Who Dares to Love? Chapter Four by patricia51
(The Bloodbath)
(Katniss)
I thought that when I volunteered to take Prim's place that I was afraid. I thought all through the training program I was afraid. I was certain that waiting to go onstage with Caesar Flickerman before thousands of people was the most I have ever scared in my life. But they all pale to nothing compared to standing in this slowly rising tube.
When they woke us this morning my only regret was that I had not been able to see the sun rise. What is possibly, probably, my last day on Earth and I missed seeing the sun come up. Somehow I remained calm during the flight here, keeping Haymitch's last words in my mind like a mantra.
"You can do this. You can do this. You can do this."
It's strange that I started to fall apart when I reached the launch room and rushed into the wonderfully safe and comforting arms of Cinna. That's because I knew I would have to leave them. But I tried; I tried to maintain my composure, the more so because I didn't want to let Cinna down by letting my terror overcome me. Isn't that just about silly? But no, it's as good a reason as any.
But when the tube went up, cutting me off from him and started to rise to deposit me God only knows where except that sixty seconds after it stops I will be fighting for my life, I just about lost it. Only the rush of fresh air as the top of the tube opened and the appearance of the sun kept me from reaching the arena screaming in fear.
I take a deep breath and then another. The panic subsides, which is silly because the moment the real danger starts is getting closer with each tick of the clock. But I HAVE to control myself now or I'll be dead before the first minute of the Games passes.
Okay Katniss, focus. The fear doesn't disappear but it reaches a reasonable level. At the same time I find that it's sharpening my senses. I take a quick look around at my fellow tributes, noting where all the Careers are of course. All of them are straining at the lease, including Clove. But while they are focused on the Cornucopia I see Clove shooting glances around the circle. Across the expanse that will become the killing field in just seconds our gazes meet and hold. And I see in her eyes what I know is in mine.
We look away. We have to. Last night we could fantasize that there was a future for us. Now we can't. I switch to the Cornucopia and examine what is scattered around it.
According to Haymitch I am to run for the woods. But in order to survive I need a little help. So I scan the packs, looking for one that is not too small or too big, that might have the stuff in there that I will need to keep alive. It also has to be on a line I can reach, scoop up and go for the forest. I quickly decide on one and then look at the pile right in the mouth of the Cornucopia and my breath catches.
There it IS! Sitting right there, the most beautiful bow I have ever seen in my life along with a quiver of arrows. All polished silver and shinning it calls to me. I know it's for me and my attention now shifts to getting possession of it.
The countdown is now in single digits. I brace myself. I can run really fast. I can make it, grab that bow and be gone. Then because I know I will regret it for the probably very short rest of my life if I don't I look over once more at Clove. I do and she's looking at me.
What is she doing? I mean I know what she is doing; she's shaking her head frantically. Why? Oh GOD, she was watching me. She's telling me not to go for the bow.
The horn sounds and everyone is running. Everyone but me. I hesitate and now it's too late. I dance up and down undecidedly for a moment and then run for the pack I first marked in my mind.
(Clove)
It's all I can do now to scream across the field "No Katniss No. Don't!" But I don't dare. Everyone from Cato to the audience to the commentators would realize instantly what I was doing and why. Besides she might not hear me. But I have to warn her.
As soon as we came out of the tubes I started looking for her. I find her as she finds me. I hope our eyes say everything one more time. I believe hers do. Then it's time to look away.
I spot several packs right in the mouth that will be my first goals. I need to get armed immediately. I need to find knives. While I'm doing that I need to be sure that Cato will be covering me just like we planned. So I look past Katniss at him. Good, he's ready.
As my gaze sweeps back I see Katniss stiffen and freeze in place. She's staring at the Cornucopia like she could see a hovercraft there about to lift her away. What in the world has she seen?
One of the very first things they taught me about throwing knives was to develop the ability to judge distances and angles. If you can't then you can't hit your target. It's as simple as that. So I follow her line of sight to its target and now a lot becomes clear.
We, Cato and I and Marvel and Glimmer, had wondered what in the world Katniss showed the trainers that gave her that score of eleven. Now I know. Her gaze is locked onto that bow. The thoughts flash through my mind. District Twelve is the coal-mining district but she doesn't show any signs of that. So she's a hunter and probably a deadly shot with a bow. But she must NOT go for it. Because the other angle I pick out shows that on her dash to get that bow her path will cross Cato's. That can't happen. He won't be armed yet but it won't take but a second for him to snap that slender beautiful neck.
