Clove Kentwell ~ The Victor

~ The Alliance ~

Before we begin hunting, we split up in district groups to get an idea of what kind of arena it is. You know, lots of water or food or something.

The arena isn't too bad, it's basically just a forest. Cato and I head off to the left side of cornucopia. Cato holds a heavy sword and I grasp a knife with a black handle and a sliver blade. We're examining the trees and surroundings. The bark is dark and soft. You can easily rip some off. I hear a rustle to my left. When I turn around, I see nothing. Probably just an squirrel. I don't bother to look throughly, just brush across the bushes with my knife.

That's when I hear another rustle. I'm getting suspicious now. I actually walk over to the bushes and part them. Nothing is in them. Cato looks and me confused.

"Whats wrong?"

"I heard a rustle."

Cato glances at me then says, "probably nothing."

I shake my head. Cato goes a bit further into the forest. I stay where I am, making sure there isn't anything that is trying to sneak up on me. If there is, the knife in my hand is my only chance on survival.

Another rustle. I loud one. footsteps. I whip my head around. There stands Peeta, in a defensive position, staring at me defiantly. I am about to throw my knife into his head bef ore he calls out, "Stop! Wait."

Im suprised I even stopped myself. I glare at him. "What?" I say. "Cato! C'mere. I found Lover Boy." Cato crashes through the woods at laughs at the nickname. Then he grins wickedly at Peeta. "Came for your death, have you?"

"He needs to tell us something before he dies," I snap at him.

"Whatever it is, Lover boy, do it fast."

'"I know where Katniss is. I can lead you to her. Only if you don't kill me first."

Cato and I glance at each other. We don't talk for a minute. I don't suggest anything because I am stumped, and Cato is the leader after all.

"Okay," he says quietly. "Get your pretty butt following us."

Peeta stumbles over twigs and vines, but manages to keep up with our pace. When we get back to cornucopia, we see that the other careers have already came back. Reflexively, the careers pick up their weapons. Glimmer is aiming with the bow, Marina has put her sword up, and Marvel is poised to throw the spear.

"Stop everyone!" Cato yells. "We made a deal. We keep him alive, he shows us where Katniss is. He doesn't..." He grins.

"Well, you know." I continue his sentence evily.

The other careers agree its a good plan, then smirks at Peeta.

"Okay, let's go hunting now! You take the lead, Marina, Glimmer, you stay at the back, me, Marvel and Clove will stay in the middle."

It's already dark. We start moving towards the woods, wherever Marina is leading us. When I ask her, she simply points at smoke rising and I high five her for spotting it. If you see smoke rising, that means some stupid tribute has set up a fire. That'll be an easy kill then because their all settled down.

When we are close, Marina pulls out her sword. We are hiding in the bushes, watching the lone tribute warm up by the fire they created. It's the district 8 girl.

We step out, and Marina strikes her in the heart. She scream long and high-pitched. We laugh. "Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking," Cato says. Then we start heading off, chatting while we walk. But the cannon doesn't fire.

"Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?" Glimmer asks.

"I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immidiatly," Cato points out.

"Unless she isn't dead." Marvel says.

"She's dead, I struck her myself," Marina replies.

"Then where's the cannon?" Marvel demands.

"Someone should go back, make sure the job's done," Cato says.

"Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice," I join in.

"I said she's dead!"

This lasts for a while until Peeta says the smartest thing he's said yet. "We're wasting time! I'll go fiunish her and let's move on!"

"Go on, then, Lover Boy, see for yourself," Cato snaps at him harshly. Peeta stalks off to check out the tribute girl.

Glimmer then breaks the silence. "Why don't we just kill him now and get it over with?"

"Let him tag along," Marvel argues. "What's the harm? And he's handy with that knife."

"Beside's, it's our best chance of finding her," I say.

"Why?" Marina asks. "You think she bought into that sappy romance stuff?"

"She might have. Seemed pretty simpleminded to me. Every time I think about her spinning around in that dress I want to puke," Cato tells us.

"Wish we knew how she got that 11," I say jealously.

"Bet you Lover Boy knows," Marina tells me.

We hear Peeta coming back, so we hush up our little talk.

"Was she dead?" Cato demands of him.

"No, but she is now," Peeta responds shrugging. The cannon fires, signaling her death. "Ready to get a move on?"

We run back to cornucopia and settle for the night. I give Peeta the worst sleeping bag I can find since we are going to kill him anyways after he shows us Katniss. Then I grasp my knife and fall asleep.