Chapter 10:
The sky was a light pink with shades of darker red and orange mixed together to symbolise a new day. The sun poked it's head out from behind the horizon and rays of light came with an almost eerie stillness.
At the Cornucopia, Katniss and Clove waited. They could both clearly see the table with 4 different packs upon them. At the end of the table, furthest away from them was the pack with the number 12. They hid in the brush, away from plain sight and they watched.
Nothing moved and there was no sound. If it were any other day, you could perhaps believe that everyone was asleep. This was because there was no sign of anyone around but at the same time, everyone had to be here.
They're all here. I know they are, so where are they? Katniss thought.
Katniss signalled to Clove by pointing down at the ground and mouthing; "Stay put." Clove opened her mouth as if to argue, but Katniss began to walk soundlessly towards the centre, keeping low.
Clove didn't want to give away either of their positions, so she stayed quiet, gripping the handle of one of her knives in fear and anticipation. Just waiting for someone to try and stop her.
Then when Katniss was far enough from Clove, she sprinted to the table, grabbed her pack and slung it over her shoulder. Katniss proceeded to dash away into the foliage on the other side of the Cornucopia and no one had tried to intercept her.
Wow. Clove thought. I can't believe that worked. In one swift movement, Katniss had obtained their pack and fled before anyone could realise what she was doing. It was however, incredibly dangerous and Clove would berate her for that when they got to the cave.
Cato ran out into the starting area, but he did not go for the table with the packs on it like Clove thought he would, instead he ran after Katniss.
You bastard. Clove thought angrily. She started to edge back so she could go around the Cornucopia rather than run through it, she doubted she would be as lucky as the other two tributes.
A twig snapped. Clove whipped around and was eye to eye with Thresh, the wall of muscle from the same district as Rue.
"Shit." Clove said.
"You! You're a career, you were part of the group that killed Rue!" He stomped towards her with his hands clenched into fists.
"N-no I'm not with them any more. I had an alliance with Rue, I tried to save her!" Clove said desperately while backing away from Thresh into the Cornucopia.
Thresh followed her, although it seemed as if he were taking his time. Clove knew the boy could easily crush her skull if he wanted, like she might crush a grape between her fingers. This was the thought that made her retreat backwards.
"You're lying! You careers are all the same, you pick on the weakest just because you think you're better. You deserve to die for killing such a sweet little girl." He said with blatant rage not concealed in the slightest.
Clove had forgotten about her knives, she had even forgotten her own name because of the hulking mass that stood in front of her. Thresh grabbed Clove's neck and lifted her effortlessly in the air. Clove's feet dangled down above the ground as she urgently tried to loosen his vice-tight grip on her throat. She gasped for air but failed to get any into her lungs.
"Kat." she choked. "Help." Her vision was quickly getting increasingly blurry and little black spots danced before her eyes.
Thresh wailed suddenly and dropped Clove abruptly like a sack of potatoes. She landed on her side confused and dazed, gasping and spluttering for air. Clove saw that Thresh was cradling his knee after pulling out a large silver spear that lay bloody on the ground. Marvel?
Cato and Marvel charged at the two of them with Cato leading. As Thresh and Clove were both either winded or wounded, the careers had the upper hand. Marvel launched a spear, but this time Thresh was prepared. He caught it mid flight and bent it with no strain evident at all.
He smacked Cato and sent him flying backwards until he stopped in the dirt face down. Clove didn't want to stay any longer, she rolled over onto her front and crawled away. She just needed to get to the thicket she originally came from, then she would be safe.
Almost there. She reassured herself. Almost there.
Clove was kicked over onto her back and straddled by Cato who had his sword in one hand. "You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" He said with a smug grin.
Clove assumed that Thresh and Marvel were busy as there was the sound of heavy breathing and cursing not too far away. "Looks like Fire Girl has left you Clove. But don't worry, I'll find her too and she'll join you soon enough." Cato said with a smirk.
Cato raised his sword above his head, then stopped and shared a look of mutual shock with Clove. Cato's shirt was stained with blood and the shaft of an arrow produced from his chest. His sword clattered to the ground behind him and he fell forward. Clove pushed him off of her body and clambered to her feet unsteadily.
For once Cato looked scared, he looked up at her no longer a fearless killing machine, but a scared little boy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. His breathing was slow and laboured as if it hurt. It probably did.
Katniss was by her side with her bow in hand. "Let's go! What are you waiting for?" Katniss gripped Clove's hand and towed her along into the woods and weaving through the trees.
"I didn't want to stay to find out who won. I honestly wouldn't like to fight either of them." Katniss said once they had made a reasonable distance between Marvel and Thresh.
"Thanks." Clove said breathlessly. "I almost died twice there."
Katniss shook her head dismissively. "You would've done the same for me."
"Where's the pack?" Clove asked when she saw that Katniss no longer had it with her. She smiled.
"I hid it by the lake where we washed Peeta and came back for you." They soon reached the bank of said lake and Katniss retrieved the pack and slung it over her shoulders again.
She turned to Clove and looked at her dotingly. "Are you alright after all that? I only came in part way and I helped as soon as I could." With her hand, Katniss wiped Clove's face. It surprised Clove when it came away red.
"I- I'm fine I think, just a little rattled. I don't think I'm hurt." She smiled weakly.
"You have great timing, that could've gone a lot worse." Clove said. Katniss took Clove's hands in her own and squeezed them gently.
