The Lady Of The Lake

From a chapter that I didn't feel happy about to a chapter I thoroughly enjoyed writing, welcome to chapter 10 guys! I can't believe we've reached this point, and I can't believe this fic is over 35k words. And I owe it all to you guys, the readers and especially you incredible people who review. Seriously, you people are awesome, and the speed of the updates and the love I have for this fic is in large part inspired by you.

So this chapter features the Tracker Jacker nest incident. It also features the Careers being broody, Peeta being noble, Sky's inability to kill people, another Finnick note gem and Cato...being an aggressive ass.

To my 15 reviewers? You are legendary. True story!

Review responses are as always at the end of the chapter!

Enjoy!


Chapter 10

For a moment I am frozen, laying on my flat rock, eyes wide open as I blink towards the entrance to my cave, past the rushing water.

The screaming is loud, and wild, and seems to come from a number of throats, and my first instinct is to stay where I am, hunker down, and don't get in the way.

But then I think of Peeta, how he had done what I couldn't for Zara, how he had been a friend to me. What if he was out there, screaming, in agony, and I didn't even move to help? That wasn't me.

Mind made up I get to my feet, pulling on my sturdy, but by now broken in and softening, boots on as I hurry out of my makeshift home. Picking around my traps I head into the cover of the thick trees and run towards the tree where Katniss had been trapped.

The screaming still rings around in the forest, but its not too close, until I stumble over the corpse of Glimmer, the beautiful girl from District 1.

My stomach rolls at the sight of her body, mangled with stings and leaking fluids.

But she is not my principle focus.

Katniss is tugging the bow and quiver from her, swaying almost drunkenly, a few sting wounds of her own swelling up on her olive skin. Her grey eyes are unfocused but she manages to get the weapons away from the dead girl and list to the side.

"Katniss!" Peeta barrels into the clearing, dripping wet, and his own stings on his skin. His blue eyes are almost wild as he sees her there, as though he'd been hoping she'd be gone, "What are you doing here! Get out of here! Go!"

Katniss stares at him, eyes not really focusing on him and doesn't move.

"Go!" He shoves at her with his spear, "Go!"

I move forward to help when I hear someone else crashing through the trees and Cato, wild, stung like the others, and furious, stumbles into view, his sword gleaming in his hand.

"Go!" Peeta shouts it at Katniss, and something lights in her eyes, some kind of understanding and she scrambles away, leaving her partner, Peeta, facing off against the most deadly Tribute in the Games.

It's hardly a grand showdown, both of them are swaying, the stings affecting them both and I creep forward.

I know the wounds; there are enough tracker jacker nests near District 4 that everyone knows what the wounds look like, and how to treat them. I also know about the hallucinations and the searing pain along nerves that both of them must be feeling right now.

"Traitor!" Cato spits it at Peeta, voice rough and with a hint of wildness to it. The venom is loosening his control, and his most basic instincts are guiding him now, along with paranoia and fury, "We took you in."

"You wanted her dead," Peeta backs up, spear wavering as he tries to level it at Cato, "I couldn't let that happen."

"Is it worth it?" Cato jeers back, "Knowing you're going to die, right now?"

"She's safe from you." Peeta's smile is grim, but his eyes are terrified, "That's all I wanted."

Cato lunges and I race out from my cover, darting in to grab Peeta, yanking him away from the Career who has crumpled to the forest floor.

I stare at him, breathing heavily as I realise the venom must have taken its toll on the young man. Unconsciousness is a common reaction to tracker jacker stings, and it means that Peeta and I have time to get away.

Except…Peeta has crumpled too, and he's whimpering in pain. My eyes widen in horror as I see the terrible wound across his thigh, blood everywhere and his face paling rapidly.

"No…no…" my hands flutter as I drop down beside him, "If I hadn't been such a coward, Peeta…"

His eyes are closed and his breathing is shallow, as I shed my jacket. The inside is fabric even as the outside layer is insulation, so I grab Cato's sword from nearby and quickly slice it open, tearing the fabric inner liner away and wrapping it around his thigh, a makeshift bandage.

"I have…to find Katniss," Peeta's voice is weak but his blue eyes, when they open and eventually focus on me are determined, "She'll go…to water."

