The Hunger Games (aftermath)

Chapter 20 (Blood Trails)

{Peeta's POV}

I wake up, my heart racing flashbacks from last night fill my brain, they were vivid. Terror filled up inside me, I was trying to kill Katniss and the baby. I reach out for Katniss hoping to find some comfort near me, but she wasn't there. Panic surged through my body as I scrambled to my feet.

So many questions came to me, yet I had no answers.
Had I scared her off last night?
Was she afraid I was going to attack again?
Why did she leave me?
Where had she gone?
What happened?

I step outside our hiding place. Outside, the area was quiet. The sun had barely began to rise, casting pong shadows across the landscape, it was almost peaceful. My head filled with thoughts, memories from last night, what if she was scared of me and left not wanting to be allies anymore What if she was plotting to kill me at this very moment?

I soon became conscious of the surroundings around me one again as two cannons had sounded, signaling the deaths of not just one, but two tributes, I immediately thought of Katniss, could one of those cannons signify the end of her life?

I moved through the woods quickly but quietly searching for the body's of the tributes who had just fallen. Carefully avoiding tributes I finally run across a path, the ground was stained with blood, the color is crimson, a memory of Katniss in the woods teaching me how to track down animals using blood trails crosses my mind. If this was her blood I had to find her.

I followed the crimson path for a while, careful not to step on any twigs that could snap under my feet, or leaves that could crunch as I walk over them. The blood trail was becoming a brighter red, signaling that it was fresher, suddenly I reach a body lying face down. Dark long hair spilled across the ground, for a moment my hear stopped. It looked like- no I can't- did this body belong to Katniss? I was frightened, my feet felt like they were glued to the floor I could bear to turn the body over to find he true identity, but if this was her, he had to stay with her body until he could find a place to bury her. With a heavy hear I finally managed to find the courage to turn the body over I prayed it wasn't her.

And it wasn't, my heart full of relief, I looked at the body closer and I realized that I had known this person, it wasn't just any person, but she was my friend. It was Johanna Mason, tears formed in my eyes, I was grateful it wasn't Katniss, yet grief for my friend consumed me. I then realize that there were two cannons, I desperately search for the other body hoping it wasn't Katniss as well, I had doubts that Katniss and Johanna would have fought, they were friends two after all, but they had a somewhat violent relationship. Nearby lay another body, the body of a young make tribute he looked around the age of fourteen, he was from District 4, his name was Navil. His brown hit covered his rounded glasses, his face was a bit bloody. Clutched in his had was Johanna's axe, I assumed he had stolen her axe and she had gone after him, they had fought to the death, neither declared a survivor.

I didn't want to leave Johanna's body out in the open, so I dragged her under a bush, covered her wth leaves, in hopes no one will find her. I had to find Katniss, I hope she was ok. I see a hill in the distance and decide that's where I will head next to search for Katniss. There I catch a glimpse of movement in the bushes, someone must have ran down the hill. I run after them, it looked like Katniss,it had to be here. No other female tribute that was currently alive had the dark hair she possessed. They run towards the open meadow, before they can reach it they stop and turn around, I recognize the face it was her, it was Katniss

"Katniss!" I say loud enough for her nearly 5 yards away could hear, but not loud enough to draw attention to our direction

She turned around, and ran towards me, I run towards her relief flooding my chest, She was safe, and she wasn't scared of me from our incident that had occurred the previous night. I hugged her tightly not wanting to let go, but as soon as she let go I knew I had to.