Thanks to: gkmoberg1 & emmeline's embers
A long way down by Robert Delong
Burning night in my eyes, blinding me from the truth
if there's a shadow in me, the dark is a tidal wave inside of you
Taking shots at communion, getting drunk on your antidote
I'll save you a seat next to me down below
Direct Quotes from Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire are in italics.
Chapter 14
Katniss Everdeen's knees grew weak as she stared at the figure in front of her in abject horror. It was only her strength of will that kept her on her feet, on her metal plate, and not blown to bits.
"Hello, Bitch on Fire." Winnow Fontanne uttered softly. The words barely carried over the crashing waves and gulls screeching above. Her pale blue eyes crinkled at Katniss, almost as if in amusement.
The sentiment confused Katniss. Why ever would Winnow be amused at the sight of her, if not to bath in her fear? But that wasn't the feeling Katniss caught from Winnow's gaze. There was no animosity, only a hint of exasperation.
Katniss' scrutiny fell to the ring glittering on her rival's finger. Where Winnow is…Cato must be too… "Peeta…" Katniss' breathed hitched, eyes flickering back up to Winnow.
Winnow's brows were furrowed and there was a slight pucker to her lips. "You starting to catch up, Everdeen?" she posed teasingly, rolling the hilt of the weapon in her hand.
Katniss forced her eyes away, driving her mind towards other thoughts, more crucial thoughts. Where are you?! Katniss questioned herself. Then the thought struck her, just as horrifying as Winnow's sudden appearance. The water is Winnow's domain. The Capitol wants to see me dead. Her attention was diverted from her thoughts as the arena's intercom clicked on.
"We have just one announcement before allowing the 3rd Quarter Quell to begin… As you all can clearly see, each tribute's greatest rival has returned from beyond death's door to battle them again. Tributes, each of your rivals has a chance at life, at winning, again. If the rival kills their tribute, they will immediately leave the arena and claim their prize… Rivals, you must wait ten seconds longer than your tributes – good luck. Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-fifth Hunger Games begin!"
Katniss braced her body to ready herself as best she could, as the clock drew closer and closer to zero. She didn't dare look at Winnow, knowing there was a very good chance she would lose her nerve at the sight of the older girl. Katniss jumped off her pedestal and into the water the moment the clock hit zero and immediately reset to ten.
Katniss' nails scrabbled at the rocky wedge before her and climbed up, hands only leaving the ground when she felt her feet had found purchase. A precursory glance back found Winnow turned on her plate, watching Katniss' progress with no expression on her features.
Katniss spotted Brutus and the District 5 male to her right and didn't dare to look back again, focusing solely on getting a weapon. The clock hit zero again, and Winnow leapt from her plate into the water, trident secured to her back.
Winnow's long strokes cut through the water swiftly, giving each tribute or rival a wide berth as she searched for Cato. She found him not far from Peeta – as much of an improved swimmer as he was, he still wasn't very fast.
"Are you ready?" she asked as he took her hand for just a moment. Cato nodded resolutely. "Then let's begin," Winnow remarked darkly, drawing away to search for just about anyone for them to ambush.
Cato stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Orchid's already gone," he informed her, eyes dark with displeasure. "She fled immediately. I tried to go after her, but she was too fast," Cato explained, raking a hand through his soaking wet hair.
Winnow let out an exasperated sigh. "It's fine. We don't have the time right now to give her the death she deserves. Let's just find the others," she advised, her husband nodding in agreement. "Let's go,"
Katniss reached the Cornucopia first – and to her good fortune, a bow and quiver of arrows were there waiting for her. The quiver's strap went over her head and Katniss nocked an arrow in preparation.
Gloss approached quickly, so he was the first person Katniss aimed at, shooting him in the calf, causing him to promptly fall into the water. Katniss fired at Enobaria too, who avoided the arrow by diving back into the water. A small noise alerted Katniss to footsteps behind her; she swung around, an arrow ever ready at her bow's strings.
