DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Hunger Games or any of its characters. All right belong to Suzanne Collins.

WARNING:This chapter contains mild language and gore (it's the Bloodbath, so, ya.)

Chapter Ten:

60 seconds. That's all. One minute until the gong sounds. Step off before then and your blown sky high. I see a few of the children surrounding me lifting their feet, before stamping it back down on the platform, ashamed with themselves for their pathetic, suicidal thoughts. I turn my gaze towards the shining horn, contemplating whether or not to run for the spears or the swords. A sword will be easier to manage, and I shift my weight to the right.

I try to estimate the time left, a difficult task as time seems to slow about me as the seconds tick by. Even the motions of the people around me seem to slow; the smirk Clove sends me from the last podium I can see before the horn obscures my view, the tribute from Nine shifting slightly to the left for the fastest escape from me as possible, the subtle shake of the head Lover Boy sends in the direction of the bitch on fire. The girl that will suffer at my hands, by my weapon, and she will be shown no mercy for what she has done to me.

I leap off the elevated disc as soon as the gong sounds, my reflexes proving better than I thought as I run towards the Cornucopia, towards the grass that is sure to be covered by blood at the end of the afternoon. I snatch a sturdy looking sword, and to test it's weight, I send it swinging towards another tribute trying to sneak by me. It hits him square in the chest, puncturing the area next to his heart. He collapses on the ground, giving a final spasm as the blood pours, until he stills.

His spilled blood sends adrenaline surging through my own, and I go through my little high that killing brings me. Disgust then surges through me just as eagerly, so I search for my next victim so the bliss can smother all other feeling.

I slice at a young girl I recognize from the elevator ride, and she panics. Screeching, she brings both her hands to her wound and then she tears desperately at her hair, staining both with blood. Tears roll down her cheeks and a choked sound slips out of her throat as she throws herself on my sword. I pull the weapon out and step to the side, allowing for the body to fall to the ground with a thud and a sickening crack. I shake my sword, sending excess gore flying, and hunt my next prey.

I am in a rush as the bloodbath continues, and I rip through another girl easily. I cripple a young boy by slicing his hand clean off. I return to him after retrieving a new weapon to finish him, and identify him as the boy from Six. I start with a single thrust of my sword through his chest. His body quivers violently from the pain, and his scream pierces the air before I twist the blade. His breath catches, as breathing proves to be far to painful, and then his breath comes raggedly, accompanied with little whimpers. With a new determination, I lean in harder on my sword, and after a small whine, the boy's chest ceases to rise. I smirk, satisfied, and free my weapon from the dead body.

I circle around the horn, looking for any stragglers. I send a spear hurtling towards the escaping girl from Seven, knowing it's in my best interest to stick close to the Cornucopia, and continue with my search. Marvel is using his machete to rip through a small girl, and Clove throws a knife with startling accuracy and speed into the back of a retreating redhead, and the tribute, blood as deep of a hue as their hair seeping out of their back, falls flat to the ground like a paper weight. Glimmer is seated next to a mountain of supplies inside the horn, daintily nibbling on a cracker as the girl from Four lurks nearby, filling her pack. That's when I see the small silhouette in the background.

The boy from District Four creeps into view, crawling out of the shadows created by the golden structure, blood splattered on the side of his face. I want to swear, as I forgot to terminate him earlier, and know I must kill him now before the girl from his District figures out he is still alive. He can't be killed quietly after this.

I sneak up next to him, and clamp my bloodied hand over his mouth. I easily drag him out of the sight of his District partner, and hurl him to the ground and stomp a boot into his neck before he can call out Tara's name. Clove approaches me, incredulous expression on her face.

"Why isn't he dead?" she hisses in a hushed tone, looking nervously in Tara's direction.

I glare at her. Was it not obvious? I forgot about the damn kid. I ignore her questioning gaze, and turn back to the boy trying to wrench his way out from under me. I kneel over, one foot still firmly planted on his throat digging into his esophagus, and hiss back, "Cover his mouth."

