Chapter 7
"Glimmer likes you." Alex whispers in Cato's ear, as they are halfway across the river.
"I love Clove." Cato whispers stiffening at what he has said.
"You love my sister?" Alex whispers in shock, "Wow. Didn't expect that confession."
"But you knew?"
"Well, duh."
"You are too observant for your own good."
"Clove and Taylor say the same thing."
"How long did you know?"
"A year and three days." Feeling the younger girl shrug her shoulders, Cato chuckles softly.
"Here we are." Cato calls out softly, putting Alex on her feet and exchanging weapon for bag. Once all of them are out of the river, Alex leads the group with Mark and Cato next to her. Jogging up the hill, they kneel peeking through the tall grass.
Cato has to admit; the person is smart for being close to the river.
"Surround but do not kill." Cato orders taking the role of leader once again. Watching Glimmer, Marvel and Mark nod, they take different directions, "Who is the person?"
Waiting for Alex to observe the person, Alex whispers that it's a guy.
Moving in close but silent, Cato allows Alex to be a little further ahead but not out of range if he needs to protect her.
Stepping into the guy's campsite, Alex takes off her goggles pointing her sword. It's Peeta Mellark from District Twelve. Watching Peeta get to his feet, he tries to run. Before Alex could say a word, Glimmer shoots him in the leg with an arrow. Marvel throws his spear, hitting him in the front of the same leg. Hearing Peeta howl in pain, collapsing on the ground, Alex intervenes when Marvel is about to stab him again.
"Knock it off!" Alex growls pointing her sword at Marvel. In anger, Alex stabs Marvel in his left arm, deep, "That is what you get idiot!" Smirking as Marvel curses, Alex is forced to the ground as an arrow whistles passed her.
"I said to not attack her!" Cato shouts giving Glimmer a stab in the leg, "One more time if either of you step out of line, I will not hesitate to kill you."
Taking Alex's sword, Cato sits down wiping the blood off in the grass.
Alex knows first aid, so he just guards as Alex helps Peeta.
"Shh, I have to get the spear and the arrow out. Deep breaths and don't scream. You can't really move if we are attacked." Alex says soothingly to Peeta. Holding his hand as Peeta covers his mouth with his other hand, he nods letting Alex pull out the spear.
Quickly going into her bag, Alex pulls out her water bottle and wraps. Wrapping his leg up she puts leaves to sooth the wounds.
"There." Alex tells Peeta to not move yet before putting a leaf in her mouth chewing. Spitting it in her hand, she puts it around the front and the back wounds. Peeta, who was disgusted, sighs in relief as the chewed leaf soaks up the dirt, rocks and dry blood. It also lets the air in but keeps everything else out.
"How did you do that?" Peeta asks Alex.
"Class." Alex shrugs her shoulders while bending her legs before making Peeta lean back into them, "Just let it rest for a little then I will check the bandage again."
Hearing a bell, Alex looks at Cato who is making Marvel get the 'help ball' as Alex nicknamed it.
"For you kid." Marvel states tossing it at her. Opening it, Alex grins. It's a needle to help the skin heal faster and stop any blood poisoning.
"Cato, hold his leg down." Alex whispers to Peeta what she is doing while Cato holds the leg down. Carefully, Alex makes a small hole in Peeta's pants above the wound, "I have to inject you now. What it does is makes the wound heal faster and stops any blood poisoning. Are you ready?"
"Yes." Peeta answers through clenched teeth.
"On five. One." Alex flicks it to make the liquid clear, "Two." Alex removes the cap.
"Three." Alex sticks the needle in, "Four." Alex pushes the plunger down.
"Five." Alex pulls the needle out. Putting it back in the ball, she accidentally tosses it too close to the fire. Before they could blink, the ball heats up exploding it in the sky once it shoots up, "Oops."
"Typical twelve-year-old." Cato comments.
"That was an accident."
"I know. But sometimes I wonder." Rolling her brown eyes, Alex looks at Cato.
