Disclaimer: This fic is rated "M" for language and specifically for this chapter, for sexual content. I do not own any of the characters of The Hunger Games (although I wish I did). All other ideas and creative liberties are my own.
"Wake up."
Even in my state of semi-consciousness, the smarting sting of a palm making contact with my cheek is all too familiar. When I fully come to, gasping and sputtering from the metallic taste that now coats the inside of my mouth, I can't see a thing. Blood is roaring in my ears and blinking rapidly, my eyes struggle to adjust to the darkness.
My hands are tied behind my back, bracing me to some sort of pole or stake. Panic settles in the pit of my stomach and acting on pure instinct, I fight against the restraints, pulling and tugging until they cut into my skin. Struggling is useless, I know, but that doesn't stop me from giving my hands one more hard tug.
Nothing happens of course, and for a split second, I'm paralyzed with fear. But then frustration and anger hit hard as my eyes finally adjust. It's a tough pill to swallow, accepting that I'm not going anywhere, the reality of the situation reducing me to a frustrated roar. Not feeling much better after my outburst, I count backward from ten as I take in my surroundings. Scattered rays of light filter in through a crack in the wall...no, not a wall, but a flap. I'm in a tent.
Feet shuffle against the dirt floor behind me, and it's only then I remember I'm not alone. A figure shrouded in darkness circles around to my front and I finally get a good look at my attacker.
"Where am I?" I manage, the rawness of my own voice startling.
The man in front of me is tall and lean, strands of dark hair falling into his eyes. He's young, about my age from the looks of it, and glowering down at me with his arms crossed tight over his chest. More movement behind him catches my eye. There's someone else here, another man, older though, with long scraggly hair and a face that's been marred by time and the elements. Both are without antlers, but their pointed ears and clothing are telltale signs that these are Katniss's people.
Neither of them answers my question though. So looking slowly back and forth between them, I try again through gritted teeth, "Where am I?"
The older one tilts his head, studying me with squinty eyes and pursed lips. The younger one, well, he just looks plain pissed.
"Did you hurt her?" the younger one accuses, taking a threatening step closer to tower over me. "Where are you keeping her? Is she alive?"
"Who?" I ask, making sure to look him straight in the eye. Maybe it's just the adrenaline coursing through my veins, but I'm not the least bit scared of this asshole, even when he deliberately palms the handle of the blade tucked into his belt.
"Katniss," he hisses, baring his teeth. "If you have hurt her, I will kill you."
"Gale," the older one says, clasping a hand on his shoulder to pull him back. "Calm yourself."
The younger one, Gale, he doesn't budge. Instead, he widens his stance, planting his feet in place. He towers over me like a tree, staring me down with eyes that, startlingly enough look a lot like Katniss's. He must be part of her herd. Related maybe? A cousin? But I don't recall her mentioning any family that she may have left behind. Glancing at the older man, I find the same grey eyes staring back at me as well. Interesting.
Gale takes a step closer and crouches, giving me the chance to scan his hardened features. "I will ask you once more, and choose your words carefully for they may be your last," he says, a little quieter this time but by no means any less menacing. "Where is Katniss?"
Call me stupid, but if this guy wants me to talk, making threats against my life isn't going to get him anywhere. My lips are sealed shut when it comes to Katniss and the whereabouts of the cave. If she doesn't want her own people knowing where she is, I'm not about to let anyone else in on her secret.
I sigh, long and loud as if I'm actually debating whether or not I'll give him an answer. But then I let my shoulders slump and lower my gaze to the dirt.
"Fuck off," I mutter, but when Gale leans in closer to hear, he's already fallen for the oldest trick in the book. My forehead connects with his face with a satisfying crunch and he stumbles backward clutching his nose, raging and cursing in words I've only heard Katniss use before.
"You havier!"
No clue what he's talking about, but I'm sure it's not a glowing compliment on my aim. I have a feeling I've been called worse, and despite the throbbing of my head, I smirk. Bracing for retaliation from the older man, I press my tongue against the roof of my mouth and relax my jaw. No need for shattered teeth if I can avoid it…but nothing comes. Risking a peek, I find the older man chuckling to himself as he nudges the younger one with his boot.
"You deserved that, you hot-headed hart."
"You drunk bastard." Gale takes a swing at the older man's legs, but he dances away before taking the hit. When Gale lifts his head, I get a good look at the damage. Blood is streaming down from his nose but unfortunately, nothing looks out of place. "He broke my nose!" he seethes.
"If he did, it is a vast improvement to your face." The older man grins and finally directs his beady gaze back to me. "I apologize for this one's behavior." He gestures to Gale who's still sulking off to the side as he gingerly probes his nose.
I keep silent though, leveling the man with a bored look.
Rubbing his jaw, he crouches in front of me but keeps a safe distance from the swing radius of my head. "You are lucky it was Gale who found you first, and not one of Alma's men."
