Are The Odds In Our Favor? ~Cato~

19. Day Nine

"Jeneah!"

"What?" I mumble, opening my eyes to see Cato standing above me, a look of utter terror on his face. I get to my feet, surprised at his expression. "What's wrong?"

"There's a huge fire! It's getting close, we have to go!" he throws me my backpack and I swing it over my shoulder, grabbing my bow next to me.

"C'mon!" Cato shouts at me, already at the entrance of the cave. We run outside and Cato takes the lead, guiding me through the trees. I turn my head to see a huge wall of fire behind us, engulfing anything that's in its path. A rush of adrenaline pumps through my body.

"Where are we going?" I shout at Cato, who looks like he knows where he's heading.

"I don't know, but somewhere far away from that fire!" Cato yells over his shoulder. Suddenly he trips over a rock and flies, head first, into the ground. "Cato!" I scream, skidding to a stop.

"Go!" Cato yells, picking himself up from the ground. I do as I'm told and continue running through the burning forest. A huge tree falls next to me, a few inches away from crushing my foot. I shriek and jump away, nearly crashing into Cato, who's caught up to me. He catches me to stop me from falling.

We pick up on speed again, our heavy footsteps muffled by the crackling wall of fire behind us. Flames lick at our feet, slightly singeing our boots. We soon reach the edge of the forest and the field where the Cornucopia is. As we run out into the open space I realize it's only the crack of dawn, if that. I turn my head to see that the fire has not only stopped spreading, but completely vanished into nothingness. I grab Cato's arm to make him stop.

"They just herded us here like sheep," I say in a low voice. "Which means the girl's here too."

I grip my bow tightly and Cato wipes his palms on his pants to stop his sword from sliding out of his grasp.

An arrow flies by Cato's head and we spin around, trying to find the source of the arrow. I spot the girl crouching behind the Cornucopia, already aiming another arrow at us. "Duck!" I scream, pulling Cato down as the arrow shoots past us.

Cato, his face red with anger, sprints towards the girl. She disappears behind the Cornucopia and Cato goes from the other side. I run over to them, trying to aim at the girl. Cato's slashing at her with his sword, only sometimes catching a piece of her clothes. She backs away enough for her to pull back the arrow and release it.

It hits. Straight into Cato's chest. I stop dead in my tracks.

No, it can't be possible. No!

I let out a scream. The worst scream I've ever heard. "Cato!" I cry out, taking a step forward.

The last thing I hear is an explosion, right from under my feet.