the girl who played with knives || clato ✔️

26

Cato

"No, we should get rid of it!" Glimmer exclaims. We've been arguing about the rat poison for probably forty-five minutes.

"But it's useful!" Marina exclaims. "We could use it to take out the others!"

"Or you all could use it to take out us," Glimmer says, waving a finger in our faces.

"Of course," Marina says.

"Just throw it in the lake," I say dryly, tossing my sword up and catching it by the hilt.

"But-" Marina starts.

"Shut up, Four," Glimmer snarls. "Give me that." She snatches the poison from Marvel and throws it against the wall of the cornucopia. It leaves a white smudge on the metal.

"Well, I guess that's settled," I say, tossing my sword up again.

"Cato, stop!" Clove says desperately as I catch the sword. I look from her to the sword. Glimmer scoffs and rolls her eyes.

"Whatever, love birds. Come on, Marvel, Peeta, let's go hunting." Marvel and Lover Boy trail behind Glimmer like lost puppies.

"So... what, is this it?" Marina asks.

"Um... I'm not sure," Clove admits. She watches the others disappear beyond the tree line.

"They'll be back soon. They can't survive without the supplies. They'll either starve or freeze to death." Clove, Marina, and I turn abruptly to see a young boy, the boy from 3, the one I saw in the elevator, standing before us. Marina draws a knife.

"Why would you come here!?" Clove snaps. "We could kill you!"

"I've been watching you- all the other tributes too. I know you won't kill me. And I know you're splitting up. I was just waiting for Glimmer and Marvel to leave. And Peeta," The boy explains. He sweeps his dark hair away from his face.

"Well, you can trust us at least. Welcome to the club," Clove says.

"Really?" The boy asks. He pauses. "I can help you protect your supplies."

"Swell," I say. "Priorities first though. I'm Cato."

"Clove."

"Marina."

"I'm Chase," The boy says.

"Cool."

Clove

"Who the hell is this?!" Glimmer shouts upon her and the others' return. Cato, Marina, Chase, and I were sitting around in the shade of the cornucopia waiting.

"Chase," I say simply.

"Why is he here?!"

"He says he can help us," Marina says, not mentioning the fact that he's also become our acquaintance.

"Well, then... how can you help us, Fetus." Glimmer says. It's more a statement than a question. Cato chuckles a little at the nickname, but covers it up with a cough.

"Oh... uh, so I've noticed no one's ever payed any attention to the mines around the pedestals after they're disabled. But... I think I can make them work again," Chase starts to explain his plan. Glimmer looks completely unamused. "We manufacture them back in Three, and my dad works at the-"

"Yeah, whatever. Get to the point, Fetus," Glimmer says.

"I can... make them work again," Chase says quietly. He seems nervous.

"What are you saying?" Marvel asks.

"I'm saying we set a trap. Pile all the supplies up over there by the lake, bury the mines around. I think I can set it up so we can still get through if we follow a pattern. Or I could link all the mines up to some sort of console and disable them remotely whenever we need supplies. Anyway, then we'll be able to leave the supplies unguarded and take out some of the other tributes."