I snort. Lucky? Yeah right. It's only lucky he got the drop on me first. This Gale character may have me by a few inches, but a higher center of gravity can be a bitch, especially when I know how to throw my weight around.
"You are not one of us," he continues, tilting his head as he gives me a thoughtful look. "Or from the other herds. Tell me, where are you from?"
Again, I keep silent.
"I understand if you are hesitant to speak with us, but if you do not provide the answers we are seeking, then I am afraid we will have to seek them elsewhere. If you continue with your vow of silence, I would imagine the elders will want Katniss brought in for questioning." The older man blows out a long breath as he scrapes a thumb across his grizzly stubble. "And knowing her, she would not come in without a fight."
Anger, dread, and disbelief all vie for my attention at the thought of anyone laying a hand on Katniss. He's bluffing. He has to be. If they knew where we were this entire time, I'd have been hauled off to the village elders weeks ago. Something's not adding up.
I search the old man's face for any hint of deception, but his expression is frustratingly blank. There's a possibility he's baiting me, which makes me wonder if I'm really the one he's interested in, or if it's Katniss that he really wants. But why? What would he want her for? No, I'm the one they're after. But then why am I sitting here chitchatting with these idiots instead of the elders themselves? And now I'm running my thoughts around in circles as doubt takes root in the back of my mind like an unchecked weed.
Teeth gritted, I stare up at the old man and then jerk my head in a sharp nod. "Alright, I'll talk. But only if you leave Katniss out of this. Understand?"
Nodding, the man lifts up his hand, his palm facing outward to me. "My word that no harm will come to the girl. She has suffered enough at the hands of the elders. Now, where are you from?"
Regardless of how I answer, there's a good chance they mean to kill me. If they find out who I really am—or rather, what I am—I probably won't make it past today. From the way the old man's been eyeing my jacket, he's rightfully suspicious, so lying probably won't do me any favors. But if I tell the truth, or at least part of the truth, it might just buy me some time. Enough time to figure out a way to…to...oh hell, what I am thinking? They're going to fucking kill me no matter what I say.
Gale is still hunched over off to the side, pinching his nose to stanch the blood flow, but his attention is focused solely on me, eyes burning with hate. I have no doubt he'll take all too much pleasure in beating the shit out of me the first chance he gets. Whatever, he can go ahead and try, but I'm not going down without a fight.
Tearing my gaze back to the old man who's now taken an interest in the hide patch on my thigh, I clear my throat. His eyes dart up to mine. "My ship crash landed here."
"We already knew that," Gale says as he gets to his feet, looking a little bit smug.
My eyes narrow. In the back of my mind, I was kind of hoping the blowing snow would have taken care of that and covered up my tracks. Apparently not. "You found the crash site? Was there anything left to—"
"What is the name of your mothership?" the older one cuts in, completely ignoring my question.
My mouth opens to answer, but then a split second later my brain catches up and I seal my lips shut. How the hell does this guy know what a mothership is, let alone care about its name? Something flashes in his beady eyes, a wariness hinting that he's seen things, which sends a sinking feeling deep into the pit of my stomach.
He knows. He knows exactly what I am and where I came from. Which of course makes me wonder what else does he know? And what about the elders? Do they know? What secrets have they been hiding?
It's a struggle to keep calm, but I somehow manage, tamping down the panic rising in my chest. I need to clear my head and think this through a bit more but given my current circumstances, that's not exactly an option. Time isn't exactly on my side either.
My instincts tell me not to cross this man, and given the fact that he already knew what I was before I woke and didn't take me directly to the elders has me pondering his motive. Does he not trust them? Does he plan on using me as a bargaining chip? Maybe that earlier smack to the head has messed with my logic, but a crazy part of me thinks I might actually be able to trust this guy.
Fuck it. I need to know what's going on and what he's is up to, so it seems I have no other choice but to play along. "I'm from the ship Panem-12."
"What is your mission?"
"Observe."
"For what purpose?"
I risk a glance over at Gale to see if he too is in on whatever this is, but he's staring at the older man like he's just sprouted two heads.
Exhaling an even breath, I sit up a bit taller. "Potential colonization."
The old man stares back at me but doesn't say a word, his calculating gaze drifting to something on the floor. Damn it. My pack. It looks untouched, but that doesn't mean shit.
Eventually, Gale moves closer, glaring at me again. "What does he mean?"
I keep my mouth shut and ignore him, but look over at the other man who's now staring off into space. "Listen," I start, gaining his attention once more. "Something tells me you know more than you're letting on. My people—"
"How many this time?" the old man snarls.