It was Finnick Odair waiting at her back, trident dangling loosely from his fingers. He raised his wrist, revealing the gold bangle around his wrist, identical to the one Katniss had given to Haymitch. Katniss' eyes flickered from the bangle to Finnick's face, only able to assume that Haymitch meant her to align herself with him.
Finnick was smiling, but the muscles in his upper body were absolutely rigid. "You can swim, too," he said in surprise. "Where did you learn that in District Twelve?"
"We have a big bathtub." Katniss answered deadpan.
"You must," Finnick said. "You like the arena?"
"Not particularly. But you should. Winnow should. They must have built it especially for you," Katniss responded harshly, her mind returning to the words they had shared at the parade. Finnick had tried to warn me, she realized in utter disbelief.
At the mention of his former pupil, Finnick glanced around, hoping to catch sight of her. His expression turned wistful as he found Winnow, his eyes widening at the glimmer of gold he saw glinting at both her and Cato's wrists. A genuine smile spread over his lips. Katniss followed his gaze and her jaw fell open as she saw what he did.
"How?!" Katniss questioned, angry and cold and fearful all at once.
"I don't know," Finnick lied. "But I'm glad,"
"How can I trust you then?" Katniss demanded.
Finnick's smile dimmed. "Because Haymitch does." He retorted. His eyes flickered away from his beloved pupil to the District 5 male that approached Katniss, with a spear in hand. Finnick swiftly impaled him with his trident, startling Katniss from her shock. "Look – don't trust District 1 or 2 – I'll find Peeta,"
"What about Cato and Winnow?!" Katniss asked.
Finnick paused. "Stay away from them and they won't come near you," he said. Katniss was reluctant to believe him, but saw no other way around it.
Finnick remained frozen in place, and Katniss turned to him in curiosity. Finnick's gaze was fixed upon the broad, dark-skinned boy making his way closer and closer to them. "Is that your rival?" Katniss questioned. Finnick didn't respond and Katniss judged that as answer enough.
Finnick's body stiffened as he suddenly sighted a dark-haired head and a blond one crop up behind Kern Allerdyce. Kern glanced back over his shoulder, seeing Cato and Winnow gaining on him.
His face paled in horror, but he turned to face them, head-on. Kern struck out with his sword, wildly, and Winnow was barely able to dodge the blow that would have likely bisected her head from her shoulders. Cato's face hardened in true hate, and he swept his sword at Kern's legs and the boy fell onto the rocky wedge.
Kern did not rise again. Cato kept the edge of his sword pressed to the back of Kern's neck, waiting for Winnow to join him. After a few moments, Winnow returned to Cato's side. "What are you waiting for?" she asked.
"For you to kill him," Cato answered simply. Winnow raised an eyebrow, but raised her trident nevertheless.
"You two are sick! You two are fucking sick!" Kern yelled. Winnow and Cato rolled their eyes at each other – and Winnow sunk her trident into Kern's back.
The trident was pulled from Kern's ribs with a sickening crunch. Winnow's eyes blazed with savage joy at the noise, as she grinned at Cato, gleaming with sweat, breathing hard. That was the moment that Finnick knew his adopted sister was no longer the girl he once knew and loved. She had changed. She was a killer.
Finnick recoiled back, and Winnow looked up and saw them. She winked devilishly at Finnick before turning back to Cato. There were few rivals left, Finnick now noticed, some were still stuck on their plates, some had fled, and more still lay dead on the various wedges or in the water. Cato and Winnow dove into the water, leaving Finnick's sight.
Finnick and Katniss were soon forced to leave the Cornucopia as the Careers staked it out, deciding instead to go in search of their district partners. Peeta was still stranded on his plate. Finnick dropped a hand onto Katniss' shoulder. "I'll get him," Finnick volunteered.
"I can," Katniss insisted.