"I doubt he could scream with a 200 pound boy placing all his weight on his neck!" Clove snaps back, but nonetheless places a hand lightly across his mouth. She leans down and whispers something to him, and I immediately begin to smirk, thinking that she is whispering something sadistic to him. The smirk falls off when I see the boy relax and his eyes brighten up. They are smiling, just like the lips conceals by Clove's porcelain hand must be. That's when I remember that this is the kid Clove has had a soft spot for since the Reaping recaps. I shove my weapon straight into his heart, not prolonging his death for my petite, brunette ally.

We both leap backwards as we hear the sounds of fighting from the opposite end of the horn, and I sheathe my sword and Clove conceals her knife, as to not frighten a possible ally. We slowly sneak around the golden Cornucopia, and one is always scolding as the other steps on a twig or loses their balance and bangs softly against the metal of the horn. As she softly sneaks along, each step dainty, she reminds me of Ashen. My female best friend and Clove are so similar in demeanor it is frightening, but it is also startling how stark of a contrast their personalities are. But as I find myself almost chuckling at Clove's snarky attitude, I begin to realize which personality I prefer. And as I snap back at my District partner and she in return gives me a scowl, I begin to question how I put up with Ashen all these years.

We come into view of two blondes clashing violently, both clumsily using a sword. I immediately recognize the one facing us as Marvel, with blood slipping down cheek, and I watch Clove creep up behind the boy with his back to us, knife in hand. She hisses at him, and the two adversaries drop their weapons immediately.

"Turn around, so I can see you." I demand, and Clove steps out of the way so the boy can do as I ask. He slowly turns, his body apparently protesting the movements, shown by his slight limp and the grimace on his face when I get a good view of his face.

A smirk crossed with a sadistic smile plays across my lips, "Hello, Lover Boy."

XxXxXxXxX

The canons have just begun to sound when my District partner and I finally reach an agreement with the boy from Twelve. He retreats to the side of the meadow, downcast with his deal that he must tell us all he knows of the Girl on Fire and come hunting with us every night until we find her. Because once we do, Clove and I will make the bitch suffer, and then Peeta will be forced to watch as we kill her. And once he does, this part we haven't yet told, we will savagely slaughter him, as well. And then I will thrust my sword into his non-beating heart as many days as he made us wait for that blissful moment.

Glimmer happily chirps from her post organizing the supplies with Tara that eleven canons were counted. Eleven tributes are dead.

Twelve left to die.

Marvel returns from his brief walk around the meadow the Cornucopia is in the center of, reporting he neither found nor heard anyone severely injured to finish of in the surrounding area. I want to be cross with him, but I can not fault him. There was no one to kill, so I silently direct him to the supplies and follow close behind.

Clove is in a stony state as she sorts through the supplies, ignoring Glimmers attempts at conversation that drove away Tara moments before. Marvel, too, picks up on Clove's bland attitude, and mutters under his breath, "Sure you don't want to just kill her now?"

"Absolutely positive. I'd much rather kill you than her." I snap back much too quickly and defensively.

Marvel shakes his head in a pitying manner, "You don't care for her. Trust me. She's just your last piece of home and you don't want to lose her. That's the same reason I keep Glimmer around." I disguise my biting laugh with a cough, and can't stop the smile from spreading across my face as I process how ridiculous this statement truly is.

The smile turns to a smirk and I manage to keep my mouth shut, only letting myself murmur, "You don't know people as well as you'd think."

XxXxXxXxX

"All set, Catokins!" Glimmer laughs merrily, flinging herself against my arm, and I shrug her off. I do not want to incite thoughts of a romance between Careers for the Capitol people, especially not with her. Clove smiles slightly as her eyes lock with my own, and I feel my guard start to slip as I smile back. Glimmer sees this small interaction and humphs, "We finished sorting. We also filled our pack so I would suggest you do the same," Glimmer is dense enough to lean against me once more, murmuring something about her being thoughtful, and I push her off again. She glowers at me, before her eyes catch Marvel glaring jealously at me, and she hurries off to attach herself to his side, Marvel smiling as he readily accepts the blonde's unprecedented attention.

