The morning was rather uneventful. It was just me and the other boy, whose name I found out is Jeremy. Cato and the others still haven't returned. I have been sick with worry and the camp was mine and Jeremy's responsibilty, so sleep was out of option during the night.

At least I was able to help Jeremy with the mines and arranging supplies. When he wasn't looking, I sneaked around and took few boxes and some other things and hid them behind the forest line. I didn't take a lot, but it made me happier than stacking them high on one place. This whole thing couldn't have been done with Cato around.

I was shuffling around the camp, munching on dried apples, when a canon boomed through the forest.

The apple caught in my throat and I started choking.

My feet wanted to run to the forest and search for them to see if they are alive. But my brain told me to stay put where I was and not to panic.

My hand unconsciously grabbed the hilt of the knife. I looked around the camp for Jeremy. He stood not far away from me. He was checking the mines. He stood alert as me.

After half an hour of waiting tensely we calmed down a bit.

And just when I though I will be getting bored again a high pitched giggled reached my ears. I turned around and scanned the forest. I frowned slightly when I saw no one.

But then I heard the giggle again. I looked at Jeremy for confirmation that he heard the same as me. He too looked puzzled.

As if on cue, Clove came tumbling out of the forest, her cheeks pink and a happy smile on her face.

"I win, you losers!" She shouted, threw her hands in the air and squealed. I was on my way to her when a tired looking Marvel staggered out on the grass.

"I am going to die!" He cried out, clutched his chest with his hands and fell on the floor. I cautiously approached Clove who was in the middle of her victory dance.

"Clove?" I asked. I had my palms open and neutral expression on my face. I was a bit scared what made them behave the way they were.

She pivoted on the spot, her hands high in the air. "Yes squirrel?" She asked and then burst in giggles.

I grimaced at her strange facial expression. "What happened?" I asked slowly.

She furrowed her brows and opened her mouth to say something when she looked over me and squealed. "Rainbow!" And with than she ran away from me, her hands outstretched, dark ponytail bouncing wildly. I looked at her in shock and gestured to Jeremy to take care of her. She made a few jumpy steps when he locked his arms around her, securing her in place.

Marvel coughed from the ground, his long legs bended. I approached him and crouched next to him.

"What happened?" I asked again.

He looked at me and asked: "Ceaser?"

"God. It's me Marvel, Cory." I muttered to myself angrily and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. Marvel looked at the sky with a blank expression on his face.

"Where is Cato?" I asked a different question. I don't think they will be capable any soon of answering what happened.

"God?" He asked with an incredulous voice and widened his eyes.

"Of course Marvel. God is right here." I answered sarcastically. I stood up and looked around myself. No sign of Cato. I exhaled and started walking in the direction they came from the forest.

When I crossed the forest line, my hand involuntarily settled itself on the hilt of the knife. It seems like such a natural reaction for me.

"Cato!"I called out, trying to step on the soft parts of the forest floor and not to make much noise. Being extremely ungifted in being silent, I immediately stepped on dry branches. It seems strange that I am able to find dry braches nearly anywhere I step and crush them.

I checked behind a bush looking for a blonde hair. Surely it won't be that hard to spot a giant boy in a forest when he is not aware where he is or what he is doing, judging by the state of Clove and Marvel. I doubt he is better on it than them.

"Cato!" I whispered. I looked around myself nervously. I wasn't very deep in the forest but I didn't feel comfortable in here. I wanted to find him as soon as possible.

I made a few steps till trying to be careful when a low groan came from right.

I whipped around looking for Cato. It must have been him.

"Cato!" I said. "Where are you?" I went in the direction where I heard the groan. The grass was flattened. He must have been here. "Stop playing games. I'm really not in the mood." I said grumpily and rolled my shoulders back. The back of my shirt was sticking to my spine, making me squirm.

I sighed. I turned back to check if no one was lurking behind me. My eyes scanned the greenery , spotting nothing suspicious.

"Boo." I let out a startled scream.

