Spark to Flame: A Finniss Story

Pt II: Clear to Mist

Pt II.

She almost kills Finnick when she sees him again.

She runs to the Cornucopia and grabs the bow that is just waiting for her to wrap her fingers around it, and shoots an oncoming Tribute in the foot, letting them lose their balance and fall into the waters below, when she sees someone else fast approaching her in her peripheral vision. Adrenaline kicking in, she immediately loads another arrow and aims at the next person brave enough to mess with her. She freezes, breath hitching as she inhales and exhales furiously, heart pumping vigorously as she recognizes who she has in her sights.

Finnick Odair freezes in his place, eyes wide as she stares him down.

Grinning slowly, he says, "Woah! Good thing we're allies, am I right?"

He raises his left hand and her eyes are distracted by a mild shimmer coming from his wrist, and she cautiously lowers her gaze until she's staring at a golden band wrapped snugly around his limb. But it's not just any golden band - it's Haymitch's.

"Where did you get that?" She asks, though it's more of an accusation as she fixes her stare back onto him and tightens the hold on her bow.

"Where do you think?" He shoots back, cocky as ever.

She keeps her arrow trained on him, trying to decide within the next two seconds whether or not to just shoot him, when his stare suddenly moves beyond her and he says, "Duck."

She turns at his odd request, ducking just in time to avoid the male tribute trying to take her head off. She squats and covers her head, peeking above her arms when she hears a sharp sound and a pained cry, followed by a thud. The tribute lays there, just inches from her, with a trident lodged in his chest. Shocked, she sits there a few moments, long enough for Finnick to come around and take his weapon back and peek around the corner of the Cornucopia.

She shakily comes to stand, mind somewhat blank after having just nearly lost her life, when he says, "Don't trust One or Two. I've got this side, you hold them off. I'll find Peeta!"

It takes her a few seconds longer to process his words than it would under normal circumstances, and he's already off to the other side of the Cornucopia by the time she nods her understanding, but at least she's able to get back on her feet before anyone else decides to end her.

She hears Finnick's voice a moment later, calling to her. "Katniss! He's over here, Mags found him! Come quick!"

Recognizing the slight alarm in his voice, she breaks into a run and goes to join him and Mags, and it's only after she's at their side that she sees it - Peeta is drowning.

He's fighting with another Victor in the water beside his pedestal, though she supposes he's really just trying to keep from going under.

She wants to dive in and save him, but she doesn't know what help she would be. Finnick seems to be reading her mind, because he dives in himself a moment after she's just declared herself useless, and after a brief struggle with the other tribute, brings Peeta to the rocky shore. He drags the blond boy up onto the rocks, grabbing his trident and checking to see if Mags is okay, and Katniss kneels beside her district partner and rolls him onto his side, emptying any water from his lungs.

Peeta smiles at her appreciatively after regaining his breath, and though he's clearly shaken from nearly having his life taken away from him, she can find no time to coddle him as the Careers could be on them at any moment.

She heaves him to his feet and they head for the jungle, Finnick and Mags following close behind.

~*~