A couple of hours later Rue woke me and I took over her watch. She rested her head on my lap and fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes, curled together like a kitten. I softly ran my hand over her hair and thought about Prim. I wondered if everything was alright at home. Suddenly I saw my little sister, fighting for her life in the arena while I had to watch her. A shiver ran down my back and for once in my life I was almost…glad that I had taken her place. I couldn't let her die. I just couldn't. I just wished I could hold her in my arms right now.
...
After the bloodbath things had been rather uneventful and I was afraid that the Gamemakers would act far too soon to keep the audience entertained. I was terrified by the idea that they could drive us together tomorrow, forcing us to fight. There were too many tributes left to let us rest. There were the three of us, Cato, Marvel, Glimmer, Foxface and certainly Thresh, the boy from Rue's district, but I couldn't remember the other tributes that were still alive.
...
In the next second something touched my hand and I realised that Gale had brought himself into a sitting position right next to me. He wasn't as pale anymore as he had been before, even the dark circles under his eyes were partly gone.
"Hi."
"Hi. Are you feeling better?", I asked.
He nodded. "A little bit, yeah. The leaves and the soup seem to help."
I smiled at him and touched his forehead. It was still hot, but you could tell that his fever was slowly breaking.
When Gale noticed Rue who was cuddled up next to me, a wide smile appeared on his face. "When did our little kitten over there fall asleep?"
"Just a couple of minutes ago."
"Do you want me to take over your watch?"
I shook my head. "Certainly not. I got some sleep earlier."
"Wow", Gale answered, his voice full of sarcasm. "And how long did I sleep? Two days? Three days?"
"You can't compare that. You have a fever and you don't feel alright. You had to sleep.", I replied, nearly angry with him. How could he even think about taking over my watch in his condition?
...
"Well, at least the whole fever-thing has one advantage", meant Gale and grinned.
"Sorry, but where exactly do you see the advantage of having a fever?"
Considering that Rue was asleep, Gale started to whisper. "You know, at least you can't complain that your boyfriend is not hot enough."
"Oh, shut up already.", I hissed at him. "Seriously Gale, that's not funny. Your fever isn't gone yet and it could still come back if you don't take care of yourself. If Rue and Haymitch hadn't helped us, I have no idea whether…"
He silenced me with a small move of his hand. "I know that you were worried and I am really sorry for that, but the whole thing wasn't easy for me as well, okay?"
"Of course it's not ease to deal with the pain…"
"Damn it, Katniss, I am not talking about the pain. Having a fever doesn't hurt", Gale hissed, nearly angry, "I came here to protect you but instead of doing exactly that I nearly die from some freaking mosquito sting and have to be fussed over by two girls like a baby. Do you think THAT is pleasant?"
...
Men and their stupid pride. I was so getting tired of this. We had been having this discussion for days now and you still couldn't see the end. We were arguing about the silly question who should protect whom, but to be honest we couldn't change this situation anyway. So what was the point in fighting about it again?
"Gale, let's just quit it, okay? We are simply protecting each other, alright?", I meant and sighed before I looked at him. "I will take care that you get better again and if it means so much to you, you can be my hero if the careers are chasing me, hm?"
"Wow, how gracious. But if you want me to agree to this deal, you will have to lay down right now and get some sleep. I am taking over your watch."
...
A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I grabbed the blanket and leaned my head on Gale's shoulder. "This discussion isn't over yet, alright? I am just too tired to be mad at you for being such a dickhead." There was no way I was going to loose this argument.
Gale rolled his eyes and smirked at me. "I think it's time for you to get some rest."
Before I cuddled up next to him I took another look at Rue who was still asleep right next to me, her eyes closed and a small smile on her lips.
...
Exactly this spot was empty when I opened my eyes for the next time. "Where is Rue?", I asked Gale, my voice full of worry and quickly brought myself into a sitting position.
"She went to get some leaves", he answered, "I wanted to stop her, but she had left before I had the chance to say something."
I sighed and got up. I had to find Rue before somebody else did.
"I will go and look for her. Can I leave you alone for a moment?"
"Sure. But take care of you, will you?"
I quickly kissed Gale goodbye and caressed his cheek. "Don't worry, I'll be right back." With these words I left the cave.
...
At first I was just running through the woods aimlessly. I had no idea where I should be looking for Rue. She never told me where she found those leaves. I was just about to turn around to start looking for her in the other direction when I heard a loud scream that made my heart beat about hundred times faster. "KATNISS!"
"RUE! Where are you?", I yelled, but she just screamed my name again.
I followed her voice as fast as I could and it led me to a meadow. With every step her voice got louder and I knew that I was on the right way.
...
I saw Rue the second I entered the meadow, but we weren't alone. Behind her stood Marvel, the boy from District 1. With one arm he kept Rue in a headlock while his other hand held a long spear. By now I felt like my heart seemed to jump out of my chest and a unpleasant feeling was rushing through my whole body, making me sick.
"Let her go!", I ordered and stopped. I didn't dare to use my bow yet, but I prepared him for the worst case. It was too risky to aim my bow at Marvel, I could easily hurt Rue.
Marvel laughed. "Do you seriously think I would do that? Katniss, Katniss, and I always thought you were smart."
My whole body tensed and I felt like I just had drunk pure vinegar. I had to save Rue. I couldn't let him hurt her, she was like a little sister for me. Alright, if this dirty dog wanted to play with me…
"Fine, what do you want? Food? Weapons?"
"Oh, don't worry, I am not interested in food or – how did you call this thing? – weapons."
"But?" I slowly noticed that my plan didn't really work like I wanted it to. Damn it, what did he want? I needed a new strategy, otherwise things weren't going to end too well for us… My worries about Rue increased in every second and it took all my strengths to focus on Marvel. I mustn't screw up now, just this once.
"I want you to watch your little friend here when she dies. She is the first one, then I will take care of loverboy." Marvel's voice and smile got more and more provoking. I clenched my fists and surpassed the urge to jump at him.
"Leave them alone," I hissed. "We both know what you really want. Why don't you just get me and let them go?"
"Of course. As if you would do that."
"I would. Leave Gale and Rue alone and I am all yours. That's your last chance to get me, so kill me now and let them go." This was my last desperate try to save Rue. As soon as he released her I would shoot him, but as long as he got her in a headlock I didn't have a chance. Rue looked at me half terrified, half pleading. She seemed so…helpless, so fragile and I knew that this picture would haunt me forever. I would die for her, but I had to try and convince Marvel to let her go. While I was awaiting his answer I prayed that he would let them go. The next second Gale appeared in my mind. If my plan backfired and I didn't get out of here, he would take care of Rue, that's for sure. She knew how to reach the cave and if the odds were in their favour one of them could manage to get out of this arena alive.
...
In this moment Rue's scream brought me back to reality. "No, Katniss, don't do that!"
"Shut up!", Marvel yelled at her and tightened the grip around her neck. I felt the anger rising in me. How could he treat her like that?
"So, what do you say? My offer is still on."
Marvel laughed one more time at me, his voice full of malice, then he pierced Rue's small and fragile body with his spear…