"The Careers will be at the lake." I warn him, pressing on the wound, "And I'm not leaving you like this."

"Yes you are…" he smiles at me sadly, "Sorry…"

I'm about to ask, 'for what?' when the world goes dark.


The first thing I notice, as I come to, is the deep throbbing pain in my head.

Peeta is gone, but the ground that I touch, where he'd lain after Cato wounded him is still warm. My eyes open and I wince as I look around me, focusing on the lump of wood lying beside me. Peeta knocked me out. Unbelievable.

Slowly I sit up, and my attention turns towards Cato, still sprawled on the ground where he'd fallen. My attention, at first captured by Peeta's injury, now turns to him. He is unmoving, laying there on the hard, cold earth and I glance towards the woods.

Peeta is no longer my concern, I decide, and leave my ruined jacket where it is as I crawl over to him, hesitant, because even incapacitated by tracker jackers, Cato is dangerous. I can't leave him here, not if he's still alive.

Fingers shaking I press them against the warm skin of his neck, and sigh with relief as I feel his pulse thumping reassuringly against them.

That leaves me with a sticky problem though. The problem of what to do with him?

I have three options, I decide, sitting beside him and cradling my aching head in my hands.

One, I leave him here, for whatever animals, tributes or whatever to find him. Tracker Jacker stings can last for days, especially untreated ones, so leaving him here, is practically a death sentence without wielding the blade myself.

Two, I kill him. He's the most dangerous fighter in the Games, and with him dead the odds of my own survival are guaranteed. A part of me knows this is the most sensible option, Teesa would take it in a heartbeat, as would most of the other Tributes.

But…I am no killer. I could not even kill Zara when she was suffering in my arms. I do not have it in me to cold heartedly plunge his own sword into his chest.

Three, I help him. The problem is that I know this is the only option I will be able to live with. Cato didn't hunt me down, for whatever reason. He's a fighter, someone bred for the Games, for him to die here, killed by a coward's hand, and unconscious…it's wrong.

"I'm going to take care of you," I whisper, my hand reaching out and hesitantly brushing a leaf from his fair hair, "Even though I'm sure Finnick is about to throw a fit that I'm not taking this opportunity."

Now the decision is made it becomes a matter of getting him back to the cave. He's heavy, and much larger than me, and carrying his bulk will be an impossible feat. I'm built for speed, not strength.

"How am I going to move you?" I breathe, looking around me, "I'm going to have to make some kind of litter…"

I can't just take care of him here, this is exposed and with the nights getting colder and colder, and with Tributes still prowling the forests…and the fact that I'm no warrior, so if someone did attack us…I'd die, and then he would be summarily executed.

It's not what I'm hoping for.

I stand and dart off to find a pair of thick branches, taking them back to where he lies, before racing to the bushes and collecting a bunch of them to tie to the branches. I use reeds from the lake to bind them all together and then roll him onto the makeshift sledge.

"You owe me," I grunt at him as I grab the reed ropes and begin to pull, "You owe me big time…"


Its mid morning by the time I collapse in my cave, sweating and exhausted from hauling the larger boy up into my hideaway.

The sledge was too wide to fit up the path, naturally, so I'd been forced to race up into the cave, grabbing a thin sheet of plastic I'd gotten in my pack, and used it to drag it up into the shelter.

But even as I gasp for breath I crawl over to him, tugging out the plastic from under him, and covering him. It's pitiful, but we're in the Hunger Games, luxury is unknown here. Carefully I pick out the tracker jacker stingers, the one from the swelling on his cheek, and the ones dotted across his arms and neck.

Good, no more toxin will be pumping into him now, and I get up onto my feet and head back outside.

There I dismantle the sledge and scatter the components, before using one of the branches to go back the way I'd dragged him, erasing all tracks of our passage.

I have to be cautious.

On the way I gather a large number of dark green plants growing at the base of trees, these will draw the poison from his body, and help him recover faster.

Pleased I head back to the refuge and use the stripped sledge, reed ropes to gently bind the leaves to the boy's stings.

I tuck a pile of the remaining into a cool damp corner to keep there, and take the rest with me, as I leave the cave.

