"Nothing like a good brush with death." Finnick murmured, whispering to you as you both watched Katniss and Peeta stumble together, their hands tightly locked.
"Shut up." You rolled your eyes, knocking your shoulder with Finnicks.
"You first." He chided continuing to walk, a small smirk on his face.
Katniss, once confident enough to leave Peeta to walk alone, had begun to look out for the force field, throwing stones and various items from the floor at the potential areas for it to be in.
As you crossed over the hill, Finnick offering Peeta a hand to stabilise him on the rocky, uneven ground.
Katniss however had suddenly stopped, eyeing a tree near the area she had just hit.
She threw another stone again, realising no sound was made. You could feel your eyebrows raise. What was she doing?
"Hang on." She called, coming closer to the tree. You watched cautiously as she quickly slung her bow on her back, stepping right by the trunk.
Quickly she begun to climb, heaving her body up the attached vines and wood. Before long, she was above the canopy out of you, Peeta and Finnicks view.
"What is she doing?" Finnick asked, his hands on his hips as he eyed the tree she had disappeared up.
"Who knows anymore..." you mumbled, a hand slapping your forehead. Peeta gave you both a look before rolling his eyes, looking carefully out for Katniss.
It was silent for a long moment as you three listened out for the girl, or for any noises that might signal her coming down.
A loud sound suddenly rang out, echoing through your ears. What the hell was that? It came from above you, but too high for it to be Katniss.
Before long, she had slid down the trunk, gravitating back to Peetas side.
"The force field, it's a dome. We're at the edge of the arena." She mumbled, pushing sweaty hair from her face as she looked at you and Finnick.
"Is that good?" You ask hopefully. Maybe from up there she'd seen water, or some kind of fresh water source you could go too.
"No sign of water." She huffed. You felt yourself groan, squatting down to the ground, settling on the dirt. She only gave you a small huff as Finnick began to think.
"It's gonna be dark soon, we'll be safe with our backs protected. We should set up camp and take turns sleeping." Finnick said with a heavy sigh, gently slapping your shoulder.
You could only muster a small glare at him as he gave you a toothy grin, stretching his arms upwards.
"I can take first watch." He offered, his attention returning to Katniss.
"Not a chance." She cut in, her hands falling to her hips.
You look up at her, raising a brow, only to have her throw her hands up in a defensive position. Finnick however only grew offended.
"Honey. That thing I did back there for Peeta that was called saving his life." Finnick spoke up abruptly, leaning his weight on the trident as he rose to his full height.
"If I wanted to kill either you or Peeta I would have done it by now no?" He sassed moving away from you three.
Finnick then knelt down in his new spot, beginning to pick up bark and various branches.
"Don't doubt him." You murmured to Katniss, forcing yourself to stand up.
She exchanged a look with you, then Peeta."You can't trust-" she began before you cut in.
"You trust me? You trust Cato too right? Finnicks from my district. He wants out just as much as you and the rest of us." You scoff moving from Katniss and Peetas side, towards Finnick.
as you began to pick up wood, Finnick only offered you a tight lipped smile returning to his work with no words exchanged.
You felt even sicker than before.
What if Cato was dead?
He had died and you wouldn't know till hours later, when the projections begun.
You could only continue working to stack and pile wood for a fire as your thoughts consumed you.
Cato would be ok. He was from district two. With the little details you got about his life, you knew Cato had been training for the games all his life.
It had been hours.
Peeta was knocked out, snores leaving his open mouth. You did not no how such a well spoken boy, could snore like an overweight pig.
You were supposed to be asleep too, your hands firmly over your ears to silence Peetas noise.
You could hit him, but you doubted Katniss would let you get away it... or would she?
"How's Peeta doing?" You heard Finnick murmur.
"He's ok I think, just dehydrated like the rest of us.." she responded quietly. It was getting to a point everyone was in a bad state. Your mouth felt so dry that it would shrivel up and succumb.
Loud music alerted you to sit upwards. The same theme that had played in your games, the same tune to tell you who had died.
Your eyes immediately found the sky watching as the first face came up.
The District five male, the district six male. No Cato yet. You felt yourself swallow as even more faces came through the sky.
Yet, by the time it had ended? There was no Cato. His face hadn't appeared in front of you yet.
He was alive.
You felt your body fall backwards to the ground, a heavy sigh leaving your mouth. Your eyes shutting tightly hiding any tears.
"Eight.." katniss said, her eyes still in the sky where the faces had appeared. You heard Finnick hum in agreement.
Silence still didn't return as beeping then rung through the air. What the fuck was that? You sat up again, watching as a canister fell to the ground, almost hitting you in the head with a thump.
"What the fuck?" You groan as Katniss knelt down next to you, quickly breaking it open pulling out a small metal device.
