So I've exhausted my supply. I normally have a few chapters queued up and ready to go because I get impatient and can't help but share them immediately, but I've reached my limit. I haven't even started the next one yet, but I'll get working on that real soon. Leave me some love!
He was in my arms before I even knew I was standing. "You're alright!" I shouted, pulling my own mask off to get a better look at him.
"I'm fine, Cato." He simply reply seemed distant. Something was on his mind. What? Was he not happy to see me? Did I do everything in my power to find him and he wants nothing to do with me? Pulling away from him my gaze filled with rage.
"What? No, 'It's good to see you? I'm glad you're okay to?'" he looked away from me, sorrow clouding his face. "Is there a problem or something?"
"Well, I heard shouting and growling, and I found myself running." Peeta was exlpaining, he still looked worried, instantly regretting my actions.
"Why would you run at the growling?" Clove jumped in, trying to defuse the building tension.
"Because I thought whatever it was had Katniss." He was surveying the forest wildly. "She said she'd be back, but she's been gone for awhile. The cannons got me a little worried and then I heard the attack and started running." He looked down, seeing my jacket for the first time, tinted red with my own blood.
"Looks like it found you two first." His animosity at me hurt at first. I didn't blame him, I was a complete dick to him at first to. "Are you alright?" His features softened at my hurt, his gloved hand outstretched to my cut chest, trying to get a better look at the damage.
"I'm fine." I answered coldly.
"You can't leave that cut open in this weather, you're blood will freeze." He reached into his pack, pulling out a small first aid kit. His genuine concern melted any hostility from our impersonal reunion.
"You said you were with Katniss?" Clove asked.
"Sit down and take your jacket off so I can get a better look at it." Peeta instructed me, he answered Clove's question while he applied the gauze. "Yeah. I don't know what was so important to leave in the middle of the night, but she told me not to worry. That she would be right back. It's been hours."
Katniss. How dare she leave him alone during the night, especially on the first day? The thought of it made me want to rip her apart when we found her. This type of arena wasn't something you could do on your own. You needed the extra person, if not only for the warmth.
"All done." Peeta smiled up at me, his touch lingering on my abs for a moment before he pulled away. All I wanted was to pull him back. I grabbed the hem of his shirt as he started to stand and pulled him back down, finding his lips against mine.
"Can you two maybe do this another time? I know it's all 'Yay, you're alive! I missed you so much! Mwauh mwuah mwauh!' but we kinda have a problem here." Clove answered
Peeta broke away from me, a blush on his face at Clove's comment. "Better put your jacket back on before you freeze." He told me.
I didn't notice the coldsnap against my exposed skin until he pulled away, his disappearing warmth leaving me to the harsh elements. My jacket was still useable, but the slices across my chest area made the jacket less effective. Peeta must have noticed it and searched his pack.
"I think I have a blanket in here, or something that might be able to hold in the heat better." He pulled out a small cloth and stuffed it between my chest and my jacket. "It's not perfect, but it'll help a little. In the cold, you're core heat is the most important, you lose that and you mind as well kill yourself to end the misery."
He looked down at my hand and let out a sigh, "Where are your gloves?" grabbing my overly red fingers. The warmth from him was actually painful against my irritated skin. His other hand sandwiched my own between his and he rubbed them together. "You're going to get frostbite. Here, take my gloves for now. I can go a little bit without them."
"Uh, thanks." I answered pulling the glove on, it was small but warm. The sound of my own voice made me realize it was the first thing I had said in awhile.
"How did your night end up?" like that wasn't awkward. "I mean, aside from Katniss ditching you."
"I didn't ditch him." Following the voice, I spotted her. An arrow poised and aimed right at my head. "What are you doing here?"
"Chill out, Katniss." Peeta answered, "They're with me." She didn't release her arrow, but still aimed it at me.
"Making friends with the enemy? You know, I could just kill him now and we wouldn't have to worry about it later." Katniss answered, drawing the string back to emphasize her point.
"And then I'd have to kill you."Clove had her knives out, ready to be thrown. "Feelin' lucky?"
"Everyone needs to calm down." Peeta stepped in front of me in a protective gesture, but the boy was at least a head shorter than me. Katniss aim was still locked onto me. A moment of tense silence passed before she released the string, and put her arrow back into her quiver. Clove relaxed her knives.
"Mind explaining all of this then?" Katniss asked to Peeta.
"If anyone needs to explain anything, it's you!" Peeta shouted, "You left me!"
