Thanks for reading, reviewing, following etc.! I tried writing this chapter a bit faster, so don't be surprised if there are a few spelling errors. Katniss and Finnick will be getting kinder towards each other. I just don't want to rush things like others with Finniss. Oh, and I'm changing things up a bit. Enjoy!
Finnick was planted to spot staring into the fog, motionless. "Mags" he whispered.
The group four was now reduced to three.
"Finnick" Katniss screamed pulling his body back, snapping him into reality with a wounded Peeta hung on his back.
They ran further into the jungle, and finally the poisonous mist retreated up into the sky like getting sucked up by a vacuum. Their bodies ached with pain and their skin was painted in burning blisters.
Peeta moaned in agony grasping on to his infected leg. "Peeta, it's alright" Katniss assured touching his face gently, although she wasn't too sure herself.
Finnick kept muttering something about Mags, holding his head in his arms. He was propped up to a tree trunk gasping, and then looked around frantically. His eyes slightly lightened at the sight of the undrinkable water. His hand dived into the sandy bank, and he yelled clenching his fist. Despite his painful state he continued to dip his arm in further to the water, wincing in the process.
"Finnick, what are you doing?" Peeta asked curiously.
Finnick fished his arm out of the salt water and revealed the clear flesh. "Salt water. Aids the blisters. Mags taught me." he explained and pushed his entire body inside the water, clenching his teeth fighting off the urge to scream.
"I'll catch some fish in the morning, and find something to eat tonight" he added, before he held his breath going inside the water to illuminate the blisters completely.
Katniss's eyes flickered and she dragged Peeta, as carefully as she could, into the healing water. Peeta started screaming, and then managed to control his breathing as the blisters disappeared. Katniss walked in water as well, smashing her head underwater then screamed.
Everyone's skin was blotched with red patches, but definitely felt a lot better than before. They found a secure place beside the lake and followed their previous plan to set up camp. Peeta had accidently fallen asleep; as he said he was going to stay awake with Finnick and Katniss.
"There are still hours 'til morning" Katniss sighed, examining the raven sky.
Finnick shook his head, picking off strange fruit from a tree he found and dropping it in his woven leaves basket. He had claimed to see the fruit in the Capitol, so it wasn't poisonous. "Three hours"
Katniss frowned, clenching her fists, "How are you supposed to know?"
Finnick was about to ignore her and continue to grab the fruit from the tree, but turned around and glared at her. "Why do you hate me?" he yelled.
Katniss was taken aback from his words. "I – I don't hate you" she mumbled avoiding his eye contact.
"No need to lie. Just don't bother" Finnick seethed, dropping his basket of fruit and started to walk away.
"Finnick" Katniss shouted grabbing his shoulder. He winced slightly from the slight pain and turned around, "What?" he spat.
"I like you"
His eyes widened at her, and she started to blush from the misunderstanding. "No – not like that" Katniss quickly said.
"It's just that I've been too focused on helping Peeta survive and this whole… Hunger Games" she used as an excuse.
Finnick nodded slowly, then walked back to the basket and continued to pick fruit from the tree without a word.
"I'm sorry about Mags" Katniss said sympathetically, almost like it was her fault.
"Hey, let's be honest here. She was never going to make it" Finnick sighed shaking his head.
Silence went on for a few minutes. Only the sound of snapping fruit off a tree branch was heard.
"What's your favourite color?" Katniss asked unexpectantly, remembering how Peeta asked her the exact same question when they were talking about friendship.
"Sorry?" Finnick misheard, turning around and sat at the roots of the tree with his basket.
Katniss gulped. "What's your favourite color?" she repeated.
Finnick smiled slightly at this and looked over to the dark emerald sea surrounding the cornucopia. "Green" he answered, sliding his tongue over his dry and cracked lips.
"The ocean, green?"
"No. Eyes" he corrected and glanced over to her eyes.
Katniss couldn't help but think for once, that he actually looked slightly attractive. With his dark golden locks, that was now dusted in dirt, making his hair appear to be even darker. And tanned face, shining in the dim moonlight coated in glossy sweat, mud and red splotches he received from the blisters. It made him seem warrior like. Even a bit like Gale.