I sigh, and roll my eyes, heading over to the pyramid of sorted supplies. The food has obviously been sifted through, but it is to my pleasure I find the weapons untouched, save the knives. Clove has removed every single one and has lined her jacket and belt with an assortment of daggers. I attach a sword to my side, and place two shorter, sturdier ones in the pack I snatch from the pile. I stuff the empty pouch of the black pack with food: apples, berries, dried jerky, and other scraps of meat. I swing it over my shoulder and scoop up a spear as I stalk back over to where Marvel begins to pitch the tents. I slip the bag off my arm and let it fall to the ground, before I begin to help the only other male in the bunch.

Glimmer pipes up, "Where will we sleep, Catokins?"

"How about in the tents they're setting up, Glimmer?" Clove spits sarcastically, and the blonde recoils, until a new light captures her face.

"Oh! I found those in the supplies!" she chirps energetically, "But there are only four, guys. We'll have to double up."

We all understand that by 'I' means 'Tara' and by 'found' means 'saw her find them', but no one says anything as we all silently ponder Glimmer's valid point. Marvel and I finish the second tent, and I shout, "Hey Lover Boy! This tents for you." Peeta springs to his feet, nodding rapidly, and ducks into the shelter, under the rough, canvas material. I sigh as we move onto the next tent, "C'mon guys. Who do you want to sleep next to?"

"Um, I- I wouldn't mind, sharing with Glimmer." Tara pipes up, eying Clove as she rubs her knives together, fear capturing the blue eyes of the tanned girl.

But the girl from One only clucks her tongue, "I don't know, I'd rather get to know one of the males in our alliance a bit better."

"I wouldn't mind sharing with one of the ladies!" Marvel calls from the other side of the tent, and I give a genuine laugh.

"Cato, would you like to share with me?" Glimmer ignores her District partner as I lean down to stake down the first corner.

"No." I say simply, and I suppress a loud laugh when I see the look on her face. It's as if someone gave her a gift wrapped puppy and then murdered it in front of her shining, emerald eyes.

She humphs, and falls into the ground, mumbling, "I'll go with Tara."

"Then I guess I'll take Clove." Marvel says, a twinge of seductiveness in it that makes me shudder. I look up, expecting Marvel to be cracking a cocky smile, like he does after he says one of his unfunny jokes, but I see him glancing with something like hunger or lust at my District partner.

I glare, glower, and curse under my breath, but when Marvel starts to move towards Clove, I shout, "Don't touch her!"

Everyone stares at me, shocked into stillness.

Marvel recovers first, sneering, "Oh yeah? And who made you the leader?"

I growl almost inaudibly, so only Marvel could hear, "Me and that sword made me the leader. The sword that I can easily use to gut you, strangle you with your entrails, and then behead you as you attempt to scream for mercy that will never come." Once my words are out there, I realize I might have slightly over reacted. But I will allow no one to question my authority, no one will find weakness in me.

Marvel's eyes widen to the size of saucers, and he begins to meekly nod, "Yeah, and- and you know what? I'd- I'd rather sleep alone." He scampers away shoving his stuff into the first tent we pitched and then disappears, as well.

I quickly finish pitching the last tent, and I gesture to it, "There you go, Tara. That's your guys' tent." The two fling themselves into the tent desperately, as if they can't get away from me fast enough. "Get some sleep!" I shout, looking at the sun beginning it's slow descent in the sky, "We hunt at dusk." I am about to duck into my tent, when I realize that Clove is still out in the open. I look over my shoulder, and see her sitting in the grass, rifling absent-mindedly through her pack. "You okay with keeping watch?"

She shrugs, waving her hand, knife in clutch, dismissing the trivial matter, "I'm not tired, and besides. I hardly sleep anymore, anyways." I open my mouth to question, but Clove silences me with a glare, "It's fine, Cato. I'll wake you for next watch."

It is my turn to shrug, and retreat into my tent.

XxXxXxXxX

Clove doesn't wake me. She doesn't wake anyone. Not until she calls out that the sun is setting, at least.

