121I've decided chapter 12 will be the last *tear*. Anyway, this is short because it will be divided into two parts. There is an option for a sequel if you want it, just let me know. 100 reviews maybe? :)
Chapter 12 - PART 1
I feel Peeta's arms around me before I can get too far. I kick against him as hard as I can but he won't let me go. "Let me go Peeta," I scream. "They've got Prim."
"It's not Prim," he tells me softly. Finnick, Johanna and Beetee appear behind us, the commotion drawing them to us.
Johanna looks annoyed, like we interrupted something important. "What's going on?" she asks.
"They've got my sister!" I yell. But her cries have stopped. A new scream has taken over and it's not Prim's. But it seems to strike a chord with Finnick because he takes off and runs, yelling "Annie!"
"Finnick!" None of us are fast enough to chase him though. Peeta's holding on to me, Beetee is still weak and Johanna looks like she doesn't want to. "Who's Annie?" I ask Johanna, because if anybody knows, it's her.
To my surprise, she gives me an answer without attitude. "Annie Cresta, from District 4. She won these Games a while ago, turned her mad. That's who Mags volunteered for."
I stare sadly after Finnick. That's who he loves. Not the string of Capitol women he parades around with. Just some poor mad girl from his district. I look sideways at Peeta who turns to me. If I didn't have him, would I have been some loaned out Victor to any man in the Capitol, selling my body to the highest bidder. I shudder at the thought because most certainly, Snow would love the thought of this.
"Go get him," I tell Johanna. She doesn't even argue with me, just taking off after Finnick. I turn to Beetee, who looks better than he has the past few days. "Do you think they have my sister?"
Peeta answers for him. "She's safe Katniss. They interview the families around this time. They wouldn't kill her."
"Then what….." I follow Beetee's gaze upwards and it clicks for me. The Jabberjays. They're here to torment us. Manipulate us into thinking our loved ones are in serious harm.
I look back down to the forest. I wonder if Johanna has found Finnick yet. But then I realise. This is the perfect time for Peeta and I to break away. We've entertained the thought of allies long enough. We need to go.
"Beetee, why don't you go see where they are?" Beetee follows my suggestion without question, until Peeta and I are finally alone. I take his hand and give it a squeeze. "We should go Peeta. We can't stay any longer."
He deliberates, but he looks like he agrees with me. He opens his mouth to reply but something stops him. He cries out in pain and drops to the ground. There is an arrow sticking out of his shoulder. And it's not mine.
I look up and see Enobaria grinning at me from across the way. We're lucky she's not that great a shot because I'm sure she was aiming for his heart. I make for my bow and arrow only a few feet away but by the time I shoot, she's gone. Peeta groans at my feet and I bend down to him.
"I'm okay," he says, and I closely examine the arrow. It's not too bad. It's just broken skin but luckily it's not too deep. I slowly ease it out and he lies in patience, grimacing but quiet.
When I've wrapped his shoulder in bandages and applied the leftover paste, I hear footsteps. "Stay down," I tell Peeta. I raise my bow and arrow and tread deeper into the forest. I hear a mocking laugh and I turn sharply. She is around here somewhere, taunting me. There is a rustle of leaves and I turn again. But this time it is only Johanna.
"Where's Finnick?" I ask her, but she seems determined to ignore me, glancing around wildly for the noises we can both still hear. "Where is he Johanna?" I ask again, my irritation rising.
She finally meets my eye with a glare. "He's fine. He's with Peeta. Beetee calmed him down." She raises her serrated knife and stares around. "There's someone here."
"Enobaria," I answer. "She injured Peeta." The thought tightens my hands around my bow. I swore to protect him and I will not let anyone hurt him. I will kill her without hesitating. My eyes flicker to Johanna. If it was here lying in wait, if she had injured Peeta, I would hunt her down too, wouldn't I?
We stand, back to back, watching and waiting for anyone to emerge. Everything has gone quiet. No laughing. No footsteps. No nothing. And then a cannon sounds and my blood runs cold.
"Peeta! Finnick!" I yell. I am ready to take off but Johanna grabs my arm and pulls me back. "Get off of me," I spit at her. I resent Johanna touching me in any way, especially since something might have happened to Peeta. He might be dead.
"Peeta's okay Katniss," she says quietly, and there is an odd calmness in her voice that throws me off.
"How the hell do you know?" I ask, but I'm secretly hoping she is right. She points up into the dark sky, and an image has appeared. These images are supposed to signify the death of another tribute. But it can't be doing that this time. Because, there, in the sky, is a face I know as well as mine. An olive skinned face with grey eyes below a mess of short dark hair.
It is Gale.