Wrong Place, Right Time - Cato Hadley x OC

Chapter 11: Danger

No one woke me up last night to watch, thank god. I felt more rested than I ever thought I could in the games.

I dreamt last night of Mav, but not in a guilty way. It was more of him coming to me to forgive me, not that I think he would. My subconscious may be telling me to let loose a little more, to let me do what I must to survive. 

Glimmer was on watch when we woke up this morning, and I wouldn't be surprised if she made noise on purpose so she could have company. 

Once everyone was up and ate, we decided to try to find Katniss. Feeling like today will be long, I sling my backpack over my shoulder.

Marvel and Clove are at the head of our group, Cato and I close behind. Glimmer and Wade are whispering about something unimportant, and Peeta is bringing up the rear.

We're such a big group, there's no way anyone could get to us right now except maybe the boy from Eleven. There's also no way the Gamemakers will let us stay together for much longer. They need a show, and having more than half the tributes together is not giving them that. 

We walk for hours, stopping once to fill up water bottles. 

"Hey," Wade stops, pointing at something in the distance, "What's that?" 

A fire is glowing bright, and the furthest part of the forest is engulfed in flames. 

"I'm not sure," Cato says, we gasp when we hear the boom of what sounds like a bomb, not to be mistaken for a cannon. "I don't think it's natural though."

"Wonder who they're moving," Clove ponders, and I thought the same thing.

"If we keep walking, maybe we'll run into them," Marvel suggests, and the rest of us agree.

We start back on our walk, continuously glancing at the fire, ensuring it's not getting closer. 

I suggest we fill our waters again when we see mud, which must lead us to a stream.

"Something's got to happen today," Cato says, trekking along the path.

Wade is kicking a rock as he walks, keeping it in front of him, and Clove is spinning her knife around her fingers. I have no idea how she manages not to cut herself. 

I take a sip of my water, feeling the dryness in my throat again.

"Look!" Marvel shouts suddenly, "There she is!"

He's pointing directly at a pond, only to find it holding the Girl on Fire. Literally.

Adrenaline pumps through my veins as my group chases after a fleeing Katniss.

She flies through the forest, favouring her leg as she runs, and Cato is close behind. Chants of teasing and taunting are thrown, yet Katniss never slows.

"I want her! She's mine!" Glimmer yells.

"Not if I get her first!" Cato, the one closest to Katniss, calls back.

Not long after we entered the forest, Katniss found a tree suitable to her and started climbing. She climbed and climbed until I wondered if the branches would break, they were so thin.

"I'm coming for you," Cato teases with a sinister grin, ready to make his kill. He starts up the tree but only gets a few feet before falling backwards. Once I know he's not hurt, I can't help but giggle. He tries again but only for the same result. Annoyed, Glimmer grabs her bow and arrow to attempt another way to get our new friend down.

"How's everything with you?" Katniss calls, taking us all by surprise. Small talk? In a time like this? Weird.

"Good, good," I reply, guarding the sun from my eyes with my arm as I look up. "Yourself?"