Pain seemed to be the only thing left of me. At least it let me know I was still alive. I could feel every movement I made cause ripping pain to tear through me. The soft blanket of snow under me was slowly turning to red mush.
"Cato!" Peeta's voice. Was I still alive? I had to be, this kind of pain couldn't be real. Or maybe I moved from one hell to another. It couldn't be that bad if Peeta was here too. Wait, if Peeta was here, did she get to him to?
Opening my eyes, I saw Peeta running towards me. No, this was still real. Daring a look down, I saw Katniss' arrow point jutting from my shoulder. The sight made my head spin and my arms tremble, only shooting more pain through me.
He was at my side now, comforting me. "Cato! You're going to be okay!" Right, thanks for the comforting words Peeta, but let's be honest. His hands were cold against me, smoothing my hair down.
"I've got to move you." No, don't do that. You don't move the injured. Although, I suppose I did the same for you just this morning. "She's climbing her way up. I need to make sure you're safe."
Reaching up, I touched his face with my uninjured arm. I couldn't just leave him here. Why was I giving up so easily? This isn't me. The Cato I once was could take a hit like this and still fight off an army.
"Don't worry about me," wincing in pain, I forced myself to sit up, "I can move, you prepare for the fight."
I reached for Clove's knife and handed it to him, patting his hand as he took it from me. It was the only weapon we had. Crawling my way to the ice wall Peeta and I had lain against earlier. The overhang shading the spot grew larger as dusk approached.
"You can do this Peeta." I cringed, leaning my good shoulder against the ice. He nodded to me and turned back as Katniss appeared in the clearing, her bow ready as she took the last step to our level.
"Out of my way, Peeta." Katniss hissed, her bow trained on me; Peeta blocking her aim. "I don't want to hurt you."
"You're gonna have to if you want to get to him." Peeta shouted, brandishing his knife at her. "Haven't you already done enough damage? First you kill Clove right in front of me, now you're trying to kill Cato."
"I'm doing what I have to do!" Katniss shouted back.
"No, you're doing what you WANT to do in order to get to me." Peeta's words unhinged Katniss as they echoed across the mountain. The Jabberjay's harmony having seized at the excitement before them. "Otherwise you would have killed me too."
"Haven't you gotten it yet? I can't kill you!" Katniss answer was harsh. "How do you kill someone you've loved for so long?"
"You don't love me, Katniss." Peeta hissed, "You only love the idea of me. You loved the idea that someone cared enough to save you. You never knew me! You never tried."
No one spoke, the silence filling the icy cliffs around us. I looked down to the ground, not wanting to watch the scene before me incase everything went wrong. If Peeta were to fail, I'd undoubtedly be killed. I didn't want my last memory to be an arrow shooting through him.
The cannon shot, ripping pain through me as I jumped. Snow fell from above us, my eyes darting towards the two. As the snow settled, both seemed to be unbothered by the noise. Peeta? Are you still alive? Oh Christ, you have to be. I was crawling to my feet before I knew what was happening.
"Stay there, Cato. It wasn't me." Peeta's voice was hard to hear, his back turned to me eyeing Katniss.
"So then what is this?" Katniss spoke, "A stalemate? Are the three of us just going to stand here while the other tributes kill each other?"
She had a point. Peeta didn't look like he was going to back down from protecting me. Katniss was not going to kill him, and I wasn't any help at the moment.
"Peeta." I tried to speak, but found it difficult through clenched teeth. "Now's the time to choose."
We talked about it earlier, if he'd be able to kill her. He said he could, but the latter part of my question was never answered. Would he? His posture tightened, maybe I shouldn't have said anything.
"Are you going to kill me?" Katniss broke the following silence. "Is that what he's talking about? To choose me or him? All three of us know who you've already chosen."
"Fuck you, Katniss." Peeta's anger seemed to radiate off him. Even from the distance, I could feel its strength. "You think this is easy? Even though you've taken everything away from me the past couple days, it doesn't erase the past and how much I looked up to you."
"Then make it easier for yourself!" Katniss answered lowering her bow. "Kill me, I've already done my work! Cato's injury assures you'll win! I never planned on winning, only giving you that chance."
"Dammit, Katniss! If it was all for me, then why hurt me every chance you could?" His shout rang across the mountains, and more snow fell from above. "And now you're trying to take away the only thing I've ever loved."
Did he say he loved me? Did he really mean it? His sudden lunge at her caught her off guard, and the two spun to the ground. Peeta easily gained the upper hand: she barely tried to defend herself.
