Rising Storm

Chapter 23

Peeta

I'm slowly lifted up into an arena. The platform is surrounded by water. The whole arena seems to be centered on a lake. To my right, I see Katniss. To my shock, she looks terrified, something, someone scared her on her way up or she would have sucked it up by now.

The gong sounds and she quickly heads for the cornucopia, I follow, making my way slowly seeing as I can't really swim. But I make it to a rocky bar, moving my way up into the cornucopia with Katniss. She has a bow strung and an arrow aimed at Finnick's throat. He says something to her and she lowers her bow as he throws a trident at someone running at them from behind Katniss. She looks over at me starts handing me things.

"What are you doing with him?" I ask.

"Haymitch made a deal," She says, shaking her head. "Lets just get out of here before the careers get here." I nod and see Finnick grabbing Mags, the old woman from his district. He starts for the shore and Katniss and I follow him. Katniss follows close to me, her hair stuck to her face. She is breathing heavily as we reach shore and looks like shes about to drop to the ground.

"Finnick, We have to stop," I say and Katniss shakes her head.

"No!" She says. "We have. To keep. Going. We need. To find. Cover."

"Katniss, you can't-" I start but she cuts me off.

"I'll rest when I'm dead!" She says, almost in a growl. "We need shelter. We need to find it before dark. Somewhere safe. Then I'll rest." I nod and she limps up the shore. Her leg still hurting obviously. We eventually make it into the woods and I help Katniss sit down by a tree. Finnick sets Mags down next to her, who starts to look Katniss over. She signals sothing to Finnick.

"Whats she saying?" I ask.

"She needs water," he says.

"I'll go get some," I say and Katniss and Finnick both respond quickly.

"No!"

"It's salt water," Finnick says. "It wouldn't help. We need fresh."

"Any bright ideas then?" I ask and he looks at me.

"Eat leaves?" He says and Katniss scoffs.

"Yeah, I'm not eating any plants I don't know and these," Katniss gestures to the jungle around her. "I know a lot about plants, but they didn't show us anything like this in the training center."

"Then what?" I ask and Katniss nods to something in the forest behind us.

"A sponsor gift just dropped back there," she says and Finnick walks over to it and picks it up. Its a small metal piece, with a kind of spout on it.

"What is it?" I ask as he turns it over in his hands.

"I have no idea," he says.

"Let me see it," Katniss says and he hands it to her. She runs her finger down her spout and suddenly her eyes light up. She scoots over a little and turns to the tree. "Its a spile?"

"A spile?" Finnik asks and she nods.

"We use them sometimes in the Seam in winter to get sap from Maple trees," she says. "Its how we get the Maple sugar that we trade to the bakery in winter."

"But thats sap," I say. "Not water."

"Yeah, but I wonder," She says thoughtfully. She pulls a knife from her pack and starts stabbing at the tree, using the blade to make a small hole. She then takes the spire and hits it with the handle of her blade. She keeps hitting it so hard im afraid it would break. Then a small stream of clear liquid begins to trickle out of the hole. She cups her hands and drinks it. She sighs in relief. "Its water. Its warm, but its fresh."

"Oh thank God," I say and Finnick grabs a few leaves to collect it. He hands one to Katniss and she drinks it carefully. She starts beathing easily and I sit next to her, drinking some of my own. We all sit there a moment Katniss looks tiredly at her scraped hands.

"Are you okay?" I ask. She nods.

"Just need to lay down a while," she says.

"Hows the," I start and she just nods.

"She's fine," She says. "I don't feel anything, but I know theres nothing wrong."

"Good," I say. "Just rest a moment." She nods and crosses her legs.

"I will," She says.

"We need to move on soon," Finnick says.

"I know," she says. "We need to get deeper into the forest before the others find the trail. Make a good camp for the night." She slowly gets up and looks back towards the beach. "I don't want to be anywhere near the water." She grabs her pack and looks at the spile. "Grab that. We're gonna need it." She starts up the hill. I follow her, Finnick following with Mags a moment later. We keep going until we come to a slight rivene.

"We could keep going," Finnick says. "We should have a while until dark."

"We're sheltered here," Katniss says. "But yes, I'd say we go up the hill yet. Keep a high ground." She steps up but falls back a little so I catch her and push her upwards. She glances back and moves foward, obviously her leg hurting. She stops at the top and reaches out her hand to pull me up.

"Your leg looks like its about to give out," I whisper as I stand beside her.

"It wasn't made for this type of terrain," Katniss says. "I don't think it'll last long. We have to get this over with soon."

I nod and we walk along the ridge for a while. I keep Katniss in my sights and she suddenly stops. I look over at her and shes staring intently at the trees.

"What?" I ask as I continue forward.

"Something's wrong," She says and suddenly her eyes get wide. "Peeta! Don't."

I suddenly feel an intense pain and the world goes black. I hear someone calling my name and the world starts to get lighter. Theres no more pain, no more worries. Finnick will take care of Katniss, at least for a while. If not, I'll see her soon.

I never thought this is what it'd feel like to die.