Clove on the floor. He shot a fiery glare a Buck.

"I'm just saying it how it is." Buck grumbled, slouching off into another room.

"Sorry about him. He hasn't been the same since…" Cato trailed off awkwardly.

"It's okay." Clove said gently, smiling reassuringly. Trix threw the newly peeled potatoes into the pot resting over the fire and pulled some carrots from another bag resting next to the fireplace.

"What's the palace like?" She asked as she pulled the stalks from the carrots, sliced them and threw them into the pot of broth.

"I'd think you'd like it there." Clove said, unsure of what to say. She may hate it there, but somebody like Trix would love it.

"Do you have horses?" Trix asked eagerly.

"Trix has an obsession with horses." Cato rolled his eyes and Trix frowned at him.

"We have horses." Clove laughed. "Maybe I'll teach you how to ride one day."

"Really?" She asked. Clove nodded and Trix poured some of the broth into a bowl before handing it to Clove. She then poured herself and Cato bowls and set one aside for Buck.

"Go eat it your room, Trix." Cato said, ruffling Trix's hair slightly. She scowled at him before picking up her bowl and flouncing out of the room.

"Sorry about her, she's a bit of handful." Cato said, putting his bowl down.

"Don't be. She's sweet." Clove grinned, setting her own bowl down next to her.

"Try living with her." Cato groaned.

"Is your mother okay?" Clove asked.

"She's fine." Cato's reply came too quickly and Clove knew that something was up.

"You can tell me anything you want. You know that, right?" Clove asked, resting her hand on Cato's knee.

"I know." Cato said. Before he could convince himself not too, he leaned down and kissed Clove on the lips.

I know it seems like their relationship's moving a bit quickly, but they kind of did back then. Also, it's necessary for the plot. :)