"Drink up?" She questioned, her brows furrowing.
"What is it?" Finnick asked, coming to stand over you and Katniss.
Katniss continued to fiddle with it spinning it between her fingers. "It's from Haymitch. I think it's a spile.."
Almost instantly she was up, Peeta who had surprisingly awoken, was also up on his feet rubbing his eyes as he begun to follow her.
"What?" Finnick questioned, offering a hand down to you, quickly yanking you up.
Only Fucking Haymitch would do this in the middle of the night.
You found Katniss and Peeta, hammering the device into the tree with their fists, Katniss resting her long arms over it.
"Come on.." she whispered. Before long, water began to pour out.
Fresh water.
You felt a heavy sigh of relief lift from your chest as Katniss began to drink, quickly pulling away as Peeta came over, his mouth agape as he took in mouth fulls.
Finnick pulled you forward towards the tap. "Drink." He ordered.
Quickly you ducked your heard under the water, taking in mouthfuls as you drank. You then splashed your hands with water wetting your face.
Finnick, you could tell was getting desperate as you moved away, letting him get water. God maybe Haymitch was a godsend.
If here was here, you were almost grateful enough to kiss him on his cheek.
Katniss then began to drink desperately again, her eyes shut in bliss at the cool waters taste.
A few hours later, after silenced had once again graced you all, the cooling air settling on you, loud metallic crashing sounds begun.
God, fucking Damn it.
Finnick who had now laid down too, put his hands on your ears covering them as if you were a child, bought you some relief.
You screwed your eyes tightly shut. You hated the games, you hated the arena.
Soon after Finnick pulled his hands from your ears. The noise had stopped.
"I counted twelve." Katniss whispered.
"Midnight?" Finnick thought aloud.
"The number of districts." Katniss stoutly said. A loud boom of thunder the. Went off clapping four times every few seconds through the air.
You felt your hair raise on your arms. You weren't getting anymore sleep. You had been disturbed to the breaking point.
"Fuck this." You muttered, slamming your hands on the ground as you sat up.
"Well if you'rere not sleeping, I am." Finnick muttered, easing himself back down to the ground.
Katniss offered you a small half smile as she looked around, her arms crossing on top of each other.
"I'm sorry. You know for earlier." She said into the dark. You look up at where she was slumped. She was looking worse for ware, even despite after receiving fresh water.
"It's fine. You're just nervous." You said, moving to sit closer to her , your shoulders bumping into each other.
She only lets out a small huff of air, her eyes returning to the environment.
She was done talking for now, and the weight now on your eyelids? So were you.
—————————————————————
The next morning you woke up to a loud gasp, causing your eyes to widen. You felt your head rise up from its designated spot on Katniss's shoulder, your shoulders tensing.
"What?" You hissed at her as she looked around.
It was still dark, the air was no longer as cool and you could feel yourself begin to sweat again. Whilst the suits were good for swimming? They were not good for the temperature.
"I need water.." she muttered forcing herself to stand. You nod slowly, rising to your feet.
You could have water too. After your sleep you needed water too.
Her feet were quietly marching through the twigs towards where water had spouted from the tree you had inserted the tap into. She only however froze, a few steps from camp.
You felt your eyes widen, your hands rising to rub them as some kind of fog made its way towards you both.
It looked like the mist that would rise from the ocean when you got up early for work. The one you and your friends would complain about when you tried to watch the sun rise.
You felt your hand began to unfurl, coming closer to the smoke. A little closer and your hand would be engulfed in it.
the second it touched your skin you felt it burn, screams began to rip from your throat, your hand coming to your chest. Katniss quickly used her hand to grab your wrist yanking you backwards away from the fog.
You continued to scream as Finnick and Peeta snapped upright from their positions, their heads whipping around.
"Run! The fogs poison!" Katniss cried out between grounds, Finnick leaned down, pulling Peeta upwards beginning to sprint through the trees.
You and Katniss took off after them, your feet slamming harshly into the ground. You felt yourself begin to loose oxygen. The gas was spreading even faster.
This had to be the game makers. You felt like it was enclosing on you from every direction.
Katniss fell to the ground, her grip on you loosening. before you could turn back to grab her, Peeta had moved desperately yanking her away from the fog.
He began to scream too as boils covered his skin. You took in Katniss and Peetas faces. White buboes had appeared, swelled and dangerously ready to pop.
Finnick, quickly came back for you, screaming as fog came at him from another direction.
"Finnick I can't carry him.. please.. we need to go." Katniss pleaded with the man. He only let out a hiss, grabbing and throwing Peetas arm over him, yanking him upwards.
You however helped Katniss, supporting her the best you could. Your hand was on fire. The same markings on Peeta and Katniss had risen up on your skin.