Warning sirens go off in my head as I stare into the man's tense face. This time? Yeah, that important bit of information didn't slip past me. The wheels turning in my head go into overdrive. This guy can't be more than forty years old—forty-five tops—which can only mean one of two things. Either he's hiding some very important historical information that the elders may or may not know about...or there's another explanation—one that sends a chill down my spine. What if I'm not the first human he's seen before? And if that's the case, then holy shit.
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around what this could potentially mean, but then again, maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions.
"How many?" he repeats, more firmly.
I swallow, my mouth dry, but I somehow manage to find my voice. "A little over thirteen thousand, but you should know my people believe I'm dead. I'm almost certain they've abandoned me here, so there's a very good chance no one is coming for me."
Gale sneers, stepping between us and putting his back to me as he waves a hand in the air. "Of course more of them will come, but what is he talking about? What do they want?"
"His people are wanderers," the old man finally says, shifting his attention back to Gale. "They come seeking a new home."
I drop my head and inhale a deep breath. His answer should have surprised me, but it didn't. My instincts told me from the beginning that this man knows things. But how? And who else does? Are these elders I keep hearing so much about in on it too?
I'm just about to ask the one question that's burning on the tip of my tongue when pulling the blade from his belt, Gale spins around and points it straight at my face. "He cannot be trusted! He is a threat we must dispose of!" He takes another threatening step closer and my body tenses, ready to dodge as best I can whatever attack he throws my way.
"No, he is not," the other man says and I sense the tension in the air shift.
Gale halts, his face contorted in disgust. "You believe him? Have you lost your head, you old bull? He is lying! I saw the flying creature that he was trying to set free from my snare. He was sent here as a spy and the longer we keep him here, allowing him to spin his web of lies, the greater risk he is to us all!" Leaning in, Gale grabs hold of the front of my jacket and presses the jagged blade against my throat. "Allow me to rid us of this threat once and for all before he can—"
Strangely enough, he cuts off mid-sentence, his attention drawn to something behind me.
"Lay a hand on my mate once more, Gale, and I will shoot you between the eyes."
Eyes wide, my heart stops at the sound of her voice. If it weren't for the blade still at my neck, I'd be checking for myself to make sure I'm not hearing things.
Katniss is here. She came for me.
Stupid, stupid girl, risking her life coming after me. I want to scream at her to run, to leave me behind and get as far away from here as possible. I want to hold her in my arms and kiss her senseless. But first, we need to find a way out of here, and the sooner the better.
Gale inches back, taking his blade with him. His features soften as the hatred in his eyes gives way to something else. Something akin to longing that causes my insides to clench as I grit my teeth.
"Katniss, what are you…" His words die in his throat once again as he continues to stare.
Craning my neck, I finally chance a look over my shoulder. There she is, fierce and wild and so beautiful my chest aches. And she's not lying. She's got an arrow notched and aimed right at the younger man's face.
But then something she said finally sinks in, leaving me speechless as I try to wrap my head around what she's just called me—her mate. It takes me a few moments longer to finally clue into what both men are staring at. Damn, without those antlers, there's no hiding or denying what happened between us last night.
I sneak a glance at Gale and the guy looks pissed. No, not pissed but fuming. Seething mad. "What do you mean, your mate?" he grinds out between clenched teeth. "What did he do to you?!"
"You heard me," she says, pulling her bowstring tighter as she takes another step closer. "He is mine."
"You are telling me you have willingly tied yourself to this…this, stranger?" Taking a step closer, the toe of his boot comes in contact with my thigh, a not so gentle nudge that's sure to leave a bruise. "Have you lost your head?"
"No," she says, "but you will if you touch him again." Her attention shifts to the older man and her scowl deepens. "And you, Haymitch...my father said I could trust you! That of all the herd, you would be the only one who would keep my secrets and protect me. And this is what you do? Steal him away from me?"
Shoving the younger man aside, the older one steps closer, brandishing a blade of his own from beneath his furs. I tense as he approaches, his mouth set in a grim line but then he ducks behind me and I cry out in relief when the ties binding my hands fall to the ground. I fall forward, barely catching myself on my elbows before I'm splayed out on the ground with a mouth full of dirt.
All I can do is lay there as I wait for circulation to return, pressing my lips together hard when it comes flooding back to my arms and legs in bolts of fiery pain. I instruct my body to roll over onto my side.
"What are you doing!" Gale shouts.
"You heard her, he is her mate. If that is so, he is not our enemy. He is one of us."
"You cannot believe this madness, can you?"
Gesturing to the empty space above Katniss's head with one hand, the older man tucks his blade back into his furs with the other. "Are you as blind as you are ignorant? They are mated, it is done."
Half listening to the conversation going on around me, I test my fingers and toes, the tingling sensation starting to ebb as Katniss moves to take a protective stance over my body.
"You knew about this? About him?" Gale asks, but by his clenched teeth and furrowed brow, it's more of a demand.
Haymitch frowns, but doesn't look at all remorseful. "Not that it is any of your business, but yes, I did."
