Chapter Eleven:
Stealing
YASHI
"Well that was unexpected." Katniss, Peeta, and Michi turned to me and raised their eyebrows as if to say "you think?" I shrugged. Then an idea came to mind. "I want to try something else." I stepped over Gail and went to the nightlock bushes.
"Yashi, what are you doing?" Peeta reached out for me but I stepped away.
"I'm trying something really quick. I want to see how bad these things are." I knew that Michi knew what I was trying to do but she still looked worried.
Katniss stepped up also. "I always thought that you were slightly off, but you're going to willingly eat poisonous berries after seeing what they can do?" I nodded. Before they could grab me I took a handful of nightlock and shoved it into my mouth. Peeta and Katniss gasped in usion.
An odd numbness started to appear in my hands and feet. I felt it slowly make its way through my body. I began shivering from how oddly cold it was. Suddenly the coldness reached my chest and I gasped in shock just like Gail. With that I couldn't stand anymore and I fell. "Yashi, you idiot!" I heard Michi yell. It was true I was an idiot. Yet this didn't feel so bad. I guess nightlock wasn't really all that bad of a way to die.
When my vision cleared again I was in my room. I ran to look out the window. It was the same time of day. I went to Grandma's room. She was still sleeping. I sighed in relief upon returning back to my room.
"Is she okay?" I heard someone murmur.
"I don't know. I heard a cannon, yet there's no hovercraft yet." Another voice murmured.
I shot my eyes open. "I'm back!" I sat up and brushed the leaves off of me. Katniss and Peeta jumped back in fear.
"How did you–!" Peeta grunted. "Was that a joke? That wasn't funny Yashi, you had us worried."
"Yeah Yashi," Michi threw in. I stuck my tongue out at her.
"Let's just–" A cannon fired, a few seconds later it was followed by another one. We were all still intact. So it was Clove, Thresh, or Cato who were eliminated. I groaned. "I'm tired of all this death."
"Well you weren't tired enough to pretend to join them." Michi huffed. She stuck her tongue out at me. Wow, I guess I can be very immature sometimes… or all the time.
"It'll probably be a good idea to move on." Michi suddenly pulled her sword out. We all jumped back. She pressed a finger to her lips and gestured for us to listen. There was what sounded like growling. They were sending the muttations already?
A mutant wolf tore through the brush and growled at us. We all froze. "Run!" I yelled. Katniss and I ran off to the left, and Peeta and Michi parted to the right. After a few minutes of running I stopped. Katniss looked at me.
"What are you doing?" She scowled suddenly. "It's gone? What was that about?"
"Congratulations to the final five of the 74th annual Hunger Games!" Claudius' voice boomed throughout the arena. Was that introduction really necessary? "There has been a rule change. If the last two tributes are male and female then they shall both become the victors." I heard Katniss gasp loudly.
"Peeta," she muttered. I pretended like I didn't hear that. Really Katy, after all we went through?
"I also invite you all to a feast located at the Cornucopia." I groaned. "Now hold on. Some of you may be declining my invitation. But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you needs something desperately. Each of you will find that something in a backpack marked with your district number, at the Cornucopia, at dawn. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance." I groaned again.
Did we really need anything? I guess we needed Peeta and Michi. But I didn't really want them just yet. I hope that some "spiciness" to unfold in between them, if Michi is willing.
"We don't exactly need anything." Katniss murmured. "I guess we're a bit low on water and weaponry. But I'm not sure."
"Are we going to join?" She vigorously shook her head.
"There's no point."
"We could meet back up with Peeta and Michi, and maybe there could be a bow or something for you." Katniss sighed.
"Alright, let's feast."
MICHI
Peeta and I doubled over and fell. "I think it's gone." I said in between breathes. He nodded.
"We split up from Yashi and Katniss. Maybe they'll be at the feast. Is that what he announced?" I shrugged.
"I was too busy running for my life to notice. But now there can be two victors as long as they're male and female."
"That means that Cato, Thresh, or myself can win with you, Katniss, Yashi, or Clove." I nodded. He suddenly had this forlorn look.
"I know you want it to be you and Katniss."
"Yes, but you and her have equal chances of winning."
