Chapter 7:
"Katniss!" Rue screamed.
Clove and Katniss ran through the woods towards Rue's pleas. Katniss felt as though her heart was going to burst out of her chest as it's beat was as frantic as a trapped animal.
Katniss was a mix of emotions, she was frightened because of Rue and the fact that she could only hear though one ear so the other must be damaged severely, happy because Clove had kissed her and also somewhat sad because Clove had kissed her.
There can only be one winner. Now I know Clove has feelings for me, how could I possibly hurt her? And worse, what if... This was some trick? Could Clove kill me?"
"Katniss, please help!" Rue shouted. Rue was getting louder so they must've been getting closer quite quickly. Katniss braced herself, this was probably a trap, but she didn't care.
I have to save Prim! Wait, I mean Rue. Katniss corrected herself.
Katniss emerged from the trees to see Rue tangled up in a thick net. Her limbs thrashed as she desperately tried to free herself, but to no avail.
"Hold on Rue!" Katniss said. She ran to the net, knelt down and set about cutting the rope with her knife.
As she did this, Katniss' eyes darted to the trees that surrounded them, she could see no one, but because of her hearing impairment she did not know whether they were being stalked. Katniss decided that she would be as quick as she could, just in case. Something didn't feel right.
Katniss had soon managed to make a hole in the net big enough for Rue to crawl through. Katniss stood as Rue threw her arms around her: "Thank you Katniss! I knew you would save me."
"It's okay, you're safe now." Katniss whispered.
"Where is Clove?" Rue asked.
Katniss broke away from the hug and realised her companion wasn't by her side. "I- I don't know." Katniss felt more on edge than ever.
"Stay close." Katniss said quietly. She listened intently with her good ear, but her ears weren't sensitive enough to pick up anything.
"Katniss." Rue said softly with a tint of uncertainty.
"Not now Rue."
"Katniss!" She was alarmed at the fear in Rue's voice, it was as blatant as the sky was blue.
"What?" She turned her head, Katniss froze. A blade stuck out from Rue's chest, her shirt was stained with blood. What's worse is that it was a blade she recognised. It was one of Clove's knives.
Katniss was speechless as Rue fell forward into her arms. She felt the sharp pain of betrayal like a stab in the gut and the bitter feel of remorse and fear of being alone festering in the pit of her stomach.
"Katniss." Rue whimpered. "I'm scared."
Rue looked at her with big innocent eyes, eyes of a child who had been through hell only to get death as a prize. Eyes that were soft and very, very frightened.
Katniss felt as though her world disintegrated, she had lost her sense of awareness. She felt weak and fragile and suddenly numb, she tried to find the words but none would come.
"I-it will be okay, you're okay." Katniss' words were shaky, she knew this was untrue. Katniss smiled a thin and wan smile for Rue's benefit.
"Can you... Sing for me?" Rue asked focusing on Katniss.
Katniss took an uneven and shaky breath, then began:
Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow.
Rue's gaze looked upward towards the clear blue sky far above the trees. Her eyes were cloudy and unfocused, but she looked somewhat at ease.
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise.
Rue's eyes now fluttered shut and her grip on Katniss' hand weakened. A lone tear ran down her face and her breathing was hollow. Katniss wavered slightly as tears began to fall from her own cheeks onto the soft mossy ground.
A cannon fired and Katniss gently set Rue down on the ground and kissed her forehead as though she were only sleeping. "Goodbye Rue." Katniss' words were barely audible.
"How touching." The words came from the edge of the trees and were harsh and remorseless. It wasn't a voice Katniss knew, although she thought it was vaguely familiar.
Katniss was outraged, someone dared to interrupt such a private moment and then proceeded to mock her for it. Her grip tightened on her bow, she waited for the assailant to reveal themselves.
Katniss saw a flash of sleek red hair and knew almost immediately from earlier that it was Foxface. She was circling around her but Katniss couldn't tell where she was at any given time. She waited and waited.
Foxface burst out of the foliage and ran at Katniss with a knife. Katniss grappled with Foxface to divert the knife from it's current course (which was her neck). Foxface had amber eyes and a small build, but Katniss knew how dangerous she was and didn't underestimate her.
Katniss smacked her away with her bow in hand, drew an arrow and without a second thought, sent it flying at Foxface.
The arrow pierced her eye and she collapsed on the ground writhing in agony and screaming obscenities at Katniss. She walked over to Foxface and looked down at her.
"Do you know what happens when an injured animal is left in the wild?" Katniss asked her.
She received a response that was far from formal. Katniss continued: "When an animal is hurt badly enough, it cannot fend for itself. So it starves to death alone, assuming it doesn't die some other way first. The dignified thing to do is put it down." Katniss said.
"But you do not deserve a dignified death and you will receive no mercy from me." She said coldly.
Katniss walked away from Foxface's crumpled form as she clutched her eye, trying to stop herself from bleeding to death.
Rue is at peace now, she doesn't have to deal with this screwed up world anymore.
Katniss' only priority now was Peeta because as much as she hated to admit it, Clove had turned on her and killed Rue.
I should have never trusted her in the first place. She was fooling me all along, like a wolf in sheep's clothing. I should have known better. Katniss scolded herself. Love is for idiots.
Katniss made her way back to Peeta who was hopefully still sleeping in the cave. We have to move now that Clove's against us. Nothing would stop her from killing us in our sleep if she could just kill Rue like that.
Katniss walked inside the dim cave and stopped. Peeta was sleeping, but a silhouette stood over him clutching a blade. The figure knelt down beside him and turned him onto his back.
Katniss launched herself at the figure knowing little else to do and anger controlling her for the moment. She pressed Clove against the hard wall of the cave. Winded momentarily, Clove looked rattled as Katniss cut off her air as she held her arm against her neck. Clove spoke: "Katniss, what are you-"
"Shut up!" Katniss shouted as she felt herself tear up again. "How could you?! How could you use me? How could you kill her? She was just a little girl Clove!"
"Katniss." She coughed. "Please just let me explain."
"What, so you can lie to me and just stab me in the back like you did with Rue? Like you were just going to do with Peeta?!" Katniss said angrily.
"I didn't kill anyone." Clove said earnestly.
"Bullshit. It was one of your knives that killed Rue, where were you when I was attacked?"
"Foxface..." She responded. Katniss realised she was choking her and loosened her grip slightly.
"This better be believable or I'm going to kill you myself." Katniss said bluntly.
"You ran ahead and Foxface tackled me and caught me completely off guard. She took some of my knives and ran off." Katniss backed off slightly, but didn't ease up. Clove sat on a rock and put her hands in her lap.
Katniss searched Clove's face and it did look a little rough. Her cheek was bruised and her lip had a cut down it as red as a bloody pomegranate.
Clove looked down at the ground and spoke as softly as a susurrus wind in autumn. "When I heard the cannon – I honestly thought Foxface had..." She met Katniss' eyes.
"I'm so glad you are okay." She grinned shyly. She stood and walked towards Katniss slowly.
"Katniss, I- I love you." Clove looked at Katniss dotingly and drew her into her arms and kissed her deeply.
Katniss relented despite herself and embraced Clove. "I love you too."
Back at the Capitol, Haymitch watched this display of affection and took a swig from his flask. He sighed and shook his head. "I really thought we had a chance at winning this year. Either way though, things aren't gonna go well for Sweetheart even if she wins."