*****I own none of the Hunger Games characters or the Hunger Games. My OC's are mine though.

Chapter 12

The next morning, after I untied myself I climbed down the tree. I looked and saw that my rash hadn't got any better, that's not good. I set up a few snares and went to look for water. I found the stream that I had found a few days ago and climbed down to get more water. It's hard to believe that Marvel and I were having fun the last time I was here. I collected some more spearmint and decided to look for something I remember my daddy telling me about a few years ago. I don't know what everyone else calls it, I know we call it 'jewel weed'. They're tiny yellow flowers that only grow around streams. There's something in the flowers that stops itch and that's what I need right now. I spent most of the day looking. I collected my usual food too. Finally I found some in the early afternoon. I was so happy; I ran back to where I sat up my snares and saw I had another rabbit. While I was cooking the rabbit I cut the flowers, so the juice in them could come out. I rubbed them on my stomach and sides trying to get the itch to stop. I sighed happily when it did.

After I ate I was tied in my tree ready to sleep, when the anthem came on and no kills today. The trumpets started playing again. The feast was announced and I knew that my medicine for this rash was there. That's really the only thing I need. I tried to sleep, but it didn't work, I couldn't.

An hour before sunrise I started my hike for the Cornucopia. I stayed hidden and waited. 5 backpacks were all up on the table. Cato's and Thresh's backpacks were the biggest. Then it was the girl from District 5's. Mine and the star-crossed lovers' backpacks were the smallest. I was thinking about going, and then the girl from District 5 did. I knew now was my chance. When she grabbed her bag I took off running. I didn't know where Cato was and I needed to get away quick. I grabbed my bag and took off as fast as I could for the woods. I ran only a few yards, before I was caught in strong arms. I knew they were Cato's, he was waiting on me.

"Let me go Cato," I said squirming.

"Not happening, until we talk. You're not leaving me again and I'm not going to leave you," he said pulling me to his chest.

I looked at his face; he looked like he hasn't slept in days. Then again I haven't slept well either. I looked into his eyes and saw how tired he was, I felt tears in my eyes. I never realized how much I had missed his eyes, or how much I missed being in his arms.

"I'm sorry I didn't let those kids go. I should have, I mean you told me to. That should have been enough reason to let them go. I'm sorry, will you please forgive me?"

"Yes Cato, I forgive you," I said hugging him

"I love you Star," he muttered against my hair.

"I love you Cato," I replied knowing it was the truth; I didn't even have to think about it.

"CATO! CATO!" we heard Clove scream.

We looked at each other and took off running back to the Cornucopia. We broke through the forest and saw Clove on the ground with Thresh standing over her. Katniss was running away. We kept running as Thresh took off, I noticed he had 2 bags, he grabbed Cato's. Cato ran to Clove's side and looked at her, I was sure he was going to cry.

"Please don't die. Please don't die on me Clove," he kept muttering.

I knew it was pointless she'd be dead in a few minutes. I hated seeing him like this. I knew that if one of the guys were dying I'd be the same way. When the cannon went off I had to pull Cato away. I took the supplies that Clove had and her vest of knives. Cato didn't want to leave, but they had to collect Clove's body. We went back towards the Cornucopia. I opened my pack from the feast as Cato looked towards the field that Thresh went. I opened the silver container seeing and ointment for my stomach. I lifted my shirt up and started rubbing it in. I felt rougher hands tracing across my stomach. I looked at Cato as he looked at my stomach.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I'm allergic to something in the woods apparently," I said.

"This shouldn't have happened, none of this would have happened. If I didn't drive you away, you would be fine and Clove would still be alive," he said getting up.

"Cato this is the Hunger Games, shit happens. You can't help the way that things play out and this is not the Cato I know. The Cato I know would be planning on how to kill Thresh," I said.

"You're right, come on we're going to find Thresh and take him down," he said pulling me to my feet.

I packed up all of my stuff and we walked to the field that Thresh ran to. We were walking through this field, when I noticed it was grain. If I knew this was here I could have stayed out here. Then again big bad Thresh being a terror out here; no thanks. And if things couldn't get any worse, it starts pouring rain.

"This is fucking great," I growled getting soaked.

"I know, where do we go?" he asked.

"Let's look and see if there's a hollow tree or something," I said.

It's mostly grain, but there are some trees. Maybe the Gamemakers put some in so it'd be easier to kill of tributes cornered in a tree. Luckily there was one fairly decent size. We crawled in the tree and out of the down pour. Cato was soaked, but my heavier coat protected me from the rain. I took off my vest of knives and my heavy coat leaving me in my long sleeved shirt. Cato pulled his coat off along with his soaked shirt. I couldn't help, but stare at his muscular chest and stomach. I saw the smirk on his face and turned away blushing.

"Starry you can look all you want, I'm yours," he smirked turning my head to him.

I laughed and shook my head, before I started making a clothes line. I pulled two knives out of my vest and the wire out of my bag. I wrapped one end of the wire around a knife and stuck it in the tree. I unwound enough to stretch across the inside of the tree. I cut it off and wound it around the knife sticking it in the tree. I grabbed Cato's shirt and coat along with mine and threw them over the line.

"That's really handy," he said when I sat in his lap.

"When you live in District 9 you learn to think outside the box," I chuckled.

"I love you; I realized this as soon as you were gone. I tried looking for you, because I wanted you back in my arms," he muttered kissing my neck.

"I don't even have to think about it. Yes I was pissed beyond belief, but I wasn't sleeping right and I knew it was because I wasn't with you. I love you Cato," I said leaning my head back on his shoulder.

We sat like that for a while, before we decided to go through our supplies. Between Cato and I and what was in Clove's pack we have: flashlights, water, enough food to last us until tomorrow morning, a sleeping bag, night glasses, rope, wire, matches and our weapons. I took the cinnamon bread out of my bag and split it with Cato. He liked, which didn't surprise me, my daddy could make anything and it was amazing. We ate some of the other stuff I had and talked. Now we didn't have tent to hide us away from the world, but it didn't matter. Cato rolled out the sleeping bag and crawled in. I followed him and laid my head against his chest.

"What's going to happen if we do make it out alive?" I asked.

"Then I'll make sure that we'll see each other all the time," he said.

"Cato travel between the districts is forbidden as long as it's not business."

"Trust me, when we make it out of this I'll get everything figured out, don't you worry about it," he said kissing my forehead.

That night I slept better than I had ever in my life.