CLOVE'S POV

I don't know when I fell asleep, but my back is in tight knots. I don't want to open my eyes to see the nightmare that is reality for me. Instead I just re-adjust myself to the forest floor. My fingers are still wrapped tightly around a knife. Across from where I am, I can hear Glimmer's sleepy mutter followed by a ruffled coat- adjusting herself into Cato. The arena is quiet, but I can hear this sound- it's not another tribute, I know that much. It progressively gets louder and louder. Tossing and turning, trying to figure out if it is all just in my mind- it becomes clear. There's a crash to the ground. All of us are up immediately.

Tracker Jackers.

Katniss must've found a nest above us and cut. My screams fill the air, it's as close to death as I have been in the arena. I take off running, Cato is beside me. Marvel has to be ahead. The tracker jacker stings are violently painful, they swarm us as we run. Abruptly I turn only to see behind me the blonde female on the ground; she's completely covered by the tracker jackers. Her screams pierce my ears. Our alliance is completely spread out, however the venomous mutts are gone. And so is Glimmer. A cannon sounds in the distance.

My eyelids feel heavy, my mind isn't making sense. The vision is blurry but I see it. Cato has Peeta pinned against a tree his sword pulled back, ready to kill. Somehow Peeta escapes the grasp, but not the sword. Cato must be suffering too, because his hit only sinks shallowly into Lover Boy's leg. Cato doesn't chase after him as the boy runs for his life. Quickly after I see Cato holding onto the tree, and I, I see blackness.

CATO'S POV

They were still an alliance all along. Star-crossed lovers of District 12. I pin him against the first tree I can really focus on.

"Star-crossed lovers." I sneer at him. His innocent face is terrified.

"I-I didn't know. I didn't know she" I push him harder into the tree. My vision is tunneling, but I play it off.

"You. And. Her.-" My voice is getting angry. He gets to announce his love for her, but I can't do that for Clove.

He gets to play a card that might just save them both, while I have to die, or watch Clove die. I grab my sword and get ready to kill. But my aim sucks. I miss his chest, as he wiggles away from my grasp. The sword sticks into his leg for only a second, but a second enough to do the damage. He'll be gone by sunset. My balance is becoming un-normal. I grab the trunk of the tree. Focus Cato. Focus. I stare deeply into the bark for what seems like ever. Finally my vision settles, my balance a bit more normal. But Clove, she's on the ground five feet away. The balance of mine still isn't right, but I shuffle over to her and lean down. She's still alive, just severely effected by the venom. Sitting beside her, my bodily functions return to normal. Lucky me. I maybe only had few stings. It's hours before I see Marvel, the sun is just setting. He walks slowly towards me: clearly he is still un the influence. He throws his spear down beside me.

"Rough day?"

Marvel shoots me a look.

I mutter under my breath. His eyebrows rise.

"There's two of us, and one of her. One victor. I hate you. And I wish you would've been beside Glimmer, but you weren't.." I go off, my brain still is under venom effects. However Marvel nods, and takes a seat on the other side of Clove.

"Go ahead. Sleep." I eye him. How the hell do I know he won't kill me?

He gets my vibe.

"Suit yourself then." Marvel sprawls out next to Clove.

It's dark outside when I hear ruffles of a coat. But it isn't the coat of another tribute, it's Clove, finally coming too. Her brown eyes open slowly.

"Cato?" She calls out.

At least she asked for me first. I pull her body into my lap.

"You're fine." I tell her over and over. She asks what has happened, what she has missed. I tell her Glimmer is gone, which causes a smile.

By morning she is back to her fierece self, which means it is time to strengthen the alliance and find Katniss. Finding Katniss means I can finally kill the boy from District one.