Cato is as safe as I can make him.

Now my concern is Darrien.

I'm sure that if Glimmer, Peeta and Cato were stung then Clove, Darrien and Marvel were as well.

I jog through the forests, towards the main body of the lake.

Voices reach my ears as I near the cornucopia and I slow down, padding silently closer to peer around it at the remaining Careers, lying broodingly in the lake.

None of them are badly stung, I notice, watching as Darrien and Marvel strap leaves and lake mud to the stings. Clove is rubbing mud onto her own stings and pulling a face as the weedy boy from three hesitantly straps a leaf to a red sting on her neck.

"So fire-girl escaped," Clove spits, "I'm guessing Lover boy helped her."

"Glimmer's dead," Darrien winces as Marvel plucks out a sting, "No idea where the fuck Cato is."

"He was stung pretty badly," Marvel points out, "And he went off after Lover Boy and Fire girl."

"No cannon fire for him," Clove tosses her head, "So he's not dead."

"He hasn't made it back," Darrien points out, "Should we go look for him?"

"No," Marvel and Clove answer together.

"Career law," Marvel explains as Darrien looks at him confused, "I'm surprised your mentor didn't tell you about it."

"You can't keep up," Clove uses one of her slender daggers to prise out another sting; "The pack kills you before you become a liability."

"It keeps us safe," Marvel shakes his head, "And if Cato makes it back…well that's brilliant because the more of us here the better chances we have to hunt the rest of them down. If not…then he's not a Career, he's just another Tribute."

"Law of the wild." Clove's smile is vicious, "Cato knows it, and would have done the same if it were one of us. He comes back he's our leader again. If not…then we end him like we would anyone else."

Slowly I draw back and take off back towards my cave, my heart pounding.

Suddenly I'm glad that I was the one to find him.


The next day is a slow one as I tend to Cato, changing his leaves and dripping purified water into his mouth to keep him hydrated.

I don't venture far from my hideaway, just far enough to gather some of the rich fleshy tubers and some more of the leaves needed for Cato's wounds.

Around mid afternoon I am alerted to the soft chime of a sponsor gift, and I leave the lake, where I had been unsuccessfully fishing to catch the capsule, emblazoned with the large 4.

Inside is a thick blanket and another note from Finnick.

'You're killing me here sweet cheeks. If he kills you I'm never talking to you again. Keep him warm. – F'

I snort at it, and grin up at the sky.

"You're still an ass," I tell the empty blue expanse, and head back to the cave where I gently wrap him up in the warm blanket.

After I eat my supper I consider the boy laying on the floor of the cave, wrapped up warmly and face seemingly peaceful in sleep.

Slowly, I stroke his hair once more, brushing a few stray long hairs out of his eyes.

"I have to hope there is more to you." I tell him softly, "I have to hope Finnick and I are right…or else tomorrow is going to be a very short day for me."


Day 7 of my time in the arena dawns and I head out early, heading for the Career camp.

Halfway there I glance to the side and bite down a yelp as I realise Teesa is strolling easily beside me.

"Dammit all!" I hiss at her as she grins broadly, "I told you, don't DO that!"

"Your reaction makes doing it far too much fun," Teesa chuckles dryly, before her face sobers, "The Careers have been pretty much incapacitated, but they are sticking to the cornucopia. We may not be able to raid them."

"Last I saw they'd been stung," I glance at her, "How are they doing?"

"Clove is twitchier than a wildcat on a hot tin roof," Teesa snorts softly; "She's itching to just get out there and slaughter anyone she can find. But the venom has laid them low." Her eyes slide to my slyly, "So Katniss dropped a tracker-jacker nest on them?"

"Apparently," I shrug, "It killed Glimmer, and she got her bow and arrows. I don't know if she can use them."

"And no one knows where Peeta is, or Cato." She eyes me, "Any ideas? You were friendly with him in training."

I arch an eyebrow at her.

"Peeta," she clarifies, a smirk on her lips, "Naturally."

"Naturally," I say, heart picking up a bit of speed. Teesa really is far too observant for comfort, "I haven't seen him."

