Machinery

Peeta was in the lead as our group hiked through the brush. We were headed to the grain fields where Thresh had made his home. We figured since the fewest amount of tributes would feel at home in the grain maybe the Gamemakers had made their own base to control the arena. We all still had our weapons on us and were walking in a way where we could cover each other's blind spots. Cato and I both kept looking over our shoulders though neither one of us trusting the other.

"Thresh did you see anything when you were out in the fields?" Rue asked still riding on his back.

"No," Thresh shook his head.

"Eight you ok back there?" Peeta asked the girl who still hadn't given us her name.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Good to hear it," I felt a pang of something grow inside me, I didn't have any idea what the pang was. I was angry with Eight, I had no idea why though, she didn't do anything after all. I shook it off and continued on with the group. I found our group upon the edge of a cliff at the end of the field.

"Now what?" Clove asked.

"I think maybe something isn't as it seems," I say squinting at the edge.

"Like what?" Cato's tone was biting.

"Got any rope?" I asked the career group.

"It's my rope," Cato snapped.

"Cato please," Clove said resting her hand on his arm. Cato looked at her and gave her the rope. She then gave it to me, I tied it tightly around my waist.

"We have trust issues," I said looking straight at Cato.

"No kidding fire girl," he sneered.

"So here," I said handing him the other end of the rope. "I'll take the first step." Cato eyes me wearily "don't drop me," I conclude.

I walk over to the edge and jump out a bit, I have a weird sensation throughout my whole body as instead of falling I go through something. I open my eyes and tug on the rope a few times. Peeta soon steps through and the rest of the group quickly follows.

"This is where they decide who lives and dies," I say looking around.

"Well then we should destroy everything," Cato says taking his sword out.

"Wait!" Eight quickly steps in for the first time since grouping up. "If you don't know what an electronic does destroying it could be horrible. One of these machines could be supplying the arena with oxygen."

Cato put his sword back at his side with an upset look on his face. "I liked your idea better too," I whispered. He looked at me like I was strange for speaking to him and I rolled my eyes and returned to Peeta's side.

"What now then?" Rue asked from Thresh's shoulders.

The group looked to Peeta whose eyes got big "well I don't know," he whispered.

"Then we look around," Cato said wandering off. Rue jumped from Thresh's shoulders and landed beside Cato who glared at her. She slinked her way back over to me and I kissed her forehead lightly. I followed Cato's footsteps even though I didn't trust him very much.

"What do you think is behind these?" he asked turning to Clove.

"I have no idea," she said grabbing the edge of a blanket covering a table. Clove ripped the blanket off and the whole group gasped, Cato grabbed Clove and spun her away from it. "That, that's Glimmer!" Clove choked out. Peeta was kind enough to grab the sheet and replace it over the body of Clove's alley.

"I thought they had to ship people off to their districts when they died?" I asked quietly.

"Apparently they wait until there is a victor," Peeta replied putting an arm around me.

The sound of a footstep behind us alerted me before anyone else to an intruder. I grabbed an arrow from my sheath as easy as breathing. I turned and let the arrow fly and it found it's mark in a Peacekeeper's eye. "They aren't gone," I said as the woman fell to the ground.

"Spread out," Cato barked.

I grabbed Peeta's hand knowing that he wasn't really gifted with any kind of weapon. We searched for about two hours and turned up about a dozen Peacekeepers and threw them back into the arena area.

"Where are we going to sleep?" Rue asked yawning.

"I saw beds in a room when Cato and I were searching for Peacekeepers," Clove offered.

"That might be risky," Peeta said wearily.

"Peeta's right this is a Peacekeeper base," Cato chimed in.

"But Cato," Clove whined, "beds!"

Cato sighed "why don't we sleep in shifts," I offered. "I don't mind taking first shift from now until one AM."

"Fine I'll take the second," Cato said going towards the beds. "There are four beds," he said stopping in the doorway.

"I don't mind sharing with Thresh or Peeta," Rue said smiling.

"Thresh is too big," Thresh said patting Rue's head and making the twelve year old smile up at him.

"Ok then I guess you're bunking up with me then," Peeta said ruffling her hair.

"No icky stuff like with Katniss," Rue said skipping to the bed. Peeta gave a nervous laugh and my face lit up red.

"Then who else is sharing?" Clove asked.

"Thresh is too big," Thresh took up another bed and that left Eight, Clove and Cato.

Cato laid on the bed closest to the door and Eight and Clove gave each other a weary look. "Well," Cato said opening his eyes and looking at Clove expectantly.

"Well what?" she asked.

"Lay," he said opening his arm and closing his eye again. Clove smiled and went to sleep under Cato's arm and Eight crawled into her own bed.

I sighed and sat in the doorway holding onto my bow and keeping my arrows beside me.

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AN: Reviews make me update faster!