"Are we staying or are we leaving?"
"Peeta needs to lead us to Twelve."
"How about tomorrow?"
"We will lose her trail."
"But he can't walk."
"Alex." Cato groans.
"Honest." Alex states sarcastically.
"I'll move." Peeta interrupts. Helping up the older boy, Alex follows in the back with Cato until Glimmer wants to talk with him.
Hearing a soft crunch above her, Alex looks up with the goggles still on. Seeing Katniss Everdeen, Alex fakes tiredness.
"Can we go back and make camp?" Alex acts.
"Alex," Cato starts.
"Please? She would be far enough away by now."
"She has a point." Marvel, Mark and Peeta agree.
"Fine." Lifting Alex up onto his back, they walk as Alex whispers in his ear.
"Katniss was back there. We want her alive remember?"
"I know your acting. But yes, I remember."
~C&A~
The next morning, the forest is flooded. They found a small lake and crossed it the night before. Shivering from the ice water, Alex smells smoke.
"Son of a gun!" Alex shouts startling everyone awake.
"What?" Mark asks packing their bags.
"The forest is on fire, and we are flooded. They are drawing us together." Cato answers swinging Alex onto his back. Watching a cavern appear in front of them, Alex jumps off Cato's back landing on the rocks.
"Who are they drawing to us?" Alex whispers to Cato.
"Whom would they want us to kill?"
"Twelve." Cato and Alex state. Just that second they spot Katniss in the water on the other end.
"I call killing her!" Alex shouts sprinting to Katniss. Watching Katniss run from her, Alex follows with Cato hot on her tail.
Dodging branches and sliding in the mud, Alex corners Katniss in the tree. Beginning to climb, Alex leaves her weapon on the ground. Making Katniss climb higher and higher so she is out of range of Glimmer's arrows, Alex purposely mess up. Grabbing the branch as she falls, Alex hangs there.
"Cato!" Alex shouts, now actually scared.
"Alex!" Appearing below her, Cato gets Alex to let go, catching her.
"Shit. She's too high!" Glimmer snaps turning to Alex, "You did this!"
"I cornered her." Alex smirks squeezing the life out of Cato's arm.
"Let's wait her out." Marvel sighs.
When everyone isn't looking, Alex looks up at Katniss winking at her before walking to the bottom of the tree. She saw Katniss's shocked face.
Around dinnertime, Alex is playing with knives.
"Target practice." Alex sighs getting up. Aiming at Katniss, Alex shouts up to her, "Twelve! Let's play a game!"
"Sure, what game?" Katniss calls down.
"Target practice." Alex smirks. Cato knows the dangerous smirk, which is one she always gives to Glimmer and Marvel, and the helpful smirk, the one she is giving to Katniss.
Throwing up a knife, the knife hits the tree above Katniss's head, sticking there.
"That was my favourite knife! Time to get a better knife." Going back to her spot, Alex goes back to her knives. Cato knows Alex purposely gave Katniss a weapon.
Once Cato finishes cooking their dinner, Alex climbs the tree to eat in 'private'. She is low enough away from Katniss but high enough to give her food. Pretending to slip and toss her dinner up, which Katniss catches; Alex falls out of the tree.
Landing with a thud, Alex groans frowning.
"She has my dinner." Alex pouts.
Katniss looks down at Alex and back at the food. She knows Alex could have climbed up further and kill her, just like in training. She's not a 'klutz' when climbing. It dawns on her, Alex, the little twelve-year-old Career, is trying to help her. Alex gave her food and a weapon.
That night, the group below are sleeping; Alex is sleeping in the tree with Cato on the branch below her. Hearing a 'pest' in the tree next to her, Katniss spots the other twelve-year-old girl.
"Her name is Rue." Katniss hears Alex's whisper, "If you cut down that nest above you, could you give me a warning?" Looking over down at Alex, she sees her looking up at her.
"Why are you helping?" Katniss questions.
"She wants you as an ally." Cato whispers, "She's one persuasive twelve-year-old."