Even though my head feels like it's been clamped in a vise for a week, both Katniss's and Haymitch's words slowly filter through my addled thoughts and things start to make a little more sense. That has to be why he knows about my people. Katniss must have told him everything, but when? And why did no one come for me?
I'm starting to think there's more going on around here, something bigger than what either Katniss or I thought.
"Your father and I had an understanding," Haymitch says to Katniss. "I would never break my vow to him, which is why I have not harmed him nor did I ever intend to. I only wished to gain information. He on the other hand," he says, jutting his chin towards Gale, "does not listen well."
Gale finally backs away, running a hand through his hair and shaking his head. He turns to Katniss. "Did he force himself on you? Is that it? Is it out of shame that you are doing this?"
Katniss snorts. "Do not insult me. You are the one who has lost his senses. And if you must know, I am the one who claimed him."
Gale doesn't answer, just continues to stare at her with that same stubborn scowl. She must come to the same conclusion as me, that she's not going to get anywhere with the guy, so she turns her attention back to the older man instead. "Haymitch, please, you must let us go. You know what he is and therefore the fate that awaits him if he is turned over to the elders."
With a ragged sigh, he gives her a sharp nod. "Go then."
"This is madness!" Gale blurts out, all heads turning in his direction as he takes a step towards us, but then he must think better of it and retreats to the back of the tent. "I said I would come for you, that when we had accomplished our goal that you could return. All I asked of you was to wait," he says, his hardened voice now laced with raw pain. "You were to be mine."
I swallow thickly, finally feeling like the outsider I really am. Is what he's saying true? That he and Katniss are supposed to be together? I'd be lying if I said that didn't sting just a bit. I tilt my head up to search her face but she's not looking at me.
Lowering her bow and arrow, Katniss releases a heavy breath and when she speaks, all the venom is gone from her voice. "Gale, we both know that the day I turned my back on this herd, any understanding that was once between us was severed. The years away hardened my heart, but not anymore." It's then that she finally glances down at me, the corner of her mouth softening into the tiniest of smiles. "He brought me back to life."
A wave of relief rushes over me and I return her smile. She called me her mate, which in her world means forever. My eyes drift down to the chain around her neck, following it to my ident tags dangling against her chest. Now it all makes sense. Even though it was meant as a promise that I would return, I'm not at all disappointed in the misunderstanding.
"I do not wish to return to the village," she continues, turning her attention back to Gale. "But if there is any love or respect for me left in your heart, you will let us go."
Her words must reach him on some level, and as she drops down to one knee to cradle my chin in her trembling hand, turning my face this way and that to assess my wounds, I keep my eyes trained on Gale. He's staring at Katniss, the pain and longing in his eyes so obvious you'd have to be blind not to see it.
As unjustified as it is at the moment, my chest tightens again and a familiar feeling from before resurfaces. Jealousy seems to override my sense of logic and like some wild animal marking its territory, I curl an arm around her waist and pull her in closer, capturing her lips in a soft kiss.
"Katniss, I'm alright," I say, but the pained look on her face says otherwise. Brushing back the loose hairs that have escaped her braid, I smile. "You came for me. Thank you."
Releasing a shaky breath, she presses her forehead to mine. "Of course I did, but you do not thank me for coming for you. It is what we do, we protect each other. But we need to go now. Can you walk?"
"I think so." I flex my fingers and toes, but my limbs protest when I struggle to roll onto my hands and knees. Forcing my muscles to comply, I manage to get up on one knee, but then Katniss is there to help me up the rest of the way.
"Where will you go?" Gale asks, his voice surprisingly calm.
Slinging my arm around her neck, Katniss pulls me close to steady my body. "Does it matter?"
"What of the council, then? What will they say when they come for him and find him gone?"
Katniss whips her head around, fire in her eyes as her grip on my waist tightens almost to the point of pain. "You told them? How could you!"
Clearing his throat, Haymitch steps in. "We do not have time for this, all that matters is that you take him far from here. If anyone comes looking, then we say he got away. Used his magic to distract us. You know the elders, those grizzly old arses will believe anything when it comes to the star people."
Easing up her hold, I sink back onto my knees, wincing from the throbbing of my thigh. I need to give myself a few more minutes, considering my legs still don't want to cooperate just yet. But we don't have a few minutes, for all we know, they could be coming for me as we speak.
"What of the reaping?" Gale says, the anger and frustration in his voice surfacing once again. "We have less than a month. What of the next innocent child that will have to sacrifice their life for no reason? Why must more blood be shed when we have a way to put a stop to it all right here?"
"And you think his blood is not just as innocent?" Katniss spits, nodding her head in my direction.
