Hey guys, I'm really getting into this now, hope you're enjoying it xxxx
9
Katniss
After 20 hours of solid walking, with only a few drink breaks in between, we finally make it back to the Cornucopia. Cato and I jump apart, making a mutual decision that we don't want others questioning the relationship that even we don't understand yet. I wasn't at all tired on the walk but as soon as I see Rue, my legs become weak and I collapse. He catches my head before it hits the ground and he scoops me up, cradling me and carrying me the short distance back to our camp. Suddenly I black out.
When I wake, the first thing I see is Cato sitting nervously in the corner of the Cornucopia. He notices my eyes open and runs over to my head, kneeling down beside me. "Are you ok?" he asks desperately and I nod dozily. As my eyes focus, I spot the massive bags under his eyes and sit up. "Baby, how long has it been since you've slept?" Clara comes in and answers, "From what he's told me, about 40 hours, including the 25 hours you walked for and the 15 you've been unconscious." I gasp at this information and bend down to whisper in his ear, "Babe, you're taking overprotective to a new level." He slips his arms around me and replies, "It's not that, its guilt. I should have noticed you were tired and made you stop. I'm just glad you're okay." I nod and then pull him to his feet. "Right, bed now, please." He walks away obediently and I turn to Clara, furiously whispering, "Why didn't you make him sleep? 40 hours is a long time." She turns to me and answers, "50 hours is longer, and probably closer to the true value, seeing that you've been unconscious for 24 hours. He is quite ill, as are you. I probably could have got him down if you hadn't kept screaming. Quite some dreams you were having. Anyway, I made you some medicine and you'll be right as rain by tomorrow." I nod and hug her. Then I remember, "Oh, and well done with the forcefield, Clara, you're a genius!" She laughs and takes my hand, leading me outside where Thresh and Peeta jump to their feet. I shake my head before they can speak, so they just hug me and hand me over to Rue who takes me to our tent, where I fall asleep again.
When I wake up, I walk outside to where everyone else is seated in a circle. I trip over my own feet and am about to fall but Cato's out of his chair in a second and his arms circle me to stop me from falling. I look up at him and he raises an eyebrow which makes me blush. It takes me a while to realise everyone is watching – Clove is sitting with her mouth hanging open, Clara's eyes are narrowed and Peeta and Thresh's fists are clenched. I sit in the only empty seat, next to Cato – oh God- and Clove shakes her head then says, "Right, now Sleeping Beauty is here, we can get started." I protest, "You could have woken me at any time!" Glimmer shakes her head and nods at Clara, explaining, "SHE wouldn't let us." Ros butts in, pointing out, "She WAS ill." Clove turns to her, "What did I tell you? Shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you, Blondie. Got it?" Ros shrinks back but Rue jumps in to defend her, "Clove, don't be mean. Ros is right, Katniss wasn't very well. Let's just get back to the business at hand, shall we?" Clove nods in Rue's direction; always a peacekeeper that one. "Right, we need to decide where to go from here. East is best, closest to civilisation." Cato and I both shake our heads and he explains, "Cliffs in the East. There would be a lot of climbing involved." Clara asks, "What about West, then?" but before anyone can answer I shout, "We are not going West. I don't care what happens, the Capitol is West so it's pointless. South?" Clove nods but Thresh interrupts, "Big river in the South. Only very small bridge. Quite dangerous. May take some time." Ros agrees, "Yes, it may involve swimming," and Clove rolls her eyes, before deciding, "Right. We'll go south and cross that bridge when we come to it. Maybe there's a way around it." We all nod and are about to start moving when Rue giggles.
"What is it, Rue?" Peeta asks but Rue is in hysterics, and takes a while to cough out, "Cross… that… bridge," before dissolving into laughter again. All of a sudden I understand and I crack up too. Clove inadvertently made a joke, and although it was bad, I can't stop laughing. Guess there's really not much to laugh at around here. One by one the others understand and soon we're all laughing. It seems to last forever and gradually we all calm down and sit up. I stand first and go to pack, which means I'm finished first. I go around to the other side of the Cornucopia where no one can see me and I just sit for a while, enjoying the peace. Someone silently sits beside me and takes my hand. "I'm so glad you're alive," he whispers and I turn my head to kiss him. "Come on Cato," I say, "We need to get back before someone gets suspicious," and he follows me back to the others where finally everyone's ready to leave.
About 8 hours later we reach the river. I turn to Thresh and ask, "It took you 16 hours to set off your firework. What did you spend the other 8 hours doing?" He ducked his head embarrassed and Clove and Ros blushed as he explained, "Crossing the river…" Cato snorted and Thresh shouted, "It's not funny. Clove fell in, it took us ages to get her out and get across." All of us are struggling not to laugh now, but Marvel hoots with laughter, not even bothering to cover it up. Soon we're all laughing, even Clove. Eventually we stop, and begin to follow the river to its end. We follow it but we're slowly going uphill and it's going down, until we reach its pool. But I realise we're on top of a cliff, and the only way down is jumping into that soothing water.
I'm hot and I want to do it, but I'm not whether it's safe. As if he read my thoughts, Cato moves to the edge and pushes Marvel over. A few seconds later after a whole lot of bubbling, his head breaks the surface and he's roaring with laughter. He shouts, "I'll get you for that! Now come on down guys, it's great." Ros whoops joyfully before neatly diving in, turning multiple somersaults on her way down. We can't help but clap as she enters the water, barely stirring it. Next to go are Clove and Glimmer who jump in together, quickly followed by Clara and Peeta who scream, fuelled by adrenaline. Rue does a backflip off the edge and now we're waiting for Thresh to go. He hesitates before explaining, "I have a colossal fear of heights. I can't do this." I take him to the edge and make him look, before saying, "I'm sorry," to both him and Cato as I swoop in for a kiss on the cheek and while he's distracted, I push him over the edge quickly. Then I turn to Cato and apologise profusely, whispering comforting words as he calms himself down, "Katniss, you're mine, ok baby? You need to know that even seeing you talking to him hurts! Please don't do that ever again." I kiss him and promise before pushing him away from the edge and saying, "I am nobody's property. I am a person and you will treat me with respect. You will not make my choices for me. But I won't do it again, because I like you. Not him." He nods and takes me in his arms, squeezing me tight as we step over the edge, into the water together.