But Finnick had already dropped his weapons to the ground. "Better not exert yourself. Not in your condition," he retorted, reaching down and patting her abdomen. Katniss suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be pregnant. "Cover me," Finnick said, diving into the water.
Katniss sighted someone standing on the spoke to her left, opposite Peeta. Identifying the short figure and long, gray hair, it was Mags. The old woman splashed into the water and started paddling towards Katniss.
By then, Finnick had already reached Peeta and was towing him back. He had one arm across Peeta's chest while the other cut through the water with easy strokes. Peeta rode along without resisting, though there was a rather sour look on his features. When they reached the sand, Katniss helped haul Peeta onto dry land.
"Hello, again," Peeta said pleasantly, giving Katniss a quick peck. "We've got allies." He added, not seeming very surprised.
"Yes. Just as Haymitch intended," Katniss answered bitterly.
Peeta seemed puzzled. "Remind me, did we make deals with anyone else?" he asked.
"Only Mags, I think," Katniss answered, nodding towards the old woman making her way towards them.
"Well, I can't leave Mags behind," Finnick said. "She's one of the few people who actually like me." He added, flapping his wrist nonchalantly.
Peeta's eyes widened when he saw the gold bangle on Finnick's wrist. "Well, then, it's sort of puzzling that Cato has that same gold bangle," Peeta remarked. Finnick's eyes grew brighter, a more satisfied smirk crossed his lips. "And, I always figure, where Cato is, Winnow's not far behind," Peeta added, a latent fright entering his eyes.
"They're here together," Finnick confirmed.
"And why didn't they immediately try to kill us?" Peeta questioned.
"I suspect because of those gold bangles," Finnick retorted, tight-lipped.
Peeta wrapped an arm around Katniss protectively. "I've got no problem with Mags," Katniss said, changing the subject because she didn't want to dwell on it. Peeta looked at her sharply. "Especially now that I see the arena. Her fishhooks are probably our best chance of getting a meal."
"Katniss wanted her on the first day," Peeta admitted.
"Katniss has remarkably good judgment," Finnick responded with an almost displeased tone to his voice. With one hand, he reached into the water and scooped Mags out like she weighed no more than a puppy.
Katniss handed Peeta a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a knife, deciding to keep the rest for herself. That is, until Mags began to tug on Katniss' sleeve and babble on and on until the young woman gave her the awl.
Mags clamped the handle between her gums and reached her arm up to Finnick. He tossed his net over his shoulder and hoisted Mags on top of it, gripping his trident in his free hand. Mags chattered in his ear inaudibly, and Finnick turned his head to look back at her. "Yes, I saw them," he admitted softly.
Katniss narrowed her eyes at Finnick. How could she and Peeta be expected to trust these two? They were so clearly attached to Winnow and Cato, who were alive only to orchestrate Katniss and Peeta's deaths.
The quartet began their flight from the Cornucopia, Peeta taking the lead as the sand ended and turned to jungle. Katniss took the up the back of the group, only because Finnick carried Mags.
Everything about this situation did not sit right with Katniss. The mere appearance of Cato and Winnow had her senses on high alert – and, judging on the gold bangles on their wrists, Katniss was expected to trust them, too. Why would Cato and Winnow not want to kill us? What do they have to gain? Why would they ever choose to ally with us?
With so many questions overloading her mind, Katniss began a conscious effort to clear it. Too much had happened today to even let her fathom the reasons behind anything that had happened, much less Cato and Winnow. Katniss focused on survival and banished all else from her mind.
It's that time again! I've finally finished the semester of school, so it's time to get back to good ol' Winnow and Cato. Please let me know what you think of the chapter - it's your words of kindness (or concrit) that keep me going.
Catching Fire will be wrapped up by Chapter 20, and Mockingjay will begin there. I'm hoping to outline this story to it's end by the time the summer is over. I will do my best to get back to regular updates while I have time!
Please review!
edited 6/1/15