Hunger Games (Peeta's POV)

13

The smoke is blinding and suffocating, the source of the smoke lost in the haze. It's all we could do to stumble around and try to breathe. The heat was worse than the day before, being tripled by the fire that was producing smoke. The coughing began quickly, all of us doubled over trying to inhale anything other than the smoke. 

Then, the fireballs came. They didn't seem to target a single one of us for more than a few blasts. We stumbled through the smoke, diving out of the way of coming attacks. I dodged and jumped, ignoring everything but the hiss of a coming fireball. Only once did I jump too late. The fireball scorching my chest. I cry out, unable to do anything but continue moving.  I couldn't tell you how long it was until we found a way of relief, water. 

The heat was stifling, we crawled towards the water, away from the suffocating smoke. The smoke began to thin, but it still burned my lungs with every breath. It was painful to do anything, so I forced myself to continue forward. I've watched enough Games to know what they're doing, they're forcing the tributes together. As usual, the alliance will have the upper hand. There's no way around it, there's safety in numbers. But, the Capitol likes a show, they want us to taunt our prey, to make a sport of the killings. That's what the careers are known for, for bringing to reality every Capitol citizens sadistic fantasy's. They want to see the dying suffer. 

Cato tries to speak, but his voice comes out in small sounds that aren't coherent enough to translate into words. He points downstream and we follow, there's nothing else to do. Argument will lead to him slitting your throat, even Glimmer who wraps herself around him in her sleep  isn't safe. I can see it on his face anytime they challenge him. He isn't going to have mercy for his victims. 

The water brings cool relief to my skin, stopping the burning from the beating sun and the fire. But, still the burn on my chest feels no relief. It's all we can do to sit there and cough, taking small sips of water. I expect a tribute to materialize from the trees, but no one comes. The days in the arena are slipping by, each day further from the Capitol making it feel like a distant memory. The Career's appear to be enjoying each passing moment more than the last, from them playing in the water to pairing off at night, it seems as though they have no real grasp of the situation at hand. 

We soak in the water until Cato deems it time to continue, we walk down stream, trusting us that'll lead us back to the lake and our supplies, the food we brought is running out quickly. I know no one in our group is prepared to hunt for food, the Careers have never been very good at feeding themselves. When desperation calls for it, they figure it out. But until then, I know they'll rely on the food from Cornucopia. 

We walk in silence, Cato leading us as though he knows where we are. I can tell by his frusturated breaths that he thought we'd be back to the Cornucopia long before this. The woods surrounding us still are blackened with where the flames connected with the wood. 

As evening falls, theres a commotion ahead, water splashing as someone runs through it. The braid flying behind her is enough for me to identify who their next victim will be. I know this is my chance to stop it, to save her. I can tell by her loud footfalls that she's injured. This will make my job harder, but I have to give her enough of a head-start while they kill me. They yell congratulations to each other, each pleased with their find. Ready to kill. 

I have to find a way to stop them all before they reach her, I can tell I'm running out of time when Cato's run slows, no sounds of her footsteps echo through the forest. He stands at the base of a tree looking up, we follow his lead, looking towards the sky to see her twenty-feet up. I'd climbed trees before, in the meadow at home. Never would I risk more than ten feet, but she looks comfortable being so high. 

She stares down at us, we stare up at her. We've reached a standstill, I know no one in our group can climb that high. She's stuck up there until I can lure them away, I'll have to kill at least three of them to lure the other two away. Even that might not work. Dusk is already settling around us and I can tell by the looks on everyones faces that they'd like this to be over soon. Cato, on the other hand, looks as though he's never been so happy. He gets to kill her just as he dreamed. 

I look back up towards her just in time to see a bright smile light up her face, "How's everything with you?"

I can't sense her motive, but I do know the capitol will be enjoying the show. Cato replies, "Well enough. Yourself?"

His voice is still raspy from the smoke, but the words are clear enough to hear. She lets out a winning smile, "It's been a bit warm for my taste."

I can hear the laughter in the capitol, the howls of Caesar Flickerman and whatever guest is with him now. They must be dissecting the situation at hand. Star-crossed lovers on the opposite side of an alliance, will I save her?They must know that I'm going to try and get her out of this alive. 

Her voice then turns taunting, "The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up."

"Here, take this, Cato," Glimmer says, forcing her bow into his hands. I watch Katniss' eyes slightly widen when she catches sight of the weapon. I know it was the only one in the Cornucopia and I know that Katniss blames me for distracting her from getting it. I turn my eyes downward, polishing my knife on my shirt. 

He pushes her weapon away, "No, I'll do better with my sword."

He begins to climb towards Katniss, his pace slow and unsure. Katniss knows better than I do that he'll never make it up far enough to reach her. Still, she continues to climb. She's fifty feet up when the branch Cato is standing crashes to the forest floor. He hits the ground, hard. It's too easy for me to hope he's dead, but he stands quickly screaming profanity up at her. 

"Glimmer, you go," Clove says, all but pushing her up the tree. Glimmer climbs further than Cato, but not by much. She has the good sense to stop as the limbs get thinner around her. She climbs down landing beside me, "Lover boy, why don't you say something to lure her down."

Kosta speaks before I have the chance, her voice exasperated, "Do you really believe she's going to come down to us on the off chance he'll save her?"

Clove agrees, her annoyance with Glimmer seeping into her tone, "She's right. Why don't you try shooting her if you're so handy with the bow?"

She goes through about four arrows, each one missing the target. I'd seen her in training, she wasn't exceptional with any weapon, much less a bow. I didn't give myself a chance to worry that she's hit her mark, I knew she couldn't. Finally, Katniss grabs one of the arrows out of the trunk of the tree, teasingly waving it above our heads. It's all I can do not to smile. She may not be good at interviews, but she's a natural in front of the camera. 

Cato forces us into a circle, everyone suggesting how we get her down. There's even the idea to burn the tree down. Before this goes too far and they find an idea that would actually work, I speak up, "Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning." 

They each look around, as though this is the first time it's occurred to them that the sun is setting. We make a camp below her, lighting a fire. I know Cato's hoping it'll lure tributes to us so we haven't truly wasted a night of hunting; but, I can't imagine someone in their right mind going to a fire when all but one of the careers are alive. I settle with my head pointed upwards, my eyes locked on Katniss. 

The loneliness begins to set in, it's been days since I've talked to anyone. I know only to speak when absolutely necessary in this 'alliance', I know that with one wrong move I could be dead. So, I think of home. Having two tributes from the same District against each other like this is never good, people from home never want to see one of their own be the reason for the other's death. I know that it'll take the right sacrifice at the right time to get her out of this alive. 

I know my next move, I have to kill as many of them as I can, forcing the remaining tributes to chase me. Getting Katniss out of this alive. I can feel the fear settle in my stomach, I have only a few hours of life left in me. I stare upwards, willing her to give me the strength to begin.