Cato was standing,…. well trying to stand in front of me, the bigger part of his body leaning heavily on his sword, that was stuck in the muddy ground, blood was smudged on the edge. His hair was disheveled, few pieces of dried pieces of thistle stuck in his blonde hair plastered across his forehead. He had a white pale face with rosy cheeks and red nose. He didn't look very good.

"You are an idiot, Cato Hadley, scaring me like that. Didn't your parents teach you better?"

When I stepped closer to him, I noticed big angry lumps forming on his arms. I furrowed my brows. I had no idea where they came from. But I didn't care right now. My task with the highest priority was to get him back to the camp.

"Heyyaa, Cor."He said, his speech slurry and slightly jumbled up. I put my arm around him and pushed to a straighter position. I put his muscular arm around my shoulders and propped him up.

"Hello there. Now come on." I said. I didn't want to waste any more time in here. I put my foot a bit forward, nudging Cato to do the same. He was heavy and there's no way I am able to take him back without his help.

He grumbled a bit, but obeyed. I let out a sigh of relief when I realized we were moving. I spared a glance at him while taking care where I was stepping. His skin was coated in a thin layer of sweat, his arm hot and heavy on my back. He was probably running a fever.

We were about a halfway to the clearing when Cato started making grabby hands at me.

"What do you think you are doing?" I asked him, when one of his big hands nearly swatted me in the face.

"You are bloated like a balloon." He said slowly, taking his time with the words.

What the heck? I come to rescue him and he starts talking about me being bloated. Really smooth.

"Stop saying nonsense and help me. You weight more than all the tributes together. Be glad that we haven't crumbled by now." I said angrily. I was sweaty, hot and I wanted to get the out of the forest. I tugged on Cato's arm around my shoulder to make him go forward.

He took me by surprise when he stood still and didn't move an inch. I sighed and looked him in the face.

"What is it now?"I asked and smoothed my wild curly hair that was slowly getting out of the braided ponytail.

"Did you just call me fat?" He asked with a glare on his face, his sword was hanging from his limp hand.

I rolled my eyes at him. "No I didn't."

He narrowed his blue eyes at him and pursed his lips. "I don't believe you." He said after a minute of thinking.

Are we seriously having this conversation right now?

"Can we please just move forward." I grunted. I was slowly getting annoyed by him.

"No we can. You just called me fat. Look who's talking. All bloated and squidgy." He said and tried to pull himself to his full height. Of course, unsuccessfully. He slipped a bit and tried to regain his balance.

I bit back a string of insults aimed at him and took his arm again. He clearly has no idea what we are talking about.

Thank God, we made it to the camp in ten minutes after I couldn't help myself and threatened to take his sword away. But he wouldn't have any of that and started marching forward, his body taking me with him.

Apparently he still had enough strength.

When I returned with Cato, Jeremy had Clove already in her sleeping bag and was just trying to calm down Marvel who still thought he was dying and that he saw God. I would have laughed if I weren't so exhausted.

Jeremy helped me to take care of them. He knew what to do. He moved around them swiftly and put on some cream on the bug bites and put a plaster on them. I wanted to help him, but when I tried to, Cato grunted in pain and I didn't even touch him. I freaked out a bit and let him do all the work. I felt useless, so I at least prepared some soup while Jeremy explained to me that they were attacked by the Tracker Jackers.

Just when I went to take the canned soups I realized that Peeta and Glimmer haven't returned. I immediately opened my mouth to ask them, but when I saw them laying peacefully on their sleeping bags, I shut my mouth quickly.

In the afternoon the next day, Clove began stirring and by half an hour she was fully awake.

"Clove." I called out softly to her. I don't think I would have been able to talk any louder. I was nearly asleep on my legs.

"Hey Cory." She muttered and cradled her head in one hand, the other checking the knife belt. Satisfied that the knives were in place she looked me in the face.

"What happened?" I asked. I have dying to know the answer for the past day.

"We found twelve. She climbed a tree and we couldn't reach her. That's when Lover Boy suggested to wait for her because she will have to come down eventually, so we settled for the night. Next thing I know, I woke up to a stinging pain and screaming." She finished with a scowl on her features.

"What about Peeta and Glimmer?" I asked.

Clove sighed. "Glimmer's dead." That was the canon I heard in the morning.