"Hmm." She muses as we approach our grove of trees, "I'm sure he'll turn up."

We peer through thick fronds at the Careers, seeing them prowling around their shelter restlessly.

"Let's go hunt." Clove's voice is harsh as she throws a dagger into the ground an inch from Marvel's eye, "Fire girl was stung too. We could find her and end her now!"

"And take the risk of getting slaughtered?" Marvel hisses back, fingers straying towards his spear, "You're a fool."

"Who are you calling foolish!" Clove yells it at him, her fingers twitching towards her daggers, "You who have just been canoodling with Darrien for the whole games!"

"I killed more tributes than you!"

"Enough!" Darrien steps between them, blue eyes flashing, "The two of you stop that now! Fighting amongst ourselves is a waste of time. Clearly Cato isn't coming back, which means we've lost some serious intimidation factor. The last thing we need is to be divided." He looks at Clove, "I know you're bored, and all you want is to get out there…but we're no good if we're weak enough to be picked off. And you," he looks at Marvel, "Stop antagonising her you ass. You could use a bit of her ambition."

The two glare at him, and then at one another before Clove shrugs her shoulders, rather like an irritable cat.

"Fine. I'm going to train. Coming Darrien?"

"Sure," the black haired boy moved over to Marvel, crouching beside him and pressing a light kiss to the corner of his mouth, whispering something before standing and following the smaller girl off towards some scattered trees.

Marvel watches them go and lies back with a gusty sigh.

The boy from 3 watches him anxiously and then goes back to his work, looking pale.

"He said 'Play nice,'" Teesa whispers to me, and I glance at her, eyebrow raised, "Darrien, he said 'play nice' to Marvel."

"Oh right," I remember her lip reading, "Sounds like him. And it looks like we won't be able to get in there today."

"No," she frowns, "We can handle it. I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nod, "See you then."

And we part, this time empty handed.


I get back to the cave, picking my way up into the dark interior, and the first thing I notice is that Cato is no longer laying where I left him.

My heart lurches in fear and I take a single step forward.

Only to feel cold steel press to the side of my neck.

"Well, well…" his voice is low, behind me, as he steps closer from his hiding place in the shadows, his blade against my throat, "If it isn't the little fish."

"Cato," I lick my lips nervously, throat swallowing reflexively, "Let me explain…"

"Please do," his voice is forcibly calm, "Please explain how the last thing I remember is that piece of shit Lover-boy with a spear levelled at me, and then I wake up here, wherever the fuck here is. I'm sure it's a simply fascinating story."

I let out a breath and turn slightly so I can see him, blue eyes smouldering as he looks at me.

"You passed out…after injuring Peeta." I say softly, swallowing again, mouth dry, "i…brought you here."

"Why?" his sword digs into my skin and I wince.

"You were sick," My voice shakes slightly, "The tracker jacker stings…"

"It doesn't explain why you helped me!" he roars, and suddenly the blade is gone from my neck and he whirls me around, his hand gripping my throat like it did in the training centre, "What do you want?"

"I couldn't leave you there…" I whisper, wincing as my hands come up to grip his wrist, "Cato please, I'm not your enemy!"

"Everyone is the enemy," he tightens his hand, "You've forgotten that we're in the Hunger Games little fish? I warned you what would happen if our paths crossed."

"I saved you!" I cry out, trying to hit out at him, "You ungrateful ass!"

"What makes you think I needed your help!? I'm a tribute from District 2! I was born for this!" He throws me to the side and I roll across the sandy ground, scrambling up as I draw my shortsword. His blue eyes stare at me and then he snorts, "Put that down, you look ridiculous."

"I'm not dying without a weapon in my hands," I pant, feeling adrenaline and fear pumping through me, "I haven't survived this long to just…"

He walks forward and I swing at him wildly. He parries it easily and with a twist of his wrist my blade goes flying out through the waterfall.

I back up against the wall as he keeps walking forward and I close my eyes, squeezing them shut as I look away, sure that in a moment I'll feel the burn of a sword through my belly.

"Stop that," his voice is calmer but still rough, "Schuyler."

My eyes open at his use of my name and I blink at him. He's looking at me with an intense look on his face and I swallow again.

