Author's Note: I am so so so sorry! I know this was supposed to be up on Saturday but life got in the way :S
Hope you like this chapter! Thank you so much for the reviews and follows, you are awesome!
We manage to stay away from hunting the next day too, human hunting that is. I know it is only a matter of time before we cannot get away from it anymore, but at least for now we manage. We convinced Cato that fresh meat would be ten times better than dry fruit and berries, and Marvel offered to come hunting with us. By sunset two more cannons had gone off and we were feasting on rabbits and ducks I had shot, Marvel amazed me with his knowledge on plants and we even found some apples.
Later that day, when the Capitol's seal dies off and I manage to stop staring at the sky, trying to forget the faces of the tribute's Cato and Clove have killed, Marvel clears his throat.
"What you said in the interview, it wasn't just a strategy. Was it? You really do care about the boy." The Arena is silent, I can only hear the breathing from the sleeping careers, of Danny, and of the boy next to me. I don't answer, he doesn't ask again.
When Glimmer and the girl from Four ― Lara, I did not want to know that ― wake up to take our places, Marvel leans in to kiss me and I freeze. He whispers something in my ear before kissing my cheek chastely, and I know the kiss was just a way to disguise the fact that he wanted to say something private. Privacy is not a luxury you can afford in the Arena.
I disappear into my tent and try to scrub off his lips from my skin, but even when I sort of manage to wipe it off I can't stop replaying his words in my head. He is not safe here.
The next day we cannot hide away from hunting. Glimmer is amazed with my archery skills and I offer to teach her, making sure to be a lousy teacher just in case she gets her hands on a bow, I wouldn't want her to have some sort of advantage once the Career and us part ways. But around midday Cato stops us. "It would be ten times more useful if you used those arrows to kill tributes. You already proved your talent, now prove your worth." I swallow, and give him a sharp nod. He smirks so wide I'm afraid his cheeks might break, but they don't. Instead he lets us know we leave in ten minutes.
When we are fixing our packs for the hunt a parachute falls from the sky. It's small, silver and it falls right at my feet so I know it must be mine. Confused, I grab it, trying to ignore everyone's eyes on me. Haymitch isn't one to give random gifts, and I know that whatever it is that is inside the pot is not a token of his appreciation, but an instruction. There is no other reason why he would send me anything at the moment, Danny and I are well fed, none of us are injured.
Inside there's a small, blue, empty canteen. Just like the ones that we found in the Cornucopia. Everybody quickly loses interest but Danny and me, I frown intently at the gift. "Why would he send you that?"
"Maybe he got drunk during the bloodbath and he failed to see we have plenty canteens here." Glimmer snickers and they all laugh, but I don't.
Haymitch is trying to tell me something, not Danny, not us. He wants me to do something, so I shoot a look at the sky, trying to let him know that I have no idea what he wants. I can almost see him roll his eyes at my incompetence.
I open my backpack to drop the canteen inside and suddenly I know what Haymitch wants from me, so I prepare accordingly.
In a way, hunting for humans isn't as different as hunting for animals. And the Careers rather suck at it. Cato goes first, pretending he knows how track, but he only catches the obvious ― extinguished fireplaces, footprints, forgotten belongings ― I know Gale is probably rolling his eyes at him right now, if it had been my best friend looking, he would have easily spotted the broken branches that clearly said someone had spent the night there, he would have followed the rustling noise that indicate someone fled from us.
Sadly, Cato isn't as bad at tracking as the other tributes are bad at covering their tracks.
We've been following a track for hours now, and finally Lara spots a brunette head on a tree, the frightened boy tribute trembles when he spots the quite big Career pack gathering around his hideout. Please don't join the dots, please don't join the dots. Please try to climb and get the kill yourself, Cato. Please. But my silent pleas do nothing, and after studying the situation for a moment Cato smirks once again and bumps his shoulder against mine. "It's yours, archer."
Danny's eyes dart open and for a moment I'm afraid they will pop out of his head, I only allow myself to look into his eyes for a second, when he shakes his head I look up to the kid from Ten ― at least I think he is from Ten, or probably Seven. I grab an arrow from my quiver and tense my bow. "Don't look. " I instruct Danny, but maybe I am saying that to Peeta and to Prim too.
Adrenaline rushes through my veins, my mind is desperately trying to find a solution. Maybe I should miss the shot? I would risk losing an arrow that could come in handy later. And the shot is so easy even Glimmer could kill him, I won't fool them. There is no way I can run away fast enough for the Careers not to kill me, and I can't leave Danny behind. There is no other way. I have to kill him.
In the end, I needn't shoot to kill him. The tribute is crying, and desperately tries to escape his imminent death by climbing higher on the tree, as if I would miss. I ready myself to let go of the arrow the moment his hand wraps around a fragile branch and I yell "No!" In a second he drops down to the ground and I yank Danny backwards so the body won't crush him.
My heartbeat is loud and erratic, and I know I will never be able to shake the image of the boy falling to his death because of me. Because he wasscared of me.
Danny buries his face on my chest, but the Careers quickly form a circle around the fallen tribute, kicking the body and joking about him. "I thought he was going to shit his pants!" "Well, maybe he did!" Their laughter scares away some birds and I shiver, unable to contain the tears on my eyes.
It doesn't take them long to realize something is missing.
"Where's the cannon? It should have gone off when he fell."
"He's still alive!"
I see Cato lift his arm to fix the situation, and decide that Haymitch is right. I pull back from Danny's embrace and press a finger to my lips. We turn around before the sword falls on the kid, and by the time the Careers turn to share their Victory with us, both the echo of the cannon and us are long gone.
I don't allow Danny to slow down until we have been running for a good hour or so. We come across a fallen tree and sit on it, panting. I open the backpack and offer Danny a canteen full of water, just like the one Haymitch sent us.
"He wanted us to leave." He finally realizes, and I nod.
He gives it a drink and hands it to me, I give it a small gulp and return the canteen to the backpack. I can't afford the luxury of quenching my thirst entirely anymore. Other than the lake I haven't seen a single source of water. And I have a funny feeling we are not welcome near the Career camp anymore.
"I knew you wouldn't do it." He whispers, resting his head in my shoulder.
My heart stops for a moment. Because that makes only one of us.