"And that little traitor ran away as soon as he got the chance. But Cato went after him. He won't be breathing for long." She said with a small smile of satisfaction.

"He is hurt?" I asked concerned.

"Why do you care so much. He is a traitor. He deserves nothing better."

"He is mostly my best friend." I defended him. Without a doubt he went to look for Katniss. I can just pray that he'll be alright. That sword is huge and heavy, no wound made by it can be easy to treat.

After a while Marvel woke up. He was confused and talked to us about him dying. After we calmed him down, assuring him that is isn't going to die anytime soon, he went to gather some wood for fire. Now I had to wait only for Cato.

"Don't worry about him. He'll wake up soon. He is bigger so he needs more time to get rid of the poison from his system. Running back after Peeta didn't help him either." Clove said to me when she caught me bended concerned over his sleeping form. He was still running a slight fever.

I smoothed few strands of his hair form his forehead and sat next to him. He looked so peaceful in his sleep. No that borderline maniac look in his eyes he gets from time to time. Calm features, mouth opened a bit and letting out a soft snores. It must have been quite some time since he slept well. I picked his big hand in mine and played with his strong fingers. I pressed mine palm into his and marveled at how bigger his is. It made me feel safer somehow.

A soft squeeze snapped me from my thoughts. Cato's fingers were gripping mine softly, capturing them in a feather-light prison. I didn't look him in the face, I kept watching out hands joined together.

I rotated out hands, looking at them from various angles. From every side, my hand was safely tucked in his, protected all the time. That's how I felt around him.

I slowly pulled my hand from his and softly travelled my fingertips along his wrist to forearm, finally laying my hand on his giant biceps. I had a small smile on lips.

I looked at him, he was watching me with an amused smile on his lips, the fire, that Clove with Marvel started, giving his face a soft glow and his hooded blue eyes a fire of their own.

"Hyia." I said lamely.

"Enjoying the view?" He said and flexed his arm beneath my hand. I blushed right away and put my hands in my lap, where they were before. I smacked him gently on his arm as a revenge for his comment. To my amusement, his smirk changed to a frown when he realized that the bites were still painful and sore.

I stood up and got him a chicken noodle canned soup that was warming up near the raging fire. I cleared my throat and handed him the soup and a spoon.

He took it all in his one hand and propped himself up on the other.

"What are you looking at?" I asked when he didn't tear his gaze from me.

He stuck his bottom lip out. "I'm hurting. I can't eat."

I was ready to tell him some remark when he added: "By myself."

I rolled my eyes at him and grabbed the can form his hand. I opened it and ladled it in the spoon.

"Open up." He obeyed happily when he realized that I'll feed him and I put the spoon into his mouth.

"Is it any good?" I asked and scooped more soup.

"Taking into account the circumstances, it couldn't have been better."

"Did I detect irony?"

"Nah." He shook his head and swallowed another spoon.

We sat there in a silence, me filling spoon with soup and Cato being a good boy and eating it. When I returned from disposing the can, Cato had small chocolates in his hand.

I didn't even ask him where he got them and took one without asking.

"Sorry about that comment earlier." He said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

He took another chocolate and said: "Comments about me and you being fat."

"Oh." I said surprised. I have completely forgot about it. "It's alright." I waved my hand in the air when I said it.

Cato fidgeted a bit and I took it as a sign that he wanted to tell something.

"It's just that.." He mumbled under his breath.

"What?"

He looked at me and said quickly: "I let stupid things like that get to me sometimes." I didn't seem to me like what he wanted to say at first, but I let it slide.

"I understand. But you are a very pretty boy Cato. Nothing to worry about. I'm sure fat is terrified of settling on you." I picked another piece and stuffed it into his mouth.

He stifled a laugh and chewed the chocolate. I know. He chews the chocolate, but hey, it's kinda cute.

Suddenly and idea popped into my head. I took yet another chocolate and straddled him. His blue eyes widened dramatically and he swallowed the chunky chocolate in his mouth. His eyes found mine and looked at me quizzically.

