Burning Heart ~ Cato 2 (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-Three

We reach the beach and I look at the black goop covering my arms with disdain.  

"You'll get over it," Fin muses as he raises his brow. I grimace.

"I look like I'm decomposing," I say, giving him a pointed look. He cringes. Our fight with the mutant monkeys had left us injured more than we had initially thought. 

"Gross Jay," He says before looking down at his own medicine covered arms. 

"Look!" Haymitch says and we turn to where he was looking. I aim the bow at the odd formation. Before I let go, loud cursing fills my ears as a person falls down.

"Johanna!" I cry, rushing forward. I drop the arrow to my side. She sees me and smiles, crashing into me with a hug. 

"What is all over your arms?" She asks, rasing her lips. I pull a straight face.

"I'm decomposing," She looks at me confused and glances back at Finnick and Haymitch. 

"Wiress!" I gasp, noticing her and Beetee's forms. I rush forward and hug her. She grasps my face and begins repeating the same thing over and over.

"Tick, tok. Tick, tock," She repeats, trying to convey to me a message I couldn't understand.

"Gah! Would you shut up!" Johanna screams, throwing up her hands.

"What is she talking about?" I ask, feeling Wiress tremble in my hands. 

"I don't know she won't stop," Jo says, annoyance dripping from her voice. 

"She's trying to tell us something," Beetee says, aggitated towards Johanna. 

"No kidding old man," She bites back. 

"Hey! Not the time okay?" Haymitch says, grabbing Johanna's arm. As they contune their fight, I completely focus on Wiress.

"What are you trying to say Wiress, help me understand," I whisper softly to her. She slides out of my grasp and into the sand. She begins rocking back and forth, looking across the arena.

"Tick tock," She begins her repetition over. "The mouse ran up the clock."

"Tick tock?" I ask, thinking. I watch her eyes trace the water leading to the cornucopia. Suddenly realization washes over me. I rush to a standing position whipping around as the panic sets in.

"Jay?" Finnick asks softly. 

"It's a clock! The arena's a clock!" I exclaim, reaching up and grabbing one of my braids. Finnick looks around, before letting out a sigh.

"I can't believe it," He breathes. I turn to Wiress before noticing something. 

"Why is she covered in blood?" I ask, before turning and realizing so were Beetee and Johanna. 

"One of the terrors is blood rain, groovy right?" Johanna says deadpan. I look at her taken back.

"Did you just say groovy?" I ask. She rolls her eyes and walks to the water, cleaning herself off. 

"Here Beetee, let me help you," Haymitch volunteers, walking Beetee to the water. He gives me an odd look. 

"Johanna said groovy," I point out. I feel and arm throw around my shoulder. 

"Jay, no one cares," Finnick says, sitting down to watch everything. I shake my head in disbelief and walk Wiress to the water, helping clean her off. 

"Jo said groovy," I repeat, finding it easier to focus on the simple than impending doom.  Wiress looks off into the distance.

"Hickory dickory dock," I shrug and begin to help her. 

Wiress's nursery ryhme provides background to our meeting. We stand on the cornocopia, mapping out the arena. 

"That's the blood rain," Jo points out. Haymitch marks it in the black sand with his machete. A chill runs down my spine as I notice the silence around us.

 I turn towards Wiress, freezing when I see Gloss pulling a sword out of Wiress's back. I clench my teeth and release an arrow. He dives into the water and it misses him. I curse and run towards the water. 

"Watch out!" I hear a cry. I see Johanna swing her ax,  hitting Cashmere. I notice movement around the back of the cornucopia and nod towards Fin. We rush around opposite sides. 

I am slammed to the ground by something and look up to see Enobaria's sharp teeth diving at me. I scream and buck her off. She, in turn, dives to Fin. Once again I am slammed, but this time against the metal walls. The world slows as I meet a pair of sky blue eyes. 

The Cato looking back at me is in pure fear.

"Cato," I breathe. He gives a relieved smile. 

A loud ticking sound fills the arena. Suddenly the Cornocopia begins spinning rapidly. Finnick has the foresight to dive up, reaching another quadrant where Haymitch is grasping onto the rocks for life. My hands begin to bleed as I slide down the rocky path. 

Bruised hands grab mine before I fall into the dangerous water. I look up to see Cato gripping me for dear life. Fear surges through me and I practically glue myself on him.

"Don't let go!" He screams. 

"Why would I do that?" I scream in return. 

I see Enobaria slip into vision. She begins to slide past me and without thinking I let go of Cato's hand, reaching for her. Cato grabs her before I do and she slips me an sad grin. My eyes widen and I see Cato's worried expression. 

I hit the water with a splash, twisting and turning in the wretched waves. I feel the cornocopia stop as I slip farther into the water. With a grunt I force myself to begin to swim. Water fills my nostrils as I push on. 

My hands grasp at sand and I pull myself onto the shore. 

"There she is!" Another voice calls. I roll onto my back and sit up, looking at the cornocopia. Johanna rushes over, along with Haymitch. Beete follows, and Finnick and Cato follow closely behind.

"Where's Enobaria?" I ask when Haymitch and Jo reaches me. Jo gives me a warning glance and Haymitch looks away.

"It's not important," He mutters. 

"Are you with us?" Finnick asks Cato, eyeing him.

"I always have been," Cato responds, holding up a small bag. Finnick nods and snatches it, shoving it into his pocket. My eyes narrow in confusion.

We move further towards the trees. I lean against one of the lower branches, shooting Cato a confused glance.

A scream cuts through the trees that causes my blood to run cold. My eyes connect with Haymitch as the panic sets in.

"Ash its-" 

Before he can finish I'm off.

"Mina!"