Chapter 27: Caught In Her Flame

The following morning we headed out to hunt. The clouds and rain from the night had cleared and Katniss was determined to catch some game.

With her leg not completely well or healed it caused her to limp, but she was just as quite besides the occasional hisses. Unlike me, she shot glares my way too many times to even count.

We headed alongside the stream and boulders of rock turned into pebbles which eventually turned into forest floors.

"How are you doing this so quietly?" I asked her.

"Sh!"

I put my hands up in defense, "Sorry, so touchy."

We moved along the trees a little further and then I stepped on a branch making an echo throughout the forest.

"Oh come on!" she whisper-yelled, turning and facing me.

"What?"

"You have to be quite Cato. We aren't going to catch anything if you keep stomping around the earth like a giant."

"Sorry Katniss, I've never hunted before," I told her irritated with her tone.

"Will you please whisper? Or if you could just shut up."

I glared at her and rolled my eyes.

We continued walking and I concentrated on the ground as best I could, only taking steps on grass.

Concentrating on not stepping on a spotted branch I ended up slamming into Katniss's back. Just catching her before she could eat the ground, I had my arms wrapped around her waist pulling her up.

"It seems this isn't working out," I told her.

"Yeah, you look like a little kid avoiding the cracks on the pavement," she said slightly giggling. I cracked a small smile as well enjoying the sound of her laugh. It had been the first time hearing such a thing and I couldn't help but light up with her.

My arm was still wrapped around her and I took a step back letting go. She looked so beautiful in her natural habitat. Trees surrounding us with intense greenery bringing every little detail of her out; I just watched her, the smile still shining on her face.

Too quickly it slipped off her face and she broke the silence around us. "I'll show you some plants to gather and that way I can hunt in peace."

"But what if Clove comes and get you? I can't leave you alone. You can barely walk without limping yet run away."

"I'll be fine Cato. I'll scream if I need you and I'll stay close. Don't worry."

"Yeah, like that's possible."

I followed her to some bushes and some roots on the ground surrounding it. She teaches be a bird whistle just in case and I struggle to learn it at first which amused her yet annoyed her.

Before she turned away I bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Please be careful Katniss."

She nods her head in assurance and limps off behind some trees disappearing.

I begin digging with my left hand trying not to get any dirt on my right. A couple minutes go by and I hear her first whistle. I return it with my own and I go back to digging grabbing a whole handful of roots.

"See Katniss, I can hunt too," I mumble to myself.

I hear another whistle and I reply again. I move myself further down closer to the stream and gather some more roots. The sounds of rushing water fill my ears and I relax a little.

Next I go to a bush and pick the berries off of it. I look down at my gatherings and feel proud of myself. I can do more than just kill and hurt people.

I carry what I gathered back to the pack that Katniss left and continue picking the berries. My stomach growls and I'm tempted to go and eat from the pack, but decide to wait for Katniss.

"Cato!" I hear my name in the distance. Is that Katniss?

"Cato!" I hear again and I rustle around to see Katniss releasing her bow and an arrow hits a tree to my left. I stumble backwards dropping my berries on the ground.

"What the hell Katniss?" I yell at her. She almost hit me.

"What are you doing? You're supposed to be here, not running around in the woods," she screams back.

"I'm not! I found some berries and more roots by the stream."

"I whistled and you didn't whistle back. Why didn't you whistle back?" she demanded.

"I must not have heard you. I would've if I heard you whistle."

"I thought Clove got to you!"

I stand up as I see her almost burst into a panic attack. I walk up to her and touch her shoulder. "Hey, I'm sorry Katniss. I didn't mean to travel far. I just got wrapped up in finding some food. I wanted to help," I tried to calm her.

She pushes me away. "If two people agree on a signal, they stay in range. Because if one of them doesn't answer, they're in trouble, all right?" she demanded.

"All right!" I respond irritated.

"All right. Because that's what happened with Rue, and I watched her die!" she says and turns away to the pack sipping on some water.

Who the hell is Rue?

"Katniss, are you okay?" I ask her worried.

She doesn't reply. I hold her from behind and whisper calming words into her ear. "It's okay Katniss. Everything is going to be alright. What happened?"

Again I get no reply and I decide to drop it. I go back over to the berries I dropped on the ground and frown at some of my crushed hard work.

"You ate without me!" What is she talking about?

"What? No, I didn't," I answer confused.

"Oh, and I suppose the apples ate the cheese," she replies annoyed.

