Promises of a Sacrificial Lamb |Destiel x The Hunger Games|

-22-

The switchblade is in my grasp in an instant.  I stop breathing as I spare a glance at Cas' panic-stricken face, as another twig snaps and chills my blood to ice.  I beckon to him, wanting him closer to me, and press a trembling finger to my lips.  Something—or someone—is out there, and I'd prefer not to find out what.

My heart hammers inside my chest as Cas huddles up next to me, silent as a mouse.  I don't dare peer out into the darkness past the rock overhang.  Anything could be hiding in the shadows, waiting for us to show ourselves.  I barely move a muscle.  Neither does Cas.  My lungs have started to burn.  My fear rises when the sharp snap of another twig echoes through the air, but I keep a tight grip on the blade.  Just in case I finally have to use it.

Confusion overwhelms me, though, when a small high-pitched squeal rings in my ears.  It doesn't sound human.  It sounds like an animal of some kind, and certainly not a dangerous one.

Before I even have a chance to exchange a bewildered look with Cas, a flurry of movement outside the hollow catches my eye.  We lean down and peep out into the darkness, and there we see two tiny creatures playing in the leaves.  They're fuzzy and dark gray and have long tails and miniature humanlike hands, and dare I say their high-pitched squeals are kind of adorable.  I think I've seen creatures like these in previous Games, have learned about them a small bit during school.  I think they're a species of monkey.

They pay us no mind as they romp around the forest floor, kicking up dirt and sticks and grabbing at one another's tails without a care in the world.  Their squeals of delight are rather shrill, but I can't help but smile as Cas and I watch them frolic through the leaves.  The childlike glee shining in my district partner's eyes warms my heart.  I find myself watching his mirthful smile widen more than the monkeys playing outside.

Far too soon, the charming little creatures scurry off into the night, and Cas and I are left alone once again.  That was a pleasant surprise.  Much better than anything I was expecting, anyway.  I thought for sure I was going to have to use the switchblade to defend ourselves from some horrible beast or another bloodthirsty tribute, but I'm relieved I didn't have to.  I was skilled at blade combat in training, sure, but the thought of doing it for real and with our lives at stake makes shivers run down my spine.  At least we were spared tonight and had the opportunity to see a couple of lovable monkeys.  Cas definitely seemed to enjoy their antics.  I'm glad.  He deserved that nice moment after all the stress we've both endured.

I cast him a warm smile—which he returns with an enraptured laugh that seems to melt away the tension in me—as I lean back once more to take my resting period.  Sleep finds me quickly after the joy of seeing those monkeys.  In a few hours, Cas wakes me, just like we planned.  It's still the dead of night, but it's peacefully quiet.  Even some of the birds have silenced their cheerful songs.

As Cas takes the knapsack and tries to fluff it as he would a pillow, I can't stop a wave of perplexity from washing over me.  "Are you still cold?"  I ask before I have a chance to think.

My breathing halts again when Cas' gaze meets my own.  He looks taken aback, lips parted but unable to form words.  In the time it takes him to speak, I'm worried I was too forward.  "A little,"  he eventually says with a shrug, "but I'll give you some space.  I'll be okay for a while."

I'm not sure why I feel so disappointed when he flashes me a reassuring glance and lies down on the ground a few feet away.

The night is hushed and lonesome.  Without most of the birds, the air is so still that I can hear my own heartbeat.  It's unsettling.  It puts me on high alert.  I keep waiting to hear something in the distance, something that would allude to immediate peril, but I only find uneasy silence.  Instead of relaxing me, that just makes the apprehension worse.  Anything or anyone could be stalking around out there.