Fun & Games[Clove Kentwell]

XXI

XXI: till death do us part.

~•~

Clove and I had found a cave to settle in, the two of us sat with our knees to our chests as we distracted ourselves with weapons and food to cease the awkwardness between us.

The air outside grew colder, the sky growing darker slowly. I reached for my backpack, pulling the sleeping bag out quickly. I trailed my tongue along my lips, dry and chapped after weeks in the games, as I rolled the sleeping bag out. Clove didnt have one, having had to run from the careers. She sacrificed her alliance for me and I would forever be in her debt for that.

"Clove?" I looked at her, her eyes glancing up to mine, "Do you want the sleeping bag?"

Clove pondered for a second, then shook her head, "No, you're the injured one."

I swallowed, my injuries were nearly healed now. Was she trying to be nice?

I decided to not push her, not wanting a knife in my throat, and instead shuffled into my sleeping bag. Outside, the air grew colder and the wind began to wail harshly. I looked at Clove discretely, wondering why I still seemed to be infatuated with her. Her face was dirty, and her hair was frizzy and out of place. But still, she was beautiful.

A bolt of lightning struck down from outside, thunder rumbling soon after. I watched as Cloves knife dropped from her hand when she jumped, a gasp releasing from her throat.

"Your scared of storms?" I asked. Clove glared at me dangerously,

"We're all scared of something." Clove told me defensively.

"Im scared of a lot of things." I told her, hoping it would relieve the threatening attitude she gave me. Her eyes lingered on me as she encouraged me on, "The sound of a belt."

She looked at me confused for a second, but decided not to push it, "Storms remind me of something." She mumbled, opening up slightly.

I patted the space beside me in the sleeping bag, it was large and could fit two people side by side. Clove pondered, but at the sound of another lightning bolt she shuffled her way over to me and climbed awkwardly into the sleeping bag. I smiled reassuringly at her,

"Attention, Tributes, attention."

I looked outside, another announcement? Clove glanced at me, focusing her attention on the voice too,

"Commencing at sunrise, there will be a feast tomorrow at the Cornucopia." the game master announced, "This will be no ordinary occasion. Each of you needs something desperately. And we plan to be generous hosts."

I looked at Clove with a small smile on my face. Clove looked at me with enthusiasm in her eyes, "We're going." She told me.

I nodded, "Sleep first."

The two of us agreed on sleeping to conserve as much energy as possible, but at first we attempted to sleep uncomfortably against the wall and as far away from each other in a sleeping bag as possible. After about half an hour, I grunted and shuffled again. Clove sighed deeply,

"God sakes." She grumbled, sitting up and shuffling closely to me. I opened my eyes,

"What are you doing?" I whispered, but Clove simply wrapped an arm around me and pulled me toward her. An immense blush coated my cheeks as I realised the pair of us were now lay on the floor, my head on Cloves chest and her arm around me comfortably,

"Sleeping." She murmured, her fingers trailing along my back comfortingly. I sighed into it, placing an arm over her and snuggling into her chest. Fun and Games. Thats all it was.

•••

It was barely dawn when Clove and I had trudged through the forest with weapons in our hand preparing to get our bags from the feast. Honestly neither of us needed anything too badly, but we wanted to have the upperhand. Other tributes could take each others gifts, and I wasnt having that.

The cornucopia fell into my eyeline, and I took silent steps toward it. I stayed behind a wide tree to keep hidden, Clove near me.

I watched as the redheaded girl from district five ran for her bag, successfully grabbing it and making a beeline for the forest. My grip on my knife tightened as my vision landed on Katniss everdeen, who ran quickly toward the table.

"You're on your own." Clove smirked at me, running out into the grassy plain. My eyes widened, and I followed her quickly. I wasnt on my own, not after last night. The feeling of her hand around my waist lingered as I ran after her. The distance between us was great, and I watched as she aimed a knife at Katniss and threw it harshly.

Katniss Everdeen fell to the floor, and I decided to let Clove fight it out. I ran around to the Cornucopia, grabbing the bag with the 'C' written on it with a harsh pant before running back around to Clove.

•••
third person

Katniss Everdeen notched an arrow in her bow, releasing it with the aim of hitting Clove Kentwell. But, it missed.

Clove dived toward her, the pair of them wrestling and fighting to get the upperhand. After seconds of fighting, Clove ended up on top; a knife held at Katniss' throat and a foot holding Katniss' arms in place,

"Wheres lover boy?" Clove taunted, laughing mockingly.

"Wheres Princess." Katniss stated harshly, sneering at her. Clove looked up, laughing as she tried to find Callista.

Her eyes landed on an arrow. Katniss' missed arrow, lodged into Callista Snows chest. The anger bubbled in Cloves throat as she watched the life drain from Callistas eyes, the knife against Katniss' throat lifting,

"You're dead." Clove growled, plunging the knife repeatedly into Katniss Everdeens throat. After the cannon went off, Clove launched herself toward Callista.

Callista smiled softly, her hands cupping the wound. Blood coated her palms and she looked up to Clove Kentwell, the girl she had slowly fallen for, with pain in her eyes. Clove dropped to her knees, catching Callista in her arms with a pained expression,

"No, come on, Snow." Clove pleaded, "Fight. You can do it, you can live!"

Callista gulped, reaching a shaky hand up to Cloves face. Her blood coated hand cupped the District Two girls face with a pained smile,

"I cant." Callista whispered, "But you can."

Clove shook her head, craning into Callistas hand. A tear fell from Cloves eye, the first one she'd cried in years, and she leaned down to kiss Callista on the forehead. Clove kept herself there for a few seconds, and she felt Callista go limp in her arms,

"Ill win for you." Clove mumbled, standing up and walking backwards from the body of the girl she never got to tell.

She never got to tell her she loved her.