Sea Of Secrets [1]

Fourteen

   I sulked through the hot woods following Katniss as she tried to find something for us to eat. It's been two days sense Rue died, and I've not been able to do much with myself besides sleep and cry. I've barely been eating.

   "There doesn't seem to be much game out today" Katniss turns to me, her eyes pleading for me to get some energy. "Do you think you can get us some fish?" Her request was quiet,
Almost knowing I wouldn't do it, almost like she was giving up on me.

   "I'll try" her eyes light up at my words, and I follow her to the nearest stream. There are not many big fish , only small ones. I'll have to get at least ten to fill us up. Five each. I take out my knife, and sit for a while. The fish know someone is near, and they swim away. "It might take a while"

   We sit patiently for them to come out of their hiding spots under the water. Soon one comes up and my knife pierces the scales. I wince as it reminds me of the boys head, with the blood pouring out of it, him dropping dead. Katniss takes the fish and begins to eat, she knows I will catch more, only in time. She needs to eat more then I do. She needs to be the strong one. I know she lost her father in a mining accident, but I don't think she knows the extent of my grief. I don't think anyone will. The fish come up as the sun lowers, cooling off the stream. I catch at least eight more, and take three for myself.

   "You need to eat more then that Coral" Katniss says to me , pushing another fish to me. "You need the strength and energy"

   "I think I'll vomit if I eat another"

   "I can't take care of you for the rest of your time here" her words remind me of the time back at the training center, when I told Sam that I couldn't be by his side the whole time, that I couldn't protect him.

   "Give me some time. You would think that I'm used to people dying around me, but I'm not. I need some time" tears roll from my eyes as think of Liam. Nightmares come almost every night now, and I'm keeping Katniss awake. "I'm sorry"

   "I know I don't understand the full extent of your grief, but I know what it's like to lose someone you love" she places her hand on my shoulder "but this isn't the place to let your guard down. You can grieve when you go back to your District" she pulls me in tight and I sob into her shirt. I know she is right, I know that she is counting on me just as much as I am counting on her.

   I wipe my eyes and smile up at her, showing that I am going to try. Showing that I'll build up my guard again. She smiles and eats the remainder of her fish. We sit in silence as the sky goes dark, and I know the anthem will play soon.

   "We need to find a place to stay for the night, a place that's warm" Katniss is shivering as the cold nips at her cheeks.

   "I know a place, follow me" I stand and help her up, going to the cave that I slept in my first few days here. The same cave that I helped Katniss get better.

{~}

   I wake to a soft whistle and I raise my head from under the sleeping bag to find a white parachute attached to a silver canister. I shake Katniss awake, and lift it up. Without lifting the lid, I already know it's some type of food. The sweet aroma fills the cave, making my stomach growl.

   "Soup" Katniss opens the lid to find some chicken soup. "This must have cost a fortune to get. Haymitch hasn't forgotten about me yet" she laughs and takes a sip of the soup, she sighs in satisfaction and hands it to me. This must have been at least two or three sponsors worth. The taste is remarkable, and I resists to just drink it all now.

   For about a few hours we just sit and laugh at the wonderful taste of the soup. We pass it back and forth, taking small sips to make it last longer. Katniss tells me about how she actually loved Peeta , and how she will miss him, but is more in love with her childhood friend Gale. I tell her that I might actually begin to have a liking for Finnick.

   "He must really care for you if you already got two things from the sponsors" she winks at me and I laugh.

   I consider her my best friend. Anyone who will help you out at your lowest is a keeper in my book.

   "Do you want me to cut your hair? At least even it out?" I ask her and she looks at me in delight. The fire had singed her hair on one end, so now the other was much longer. She nods her head, taking another sip of the soup. I take my knife out, and begin to cut and shape her hair evenly. I used to cut my mothers hair when she was sick, and it always made her feel better. When she died, I started to cut Liam's.

   After I was done cutting her hair, I washed it and then braided it.

{~}

   At the end of the day, there were no deaths, in fact; in the last three days there had been no deaths. I was quite relieved, I never want to hear the sound of the cannon again. Most of the other tributes are probably hiding out, and the careers are probably plotting how to take us all out. I know that with Katniss's bow, we will be safe.

   At the end of the anthem , the trumpets sounded again and I looked confusingly over to Katniss. She mirrored my same emotion.

   Claudius Templesmith's voice booms in the sky "tomorrow at dawn, there will be a feast. At that feast will be backpacks from each of your Districts, in those packs will be an item that you most desperately need. May the odds be ever in your favor" the sky got silent and the sound of bugs and birds sound out again.

   "What do we need?" I ask Katniss who is already laying down.

   "Well , we'll see tomorrow"