This is a fanfic. The original work belongs to the marvelous Suzanne Collins and any other co-owner. You want to read a good story? Start with the original. This is merely my bad take of the story I've fallen in love with.
I make no profit...
Chapter 27
It's much later when I leave the cave. My stomach is full and I'm no longer thirsty. I circle to look for danger, unable to let it all go. When nothing is detected I find a private spot and take a bath. I desperately need one. Peeta stays in the cave to rest. The fish gave him some energy, but he needs sleep the most if he's to prevent an infection. I'm already worried that it's too late, but refuse to think about it.
After getting clean I scout the area. I find the best trees to climb and the best bushes to hide in, but the price of the day is some blue mushrooms and silver-moss. Both has healing properties and are extremely rare. I wonder if they were here before or if the Gamemakers planted them. I present the trophies to Peeta upon my return. I clean his arm again and place the moss on his wounds while he eats the mushrooms. He insist that I have some, so I reluctantly eat a few. Afterwards there still some daylight hours left, which we spend snuggled down and resting. I hear the cameras buzzing above us, but ignore them.
I wake to a setting sun and a shivering Peeta. During our sleep he got significantly worse and I have a hard time waking him. I force cold liquid into him and bath his skin, but it doesn't help. Turning towards the cameras I try to look as desperate as I feel. I've already received plenty of gifts, but perhaps I can get one more. He needs it. When nothing comes I force myself to think, to find alternative solutions. What do I have?
The forest is rich if you know what you need so I start searching high and low for natural healing plants. I manage to find some Tracker Jacker leaves to draw out the pus. But nothing to fight the infection or fever and it's getting worse. He's developing blue lines along his arms. He will die in less than a day.
In desperation I have one final thing to try, but it could kill me. It's very painful remedy, but I'm out of options. He won't even wake anymore. I rest my head against his arm while pulling the bow towards me.
"I will be back." I whisper. "Stay alive." Leaving the cave is hard. Putting out the fire even more so, but anyone can find him if I let it burn.
Since I know where the Cornucopia is I can take a guess in what direction my prey will be. It won't take me to long, I should be back before daybreak. I jog through the forest, careful with my steps. Only pausing long enough to make certain my trail is hidden. After a while I come to the swamp that almost killed me and circle around. After a few more kilometers I reach my goal. It couldn't have taken more than two hours. I hear the drone of Tracker Jackers before I see them. Making my way to the hive I circle it a few time. There's not a lot of activity so there might be a chance.
I retreat to the small part of the river and dip myself in the water, its icing cold. Afterwards I roll myself in a thick layer of mud and dirt. It itches and stink, but it will keep me protected from their stings. I make sure that every part of myself is covered. Then I find a big sturdy stick for a club and strap it around my waist. When done I start climbing. Every step is carefully calculated, my eyes never leaving the hive.
After a long climb I reach a baring branch. It's the same one that saved me from the careers in the other timeline. Patting it once I keep climbing. When I'm leveled with the hive I squirm along its branch, this one slimmer. My weight has it groaning softly, but it quiets. The Tracker jackers flying about come to investigate. I hold my breath. Some of them get stuck in the mud, but the others finds me harmless and flies away. I keep moving. Soon I'm close enough to knock the hive down.
I slowly swing the club around. With quick movement I have it raised and falling. All my strength placed in that one hit. With a loud dong it hits dead center and the hive wobbles before it falls. The Tracker Jackers start swarming out; looking for the attacker. I drop the club and cling to the branch. Making myself as small and invisible as possible. The hive explodes below me and Tracker Jackers covers the ground with their angry buzz. I stay well hidden and protected by the treetops while they seek revenge. I don't move until the last buzz dies out and only then to peek around for strays. When the area is deemed safe enough I climb down.
Hurrying over I start breaking the hive apart, looking for the treasures inside. I collect pieces of inner wall and some larva's, both have healing properties and will help against infection and blood-poisoning. Its Peeta's only hope right now, if I can make it back alive. As far as Panem is concerned only the Capitol knows about the Tracker Jackers uses, if the Gamemakers are warned of my plan I'll be dead in an instant. I must reach Peeta before then.
Hopefully Snow's asleep.
Hopefully the people watching are idiots.
Hopefully the arenas traps has stopped working.
But I'm not very hopeful so I don't stop to rest. I run across the forest, not wasting time being careful. If another tribute comes across me they're most likely sent by the Gamemakers, thus making speed preferred over sneaking. I'm forced to slow down at the swamp and only because of the natural dangers it contains. Amazingly nothing happens and I reach the cave safely shortly before sunrise. Tired and exhausted I fall into a heap next to Peeta. I check on his vitals and find him breathing. Relieved that he has survived I set to work.