Placing a hand on Gale's shoulder, the older man draws him in closer. "Calm yourself. If what he says is true, his people may be here soon enough. We have to prepare for their arrival and believe me, either way, change is on the horizon. I swear to you, not another innocent life will be lost for the sake of the elder's ignorance."
Fists curled at his sides, Gale finally backs away with a sharp nod. He stalks to the entrance and lifts the flap of the tent just a little to peek out.
I swipe my hand across my mouth, wiping away the taste of sweat and blood. "You have a plan for getting out of here?"
Glancing away from Haymitch, Katniss tilts her head in confusion. "I plan to walk out of here, how about you?"
If this is an attempt at humor, she's got shit timing. "What about guards? Are we just going to walk right past them unnoticed?"
"We are not in the village," she says, looping my pack around her neck and cutting a glare to Gale. "This is a shelter the hunting parties once used, but it has long since been abandoned. There is no one else."
Oh, well then, that explains that. The tingling in my legs has started to dissipate, my hopes rising that we'll be out of here soon. But even when I'm mobile again, I won't be good for much else. "What if we run into trouble?" I ask.
Haymitch considers this a moment, turning my words around in his head. Then out of nowhere, the old bastard throws a punch, his bony knuckles catching the edge of my jaw. Son of a bitch! Good thing I'm already on the ground, or else he'd have put me there in a heartbeat.
"Sorry about that," he says, shaking out his hand. "But it is for your own good."
"His own good?" Katniss shoves Haymitch aside and reaches for me. "You have gone mad!"
"If you are stopped, that bruise will say he fought to escape. You can say you caught him and are returning him to us."
"That is your plan?" Katniss scowls. "It is a terrible one."
Haymitch simply shrugs. "Then do not get caught." He presses three fingers to his lips, then raises them. "Go now, and may the Great Spirit be with you."
"Thank you," she says, nodding to him. "And with you."
Chuckling, Haymitch shakes his head. "No, thank you. When the elders sent you away, it set many things in motion." He pauses, but then the features of his face turn serious. "But I am sorry it was at the cost of your sister. Know that her death was not in vain." He unfastens his furs and tosses them to us. "Here, I have a feeling he will be needing this more than me."
Pulling the cape around me, I can tell Katniss is struggling to keep her composure. I pull her closer to me and with one final glance back at the old man, I nod. "Thank you." Katniss lifts the flap of the tent and peers out, but just as we're about to leave, I hesitate. No matter what these people think of me or how different they are, they don't deserve the fate that awaits them if the ships actually arrive.
Turning to face the old man, I swallow the lump in my throat. "If my people come, do not trust the man called President Snow. There is a woman in his council, Commander Paylor. She is your best chance for peace."
Haymitch nods, crossing his arms over his chest. "I will remember that." He slides his gaze over to Katniss and gives her a tight smile. "And Katniss?" There's a hesitation in the tense set of his mouth, but then he sighs deeply as if he's finally resolved himself to something. "If you seek the truth, it lies beyond the Tundar."
I don't have time to ponder his ominous parting words as Katniss drags me out of the tent, back into the safety of the woods. I go on autopilot as we creep through the trees, over fallen branches and roots, through the dense canopy like shadows until we make it to the creek. From there, we take off as fast as we can, weaving through the trunks and underbrush. I don't know how long we run for, but eventually, the terrain turns rocky again and it begins to look familiar. The cave is only a few more minutes away now, yet we still don't stop for a break.
After heaving my dead-weight of a body into the confines of the cave, I'm on the floor, hands on my knees as I struggle to catch my breath. Katniss, however, is a whirlwind of activity, folding furs and shoving food and pouches into a large pack.
"Katniss," I wheeze, placing a hand on the wall to get to my feet. "Slow down a minute and talk to me." She doesn't stop to listen, breezing past me to riffle through her stash of knives and arrows.
Now that I've had a few minutes to organize my thoughts, hundreds of questions flood my mind, all of which the sane part of me is demanding answers to. One in particular is burning a hole through the tip of my tongue, so I grab hold of her shoulder and turn her towards me. "What in the hell is going on? Who was that Haymitch guy? Why did you tell him about me? And what was all that about the truth and the Tundar?"
"They were an unlikely pair, him and my father." Her head and shoulders slump as she drops the pack to the floor. "I have memories from when I was a fawn of my father taking me into the woods where he taught me to track and use a bow. Back then, it never struck me as odd that Haymitch would always cross our path. He never stayed for long, the two of them sharing only a few hushed words as I searched for bones and feathers for my arrows. Then just as quickly as he appeared, Haymitch would stalk back into the trees without a word.
"Around the rest of the herd, they did not speak, only shared a sharp nod here or a tilt of the head there. I wanted to ask my father about it many times but held my tongue in fear that he would stop our lessons in the woods. Years passed before disorder amongst my people finally broke out. Many were unhappy with the elders and their ways, the reaping their biggest concern. One of the hunters, Alma, she gained a following of young warriors and had planned to overthrow the elders and their council."
