Death Match (Clato)

Chapter 15: The girl with bow and arrow

Clove's p.o.v.

It was the 13th day of the hunger games. Cato and I hadn't got much food left. There wasn't much to eat either. I was hungry, I didn't just wanted food, but I also wanted Cato's lips. Cato said he saw something moving, and tried to find it, so I was alone right now.

Cato comes from between the tree's. He ran's to me, as fast as he can, picks me up, and swings me around in the air. ''I missed you for the last hour!'' I say. ''Me too.'' He says. ''Did you catch something?'' I ask him. ''No.'' He says. Then I hear a voice. It's Claudius. ''Attention tributes! We have two important messages!!''  He says. ''The first one!!!, from now on, Two victors may be crowned!! As long as.... They are a boy and a girl. The second one!!! At 12 o' clock, there will be a feast at the cornucopia. All of you need something immediately. Make sure you won't miss it. That's it I believe, now fight to the death again please.'' He says. ''Cato!!!'' I scream. A tear rolls down my cheek, but it's a tear from happiness.

Cato's p.o.v.

We're hiding in the high grass. It's almost 12 o'clock. ''Ready?'' I ask Clove. ''I think so, I hope this will be an opportunity to kill 12.'' She answers. I lay my hand on her shoulder. ''She has to die anyways.'' I say. ''True.''  I hear something boom. ''It's time!'' I say. I see a table appear from out of nowhere inside the cornucopia. It stops rising as unexpected as it started. ''Good luck.'' I say, and kiss her forehead. When I look back, I see the red haired girl from 5 running out of the cornucopia, grabbing her bag, and running away. ''I'll get her!'' I say. I get up, and run after 5.

I run, and run, until I finally see her red locks. ''Got you now.'' I say, more to myself than to her. I grab my sword from my belt, but as soon as I want to slide her back open, I hear a scream. ''CATO!!!'' I hear. I recognize it as Clove's. ''CLOVE!!!'' I scream back. And start running back, even faster. All the fear and anger gave me more power.

Clove's p.o.v.

Cato runs off. I'm left alone. After just a few minutes, I see Katniss running in. She's fast, but not fast enough. I run to the cornucopia, and wait till she appears on the other side. As soon as I see her stupid head, I throw a knife at her, It slide's her forehead a little, but it doesn't kill her. I run towards her. She tries to shoot arrows at me. I avoid them easily. I pin her to the ground. We fight. She pushes me off her body, and I fall onto the ground.  After at least thirty seconds, of rolling over, punching, screaming (from Katniss), and scratching. I finally have her on the ground. I pin her arms with my knees to the ground.  ''I thought you were dead!!!'' She shouted. ''Yes, but I'm right here. Did you believe a career?'' I ask her, mockingly. '' Where's lover boy?'' I ask her. ''Oh yeah, Right! We killed him, just like we killed that little girl, you're ally. What was her name again? RUE!'' I shout into her face. ''And now, we're going to kill you.'' I say. I pick one of my knives out of the belt. I press it into her skin next to her lip, and start cutting a wound. She screams. But then, I feel arms grabbing my jacket. First, I thought it was Cato, because he was so strong, but then I realise, I'm facing Thresh. Crap! I'm strong, but not that strong. ''Did you kill her?'' He asks me, he's very angry. ''No, no I didn't!!!'' I try, but he doesn't believe me. ''I heard you.'' He says. ''CATO!!!!'' I scream.  ''CLOVE!!!!!'' I hear, but I know he's too far away. ''Screaming for help ha? You little bitch. First you're killing other innocent people. And then, you're screaming for help. Well that's sweet.'' He says. ''Cato will never reach you in time. I saw him running past me, trying to catch 5. Too bad, you will never know if he did it.'' He says. ''CATO!!!!'' I scream, even harder than the first time. Katniss is looking confused. But then, she turns her head, she looks shocked. I know what is going on. ''CATO!!!'' I scream another time. I see him in the corner of my eye. Thresh throws me against the cornucopia, and another time.... But then, Cato ripped Thresh off me. I fall onto the ground. I see 12 running into the woods as fast as she can. ''Baby.'' I say. Cato and Thresh are fighting. I can't see who's winning. They are both injured already. I grab one of the knives, and throw it to Thresh. It hits him in his arm. He releases his grip from Cato,  and falls. Cato takes his chance and stabs his sword into his ribs. The cannon goes off immediately. ''I screwed up.'' I say. ''No you didn't.'' He says. His words calm me down a little. ''You did the best you could, if it was just you and 12, you could have killed her. But one other thing, Thresh isn't a danger anymore.'' He says.  ''You're right.'' I say. I kiss his cheek, he grabs our bag, and the one from 11. Holding hands, we walk back to the forest.

