Dangerous Affection- The Hunger Games- A Cato Love Story

Chapter 16: Cold... With a Crazy Plan

"Imagine that," I manage to whisper.

Cato nods. "You really shouldn't have been out in the open like that."

"Sadie is afraid of heights," I mutter, not really paying attention.

Cato gives a humorless laugh. "Of course she is."

I look at him. "Wait... Why didn't his screaming wake me up, then?" I'm not that light of a sleeper.

"Oh, he did. He's a tough one, too. Gave me a black eye, even with his guts spilling out. Took a lot out of him, though, and when he dropped to the ground still screaming, I didn't want him to wake you. So I cut out his tongue."

It probably should have scared me, the fact Cato is talking about all this so normally. But for some reason... It didn't. "But... I didn't hear the cannon fire."

"No, you didn't."

I finally make myself look at Cato directly in the eyes, and it takes a lot not to forget what I was going to say. "Is he still alive?!"

Cato tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I would guess so, Princess," as he says that, a cannon fires. "Scratch that- Dead now." Cato's ice blue eyes stare into mine for a moment, before he speaks. "Care to talk that walk, now?"

I nod, not being able to speak. Cato puts his hand on the small of my back, gently pushing me forward, before his arm is draped across my shoulders again.

We walk for a couple miles, hardly saying anything. I'm lost in my own world, for once not having to pay attention to everything around me. Surprisingly, Cato doesn't try and start up any sort of conversation, leaving me to my peace.

Before I know it, we are back at the Cornucopia. I stop short, and Cato nudges me forward. "No one is here, Alexandra. Come on."

We walk faster across the open area, and to the mountain beyond it. We reach the base, and I look up. "You expect me to climb up that?"

Cato smiled. "Aw, why not?"

I spin around, fully intending on going back to Lucas and Sadie. Cato grabs my shoulder and tugs me back. "Alex! Chill, I'm kidding! There's a little trail that leads about halfway up. No one else knows about it- and no one is as crazy as me to try and stay here. It gets pretty cold."

I grit my teeth. "Don't call me Alex."

Cato looks like he is about to ask, but decides against it. "Deal. Come with me?" He asks, his bottom lip pushing out the slightest, his eyes slightly bigger. I hate to say it, but I melt, and let him lead me a little ways over.

His little trail is rather narrow and steep, but I get up it without too much trouble. We make it up a good ways before Cato stops me. "Go left."

I look to my left, and see boulders. I look back at him. "Excuse me?"

"Trust me, just over this one, through a few more. It isn't hard at all." Cato tells me, to his credit not smiling the slightest.

I roll my eyes. "Whatever." I mutter, and do as he says. He didn't exaggerate, and I found myself standing before a little camp site before I knew it. There was a ring of rocks surrounding some burnt wood, his sleeping bag rolled up in a corner. A slab of rock jutted over half of it.

"Welcome to my temporary home." Cato says.

"It's... Something." I say.

"Oh well thanks so much!" Cato laughs. He goes over and lays out his sleeping bag, folding it in half on the ground. He flops down, patting the space beside him. I plop down next to him, and look out beyond his little home. It's a pretty amazing view- I can see the majority of the arena from this height, but with clarity. In front of us lies the thick forest where most if not the rest of the tributes must be, and on either side huge boulders mark the transition into the mountains. The sun is rising to my left, and I imagine the view of the sunset from here. But what Cato mentioned about the cold proves itself true before too long- my teeth are chattering, and Cato hops up and lights the fire. "Sorry, probably should have done that sooner."

"I'm fine." I lie.

Cato chuckles. "Are not."

"So..." I mutter, smiling a bit.

"So, you shouldn't lie to me."

"Oh, and why not?"

"Because I said so."

"Whatever."

"So... You figured out why I kidnapped you yet?" Cato asks me, changing the subject.

"You haven't exactly given me any hints to go on." I tell him.

"It's about how I plan on spending the rest of my life with you." Cato wraps his arm around me.

"You're full of yourself, you know that, right? What if I don't want to spend another second with you?" I laugh.

"If that were the case, you wouldn't be here right now."

I avoid that. "Why do you keep calling me like ten different things?"

"I'm trying to pick the one that fits you best." Cato says, playing with my hair.

"Alexandra isn't good enough?" I ask.

"It's a beautiful, wonderful name. But everyone calls you that. It isn't something just I can call you." Cato tells me.

I blush, and hope he doesn't see. With the light from the flames, it's a hopeless wish. "So why did you kidnap me?" I ask, getting the spotlight off of me.

"To tell you my master plan." Cato says, wanting me to keep asking what it was.

"Awesome. Care to tell me what it is?"

"Escape, my Princess, escape."