Katniss scream echoed as Peeta dug Clove's dagger into her thigh. She pushed at him, trying to pull away from the pain. "Did you really think I'd make it quick?" Peeta's blood hungry voice was something I never wanted to hear again. It wasn't the sweet Peeta he always seemed to be.
Her struggles grew, as the two started to wrestle close to the edge. Katniss suddenly fighting back, that or succumb to being tortured. She gained the upper hand. Dammit Peeta, how can you be losing? She was even injured. He was on his back; his arms pinned above his head by Katniss own hands. I was struggling to my feet, I wouldn't be much help, but I could at least switch the odds.
"Didn't think you had it in you to torture someone." Katniss eyes were filled with rage as I stumbled towards the two. She looked up at me before smirking. Why was she smiling? "But for once, I have you right where I want you."
Her head bowed down and met Peeta's lips. Feeling a sudden surge of energy, I started running towards them. That fucking bitch. Peeta's eyes were wide with shock, and I noticed his lips turn into a smirk against hers as he deepened their kiss.
What? Stopping my approach: this had to be some sick joke. Was I some piece in their game the whole time? Was this their plan all along? To play everyone until the end?
"Peeta?" I asked, collapsing to the ground. I wanted some kind of reassurance. Didn't he just say he loved me only moments ago?
Katniss broke their kiss, looking down at him with a smile. Her grip on him loosened, freeing his limbs.
"And I've got you right where I want you!" Peeta shouted, moving his legs, pressing them against her abdomen and launching her off the side of the mountain. Her shrieks filled the air, her body twisting as she fell from the ledge.
Peeta was instantly on his feet, watching her fall. "Oh shit." His voice rang to me. "Two more are on their way up! I doubt they missed Katniss shrieking, not to mention her body falling."
"What was that?" I asked. I wanted answers, and the immediate threat present wasn't registering.
"I've got an idea." He said, turning on his heels towards me. "Cato, you need to move back against the wall, just to be safe."
"No, tell me what just happened. Why did you kiss her back?"
"Cato, there's no time! I'll explain later, you just have to trust me!" Peeta answered, turning back. "I won't be able to take them both. I need to try something or we are both dead."
He started slamming his weight into a large icy block overhanging the edge. "Cato! Trust me! I'll explain later!"
I started my crawl back to the icy wall backwards. What was he doing? His movements became more desperate and he started kicking at the block and shouting. His shouts were loud, and the snow from above started to fall again.
"Stop yelling!" I shouted at him, "You're making it snow."
The ice block finally gave purchase, and slid down the mountain towards the two. "Dammit, that didn't work. They both dodged it."
He looked towards me, watching the snow settle. "Cato, stay where you are! And keep shouting!"
"Is this another trust thing?" I yelled back, "I don't want to yell, its making it snow!"
Peeta started running towards me, hollering at the top of his lungs. He stopped only to tell me to join him. I didn't have much of a choice. Our combined shouts filled the air, the volume putting the japperjays symphony to shame.
"Why are we doing this?" I shouted, more snow falling from above us.
Then I felt it, the whole mountain seemed to tremble, more snow falling from the icy canopy covering us. He pulled me close to him, his shouting seized. The two tributes in front of us appeared in the clearing where Peeta and Katniss had brawled. Their faces held smiles, quickly turning to horror. The thick blanket of ice and snow bombarded down in front of us, spilling over our icy haven and catching the two in its wake.
"Peeta?" I shouted to him, his hold on me tightening, the ice and snow spilling in towards us, encasing us on all sides. The cold feeling of being buried pushed its way into me as the snow settled around my legs.
"Cato!" We'll be alright!" he shouted back to me over the noise of the snow slide. My momentary worry was relieved by his hold on me. I felt safe in his arms, temporarily forgetting his moment with Katniss and the chaos around us.
It only lasted a moment, as the memory flooded back to me, the pain in my shoulder returning with forgotten revenge. I wasn't safe. The whole mountain was falling down on us, and my only comfort was the strange embrace of a person I used to know.
The trembling continued, the snow filtering in under our canopy threatening to crush us against the wall and blocking out all light. Great, now I was left alone in the dark, about to die, in the arms of someone I thought I could trust. Why couldn't Katniss' aim be as good as Peeta said it was?
A/N: I don't really have much to say here... Oh, and "to be continued." for some reviewers who thought the last chapter was my last one. I wouldn't do that to you guys!