Chapter 10
Katniss woke up several hours later, as the sky was beginning to lighten. She found herself unusually close to Thresh and, blushing, scooted away. Good thing, too, because moments later, Claudius Templesmith's voice boomed out across the arena, waking her older ally:
"Attention, tributes, attention. 24 hours from now, at sunrise, there will be a feast at the Cornucopia. Each of you needs something: desperately. And we plan to be…. generous hosts."
Katniss could think of only one thing she and her allies needed desperately.
"Rue's medicine," she said, turning to Thresh.
"No," Thresh refused emphatically, glancing over at Rue to make sure she was still out. "Absolutely not. We are not risking our hides for some Capitol drugs that might not even work."
"Yeah? Capitol or not, she needs it, because otherwise that tourniquet is going to give out. And she isn't exactly in shape to get it herself," Katniss countered resolutely. She readied her bow.
"Katniss." The low timbre to Thresh's voice gave her pause – and secretly thrilled her. She would never admit it, but something about the way he growled in that way made her…. she brushed the thought off and glanced to him.
"Promise me that you will not go to that Feast. Do you understand?"
Katniss considered this. Thresh was worried about her and Rue. Clearly, that's where this was coming from, or he wouldn't be passing up such a life-saving chance. Knowing what had to happen, she realized she could calm Thresh and still accomplish her mission.
"I promise," she told him as gently as she could. "But only if you promise not to go."
Thresh raised and eyebrow at her, but she could tell he did not suspect falseness in her answer. He shrugged. "Done."
Late that night, Katniss checked her supplies one last time. All was ready for the feast in a few hours. She checked Rue's tourniquet, and kissed her forehead. Then, she turned back to the sleeping Thresh. After a moment's hesitation, she bravely kissed his cheek, almost like she was apologizing, before slipping out into the night.
Katniss reached the Cornucopia well before sunrise. As the first light marched steadily over the giant horn, a table containing four backpacks rose out of the ground before the horn's opening. Katniss straightened. This is it…
As she burst from the tree line, she was shocked to see a flash of red reach the table, seize the backpack marked '5', and take off running. Foxface! That sneaky little…. Katniss sprinted forward, knowing she had only minutes to get her backpack and go before –
Just as she was rounding the horn for the table, Clove appeared out of nowhere. With a roar of anger, she chucked a knife, which Katniss ducked as she made for her bow. Bad idea. Clove rushed forward and tackled her. The two girls wrestled on the ground, biting and kicking and screaming as though they were possessed. Finally, Clove had Katniss pinned, staring into her eyes with an evil smile.
"Didn't think you were going to show. What are you here for? Needed supplies so you could keep 'playing house' with your guy friend?"
Katniss growled and struggled. "Oh, I see. That was you plan, right? Oh, that's sweet. To bad you couldn't keep playing pretend with your pretend daughter. What was her name? Rue?" Katniss struggled harder, enraged that Clove would dare to say her name.
"Oh, yeah, we killed her, Marvel killed her. " Clove claimed, even though Katniss knew it was a lie. "And now…." She produced a knife, turning it over in her hands. "We're going to kill you."
Suddenly, Katniss felt Clove yanked violently off her. She sagged back and let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Thresh…. Thank God!
There was the sound of a slam as Thresh presumably pinned Clove into the horn's metal.
"You said you ordered Marvel to kill her?" Thresh demanded of his captive in a deep voice.
"N-No!" Clove screamed, trying to deny it.
"I heard you!"
Katniss smiled to herself. Clove had run her mouth once too long. Apparently, Clove realized this, too, as she began desperately calling for her district partner. "Cato! Cato!"
"You said her name! You said her name!" Katniss then heard an ominous THUD! THUD! as Thresh, in a fit of protective rage, flung Clove repeatedly into the Cornucopia. Moments later, Katniss was horrified to see Clove's body drop into her line of vision, her white and blank eyes traumatizing.
But that was nothing compared to looking up and seeing Thresh standing over her, the angriest she had ever seen him. For a moment, Katniss thought she would die after all. He's going to kill me for not obeying him…. Instead, Thresh stonily offered his hand.
"Just this time. For Rue. Let's go home!" Helped to her feet, Katniss and Thresh sprinted for the trees, leaving the dead Clove and a no doubt raging Cato behind.
Five tributes were all who now remained.