"I know, if I told you what I was really up to, you never would have let me leave." Katniss answered. "I went back to the cornucopia, thinking everyone would have cleared out. I mean you'd have to be stupid to stay on the peak with nothing to block the wind. There were two of them though."
"I grabbed this," lifting her bow. "and another pack before I took care of them." Well that explains the two cannons last night.
"What possessed you to run off into the freezing night?" Clove asked, "Above all, with those monsters howling all night?"
"I'm used to the cold." Katniss answered. "Wolves are also easy to outsmart if you know what you're doing. I've had my fair share of practice with wild dogs."
It still amazed me. This Katniss girl was turning out to be a formidable opponent. Thankfully she was partially one of my allies right now. "Do you know how to use that?" I asked her, pointing to her bow.
Peeta laughed, "Yeah she does, she used to sell my dad squirrels that she killed. She never misses."
"Alright, I answered you're questions. Now what are they doing here? And why aren't we killing them." Katniss asked. Fuck my admiration, I wanted to grab my sword and slice through her.
"Because I won't let you. Cato and Clove were my friends in the tower. You kill them, and I'll hunt you down." Peeta's answer visibly unnerved Katniss.
"Whatever. They get in my way, I'll take them out." Katniss answered as she pushed her way past us.
The three of us watched her as she walked ahead of us. Clove walked up behind me and Peeta whispering, "I don't like her very much…"
Peeta laughed, "She takes a bit of getting used to." He started putting his facemask back on, smiling up at me. His blue eyes still visible under the grey mask.
"Katniss." He called after her. She turned to watch the three of us.
"Are you three coming?"
"I was thinking, I know its dawn, but I don't think any of us got any sleep. You were out gathering supplies, I was alone, and it seems like Cato and Clove spent the night running away from wolves. Since there's four of us now, we can take the first part of the day to rest." Peeta explained.
Katniss stared at him for a while. She didn't seem to like the idea very much. I didn't much care for it either. As good as sleep would sound, we'd be wasting precious daylight.
"Are you sure wasting daylight is such a good idea?" I voiced my opinion.
"As opposed to using it for what?" Peeta asked, "We have enough food for the day, and Katniss is decent at setting traps. We could take a break and wait to see what's caught. One of us would always be on watch."
"As tired as I am, and how much I regret saying it, I agree with Cato." Katniss answered. "The thought of sleep is tempting, but we need to prepare."
"Well, that makes two against one." Peeta said, "Clove?"
Clove yawned, all the talk about sleep was obviously getting to her. "Peeta's option is very tempting. Plus, how much could we really get done with all of us working on no sleep?"
"Great, now its split even." I answered. "That whole discussion went no where."
Clove poked me, I turned and she pointed at Peeta who was lost in thought then winked at me.
"What?" I asked her.
"Thank about it." Clove said.
Oh, if we took a break, I'd get a little one on one Peeta time. "On second thought, maybe we should get some rest."
Peeta's eyes were shining when he looked up at me. "Then it's settled! We'll catch a few hours of sleep and then continue at noon."
Katniss sighed in defeat. "Come on, Katniss. You know it will do all of us some good." Clove rationalized.
"Fine, I'll set a few snares and then I'll be back." She more so stomped off into the forest than simply leaving us.
"I'll take first watch. I got a few hours of sleep last night." Offered a scheming Clove. It was good to have this Clove back despite the situation we are in. She opened her pack and pulled out the large sleeping bag and handed it to me.
I unrolled it and climbed into it, Peeta watching me. "Are you going to join me?" I asked, opening part of the bag in an invitation. He crawled in, sheepishly.
I pulled him close to me, wanting his warmth and missing him in my arms. "Cato?" Peeta asked when he noticed Clove busy herself nearby. "I'm glad you're okay."
"Me too." I whispered, moving slightly to find his lips through our face masks. His kiss still filled me with that fire, thinking there couldn't be a better companion for this icy arena.
"I knew you would find me. I got this feeling last night that you were out there searching." Peeta answered. He settled back against me. "Part of me wasn't sure if I wanted you to find me. I mean, granted we get a little more time together, it'll only make it harder in the end."
Thinking of something Clove told me when I first met her, and suddenly understanding what she meant. "But sometimes, it's what makes life worth living." I tried not to think about the irony in my words and what would have to happen towards the end of the games. All I knew was that Peeta was back in my arms and he was all that mattered. Even if it's only for a moment.
Aww sappy sappy. Figured I tortured you all enough with my last few endings. So I'll give you something slightly happier.