Maybe, if I just keep this sword in a death grip and shove my other hand in my pocket… they won't be able to see how hard my hands are shaking. Not that any of these fuckers are all that observant anyways.

How strange it is that by all accounts, I am the most dangerous thing in this arena. The biggest predator, the hunter, that is my role. And yet, I am absolutely positive I am the most terrified person in this hell hole.

Clove had been so angry when Cato came back without Katniss's blood on his sword that she had insisted they start hunting as soon as it was dark. She even walked ahead of them now, spinning her knives around in her hands, wearing the blood splattered across her jacket like a badge. Glimmer and Marvel were all too eager to get more blood on their hands, even now they walked behind him and discussed their earlier kills.

I don't think it was until this moment that I realized what the Academy was really doing to us. How did I fight it and they didn't? Did they even try? No, even before the Academy got their hands on them, they were taught that it was okay to kill other people. The only reason I am different is because of my mother. These kids are too far gone. Why did I expect them to crack a little the way I am now? Why did I expect them to look around after the bloodbath and feel reality start to contradict the brainwashing? Did they really, truly feel pride whenever they killed? Or were they acting, like I am now, pretending, and I am blind to their script's the way they are to mine?

Peeta was off in his own world walking next to him, Cato didn't bother to wonder about what he was thinking about. He knew the answer. Katniss, the source of his own anxiety. He hadn't expected to miss her the way he did. He knew he would, but not in the crippling, fearful way he did now. With every step forward, his body was overcome with fear. He knew the feeling all too well. His mind flashed back to his dream, her screams, her body riddled with cuts and bruises, her voice begging for help. Would it become a reality soon? Would he be able to protect her from the pack of vultures he currently walked with? Where was she now? Was she safe? Had she eaten? Was she injured? Had she found water? Was she sleeping? Would she hear them coming?

Of course, she would, she is the only real hunter in this arena. I am not the biggest threat in this arena. It is her, by her own skill but also the lengths I will go to keep her safe. Katniss is fine. She will not allow herself to be caught. She is far too smart. Far too quick. She is what they should all be afraid of. Not me, internally crumbling over the blood on my hands and the possibility of her death.

He nearly smiled at his own thoughts, catching himself just in time to maintain the stony, impassive look he had been forcing. He forced his thoughts to something else, choosing to focus on Peeta's heavy footsteps. It was as if every crunchy leaf and tree branch ran to be in his way, he was so loud.

Maybe he's doing it on purpose, trying to make the sound of our approach louder, trying to give Katniss or the other tributes a shot at hearing us coming. Of course, Gimmers giggling and Marvel's fawning over her probably made it so you could hear us a mile away. Still, worth a shot.

Cato decided to follow his lead, still unsure if the boy was doing it on purpose or he was just that loud. It still offered the premise of thinking he was doing something good. He pounded his feet into the earth below him, side-stepping to walk through ferns and step on large branches. The louder the better.

"Do you guys smell that?" Clove whipped around facing the group. Cato felt his blood run cold at the realization of what he had been missing. Through his internal musings and then focus on making as much noise as possible, he had missed the telltale scent of smoke rising in the air.

"Is someone honestly that stupid to light a fire in the middle of the night?" Marvel snorted, an evil smirk crossing his eyes.

"Clove, if you can find them, you can kill them." He told her, hoping the girl's tracking senses would be insufficient to locate the tribute. She had only scored a 4/10 on tracking in the Academy, it was her least proficient skill.

The girl turned, only walking about 100 feet ahead before the hill they had been slowly walking up crested, and the valley below was glowing orange from the fire. They had literally stumbled across the girl from 8. Her face, lit by flames, with fear written across it was visible through the trees. She seemed frozen as they ran towards her. Clove laughed menacingly as she reached the girl first, grabbing her and throwing her on the ground. Cato decided to lean against a tree nonchalantly, silently gripping the bark as bile rose in his throat.

Why the fuck did I say Clove could do it? What kind of idiot am I? She is going to torture this poor girl. I just didn't want to kill anyone else. Now this girl will die a horrible death because of my selfishness.

"Well, you might as well have put up a sign leading us right to you." Clove sneered, tracing the girl's face with a knife. She was crying now, begging for her life. Cato wished he could be anywhere else, see anything else. Just then, Clove made her first cut. He fought the urge to wince, digging his hands into the bark of the tree. He forced a bored look on his face, releasing the bark and opting to cross his arms instead.

Glimmer, Marvel, and Clove all took their turns mocking her, killing her slowly. His nails dug into his arms, his right middle finger digging into the shallow cut he made earlier. He focused on the pain, looking away from the scene before him. He turned his head, looking at Peeta who was failing miserably at hiding his distress. The boy looked as if he was about to throw up. He was watching intently, eyes glancing between each of the girl's torturers. He must have felt Cato's gaze on him, because he snapped his head in the older boy's direction. Their eyes met and Peeta mouthed to him "Do something".

There's not much I can do, but God I wish there was.

The girl was nearly dead, bleeding out on the ground as Clove continued her slashes. Cato begged for the sound of the cannon, begged for her suffering to end. He walked towards her fire, using his boot to stomp out the small flames. Considering how fond he had grown of fire recently, he disliked putting it out. Glimmer's evil little giggle resonated through him as he turned back towards the scene.

I'm sorry.

In one fast motion, he threw Clove off the girl. He reached forward, stabbing his sword into her chest, directly through the heart. Her eyes thanked him as she died, thanked him for finally putting her out of her misery. The sound of the cannon echoed in the arena, covering the sound of the sickening crunch of his sword being pulled from her chest.

"What the fuck Cato? You said I could kill her!" Clove screeched at him.

"You were taking too long. There's still 11 of us left. I don't feel like being in here forever while you get your rocks off." He snapped at her, pushing his sword back into the sheath. "Let's go." He led the group off in a different direction than the way they came, he hoped this would be the only person they encountered tonight.

"You're such an asshole Cato. We're not allowed to have fun?" Glimmer spat at him behind his back.

Oh no, Glimmer is mad at me. Whatever shall I do?

"You're not allowed to waste my time, that's what you're not allowed to do." He snapped back at her, continuing his trek through the forest.

I have to get the hell out of this alliance. I don't care about their resources. I need to kill Glimmer, get that stupid bow, and get the hell out.

"Your time? What? You're declaring yourself victor already?" Marvel joined in.

"Like you're going to win anyways Marvel." Clove came to his defense, laughing at the boy on her left. He had to give it to her, she could be cruel when she wanted to be.

"Cato's right, you three were taking forever. And she was so loud we have scared off any tribute in a mile radius." Peeta added into the conversation.

"Exactly. We're done for the night. Keep your comments to yourselves." Cato ended the conversation, motioning for the others to head in the direction of the cornucopia. He brought up the rear, with Peeta a few steps ahead of him. He was trying to talk himself down from his hatred of the careers when his foot caught on something below him.

A contraption was set up, bait lines, a makeshift net. A snare. Her snare.

How fitting. Look Katniss, you caught me.

He smiled down at the wire of vine wrapped around his boot for a moment before he felt eyes on him. Peeta was staring at him with wide eyes.

What? Is he afraid I am going to tell the others she was nearby? Dumbass just refuses to learn.

Instead, he leaned down. Gently, he untangled the snare from around his feet. He hoped he hadn't messed anything up, that it would still work. He didn't want her to go hungry because he had trampled on her snare. He looked to Peeta, signaling for him to be quiet and quietly shushing him before he continued walking forward as if nothing had ever happened.

Little did he know, Peeta's eyes weren't the only ones watching him.