"I have no clue what ate the cheese but I know it was not me. I've been collecting these berries. Do you want some?" I offer her walking over to where she stood.

I wait for her reply and look for a good one to give her.

Just then, the cannon fires and I whip around in every direction looking for some answer of whom it belonged to.

I grab onto Katniss and drag her behind some bushes. "Cato, it's fine. It was Foxface," she tells me as she uncovers herself from the bushes. She walks over to the berries and brings them over to where I stand confused.

"Who?"

She shakes her head at me and holds the berries out towards me. "No thanks, I'm not so hungry anymore," I tell her.

"No, the berries killed her. She ate some of our food and must have seen the berries you collected and ate them. They're called nightlock and they're deadly. I should've known she was still alive. She's sneaky."

I take the berries and throw them away in the distance. "Well forget them."

"No! Save some. Maybe we can fool Clove with them. If she's on our trail we can pretend we dropped some and maybe if she eats them-

"Then hello victory!" I yell and she smiles. Victory for the evil queen is dead.

"Come on, it's getting dark and we're exposed now. Clove will be looking for us. She'll know we're close by."

We don't return to the cave just yet, but instead build a fire on the outskirts of the forest. Dark has settled and we were finishing off what Katniss caught earlier today.

After apologizing almost a hundred times for almost killing us with the berries she had finally heard enough and placed a simple kiss on my cheek. The heat of the fire caused a warm sensation where her lips had been and I was having trouble concentrating on just eating.

She seemed so worried about me when she showed up. I was taken off guard and couldn't understand what that meant for us. Did she really care about me? Does she have feelings for me? I couldn't decide.

We decided to pack up and go back to the cave instead of being out in the open. Destroying the fire and gathering our stuff we were off in the dark.

Arriving with sore and tired feet, we collapsed when we reached the cave. Both of us just lay on the cool floor of the cave. It was probably almost midnight when we finally settled together in the sleeping bag, no argument necessary for the cool night.

We hadn't spoken since we began eating, but no awkwardness or tension was present. We were just quiet and comfortable.

I lay against the cave wall as she was settled next to me, using my chest as her pillow. I didn't dare move or say a word, scared it would disturb our peace.

But she broke the silence between us and told me about Rue. The little girl that reminded her of her sister, the one she befriended, and the one that was taken from her by Marvel.

I was impressed to hear of their plan and strategies, but sad for Katniss for losing such an innocent girl. Katniss silently cried as she displayed the pain she had been holding inside her and I tried my best to wipe away the tears and hold her so she wouldn't feel so hurt.

"She will always be with you Katniss. You helped her. Her death is not your fault. I'm sorry you've been dealing with this inside you. I wish I could have helped," I comforted her.

She rose from my chest and looked me in the eyes. Her own eyes were red from the tears and sadness stormed through them. "Why does this happen, Cato? We're good people. Why does an innocent girl like Rue have to be thrown into a game of terror? She didn't deserve this," Katniss says.

"Sh, Katniss. It's okay. My mother once told me that good people die for reasons we can't understand, but they have left us for a bigger reason that we may not know just yet. We are to honor them in memory and never let them leave our hearts, but always forgive for the pain that has been caused. We are to let them go because that is the only thing we can do and they will help protect us as we carry on. I'm sorry you lost her here, but you did not lose her in spirit. You cannot blame yourself for this Katniss. She needs you to continue on and be strong."

Another tear slides down her face and I wipe it away. I hold her cheek in my hand and stroke the soft skin. She closes her eyes in response and takes deep breaths.

When she opens her eyes she moves closer to me and I move closer to her. Our lips are so close but I hesitate to lean forward. She's only doing this for comfort.

She leans in though and her soft lips brush against mine. She stops for a second and does it again and I couldn't listen to my head. I pull her onto my lap and hold her face with both hands. Her hand travels in my hair while the other strokes my chest.

I couldn't think as we deepened the kiss. My body was on fire. This girl on fire caught me in her flame and I was gasping for air.

Our lips moved in synch taking every part of each other in that moment. I had never thought that I would have this girl with me like this and I wish we could just stay trapped in each other's arms, just the two of us forever.

Hey guys, my computer is broken! I just got lucky using my friend's computer for the day and was able to whip up a chapter. I would love some votes and comments to let me know what you think about the steamy kiss and Cato's heart opening up. I'm looking forward to some comments so let me have them! Thanks(: