Chapter 31- Cass Oceansong
Willow got me back to her hiding spot; up in the trees. I'm out of breath with the walking and the pain, even though she's been holding me up a lot of the way here. It really wasn't more than half a mile, but it feel s like ten, what with my side.
"Up. I'll help you." Willow boosts me up in the tree and I carefully climb it, my side becoming more excruciating with ever movement. Wincing, I make it up to a solid fork in the tree, and Willow climbs after me.
"How did you find me?" I ask her as she carefully settles herself next to me. She shrugs. "I'd followed you from the Cornucopia and I got lucky I guess." "Why didn't I see you?" Willow cocks her head to one side. "I suppose I'm quiet."
Willow seems too tall to be in the tree; she's at least five inches taller than I am. She's graceful though, and the tree barely rustles when she does move.
"You seem at home in the trees," I say to her. One of her black braids falls over her shoulder.
"I like trees; I'm in them a lot at home."
Holding my side I sit up a little bit more, biting my lip to keep from crying out. "Careful, Cass." "What's it like in District 11?" I ask, to distract myself. Willow stays quiet a minute more while pulling out bandages from a backpack I just noticed she has. It's dark green and small but it seems to hold a lot more than you would think.
"It's big, very big, with orchards and rolling fields that go on for miles. And it's full of people that work in the orchards and fields. That's who grows the grain and all. And encircling the district are the fences that keep everything out." Willow shrugs again. "It's home. Now tell me about your home while I fix your side."
She starts to wrap the bandage around me, staunching the bleeding. "District 4 is all oceans and seashore." "What do oceans look like? I've never seen one." "Water, water going on for miles and miles and miles, with the fishing boats and the ocean creatures in it. I like to swim in the ocean; it's so beautiful. It sparkles blue in the sunlight, and in storms it rocks and rolls like it's alive."
"It sounds beautiful." "Maybe one day you'll get to see it." She smiles wanly at me, and only then do I remember that if she sees District 4 it means we all besides her in the arena are dead.
Willow ties the bandage and rips it off. "There. Let's hope it will be okay." "I'd hate to be knocked out of the Games on the second day." "I won't let it happen, don't worry."
"Why are you allying with me?" I ask her. "You seem kind, and I can trust you, for now." I could say the same for her.
"Now stay here! I'm going to go higher and see what we're up against, terrain wise." Willow climbs higher and higher, until the leaves block her from my view. Now that I'm alone the full force of the boy from 12's death hits me and I cover my face with my hands.
He was ready to kill me, but he was just my age. And I know fourteen is young, even though I feel a thousand years old right now. All I can see is his body with the knife in it; it's imprinted on the backs of my eyelids and it won't go away. Willow saved me, she had no choice, but I wish that Sanguin didn't have to die. That none of us have to die.
Willow emerges from the canopy of leaves. "It's all forest from what I can see, from where we are. No water to be seen." "I passed some pools yesterday." "We should find them." "I don't think I can walk, Willow."
Willow's face hardens a little bit. "Do you have any water with you?" "I have a bottle I got in my pack, and it's still full." "We'll stay here until tomorrow then. We should be safe, I hope." "Who's allied?" I ask. "Besides us? I have no idea. Probably all the idiots who were ganging together during training." "So that's Districts 1, 2, and that girl from 9, wasn't it?" "Probably." "What about your partner, Willow?" "I have no interest in teaming up with Buck. He'll kill all the allied group and everyone else if he can. Watch out for Buck."
It can't be more than early afternoon, but I'm exhausted. And a cold breeze is rustling the trees.
"You're shivering," Willow says, tucking my jacket around me. "I have a sleeping bag," I tell her. "It's what holding everything together in my supplies." She takes it out and helps me get in it.
"I'll keep watch. You sleep, Cass." I nod, and carefully arrange myself in the tree fork. Willow takes guard a little ways away. I'm thankful to Willow for saving me, and I'm thankful to have an ally. But I can't shake the thought of if I'm going to make it home, she's going to have to die. And I know she's thinking the same about me.