The rest of the day passes without much incindence. I wrapped Cato's arm tightly after ripping a strip of fabric away from the sleeping bag. Blood seeped through the fabric quickly, so I ripped another few strips away. I put the rest in my pack after wrapping one more around his muscular arm.
I try to keep calm, and I try not to worry. We eat the chives, I let Cato have three, he needs more energy to keep himself going. The day moves on, and I don't stray too far from the hollow as I forage for food. I find none, and I feel horrible going back to Cato empty handed. The furthest I go is to the stream to collect water. I use big leaves to cover the top of the container as I walk back and let the iodine clean the water.
As daylight fades I change his makeshift bandage and we cuddle together, leaning against the bank. "We won't last very long." I say, fiddling with my hands.
"We will. You're looking after me. We may not find food, but we'll be okay."
The sound of trumpets startle us and we both look up at the sky, even though there is nothing to see. Claudius's voice booms out. Is this time a feast? "Hello, tributes. I am inviting you to a feast!" The idea of food ran through my mind. I am going to that feast. "Now hold on," He continues. "Some of you may already be declining my invitation. But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you needs something deperately." I need medicine, and food. For Cato, for me. " Each of you will find that something in a backpack, marked with your district number, at the cornucopia at dawn. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance." Claudius finishes. He says nothing more, and his words hang in the air, repeating themselves over and over again. 'Last chance...' Could it really be Cato's last chance?
"Are we going?" Cato asks.
"Of course." I say, looking at him in disbelief. "This could be your last chance. You heard what he said. We need that backpack."
"We're both weak. This is the arm I use with my sword, and I can't use it."
"We'll both go to the cornucopia. You stay in the forest, and I'll go out to get it. If you can get 11 or Felixia, even better."
"And if you get to Katniss?"
"I'll kill her."
"But I want to. I always have!" Cato exclaims.
"So do I! But, you're weak, you can't do it. I promise you, if I get to Katniss I'll put on a show. I'll make her death long, slow and painful. For you. Okay?"
Cato looks at me long and hard. "Promise? She owes us a lot."
"I said I promise, didn't I?"
"Okay Clove. We move to the cornucopia as soon as we've packed up. Then we hide out with a view of it, sleep until dawn. Okay?"
"Sorted." I say, standing up. "Let's move."
I whip the sleeping bag off Cato and stuff it in my pack. The journey towards the cornucopia is long and difficult, especially as Cato is weak with his arm infection. When we get there, we huddle together at the bottom of the trees with our sleeping bag over us.
"Clove, you watch until midnight, then wake me, and I'll let you sleep until dawn, okay?"
"Okay." I let him lean against me, and he falls asleep. I see no one else around the cornucopia, so they are probably all hiding, or not coming.
I don't expect much to happen up until midnight, and nothing does. Cato sleeps soundly, I feel mean, waking him up around midnight when the temperature is the worst, and the light is bad. He puts on his night vision glasses and scans the treeline as I close my eyes. I feel his lips on my forehead as I slip into sleep.
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Very, very short chapter because the next few chapters are going to be quite full on, and could be emotional. I'll be writing two chapters at a time from now on, the book storyline and my own.
Please comment and vote, means a lot! <3
