Chapter 13

Later that same day, as night fell upon the arena, the Trio left their little cave for the last time. Katniss and Thresh now held hands, tenderly watching Rue as she skipped along just ahead of them. The little girl had been overjoyed, and apparently vindicated, when Thresh and Katniss had woken her that day and calmly explained to her that they were in love. If one weren't looking closely, it would appear as though these three were just two parents and their child enjoying being together forever.

But neither Katniss nor Thresh were under any delusions as they watched Rue bounce along with sad smiles. They would have to cherish moments like this as a quasi-family, for soon it would be over.

One way or another.

As if on cue, Cato's scream came reverberating from the distance. Katniss dropped Thresh's hand and readied her bow, her lover meanwhile on the alert.

"What was that?" he asked her. She glanced to him, realizing with both resignation and terror.

"It's the finale."

There was a crashing through the trees as Cato suddenly appeared. But he didn't attack the Trio. On the contrary, he ran right past them as if they weren't even there.

Then Katniss saw the mutts.

"RUN!" Thresh pulled her to her feet from where she had dived out of Cato's path and they ran together, Katniss pulling Rue along by the hand behind them. The growls just at their heels made them sprint faster than they ever had before, even after they burst from the tree line and saw the Cornucopia glinting in the moonlight, Cato's silhouette already climbing it.

Thresh paused at the edge before immediately giving his girls a boost to the top. Before he could climb himself, the mutts caught up. He turned and hacked at several with his scythe, forcing them back just long enough to scramble up the horn's side behind Katniss and out of reach. All three reached the top of the horn safely, but just as they were beginning to relax –

WHAM. Katniss felt Thresh torn from her side as Cato attacked. Throwing Rue behind her, she whipped out her bow and arrow and whirled to face their final foe, an enraged snarl on her face.

Cato looked surprisingly worse for wear. An entire side of his head was caked in blood, and further stains of the stuff had gathered at his mouth. What has he been eating? Katniss wondered. A wild look in the boy from 2's eyes completed the picture.

Not to mention the fact that he now held Katniss's lover in a headlock chokehold.

"Go on, shoot," Cato huffed, out of breath from his climb. "Then we both go down and you and the little lady can have it out for the win." Katniss didn't move, afraid he was goading her into a trick. Cato pulled back on Thresh, who was gasping for air. "Go on," and he seemed to be begging her practically. "I'm dead anyway." Then he admitted something Katniss never thought he would, nearly laughing with insanity as he did:

"I always was, right? I didn't know that till now. How's that? IS THAT WHAT THEY WANT?" and he seemed to be tearfully taunting, screaming at the Gamemakers. Katniss hardened her resolve again from where she had almost pitied the boy in front of her. Cato noticed and gave a goading laugh. He gripped Thresh harder, who was now beginning to grow limp. Cato prepared his hands around Thresh's head, ready for the twist. "Nah, I could still do this…. I could still this," but he seemed to be trying to convince himself more than Katniss. "One more kill. It's the only thing I know how to do. Bring pride to my district."

As all of this was going on, Thresh and Katniss's eyes met. Oh so carefully, Thresh tapped an index finger against the hand choking him. Katniss immediately understood. He was signaling her where to shoot.

"Not that it matters," Cato was saying.

Then all hell broke loose.

Suddenly, Cato was mysteriously pulled back. Thinking he was about to kill Thresh, Katniss fired into his hand, and her enemy gave a cry of pain. Thresh broke free and threw Cato over and off the Cornucopia with all his strength. Cato screamed as he fell to the mutts below.

Katniss and Thresh held each other tight as they watched the mutts slowly devour Cato. Finally, Katniss couldn't stand the cries anymore and shot Cato in the head out of pity.

As the sun slowly rose over the arena, Katniss and Thresh wearily embraced and kissed. They broke apart with a sad smile… and then nervously laughed.

"That was something, huh, Rue?" Katniss called behind her. No answer. She looked. Rue was nowhere to be found.

"RUE!" she screamed.

"Look!" Thresh cried, suddenly pointing.

Katniss ran to edge and she nearly sobbed out loud, one hand over her mouth. Far below, there was Rue, covered in her own blood from the mutts.

Katniss and Thresh scrambled down the horn and rushed to their little charge's side. Katniss cradled Rue in her arms, sobbing.

"Why, Rue, why?" she begged.

"I remembered…. from my interview… if they can't catch me they can't kill me. I pulled Cato back to give you both time to get him. I just didn't expect to be taken down with him."

Katniss slammed the ground with her fist, tears splashing down her front. "You stupid little girl!" she wailed angrily, though out of grief and not true malicious anger.

Rue just gave a, shall we say, rueful smile. "It's too late for me. Besides, you two are supposed to go home and be together in Twelve." Katniss and Thresh looked at each other, stunned. Rue grinned. "Yes, I saw you guys talking and kissing outside of the cave. That's when I decided that, no matter what, I couldn't come out of the arena alive. You deserve to be happy." Only now, as the end was near, did she begin to cry. "Thanks for being my friends. I would've died on the first day if it wasn't for you two."

"Don't you believe it," Thresh growled, even as he threatened to come apart.

Both Thresh and Katniss kissed their surrogate child goodbye, holding her until the last. The cannon sounded, and Rue's body was taken away. No sooner was it gone than Claudius Templesmith's voice yet again rang out:

"Attention, tributes, attention. There has been a slight rule change: the previous rule change allowing for two victors has been…. revoked. Only one victor may be crowned. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Katniss couldn't believe it. She and Thresh had bought right into the Capitol's game: the game that ensured the most dramatic showdown in history. She turned to her love, finally defeated.

"Go ahead." Thresh didn't move. So she pleaded. "One of us has to die. We both know they have to have their victor."

Thresh angrily threw down his scythe. "No. They don't! Why should they?" He produced something from his pocket. It was a group of berries – berries that Katniss recognized. Nightlock. Thresh poured half of the fruit into Katniss's palm. And she understood.

A double suicide. By two tragic lovers. Which meant no victor.

The rebellious side of her adored it.

"One…." Thresh counted slowly.

"Two…." Katniss echoed. They gave each other one last look.

"Three," Thresh finished simply. They reached to ingest the poison.

CRACKLE! The blast blew Katniss right off her feet, the berries scattering out of her hand. When she sat up off the ground, dazed, she saw Thresh lying prone a yard or so from her. She crawled to his side, panicked, and felt for a pulse. There was none.

Her love was dead.

The tears came tumbling down onto his upturned face like a wave. She could only kiss him one last time before she let out the sounds of ruin. She sobbed. She screamed. She wept bitterly; ignoring Claudius Templesmith as he declared her, Katniss Everdeen – a girl she no longer recognized – the winner of the 74th Annual Hunger Games.