I am the first to emerge from my tent, sword already reattached to my hip, and find Clove in the exact same position she was when I left her hours earlier. She eyes me, and I see a single tear line that runs down her face. The tears, of course, have run dry, but she seems far from upset. She is almost void of emotion, on the cusp of anger. She turns away and begins twirling her knife. A golden handled knife. A dagger that looks a hell of a lot like the blade Clove wrestled from her stylist. I eye her suspiciously, and Clove jerks her head to the left, the direction of her brown backpack; where I see a silver parachute tucking out of the corner of her bag. I smile and Clove grins, as well, still twirling.

Marvel stumbles out of his tent and over to the pile of supplies. He grabs 3 apples; one he sticks in his mouth, a second is thrown in my direction, the last in Clove's. I catch my fruit with my free hand and Clove holds out her knife, the apple getting stuck on the blade as it rips through its skin. I smile once more, taking a bite of the bright, red fruit, and go take a seat next to Clove.

Glimmer and Tara are the next to appear, and Tara looks squeamish as Glimmer asks her a question. The brunette shakes her head slightly, and Glimmer awkwardly pats her shoulder, murmuring something that makes the girl grimace more. I raise an eyebrow suspiciously, eyeing the other Careers, seeing if they have any idea what is being said

Clove only shrugs, "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Maybe it has something to do with the hunt tonight. She was relatively fine before, so that's my thought. Call it a hunch, but I think that's what's happening." Marvel calls with a mouthful of apple, the tart flavor exploding across his tongue with every bite.

I nod, and turn, shouting, "Hey Fish Girl! Blondie! Over here!" The girls meet me with a glare, but begin to trudge over.

"What?" Marvel places his hands on his chest, feigning offense, "No nickname for me?"

"Sure there is. You're- Sparkle Boy." I tell him, the look on my face so serious, Clove finds it comical.

"Sparkle Boy?" Marvel asks incredulously, "Why not Marv? The Marvster? Marvelous? Marvelously Marvel? Marv-"

The boy continues to drone on, and Clove turns to me, "And who am I, oh, great nicknaming master?"

I smirk back, "You're Clover, of course." She gives me a small smile, accompanied with a light, pink blush that dusts across her cheeks.

Glimmer and Tara arrive, and I tell the latter she will stay to guard tonight. She looks so relieved, as if the weight of the world has been lifted from her shoulders. She tries to disguise it, fearful it is not Career-like, and nods once, taking a seat next to the supplies. Glimmer realizes with a start that she will be in on the hunt, and hurries to eat something and grabs her sheathe of arrows. The weapons are beyond Glimmer's expertise, the ones she shot with in the center were beginning level weapons. She will surely be incompetent with these far more difficult to handle ones.

"Come on, let's hunt." I say confidently, swinging the pack up over my arm, pulling Clove and yanking Marvel up as well. Glimmer hops behind us when I stop abruptly, causing my allies to stumble forward before they to halt. I crane my head around, and shout, "Lover Boy!" The blonde immediately stumbles out of his tent, looking up at me, "You coming hunting or what?"

He hurries over to our little pack immediately, struggling with his limp. Marvel moves him along with a push square in the back, and the boy from Twelve coughs out, "But I don't have a weapon."

"Here," Clove pipes up, throwing a knife from her belt to Lover Boy, "You can borrow one of my knives for the night." He catches it with startling ease, but remains still. Marvel, eager to get going, snarls Twelve's name and prods him in the back with the blunt end of his spear until Peeta begins to move ahead with the rest of the herd of tributes, and we make our way through the thick foliage, deep into the woods.

Clove leads us, using her advanced sense of hearing to listen for tributes, wild animals, or mutations that are heading in our general location, and she leads daintily, walking without a sound.

I, however, am not so graceful. I clunk through the forest, making enough sound to earn a few grimaces and growls from Clove a few yards in front of me. I only chuckle, though; remembering Reaping Day morning, where I told Bryan it didn't matter I wasn't stealthy because I was so big. I can only begin to think of what Clove would say to that. The very prospect brings a smile to my face as I smother plant life noisily under my feet.

