Blood Lust - Cato (Completed)

Chapter Twenty Three

"No scares this time." I say turning to a blushing Gale. He throws his head back with a chuckle.

"No promises." I return his laugh with my own, Katniss's mixing in.

"Meet back here in about an hour." She says and we nod. After all, we know the drill. I take off in a leisurely pace, treading through the heavily wooded forest. I steer clear of climbing, not wanting to risk it. 

My trained eyes wander the surroundings as I check and reset snares. A flicker of movement catches my eyes and I look to see a small rabbit standing at the creek. Pulling out an arrow, I slowly move like a hunting lion, slinking towards my pray. I crouch down, my shoulder blades popping. The rabbit's ears twitch, and just like that the rabbit lays on the ground dead, with an arrow sticking up out of his skull. I walk over, picking him up and shoving him into the game sack. I can't throw axes at the moment, and have had to resort to the bow.

Following the creek, I focus on the past two weeks of events. Almost losing my arm, a drunken fight with Haymitch, the mystery man, crying to Mina, and the slight altercation with the peacekeeper. My thoughts distract me from the movement across the creek. As it catches my eye, my body freezes. 

The Mystery Man. 

Like that, the chase is on. I shoot across the water, running through the chilling stream. The man takes off, slightly glancing back at me. We rush through the trees, as he tries to throw me off. Branches scrape my face, and my ax belt clangs against my lightning legs. I might not be able to use them, but they are comforting. It takes all the power I can muster to keep from throwing one. He scales a tree, and I almost follow suit, stopping when I remember Haymitch's only rule. I let out an inhuman growl, retreating for once. 

"That's a good haul." Katniss observes peering into my game bag. She looks up at me again, her gray eyes furrowing. 

"What?" I ask quickly.

"Why is your cheek bleeding?" She questions.

"No it's not." I say quickly, but my hand shoots to cover the cut, proving my sentence wrong. 

She raises her brown eyebrow in a  questioning expression. I shake my head not wanting to share my information about the mystery man. 

"I'm going to take this back, do you guys want to come?" Gale interrupts. Katniss nods as I shake my head. 

"I'm gonna stay a bit." I admit and the nods knowingly.

"Be careful." He commands and I do the same. As soon as they disappear from sight, my start on my search. I scan the trees, my eyes surveying the entire area. A couple hundred yards away, a figure drops from a tree, landing on the ground. I take off in a sprint, as the chase begins once again. 

"Hey!" I call out after him. He keeps moving, not even slowing. There was a time I could do the same, but I no longer can. Taking a sharp turn, I intend to round him off. I bolt through the trees, zigzagging and scaring off wildlife. My pace slows slightly, but I continue moving. Low hanging branches scrape my arms, sharp weeds scrape my ankles. I trip, but quickly rise to my feet as the man enters my vision. He stops, his back towards me as I come upon him.

"Who are you?" I ask slightly winded. When he turns my body freezes, my breath hitches and the world sways. His name slides of my tongue in unbelief. 

"Carpenter?"