18 DAYS

Chapter 17: The Feast.

DAY 13

"I don't want you to go."

After last night, Cato was feeling even more protective than usual. Since he new she loved him back, he didn't care much for hiding his frustration any longer. Which only succeeded in pissing off Clove.

"You are still wounded. And even if you weren't, I'm faster you know it's the right call."

Cato kicks a pile of dead leaf in his childish anger:"Fuck the right call."

In one movement, Clove pulls Cato's arm getting him to face her.

"Cato you are being stupid. You said yourself, now it's us against them."

Clove doesn't elaborate further into which 'them' she is refering too. But the fact that he instinctively knew what she meant, and that she was quoting his own words brought Cato back to his senses. At least enough to realize she is right.

"So instead of freaking out like a noob, start thinking like the warrior you are."

She scans into his eyes, looking for his rational thinking hidden behind the worry. The thinking that they would need to get out of here alive. He knew that's what she wanted, but her looking at him this intensely just reminded him of how much he loved her. Fortunately for her, in his world, love came with respect. He loved her just as much as he respected her as a fighter.

So he softly pulls away from her grip, continuing forward on their way to the Cornucopia with a pout."Fine."

Clove swallows a smile. He is so cute it's barely manageable.

Her and Cato had formed a plan whereby Cato would scout the area for any tributes hiding nearby while Clove obtains their backpack at the Cornucopia. Smaller and faster, it would be easier for her to be in and out unnoticed. Plus if Katniss was around, her knife throwing would be much more practical than Cato's sword skill for long range fighting. Which was already at a disadvantage since his broasword had disapeared in the overcraft with the kid from Ten.

Cato hated that plan. He only agreed because he hopped Tresh, who had been shy until now, would choose to scout the terrain before engaging in the fight at the Feast. Catching him in the area to keep him away from Clove in the open was the only reason he didn't absolutely refused to put this in motion.

"Let's go then."

The 74th Hunger Games Arena was largely made out of thick woods. A maze of secoïa and oaks, all leafs and bark, an unsolvable labyrinth of green and brown. As far as they'd seen, only change in toporaphy were the clearing and its nearby river where the careers had based camp for the first half of the Games. Reason why their cave was located on the shore down the river, neither trusted themselves enough to find their way back out of the infernal forest. And not being able to choose the field of combat if an opponent dropped on them during their stroll was against everything they'd learned.

But then again going back around the Cornucopia for an all out battle was the furthest to what Cato and Clove would have picked for strategy this late in the game. Completely opposite from the bloodbath where they counted on chaos, disorientation and fear to overpower their opponents. For the feast today, the numbers of tributes have been cut from twenty-four down to six. All with their guards up, instincts sharp.

"I think we can count out Peeta too." Cato thinks out loud to reassure himself.

Clove squints, and after a short thought, nods.

"Yeah. If they do it like us, he'll probably be scanning the area backing her up. Like you with me." Clove then smiles wide, teasing. "See all I have to take care of is the redhead and Katniss. You'll have it worse with Thresh and Peeta."