Chapter 9: Consequences
We made our way into the clearing shortly after the ambush at the Cornucopia being sure to pass glances behind us to make sure Marvel and Finnick hadn't followed us back to our camp. The journey seemed to drag on as we made our way back, but we passed through the thick foliage lined with moss into an open clearing where two large boys sat in discussion. They turned their heads quickly when they heard the rustling of leaves and the small cracks as branches underfoot snapped under our weight.
Gloss was the first of the boys to his feet and before long Cato had joined him, using Gloss' weight to balance himself. He looked worse than he had before we left on our trip to the Cornucopia. He looked weaker and more vulnerable than ever. His jacket was torn where the arrow had sunk itself into his side, and I could see that his wound had stopped bleeding. Unfortunately, the dried blood on his side was both masked over by the putrid smell of pus and a yellow-like liquid protruded from it. It was definitely infected, I thought, before racing over to the tall blonde. It wasn't much of a distance to him but once again the gap between us seemed to last for an eternity before I plummeted myself into his arms. I wrapped both set of arms around his waist and sank my face into his cold, jacket that radiated with the heat coming from his body. If I could make this moment last, I would have, but Cato eagerly needed to have his wound treated by the ointment in our supply bag.
Johanna had carried the bag over her shoulder as we made our way back from the Cornucopia, insisting that it would be better for both of us if I could hack away at the ferns that blocked our path as we walked. It was a small bag that contained only a small amount of ointment that was cool and wet to the touch. The jar that it came in was round and covered in small Capitol seals. The bag itself had a loose string that could easily be heaved over your shoulder. It hung itself loosely on Johanna's back, as I recalled, and it matched her dark jacket as it rubbed up against the compact fabric.
I had hardly begun to let go of Cato before Johanna cleared her throat, gave us a cheeky comment, and had positioned herself by Cato's side. I took this time to string my fingers through Cato's and felt his smooth skin up against my own, which caused a spine-tingling sensation. Johanna had opened up the canister containing the ointment slowly, as she placed two fingers into it and then placed them against Cato's injury. Cato exclaimed a small yelp as the cold medicine prickled against his skin and squeezed his hand hard into my own.
The smell of the medicine reminded me of the one I had received, but it also contained a slightly rancid smell of some chemical component inside it. Cato's shoulders and hand relaxed after a couple of seconds as Johanna tightened the lid back onto the jar.
"Apply this again in two hours, Cato," she said somberly. She managed a smile as she pulled herself over to Gloss and sat down in the grass beside him. Cato gave me a glimmering smile that showcased his impressive row of teeth and nuzzled my nose before his lips came crashing down onto mine.
His lips were electric. They caused several chills to make their way from the top of my spine toward my tailbone as a blush made its way onto my cheeks. Small hairs pricked my lips as he pulled me in closer to intensify our embrace. He began to push himself into me, desperately seeking an entrance into my moist lips. I gathered that my time away from him in the arena had affected the other boy, who was eagerly retreating his hand from my side down toward my lower back. His tongue pushed itself passed my teeth as I gave in to him, giving over the power of dominance. I felt as his cheeks pushed themselves into a smile, as he began tracing the sides of my mouth. I could hardly feel my sore muscles now that he was kissing me again. His hand had just recently placed itself onto my bum with a small squeeze before I shrieked and he let go. He looked at me with concern before a low chuckle managed to escape his lips and he was pulling into a small embrace once again.
Gloss was the first one to spoil our moment when he passed a glance over the three tributes that surrounded him, counting each as he did. His face expressed many emotions, which was particularly illustrated by the sound in his voice when he spoke up in distress.
"Where's Katniss?" he managed to say slowly and calmly. I had now pulled myself away from Cato long enough to pass him a shallow shake of my head. My reddened eyes were enough to confirm his thoughts before his head drooped down. I thought I could hear him trying to hold back tears as small whimpering sounds began to break free of his lungs.
