After I split with Seeder, I run to the pile of weapons. This is no time to be choosy and yet it is the perfect time to be choosy. My eyes search for that one weapon, the one that others have said is a natural extension of my arm. I am sure it will be in the pile; the Capitol viewers would go ape if I was denied the trident.
Ah. There it is. Beautiful gold with three perfectly sharpened points. The trident I knew would be in the selection. A net lies buried beside it and I snatch both up. Time is ticking away and I have to find Katniss. No time to grab other weapons or look for food; maybe there's food on the other side of the pile.
Rounding the pile, I come up short when I spot Katniss in front of me, back tense, already fitting an arrow to the string as she turns to face me. Her face shocks me, at first. It is the face of a killer and I know I'll have to pour on the charm to get her to like me. To trust me.
I throw on a small smile but there's nothing I can do to relax my muscles. They'll stay tense throughout the entire games, I know that from experience. "You can swim too," I say. I can't think of anything else to say. "Where did you learn that in District Twelve?"
Her reply is scathing, as I knew it probably would be. I'll have to let it roll off my back. "We have a big bathtub," she says.
"You must." I wonder where Peeta is. Perhaps he can't swim? Would she have left him? Maybe they weren't next to each other on the silver circles. "You like the arena?" Of course she doesn't like the arena. It's not a forest. Not home.
"Not particularly." She doesn't take her gaze from mine. "But you should. They must have built it especially for you."
Wonderful. She's not thrilled with me already. And I haven't even done anything unless you count the sugar cube thing. But that was so long ago. It's not my fault the Gamemakers chose this arena. They just don't like her.
Katniss doesn't move and neither do I. I look at her golden bow and the sheath of arrows still buried in the pile and know that there's death waiting at the tip of each one. She's staring at my trident and the edges of her lips are trembling, I can tell, no matter how hard she tries to hide it.
Finally, I can't take it anymore. I put on the biggest grin I can – my lady-killer smile – and say, "Lucky thing we're allies. Right?"
Her fingers tighten on the bowstring and I know it's over for me. So much for my protection. She doesn't want it. Then I remember…the bracelet. I twist my arm, just a bit and the bracelet glints in the sunlight. I follow her gaze down my arm to the gold circlet and see her eyes widen in recognition.
Still, she doesn't blindly follow me. It's obvious she's warring with herself as she tries to decide whether or not to trust me. Curse girls with brains.
The man from District 5 climbs from the water a couple hundred yards behind Katniss and if she doesn't make her decision soon, I'll have to make it for her. But then she snaps, "Right!" and I know I've got her on my side, if not completely won over.
My blood runs cold. The man's running this way, armed with nothing, perhaps counting on me distracting Katniss so he can snap her neck, hoping I'll kill her and then not kill him…I don't know. All I know is that Katniss is oblivious.
"Duck!" I shout. A command. She does and I throw the trident as hard as I can. Clearly, it's not what the man expected. He doesn't have time to get clear and the weapon pierces him in his chest. I try not to show how it affects me, even though it does. As I pull the trident from his lifeless chest, I say, "Don't trust 1 and 2."
She yanks the sheath of arrows from the pile and asks, "Each take one side?"
No. Let's stick together. It's easier for me to protect you that way. That's what I want to say. But I don't. I just nod and hope nothing happens to her as she darts off around the pile. Halfheartedly, I poke around in the weapons. Only a wickedly curved knife grabs my attention and I pull it free and shove it into my belt.
"Anything useful?" I shout. Say yes and let's get out of here, I think. After we get Peeta, of course.
Nothing for a second and my heart pounds into a quick rhythm. She can't die on my watch. I won't allow it. Finally, her voice echoes in the silence. "Weapons! Nothing but weapons!"
I sigh. "Same here. Grab what you want and let's go!"
I've already got what I want so I begin to make my way back around the Cornucopia when I hear the twang of the bowstring. This girl is more trouble than she's worth. Of course, by the time I reach the front of the pile, Katniss is there with knives, an awl, two sheathes of arrows and her bow in hand. A bleeding Gloss is in the water but Brutus is doggedly making his way towards us.
She's making me irritated. I hate being irritated. Let her save herself. "Do something about that, would you?" I ask.
The arrow is loosed from the string before I see it arrive there but Brutus blocks it with his belt. Purple goop sprays into his face and he dives back into the water to get it off. Maybe its poisonous and will kill him.