Continuing to sprint through the trees the fog only got closer, swirling around you all, before you could stabilise yourself, the ground seemed to tilt at an angle.
It was burning all over you now, frying all of your skin alive. You wanted to scream again. Your face beginning to burn even worse.
Your feet missing as you all began to fall, slamming and rolling down into the dirt, slipping through the leaves as the hill eventually came to flat land.
You felt your eyes widen as you desperately pushed yourself up, eyeing the fog as it rose upwards,
then disappeared.
Your eyes stayed on it, till Katniss began to scream again. Quickly your eyes snapped to her, watching as she writhed, her arm deep in the water.
"The water! It helps.." she hissed out, inching further and deeper into the water. Peeta began to follow suit as you pushed yourself, wobbly to stand.
Finnick was lain on his, crying quietly from his burns. You did your best to move him closer to the water, hissing as your burns rubbed from his skin and your clothes fabric.
Once he was close enough, Katniss and Peeta who were now in a better position got him upwards and into the water, his voice beginning to ring out with swears.
You only ignored him, forcing yourself under the small puddle of water hissing and crying out as your skin burned again.
Then stopped.
"We need to get weapons." Katniss said once everyone was looking better. No longer screaming or crying from their skin being burnt.
"Right." You muttered, using the water to clean your neck and face.
"Are you ok?" Katniss muttered, coming to sit by you at the edge of the water. You only could muster up a nod, eyeing the waters surface.
You moved your gaze from the water towards where Finnick stood, frozen in his spot watching the trees.
You frowned, your eyes following theirs before widening. Monkeys, or some varient of them had come in groups, watching you from the trees.
"Y/n.." Finnick murmured, not moving. "Walk over here slowly."
You turned around carefully to look over your shoulder only to cry out as one of the animals hot breath and mouth screeched at you.
You pushed yourself back as slow as you could, adrenaline once again pumping through you as Finnick caught your upper arm.
The animals all continued to scream at you, echoing off each other with their noises. "Get to the beach." Katniss spoke up.
She suddenly pulled her bow off of her back, aiming an arrow at one of the approaching animals.
Peeta moved behind her, another one of the animals attempting to leap at her as he quickly slammed it to the ground.
Katniss fired two arrows shooting them down, they didn't die immediately as a person would, only screamed out writhing.
Finnick however began to join in the battle slamming his trident he had strapped to his back, deep into their brains and neck.
You felt helpless watching. You weren't tough like Peeta, and you didn't get to grab a weapon. Fuck.
You were vulnerable.
The fight continued until Katniss froze up, one of the monkeys slamming down on her, forcing her into the water.
you felt yourself begin to move as had Peeta who had thrown the monkey off her, giving you time to haul her up.
"We need to get to the beach!" You spoke up over her spluttering. Before Peeta could be attacked, someone else appeared, taking the hit for him.
"Who is that?" Katniss shouted out desperately taking a step back, her hand finding your arm. You squinted getting a better look.
One of the morphlings.
"A morphling! Someone help me get her!" Peeta shouted desperately beginning to pull her away, you freed yourself from Katniss's grip.
Quickly your arm wound around the morphlings free one, pulling her crying form back to the beach, and into the water.
She was crying as you desperately tried to clean her face and body. She was taking gasping, wavering breaths.
"Hey! Hey! It's ok... you wanna see something?" Peeta tried desperately, using his head to nod to the sky.
"Look up." He said supporting his side with his arm. You followed his lead, trying to angle the woman to be able to look up properly.
She did so, looking up at the sky, a beautiful flurry of oranges and yellows painted the sky, an occasional cloud in between them.
Her breathing began to slow.
"It's beautiful right? All those colours. Focus on that nothing else." Peeta soothed her, his eyes not leaving her face.
You only could eye her as he continued to give her words of comfort, eventually lowering her form into the water as her heart, and breath stopped.
You swallowed, thrashing through the water, not far behind you Katniss who had watched you and Peeta followed, and Peeta who had wanted to stay as long as he could too.
back at the sand, your eyes watching as a plane came down above the body. A small handle coming down to grab her.
"She sacrificed herself for me and I don't even know her name." Peeta spat out, his eyes on the plane as it began to move away.
"You think she sacrificed herself for you?" Katniss asked, her eyes on Peetas face.
"Does it matter if she did? She died either way and clearly didn't want to hurt us." You could only hiss out shaking your head.
Katniss didn't say anything only watching as the waves grew larger, her eyes returning to the cornucopia. Suddenly she snapped ducking down, her bow and arrow back in hand.
"Someone's here." Katniss hissed.
Finnick however didn't move, squinting at the distant group.
"Johanna." Finnick murmured, watching as the woman covered in red stepped out of the trees further.
