As soon as the tracker jacker nest had dropped on their camp, he knew that Katniss had had something to do with it. As he ran towards the lake, the venom pumping through his veins, he just knew that she had dropped the nest, but what he didn't know was why.
Why would she do that if she knew that he was down there, unsuspecting? Why didn't she wake him first, warn him?"
Because of Glimmer, nimrod. She saw you getting freaky with Glimmer.
He pauses, slamming his fist into the nearest tree. The other are gone, having scattered as soon as the nest had burst. He didn't know if they were all alive, but he didn't care. The rage that had taken ahold of him so often before was back, tinting his vision red and making his heart pound.
He wanted to snap Glimmer's neck for what she had done. He wanted to snap his own neck for giving in.
Before he can do anything he knew he would regret, he pauses, bracing a hand on the nearest tree. Calm down, Cato. Glimmer just wanted to live it up before she died. So do you. And you know that Katniss would have never done what Glimmer had. Besides, Glimmer will get what's coming to her. Just wait. But for now, go find Katniss.
He turns on his heel and makes his way back to the former camp, nearly tripping over Glimmer's bloated body. Her hair, so luminous in the moonlight, was pale and thin. Emerald eyes lost in her puffy face.
As he makes his way towards the pond, he hears Peeta. "Run! Run!" and when Cato slashes his way into the clearing, both Peeta and Katniss start. Peeta's eyes are round with fear, trained on Cato and his sword.
Before Cato can get a good look at her, Katniss flies into the foliage, leaving Peeta behind. The rage that Cato had subsisted before has returned, worse than ever. Just seeing Peeta and Katniss together nearly drove him to madness. Lover boy isn't playing around.
"Lover Boy helping out?" he taunts, circling Peeta slowly. He is badly stung in several places, his face pale as he fought the hallucinations. "How romantic. Bet they're eating that up in the Capitol." he smirks, watching Peeta flinch. "But I'm not."
Peeta doesn't say a word, instead slowly drawing his knife. Cato stops, face to face with Peeta. "What are you going to do, Lover Boy?" I know that you're little show with Katniss could possibly save her life, but I don't care. I want you dead.
"Where are the others?" Clove leaps to her feet as soon as Cato appears, the sword dragging by his side and his steps heavy. "What happened?"
"Glimmer and Rea are dead. Peeta will be too. Soon." he slumps onto the grass, leaning against one of the many packs. Marvel and Clove stand over him, worry on their faces. "It was that girl from 12. She...she dropped the nest on us while we slept."
Clove's eyes narrowed in disgust. "That bitch!" she paces around Cato, absently pulling a knife from the folds of her jacket. "I knew that she wouldn't fight fair!"
Marvel rolls his eyes. "This is the Hunger Games, Clove. There is no such thing as fighting fair." he disappears from Cato's line of vision, leaving Clove fidgeting restlessly.
"What?" Cato glares up at her.
"Did you and Glimmer...never mind." she hurries back to her set up, throwing herself onto the blanket she had claimed.
Had she heard Glimmer and me? I had told her to be quiet, but she—what does it matter? She's dead, and why does Clove care? Why does she…
He treks into the forest alone, determined to find her. It had been a day and a half since the tracker jackers. Marvel and Clove were at the camp, aiding the District 3 boy with his trap. Cato wanted no part in that.
As he moves through the forest, he finds traces of human activity. Blood here, a crushed bush there. Someone had been wreaking havoc through the forest. Perhaps someone who wasn't quite in control of their body…
His eyes narrow and he follows the trail, nearly falling face-first into a ditch surrounded by trees. He catches himself on the edge, cursing under his breath. He is about to turn away, but a flash of gold catches his eyes. A pin.
There, at the bottom of the ditch, covered in leaves, is Katniss.
I could kill her now. End it once and for all. He absently reaches for his sword, his eyes scanning the area. They were alone, who knew how deep into the forest. No one would find them. Hell, no one was looking. She was possibly unconscious, but definitely unable to defend herself against Cato, who was almost three times her size. He could do it, if he wanted. And a part of him wanted to.
"No…" she mumbles, her voice catching on the wind. Cato freezes, his eyes flickering over her dirty face. Her eyelashes are fluttering against her cheeks, her lips parting slightly. "No...Cato…"
And that steels his resolve. He begins to climb down into the ditch, nearly losing his balance and crashing into a tree. He is shaking, terrified at the thought of being so close to her after so long. After what he did. "I'm here." he murmurs, finally reaching her. He sits, gently pulling her into his lap. "I'm here."
She is shivering, despite the warmth of the sun that trickles down though the thick tress. Her icy fingers brush against Cato's arm, sending chills racing down his spine. "W-where were you?" she sighs, curling against him. Even though he knows that she is hallucinating, he is still floored by her words. She was looking for me.
"I was looking for you." he whispers, pressing his lips against her forehead. "And I've found you."
"I'm so cold." before she can even finish speaking, Cato is removing his jacket, firmly wrapping it around her. "Cato...why."
"Why what?" he asks gently, tucking her hair behind her ears.
She sighs again, turning to hide her face in his jacket. "Why were you with...with Glimmer. What about me?" her voice is small, dreamy. Cato's stomach clenches painfully and he glances up at the green canopy of trees, protecting them. Why had he given in to Glimmer?
"I don't know. I was frustrated. And she...she was right. We'll all be dead soon anyways."
"But...I thought you liked me." her eyes flutter open and focus briefly on Cato's face before flickering around at the trees that rose around them. "Why did you lead me on and then get with Glimmer?"
"She...is nothing. I wished it had been with you. I do." he's pleading with her, suddenly afraid that she will start to hate him. Like she should. "Let's not talk about her."
"Why did you choose me?" her eyes are closed again, her body still, tense. Waiting.
"We chose each other." he leans down and presses his warm mouth to hers, willing her to kiss him back. When she doesn't, her mouth hard against his, he pulls away and continues. "You're on fire, Katniss. You're...strong and determined. And I like that about you."
She is quiet, her eyes half-open. "I...wanted to get back at you. Because I...I opened myself to you, and you chose Glimmer...Don't ever do that again." her voice is suddenly hard, but still like velvet rubbing against his skin. "You're...mine."
His heart skips several beats as he takes in what she had just said. You're mine. "And you are mine." he repeats, leaning down to kiss her again. This time, she parts her lips willingly, welcoming him back into her good graces.
Even though she is hallucinating and will not remember this, even though it's only for a while, Cato is still content. For a fleeting moment, they were safe, together. Protected by the canopy of trees, watched by thousands, safe and sound.
Thank you for all the positive feedback, it really makes my heart fuzzy! What did you guys think of the movie? I thought it was perfect! I added the Glimmer scene in because Cato/Glimmer happened in the movie (and because I'm evil). What do you think will happened to our "star-crossed" lovers next? If you have any ideas or suggestions, let me know!