Katniss is reloading when he hits the water. "Let's clear out."
Not a bad idea. Enobaria and Gloss are back on the island now, poking around in the Cornucopia and I know they don't have an alliance with us. I know they're Careers and are probably bad news. I also know that Katniss is gonna wanna go get Peeta before something happens…yep. There she goes. Quickly, I take off after her, unwilling to risk her life to the Careers. This girl is not going to make things easy.
By the time I catch up at water's edge, she's throwing knives on the ground. Ha. I'm the swimmer here and I don't want anyone to forget it. I lay a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll get him." I say. She should say yes and trust me. After all, I have the bracelet. And I'm Finnick Odair. I'm trustworthy.
Nope. That would be too easy. "I can." She insists. Yeah…this girl's already grinding my last nerve. This is gonna be a long Quarter Quell.
I don't listen to her. Instead, I drop my trident, my net and my knife and flash her a pitying smile. Two can play at the annoying game. "Better not exert yourself. Not in your condition."
Confusion and then anger flash across her face and I congratulate myself. I knew the baby thing was a ruse and she's proved it. But it'll help me and I can play it up for the audience. So I pat her abdomen for added emphasis.
Before she can protest any more, I step to the edge of the water and get ready. "Cover me," I say and dive in. It's a perfect dive. Chew on that, hunter girl.
When I reach the far bank, Peeta doesn't look too wary. Don't be trouble, I command him in my thoughts. I do not need that.
"Come on," I reach a hand out to him as I emerge, dripping wet, from the water. Make sure he can see the bangle on my wrist. "Katniss is waiting."
I'm not sure what exactly convinced him but he joins me at the water's edge and looks at me for a minute before saying, "Guess we're in this together, huh?"
Maybe he knows my goal is to get Katniss out alive, same as him. I don't know. All I do is shake my head, get a good grip on him, arm around his chest, and slide back into the water. It's hard work towing him across the water but I do it. We climb onto the sand beside Katniss.
Peeta goes to her at once. "Hello, again." He kisses her. I could almost barf, if just because it reminds me of Annie. "We've got allies."
Katniss answers, "Yes. Just as Haymitch intended." How much has this girl guessed, I wonder.
"Remind me, did we make deals with anyone else?" Peeta slips his arm around Katniss who nods towards the water.
"Only Mags, I think." Katniss says and I spin to look out at my old mentor making her way towards us. A burst of joy erupts in my chest.
"Well, I can't leave Mags behind," I answer promptly. "She's one of the few people who actually likes me."
I hope Katniss and Peeta don't argue. I'd hate to have to knock them out; I'm not leaving Mags behind. No way. Not when to do so would be to condemn her to death.
"I've got no problem with Mags." Katniss says. "Especially now that I see the arena. Her fishhooks are probably our best chance of getting a meal."
"Katniss wanted her on the first day." Peeta adds, as if that solves everything. It solves nothing, other than the fact that Katniss isn't ready to kill Mags yet. Now me on the other hand…that she sure might be ready to do.
Shake it off, Finn, I tell myself. "Katniss has remarkably good judgement."
Mags has reached me now and I pull her out of the water, knowing she won't mind. She knows she's older and not quite as agile as the rest of us. As I set her upright on the sand, she pats the belt at her waist and garbles something that even I can't make out. All I catch is the word "bob" but I've worked with Mags a really long time; I know what she means.
I look out at the sea and nod. "Look, she's right." I point to Beetee. "Someone figured it out." He's bobbing around in the water, looking like a fool but at least he's not dead or drowned. I knew Johanna wouldn't let him die.
"What?" Katniss asks. Is this girl really the Mockingjay? She doesn't seem too quick on the uptake. I decide to give her the benefit of the doubt for the time being.
"The belts. They're floatation devices." I say. It takes all that I am not to sound condescending or frustrated. But really, we should be miles from here by now. "I mean, you have to propel yourself but they'll keep you from drowning.
Surely, she'll see its time to go now. Instead, she stares at Beetee for a long moment and then looks around, like she's searching for someone. I want to tap my foot impatiently, maybe give her a poke with my trident but I don't. Allies don't do that. It's bad television. At least, they don't do it until they're ready to kill their ally.