You, who had stayed standing felt your jaw fall open as a larger figure came out, a smaller, older woman on his back.
Cato. Carrying Wirees on his back.
Once he had dropped her to his feet, he turned his body towards where Finnick had began to run to Johanna, his eyes beginning to search for you.
You began to step forwards, slowly beginning to sprint.
"Cato!" You screamed out.
"Cato!" You screamed again as the man's eyes finally caught onto you.
He seemed to come alive, beginning to sprint towards you, screaming your name loudly.
Once you both clashed into each other, his arms tightly wounde around you, keeping you close to his chest as he squeezed you.
You took in his appearance, feeling your eyes widened as you realised what the red liquid on Johanna, Beedee, Wirees and Cato was.
Blood.
"Baby I was so worried-"
"What the hell happened?! why are you all covered in blood Cato!" You cut in, your hands cupping his cheeks bringing his face to different sides.
You could hear footsteps behind you as Katniss and Peeta approached.
"Well I got 'em out!" Johanna called from down the beech, you could see Wirees and Beedee in the water, where around them it was turning red.
"We were all the way deep into the jungle where I thought we'd be safe. That's when the rain started." She spat out, coming close to Katniss.
"Thought it was water. Turned out to be blood. Just coming down. It was choking us! We were stumbling around gagging on it." Johanna hissed as Wirees grabbed her arm continuing her mumbling.
"TikTok..." Wirees rambled, stumbling around in circles.
Cato kept a tight arm around your waist.
Even despite him covered in blood you couldn't find it in you to care.
He was okay, Cato was alive.
"Till Blight hit the force field." Johanna continued, her attention returning to the water. "Wasn't much but, he was home." She spat out her final sentence as Wirees then grabbed her again mumbling.
"What's wrong with her?" You asked eyeing Wirees.
"She's in shock." Beedee spoke up, spitting salt water from his mouth, Katniss quickly stumbled towards him, gently pulling him to his feet.
"The dehydration isn't helping. Do you have water?" He asked coughing slightly.
"We can get some." You said firmly.
You felt your eyes return to Johanna and Wirees, who had now grabbed the girls arms.
"TikTok!-"
"Listen!"
Johanna tried to silence her, desperately digging her fingers into the woman's hands.
"Stop it!" Johanna screeched out, slamming Wirees to the ground. "Sit down!"
"Hey!" Katniss snapped grabbing Johanna, yanking her backwards.
Cato stepped forwards, pulling you away from the fight breaking out, using his free hand to wipe the blood, stopping any from dripping down into his eyes.
Finnick the moved forwards, as did Peeta separating the two.
Finnick began to pull Johanna to the water, you assumed to get her cleaned off.
"I got them out! For you!" Johanna screamed out. "Let me go Finnick!"
You watched them as her voice got even more distant. "What does that mean?" Katniss asked her face Palling.
"You did want them as allies apparently." Cato rolled his eyes, his big hands coming to yours. Katniss only stared dumbfounded as Wirees came towards her.
"Help me clean up?" He asked you, pulling you towards the water, you could only nod allowing him to guide you into the water.
Within the water coming to your waist, the blood from Cato was already infecting the water, turning it into a pinkish shade.
Cato had relaxed enormously, watching your hands reach to cup water, then dumping it into his hair cleaning it out.
"I was so worried about you." You mumbled, raising water to his cheeks to wipe blood off of his face.
"I know baby I'm sorry." He tried to comfort you, shutting his eyes as water mixed with blood dripped down. You quickly raising your hand, swiping the mix from hitting his eyes.
"What happened?" You asked quietly, watching as he then dumped his head and face into the water, his own hands beginning to scrub his hair.
"I tried to look for you when you went under, Johanna grabbed me. She saved my ass when that prick from one tried to get me." He scoffed out, flipping his damp, blonde hair from his face.
"What happened to you? Your not hurt?" He muttered, using his own hands to wipe the remainder of the now drying blood from his neck.
"No. I'm ok, we ran into trouble with some poison gas but.. that was the worse of it.." you mumbled as Cato stopped cleaning himself, moving his now blood free form to you.
You could only let out a sigh as Catos arms came to wind around your waist, pressing salty kisses to the corner of your mouth.
"I'm safe, you're safe too thank god. We're together again and i am not letting you out of my sight" he muttered as he pressed a firm, heavy kiss to your mouth.
You could only hum into the kiss as a response, only pulling away from him for oxygen. His hands then cupped your cheeks, pulling your head towards his allowing your forehead to rest against yours.
You were both here, you were both alive.
—————————————————————
Omg... you both lived! Too bad u guys are lits abt to fight for your lives against the careers Jesus...
Also I started writing a book two for wait for it (Treech)
YEAH.. YEAH 🤬 it's coming it's coming...