My hand drops from her shoulder and I lead Katniss over to the bed, gesturing for her to take a seat. She goes willingly, but her body still vibrates with tension. "That's the second time I've heard that name before," I say, running a hand down her arm. "Haymitch mentioned something about how I should be thankful she didn't find me first."
"That is true. They live far from here, her and her following of outcasts. But the elders tolerate them, allowing them to patrol the village and the woods in exchange for food. But they are difficult to control and are known to shoot to kill before asking questions. If they had found you in that tree instead of Gale…"
She doesn't have to finish her sentence, we both know exactly where I'd be. "How did you find me?"
Katniss's face hardens and her eyes narrow. "You were gone when I awoke and I was furious, but then I found your necklace. I went after you immediately and when I found that unusual bird and the snare, I knew it was Gale who had taken you. After hiding the bird, I followed the trail to the hunting shelter."
"That wasn't a bird, it was a drone from my POD. It flies around on its own and takes pictures and then sends information about your world back to my people."
"It has been spying on us? Like the Jabberjays?"
I wince. The parallel she's drawn isn't too far off but since it doesn't exactly paint my people in a favorable light, I feel the need to explain. "We use them to gather information on unknown planets without interfering with the inhabitants. I promise you they can't harm anyone."
Katniss is quiet for a moment as she turns my words over in her head. "Why did you leave me? You promised never to leave me."
There's no missing the hint of hurt in her voice, so I take her hand in mine and brush my lips over her knuckles. "I'm sorry I scared you, but I was coming back. When I saw the drone was stuck, I thought if I just freed it that would be my last effort to help my people. I'm done now, they don't matter to me anymore. All that matters is you and whatever life lies ahead of us."
I release her hand in favor of caressing her cheek, still smudged with dirt and sweat. There's a small cut on her forehead where a few drops of blood have already crusted over, but I can't help from just staring at her. After all, we've been through today, she's still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Her eyes shut as she leans into my touch and the deep breath she releases has me sighing in relief too.
"Did you mean what you said back there?" I ask?
"Hmm?"
"About me being your mate?"
Her eyes fly open, the apples of her cheeks flushing a pretty pink. "I did not want Gale to hurt you. It was the only way I could think to get him to let us leave. If I offended you with my lie, I am sorry."
"Hey," I say, turning her face back to me as she tries to look away. "No offense taken, and if I'm being honest, I don't mind one bit."
"You want to be my mate?"
"I'm all yours," I say, leaning in to capture her lips in a possessive kiss. "If you'll have me."
The smile she rewards me with makes my heart clench and so I kiss her again and again and again until her melodic laughter fills the cave. Then she's in my arms, face buried against my chest as we just hold each other for what feels like forever.
One of my hands moves to her back, gently stroking down the bumps of her spine as I try to take it all in. But there's something nagging at the back of my mind, something about that name...Alma.
"She is the reason," Katniss says as she pulls away, and it's then I realize I spoke the name aloud. "The reason I urged you not to leave the cave. She is calculating and clever, just like her mother, and every day I feared she would find you and take you away. I do not doubt she saw the remains of your POD, so I knew she would be looking for any sign of survivors."
"But you said she wants to overthrow the elders. What if we could persuade her to help us? We could still put a stop to the reaping."
"No, she is not someone you want to meet. Believe me, it is in no one's interest if that woman rises to power. For many years she has whispered false promises of unity and rebellion in the ears of parents and young men. If she were to get a hold of you and your knowledge, she'd use you to her advantage. She would play on the desperation of my people and bring you to the altar herself to sacrifice. Appease the Great Spirit and put an end to the reaping, but most importantly for her, remove the elders from power and put herself in their place." Katniss shakes her head again, her mouth set in a grim line. "Once in power, she would not hesitate to kill anyone who did not support her. There would be no survivors."
Something in my mind clicks into place and my hand on her back freezes. No survivors. Commander Alma Coin, captain of the infamous Panem-13. Maybe I'm grasping at straws here, but I can't help the impossible thoughts running through my head, no matter how illogical and far-fetched they are. Maybe it's all just some wild coincidence because the chances are a billion to one.
I clear my throat. "This Alma, is that a common name around here?"
Katniss gives me a funny look. "No, but she was named after her mother. Why?"
"Nothing," I say, shaking my head. "I'm probably just being paranoid." But Katniss wiggles further out of my arms, a determined look on her face.
"What is it?"
With everything else going on around us right now, this is probably the last thing we should be worrying about. Like Haymitch said, we need to get far away from here, regardless of whether my people are coming for me or not. I'd be an idiot not to take what happened today as a stern wake up call. In the safety of the cave, we've been living in a bubble so to speak. But not anymore.
