Kindling the Spark

Strike One

15: Strike One

Gale POV

I didn't know how difficult being a mentor was before. I thought that it would, not easy, but not too hard. I didn't take into account the lack of sleep- I don't trust Annie to watch Katniss and Haymitch after her mad episode yesterday. And also the helplessness that I feel when I watch them. In the bloodbath. I should have been there, protecting Katniss, not stuck in this room where the only thing I can do is send gifts.

I eat an energy bar that the Capitol provides for mentors. They don't taste good and they make me feel horrible, but they allow a person to stay up for long periods of time. They'll allow me to at least know what is happening to Katniss in the arena at most times, even if it will only frustrate me. The frustration of not knowing is worse than that of knowing and being able to do nothing.

Haymitch had the idea that it would be safer if they go to the edge of the arena as at least that way they couldn't be approached from one side there. So after around three hours of watching Katniss, Haymitch and Mags sleep and Finnick twirl his trident around stabbing imaginary enemies, they are finally doing something. They walk towards the direction of the force field.

Suddenly, Katniss flies backwards a few feet on my screen and I hear a scream tear from her mouth. The force field must have been dangerous. I zoom in on Katniss and see that she isn't breathing. "Catnip, you can't die like this!" I whisper, a tear streaming down my face. "Please, please, save her. Haymitch, Finnick, Mags- help her. She's isn't alive."

The rational part of my mind reminds me that there is still hope though. There hasn't been a cannon, which means that Katniss can still be revived. Nothing in the mentor magazine can help her now though. When I look back at the screen, Finnick is pumping down on her chest. He leans in to kiss her- is this some District Four custom to honour the dead? He keeps doing it and Katniss's chest rises slightly.

She's alive. Finnick saved Katniss's life. Any doubts that I had about his loyalty before are completely gone now. He could have easily let Katniss die, getting rid of the most dangerous competition. Then he'd be the one who would get all the sponsor gifts and he would have a good chance at winning. But now I know that he really is willing to give his life up to protect Katniss, to help the rebellion. I know that he can't see it, but I give him the District Twelve salute.

"Thank you Finnick Odair," I say. Annie smiles across from me, proud of her boyfriend and happy for Katniss as well. I'm surprised that she doesn't feel any resent towards me or Katniss. After all, because of us Finnick has no chance of getting out of these Games alive. Hell, it's probably because of us that Finnick and all of the others are even in the Games in the first place. I still wonder if I should have just eaten the berries. Katniss would have been sad, but she could have coped.

Katniss and Finnick lead the group next to the force field, sometimes throwing stones to check where it is. They make a buzzing noise as they hit and a blue glow marks where the force field is a few feet around it for a second before fading. Judging by the shape the force field looks like a dome. So getting out of the arena is impossible unless they can break the force field- and I highly doubt that the gamemakers would make a force field that could be broken by tributes.

They continue to walk for another half an hour or so. Luckily they are pretty far away from any of the other tributes now. The only ones that are a real threat are the careers though, and they're at the cornucopia and the other half of the arena. Cashmere and Gloss are guarding the supplies while Brutus and Enobaria are out hunting.

I wish I could tell Katniss and her allies to attack now and take the cornucopia while it's only Cashmere and Gloss there, but unfortunately mentors aren't allowed to give tributes any info about the arena or tributes, only tips on what to do to get sponsors. I guess it's a good thing though, Katniss and I would have been hunted down and killed by the careers within a few hours after our attack if mentors could give that info.