Return of the Mockingjay

Chapter 44

"But if we destroy it then they'll have no food" persists Cato

"Yep that's right but that'll just send them back to the spider for more and we need to kill it without the careers getting involved"

"You're right I guess" says Cato as he strides out from the cornucopia.

*

We spend the rest of that day and the following night in an old abandoned building on the outskirts of the arena. From our vantage point on the fourth floor we can watch over the lake and some of the surrounding tree line but it's the events of the next morning which surprise both me and Cato. At dawn Cato and I watch on as Peeta and the careers all walk out from the tree line and start searching around the lake for us. We can see from our high view point as Peeta orders the others into different areas of the shoreline while he paces up and down waiting impatiently for their return. I laugh out loud when they all report back empty handed and Peeta goes off into a rage. The best news for us is the absence of both Gloss and Enobaria. Gloss I could understand as I'm pretty sure my arrow inflicted a fatal wound but Enobaria was a surprise. Maybe she's back at their camp recovering from the kick to the face I dealt her.
After what appears to be a short discussion they turn and head back into the forest. All except Haymitch that is who appears to be waiting behind as some sort of guard. I turn to Cato,

"What do you think?"

"I don't know, it could be a trap" he says staring out toward the lake.

"But we can't kill the spider while Haymitch stands guard over the lake, we've gotta try and lead him away or kill him. And Peeta will be short of another ally, that's a good thing"

"Mhmm, maybe. Let's try and take him by surprise and capture him, we might learn something new"

"Okay, let's do it"

We make our way back out into the forest and reach the lake on the opposite shore to where Haymitch was. Both of us scan the opposite shore trying to find him but it's clear he's either hiding or moved on.
I look at Cato and he just shrugs his shoulders as if it's not important that we've lost him. I know Cato just wants to head back to the safety of the building but I want to push on and get out of here, and if capturing Haymitch helps achieve that then so be it. I take a step forward into the tree line and look at Cato who once again has that same worried look on his face.

"I'm going after him Cato, you can stay here if you want" I say as I stride off into the forest.

I skirt round the edge of the lake, always staying in sight of the lake but also keeping myself concealed Under the low hanging branches. After about 20 minutes I reach the part of the shoreline where we fought the spider, I crouch down behind a bush and look around at my surroundings, searching for any sign of Haymitch. I jump at the sound of a twig snapping behind me and I turn to shoot whatever it is but I hold the arrow at the last minute, it's Cato who's followed me.

"Couldn't resist huh?" I say sarcastically.

"Can't let you go and get yourself in trouble again" he says as he crouches down next to me.

I move on slowly, searching the surrounding trees and bushes for any sign of Haymitch. Cato moves off to my right, heading deeper into the trees.
Suddenly I'm knocked off my feet by something that bursts out from the undergrowth next to me. I fall flat on my back and watch as Haymitch sprints flat out into the forest, no doubt running to tell Peeta of our whereabouts. I struggle to my feet and take off after him but it's clear he's a much faster runner than me. I try to make up time by using my smaller size to dart in between the trees but I'm only just about keeping pace with Haymitch still some distance ahead of me. Just then Cato leaps out from behind a tree and crashes into Haymitch, knocking him clear off his feet. He tumbles into a fallen tree branch, hitting his head hard, and before he can get back up Cato is on him.  He sits astride Haymitch's chest with his arms pinned at the sides by Cato's knees. I stop running and slowly walk to them, a sense of victory washing over me.

"And where do you think you were off to, running to tell Peeta where we are?"

Haymitch grunts in anger, his lips rolled back in a show of  rage and hatred

"He ain't gonna tell us anything Katniss, we should just kill him and have done with it"

At the first mention of death Haymitch stops struggling and his eyes fill with real terror. After what Cato had told me before about the Mutts this confuses me and Cato looks at me with that same look of confusion. Cato said the Mutts weren't afraid of death, that they wanted to die to end their suffering and confusion.

Cato takes the initiative...

"Talk if you wanna live, we ain't got time for this!" He says as he slowly closes his hands around Haymitch's neck.

"Okay....okay. Just don't send me back to Peeta, if he finds out I spoke to you he'll kill me"

Cato turns and looks at me with a slight grin, we've got ourselves an informer

I sit cross legged next to Haymitch.

"So tell us, you were left here to spy on us and let Peeta know what we're up to, right?"

"Yeah, we saw all those tentacles all over the shore and he figured that they'd been some sort of battle. He can't work out what it is your trying to do"

"So where is he now?" asks Cato

"They went back to the cornucopia, to check on Enobaria and eat"

"What happened yesterday, at the lake Gloss and Enobaria ambushed us but we got away, Rue helped us, did Peeta kill her?"

"No, we chased her but she climbed up a tree and we lost her, she was just too fast. He was so angry at her for helping you, he still can't understand how you got away"

"What are his plans, why does he have such a hold on you, talk!" yells Cato.

"I don't know what he's planning honest, he doesn't tell us anything. Even the ambush on you yesterday we didn't know about until right before we attacked. But he's so strong Cato, none of us can stand up to him. He's a different sort of Mutt, some sort of freak"

I look at Cato and silently nod to release him. He climbs off of Haymitch who slowly gets to his feet.

"So what happens now, you gonna kill me?" he asks.

Cato gives me a brief sideways glance, telling me that he should die, that he's too much of a risk to be kept alive. But before I can make my decision Haymitch lashes out at me, his fist hitting me in the jaw. I see stars and stagger back against a tree and he lunges at me again, this time trying to close his hands around my throat. I reach out trying to push him off  but I'm no where near strong enough and as I watch on I see Cato close his arm around Haymitch's neck, his other hand clamps around his chin and in a swift, rapid motion twists his head, there's a loud snap as Haymitch's neck breaks and Cato releases the lifeless body, letting it fall to the floor in a heap.