Cato nearly died of shock. He looked at Daisy and then stumbled back. "W-w-w-what?" He stammered. Daisy looked at him with a blank expression. Her neck and cheek were still bleeding and she knew if she didn't close up the wounds then they would get infected.
"Liar." Cato muttered. No way in hell was he going to believe this.
"It's true." Daisy answered. Cato shook his head, as if to clear his mind. He shouldn't believe her. He wouldn't believe her. He couldn't believe her.
Daisy saw the disbelief in his eyes and she took his hand. Before he could snatch it back, she placed it on the baby bump. Cato felt the small baby bump and gasped. Three thoughts ran through his mind; first, his girlfriend, Clove was going to kill him. Second, he knew the baby was a boy. And third, he needed to get this girl and his unborn child out of the arena alive. Daisy let go of his hand but he kept it on her belly. It was amazing; he was going to be a father. And then he frowned. What if Daisy died in the arena? His first child would die too. Cato came to a sudden conclusion. "I'll help you." He said slowly.
Daisy's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"
Cato put his sword back in its sheath. "Yeah, but for the kid, not because I like you or anything."
Daisy got up off the ground. "Of course."
Cato was biting his lip. He had no idea what to do. How exactly was he supposed to help her survive? "Look, I'll see what I can do, for now just stay out of our way. If you get caught then the situation would worsen. So just lie low. I could get you some medicine though. For your um… cuts."
Daisy nodded. "I think I can make my own ointment."
Cato looked at Daisy with a confused expression. "Your own… oh yeah, you're a healer. Fine then, just don't do anything that could harm my kid."
"I won't." Daisy answered. Daisy looked up at Cato. "Could you also not kill Rue?"
"No. I have to kill her. Right now, there are only 12 people left. There are six of us, and then Thresh, Rue, you, Foxface and two other tributes. I'm planning on winning this thing."
"Yeah but how can six people win?" Daisy asked. Cato shrugged. "I guess we'd fight each other and then whoever lived would be the Victor."
Daisy frowned. "You were planning on killing your own friends?"
Cato glared at her. "We aren't friends. More like acquaintances."
"Oh." Daisy looked away. Cato's ears perked up. He listened carefully and then his eyes widened.
"You need to run." Cato said to Daisy. Daisy looked bewildered and Cato groaned. He pushed her. "Go! Run!" He hissed. Daisy finally understood what he was saying. She turned around and started running. She didn't turn back but she could hear the cackling of Clove's laughter. Daisy kept running until she bumped into someone. Daisy looked at the person who had fallen on the ground. She let out a sigh and fell down on her knees, taking Rue in her arms. Rue sobbed silently in Daisy's arms. "I'm s-scared." Rue said between sobs.
"I know sweetheart." Daisy continued to rub Rue's back until she eventually stopped crying. "Did you get hurt?" Daisy asked. Rue shook her head. "You're hurt though."
"Yeah." The blood on Daisy's neck had dried. She took out the bottle of water and a few cloth bandages from the pack. She washed the wound on her neck as best as she could and then wrapped the bandage around it. She would have to make an ointment later.
"Rue come on, we need to get deeper into the forest." Daisy stood up and took Rue's hand in hers.
(0)(0)(0)(0)(0)
Fire. There was fire everywhere. Daisy woke up first when she saw the bright flames. She started to shake Rue's shoulder. "Rue. Rue wake up." She whispered desperately. Rue opened her eyes and they widened when she saw the flames. She quickly undid the ropes and jumped from the tree with the packs. Daisy started down too. Her feet touched the ground and she started running. Rue was in front of her and she dodged a fireball. Another fireball nearly hit Daisy but missed by an inch. They kept running until the pain in Daisy's stomach made her fall down. She clutched her belly and nearly screamed. Suddenly everything went black.