Blood Lust - Cato (Completed)

Chapter Five

He turns and grunts, the sword driving into the training dummy's abdomen. His arm muscles flex. As he turns and looks up, his eyes lock with mine. I hold his gaze, while my hands go through the motions of starting a fire. Cato breaks eye contact first, walking over with the rest of the Careers, to observe the other tributes. I win. A large thud fills the gym and I scan the room immediately for a clumsy Peeta. 

He lies on the ground under the net, moaning for the fourth time that week. The Careers turn to each other and laugh. With an annoyed groan, I stand and make my way to him. I feel all the other tributes watch me, and I keep my face void of emotion. I stand over him, crossing my arms.

"Get up."

"What?" He asks, at lost for air. His wide eyes glance around, and sweat mats his hair to his forehead. 

"Get up, and go throw one of those metal balls," I say my face staying void. 

"But Haymitch said-"

"Do I look like I care?" I snip at him. "Those Careers are looking at you like you're a buffet. The other tributes are laughing at you. This is the third time you've fallen from this." 

Peeta says nothing but stands walking to the stand.  He walks over and pulls the largest one off the rack. The Careers watch his every move. With a grunt, he throws it, and it collapses a rack of weapons, breaking a few. Glimmer jumps back, then she turns to Peeta, her face full of infatuation. Cato nods to Marvel.  As Peeta walks away towards another station, Cato picks up a sword and continues to attempt to decapitate the dummy. He glances at Peeta every once in a while, anger filling his gaze. He clings to the sword as if it's his lifeline as the dummy endures his angered blows. 

I allow a smirk to cross my gaze. I start walking towards the ax stand. I feel a few eyes on me as my hands trail the metal. Scanning the array before me, I grab the deadliest of them all. A large silver one with a reversed curved blade. It's stunning, though quite hefty. I don't even grunt as I throw it.

It sails through the air and knocks Cato's sword out of his hand, and it lodges itself farther past him up on a foam part of the wall. The room drops silent. I brush past a fuming Cato and quickly scale the wall, removing the ax. Dropping to the ground, I slip the ax handle in the waistband of my pants and pick up Cato's sword. 

"You dropped this," I hand it to him with a wink. His icy blue eyes narrow as he takes it from me, and anger radiates off of him. 

"You might want to be careful 12, you're on thin ice," He growls. I laugh.

"Aw, threats. How adorable," I smile before brushing past him. What's the worse thing he can do? At the moment, nothing.

I'm the last one out of the training room. As I turn the corner to lunch, an arm grabs me and swings me into the small alcove. I whip my head up to a towering Cato.

"Wow, someone is angry," I say mockingly. He chuckles a deep dark sound, causing my attitude to drop slightly. His eyes search my face as he clinches his jaw. 

"So, flame. Where did you learn to throw?" He asks. I smirk and shrug.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," I say confidently. He lets out a laugh.

"That can be arranged." Scoffing, I attempt to push myself past him, but he pushes me farther into the alcove, pressing me against the back wall.

"I need to get back to the rest of my team," I say, starting to anger. He leans down, his breath hot on my face. The florescent lights of the hall cause his menacing eyes to shine. 

"Do you?" My breath hitches, and I am filled with anger and another un-recognizable feeling.

"Ashlynn!" Haymitch's voice rings from the end of the hall.

"Go back to your room Porcius." He demands. Cato looks down at me and smirks. Backing off he turns and gets on the elevator. Watching him leave, I regain my breathing.

"Thanks," I say, my voice coarse.

"Are you okay? You look pale," Haymitch asks.

"Why wouldn't I be? I had complete control of that situation," I say pulling myself together. 

"You really didn't," Haymitch says starting to follow me. 

"And you're a drunkard," I respond without turning around. 

"That had nothing to do with this conversation," He scolds.

"No, but it felt good saying, none-the-less."

"What is your problem with me Princess?" He asks tilting his head. I chew on my inner lip.

"I don't know." With that I step in front of him and head to our floor.