Chapter 4
Clove's head swarmed from the confusion of Katniss offering her help and from the pain she felt throbbing fiercely on her broken shoulder blade.
Katniss had proceeded to sit Clove up against the base of a tree after much effort while Clove spat a few obscenities at her for moving her too quickly.
"Ahh!" Clove groaned out in pain as Katniss carefully removed Clove's red jacket off of her, leaving her in only her black vest adorned with her throwing knives.
"I'll just be taking these off you," Katniss said, and slipped Clove's throwing knives off their secured straps one by one. "Just for my own safety," Katniss added.
Clove couldn't help but chuckle derisively at the girl in front of her. "You're stupid, fire girl. Why are you helping me?"
Katniss didn't answer her and only continued to take Clove's weapons away from her.
Clove was becoming increasingly angry from the silent treatment she was receiving. "Answer me!" she yelled, almost pleadingly.
Katniss stopped what she was doing and stared Clove in her gleaming, dark eyes. "I don't know," she confessed honestly. She wasn't sure if it was pity or something else…
Clove felt her defenses lower as she saw fire girl seemed to be as confused as her about the events unfolding between them.
"You're not afraid that once I heal, I'll slit your throat in your sleep?" Clove asked, bluntly.
Katniss only shook her head no. "I don't think you realize that I'm in control right now," she pointed out. "You're the one that's injured and defenseless at the moment. You should be worried that I may kill you at any time."
Clove clenched her jaw and realized that the stupid girl was right. She kept silent afterwards and only glared at Katniss, still not trusting her intentions fully.
"You're planning something," Clove said simply as Katniss rummaged through her pack to see what was in it.
"You're not helping me for no reason. Not after all the times I've tried to kill you - I don't believe it," Clove said coldly.
"Believe what you want to believe," Katniss said, uninterested. "But if you really want me to leave you here, I will."
Clove heard the threat and felt her heart beat rapidly at the possibility of Katniss leaving her alone and injured.
"Listen, fire girl," Clove said, making up her mind. "After I heal, we go our separate ways, and if we end up having to face each other any time during the games, don't think I'll show you any mercy."
"Same here," Katniss replied curtly.
They looked each other in the eyes and Clove felt a warmth begin to stir beneath her chest from Katniss' piercing gaze.
What is this feeling? Clove mentally questioned herself and started to fear the unfamiliar emotions running through her.
Katniss sorted out the contents of her pack and found a black thin sleeping bag, a pack of crackers, pack of dried beef strips, bottle of iodine, box of wooden matches, bit of coiled wire, pair of night vision glasses, and an empty half gallon plastic water bottle.
Clove stared at Katniss' every move as she rummaged through the bag and pulled each item out and noticed the bright orange color of the bag. She couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous color.
"Better camouflage that bag fire girl - somebody could spot that thing miles away."
Katniss realized that Clove had a point and began to rub some dirt on the pack - subduing the orange shade.
Clove's eyes roved over Katniss' body as she watched her vigorously rub the dark dirt onto the backpack. She couldn't help but find her attractive with her long, braided, black hair, her olive skin, and pretty grey eyes.
Clove gulped down the temptation to reach out and touch her.
What's happening to me? She thought to herself as she started to realize that she may actually harbor some feelings for the stupid girl.
Katniss noticed it was getting dark as the artificial sky above them dulled from the setting sun.
With the sun disappearing, Katniss shivered from the dropping temperature and turned around to see that Clove was too.
Katniss grabbed the sleeping bag and sat down beside Clove. It was the closest she had ever been to the girl that had earlier tried to throw a knife at her face.
Katniss had thought she'd be more wary about being so close to Clove due to her murderous nature, but she instead found it calming to have another person by her side.
Clove was startled at Katniss' sudden close proximity as she sat down next to her.
She flinched nervously from the wave of warmth emitting from the other girl's body while Katniss laid the blanket over the both of them and made extra sure the bushes in the area covered them well from any potential danger.
An indescribable feeling rushed through Clove's body and left a throbbing warmth to engulf her heart. The emotion was so foreign to her, she nearly shoved Katniss far away from her in fear, but her melting heart did not allow her to do so.
Katniss could almost hear the gasps the people of the Capitol as they watched the unbelievable moment take place between Clove and herself.
Girl on fire from District 12 and Career tribute Clove from District 2 cuddling beside each other on the first night of the games? Katniss could only imagine the thoughts going through Haymitch and Effie's head as they watched the events unfold.
Haymitch is probably drinking himself to death right now because of me, Katniss thought, and knew that what she was doing was far from their original game plan - acting as if she was in love with Peeta, the boy from her own district.
Judging from the lack of any falling sponsor gifts, Katniss assumed that what she was doing was being frowned upon.
Audiences are probably bewildered and flabbergasted at…, Katniss lost her train of thought. At what? She asked herself. There is nothing between me and Clove, she convinced herself and looked over at the feisty girl sitting extremely still beside her.
Clove didn't dare move or even breathe. Something was overtaking her cold and callous nature, and she was trying her best not to succumb to it.
She felt eyes on her and turned her head to see Katniss staring intensely at her.
"What?" Clove asked a bit harshly.
Katniss moved in closer to get a closer look at Clove's face and saw her clearly for the first time.
Up close, she looked like a normal teenager, with her fierce stare and angry disposition - Clove could have easily been mistaken as any other teenager with a chip on their shoulder.
Up close, she doesn't look scary at all, Katniss thought and smiled a bit.
Clove felt her face becoming hot as Katniss gazed at her silently with a faint smile on her face. For the first time in her life, she felt vulnerable.
"What are you smirking at, fire girl?" Clove disguised her shaky voice with her harsh tone.
Katniss inched in a bit closer, but was stopped by the sound of a soft thud coming from behind her. She and Clove whipped their heads in the direction of the noise to only find a small package tied to a small white parachute lying on the ground.
They stared at each other for a brief moment before Katniss stretched out an arm to grab it. She held the light box in her hands and opened it.