Blood Lust - Cato (Completed)

Chapter Eleven

The careers scream and wave their hands at the sudden bombard of tracker jackers. They are all on their feet, grabbing their stuff. Marvel, Clove, and Peeta take off after Cato, who left as soon as the nest hit the ground. I know I should move, but my body feels stiff.

Glimmer still screams, waving her hands. She falls to the ground, screeching. They swarm around and sting her. Giant lumps cover her body. I feel more stings on my arms, and force myself to scramble from the tree. Landing on the ground, I start to sprint until my mind wanders to the bow Glimmer gripped in her hands. It would be useful to have. I turn on my heel and trek back to her. Her whole body is covered in green slime, and I have to stop myself from gagging. I tug on the silver bow, but it doesn't budge. Trying to peel her fingers back, I feel bile coming up my throat. I reach for the nearest stone. I slam it down on her hand, and the sickening sound of breaking bones fills the silent air. I finally am able to pull the bow from her grip. The realization sinks in that the quiver is under her. I push her to her stomach and rip the quiver from her back. I shoot up, ready to run as a body pushes through the overgrowth. Cato whips his head from Glimmer to the bow in my hand, and behind him.

 "I've got her!" He screams. He motions for me to move, and I don't. Cato curses and throws his spear into the tree next to me. I wake from my dazed state and sprint away from the area. I can feel the bushes and sticks cutting my calves, and I keep running. I must've run miles before I could no longer take it. I collapse on the ground in a small hidden grove of trees. The sky swirls, before crashing down on me.

When I wake up, I look down to see my legs wrapped in a soiled bandage. My burns were starting to fade. A crack sounds behind me, causes me to whip my head around. Little Rue stands there shocked, holding leaves in her hand. She presses herself against the tree, her wide eyes on the ax in my hand. I drop it.

"Did you do this?" Her wide doe eyes nod. I pat the spot next to me. When she takes a ginger step forward, I shift so she can sit on the plastic with me. 

"Are you okay?" She asks nodding to my legs. I nod.

"They're better. Thank you." She smiles. She sits criss-cross on the plastic and shoves leaves in her mouth chewing them up.

"That's smart." She spits them out and unwraps my leg, and presses the leaves against my stings. I moan and roll my head back. 

"Better?"

"Much." We sit in silence for a bit, listening to the birds. I notice her jump at every sound.

"Would you like to be allies?" I ask. She whips her head to me.

"Me?" I laugh.

"Of course." She nods her head fast. She then stops, tilting it to the side.

"What?" I question.

"Is there something going on with you and Cato?" My body goes rigid, and I know the cameras are zooming in. I choose my words carefully.

"I-of course not," I pick at my nails. 

"Are you in love?"

"What? No! Most definitely not love" I whisper screech. 

"Mhm. You and him." She smirks. 

I sniff the air and smell smoke, in a flash I am on my feet, looking for the fire. My eyes land on a little campfire I never noticed to my left. 

"I made a fire, is that okay?" She asks. I notice that I am gripping my burnt arm.

"It's cool. You hungry?" She grins.

"You have food?" This time I let out a cackle. I reach into my sack and pull out some rabbit. I cook the rest and split it with Rue, giving her a larger portion. 

"We're gonna need to go hunting," I say and she looks at me. I stand and she follows suit, helping me put out the fire and packing up. I stick my hand out and she takes it. 

We trudge through the forest, keeping an eye out for life and tributes. The forest was eerily quiet, and I thought back to the forest back home. The woodsy air blows in my face, and I breathe it in. It smells different here. The musk was dark, and the light smell of iron intertwined with it. 

"What about this one?" I turn away from the clearing and back to Rue. She points to a small plant covered in berries. I crouch in front of it and run my hands over the leaves. 

"Not even close," I say. She cocks her head. I sigh in a joking manner and pluck one of the leaves.

"Feel this" She grazes the middle with her index finger and her brows furrow. 

"It's fuzzy." I laugh at her confused response. 

"It is." She nods and we continue on our trek. I can't help but look around, to see if any plants are disturbed. 

Rue sinks her teeth into the fleshy quail leg. She moans and her eyes roll back in her head; I can't help but grin. I hand her my leg and she drops her jaw.

"Really?" She asks in a quiet whisper.

"Of course we'll find more tomorrow." She rips it out of my hand and devours it. 

"So, what do we know about the careers?" I ask and she clears her mouth.

"They made camp down by the Cornucopia. It's crazy-they have all of their supplies piled in this giant mountain shape. They never watch it though, but they leave the boy from district three watching it." I sit quietly and smirk. Boom. 

"Get some rest, we're going bombing tomorrow." Rue tilts her head.

"Bombing?" I nod.

"District three is weapons and technology. If they leave the pile unsupervised with just him, that means there is a chance he dug up the mines from the pedestals, and he could've rewired them." Rue widens her chocolate eyes.

"How did you figure that out?" She asks and I shrug.

"My dad wired the dynamite for the mines back home."

"Go to sleep, we have a big day tomorrow." Rue curls into my side, and I take the serrated ax out of my belt, setting it on my side. I also knock an arrow, ready in case of an attack. The sound of mocking jays fills the air, and I tentatively touch my pin.