22

I'm not your enemy. – Prim

That's what Prim left in the dirt. The tribute might not even be following them anymore, but she knew better. And she finally had something else on which to focus her thoughts instead of Marvel's ribbing.

When they made camp, the sun hadn't set yet and Prim was sure they were miles away from the Cornucopia. Peeta must have thought so, too, because he started a fire.

"Let's go get some roasting sticks!" Rue squealed, hopping to her feet.

"Stay around here." Peeta glanced between them and Marvel.

"Okay." Prim wanted to be close, just in case Marvel tried to hurt Peeta—not that she could do much to help Peeta, but still.

She and Rue weaved behind the little rock cave they'd found and searched the ground for skewers. They were finally going to eat the fish! Prim had more fun gathering herbs and berries. Besides, Rue had an eye for useful branches. "It's how I made my slingshot so quickly."

Prim looked closer at the slingshot. The branch was sturdy and the elastic part was made of a rubber band. "Where did you get the rubber band?"

Rue's smile slid from her face. "Well, when I got into the forest—I didn't run toward the Cornucopia or anything—there was a dead tribute girl. I didn't know who'd killed her, but she had a rubberband holding her hair back in a braid, so I…stole it." She looked up at Prim as though waiting for a reprimand. "Do you think that's okay?"

"I don't see anything wrong with it." She slid a handful of tiny purple berries off a branch. "I think that was really smart."

Rue lit up. "You do?"

"Yeah! I wouldn't have thought of something like that." Prim would have fled the dead body on first sight.

Rue nearly skipped through the forest after that. Prim threw a berry at her and they had a moment of giggles and berry-throwing. "Open your mouth and try to catch one."

Prim obeyed and Rue's berry hit her in the eye. They collapsed in a fit of giggles. "We better get back."

"Kay."

Still giggling, they made their way back to camp, but not before Prim let half her berries fall out of her pocket for the tribute following them…if the tribute was still there. Prim would check the next day and see if the berries were eaten or not.

The smoked fish was superb. Each of them got their own fish. Prim sprinkled some crushed thyme she'd found in the forest on the fish. The fire itself was luxury enough as night fell, but they had to put it out before it got too dark, otherwise it would be a beacon. Peeta filled up the water bottle and walked back to the fire.

"What are you doing?" Marvel asked.

Peeta rolled his eyes. "Putting out the fire—"

"Don't do it with water, idiot. "Marvel launched to his feet and then doubled over, clutching his shoulder. "Smoke's more obvious than the light."

"What do you suggest?" Peeta's tone was raised, but Prim didn't miss the desire to learn behind his question.

In response, Marvel kicked a chunk of dirt onto the flames. "Smother it." The moment Peeta started helping him, Marvel sat back down. He'd helped all he wanted to. But even though he treated Peeta rudely and he wouldn't help anymore, Prim noticed something that lifted her spirits.

He didn't want to be found. Maybe…maybe he was coming around and realizing they were on his side.

She left a portion of her fish up on a rock on the edge of camp before curling up next to Rue in their tiny cave. Peeta still wouldn't allow Marvel to join them inside.

"Probably a wise move." Marvel's teeth flashed when he grinned.

"I'll take first watch." Peeta plopped himself at the edge of the cave, facing outward.

His back was to the girls and he watched Marvel closely, but Marvel just shoved a bunch of dead leaves into a pile and climbed into the pile. "Sweet dreams, you psychos."

The anthem played with no dead tributes to announce. An hour passed and Prim still couldn't fall asleep. She should have taken first watch so Peeta could sleep. She tugged his jacket and he turned his head. "Let's switch. I'll take first watch."

"No, Prim, you get some rest."

She crawled out of her space and the rush of air that hit her as she pulled away from Rue's body heat made her shiver. In her sleep, Rue curled into a ball. "Peeta, I'll take watch, okay? You need to rest. You've been…a really good leader."

He sighed. "I don't know, Prim. I don't really know what I'm doing. This whole thing just seems…unwise."

She sat down next to him and scooted close, trying to give him some of her own body heat. "What do you mean?"

He rubbed his eyes. "I don't know if I should really share it with you."

She hung her head. "It's because of Marvel and everything, isn't it?"

"Kind of." He absently rubbed his hands together, as though working through a lump of dough. "What do you think is going to happen? At the end of all this? The Gamemakers won't let us keep building an alliance, especially when we're forcing an alliance."

Prim's voice was quiet. "I've tried not to think of what will happen." Because the truth was, all but one had to die. She only hoped she'd die first, under the illusion that a family in the Games could work. Then she'd never have to see the aftermath.

"I think the people of the Capitol are going to get bored with all of our hiding and fleeing. There wasn't a death today. Something's going to happen soon and then all hell will break loose." He looked at her, the moonlight illuminating the frown between his eyes. "Then what, Prim? What will happen to all of us when chaos hits?"

"We'll take care of each other." She leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling more and more like a little sister again instead of a tribute. "I'll take care of you, Peeta."

She heard his sigh.

Felt his arm scoot around her as a support beam.

Heard heavy breathing from both Marvel and Rue.

If only Katniss were here, she'd know what to do. She'd have some sort of plan. But, if Katniss were here then that would be even worse for Peeta. Much worse. "Peeta…do you still love Katniss?"

The night sounds seemed elevated, brought on by his silence. Perhaps she shouldn't have asked. What made her ask? How insensitive of her!

"Yes."

"Oh." What had Prim hoped? That maybe he stopped loving Katniss so that he could stop trying to protect Prim? But…whenever she imagined him loving Katniss, Prim couldn't help picturing him as her big brother. She couldn't see Gale as a big brother. He was…well….Gale. It was different.

"How much do you love her?"

Peeta gave a humorless laugh. "Isn't it obvious, Prim?" He swept his arm in front of him, gesturing to the arena as a whole. "I'd…I'd die for her." Then, in a quieter, broken voice weighted down by hopelessness… "I'm going to die for her."

.

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To be continued...

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How would you live if you knew the day you'd die? Parvin Blackwater believes she has wasted her life. At only seventeen, she has one year left according to the Clock by her bedside. In a last-ditch effort to make a difference, she tries to rescue Radicals from the government's crooked justice system. But when the authorities find out about her illegal activity, they cast her through the Wall - her people's death sentence. What she finds on the other side about the world, about eternity, and about herself changes Parvin forever and might just save her people. But her clock is running out.