After what seems like forever, Katniss pulls a bow, a sheath of arrows and a knife from the weapons piled in her hands and gives them to Peeta. Mags instantly starts tugging on her sleeve and babbling something I can tell Katniss doesn't understand but it's kind of funny so I just watch. Finally, she figures it out and gives Mags the awl.
Mags clenches the awl in her teeth and reaches her arms up to me. I know what she wants at once; this is how we'd decided we'd play it. So I move my net to one shoulder, hoist Mags over the other, make sure I've got a good grip on my tridents
And then we run, away from the Cornucopia. We run, as fast as we can, until the sand gives way to black dirt and towering trees. I'm not sure what to call this, it's not a forest…it's more dense, more compact. I'm sure Katniss has a word for it. But I don't really want to stop and ask her so instead, we just keep running.
I'm obviously the most physical fit of our group, not to mention the most handsome, so naturally I take the lead. But then Katniss pushes Peeta in front of me and insists that I go second, saying that I'm not as dangerous as I usually am while carrying Mags and that my trident isn't quite the weapon for this job. Already, I'm a bit winded so I don't waste breath arguing.
Peeta hacks a path in front of us with his long knife, leaving a clear trail for the Careers to follow but he doesn't really have much choice. It's hack a trail or have vines and stuff smack us in the face every step. Katniss brings up the rear, her bow tracking left and right. Maybe she was smart in putting me second. Doesn't mean I have to like it but maybe she was.
My legs are burning after a mile and my shoulder aches. Reluctantly, I ask for a break and Katniss agrees. I don't really care what Peeta's opinion is; I know he'll just do whatever Katniss does. Because she's his wife and pregnant and all that. Wonder how many people outside the Capitol actually believe that? How many of the tributes?
Katniss instantly scales a tree and I wonder what she's seeing. Seeder, Cecilia and Woof, holding defensive positions at the Cornucopia, keeping the non-rebels off our backs? The three of them, dead? Careers hot on our path?
I slump back against a tree. Mags has her eyes closed as she sits nearby and Peeta's facing the other way, keeping a guard out, I guess.
My thoughts return again to what Katniss is probably watching. The Mockingjay probably thought everyone's show of solidarity last night at the Interviews was genuine. And it was, for some of us. Not the Careers. Or District 5 or 9 or 10. A tiny grin creeps over my face as I realize she probably expected to see everyone letting everyone else live. In defiance of the Capitol. Silly girl. She can't honestly believe that's really what would happen. Pretty soon, she'll realize that not everyone is playing by her rules and then she'll have to make new rules.
A chilling thought causes me to jerk upright.
What's to stop Katniss from shooting me? Besides my charm and good looks, I mean. Really. What's to persuade her that this alliance is true? I can't up and tell her the whole plan because she might not believe me and the Capitol is watching. And I do have the bracelet. Sadly, I don't think that will be enough. She's not the trusting type, at least I don't think she is. Probably, I shouldn't have pulled the sugar cube act during the parade. That sure didn't endear me to her. This alliance might not last very long but she won't be the one to kill me. I'll still do my part to protect her and him, even if it has to be from a distance.
Still, there's nothing to keep her from shooting an arrow through my brain as soon as she's back down the tree. Peeta could take out Mags with one stab from his knife. Then they'd be on their own, the way I'm sure they'd like to be. Slowly, so as not to arouse Peeta's suspicions, I raise my trident into a defensive position and watch as she comes down the tree.
At once, I can tell my thoughts were dead-on. She's decided an arrow in my back or even my head will be the best way to dispose of me. Got that part right; she wouldn't want to take me in hand-to-hand combat or anything where my trident will have the advantage.
I try to be casual. "What's going on down there, Katniss? Have they all joined hands? Taken a vow of non-violence? Tossed the weapons in the sea in defiance of the Capitol?" Part of me wishes she'd say yes. That would make my job a whole lot easier. And I'm tired of killing.
"No." She gets it, I see it in her eyes.
"No," I repeat, with added emphasis. "Because whatever happened in the past is the past. And no one in this arena is a victor by chance." A pause while I rethink that thought. Then, at that very moment, I know. I don't know how I know, maybe I saw it in her eyes or in her voice or the way her gaze goes all depressed yet hopeful when she looks at him.
Katniss Everdeen doesn't intend to come out of this arena alive.
Author's Note: Hope you're enjoying this! Please read and review! It makes me happy when I get reviews!