I looked up at Cato who was currently trying to process what I meant when I shook my head. His face contorted into several emotions: denial, pain, guilt, and acceptance. Before I knew it I was back in his arms again and the anthem was playing overhead. I stared at Cato as he registered the deaths of Glimmer and Enobaria…followed by his disheartened glance to me when the District 12 female's face appeared in the night sky. Cato whispered that there were only 8 tributes left now, but I couldn't bring myself to think about it. He mentioned that the redheaded girl from District 5 was still alive, which came as no surprise for she was one of the smarter tributes in this year's game. There would only be a few more deaths before they would have to turn their backs on each other and potentially watch as their ally's…friends…and newfound family would fall to the Capitol's mercy.
Images began flowing back to me as Cato held me in his arms and the sounds of wails from Johanna and Gloss erupted into the meadow.
I remember the smirk on Finnick's face as he revealed to Johanna and I that they had planned for the tributes to split up. The look of triumph and victory on his face would be enough to haunt my dreams for the next few restless nights. As he ran off into the woods, Johanna had passed me a worried glance before both our heads were turned to the sky after a cannon fired close to their location. We were on our feet in seconds, running back toward the northern side of the Cornucopia toward our mutual friend. But we were too late. We watched as Marvel ripped his spear from Katniss' back and the orange glow in her goggles becoming no more; Katniss had fallen to the darkness and her lifeless body fell to the forest floor with a loud thud. The thud thud thud. It kept thrashing itself around in my mind. It was a cold sound, but we knew that she was dead before we had even managed to pull ourselves from the blood-soaked ground.
I remember Johanna's loud scream before everything happened to quickly to recall. I had only the memory of time seemingly slowing down – the wind and the shaking of the woodland trees coming to a halt – as Johanna and I closed the distance between where we stood and Katniss' motionless form. There wasn't much blood, only the penetration wound from the spear that soaked itself against Katniss' jacket. The tears were too much to hold back before I joined Johanna in her somber song.
Katniss was my best friend, the girl I had known and loved for as long as I could remember, from my District. We knew each other's secrets and the small details of each other's love life before the other even. She was strong, courageous and a better person than Peeta could even wished to have been in a thousand lifetimes. How would I be able to explain this to her family, I thought between gulps of air. I knew I should have been there with her, to protect her. I told Haymitch to protect Katniss, but I was the one who failed her in the end.
Johanna was the first to move from her spot as she raced over to a small meadow that grew flowers that smelt like the ones back in District 12. She had moved in quick spurts as she was back before I could catch my breath. Johanna placed the flowers between Katniss' hands and placed them over her heart. I couldn't pull myself to close her eyes, so Johanna had volunteered to do so for me. That was a debt that I would never be able to repay, I thought as I passed a glance in her direction.
I knew that the Capitol had to take her body from us, but it was an unbearable task to have to let her go. I sat there in silence with Johanna who before long had begun to pull me from her chest.
"Please, Johanna. I can't do this anymore. I've lost too much already. Just let me be with her," I had managed between tears that poured themselves onto my cheeks. They were streaming now, almost uncontrollably. So Johanna had respected my wishes and gave me time to grieve, before the rumbling of hovercraft jets signaled that it was time to let her go. She died trying to protect us, so I made a promise to myself that I would win this; I would win this for her. For our district. I would make Snow pay for it.
Cato woke me from my senses the next morning. I had hardly realized that I had passed out during our mourning and my legs were interwoven through his. I could feel his heartbeat against my head and hear it pulsate beside my ear. It was slow and the beat was shallow, relaxed. He was currently entwining his fingers through my hair as I slipped my cold hand under his shirt to warm them up against his body. I must admit that his muscles in his abdomen were quite impressive and I'm sure that he knew what I was thinking before his low voice spoke up to break our silence.
"You don't know how long I've been waiting to be able to wake up next to you," he whispered, as I turned my head up to him to pass him a quick grin. His eyes were still groggy from sleep, and his hair was a complete mess from sleeping up against the supply bag that contained his medicine, but he was still stunning.
"When did I fall asleep last night?" I asked him, unsure.
"You don't remember? I was holding you while you told us about what happened…" He cleared his throat before continuing, "…with Katniss. You cried yourself to sleep. You were worn out, so I didn't want to wake you. That's how we ended here." He gestured using his eyes, looking around them and then over toward where Johanna and Gloss were currently laying together.