His fever has gotten worse and he's getting dehydrated so first I try to cool him down and get him some water. Both are tricky to do, but I manage. When he doesn't look as dead I start chewing the larva and the walls, spitting out the go and placing it in his mouth and rub his throat. Forcing him to swallow the vile paste is necessary since I can't make it into a liquid form and give him a shot.
Its tedious work that continues until the sun shines down our hiding hole. There's nothing more I can do for him now, it's all up to him. Since all that is left to do is sleep and wait I climb out to clean myself of. The dried mud is driving me crazy, it itches so much that I'm ready to peel my skin of. The water is freezing cold, but I walk right into it and stay there until the mud has been swept away. To warm myself I make a fresh fire, making sure that it's deep enough so no the smoke will show.
Without meaning to I fall asleep in front of the fire, too tired to stop it. I don't know how long I sleep, but when I open my eyes next the sun is high on the sky and all is calm around me. Getting up on tired legs I go to check on Peeta, stumbling as I walk since my legs are too tired to work properly. I'm surprised they working at all, my body has been through a lot of trauma these last few days and yet I'm still standing. If I survive this I vow to eat nothing but fat food and sleep for a week.
Peeta is resting peacefully where I left him and for a dreadful second I believe him dead, but then he takes a deep breath and grumbles. Studying his arm I see that the blue lines has disappeared and the redness around his wounds has gone down, but he's still not awake and that concerns me. I re-wash the wounded area and his face, trying to clear away the dirt and sweat. Then I start the battle once again and try to get some water into him, this time he can swallow by himself which makes the process much easier.
With nothing else to do I decide to go fishing, we both need meat and I'm starving. I captured some smaller fishes and grill them, Peeta just spits his out so I give it up as hopeless. It's as I check his body for the fifth time since waking that he opens his eyes.
"I'm a risk." It's the first words he manage to say and I give him some water for his parched throat. Relief fills me as I watch him drink.
"Hi you." I say and caress his wounded arm, ignoring what he had said.
"You... You should head out on your own." He manage to get out. I hush at him and hand him some left over fish.
"Never, so stop talking about it." I reply before kissing his forehead. It's burning hot. "Eat some of this, I haven't manage to get anything truly soiled into you."
"I won't make it and you have a better chance if you just leave me." He stops when I put my finger across his mouth, silencing him.
"But I won't and you're too weak to make me." I snap before turning away. Angry at him for not dropping it even if it was expected. The self-sacrificing fool. My behavior gets me a tired chuckle.
"How about a kiss then?" He gets out and makes a pouty mouth. Like he's expecting a refusal. Shaking my head a give him a hard kiss. I hear the cameras zoom in.
"You didn't have to." Peeta mumbles as a blush spreads over his face when I pull away.
"Peeta. It's a lot of things I don't have to do, that doesn't mean I don't want to do them so please shut up and get better." I tell him and pinch his nose. It makes him laugh at me.
"You stink at the whole comforting thing, you know that right?" He jokes and I sniff at him in fake anger.
"Get that from someone else. I only hand out frowns and death-glares." I give him the grumpiest face that I can muster and it has him cracking up. Good, mom always said that laughter was the best medicine.
"You're good at being the protector." He manages to say before he starts coughing from the effort. I hurry to some more water, I spill most of it but it's enough to stop the attack.
"Why were you at the Cornucopia?" He asks me when he can speak again without choking.
"I needed food." I reply.
"Lie. Try again." I look at him for a good long while, he will fall asleep again shortly, the effort to talk taking most of his energy. Therefore I decide to keep it simple.
"You weren't safe anymore. I planned to get you out… Somehow."
"Truth, but not all of it." He mumbles before his eyes fall shut and sleep claims him. Being to worn down to fight with me. I quietly get up and sneak out.
"You see too much for your own good." I whisper while stretching, shaking of the fact that Peeta can read me so well.
I try to wake him a few hours later I, but I only get grunts. His fever has gotten worse, but the infection seems to have disappeared. The Tracker Jackers has given him more time, but it wasn't enough. He needs more medicine, better medicine. As another night falls I curl up next to him and hold his head in my arms, burying my face in his hair and fall asleep with his panting breathe filling my ears.
I wake several times to him shaking and screaming at hallucinations. I do my best to ease his pain. I knew it was coming. You don't ingest Tracker Jackers-larva without payback. He will have cramps, nightmares and fits for some time, but it pass before dawn. All I can think about as I hold him through the visions is: The game must end soon or I will lose him.
The sun finally rises and on tired feet I stumble down to the water and drink. The night had been awful, but I had gotten some sleep. Unfortunately Peeta's condition was the same and I needed for something to happen so he could get professional help.