Reluctantly, I release Katniss and get to my feet, picking up the discarded pack on the floor. "We should get going," I say, scanning the cave for my own pack.
"Tell me first what you were thinking."
"Fine, but keep packing as I talk, okay?" Thankfully Katniss relents and takes her pack from my hand. "Do you remember how I said after my ancestors left Earth, one of our ships was destroyed?" She nods as she riffles through the pouches that house her medicinal herbs. "The captain of that ship—the person in charge—her name was Alma. Alma Coin." Katniss freezes, then carefully places her pack back on the ground.
"Logic tells me that the Panem-13 was destroyed over fifty years ago and that there were no survivors. But...what if there were? There's a possibility that some of the escape PODs were deployed, and once you're in hypersleep, you could technically drift for decades. I'm no expert in space and time, but there have always been…theories."
Katniss stares at me like I'm a madman, and I don't blame her. Even I know I sound crazy.
I blow out a breath. "Listen, just forget I said anything, I'm probably just being—"
Beep, beep, beep. Beep, beep, beep.
Our conversation instantly forgotten, we both glance down at my arm where a line of blinking zeros stares back at us. Shit. Time's up.
In an instant I'm at the entrance to the cave, peeling back the woven blind and tilting my head up where I expect to find a fleet of ships descending on us from the sky. But that's ridiculous and there's nothing there except the usual clouds and birds hovering low just above the treeline.
Katniss approaches slowly, joining me by my side as she too searches the sky for anything unusual.
"It doesn't mean anything," I whisper to assure her, or rather myself, but I still don't take my eyes away from the sky. "It was just a countdown I set for myself, it doesn't mean anyone is here."
I glance over, taking in the furrow between her brow and the tense line of her mouth. Snaking my arm around her waist, I pull her into my side, grounding both of us.
"We need to get away from here," she whispers, eyes still trained on the sky.
"I gathered that much, but where would we go?"
"I...I do not know." She pauses. "Somewhere we can hide until your people come, then we can go to them."
And for the first time since I was taken hostage, I take a full breath. For now, we're safe, but I need to tell Katniss the truth. The whole truth. "We can't. We can't be anywhere near the rest of your people if mine arrive."
"But why? Will they not protect us?" I spot a flicker of panic cross her face before she schools her features. "They will harm us."
All the worries I had shoved to the back of my mind because I didn't want to go down that road come flooding back. Fear of what could happen to not me, but to Katniss.
"I don't know for sure, but it's not me I'm worried about. If they find out that we're together...that we've been together, he'll take you from me. Do you understand?" By the way she's staring at me, she must think I'm delirious. "He'll want to study you, run tests on you. He'll keep us apart, use you any way he can to get your people to comply with his demands. And hell, if by some stroke of a miracle I've managed to get you pregnant?" The horrors of what could potentially become of Katniss sickens me, and so I pull her in closer. "I won't let him take you away from me."
"Who is he?"
"The man I warned Haymitch about, President Snow. Your people aren't the only ones ruled by a corrupt system."
As much as I want to believe that everyone on my ship has good intentions, we've been wandering space for far too long. Time and isolation do crazy things to people, and with the hope of finding a suitable planet to call home within arm's reach? My people would do and believe just about anything our current leader says to get off those blasted ships. Even massacre an entire race.
I'm starting to think Professor Heavensbee had it right when he said collective thinking is short lived, and that as a race, we humans are stupid and fickle creatures with poor memories and a great gift for destruction. Once on the ground, who's to say with superior technology and desperation to claim, that Katniss's people will be safe? If there's one thing I've learned from the history of our people, it's that if you give mankind an inch and they claim a whole goddamn planet.
Finally tearing her eyes away from the sky, Katniss tips her head back to stare up at me.
"Perhaps one day, when I know it's safe, we can come back," I say, trying to make this just a little bit easier for her.
"But where will we go?"
"What about on the other side of the mountain?"
"Erimos? No, no one has ever—"
"No, beyond that. What's on the other side of the other mountains?"
"I told you, I do not know. No one does."
I cock an eyebrow at her. "You sure about that? Haymitch said—"
"Haymitch is a drunk. It would not be wise to put much faith in his words."
"I need to show you something." Stepping away, I reach for my pack and pull out the HOLO. Motioning for her to come closer, she's hesitant at first, then kneels down next to me, eyes wide as the map comes to life and digitizes. "With this, we can make it to the other side of that snow desert."
Katniss is too busy staring at the map to say anything, mesmerized as she runs her hand through the lights.
This might possibly be the stupidest decision I've ever made, but hey, I'm running low on ideas. Over a hundred things could go wrong, but I decide to keep those thoughts to myself. If this is my best option, then so be it. There's no changing my mind. I have the HOLO, and with her knowledge of the land and skills of survival…it's not impossible. Insane, maybe, but I'm beginning to think insane ideas are my new thing.