Glimmer will not stop talking with Lover Boy, Marvel, me, and occasionally herself. She still attempts to gab over the anthem when it comes bursting out of the speakers. We manage to hush her though, so we can watch for our kills and brag about them.

First to pop up is the young female from Three, and her murderer is Marvel, based upon the low, throaty laugh that slips out of his throat. Next, the boy from Four. Glimmer mumbles the name Tristan as she gazes, dumbfounded, at the frail boys image in the sky. Since Tara is absent, I allow myself one, triumphant smirk.

The sky also tells that the boy from Five has fallen, a cheer from Clove, and both from Six, where the brunette and Marvel nudge each other smugly. The girl from Seven appears in the sky alongside her District partner. I claim the female as my kill, but no one says anything for the boy from the District. But the smile on Marvel's face tells us all we need to know. The boy from Eight is claimed by me, as is the boy from Nine, and Clove claims the girl from the ninth District, as well. I recognize the girl from Ten as my own murder, my second one where the girl ended up killing herself in the end, and then the screen falls black again.

The rage that Thresh is still alive soon subsides when Clove whirls on Glimmer, angrily whispering, "You didn't kill anyone?" We all silently hold our breaths as the blonde swallows the lump in her throat.

"Well, neither did Tara, and she-"

"I don't give a damn about Fish Girl, Glimmer! She didn't get an eight! She got a seven! She doesn't have the looks you have to boost your score, she didn't get the same attention, and she is way smarter than you! Right now, it doesn't matter how many sponsors you have! You're still no help, and it'd be so much easier without you here." Clove spits as the music ends, and we are draped in darkness once again.

And the darkness makes it much easier to spot the smoke swirling up into the sky from an area of woods a few miles over.

"Grab your stuff and let's go." Clove hisses, yanking her backpack up her arm and gripping a cruel bladed dagger as she stealthily creeps back into the wood, followed by our rowdy herd.

Clove leads us through trees for hours, but the smoke does not decrease until about 2 hours after we began tracking this new prey. There is no wind. The trees do not rustle, no one hitches up their jackets to protect their neck from the breeze. The night is dark and still as we creep over dead leaves and compact dirt.

Eventually, Clove brings out a hand, signaling us to stop. Our reaction time is a little slow, and my District partner rolls her eyes in an annoyed manner, "The tribute is just up ahead. If we kill them now, we can make it back to the Cornucopia right after dawn." She looks at us expectantly, eying me and Marvel simultaneously, "So, who's going to kill them?"

"I wi-"

"Oh, no you won't!" Clove interrupts the blonde, pushing her bouncing figure to the dirt with a single hit to the chest. Glimmer falls with a huff, and crosses her arms as both girls look at us expectantly.

"I got it," I hiss almost inaudibly, and begin to move forward once more, breaking through the gap in the trees, crunching sticks beneath my feet.

A petite girl lies next to a dying fire, snoring softly as she sleeps. I grin, and pull out my sword with a metallic clang. Marvel gives a soft laugh, and I approach slumbering girl. I identify her as District Eight. My smile goes sadistic as I lean down and whisper, "Wakey-wakey, little girl."

The girl's eyes snap open, and she opens her mouth as if to convince me to spare her. But her scream cuts off her words as my sword cuts through her stomach.

I stab her several other places until she collapses in a pool of her own blood, eyes staring upward, in the direction of where the hovercraft will come to grab her dead carcass. Marvel begins to congratulate me, shouting, "12 down, 11 to go!" The girls begin to laugh, but Peeta hangs back, silent.

"Let's clear out before the body starts stinking." I say, sheathing my sword with a loud clang.

Clove begins to lead us through the woods once more, as Glimmer has little giggling aftershocks over the girl from Eight's desperate pleas and whimpers. We walk silently over several yards of woods, until Clove cocks her head up, "Shouldn't we have heard a canon, by now?"

I know Clove is just curious, but something rubs me the wrong way about her question, and I turn and snarl at Marvel when he says, "I'd say yes, nothing to prevent them from moving in immediately."

"Unless she isn't dead." Glimmer mumbles uncertainly.

"She's dead," I spit through gritted teeth, "I stuck her myself."

