Arrows in the Dark

Cordella

I shook off the encounter i had with Peeta as we emerged from the forest. There was an extra body at the camp site. A girl. She had long brown hair and was looking around scared. She was clutching her shoulders and rocking back and forth. She looked a bit crazy. I would be too. Who knows what she's seen. The others paid no head. It's like she wasn't even there. As Cato and I walked up she stared at us quizzically back and forth. I recognized her. "You're the girl from District 4." I said. She nodded quickly.

"A-and y-your the girl from 12." She replied.

"Catora." I said kneeling down in front of her.

"C-c-cordella." She stuttered out.

"How come she's here?" I asked standing up and looking at Cato. He shrugged.

"She wanted to join?" He said simply. I could tell he was lying. There was more to this story. I looked back down at the girl.

"There's a cut on your arm." I said kneeling back down on her right side. She nodded but didn't look at me. She had stopped shaking and rocking back and forth. I guess she was calming down. "Let me see." I said quietly. The fabric of her sleeve where she had been cut was torn to shreds. The wound itself didn't look too deep but after a day or two of not being treated it was bound to be infected. "How'd you get. Hurt?" I asked trying to catch her eye. She slowly pointed at Clover.

"Clover?" I asked. Cordellia nodded and winced as Clover looked our way. I glared at her with the same ferocity she was giving me. "Not today!" Cordella said quickly. "The first day. I was trying to get a bag but she threw a knife at me. I dropped it and ran." She explained to me quietly. I nodded. It must have been before I saved her from the boy from District 9.

"Have you been alone ever since." She didn't answer just nodded furiously. "And none of you thought to patch her up?" I called out. They didn't answer me. "Come on." I said picking her up off the ground a bit forcefully.

We headed toward the lake. It was directly behind the Cornucopia right in front of a line of trees. It wasn't very big and probably wasn't too deep. Not that we needed it. We had enough fresh water for a small army. At first I thought it had been the only water source in the entire arena but that wasn't true. I hadn't venture red far and Peeta had said he found water. I grabbed up my backpack as we. Want. Cordella kept looking at me uneasily.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Promise." I said sincerely. She looked away warily. I sat her down by the waters edge as I opened my bag. I pulled out a knife and she winced. "I'm just going to cut the sleeve off." I explained. She nodded and I brought my blade closer to her skin. It tore through the fabric easily and I was able to get a better look at the cut. I had dealt with cuts before. Katniss mom had run a small apothecary. Injuries fascinated me while they mad Katniss sick. It wasn't too big but I definitely infected. I pursed my lips.

"That bad huh?" She asked nervously.

"It's not that bad. Extend your arm." I commanded. She did as I said and lifted her arm slowly. I dunked my bottle under the water and pulled it back up when I felt it fill up. Slowly I poured the water out over her cut and watched as the blood and pus drained out of it. Ok. Maybe it was bad. I bit my lip and repeated my actions.

"Have you been with them this whole time?" She asked quietly. I looked up at her as I filled the bottle with more water. I shrugged.

"Unfortunately yes." I replied.

"Unfortunately?" She echoed.

"Who would want to team up with the Careers?" I asked.

"I would." She said quietly. I tried not to roll my eyes or laugh.