When I've gotten a small fire going Capitol trumpets echoes over the arena. I wait for the message, already planning what to do if there's medicine to collect by the Cornucopia. I ignore Claudius Templesmith initial greeting and listen carefully to the announcement. He keeps it short and to the point. They have placed three bags at the Cornucopia, which each contains that we need the most. I don't even try to wake Peeta. The bow is in my hands and I secure the arrows to my belt; I head out as the message comes to an end.
To sneak pass Cato and Clove or even face them I need back up. Peeta's out which leaves Thresh. Which means I need to find him before he arrives at the meadow. In the first timeline he had his nest amongst the high grass, not far from the Cornucopia. If I want to proposition him I need to run to get ahead.
I keep up a steady pace and when I start to near the meadow I look for tracks. I find traces of Clove's tiny feet and some that must be Cato's. I avoid those and head to the side and towards the grass-field. The first trace is some crushed mushrooms, they're still fresh and points toward the Cornucopia. I'm close. Running while crouching, in zick-zack patterns, I try to stay out of sight.
I find Thresh when his less than five minutes away from the meadow. He was hard to spot, but thankfully he still has his jacket on and it has some color which clash with its surroundings. I make sure to have an arrow strapped on the string before calling out, the end pointing at his heart. If he tries to attack I will kill him.
"Hello Thresh."
He freezes solid and slowly lift his brown eyes to meet mine. I'm standing too far away. His machete won't reach me, not even if he throws.
"Twelve." He decides to say, not relaxing his posture.
"I'm not here to kill you." He doesn't believe me. "I really need that bag out there, but can't get it alone. Cato's on a warpath."
"So you want a partner." He sounds more at ease now. I readjust the grip on the bow.
"No, I want an ally. At least long enough to get the bags. You willing?" I snappishly said.
"Will you kill me otherwise?" Thresh believes me weak and I almost shoots him because of it.
"I'm thinking about it." I'm said with anger burning in my eyes. It's the thought of his family that has me holding the arrow. He studies me for a moment before nodding.
"Okay. We keep a distant, don't talk and just get this done." We don't shake on it and I never remove the arrow. We both walk with a lot of air between us, both ready to attack if the alliance falls apart.
The meadow appears to be abandoned, but Clove must be waiting in the Cornucopia while Cato's circling the forest line. I would be much more comfortable if we had a plan, but I'm not risking my life by walking closer to Thresh. We hesitate for a while longer, but in the end his patience grows thin and Thresh breaks the forest line. I follow.
Three poles stick up in front of the opening. Each one with a backpack showing a number; 2, 11 and 12. While Thresh walk forward I turn around and watch the trees. He grabs his before moving, he turn to the forest and I walk up to my number. Now for the tricky part. If I lower the bow Thresh might attack. I glance at his back and wonder what to do.
"What's the problem?" he asks and turns around. For a second both of us forget to watch our back and that's when they strike. A knife sails at me and clip me over the head, blood and pain blind me as I shout.
I hide behind the pole and fire of an arrow blindly. I rip some grass free and wipe my eyes. I look for Thresh and find him on the ground holding his knee. A spear stick out of it.
Clove runs out from the Cornucopia while Cato breaks the tree lines. Both are in golden armors, leaving only the face free. Thresh grabs hold of his machete and swing at Cato who raises his sword. They slam into one another. I jump away as Clove round the pole and aims at me. Crawling on my hands and knees I try to pull another arrow free, but she kicks me in the side. Before I can get my breath she's upon me. I try to use the bow to fend her off, but it glides over the armor.
Clove is scratching, stabbing and biting at me. In turn I'm squirming, grabbing at her wrist and kicking. Everything to give me an edge. I manage a hit that breaks her nose, she falls backwards screaming and it give me the chance to grab and arrow and aim it. I let it fly and it hits her straight in the eye. She falls dead to the ground.
Painting and holding my side I look towards the boys. Thresh is badly wounded and Cato's winning. He stands over Thresh, holding his blade to his throat and laughing. Thresh tries to get away, but the blade sinks in and leaves a read line across his throat. He spews blood while Cato takes a step back. Two cannons goes off.
So it will come down to us two. I raise the bow and aim it at him. Taking a big breathe I place a bow on the string and pull back. He's laughing at me.
"That won't work." he shouts, eyes filled with bloodlust and madness.
"It did on her." I calmly says and only then does he see Clove's body, lying still on the ground. He pauses, as if he's having problem understanding. Then he snaps out of it and charges. I let the arrow fly but he move out of the way. I run away from him while drawing another arrow. I try to aim better, but he's protecting his face, leaving me no clear shut.
