I spoke to her, unable to resist as she called my name in a hushed voice. "You here to finish me off, sweetheart?" I asked, knowing Haymitch often called her sweetheart when he was drunk. She whirled, unable to find the source of the sound, me. How unusual that was. She was a hunter, aware of her surroundings and truly a part of them. Something must be wrong for her to not find me. Anger boiled in my veins at the very thought of any other tribute hurting her, though I quickly settled it to look at her. She was disheveled and clearly exhausted, but alive. There was something different about her braid I couldn't put my finger on, and her eyes were fierce as always. The quiver she had taken from Glimmer was slung over her back, and her bow was raised and ready to strike.
"Peeta? Where are you? Peeta?" she hissed, squinting into the bank I had hidden myself in and taking a step towards it, and me.
"Well don't step on me," I said, wincing at the thought of her stepping on the wound in my thigh. Finally I open my eyes, and she gasps at me. I let out a laugh at her astounded face.
"Close your eyes again," she says, and I oblige. I can feel her move closer to me and say "I guess all those hours of decorating cakes paid off," her voice still shocked.
"Yes, frosting, the final defense of the dying." It surprises me how quickly her presence distracts me from the pain I've been trying to ignore for so many hours. "You're not going to die." In her voice is the determination anyone could see in her eyes when she volunteered for her sister, but I'm aware I am long past healing, the wound is so infected.
"Says who?"
"Says me. We're on the same team now, you know."
I open my eyes to look at her again, trying to confirm if this is dream or not. I had been so sure she would never come for me.
"So I heard. Nice of you to find what's left of me." She pulls out a water bottle for me to drink from and asks if Cato had cut me.
"Left leg, up high," I tell her.
"Let's get you in the stream, wash you off so I can see what kind of wounds you've got," she responds, and I know this isn't going to go well. So I figure that before my wound sends her running, I may as well give it a shot.
"Lean down a minute first, I need to tell you something." She leans down towards me, her ear tipped towards my mouth, her proximity thrilling me. "Remember, we're madly in love, so it's alright to kiss me anytime you feel like it." Katniss' abrupt movement backwards has me regretting saying anything until she lets out a laugh, saying "Thanks, I'll keep it in mind."
Well, it was worth a try I guess. She tries to move me into the stream, but I find that I can't help her at all. My body is too weak to move, and even if she does the moving my leg screams in protest. I try hard to stay strong for her sake.