TWISTED // Clato | ✓

Chapter 14: Run And Don't Look Back

CATO'S POV:

"We should head back into the woods." I pick up my sword and look back at Clove. She's standing, staring up at the sky, probably wishing Peeta's picture would just appear.

"Come on, Clove." I wave my hand in front of her face. "Let's go."

She reaches down, picking up her knives and placing them in her vest. "OK. Let's get what we need and get out."

I pick up my sword and backpack. The backpack is mostly empty of supplies. A lot of the rest of our possessions were also damaged in the explosion. I realize we barely have any food.

"Clove?"

She looks up. "Yeah?"

"You got any food in your bag?"

She shakes her head, looking mildly surprised. "Well... no; no I don't. Do you?"

"Barely." I reach into the bag and find a couple apples and some dried meat strips. "Think this'll hold us up another few days?"

She bites her lip. "Er..."

"Don't worry about it. We'll deal with that later. Come on, let's go." I jerk my head to the side and she follows me into the woods. 

CLOVE'S POV:

"Listen, Clove," he says to me once we're safely within the tree line. He places both hands on my shoulders. "Whatever happens out there, we're staying together unless it's absolutely necessary, OK? Until all the others are dead. You hear me, Clove?" His tone is loving, but firm.

I nod my head vigorously. "Yes. I understand."

"Come here," he says, and we embrace again. "We'll win, Clove. I promise."

We need to figure out our strategy. Should we track down the other tributes now or wait until they're weaker? Cato's all for hunting them without a waste of time, but I'm a little more cautious. Better to lie in wait for them, I think, than to leap out of hiding recklessly and give ourselves away. It's better when they don't know where we could be.

Another day passes while we creep through the forest, weapons in hand, never leaving each other. Cato and I have resolved to finish this together. Never letting the other out of our sight.

I'm in front. One free hand always near my knives, I use my other to brush aside the pesky branches. I still can't believe where I am right now. In the Games with Cato--but for the first time since our reaping, I see the hope clearly in front of me. It's as though Cato knew all along that we could both win, although there's certainly no way he could have.

Night falls, the Capitol anthem plays, but there are no deaths to report. 

I don't want to give Cato a hard time, but I really wish he could have done a better job on Peeta. Clearly, it was ineffective. Katniss must have realized by now that he's a traitor to us, and is now helping him. Ugh. I pin one of my favorite knives into the ground in frustration. 

It's colder than last night; much colder. I'm suddenly freezing and my jacket's no good against the cold that swallows me up. Cato and I spend the night huddled together for warmth, sharing our heat. I listen to his heartbeat faintly near mine. This is unheard of. That two tributes can win... together! I'm so glad someone's finally revolutionizing the Games.

Of course, they can't have changed the rules because of us; not when they didn't know we actually cared about each other. Thus, the rule change was made because of Katniss and Peeta, and we're only receiving the benefits of that favor.