star crossed lovers ➸ cato hadley

xi. violent islands

"Run!"

Natalie burst awake to the sound of Rosen screaming. The half conscious female could faintly make out Finnick helping Mags onto his back and Cato helping Peeta to his feet, the aftereffects of hitting the forcefield still having an effect on him. As her vision sharpened, Natalie's eyes widen upon the unnatural fog heading towards them.

She didn't have time to comprehend the severity of the situation as Rosen reached her side and helped her from the ground. "You need to run as fast as you can, Mellark. Don't look back, okay?"

Natalie nodded, her hand automatically reaching for the the twin daggers she kept by her side. Once Rosen was satisfied, she took one of Peeta's arms and wrapped it around her shoulder. Then they ran.

Trees blurred past her as she ran through the forest, the strange fog beating down on them, threatening to take their lives with every passing second. Natalie tried to keep the path as clear as possible but with each turn, the threat appeared.

"Nat, watch out!" Finnick warned, just as she stumbled over a fallen branch. Immediately the fog hit her arm as she hit the ground. Pain radiated through her body, blisters forming on her arm and neck, the sound of her breath blocking out the sound of Cato's scream. But Natalie shoved it aside, stood back up and pushed forward.

The group of six had no chance against the fog. If that didn't kill them then their screams would. It was sure to draw in the other victors. Any moment and they would be dead.

Peeta crashed to the ground, bringing Cato and Rosen down with him. His face and neck was covered in blisters, his body weak from the toxins. "I can't carry him." Rosen spoke, guilt already lacing her voice. Natalie moved towards her brother but Mags laid a hand on her arm, stopping her. She gave her a gentle smile then kissed Finnick on the lips before walking straight into the fog.

"Mags!" Finnick cried out, tears of pain falling from his eyes as the loud boom of a canon went off. Rosen briefly knelt down in front of the grieving boy, placing her on his cheeks. "Finn, we have to go." With one last glance at their impending doom, the now group of five took off in a hurry.

One by one, they had fallen down a steep hill before stopping in front of water. They had looked all each other, knowing that this was the end. They were too weak. But as they embraced for their death, the fog hit a wall, rendering them confused and speechless.

Rosen dipped her hand into the water, sighing in relief as the pain and the blisters faded. "The water! It helps." She called out to the four. Almost immediately, the others followed suit, apart from Finnick. The boy had stared into nothing, half in shock and grief.

With a sigh, Rosen sat down beside Finnick and took his hand into her own. She didn't have to say anything; Finnick knew that she understood. Mags was like a mother to him and within a blink of an eye, she was gone. "We should get you all cleared up. Get you all looking pretty again for the viewers."

Finnick had glared at her, to which Rosen answered with a smile. Reluctantly, Finnick followed Rosen to the stream of water. She had helped him clear his neck of blisters whilst he worked on his hands, working quietly like they always had together.

"I'm sorry about Mags." Natalie spoke, looking up at Finnick as he continued to wash his hands.

"She was never going to make it." Finnick answered, drawing his attention to Natalie.

"Guys, we have a problem." Cato spoke, motioning towards the family of monkeys that hung from the trees above them.

"Peeta," Natalie started, getting her brother's attention. "Come here quietly." Peeta made a face but began to walk towards them nonetheless. But while Peeta had always been the quiet twin, he wasn't at all subtle. He had reached halfway before he sensed the mutts.

Like a pack of lions, they bared their teeth and let out screams promising death and destruction. They slid down the vines, leaping from trees to trees at impossible distances, claws out ready for attack. Wasting no time, Rosen threw her spear at the monkey closest to Natalie, the weapon embedded in it's eye. "Looks like you're going to need a bigger weapon." The girl winked and handed Natalie her sword.

The smell of the flesh blood hit Natalie's nose as they worked on disposing the mutts. But with each death, there was another to take it's place. Cato and Natalie stood back to back, slashing at the monkeys with every chance they got. Blood coated their faces, exhaustion wearing down on them down.

"Rosen no!" Peeta shouted as the creature pounced on her, holding her underneath the water, it's claws sinking into her skin. She thrashed under the water, trying to knock the monkey off her. Finnick threw his trident at it's head and helped Rosen to her feet, rubbing her back as she tried to catch her breath.

Piles of dead monkeys surrounded them but there was still much more to fight. "We need to get out of this bloody jungle." Peeta mumbled as the group stood in a circle, all fighting off approaching monkeys.

"They won't attack at the beach." Rosen declared.

Then in the silence, they all raced to the beach like clockwork. It was only then that the mutts backed off, retreating back into the jungle. Finnick kept his trident raised, ready to take on whatever threat they were bound to encounter.

"I wouldn't be surprised if mutts started attacking us from the water." Cato spoke, causing Natalie to burst out laughing, setting them all off eventually. And with all the craziness they had endured, nobody could blame them.

XXX
I hate, hate, hate this chapter, excuse this mess, I apologise.

little update: from now on, my story 'The Devil Within' will no longer be Rosen's story. It was hard trying to get that story caught up with this one so now this book will be also told in Rosen's POV in some parts. I'll be including a flashback in the next chapter so y'all be able to get to know Rosen better and how she knows some of the Victors.