As soon as we arrive on our next camp spot, we look what is inside the bags. First, we open the one from 11. Inside, there is a blanket, a bottle filled with water, and some medicine. ''What should this be good for?'' Cato says. I take the medicine from him. I turn it around, and there is a little note sticking on the bottom. ''Nettles.'' I read out loud. ''Not something we could use.'' Cato says, and I give it back to him. There is something else at the bottom. It's a knife, and a beautiful one. ''Wow, Cato, look at this!'' I say, holding the knife in my hands. It's a silver one, with golden letters in engraved in it. ''Force.'' It says. ''You should keep it.'' Cato says. It's not perfectly balanced, It's not from the highest quality, the quality I'm used to. But for the games, it was perfect. I put it into one of the open places in my knife belt that were left. We open our own bag. There are a few things inside, and while Cato focuses himself on the food and the armour, I see something different, on the bottom. It's an envelope. On top of it, our names are written on it. I take the letter out of the bag, and take some distance from Cato.

I walk to one of the far trees, so I could still see Cato, but also had a little privacy. Just in case. If it was from somebody I love (like my brother) I would like to be alone. I open the envelope and unwrap the paper. Dear Clove and Cato. The letter starts.

I've talked to the Lord Mayor, and asked him to forgive you if you'll return. He said yes! He will be able to forgive you. He thinks we've been punished enough, with the death of Cato's sister and our father. He picked out a beautiful victors house for you. I hope, you'll both get out alive. But fighting isn't the right way, you must think, about yourself, and each other. They didn't change the rules because of you two, they did it, because of Katniss. You were the only ones they didn't think about. I'm sure of that. If Clove dies, Cato can come out with Katniss or the girl from 5. But I'm pretty sure, they won't. There is something else I wanted to tell you guys. I'm also sure that they will change the rules again, be aware of that. I love the both of you, as friend and sister.

Love, Cass.

I furl the paper and swallow. It was from the person I loved. Totally wasn't expecting that. I thought  it would've been from Brutus, who still has to apologize. I walked back to Cato. He was still busy with the armour. I stopped right behind his back, and lay my hand in his neck, he looks up and smiles. ''Hey, where have you been?'' He asks. ''Just a few meters away from you.'' I say, pointing to the direction I came from. I drop the letter in his lap. He reads it within a minute, but because of the silence, it seemed like an hour. When he's done, he looks at me. ''He's right. Mostly about that last part.'' He says. I nod.

Cato's p.o.v.

We walked through the woods, hunting for 12 and 5. I was the only male tribute left. Clove was right behind me. Eventually, we reach the cornucopia, again. We stop for the night. It was the 16th day already. We ate a lot the last days, cause we had food again. ''Get in.'' I say, and she walks into the cornucopia. I search for branches and create a fire. She sits down next to the fire, and I do the same next to her. ''Why does it take so long for the four of us to die?'' She asks me. ''I have no idea, but there's more going on.'' I tell her. She sighs. ''I just want to go home. With you.'' She says. I kiss her cheek, which she answers with a few kisses on my lips. ''I love you.'' I say, between two kisses in. ''I love you too.'' She says. ''I know.'' I say. We go on.

I pull apart. She seems disappointed. ''Why?'' She says. ''Cause I have to protect you, and when I kiss you, I forget everything around me. And that's not something good, cause Katniss could have been right behind us.''  I say. She sighs. I lay down and close my eyes. ''These could be our last hours, or just a few from our very long lives.'' She says. ''Yes, I would rather have that last one.'' I say. She also lays down and buries her head in my chest. I wrap my arms around her.

A few minutes later she's asleep. There's no light anymore. The fire smoulders. It's getting colder and colder. I grab Threshes blanket, and throw it on top of myself and Clove. In her sleep, she snuggles up to me. I stroke her hair.