Forever in the Games- UNDER EXTREME EDITING

Chapter Twenty-Three

We manage to find a place to rest sooner than I expect. A small cave just past the river. I run on ahead looking, while Katniss helps the poor boy to walk. He walks a snails pace with his injured leg. It's not fun. 

"No ones going to find you in here" Katniss tells Peeta, trying to put him down gently. I think I'll go on watch for the rest of the day, and let Katniss tend to him, I'm sure she doesn't want me in the way, and to be honest, I'd rather leave the two love birds to it anyway. So here I am, minding my own business like a good girl, I'm sure Effie would be proud.

Sharpening Katniss' arrows is the only thing keeping me occupied. But then I hear that noise. The noise I always like to hear. Sponsors. Katniss comes out of the cave, and grabs her bow, and an arrow.

"It's a sponsor. I don't think Haymitch will have sent us a mutt Katniss" I laugh, as we both make our way over to it. She opens it gently 'You call that a kiss? -H"

What in hell is he talking about? But then I look at Katniss, and give a little laugh. 

"You can do it" She declares standing up with the soup.

"What?! Are you joking, he wants you not me princess" I remind her, as she goes back in the cave. 

I wonder what they think of me. Katniss and Peeta. Did I turn out the way they expected? I hope not, because I know what everyone thinks when they hear my name. "Ah is she the monster?"I heard someone say once.

After a while, I go for a little hunt in the forest, not for animals, but for fruit. Peeta looks like he needs something sweet and healthy at the same time. I must admit, I'm pretty hungry myself. I haven't eaten in a while. So as I walk back, I eat something I know isn't poisonous. Poisonous. Maybe I could poison Katniss and Peeta so I won't have to kill them in the end! Stop it Luce! Stop it! I scold myself. I'm thinking too much the way I used to. 

"I've got you both some fruit" I walk into the cave, and give them both a piece each. But I stop in my tracks when I see Katniss lying on Peeta. She looks up, and smiles.

"Thanks" She whispers, and I go back out into the cold.

_*_

"Attention. Tributes. Attention." I'm that tied, I don't even flinch, and just look up to the sky. "Commencing at sunrise, there will be a feast tomorrow at the cornucopia. This will be no ordinary occasion. Each of you need something. Desperately. And we plan to be, well. Generous hosts"

A feast. Hmm. Well, we need food. But something we need desperately? I don't know. Going to a feast is risky. I was on the edge of death when I went to one in my first Games. It was brutal, to say the least.

I can hear them both argue in the cave, but then fall silent. He's probably trying to stop her from going.

 I don't check up on them for a while, they're too quiet for that so I assume they're sleeping, but after a while of being alone, I do go in the cave, to find Peeta shivering, sleeping alone, and Katniss rocking beside him.

"How's he doing?" I whisper, and lower myself next to her.

"He needs medicine, but he won't let me go to the feast" We're silent for a little while after. I don't ask her if she's followed Haymitch's hint, but I do come up with a good idea.

"Well, how would he know if he's sleeping?" She turns her head to me.

"Because he could easily wake up-"

"And find that I've stayed here while you've gone out hunting. It's a win win situation" Sort of, kind of, okay maybe not at all. But I'm sure she can see where I'm coming from!

"I don't know. It's risky" She hesitates.

"Life is worth the risks sometimes" When she doesn't move, I say "I'll take care of him, I promise. If you're not back an hour after sunrise, I'll come for you" She glances at me for a moment, collects her bow and arrows, and then leaves the cave, leaving me to watch Peeta. Doesn't my life get better. The jobs I get always seem to be the boring ones. But, I can't complain, at least I'm not the one going to the feast.

I was lying on the ground. I could taste my own blood as I tried to crawl away from the unknown Tribute.

"Filthy kid" The person whispers, and boots me in the stomach another time. I let out a humongous scream, as I try and reach for my backpack. I was at the feast.

"Please, just let me go, please!" I beg, but they're having none of it. So instead, they grab hold of my hair, lift me up, and throw me onto the ground again. The pain that's being caused is too much for me to cope with. But the next thing I know, I lift myself up, a small knife in my hand.

"HA! Move out of my way" But no, I'd been trained for this. I'm ready. Ready for my first kill. 

"I don't think so." That was when I launched the knife from my hand, and it landed in the Tributes chest, but not  deep enough for them to die. Filled with anger, I run towards them, climb on top, and push the knife deeper into their chest, until I can no longer see or feel the knife, until I can no longer, see the life in their eyes

A huge gasp escapes me, as I launch forward from the ground. How long was I asleep? Ten minutes? An hour? Maybe longer? My first kill nightmare are always the worst. The life draining from their eyes as I push the dagger deeper and deeper until I can't even hold it. What's worse, is that I didn't even care.

But then before my mind reacts, I'm on my feet, weapons in hand, and I'm running after Katniss and cursing in my head. 'How could I have let her go?! I should have gone! How could I have been so stupid?!' 

I'm running as fast as I can, not even looking to see if I'm being followed, and I don't care, all I know is that I need to get Katniss back before she's killed. Pushing past the trees as I go, I manage to get to the edge of the cornucopia when I see her running towards the backpacks. Snap Ispin around, knife raised, when I see Thresh standing before me. So I start the sweet talk, something I know will hit a nerve.

"I knew Rue" He stops glaring for a second, and focuses on me.

"What?"

"You heard me. Katniss and I, we made an alliance with her, until she was killed by a career. Marvel. I was too late, and I take full responsibility. But after she died, we buried her in flowers, and Katniss sang her to her death" I explain, choosing my words carefully. He lowers his fists.

"And?" But as I was going to answer, I hear a huge thud of someone hitting the ground behind me. Both Thresh and I's heads snap in that direction, to find Katniss being tackled onto the ground, although she's putting up a good fight.

"She cared for her. So much. If you let us both go then we'll let you go, well, I'll let you go" 

"PFfft, please" He rolls his eyes, that is, until we hear Clove laugh at Katniss. 

"That little girl? What was her name again? Rue?" Thresh looks at me, not in anger, not with sympathy, but with determination.

"Let's go" He runs past me, and towards the scene. I follow close behind, as she's about to lift the knife, I boot it out of her hand, and Thresh shoves her against the cornucopia.

"You kill her?" He demands.

"No!"

"I heard you!"

"Cato!" Clove screams.

"You said her name! You said her name!" Then, he bashes her head against the cornucopia, and I shove her the second time. The power of us both is strong enough to break her skull. When she collapses to the ground, I run behind Katniss, and attempt to pull her up, away from Thresh, but she's finding it hard to stand. When he grabs his pack, he turns to Katniss.

"Just this time twelve." He points at her "For Rue" And with that, he runs away. Without another word, Katniss stands up, grabs her pack, and we both run away from the cornucopia. 

I sure hope Peeta's alright being left on his own.