Author's Note: Merry Christmas and Happy 2013 everyone! I've been away for about three weeks on and off since the last chapter, which is why I haven't updated. But I'm back and I have a whole month of time to write this story. I plan on trying to finish it before I go back to school in February, so look forward to (hopefully) more frequent updates.
Something you should know is that I changed the scene between Cato and Gloss in the last chapter and it talks a lot more about what is going to happen in these chapters, so I suggest you go back and read Chapter Twenty-Two so you understand how Cato knows everything he does in this chapter.
This chapter was meant to be longer, but where I ended it seemed like the perfect place and continuing would have just ruined it. So enjoy this chapter!
Crowd of Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Grey's POV
"Are you okay?" Luke tentatively asks as he perches on a log beside me. I had walked away from the group a while ago, wanting some time alone to reorder my thoughts, but what I really actually wanted was someone to talk to.
"That depends on what answer you want," I reply without meeting his gaze, "There's a child growing inside me whose father I have to kill in order to survive, but I'm alive right now so I guess I'm fine." Luke laughs.
"You're allowed to be annoyed – I know I certainly would be in your situation."
"I'd be annoyed if I was a pregnant boy too." I smirk back at him, and he laughs at his own mistake.
"Yeah yeah, but really, you're handling it all better than anyone I can imagine. I know Cato would be proud of you." My laughter instantly stops at the mention of Cato, and I try to change the subject away from him.
"Is there anyone back in your district that you miss, Luke?" I ask. Luke recognizes the change in subject but goes along with it without mentioning it.
"There was no girl back home if that's what you're thinking," He replies, and he ponders for a second before continuing, "I don't miss my parents very much – I think I miss talking to my best friend the most."
"Oh?" I prod for him to elaborate. Hearing about Luke beat having to think about Cato.
"His name is Daniel but he always went by Niel. We used to chop wood in the forest alongside each other – we'd have competitions as to who could chop the most in a day to make life interesting. He would always win – he's got enormous arms." Luke digs his hand into the pocket of his jacket and brings out a small wooden carving.
"He made this for me to be my token before I left. He's an amazing carver – he can carve anything in a matter of minutes. No one would think such a big guy could do something so delicate." I nod in awe and take his token into my hands. I know it's a weapon but I don't immediately recognise it. I hazard a guess at what it might be.
"It's a scythe, isn't it?"
"Yep!" He chirps, obviously proud of his weapon. "We always used axes to chop the wood but there was one of these in the back of the tool shed where I worked. I think District Nine used to grow crops like Eleven before the Dark Days. I used to bring it out and practice with it after-hours. We didn't think there would be one in the Games – it's only a cultivating tool after all – so Niel wanted to make sure that I had one no matter where I was."
"I don't think you'd be able to kill anyone with this." I ponder, swinging the tiny weapon around with my thumb and first finger.
"Let's see how you like it when it gets stuck in your eye!"
I feel calmer having talked to Luke, and I even retrieve Cato's token from my jacket pocket and place it around my neck. Luke nods and smiles when he sees it around my neck, and silently we walk together back to the camp.
"How long do you think it will take before everyone gets pitted against each other?" He asks as the clearing comes into view. I can hear quiet murmuring coming from the group as we get closer.
"Not long at all," I reply, "I can feel it in the air."
Finnick nods a greeting when we come into view.
"We've been discussing possible courses of action and we think it's best if we move away from the centre of the arena."
"It's an evading strategy that will help us in the long run." Haymitch tacks on. "And if we get close to the force-field we may be able to use it to our advantage." The old District Twelve mentor had a point, but I doubted that the Capitol would have made it easy to use the field in the same way as he had done in his own games.
"In theory they can't push us towards the centre of the arena if we are pushed up against the side, right?" Luke ponders. I want to tell him that his theory seems rather flawed, but I stay quiet. In theory, they could do a great number of things that would push us into the centre of the arena, whether we were at the edge or not.
Finnick points in a random direction and suggests we go that way, but I instruct Luke – the smallest – to climb the nearest tree and search for the closest edge that doesn't involve walking through the cornucopia.
"It looks like it goes forever," He calls down after several moments spent looking from his vantage point, "What am I looking for?"