"I guess so, but Peeta–"
"I would do anything for Katniss. But I can't just leave you and Yashi here. I wouldn't be able to live with that."
"Peeta Katniss, Yashi, and I can't just win three-way." He nodded.
"I know. It's just… this is very stressful." I sighed. I imagined how sad this situation must be for him.
"You know, Peeta–"
"I also don't want for it to be Cato and Clove to win." He went on.
"Hey, Peeta, listen–"
"I just don't know Michi." I grabbed Peeta by the sides of his face and kissed him. I've always wanted to do that, they seem to work in movies. Maybe I should suggest to Yashi that we should wreck a movie sometime.
"Listen to me Peeta. Everything's going to be alright. Okay?" He was speechless, as expected. I loved dramatic moments! I wonder what the Capital people at home were thinking. They must be wetting their pants from all the drama. The people of District 12 right now might be a different story. Except for Gale maybe, he must be ecstatic right now. "Please stop interrupting me. I forgot what I was going to say now."
"I-I…" He was still speechless. I must have done a good job. Thank goodness Yashi wasn't here; I wouldn't hear the end of this. Eh, she would find out eventually. "K-Katniss…" he stuttered.
"What about Katniss?" I ran my fingers down his face. A sappy love triangle wasn't something very pleasant but I guess I have to make one for the story. Katniss, Peeta, and Gale was already intense enough.
"I love her." His voice was softer. I sort of felt bad now. Yashi would be proud though. "Now I'm not so sure."
"Let's just go to the feast and see if they're there, okay?" He nodded and we marched on.
YASHI
Katniss and I were able to locate the Cornucopia in no time. I found it odd how we spent basically the entire Game inside of the forest. The few occasions that Katniss was here was for the beginning, to blow up the supplies, the feast, and the ending. Yet she didn't get to blow up the supplies since of Rue's early departure. I wonder what happened to her.
Backpacks labeled with the numbers 2, 6, 9, and 12 were aligned by the Cornucopia's entrance. So either Cato or Clove died. I felt bad for Thresh. I sort of liked how he refused to let the Games own him and how he was protective over Rue.
I nodded towards. "Let's move." She grabbed my arm and pulled me back.
"What are you doing? We're unarmed and Cato or Clove may be hiding somewhere."
"I don't hear anything. Let's just run in and get out as fast as we can." Katniss bit her lip in thought. I didn't have time for this. I shook out of her grip and raced toward the Cornucopia. I heard her groan before chasing after me. She took both the 12 backpacks and the 9 backpack while I took the 6 backpack and the 2 backpack.
"Are you sure about that?" She referred to the stolen backpack I had. I shrugged.
"If you would prefer not to bloody your hands, let's just take away their supplies." Katniss nodded. I was surprised that we made it out without any ambushes.
After going deep enough into the forest Katniss and I looked through the backpacks. In the 2 backpack was a bodysuit. Must have been some sort of armor. I guess Cato or Clove really needed protection right now. In my pack there was a new pair of clothes. Katniss sort of snorted at this. I guess that was how she laughed.
"I guess the Capital cares about my appearance." I frowned. "Or they want to see me strip down. Neither is really a good thing in my opinion." In Michi's backpack was a canteen of water, a pack of crackers, and a note. Wait, how could she get a note? Mentors and Gamemakers weren't allowed to communicate with tributes. I hid the note at the bottom of the canteen and moved on.
In Katniss' pack was a silver bow and arrow. Her eyes lit up and she immediately swung the quiver over her shoulder. In Peeta's bag was nothing but a scrap of paper. "Hey, I thought that they were going to send us things that we 'desperately' needed." Katniss shrugged.
"It seems that District 2 is the only one really in need of something." Before I could respond there was a sudden rustling behind us.
"What was that?" I whispered. Katniss got her bow ready and I crouched behind her.
"It's either Peeta and Michi, or District 2."
Ebony: Now it's whoever is remaining from District 2, Yashi, Michi, Katniss, and Peeta.
Taka: That was pretty obvious, but okay.
Ebony: We're not going to do a sappy love triangle, right?
Taka: Since when do we do sappy love triangles?
Ebony: Good point.
