Katniss POV:
My feet are pounding against the floor; Gale is now maybe a metre ahead of me and getting further and further away. I finally reach the Cornucopia grab my bow and load it, I don't have time to pick through the weapons so I also grab a knife and then I run. Gale is by my side and obviously found some spears that he learnt how to use in training. We run towards the forest but when we reach two backpacks side by side I decide it would be a good idea to take them. The second I bend down for the bags I hear the whistle of I knife rushing past my ear, my ear stings but don't hurt too much so I carry on. As I run I take a quick look behind me but the knife thrower must have gone back to the main event at the Cornucopia because I could see no real threat behind me.
We pass through the trees not bothering how loud we are because the only people who are interested in killing today would be at the Cornucopia. I never once lose track of Gale as we weave our way through the woods. Eventually we slow to a jog and then a walk. BOOM! The first cannon strikes, the next and the next. Gale and I stand dead still both of us counting, after a long pause when no cannons go off we both say in unison. "Fourteen." Fourteen children dead. Their bodies about to be taken away by the hovercrafts into the skies. Cleaned up by Capitol doctors before getting shipped off to their districts, fourteen lives have been wasted today each one as innocent as the last.
Gale POV:
I can tell she is thinking about them, all the people who have just died. She looks like she feels guilt about their deaths, and I don't understand it because she didn't kill them herself, the way I see it is that each time that cannon goes us it mean one step closer to home, one step further away from death. Why doesn't she get that, I have never seen her like this and to be frank, I don't like it. She looks too weak and timid, why isn't she strong like she is in the woods, she kills everyday there and what's the difference. You load your bow, you take aim, and you let the arrow it fly. Nothing more and nothing less. When she heard the cannons she looked so sad, she mourned them but I didn't know why, yes it was wrong that they had to die but is wasn't her fault she has killed anyone yet.
Eventually she snaps out of it "You okay Catnip?" I pause, "Katniss, sorry."
"No, I just hate the idea of all those people being dead." I look at her trying to look like I understand but I don't. She looks at me, is she crying, she can't be crying. SHE DOESN'T CRY. I do my best to comfort her and sit next to her; I slip my arm around her as she nuzzles into my chest.
"Come on Katniss we can't stay here long, why don't we look through the back packs and then keep moving." She looks up with teary eyes and attempts a smile. Does she really think we will get any sponsors when she looks so weak? No, no, no, no. A thousand times no.
"Okay, sorry I guess you think I'm over reacting."
"A little," I try to laugh but it comes out as more of a cough.
We sit together sorting through the packs. The main thing in the packs is food about half the stuff in there is food like dried berries, beef strips, bacon, chicken and one had a can of Capitol dehydrated stew. There are also two water bottles that are bone dry, a spare jacket and three knives. I look for anything that could help us find water but there is nothing. This really annoys me because how are we supposed to eat something that you have to rehydrate without any water. Anger starts to bubble through me, I know its coming, I always do but I can't control myself, I throw the can at a tree and watch as stew splatters against a tree. I turn to Katniss
"Stop being so weak," I'm yelling at her, "Why can't you control yourself?"
Katniss POV:
I just stared at him, eyes wide. I am utterly speechless, but my body reacts before my mind and my arm comes up and I slap him leaving a huge red mark of his cheek. My mind then goes into overdrive and before Gale can say another word I shove half the stuff into my bag, grab a bow, sheath of arrows and a knife and walk away. Gale is stood with his hand clamped to his cheek before he mumbles an apology saying he was so fed up with the situation and he didn't mean what he said but I didn't care I just carried on walking. I know it's pathetic but I just can't talk to him.
"Katniss come back, you know I am sorry, please Catnip." I swivel on my heel with my voice low, I raise my bow that I just loaded with an arrow and point it straight at his heart.
"Are you trying to kill us both, you are screaming your lungs out in an arena when twenty two other people want us dead. I suggest you don't follow me because you will need your weapons and supplies that are where we stopped. Plus currently I'm armed and angry take on step close and I will shoot." He looks at me in shock, the crease between his brows deepening into his head. Silent. "What is it Gale? Can't you catch your tongue or are we just shocked that a girl has got you into check mate?" I raise my eyebrow daring him to speak.
"You s...said you l...loved m...me." He no longer looks angry he looked truly upset; I have never known him to stutter like this. The way he looks now with his eyes round and his lower lip quivering slightly reminds me of Peeta and all of a sudden my arrow has sunk into the ground and my lips are on his. Somehow in my head I am kissing Peeta but all too soon I can tell that this is wrong, Peeta's soft, smooth lips have been replaced my chapped and rough lips, the pressure of this kiss is not loving like Peeta's it is aggressive and forceful. I broke apart from him and ran.