Gladiators -- Clato

-Fire-

The next day passes in a blur of walking, occasionally resting, scouting the woods and taking inventory of supplies. We periodically go back and forth between the Cornucopia and the woods, keeping a close eye on the supplies at it's mouth.

Cato continues to lead. The others continue to follow. In the back of my mind, I wonder about Fire Girl, and what she's up to. I wish that knife had stuck her in the face when I'd thrown it. The forest is hot, much hotter than it had been on the first two days, and I sip from my water bottle occasionally as we walk.

There have, however, been some shifts in the group dynamic. Cato and Glimmer seem to have grown much closer, somehow. She's always in step with him, offering her input and joking around with him.

Marina has grown quiet and reserved. I think she may be plotting to break away from the pack. She hangs around the back of the group with Peeta, a withdrawn look on her face and a spear clutched tightly in one hand.

Marvel is preoccupied with Peeta, who he has turned into his own personal pet. I kind of enjoy watching him amuse himself with the terrified kid. Sometimes I join in.

We bed down on the night of the third day without any kills. As the anthem plays, no faces appear in the sky. Looks like Fire Girl is still alive and kicking.

"Clove, toss me that bag of nuts, will you?" Marvel calls from where he sits, sprawled out on the forest floor. I toss him the bag and he rips it open, pouring some in his own mouth before throwing the rest to Peeta, who eats it gratefully.

Marina sits beside me, combing her hands through her hair, which she has let down. In the light of the fire, her large, brown eyes look shimmery.

Finally, Glimmer and Cato laugh together as they sit leaned up against a log. I watch her, taking in the way her hair still gleams despite three days of being in the wild. And her smile, which could charm just about anyone. The girl has done nothing to me, but somehow, the sight of her fills me with rage.

Maybe that's unfair. I don't really care, though. In the end, it's a game, and Glimmer is doing what she needs to do to survive.

I'm put on first watch that night. I sit as sleep takes over my companions and they fall into their stupor.

Somewhere along the way Marvel takes watch. I fall asleep clutching my knife, as always.

My peaceful sleep is interrupted, however, by screaming. Screaming.

"Get up, get up!" Screams Glimmer, pulling me to my feet by my arms and propelling me forward. It takes just a moment for me to register that there's a giant wall of fire surrounding us on both sides.

"Shit!" I yell, and immediately scramble into a sprint. I can hear Glimmer running beside me, and more footfalls to my front and left. The smoke begins to thicken, and I cough and spit as it burns my eyes and gets in my mouth.

I don't have time to think about where the fire came from or how it started. The only thing I an focus on is the sheer adrenaline and terror that rush through me as I speed through the flames.

And then I fall. With a crash, I'm face-first on the floor. The smoke blinds me, and I retch as my lungs and stomach reject the pungent gas.

"Cato!" I scream. It's the only thing I can think of right now. "

I crawl forward on the ground, trying desperately to move out of the way of the fire. I feel the bile rising in my throat as the fumes overtake me. I wonder to myself as the smoke clouds my brain if this is how it will all end. All those years of training to die of suffocation in a goddamn forest fire.

But those thoughts are whisked away as a pair of strong arms encircles me and lifts me effortlessly off the ground. I'm clutching onto any fabric my fingers can find, fingernails digging deep enough to break skin. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to block out the smoke.

We finally burst out of the fire, and I open my eyes and cough, finally coming to. Cato puts me down on the forest floor, and I vomit on the ground, moaning in discomfort.

"Shit, you ok, Clove?" Cato asks, kneeling down to come face to face with me. I nod weakly, wishing I could look into his eyes forever.

"Ok. Rest for a moment, then we need to keep moving," He says tersely. "Everyone else, what's the situation?"

"We're alright," Glimmer says, standing beside Marina and Marvel. "We dragged Lover Boy out just in time, though."

I cough again and shakily get to my feet, pinching the bridge of my nose to try and chase off the headache. "We can move," I mutter. "I'm good."

"Are you-" Marina begins.

"I'm good," I snap. "Come on. There have to be others nearby."

"Let's head to the river," Cato points his sword toward the treeline in the distance.

We move at a brisk pace towards the river. We're all disheveled and sore after escaping the fire, with all that smoke in our lungs.

It's when we burst through the trees, however, that I see her. Fire Girl, completely out of it, floating aimlessly in the river.

Marvel blows the whistle. "There she is!" He cries, pointing is spear toward her. I watch her head shoot up in fear, and she scrambles up the banks, making a beeline to the woods.

Despite the effects of the fire, the pack breaks into a run, occasionally letting out whoops or exclamations of excitement. I whip out my knives and follow close behind Cato as we chase her into the woods.

She's obviously injured, I can tell by her limping gait. Seems she got the worst of it.

My lungs scream in protest as I run, but I force myself forward. We burst into the clearing just fast enough to watch Katniss scramble up a tree trunk an huddle up in it's branches. Cato looks up at her menacingly.

And then the girl smiles.