Their intimate moment was interrupted by a shrill scream of pain. It was so loud that the birds flew off their roosts on the trees with harsh squawking sounds. This was followed by the loud boom of a cannon. They both cast their gaze in the direction they came from.
"Let's go. Dough boy won't hold out for much longer." Katniss nodded and they hastily went back to the cave.
Peeta was there when they returned but he looked far from well. He was whimpering softly to himself as if simply living was a constant effort against the venom in his veins. He showed no sign of being aware that they had both come back and continued mumbling incoherently.
Katniss walked over to Peeta and crouched down. She rummaged in the bag and found a small bottle of a clear colourless liquid.
Clove stood watch at the mouth of the cave while Katniss treated Peeta, Clove couldn't help but think that they were too late. "It's done. All we can do now is wait." Katniss said.
For the next few days, the tributes in the cave (the ones that were in the right mind anyway) were almost always were on edge and took shifts of guarding the cave against the remainder of the combatants.
Fortunately, everything seemed to be quiet locally at least. During Katniss' hunting periods in the early hours of the morning she encountered no one. She knew when she was safe though because of the wildlife. The birds and bunnies were never around when there was trouble about, they had a sense for this it seemed.
The young huntress reflected on her thoughts as she walked through the forest silently.
Peeta was improving at least. He began to show an understanding of his surroundings again and started speaking also, much to Clove's disdain. Katniss smiled to herself when she remembered the look of utter annoyance on her face when Peeta spoke at last.
Katniss sighed. This hell was almost over, there was only a few more tributes to deal with and she could go home to Prim, to her mother, Gale, even that stupid cat Buttercup. She had missed them all sorely.
She thought about Clove. What would she do when she got home? Then she remembered that Clove said she didn't really have one. Katniss pondered what it would be like to bring Clove to district 12, what would Gale think?
This thought amused her, he'd probably chuckle and say something like; "Catnip, I didn't know you had it in you." Then they'd have a shooting contest like they always did to blow off steam.
She had tried to avoid thinking about this topic, but it sprung to the front of her mind again: There can only be two winners. The three of us can't make it. She felt horrible about thinking of her future with Clove and she hadn't even thought about Peeta.
Katniss knew she loved Clove with all her heart. She had never felt this way about anyone before. It wasn't fair to Peeta though, he had been through this crucible just like the rest of us and if it came down to it, could I kill him? After all he's done for me, could I be that cruel?
Katniss sat on a fallen, moss covered log. That might not even be an issue for long. Thresh or Marvel could get to him first. They won't hesitate. Katniss gripped her bow tightly and decided to go back. She would just wind up getting angry if she couldn't distract herself.
"Hey Katniss, what will you do if you win?" Clove asked.
"Hmm... I would go back home first and then I would go to the Hob. Greasy Sae always used to sell the best soup. She could make just about anything edible, even-" Katniss smirked. "Actually, it's better if you don't know I guess. But everyone in 12 went to the Hob for food and being there just made me feel home. I'd thank Madge for this Mockingjay pin because without it, I wouldn't have made friends with Rue and Gale for his hunting tips."
Katniss thought for a second. "I guess I'd see everybody, family and friends I suppose, I miss them all."
She looked up and saw Clove listening intently, but she also looked a little sad. "What about you?" Katniss asked softly.
Clove looked at her hands. "I would live in the Victors' village along with all the other winners. I'd be given the offer to become a Peacekeeper and I'd probably take it as life can be pretty lonely in two. My parents are dead after all so there's not much else for me to do."
"You could... Come and live with me if you want." Katniss said somewhat hesitantly, unsure of what her response might be.
Clove's eyes darted up at Katniss. "R-really? You mean that?"
"Of course I do. I'm sure you'd love it there. You would have to get used to the lack of food though." Katniss responded.
"Oh, I'm sure I will. I would love to live with you in twelve Katniss!" Clove beamed.
Clove's eyebrows furrowed. "Do you think that would be allowed?"
"It hasn't happened before so there can't be any rules against it. There have only ever been one winner." Katniss said.
"What is district twelve like?" Clove asked excitedly. Clove moved closer to Katniss and listened eagerly.
"Well, district twelve is the coal mining district. We all work hard just to get through the day. It's not all sunshine and puppies. The most common way of dying is starvation."
Clove looked sad at this, like a child that doesn't understand why the world isn't perfect. "Why don't you have food? We have more than enough in district two."
"Because out of all the districts, twelve is the least valued. The Capitol doesn't need coal as bad as it needs its weapons or luxurious items." Katniss said bitterly.
The sky outside was ink black and Peeta was fast asleep, they sat together on watch talking the hours away.
"But there are good sides too. In twelve we learn to enjoy the little things and how to make good come out of a bad situation. We have a sense of community and pride in everything we do."
Katniss draped an arm around Clove's neck. "That's why I think you would fit in Clove. You're just like how twelve is seen by the rest of Panem, you aren't bad but you are perceived to be. You are just simply misunderstood."
Katniss chuckled. "Effie said to me once; 'if you put enough pressure on coal, it turns to diamonds'. I used to think it was a load of rubbish, but I've realised now that maybe she was right." Clove smiled warmly and turned a little pink.
Clove buried her head in the crook of Katniss' neck and said dreamily. "Tell me more about twelve, what are the people like?"
"Well, they are used to doing dirty work. But they are the kindest, most considerate people..."
As they talked, Clove truly believed she may have found a home with the girl she loved. She had found something she had never thought possible in the least likely of places, she had found a place to belong.
That night, Clove dreamed of her new home and slept peacefully for the first night in years.