Seducing the Careers

Rue

After a day of rest, everything is more or less normal. Except for the fact that Clove and I were way more friendly than before.

"What happened when we were out?" I ask Cato.

"The boy from 7" he responds. I nod.

"More than that happened. What's up with you two?" asks Marvel, questioning why Clove and I were holding hands.

"We bonded" Clove says nonchalantly, before pecking my lips.

"Decided to have some fun before one of us dies" I joke with a smirk.

"I see someone pulled a complete 180 now that Glimmer's dead" says Cato, referring to the fact that Glimmer had to convince Clove to let me into the alliance.

Clove rolls her eyes.

"Hey that's my district partner you're talking about" Marvel defends.

"Come on man, like you weren't gonna kill her later on" Cato says, making Marvel laugh.

Suddenly, I see movement in the trees. It was the little girl from 11, watching us.

"Give me a sec, guys. I have to use the ladies room" I say, going into the forest.

"You saw me" the girl says to me, once I'm far enough away from the others.

"Yes, I saw you. It was hard not to" I whisper yell at her.

"Not just now. I meant yesterday. Before the Tracker Jackers" she says. "You saw me and you didn't say anything"

"Well yeah, 'cause I didn't want them to kill you" I say, matter-of-factly.

"Thresh is keeping me safe" she says.

"Thresh. That's your district partner, right?" I ask. She nods.

I'm glad someone's taking care of her.

"So where is he now?" I ask.

"Nearby" is her short response.

"Look Rue, is it?" I ask if I'm getting her name right. She nods.

"Stay away from the careers okay? It's not safe for you there" I whisper to her.

"Thresh, did you hear me? Keep her away from them" I say. He comes out of his hiding place.

"And what makes you suddenly such a good person?" he asks accusingly, spear in hand.

"We're not all monsters, you know?" I snap back.

"We're just kids, trying to survive. Same as you" I say.

"So what was the plan here? Use the kid to lull someone out here and then kill them?" I ask.

"Yeah. That was the plan" he says.

"Then I guess you're not such a good person either" I say.

"Hey I'm just trying to give those careers a taste of their own medicine" he says.

"Yeah? Well stay away before I give you a taste of mine." I say.

He smiles. "You wouldn't be able to. But I'll respect your wishes 'till you're dead" he says.

I roll my eyes.

"Stay safe guys" I say, before walking back to camp.

I wasn't scared of them. I knew Thresh wouldn't kill me. He's a good person.

I walk back to the lake.

"Took you long enough" says Marvel.

We go out to hunt for more tributes. Luckily, we go in the opposite direction to where Rue and Thresh were.