Star Crossed (Clato Fanfiction)

Chapter Sixteen: The Girl On Fire

Chapter Sixteen

The Girl On Fire

I reach my allies to see them staring up at a tree. I stand beside Glimmer and follow her gaze. Katniss is high up in the tree, looking down at us.

"How are you?" asks Cato.

"I've been better." She answers.

"You won't have to worry in a few minutes," he says as he starts to climb up the tree.

He should have let me do it. I'm so much lighter than him but he's stubborn and wants to do this hisself. I watch as he grabs a branch and falls to the ground. He jumps up, fuming. He grabs the bow and arrows from Glimmer and shoots, barley missing her heard.

"Maybe you should throw the sword," she says amused.

Cato starts to climb the tree again when Peetas voice startles us all.

"Just leave her there," after seeing our angry looks, he continues quickly," she's gotta come down sometime. Let's just wait her out."

Cato looks like he's thinking then says," Okay. Someone make a fire."

Marvel hurries off to find some wood. Cato sits down and closes his eyes. I'm still staring at Peeta as he looks up at Katniss. I wonder what she is thinking right now. He confessed his love for her a few days ago and now he's with the people who wants to kill her. She must be confused and hurt. I know I would be.

I look back to Cato, who is now staring at me. I walk over and sit beside him. He hands me a piece of bread and I thank him.

Marvel finally gets a fire going a few minutes after the sun goes down. We all sit around it. It got really cold in a short period of time. I put my jacket back on and zip it up.

"Clove, you have first watch tonight."

I nod and sit with my back against the tree across from the one Katniss is in. Everyone starts laying down and I glance over at Cato. Glimmer is cuddled up next to him and he isn't moving away. I feel my grip tighten on the knife I'm holding. If I could only kill her without everyone getting mad. I'm sure Cato wouldn't mind but Marvel probably would.

An hour later, everyone is asleep and I look up at the sky. There's stars all over it but I'm not sure if they're real or not. I'm hoping they are.

My mind starts to wonder and I start thinking about my father. Is he proud of me? I've survived so far. Maybe he's waiting for me to die so he finally get rid of me for good. I can't afford to think like that though. I'm hoping that he cares just a little bit about my safety. Mother would if she was still alive. If only...

"Hey." I hear some whisper.

I jump a little and turn to see Peeta right beside me.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I'm not tired, besides I'm scared that Katniss might do something."

"Like what? She couldn't get away even if she tried."

"Maybe not but that doesn't mean she won't try."

"She's smart. She won't try to escape."

He's quiet for a few minutes before he says anything back. He seems to be thinking about how to word something or how to tell me without me killing him.

"Can you promise me something?"

"Depends on what it is."

"If you guys do kill her, kill me too."

"Why?"

"I couldn't deal with her being dead."

"So you really do care about her?"

"Of course I do. I didn't lie to all of Panem at the interviews."

"I didn't think you did."

"Are you and Cato close?"

I want to tell him all about Cato and I. I want to tell him everything that happened before the games but I can't. The Capital is watching us right now and I can't afford to ruin the chances of Cato going home.

"No. We talked a few times back home but that's it."

"Oh."

He sounds disappointed about my answer. Did he expect more?

"So will you kill me if you guys kill her?"

"Yeah if that's what you want."

"It is."

"You have a deal then."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

I hear him crawl away. I wonder if he would have asked anyone who got put on watch that or if he just trusts me.

I hear buzzing all around me. I hear a scream and my eyes jolt open. I must have dozed off sometime after my talk with Peeta. I jump up and grab my bag. There's tracker jackers everywhere. One stings me and I wince in pain. I see Cato start running away from them and I follow him.

I stop at the stream and grab my arm where I was stung. I pull the stinger out and some of the pain goes away. Cato burst through the trees, looking a little off balance.

"I- I'm going to.... go find...uhm go find.. the rest of the pack. You stay here."

I nod and he starts running back the way he came.

A few minutes later, Marvel comes through the trees and falls down beside me. He's panting and looks scared. I help him pull the stingers out of his body as we wait for the others to come.

About 20 minutes later, Cato returns by himself. He looks rather pleased which isn't a good thing. He sits down and starts pulling the stingers out.

"Where is Glimmer?" asks Marvel.

"Dead."

"What about Peeta?"

"I found him helping the fire girl get away. So I killed him."

"I didn't hear a canon."

"He'll die soon. I know where I stuck him."

This sounds really bad but I'm hoping Katniss found Peeta after Cato left. Maybe she can help him survive until it's the last of us left. I'm not even sure how many tributes are left, to be honest.

I am sure of one thing, though. Katniss is smart and willing to do anything to make it back to her sister. She just proved that.