Catching Fire: Peeta's POV

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

I slowly come back to consciousness. A pounding on my chest, and my lungs filling with air. I cough and sputter.

"Peeta?" I hear someone say, brushing my hair from my forehead, their other hand at my neck feeling for a pulse.

My eyes slowly come into focus. Katniss staring down at me. The sun breaking through the trees and shining down around her like an angelic halo.

"Careful. There's a force field up ahead," I weeze.

She laughs, tears streaming down her face.

"Must be a lot stronger than the one of the Training Center roof. I'm alright, though. Just a little shaken," I say.

"You were dead! Your heart stopped!" she cries, clasping her hand over her mouth.

"Well, it seems to be working now. It's all right, Katniss," I say. She nods her head but continues sobbing. "Katniss?" I question.

"It's okay. It's just her hormones. From the baby," Finnick says shrugging slightly. I almost forgot he was here.

"No. It's not--," Katniss protests sobbing.

"How are you? Do you think you can move on?" Finnick asks me.

"No, he has to rest," Katniss says.

Mags hands Katniss a handful of moss for her to blow her nose in. Afterward she reaches out grabbing the gold pendant of my necklace. "Is this your token?"

"Yes. Do you mind that I used your mockingjay? I wanted us to match," I say quietly.

"No, of course I don't mind," she smiles, but I can tell it's being forced.

"So you want to make camp here, then?" Finnick asks.

"I don't think that's an option. Staying here. With no water. No protection. I feel all right, really. If we could just go slowly," I add.

"Slowly would be better than not at all," Finnick says helping me to my feet.

Katniss quickly checks over her weapons. "I'll take the lead."

I start objecting but am cut off by Finnick. "No, let her do it." He frowns. "You knew that force field was there, didn't you? Right at the last second? You started to give a warning." I see Katniss give a small nod. "How did you know?"

She hesitates. "I don't know. It's almost as if I could hear it. Listen."

We all stand as still as possible, listening. The sound of birds, the rustling of the leaves, and insects is all I hear.

"I don't hear anything," I speak up.

"Yes, it's like when the fence around District Twelve is on, only much, much quieter," Katniss insists.

We all stand still once more, listening again.

"There! Can't you hear it? It's coming from right where Peeta got shocked," Katniss exclaims.

"I don't hear it, either. But if you do, by all means, take the lead," Finnick says.

"That's weird," Katniss says turning her head from side to side. "I can only hear it out of my left ear."

"The one the doctors reconstructed?" I ask.

"Yeah," Katniss shrugs. "Maybe they did a better job than they thought. You know, sometimes I do hear funny things on that side. Things you wouldn't ordinarily think have a sound. Like insect wings. Or snow hitting the ground."