Chapter forty five

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I have noticed when reading back through my work that there are a lot of typos, esspecially in the earlier chapters. I am therefore looking for an editor, someone who is willing to go through my story chapter by chapter and correct all the spelling errors. PM me or comment on here if you want to do this massive favour for me :)

  Chapter forty-five

We don’t stop long on the ledge after the wolf attack, just enough time to get some nice warm food into our stomachs.

“How are we going to do this then?” I ask.

“Well first, you are going to take your tablet otherwise you won’t be able to climb.” Reminds Peeta. I frown at him unsure of what he means and watch as he rummages around in one of the bags and produced a silver parachute. I watch as he unwraps it revealing the tablets Haymitch sent yesterday.

“Oh, right, that.” I mutter as he hands me one of the tablets followed by a small bottle of water. “Happy?” I ask.

He smiles and nods before turning back to Marc. “I think we should climb up together. Tie the rope to each of us and just go for it. It will save time and then if there is anyone att he top of the cliff at least there will be three of us for them to try and fend off?”

“That sounds like a plan. We also need to condense these bags down to just three. There is no way we are going to be able to carry anymore each than that.”

Marc immediately crouches over the bags and begins sorting out our belongings. I keep one eye on him to ensure that he doesn’t stash any of the weapons but as I watch him I notice that he is putting the majority of the supplies in mine and Peetas bags. I frown at his actions but decide not to push the matter. If he wants to do that, that’s fine. The snow is still falling and the temperature is slowly dropping to below zero.

“We need to find some shelter, somewhere to keep warm.” Explains Peeta snapping my attention back to him.

“First we need to get up this cliff and out of this exposed air.” I remind him. One step at a time I think to myself but I know that we both need to work out a longer term plan both for the rest of our time in these games and for when we get out.

“We need to think more than one step ahead Katniss and you know it.” He scolds. For some reason this annoys me and I snap out at him.

“Peeta. What exactly do you want me to do?” I say, turning my full attention to him stepping so I am nose to nose with him. “I just want to get out of here! My leg hurts, I don’t want to be climbing this cliff. I don’t want to kill anyone else. I just want to live my life!” I stress, gritting my teeth together to prevent myself from screaming or even worse crying.

“Katniss, we need to think of something to help us when we get to the top and you and Marc know what is to be expected from up there. I don’t otherwise you know full well that I would try my best to take as much of the burden off you as I could. Please. Let’s just get through this. What is up there?” He asks rubbing his hands up and down my arms in an attempt o calm me. It does and I slump slightly relenting to his words.

“It’s a desert up there. We started in a stone town. Loads of abandoned buildings. If we could sneak into one on the outskirts of the circle of the cornucopia we would be able to pick tributes out if they are hanging around the area.  I can’t remember how long the walk would take but I think we should be able to reach the edge of the town by the end of the day.”

“She’s right. I remember when I followed you, there were small partially demonished buildings closer that would give us a bit of shelter but nothing compared to the ones that are in the centre.” Marc adds.

“I also think we should spread out slightly along the cliff just in case that there are any of the other tributes close by.” Adds Peeta.

“Alright. Let’s get attached. Where’s the rope?” I ask

“Don’t worry I have it. Katniss, I suggest you climb in the middle and Peeta and I will attach ourselves to the ends of the rope.” I nod and take hold of the rope once Marc has attached the end to himself first.

“Ready?” I ask Peeta once he has secured himself to the other end of the rope and we all have out packs on and I notice that my pack has got significantly heavier.

“Let’s get this over and done with then.” Mutters Marc as he begins to search for a good place to start. Peeta and I swiftly follow and within seconds we are all slowly but surely ascending the cliff as a group.

“My hands are so cold!” remarks Peeta when we are a couple of metres from the top. I roll my eyes at him knowing full well that Marc and I are in exactly the same position as him. It’s not like any of us have gloves or anything. I try to keep the breathlessness I was experiencing from the climb out of my voice as I replied.

“We’re nearly there, keep going. We can warm them up when we get to the top.” I see him nod out of the corner of my eye as he searches for another hand hold. At this point we were less than a metre from the top of the cliff. I stop which causes the other two to stop on either side of me.

“Why are you stopping Kat?” whispers Peeta sensing that I need silence.

“What if there’s someone up there? They could attack us so easily.” I question slightly nervous now.

“What do you want to do then?” Asks Marc as he readjusts his grip on the cliff face. I ensure I tighten my grip on the rock I have a hold of just in case he slips though I know he won#t’t.

“We all go up to the top. I will poke my head up over the edge if there is anyone there we will need to be quick to get up and away from the cliff. Where are your weapons?”

“Close by, I can get them out very quickly if I need to.” Replies Peeta. I turn to Marc and he nods in agreement.

“Right, ready?” I ask.

“Yeah.”

“As we will ever be.” Smiles Peeta. I would have slapped him on the shoulder for that remark but considering our recent predicament I didn’t deem it a good idea.

Without another word I begin climbing closing the last metre in a matter of minutes and take care to position my hands just below the top of the rocks. I quickly glance to Peeta and them to Marc, checking they are ready before I pull myself up and slowly raise my head above the top of the cliff. I make sure to only go up as high to enable to eyes to reach over the cliff.

I slowly scan the area directly in front of me. A mound of rocks are about ten metres directly in front of me and I can only suspect that some is taking shelter around them. As I scan to my left and right and am able to make out far in the distance the edge of the town Marc and I came from. With no imminent danger I lower myself back down to talk to them both.

“Coast seems clear. Theres a mound of rocks about ten metres directly in front of us, there could be a tribute there but other than that, I can see what looks like the edge of the town far in the distance but there nonetheless.”

“Ready then?” Peeta asks.

“Let’s get up there and get walking.” Marc is apparently very keen to get into some shelter. I wait for him to make the first move and he seems to get the hint pretty quickly as he pushes himself up and over the ledge. I chance a look at Peeta before following suit and he does the same though that second is enough for Marcs yells to reach my ears. Instinctively we pull ourselves up and over the edge as fast as we can. As soon as I am over the edge I snap myself to my feet and pull out an arrow notching it to my bow which made it into my hands as soon as they were free. I feel Peeta at my side and don’t need to look at him to know he has my back and his knife is our ready for a fight.

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Sorry it has taken me so long to update, i just haven't been motivated to write at the moment. Vote, comment and let me know what you think of it so far!!!

Justice, the 4th hunger games book, the story after mockingjayWhere stories live. Discover now