"Your mine twelve." He screams before plowing into me. I crash into the ground, my head smacking against it. Everything rings and I lose sight for a moment. He hold the blade over my heart.
"I win." He whispers.
I look to the sky, watching the clouds pass over us. I'm going to die is my last thought before the blade pears my skin.
"DON'T you dare..." The words come from behind us and next there's a spear poking out of Cato's chest. He stares at it in surprise and lets the swords falls to the side.
Cato holds the shaft between his hands, pulling on it as if to check if it's real. Another hand is placed on his shoulder and pushes him to the side. Behind him Peeta stands, panting and looking dead on his feet.
"Peeta." I get out.
"Katn..." He starts before falling to his knees. Ignoring my own pain I roll onto my stomach and crawl towards him.
"How? You were unconscious? What happened" My questions come in a rapid pace and he kisses me silent.
"I wish I had gotten here sooner." He touches the wound going from my hairline and over the skull. I flinch in pain. His hand come away covered in blood. "We did it Katniss. We're going home."
Just then the last cannon goes off. Cato's dead. Only now do I realize we are the last tributes standing. I look into his eyes and start crying. I can't stop it. Peeta holds me while I cry, telling me that we'll be going home. Knowing what's to come makes his words unbearable so I crawl away from him and down to the lake. I lay in the water and let the blood flow around me. Peeta joins me after a while, looking concerned.
"What are they waiting for?" Peeta weakly asks. Instead of a reply from me Claudius Templesmith's voice booms into the arena. I draw in a deep breath and join Peeta by the shore.
"Greetings our final contestants. I have some dreadful news, it seems like an error has been made. In the original declaration of the Hunger Game it is written that only one winner can be crowned..." Peeta stares in shock, while another tear falls unwilling from my eye. "Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor."
I sigh. Slowly I remove the bow and let it drop. It's joined by the arrows and two knives. Peeta stares at me.
"They can't do this." He whispers.
"Yes they can." Is my answer. There is no berries this time so Peeta will be the one to kill me. It hurts, knowing that I'll be forcing his hand, but I won't live with his blood on me.
"No," he says when he realize I'm leaving myself defenseless. "I can't. I won't."
"We have no choice. I've tried everything Peeta. It's either you or a mutt." I snap back, going for anger instead of kindness.
"Then you shoot me," He screams before falling to his knees. "You shoot me and go home!"
"If I could I would." That shuts him up. "I've a lot of death on my conscious. I can't be responsible for yours too. I refuse."
"You're not leaving me here, alone and alive." His words cut deep, but I don't move. The weapons lies before us. He plunged his hands down into his pocket and comes out with a crushed mess. His hand opens. Nightlock Berries.
"I will force you to live."
He raises the berries to his lips and I'm over him, battling for the poison he's trying to consume. But even in his weak state Peeta's stronger, soon I'm trapped under him. Our hands locked over the berries, its juice traveling down our arms. I stare at it and then on him. Finally seeing the chance he's unknowingly given us. I could have laughed if not for the anger in his eyes.
"Trust me." I whisper and remove my hand. He lowers his and leans back onto his heels. I crawl onto my knees. I hold up my hands, he pauses before placing three berries in the middle. The rest in his fist.
"Together" I lie, subtly drilling my left foot into the dirt to gain momentum if it doesn't work. In his state it will only take a light push and a swallow. I just need a second if the trumpets don't sound. We lift the berries together. He starts counting down, my foot digs deeper.
"One." I think of Prim. I might be leaving her, but no matter how bleak of a future - she still has the chance to live. Peeta and Gale will protect her. *I can do this.*
"Two."
"Three!" We lift our hands and as they touch my lips I get ready to push. A second later the trumpets begin to blare. Claudius Templesmith voice starts ringing over the arena. I knock the berries out of our hands.
"Stop! You have... passed the test. You are truly our victors. Ladies and Gentlemen may I introduce, for the first time in our history, the two victors of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!"
Claudius words are forced, but he manages to convince the masses that this was a last minute ploy. A mere test. The capitol has managed to save their face. I don't argue it. Instead I make sure no berries passed Peeta's lips, or mine, while shouts and applauds penetrates through the speakers, overpowering Templesmith's words. Disbelief is a prominent emotion right about now. I can't believe that we both made it. A second time.
The hovercraft appears above us right after the broadcast. It lands by the Cornucopia and medics runs out to collect us. Peeta looks relieved when to hovering beds are lowered. He happily jumps on, while I'm more hesitant, but the nurses insist. We are strapped down and immobile before being transported onboard.
We are brought to the med station and are placed opposite of each other. A thick wall between us. One of the doctors has a mask covering his lower face and a white coat. He starts giving me different shots, two red ones and a green. A numb feeling sets over me before everything goes dark.