"Something that tells you that you are looking at a projection rather than the real thing." Haymitch calls up before we can even begin to think about the visibility of force-fields. "Trees in the distance that don't look real or that look repeated – maybe a slight shimmer in the air." Luke seems to ponder this quietly for a few minutes, and eventually he exclaims that he sees the force-field in the distance. When he drops down onto the ground he points in the direction opposite to where Finnick wanted us to go and tells us that it is probably only a few hours walk through the forest to get to the edge.
"Did you see any other tributes walking around the arena?" I ask Luke once we've formed a huddle and begun to walk. He shakes his head.
"No. I could see the cornucopia but it looked deserted. Everyone is probably moving around looking for other tributes or waiting for the next thing the Capitol throws at us." At a call from Finnick – who is walking at the front of the group – Luke hurries to join him, leaving me behind, and Titus falls back to my side.
"What are you thinking about?" He asks. I don't have to ask him to know how he's feeling. His back is ramrod straight – he's obviously worried about whether or not he is going to survive this. None of us are ready to die. But Titus is a fighter by nature and he needs to be fighting in order to feel calm – this walking doesn't do it for him like it does for the rest of us.
"Cato." I state plainly, ignoring the stiffening of his shoulders as my old friend hears the name of the career.
There's a pause and then, "Do you think we're going to make it to the edge of the arena?"
I don't need to think before I answer.
"No, I don't."
Cato's POV
I had to find Grey – fast. I had spent my life having people taken away from me – no, pushing them away – but I wasn't going to let myself push away possibly the last person that mattered to me.
It was too dangerous to call out for her or anybody in her alliance because of the threat of enemy tributes, but I listened intently to any noises in the trees that would give away someone's position. I didn't even know where they were headed when I last saw them. Why didn't I just stay with them when I was offered a place?
I run as fast and hard as I can, praying that I won't be struck down before I get to them, until my foot catches on a root and I'm sent tumbling to the dusty floor. My thoughts had been revolving around the Capitol trying to kill me, so when I'm sent to the ground I instantly struggle around the ground thinking that I've been caught in some Capitol trap. I sit up a few seconds later, realising that I had merely tripped over, and then scramble to my feet. My muscles were beginning to protest but I push down the emotion and start to move forward again, bracing my arms against trees that I pass.
"Grey, where are you?" I murmur quietly to myself. Almost like fate, I hear the sound of leaves crunching nearby. Pulling my sword out in preparation for its use I brandish it out in front of me and take small steps towards the noise. When the figure comes into view I step on a particularly loud leaf in shock, and they are startled enough to turn around to face me.
"Oh my gosh, Grey. I finally found you." I say quietly before she runs and leaps into my arms.
Grey's POV
I am wrapped around Cato before he can take another step forward. My face is pressed deep into his neck as he holds me under my thighs, rocking us both gently.
"It's okay, we're all good." I whisper to him even though I'm the one who needs the comfort. Cato just nods and continues his calming movement.
As soon as he puts me down, however, the content look in his eyes fades as if he is coming out of a dream, and he suddenly looks agitated.
"Where are the others?" He asks, checking the surrounding area as if expecting someone to pop up and surprise us.
"Just over there," I reply as I point over towards the end of the force-field, "We made it to the end of the arena and they're inspecting it right now. I thought I'd take a look around here."
"Okay, that's good." He says, still looking nervous. "Gloss told me something important before I left the alliance and you need to listen. The Capitol isn't trying to get a victor – they're doing this to execute us all! Round up all the most rebellious victors and pit them against each other under the pretence of a Quell. I didn't even think I'd make it to you, I-" I press my finger to his lips and he abruptly stops, slightly offended at being forced to halt in his rampage.
"I understand." I whisper, hoping he realises that the more the Capitol knows we know, the more danger we are in. "Then we don't have much time. I need to tell you something too."
Cato looks at me expectantly, giving me his full attention. He seems oblivious to the fact that what I'm about to say is going to change his life forever.
"I'm pregnant."
Then there is an earsplittingly loud sound – almost like a bubble popping – and I can feel myself being thrown backwards. I'm in the air for longer than I would think is possible, and I can hear the cry of someone who is about to lose not one, but two, of the people they care most for. Then there is a crack and the sound abruptly stops, I feel myself hitting something hard and sink to the ground, and everything goes black.