Star Crossed Lovers (Clove And Cato Book 2)

19. Mags Takes One For The Team

19.

The morning sky is streaked with some yellow and blue, a beautiful mix though unusual.

I breathe in the fresh air, my nose and mouth clear of the bad odours from last night. Will Cashmere hate me for not waking her to see her brother’s headshot? I don’t know, but I know I’m not her favourite person ever.

“Cato?” I whisper to the slumbering beast, his face twisted into a frown. No one switched with me; I was on watch all night.

My eyes aren’t puffy or red; I slept soundly after the visit from Prim. Who would dare attack us? Loaded with weapons and feisty fighters. We don’t always give mercy.  Cashmere won’t anyway; she’s lost what she can’t repair.

“Cato?” I whisper again and jiggle his heavy frame boldly.

Why won’t he wake up?

“Cato?” I say my voice on the nerve of breaking. He has to wake up.

Finally after my efforts, his unfocused eyes settle on me. He jumps awake remembering his status.

“Clove were you guarding all night?” he growls angrily. I sheepishly nod my head.

“It was okay Cato, no one came. I got some sleep.”

Yeah but you ain’t that pleasant even when you get some sleep,

I ignore my thoughts and glance back to Cato’s disturbed face. He thinks he’s hurt me. He can be so foolish.

“Look, no more taking watch. If I didn’t know any better you were probably meeting up with some outlines!” Cato says throwing the words at me like a hot potato he’s trying to get rid of.

Can I tell him I actually did meet Prim and she fed me? No, he’d get too angry. If that’s possible.

He’s cute when he’s angry though,

I stifle a laugh. Cato looks at me, his hands in his blonde hair.

“Yes,” I say replying to both answers.

“Defiantly.”

**********

“No more dawdling, let’s get a move on!” Finnick bellows out as we quickly tidy all our mess up. It’s time we moved on; it’s not safe sticking with one place, even if you are Careers.

“Why don’t you help then, fish boy?” Cato snarls as Finnick stands ahead of us watching our every move.

“Just hurry up, and don’t kill your girlfriend with your lips, okay?”

Cato drops his sword and the cutlery we found at the horn.

“What did you say?” he spits at Finnick. I continue to tidy, along with Mags while Cashmere stands in the middle a spear ready at her hands.

“You heard me,” Finnick says casually and places his hands on his hips. The audience must be loving this; a man-fight.

“Say it again then.” Cato says snarling even more. Finnick tightens his grip around the trident.

“I said don’t kill Clove with your lips,” Finnick says not looking at Cato this time but me.

“Right, well now that that’s in the open, why don’t we move on? I swear I heard some tributes laughing at us!” Cashmere says taking the opportunity to hustle everyone in to being ready to move. I tag along, a bag at my shoulders and my knife sash neatly wrapped around me. Mags give me a wrinkled smile and take my hand in hers. I nod my head in gratitude.