"Did they-" I began to ask before Cato cut my off as he shook his head.
"They fell asleep shortly after you did. I kept an eye out for anything throughout the night, and got some rest this morning for an hour or so. I'm not overly tired. That medicine must have worked wonders," he said before I screamed out and Johanna and Gloss began rustling in their sleep.
I pulled my head up from Cato's chest slowly, to peer over at his injury, and was pleasantly surprised to see that most of the wound had healed. A small cut was the only remaining sign that something had penetrated the skin. "Oh my God, Cato! Look at it! There's hardly anything left," I exclaimed. Cato used his elbows to lift himself up to inspect his wound, and he looked shocked when he realized that I was being truthful.
"Wow!" he exclaimed in response, before a look of sadness crossed over his face. It was almost unnoticeable, but it was hard to miss the flicker of pain that shot through his sexy, blue eyes.
"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, nudging him sweetly with my nose. It met with his cheek before Cato's forehead turned to meet mine. We rested them together for a little while before he started to talk.
"It's nothing. I'm just happy to have you back, that's all," he replied. He was a good liar, I thought.
"Darling, you're almost as bad as me when it comes to bluffing. Something's bothering you. You can tell me anything, I promise I won't get mad," I said to him. I watched as he mulled over the idea, and then he breathed a sigh before he confessed.
"I was so worried about you when you left. I couldn't stand to sit around and do nothing. Luckily Gloss was always there, making sure that I didn't strain myself," Cato began slowly. I nodded for him to go on. "Anyways, I was still upset with you for not listening to me. I didn't want to lose you, and I knew the gamemakers were setting us up for a loss. I just feel terrible that I get to live, when Katniss gave her life to save me."
"Oh, Cato," I said slowly and sympathetically. I wrapped my arms under his and rested them vertically up his back, and brought my face to his chest. I could feel his heartbeat again. Only this time it was racing. He was terrified for me, I insinuated. "Katniss knew what she was doing and she wouldn't have had it any other way. I promise. I'll never be able to forgive myself for being so selfish…but I know that Katniss wouldn't want me to give up like this," I said. I found myself tearing up again, but brushed them away quickly before Cato could take notice. I didn't want to make him feel worse, but it was still impossible for me to accept losing her. She couldn't be gone. Not like this. Not now. Not when I needed her most.
I watched as Cato felt the support he needed and he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before he pulled himself to his feet. "I see someone's a little eager this morning," I said jokingly.
"I just want to move! I've been sitting here forever, so I can't wait to get moving," Cato replied. His natural gleam was back and a twinkle in his eye signaled that he was back to the same old stubbornness. "Hey lovebirds, are you ready to get moving?" Cato called out. Johanna and Gloss, who were currently rubbing the sleep from their eyes, shot a disgusted glance back at Cato before Johanna responded.
"That's disgusting. I'm ready to go when you two are. Gloss, let's go, pull yourself together," Johanna said matter-of-factly. Cato and I broke out into laughter when she turned to Gloss and gave his jacket a large tug, having no effect on the much-larger brute.
"I'm ready, I'm ready," Gloss said angrily. "Enough with the pushing already, Johanna" he complained.
I shot Cato a knowing smirk before we both broke out into laughter again. It felt so nice to be able to laugh in moments like this. I grabbed hold of Cato's hand quickly before the other two made their way over.
"Let the journey begin," Gloss said simply. He led the way, as Johanna followed closely behind. Cato and I made our way slowly behind them, as Cato adjusted the goggles on my face, which had recently been damaged during my altercation with Finnick.
Cato's face would be the first thing I'd like to set eyes on if we ever made our way out of this arena. But I knew, deep down in my heart, that that would not be the case. I was never leaving this arena. I knew that.
"Hey, baby, I was thinking last night that if we survive this arena, my sister would love to meet you," Cato said, which surprised me.
"You drop these bombshells on me, and then have the nerve to tell me I'm unpredictable," I replied, half-jokingly and half-serious. "Come here," I said, as I tugged at his jacket.
