Chapter 23! Now, I;m sorry this is a few days late, but I've just stared back in classes and as ya'll know, that's always hectic. Also, I can feel a cold begining to come on ontop of fall allergies :P So, here ya'll go and if you like it, let me know! Shout-outs are below! DISCLAIMER: I Don't own The Hunger Games
I sleep well that night, knowing that my biggest worries had been taken care of. The only thing left to do is to kill the runts from District 12, the genius from District 5, and the giant from District 11.
It won't be hard at all though, due to the fact that I'll have Cato's help.
We're woken up to Claudius Templesmith's voice in the loudspeaker yet again. "Attention Tributes! This afternoon, when the sun is high in the sky, we will have a feast at the cornucopia! Each District shall have one back pack, containing an item that you each desperately need. Good luck! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" the speaker crackles as it turns off.
"Do you suppose we should move camp then?" I ask a still groggy Cato. "Yeah, it would be better. Later this morning, we'll move it to right beside the lake."
He mumbles then rolls back over to go to sleep. "Well fine lazy, I'm going out to eat some breakfast." I say over my shoulder as I step out of the tent into the bright morning sunshine.
I rehydrate, and then cook the last bits of dried meat we have, and then, I open up a pack of dried berries, repeating the process with them. Cato comes out, with his hair all messy, right as I'm finishing up.
"You didn't make any for me?" He asks me while rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Nope, you snooze, you lose." I tell him bluntly as he pouts and comes over to warm his hands by the fire.
It's gotten significantly colder these last few days in the arena. The first day was at least 110 degrees, but from there on out, it's been slowly declining in temperature, especially at night.
I wait and watch as Cato makes his breakfast, only having a packet of berries and some bread because I had the last of the meat for myself. He takes his time eating, knowing that it makes me antsy.
I just want to get this camp moved so that we can get in place for this afternoon. For all we know, this could be our last day in the arena if we can manage to take out the others.
Finally, he's finished and he stands up to stretch. "Mmm, I think I need a nap now." He teases while fake yawning and patting his full belly.
It's amazing how much our stomachs have shrunk this past week, due to only having a little bit to eat now and then. I suppose we could have hunted game, but it would have taken time off of hunting the Tributes.
"Oh no mister, you get your butt over here and help me move all of our weapons and remaining food over to the lake." I demand as I push him towards some of the supplies.
It may be risky to place our weapons where the other could possibly take them, but I'm sure that they'll only be focused on getting out of there alive.
"Fine" he sighs dramatically as he picks up a full arms load of food. I grab as many weapons as I can carry and follow him over to the lake.
We find a large boulder right by the water with a large crevice facing away from the beach. We decide it would be best to store the weapons there so that they're harder to find.
We place the food in some thick bushes directly next to the boulder. When you step back, you can't see a thing in them, which is a very good thing.
We continue this process until all of our major supplies are moved, then we pack up the tent and sleeping bags, and stash them in a small tree by the water. The material on the tent and bags is dark, so it's difficult to see, unless you know what you're looking for.
"There, now, we should probably figure out a strategy for later." I tell him as we sit on the small, tan, sandy stretch of the beach to rest.
"Well, you're faster than me, and could throw a knife out of the blue if someone isn't expecting it. How about you hide way inside of the cornucopia and wait for someone to come dashing up to grab their bag." He tells me as he begins to draw random lines in the sand.
"Okay, that could work. But what if Katniss and the girl form 5 come at the same time, who should I go for first?" I ask.
"Definitely take Fire-Girl first. Take her out, and if you still have time, go for the other. My main concern will be Thresh. I know that he won't come out if he sees me, so if I stay back, as soon as he comes into view, I go and deal with him. That sound good?" he asks as he dusts the sand off of his palms.
"Yep, should work fine. But wait, what about Peeta? He hasn't died yet. Do you think he got better and would be here to back Katniss up?" I question him, slightly worried that this may be more than we can handle.
Our strength is down, and the kills need to be quick, but there hasn't been any bloodshed for the viewers in days. So, it's a toss-up between being quick and effective, or torturing slowly and winning over more fans.
"I don't think so. I think if he was healed, they would have come looking for us." Cato replies. "Ok, let's hope we can end this thing today. I better go and get situated before anyone sees where I'm going." I say as I stand up.
"Wait, just in case." Cato says as he stands up and gives me a quick kiss and a tight hug. "I'll be fine." I reassure him as I head off towards the large metal object.
I sprint into the mouth, carrying my 18 remaining knives on my belt, and a short sword for back up. I wait silently and watch the sun begin to slowly rise high into the sky, until it's directly over us. "Any second now." I tell myself as I feel my adrenaline start to surge.
Just then, the speaker crackles, and for the second time today, we hear Claudius Templesmith's voice boom out across the arena.
"Remaining tributes, welcome to the feast! And, may the odds be ever in your favor!" he yells as the speaker goes silent.
I feel a faint rumbling below me, and watch to see as I metal table rises from the ground. On it, sits 5 back packs in various sizes. Our 2 are the biggest, followed by Thresh's, District 5's, and then the tiniest one of from District 12.
I'm too focused on sizing up the bags that I miss the girl from 5 as she scurries in, grabs her bag, and then darts back quickly for the trees she came out of.
"Shoot." I mutter under my breath, but quickly focus as I see my main target come into view. Katniss looks around cautiously and quickly runs to the table.
Just as she grabs her bag, I send a knife hurdling at her head. She manages to dodge it quickly, but it catches the side of her forehead.
She quickly loads an arrow on to her bow and without even aiming; she fires, sending one of her stainless steel arrows, right through my upper left arm.
I yell out in pain, but block it out as I sprint towards her, catching up to her fleeing figure and manage to tackle her flat onto the ground.
I'm much larger than her, and I quickly have her pinned down, despite my bleeding wound.
I put all of my weight onto her chest and torso, while pinning her shoulder with my knees and her hands with my feet. She struggles and rolls around as much as she can, but gets herself nowhere.
I pick up her bow that he dropped right beside us, and send it flying into the side of the cornucopia, hitting it with a loud bang.
"I really, really, really didn't appreciate this arrow in my arm." I tell her in a low growl as she whines slightly when I press down onto her shoulders more.
"That wasn't a good idea at all to make me bleed this much." I gesture to my now dripping wound "It's only going to cause you to suffer more." I taunt as I begin to teasingly rub the blade of my smallest knife across her neck and down her arms.
"Now, where shall we begin? Oh, I know. We'll start with your lips. Care to blow Lover-boy one last kiss?" I tease as I take my knife and make a small incision just below her lower lip.
She whimpers in pain and I see the smallest tear begin to fall out of her eye. "Oh, don't cry now. It'll all be over soon…maybe." I tell her with a smirk as I swipe away the tear and go back to my work.
Just as I'm about to cut open her upper lip, I large force picks me up off of her and sends me flying into the side of the cornucopia.
This causes a searing pain to go throughout my whole arm as the arrow is shoved deeper. I know exactly who it is by the sheer force of the throw, and the only thing I can manage to get out as a cry for help is one name.
Well, I hope ya'll enjoyed it! And I know, I know...I left ya'll hanging...sorry...kinda ;) You will find out Clove's fate in the next chapter! Once again, please review or follow! Here's the shout-outs.
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