"Then where's the canon?" Marvel spits back, getting in my face.

"Someone should go back, make sure the job is done." Clove adds hesitantly, being sure to not take one side or the other, but not wanting to have to sacrifice her logic either.

"Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice," Glimmer adds, rather unhelpfully.

"I said she's dead!" I shout angrily, and Marvel pounces on me once more, attempting to prove his point. Glimmer chimes in with a few statements to support her District partner. Clove stays silent, fuming over our argument, as I bark angrily at the pair from One.

"We're wasting time! I'll go finish her and let's move on!" Peeta snaps, and we all calm slightly.

"Go on, then, Lover Boy. See for yourself." I snap, smoothing my hair with my hand. He nods and scampers of flexibly, his limp impairing his ability to be quiet.

Clove turns to me, "Why don't we just kill him now and get it over with?"

"Let him tag along. What's the harm?" Marvel shrugs in bored manner, "And he's handy with that knife." I just register Clove's scoff as something rustles a free nearby.

I smirk slightly as I add gently, "Besides, he's our best chance of finding her."

Marvel cocks an eyebrow, "Why? You think she bought into that sappy romance stuff?"

"I don't know, she might've. Seemed pretty simple minded to me. Every time I think of her spinning around in that dress, I want to puke." Clove shudders, unconsciously defending me and my point of view. Or maybe she did intend for that...

"Wish we knew how she got that eleven!" Glimmer whines.

Clove wistfully looks on at the clearing in the wood from which we came, "Bet you Lover Boy knows."

Right on cue, Lover Boy bursts back through the trees.

"Was she dead?" I bark at the blonde.

"No, but she is now." My eyes begin to focus in on the blood covered knife in Twelve's hand as he responds, and I'm snapped out of my reverie by a canon. Lover Boy readjusts the pack on his shoulders, before questioning us as a whole, "Ready to move on?"

We respond by breaking into a run.

XxXxXxXxX

Our pack arrives back at the Cornucopia a few hours after daybreak, and once we come into sight, Tara slithers exhaustedly into her tent. Marvel volunteers for a two hour guard, and begins to scarf down a make-shift meal consisting of wild berries and jerky. Glimmer and Lover Boy trudge to their tents, idly chatting, but Clove and I are silent as we slip into ours.

Our silence continues as we begin to get into our sleeping bags, until my mind screams out for me to speak about Clove's actions earlier. So I softly murmur, "Why did you defend my point when Marvel questioned it?"

Clove seems taken aback, and her eyes dart about until she sighs, "Because you would have done the same for me. Because it was the right thing to do." She pauses, gazing entranced at the rising sun, "Look, whenever you need my help, just tell me. Call out for me. I'll help you in any way I can."

"Why?"

"Because it's what..." Clove breaks off, unsure if how to continue.

I gaze at Clove as she further stumbles over her explanation, until I can't bear it anymore. "It's what allies would do?" I offer in attempt to finish her statement.

She just subtly shakes her head, before she locks eyes with me, "It's what friends are for."

A warm smile plays across my lips, "Sleep tight, Clover." I say softly as I lay down, body covered by the sleeping bag, the wet grass serving as an impromptu pillow.

And even though my eyes have fluttered shut, I can envision the smirk on Clove's face as she whispers, "Sweet dreams, Catokins."

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took forever and a year. Sorry sorry sorry. I had writer's block and then lost power all yesterday afternoon and had to shovel nearly three feet of snow this morning because of the blizzard! Unh! I hate New England winters! :O

So... how did I do with my very first action sequence? Meh or yay or moo? :\

In terms of reviews. Mikadocon brought up a good point. I left out some important supporting details in Chapter 9. Ha ha, oops :) I will fix those in say 20 minutes after this is posted. So, if you read this after February 9th, you'll probably have no idea what I am talking about. But that's okay! I don't know what I'm talking about half the time. Ha ha.

I would like to thank all my reviewers and hope that you review too! C'mon, all the cool cats are doing it! (Even though its probably 10 times less cool now that I've said that :P) Anyway, please review! :)