"Cato…" I say warily, "What…"

"I'm not going to kill you." He sighs, sheathing his sword, "I owe you, much as I hate to admit it. A life for a life. I'll save your hide, and then we'll be even and I can claim your kill."

"So, you're going to keep me alive…just so you can save me from someone else…so you can kill me yourself?" I ask, confused.

"I'm not without honour." He growls at me, "I save you. We're even. And then we go back to how we were before. Which means I kill you."

I stare at him, "So…now what?" I ask, hesitantly.

He gives me an inscrutable look and reaches out to tug the pack from my shoulder, tossing it to the floor.

"Now," he says, moving away, still a touch wobbly on his feet I notice now that I'm less terrified, "You tell me what you have to eat. I'm famished."

I give a surprised bark of laughter, and I see his lips curl up slightly in response before he shrugs, face impassive once more.

I collect some foods and we eat in silence, watching each other warily.

The day has one final surprise for me though as I slide onto my rock ledge, curling up there. The surprise is the warm presence suddenly at my back, and I twist slightly in the gloom of the night time cave to see his eyes gleaming at me.

Slowly, as though daring me to say anything he tugs my blanket over both of us, and then slowly wraps his arms around me, tugging me back against his chest, his face burrowing into my neck.

"Cato…" I whisper, "What?"

"Shut up," he rumbles it softly, "Just go to sleep little fish. You're safe with me for now. I swear."

"You're a very strange boy," I murmur, but I relax in his arms. I'm rewarded by a pleased hum from him, and his arms tightening protectively.

I lay awake, listening to the sounds of his breathing, but soon enough I'm lulled by the deep thumping of his heart through his shirt against my back, and the warmth of him surrounding me.

Truly comfortable, and questioning my sanity, I slowly fall asleep.


So, Cato and Sky are partners in crime...for now at least.

The timing deviates from the book slightly next chapter...time stretches a little. But you'll all like why.

Loopyloola - Well here you go, another Cato and Sky situation, just waiting to boil over into conflict and messy feelings. Gotta love it!

Guest - I hope you haven't gone crazy, and that you enjoyed what happened this chapter :)

madreader13 - Thank you so much! I'm thrilled you like my cast for the story, and I'm glad you like Sky. I'm pretty fond of my version of Cato too. He's still brutal and bloody, but he has room to grow, which is important I think. And don't worry, there is always time for fluff.

Sugarpearl - I'm glad you didn't think it sucked, and I'm glad you liked Teesa and Sky's cave.

Hahaha - Well you know what happened now! I hope you enjoyed it!

StardustIsMagic - We got more Cato this chapter, and more of Teesa and Sky. I like my writing to have a bit of meat to it, I felt that was lacking last chapter. This one flowed better for me.

IamCharliedaughterofPoseidon - Darvel is adorable! And I'm glad you liked the subpar last chapter! 3

Its-A-Passion - Glad you liked Finnick's note, and the sweet Darvel moments last chapter. Things are starting to pick up in the Arena now, and things will start to unravel. Cato is fun to write, and it's sweet how he's resolutely not thinking about why he's not going after Sky.

Queen of Sharks - Why do you threaten me :'( ;)

DancingAroundAFire - I thought you had abandoned me lovely! I cried over Zara too, poor little darling, shuuunah. Teesa is very crafty. Sky is pretty good at this survival stuff, something she finds surprising too I think, and yes, Cato is full of surprises, even if he refuses to face up to what we are all quickly realising. Dude you fancy the girl.

SophiaLily1980 - Nope, Darrien isn't hurt by the tracker jackers, thankfully, but his time is slowly coming to an end. :( And yes, Cato and Sky just can't understand their confusing teenage hormonal feelings. They will soon though.

Luli Cullen - Heres the next one love xoxo

ObsidianWind - Ahaha I winced in the movie, cause I'm allergic to bees and I can only imagine how much dying like that would absolutely suck! Hope you enjoyed lovely!

EGilly - I'm so glad you enjoyed! I hope you continue to!

RoseMaple - The Darvel may not be to everyone's tastes, but I hope you enjoy this chapters little moments for Cato and Sky.