Forbearance • A Cato Hadley Story

2.21

Water was all that surrounded Livia. She had dived in a mere thirty seconds ago yet it was still only water around her. A few times she attempted to open her eyes but was met with an overwhelming amount of saltwater clouding her vision and a painful sting in her eyes followed by it. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she could feel her hand hit the hard surface created by the rocks. As soon as she got a grasp on it, she lifted her head out of the water and opened her eyes to see where she was.

She quickly pulled herself onto the rocky pathway to the cornucopia. Far off behind her she could hear footsteps as she neared the cornucopia. When the blonde glanced to where the footsteps were coming from to see Gloss from District One trying to reach her. He was just far enough away from her to where she could grab a throwing knife from a collection of them a few feet in front of her and toss it at him.

Grabbing it as speedily as possible, she turned around to see the large man only a few yards in front of her and tossed the knife, which dug into his ankle. The sudden feeling of pain threw him off and he cradled his ankle which caused him to lose his balance and fall in the water. Once she was sure the man was gone she took the collection of throwing knives and clipped it around her waist. Just after, she caught sight of a bow and a quiver that held a group of arrows.

The teen grabbed the quiver, tossed it over her back and took the bow from on top of a box. Footsteps echoed behind her once more and the girl turned around sharply. Her first instinct kicked in and she pulled an arrow out of her quiver, readying herself to shoot the tribute, who just so happened to be Finnick. The small girl paused and stared at the boy from Four, each of them breathing heavily.

He slyly shot up his hand, showing off a familiar gold bracelet on his wrist. Livia looked at him confused as he smirked at her, watching her intently. "Good thing we're allies, right?" he asked. The blonde continued to hesitate, genuinely confused as to how he had gotten that bracelet. As far as she knew, that bracelet had been Enobaria's. She had just acquired it the night prior and he had already stolen it. It wasn't his and she didn't approve of him taking things from her mentor.

"Where did you get that?" she asked him, nodding her head as she stared at the piece of jewelry. The boy looked at her annoyingly, as he was aware that she knew how he had gotten it. She had not requested him as an ally. The only thing that she could assume was that Cato had him as an ally. It partially made her angry, as she didn't exactly like Finnick, but she knew she didn't exactly have a choice if he was Cato's ally.

"Where do you think? Duck." he demanded. Without question, Livia did as he said and dropped to the ground, watching his every movement. A grunt left his mouth as he threw his trident at a figure behind her. She watched the weapon in slow motion fly over her and land in the chest of the male tribute from District Five. The male groaned in pain as he was thrown backwards from the impact, landing harshly on the ground.

A matter of seconds after the man made contact with the ground a cannon went off, pronouncing the stranger dead as Livia stared at his lifeless body. "Don't trust One and Nine. I'll take this side you hold them off. I'll go find Cato." Finnick ordered, taking the blonde by her upper left arm to help her off the ground. He then wordlessly jogged away from Livia to go find Cato, hopefully somewhere nearby. She wasn't going to lie to herself.

She was worried for Cato. She knew that he could handle himself but she couldn't help it. He was most likely worried for her as well. A minute or so went by before she noticed the female tribute from, ironically enough District Nine running in her direction towards the cornucopia. The blonde quickly readied her arrow just as she had done when she had aimed for Finnick and shot at the female tribute.