What are you thinking Katniss Everdeen? Snap out of it.
"Katniss?" Finnick smiled, waving a hand if front of her face. He knew she was watching him, but held back the insults from slipping off his tongue.
Katniss jumped completely startled, at Finnick getting so close.
"Your favourite color?" he asked. Katniss wasn't sure if he had asked it before when she was daydreaming, but it didn't matter.
"Green" she said, stifling a small laugh.
Finnick opened his mouth to say something hysterical, but Katniss interfered. "No Finnick, I'm not copying you" Katniss rolled her eyes with a smile.
"Okay" he nodded raising his eyebrows, returning the smile.
Finnick reached out for one of the strange fruits in his basket. The fruit was an unhealthy blue, speckled with strange yellow dots in the shape of an orange but had the texture of a mango. "Funny. I've never tried these before" he smirked prodding it with his trident.
"Are you sure it's edible?"
"Yes. I saw Johanna eating them at a party once, she said they tasted awful, but who what else can we do?" he shrugged and slipped his trident into the flesh, slicing the sphere in half.
The flesh was green and soft, similar to an orange.
He threw the other halve over to Katniss and she caught it with one hand, inspecting the fruit immediately.
Finnick was the first to suck the tender sage flesh, wiping his chin as the juice ran everywhere. He held it away from his face for a moment as if waiting for poison to set in to his body. Then turned to Katniss with an approving smile, "It's alright"
Katniss started to nibble on the flesh, eating each part slowly.
After eating through eight of the mysterious Capitol fruits, dawn arose, lightening the black sky with a few highlights of pink scattered everywhere. It actually would have looked pretty maybe, if they weren't stuck in the arena.
"Let's wake Peeta before we meet up with any Careers" Finnick instructed as usual.
Katniss nodded and went to shake Peeta's shoulder, but Finnick stopped her.
"Hey. We should have even a little fun before we die, right?" he said with an old smirk.
Katniss probably must've looked confused because Finnick laughed and dragged her along to Peeta. "Put your face in front of his and scream" he explained.
"I always used to do it do… do it to – never mind" he huffed.
Katniss and Finnick positioned their faces directly in front of Peeta's, waiting for Finnick's signal. "Now" Finnick whispered. They both screamed until Peeta awoke moaning and rubbing his eyes.
"Wha-?" Peeta mumbled, still half asleep. He opened his eyes and jumped into the dirt, cursing under his breath.
Katniss and Finnick fell to the floor laughing at his expression. "Yea, real funny guys" Peeta rolled his eyes, trying to hide a smile.
"And that's exactly why we're laughing" Katniss chuckled, controlling his laughter.
Finnick looked alarmed, and stopped laughing. He slowly tapped Katniss on the shoulder and pointed to the large monkey behind Peeta.
They started to bounce up everywhere, surrounding them in dark shadows. There was no way out, and the only way out was infested with Careers at the cornucopia.
Katniss instantly drew her bow. She had to put Peeta in front of her life first.
Finnick snapped his trident up, and a few monkeys got frightened.
"Peeta. Walk as calmly as you can over to me" she instructed cautiously with no alarm in her voice.
That failed. Monkeys started going crazy, making loud noises and sneering dangerously at the humans. Peeta, Finnick and Katniss went back to back and waited for the monkeys to attack. But more and more kept coming.
"Get to the beach" she said quietly to Peeta, and he obeyed instantly.
The monkeys continued with the dangerous grunts and clomping of teeth.
"Just you and me, huh?" Finnick heaved, armed ready with his weapon.
The monkey rampaged forward at Finnick and Katniss, showing off their sharp claws and deadly teeth. Katniss shot any monkey that got to close and Finnick used his trident as a spear, stabbing then all at once.
The monkeys were furious with Finnick and headed towards him. He struggled to hold them all off and accidently missed one as it lunged towards his chest and dagged it's claws into his body. Finnick yelled in pain and a morphling ran out from a nearby bush, scaring the nearby monkeys.
"Finnick" Katniss shouted, heading towards him. He wouldn't respond and remained motionless.
"FINNICK?" she shouted louder, shaking his body.
Yet nothing happened.
A canon went off.