Enjoy!

My heart is pounding, not just from the exertion of running but also from the realization that we have actually found Katniss. I can't believe it. What were the odds? All I can say is, the odds seem to never be in my favor.

I have to keep up the pace with the rest of the Careers; if I seem the least bit unwilling to hunt Katniss down, they will kill me right here and now. So I kick my legs into high gear, and make my way to the front of the pack. This way, if I reach her first I can perhaps protect her a little bit. But I don't get the chance. She suddenly picks a tree and begins climbing it so skillfully, it's like watching a monkey. But a beautiful monkey at that. We reach her tree and stop under the base of it.

"How's everything with you?" she calls down. "What nerve!", I think to myself.

"Well enough," says Cato. "Yourself?"

"It's been a bit warm for my taste," says Katniss. "The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up?"

"Think I will," says Cato.

"Here, take this, Cato," says Glimmer. She offers him the bow and arrows. But Cato says, "No. I'll do better with my sword."

Cato begins climbing. My heart is just about to jump out of my chest out of fear for Katniss. But as it turns out, I don't have to worry for now, as neither Cato nor Glimmer can make it up the tree to where Katniss is. Glimmer tries to shoot an arrow at her, but it misses. Finally I say, "Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning." The Careers agree. I have bought her some time. After that…well I don't know what else I can do.

Cato says, "Lover Boy. I thought you said she couldn't climb trees."

Crap. "I thought she couldn't either. We were coached separately, and I guess that's something she lied about." I swear, Cato seems determined to kill me no matter what I say or do.

Cato says mockingly, "Lover's quarrel, eh? No matter. Alright we have two options. We form a pyramid, with Glimmer at the top, and she tries to shoot that bitch, or I try to somehow cut the tree down with my sword.

Clove replies, "Cato, are you mad? Neither of those will work. I suggest two people just stay here in the morning to keep her under siege, while the rest of us continues the hunt for the other tributes."

Everyone agrees to Clove's plan, because that's the only thing that will really work. I mean, Katniss must be about eighty feet high right now. Night falls, and the anthem plays. Glimmer again volunteers to take the first watch, under the tree. We all lie down underneath the tree. I decide to force myself to stay awake the whole night. It's the least I can do, because for some reason, I feel guilty for getting Katniss into this whole mess. So I do. I don't sleep a wink the entire night. This is probably what saves me in the morning.

A rustling in the tree makes me look up. Coming down is a nest; I recognize it as a tracker jacker nest. Katniss must have dropped it just now. What sheer genius on her part! By now, the Careers are awake, and some are shouting "To the lake! To the lake!"

I get up and start running to the lake. Even so, I get four stings from those things. I notice that Glimmer and Atara are in worse shape than the rest of us. They fall to the ground before we reach the lake. The other three Careers and myself make it however, and we quickly soak ourselves in the water. Clove and Blace seem in worse shape than me and Cato. However, we are not alone at the lake. It seems the District 3 boy was here just before we arrived. Cato says to Clove and Blace, "You two. Deal with the boy, get our supplies out, and set our camp back up again."

I wonder, how can Cato be thinking so clearly? Then I see it; Cato only has one sting. I guess even tracker jackers are repelled by this guy. I quickly say, "I'm going back to finish her off." I grab Blace's spear, take my knife, and run off in the direction of the tracker jacker tree before anyone can respond.

I get a huge shock when I see Katniss lying on the ground, with the bow and arrows. What is she still doing here? I'd bet my life that Cato is right behind me. "What are you still doing here?" I hiss at her.

I'm poking her with the spear, trying to motivate her into action. I'm yelling at her now. "Are you mad? Get up! Get up ! Run! Run!" She finally starts to run. She's safe…for the moment. But I'm not. Because Cato is now here, and he's just seen my actions. I only have one choice…and that's to fight.

I throw my spear at Cato. He ducks it, and closes the remaining gap between us. He makes an overhand slashes, which I sidestep, and I try to get in close and stab him with the knife, but he has already moved. I feel a punch in the back of my head knock me to the ground.

I quickly get up, and return the favor with my free hand. He stumbles back about one footstep. Right about now I'm thinking, "Is this guy human? He doesn't quit at all does he?"

I move in for another punch, but it never lands. Cato slashes the knife out of my hand, and on the backstroke, cuts me deep in my upper thigh. I scream out in pain. I can't even describe how much it hurts. I collapse to the ground, knowing this time, I'm done for. Then I realize that Cato is not fighting me anymore. He's fighting somebody else. It looks like…Thresh?

I get to my feet slowly, gingerly, revitalized by the hope of escape. No, I'm not hallucinating too much from those tracker jacker stings. It is Thresh. Him and Cato are going at it with swords. I guess Cato would pass up a weak, wounded opponent for a healthy one, figuring he could easily finish me off later. This is my chance to run. Or more like, hobble and limp. Which I do so, all the way to the stream.

The sounds of Thresh's and Cato's fight fade as I get farther and farther from them. The pain in my leg is threatening to make me pass out, but I fight to stay conscious. Near the stream, I gather up some camouflage materials, mud, leaves and such. I lay down, and cover myself with them. Good thing I took that camouflage class before the Games started, I think to myself. The last thing I think before I pass out is "I hope Katniss is ok." Then darkness claims me.