"Look at me Katniss looks at me!" I urge her mentally. The clock is running down. I try again, harder. "KATNISS!"
Whether the telepathy works or she just wants one last look she glances my way. As hard as I can manage I shake my head sideways, exaggerating the motion. She's still watching, and hopefully getting the message when the horn sounds and I'm off, the instincts my training has honed to a fine edge kicking in. Speed is my ally now. Speed and the most dangerous tribute of all covering my back. As terrible as it sounds right this moment the only way I can do anything to protect Katniss is to take care of myself first. I'm no use to her dead.
Ignoring the chaos breaking out around me I run right for the mouth of the Cornucopia. Fights are breaking out all around me. Out of the corner of my eye I see Cato with a sword and he's already finishing off some hapless tribute. Reassured that he's doing his part I fall to my knees right by several bags and packs.
Each Hunger Games is different. Thank God this isn't the deserted city again with nothing but bricks and rubble for weapons. This one follows the usual course which means that at least one of these packs will have just what I am looking for. And so it proves. The second pack I open has just what I'm looking for. With a glint in my eyes that promises nothing good for my fellow tributes I haul out a belt holding nearly a dozen knives. Knives of all kinds, from a little one with a wicked hooked tip up to a full sized combat knife with a serrated back. Perfect. I flip it around my waist, buckle it and snatch one of the in-between sized knives. I heft it. Perfect. I can throw this one and hit every time.
The fight at the Cornucopia is reaching its peak. I don't care. Let the bodies fall. Each one now is one that won't have to be dealt with later. I see Marvel using a spear on some girl. Too bad for her. I don't care as long as that girl isn't Katniss.
There she is. She's grabbed up a pack and is heading for the trees. Just exactly what she needs to be doing. Shooting glances to each side to make sure I'm not being targeted I watch her. She's quick. She'll make it. And then she trips and falls. She rolls over and I'm sure all she can see is the boy from District Nine standing over her with a battle axe raised over his head. I know she doesn't see me running as hard as I can towards her.
Fool. He takes a moment to savor his kill. That's always a mistake. Because before he can bring that axe down I sink my knife in his back and he falls. Pretty damn good from forty feet if I say so myself.
Katniss was squirming back on her hands and knees so his body, and more importantly the axe, falls harmlessly to the ground. She sees the knife in his back and looks up at me.
Obviously she can't say "thanks" or give any indication that she knows I did that to save her life. In fact, I have an idea. I snatch the combat knife from my belt and throw it, trusting in my abilities. Perfect. The blade buries itself in the ground beside her. I can claim to have misjudged if anyone wonders and asks when in fact it went right where I wanted it to go. Pasting a scowl on my face I turn and jog back to the Cornucopia where my fellow Careers are finishing off everyone who didn't have sense to run for it.
(Katniss)
For a moment I can only sit here in shock and amazement. The shock is that I'm still alive. The amazement is that Clove really IS as good as she appeared to be in training. Our eyes meet. Her gaze flicks to the woods and then back to me. I give a tiny nod, snatch the knife and then spring to my feet. I run as hard as I can towards the cover of the forest, slinging the pack over one shoulder as I go.
I keep going, following Haymitch's instructions to put as much distance as possible between me and the Cornucopia. I don't let anything stop me now. Not colliding with the girl from District Five; not falling down a hill. I don't stop until I'm nearly out of breath. Then I sit and take stock of my situation, examining the contents of my backpack which includes neither water nor food. Well I can fix that and by the time dark falls over the arena I have filled my canteen and used my trapping skills and my new knife to get food. I stamp out my fire and find a tree to climb.
I tie myself to the branch. I watch the sky as the anthem plays and the dead tributes get their last showing. Now there's nothing to do but relive the events of the day. Over all of the scenes, the sights, the sounds that I will never forget is Clove. Clove warning me with her head shake, Clove saving my life by killing the boy who was about to do just that to me, Clove throwing me the knife that has already proved so useful. I fix her face in my mind, close my eyes and go to sleep.
(To be continued)