I held the chocolate between my fingers and when a good portion of it melted, I pressed my point finger to his lips and smeared it on his mouth. His lips parted allowing me to cover the surface. When I was finished, I leaned back a bit and appraised my work. When I licked off the remaining chocolate on my fingers I smoothed his dark red jacket, weaved a hand through his hair ruffling it up a bit. And for the final touch pinched his cheeks to add more color to his face.

"Never have been more prettier. You look like a girl." I gushed and pecked him on his lips. My lips were covered in melted chocolate, so I ran my tongue along them. His eyes darkened by a shade and grabbed me by my waist, bringing my face closer to his.

"What are you doing?" I asked quietly, our noses brushing against each other.

"What do you think?" He said and the corner of his lips lifted in a mischievous smirk.

"I'm not into girls like you, you know?" I said in a rush.

"Thank God I'm not a girl then." He whispered and his lips neared mine when..

When Marvel decided to honor us with his input: "Could you please stop doing what you were planning on doing and take into consideration mental health of those around you?" He said covering his eyes with his hand.

I rolled my eyes and glared at him. Cato next to me grunted and folded his arms across his chest. As I was no longer held in place, I tumbled out of his lap on the grass. I gave Cato an insulted glance, but he put his hands up in an apologetic manner: "Can't blame me, I'm the one who is hurt here."

I turned my back to him once I got up, nose high in the air and marched away from him. When I passed Jeremy I said to him: "I'm going to get more water." I grabbed few bottles and went to the lake. I knew we had enough water in the camp, but in an act of childishness I wanted to annoy him and get away from him.

When I was by lake, I rubbed my goose bumps covered arms. It was a lot colder here by water without a warm fire. Air bubbled to the surface as it made space to water and I looked around myself. The wheat field on my left was giving me chills. At least the moon shone a bit through few clouds scattered in the sky so it wasn't very dark.

I screwed the lid of the bottle on when it was full of water, took another two empty bottles that I didn't bother to fill and stood up to make my way back to the camp.

I stopped dead in my tracks when a person was blocking my way.

"It isn't safe for girls to be out after the sun sets." A voice reprimanded me. Moonlight peeked behind a cloud on the person's face.

Being so close, I could see bony nose, place thin lips and receding hairline of frizzy pale orange hair.

I gulped dryly.

Vale.

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Disclaimer: Throw your hands in the air if it is painfully obvious that you don't own anything.

I would say I'm sorry, but I don't think that suffices. Just kill me now and get over it. I haven't posted in ages. I must admit that is my chewing away my consciousness. I feel guilty.

So I am going to provide you some lame excuses: I graduated from the written part, what is like the bestest thing ever.

And I have run out of excuses. But I'm back. At least for a while, cause I have the verbal part in May and I have a shitload to learn, so that sums it up pretty much.

Anyway, HUGE THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READ, FOLLOWED, FAVORITED AND REVIEWED THE STORY. It means so so much to me. If it weren't for you and your views adding up every day, I don't know when I would upload another chapter..

Thanks for favoriting my story:

allstarcheergirl, Mudbloods are in (awesome name), ganganz, CyanMaterialGirl, Golden Falcon132, samiesimpson1

Thanks for following:

Mudbloods are in, ganganz, xXxCrimsonXAshesxXx, CyanMaterialGirl, connor95xx, youareawizardharry (love the name), samiesimpson1, Britt529, alexiskaye98, Love We Think We Deserve

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jolenelovedancex3: Thanks so much!

EGilly: You can count on it.

Randomness1: You are too nice. But thanks for the support.

Rueflower: Beautiful. Really nice. Maybe you should write a story as well. Hopefully I won't disappoint you but I have an entirely different plan in my head. Time will tell whether you'll like it or not.

snowflake2410: Your reviews made my day. Thanks so much. I like Morris too, it's shame that I killed him (I'm such a bad person). And Vale is the creepiest thing out there. I can't even call him a human.

samiesimpson1: Yay! Thanks. I am trying to write it in such way, that it won't be a cliche. I want the relationships to be different and the people viewed differently.

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Thanks for reading. I would be on crack if reviews weren't appreciated so don't be shy and write me something. Lia