Constellations | Cato Hadley

Chapter Fifteen

The platform below her began to slowly raise. Her heartbeat raced in her chest. She was worried her heart would pop out of her chest. The light nearly blinded her. Crashes of something filled her ears. She inhaled deeply and smelled salt. "Salt?" she asked herself.

Once her eyes adjusted to the light she noticed water surrounded her. The waves crashed against her pedestal and the rocky path that separated her and Enobaria. Wren gulped. They put Enobaria beside her on purpose. Her shoulder burned as if the scar decided to make itself known. The woman beside her snapped her teeth as if she wanted the younger girl to know she was going after her.

Wren's hazel eyes darted around and she caught Cato's blue eyes a few tributes down. On the other pedestal beside her stood Johanna Mason. The female from Seven gave her a curt nod.

Protect Katniss. She thought. Wren shook her head and fell into a dilemma.

Kill Katniss. She thought again. What would she do?

"60." The announcer, Claudius, spoke above all of the tributes. Wren flinched at his tone. The voice seemed to echo continuously throughout the arena.

"59."

"58."

Wren's palms felt clammy as she looked forward. The familiar silver Cornucopia sat in the middle of the circle of tributes. The waves continued to crash near her as if they were taunting her. She didn't enjoy swimming but if she had to in order to survive then she would. The brunette nearly laughed at the thought of Finnick Odair turning into part fish when he swam. He was lucky they were surrounded by water.

"55."

"54."

"53."

Cato looked around at the tributes near him. No threats. A meek girl from Eight and a frail man from Seven. He shook his head as he looked in Wren's direction again. The girl was looking around and her hazel eyes stopped at the metal box before them. A pair of whips sat neatly next to a few swords. Cato prepared his stance. Those swords were his. Those whips were Wren's. He was going to make it out alive with Wren. He just had to.

"49."

"48."

"47."

"46."

"45."

Peeta Mellark's prosthetic leg ached as he nervously looked around. Where was Katniss? For a second he thought he saw her but only saw Glimmer from District One. The blonde girl seemed terrified for the start of the Quarter Quell. He was scared too. A few tributes down he made eye contact with Finnick. The sandy-haired man gave him a reassuring nod. Peeta nodded back but felt sick to his stomach. He wasn't ready to die.

"37."

"36."

"35."

Finnick Odair was thankful that the start of the games held water. Water was something he knew. His first initial thought was he needed to get home to Annie. The love of his life. His second thought was that he needed to find Mags. His final was to protect Katniss Everdeen.

"33."

"32."

Clove Kentwell wasn't the biggest fan of swimming. In fact, she didn't really know how to swim that well. She had spent most of her life throwing knives that she forgot to train for different survival situations. To her left, she mentally thanked Plutarch for placing Finch Crossley there. The red-headed girl got under her skin, but she was glad to have her by her side.

Finch's blue eyes held fear as she looked at Clove. The girl's face visibly calmed as Clove nodded. Finch flinched as a wave came close to her. Was the water acidic? No, it couldn't be. They'd all die too quickly for the Capital's pleasure. The girl with flaming hair looked at the knife-loving girl once more. Her freckles painted on her face made her seem kinder than she was. The girl was scary and Finch wasn't afraid to admit that.

"28."

"27."

Ariana Galde didn't like that Brutus was next to her. She knew getting to the Cornucopia would be a hassle. Maybe she could make it? His blue eyes and greying hair popped into her mind. She never thought she'd find love within the Games after her first Games.

"Oliver," she mumbled. "I have to find you."

"15."

"14."

"13."

"12."

Wren kept her eyes on the whips dead ahead. The girl prepared herself to swim. She slowly took deep breaths in and out. The Capital had taken so much from her already. Her father. Her home. Her stylist. Her life.

"7."

"6."

Wren Eldrid was ready to go through anything this game had to throw at her.

"5."

Cato Hadley was ready to fight for his love back.

"4."

The girl from Ten needed to do this. For her family. For herself.

"3."

The boy from Two was ready to fight. For his girl. For himself.

"2."

The ex-couple made eye contact once more before the gong. Wren gave Cato a nod and he didn't know what to think. Did that mean something? Did it not? Butterflies erupted in both of their stomachs. Nerves from the eye contact and the fact that the deathmatch would start soon.

"1."

"Ladies and gentlemen let the 75th annual Hunger Games begin!"

The gong sounded and Wren dove into the icy water. She was surrounded. Salt filled her mouth as she coughed out. The brunette from Ten swam quickly to the rock pathway and pulled herself up. She had gotten to Johanna Mason's side instead of Enorbaria's. The female from Seven helped the girl up.

"Run!" she screamed as they both sprinted for the Cornucopia.

In a flash, Wren felt the familiarity of the whips in her hands. With a quick press of a button the whips unraveled and went in the direction of Enobaria. The sharp-toothed woman glared at the girl and backed away with her alliances.

Wren's eyes scanned the people she would be with.

Marvel Sanford coughed water out of his lungs.

Ivory Fret stood tall with a dagger in hand.

Thresh was ready with his curved blade.

Wren placed her whips at her sides.

"Let's head for the trees and look for freshwater," she said as she walked past Thresh.

"What about the others?" Marvel asked.

"We will find them later. Right now our best bet is to head for the trees." Wren lifted her hand and pointed. "We'll go that way."

The group of four ran down the rocky path in the direction of the woods Wren had pointed at. They had no clue what they were in for. In fact, no one knew what was to come. The only thing that was for certain is that time is of the essence.