He leaned down, so that I could whisper into his ear. "Call me baby again," I started, "and I'll have to take advantage of this darkness." That came out a lot more sexually driven than I had originally intended, but Cato's quick turn of his head signified that he secretly enjoyed it.
"You're perfect, you know," Cato said, before finishing his sentence off by whispering 'baby' into my ear flirtatiously. He's driving me insane, I noted. The sexual tension was enough to cause the other two tributes to turn back.
"We know what's going on back there," Johanna started, "and it's nauseating…and a little adorable. But if you say that I said that, I'll kill you both myself."
"Considering we're on live television, I don't think it'd be easy for you to deny that statement," Cato retorted, with a large grin still present on his face. Sexy and smart, I thought, now I'm definitely not letting him go.
I noticed that we were edging our way closer and closer to the Cornucopia now, and images of the night before encircled my thoughts. I felt it all again: the pain from each blow that Enobaria lodged into me, the smell of metallic blood splattered on the grass, the look on Finnick's face as the realization sunk in, and the death of—
"Hey," Cato said as he placed his hand on my back to comfort me. "You're shaking. Are you alright?" he said, but he knew exactly what I was thinking of when his goggles situated themselves on the towering steel object before us.
"I'm alright. Just thinking about last night. Can you hold me?" I said. I hoped the citizens of the Capitol would see this. Maybe somewhere, deep down inside their cold hearts, they could come to realize the masochistic nature of the games, I thought.
With a nod of his head, followed by a strong arm along my waistline, Cato pulled me in close. He was always warm to the touch, and despite the games, he smelt just as good if not better. His musky odor mixed with the smell of pine and evergreens made him that much more delectable.
We were rounding the better half of the Cornucopia now, as Johanna and Gloss made their way to find some precious resources that would be needed to sustain us for the remainder of the games. The field here was still wet from last nights downpour, which had washed away most of the blood that had soaked the grass. There were several cannons in the distance that went of simultaneously.
"What is that?" Johanna exclaimed, as our eyes met with the force field. It was closing in around us, before we had time to adjust our sights on Finnick and Marvel who were running alongside another tribute. I recognized her as Foxface from District 5. Typical, I stuttered. She was surely desperate if she had aligned herself with those two, I thought.
Cato stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "What are you doing?" I screamed, attempting to push him aside.
"Saving your life. It was always going to come down to this, Peeta. You know it and I know it," he shouted, not even turning to meet my gaze. What was he thinking! I screamed to myself. Our enemies were fast approaching, and the force field was hard on their trail.
The force field buzzed in the distance, as the trees folded in on themselves, the ground shaking around us. Rocks were thrown into the open air, striking my goggles as the sound of glass shattering exploded into the darkness.
"Cato! I can't see anything," I shouted, as I reached for his arm.
"Hold on to me! Johanna, you and Gloss need to get Peeta to safety!" I had never heard Cato raise his voice as he did then. His tone was masked with fear and strength, as if it were trying to hold back the unmistakable feeling that this was the end.
I crashed into the ground next when someone barrelled into me, as I heard the shouts and screams of the others begin. I heard the sounds of metal clashing against metal, and the grunts from both Finnick and Cato. I was terrified and I couldn't see anything but darkness. I could only feel the cool wind rummaging my jacket as the body on top of me began to whisper in my ear.
"Stay. Down." Gloss said sternly, as I felt the warm splatter of what I knew to be blood across my face. I felt the form lift itself from me, before I could hear Gloss tossing around with Marvel only a few intervals after.
But then the worst of all happened.
It wasn't the violent scream making its way from Cato's mouth, or the sound of a cannon firing only a few feet away, but instead the earth beneath me which was starting to spin.
I had a few seconds to think about what could have been happening in that moment...Footsteps that were racing toward me. Unfortunately I only had a fraction of a second to gather my strength and pull myself upright, before I was knocked into unconscious by a metal rod.
Author's Note: Here you go! I'll probably upload another chapter to "Temptations" late tonight (hopefully!). So be on the lookout! Thanks everyone :)