This chapter is mostly the same as the original chapter 16, but the ending is changed. Hope you enjoy it. Another chapter will follow, from this storyline.
_____________________________________________________________________________Cato wakes me before dawn breaks. I know what is coming, and how I'm risking my life for Cato. But I want to help him. I sit up, and take in my surroundings. The entrance to the cornucopia is empty, there is nothing there. I look at Cato, confused. He is looking around warily.
"You think this is a trap, don't you."
"Marvel put the idea in my head." He snaps back.
"Claudius announced it, it's extremely unlikely to be some kind of ambush."
"But I still don't trust it. You know what those gamemakers can be like!"
"They're not going to launch an ambush for every tribute left in the games, are they!"
"They might!"
"Don't be stupid!" I whisper angrily.
"I'm not!"
"You are. This isn't a quarter quell, they're not going to try and wipe out all the tributes, okay."
"I just don't want to lose you." He says, looking down at the floor.
"Then stop worrying. You won't."
"I'm going to go and hunt down 11. Be careful out there, please, Midge. I meant what I said."
"Okay, Cato. I will." I hand him my pack, and we vow to meet back at the hollow unless something goes wrong.
"One last thing." Cato says as he stands up. He takes my face in his hands and kisses my lips roughly. "Be careful. I love you." He whispers, then walks away. He doesn't look back.
I try to contain the emotions whizzing around my head as I turn back to the cornucopia. At some point throughout my hushed conversation with Cato, a table has appeared in the entrance of the cornucopia.
I look along the treeline for movement. I see none. Could the cornucopia be trapped? Mines, or something similar maybe? Then, there's a flash of orange. Like fire. The same colour I saw when I threw my knife at the white fur which I now presume was a rabbit. Felixia.
She darts out of the cornucopia, grabs the medium sized green rucksack with a 5 on it and sprints across the grass away from the cornucopia. I wonder what she needs. She looks in good shape, she doesn't look injured at all.
I decide to go for it. A split second after another girl. It's Katniss. Excitement and adrenaline courses through me and I throw my knife at Katniss's right hand side. She deflects it with the silver bow, and turns, an arrow positioned in the bow. She pulls back on the bowstring and fires. I move to the side slightly, but the arrow still catches me in the left arm. Pain surges down my arm and across my shoulder, but I pull it out and run after her.
She is collecting the little orange backpack with a 12 on it and slips it on around her wrist. I grab the one with a 2 on it, and sling it across my back as Katniss turns. I throw a second knife, and catch her above the eye, causing a huge gash across her forehead. She staggers backwards, blood streaming down her face, into her eyes, her mouth.
I run into her, taking her down on to the hard floor. "Where's your boyfriend, district twelve?" I say, breathing heavily, with a huge grin on my face "Still hanging on?"
"He's out there now. Hunting Cato." She snarls, blood oozing from the cut in her forehead. "Peeta!" She screams as loud as she can.
I open my eyes wide in surprise, and jam my fist against her windpipe. I search the treeline for movement, but see none. "Liar." I grin maliciously. "He's nearly dead. Cato knows where he cut him. You've probaby got him strapped up in some tree while you try to keep his heart going. What's in the pretty little backpack? That medicine for Lover Boy? Too bad he'll never get it." I smirk.