And I know I'm being selfish, but for once in my life, I could care less. The last place Katniss and I need to be is in the middle of a civil war, let alone a potential planetary take over because from what I've learned about Katniss's people and their village, they really are no match for our technology and weapons. And what if her people were to put up a fight?
It's a good thing Katniss found me when she did. And I really am lucky it was Gale and Haymitch who found me. The last thing her people needed was mine finding me held hostage or worse, killed. It'd make things all too easy for President Snow to bypass the whole we-come-as-peaceful-refugees routine and move straight to operation domination.
Yeah, there's no question about it, we need to leave, and the clock is ticking.
Just to be on the safe side, I decide to turn off the tracking device in my suit. I watch the screen of the HOLO, waiting for the steady green dot to go out. A full minute passes but nothing happens. What the hell? I double check my suit and yep, the tracker is definitely off, which can only mean…there's another tracker. Patting down the front of my suit, I try to figure out what else could be sending out a signal, but then recall the shot they gave me just before takeoff. Feeling around on my forearm, my fingers find something hard just below the skin.
Vitamin shot my ass.
"What is it?" Katniss asks, coming closer and tracing her fingers over my arm. When I pull out my knife, she gasps. "No! What are you doing?"
"I need to get it out," I manage through gritted teeth.
With the point of the blade, I pierce the skin of my forearm, the tearing sensation excruciating as warmth starts to pool around the cut. I toss the knife aside and probe the area carefully until a tiny metallic bead pops to the surface. Catching it between my fingers, I hold it up to inspect it. Damn it. Probably another backup plan to locate my dead body. Not wanting to waste another minute, I toss it into the embers of the fire pit as Katniss patches up my arm.
From then on, we're both quiet as we quickly gather up the rest of our supplies. I've checked my pack three times over to make sure we have what we need, but what we need is to travel light. Satisfied, I watch as Katniss does the same and then fastens her furs around her neck.
"You ready?" I ask, surprised at how calm my own voice is.
Tense, I watch Katniss's throat work on a hard swallow, but then she nods. "Wherever you go, I go."
I pull her against me, tightening my arms around her as I soak up her warmth and breathe her in. If it wasn't for this brave and beautiful woman in front of me, I'd have died any one of a hundred deaths. It's because of her I'm alive and breathing. Now it's my turn to save her life, to keep her safe.
"Katniss, we can do this. As long as we're together, we can find a way." She silently nods again, but I'm not convinced my words are getting through to her. Her gaze, now anxious, continues to search my face. "Are you with me?"
There's no missing the fear lurking in her eyes, fear of the unknown. But there's no turning back, not when our destinies are now bound. Just when I'm about to throw in the towel and give up on this impossible plan, she takes hold of my face, tracing my lips with her thumbs. "Yes, always. Together?"
Covering her hands with mine, I smile. "Together."
With a tiny, yet hopeful smile, we're on the move again. Even though I've been here less than a month, that cave has felt like more of a home to me than my ship. Funny how that is, but I don't have time to dwell on the sense of loss. Our plan is to take the most discrete route possible, keeping a wide berth around the location of where the POD crashed.
We travel for hours, well into the night until Katniss finally convinces me that we need to rest. She finds a tree with a branch large enough to hold us both. It takes some careful maneuvering on my part, but once we're settled and securely hidden from view, I'm ready to shut my eyes and crash.
Katniss is snuggled tight against my chest but she's oddly quiet. She hasn't said much during our journey, but I'm not going to take it personally and push her to talk if she doesn't want to. We've been through enough today and there's really no need to rehash anything. Stroking the back of her head, I try to lull her to sleep as I gaze up at the stars overhead. Her breathing has almost evened out when something odd catches my attention.
The stars are moving.
But stars don't move…well, not that fast. Squinting harder, I blow out a harsh breath. Those aren't stars. Cursing out loud, Katniss startles and looks up. Her eyes follow my outstretched hand to the all too familiar blinking lights moving across the night sky.
"My people," I whisper, my body tensing as I let out a heavy breath. "They're here."
Author's Note: First off, my profuse apologies for the long wait for this chapter. What can I say, real life just got a hold of me, but fingers crossed things start to slow down soon. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint and I'd love to hear your thoughts! Also, this is NOT the last chapter, as a few of you thought. I wouldn't leave you all hanging like that!
While writing this chapter, I came across a few things during my research:
- I had a fun time trying to research swear words that Katniss's people would use, so the ones I settled on were "hart" which is an older term used for a male deer over five years of age but not an adult male, so like a teenager, and "havier" which is a castrated male…fitting as an insult, don't you think :P
Huge thanks to titaniasfics for her wonderful and fast beta skills and to loving-mellark for pre-reading and for her wonderful support during this entire time.
You can find me on tumblr anytime: pookieh