Love and Daggers (Cato and Clove's Hunger Games)

Clove's POV

Knives. Of course there will be knives. Right? They couldn't possibly avoid putting knives in the Cornucopia. But the second I find the right knives, the Girl on Fire is getting hosed down.

This arena is a flat, open, wide stretch of ground. Dirt. There's a lake on our right, a little to the left behind me, there are piney woods. The objects closest to the Cornucopia are valuable, very valuable. The useless objects are nearest to us.

I catch eyes with Cato and send a grim smile. During Training, we'd decided to ally with some other tributes from 1 and 4. Our main target was The Girl On Fire, Katniss from 12, because she was a threat...and she got a higher score than I did. So she's just gotta die.

The Gong rings out, and I can't help the wide grin that plasters my face as I dash to the Cornucopia confidentially. The big boy who rejected our offering to join the alliance, Thresh from 11, runs briskly away from the Cornucopia. Cato will just have to find him later, because he's our next target.

I jump over back packs and bundles of food until I get into the Cornucopia. I find an impressive half dozen knives. I grin and see they latch inside my coat. I can't help but to give a little giggle of delight.

I attach them and grab a fine knife with a long, sharp blade, serrated near the handle, and run out of the Cornucopia.

Cato, Glimmer, Marvel, and Paradox are there by the opening, fighting off people and killing like there's no tomorrow.

I grin again and see the boy from 9 and our target grappling for an orange back pack. I grab another knife, because I'm saving the good one for her, and kill the boy from 9.

It looks like he coughs up blood on her and I can't help but laugh a bit. I start to run toward her, and she slings the back pack over her shoulder and runs off towards the woods. I throw quickly, laughter replaced with the huffing of concentration. Yes! It's going straight for her head!

But she must hear it, because she raises the pack just in time, and I see it lodge in the pack. I snarl angrily, furious that she was not dead, furious that I would not have the glory of killing the Girl on Fire.

I sigh, thinking about running after her, but think of the Cornucopia and turn around instead. I easily kill off someone approaching me without thinking about it, and arrive with the others.

"Where's the boy from 4?" I ask when I notice his absence. It's his District partner that replies darkly, "Over there." She nods in the general direction of the ground, so I stay silent.

Cato soon joins us once he's finished having his fun killing anyone he can. I smile at him and he nods once, smiling a bit at me too. I feel a warmth in my stomach and a tug at my heart.

"We should divvy up the supplies." Glimmer suggests, and I can't help the scowl that crosses my lips. Divvy?

I see her smile a bit too sweetly at Cato and I can't help the twitch of my hand, itching towards one of my sharpest knives.

"Nawh," Cato dismisses her idea and I can't help but to like that. I think of the warm nights we'd spend back in our District, talking and laughing, occasionally working on schoolwork. Once or twice one of us would hint at how close we were and how we wondered if it would ever change.

If this girl ruins it I'll kill her slowly.


We lug the supplies down by the lake, stacking up everything we can in a pyramid of mixed, helpful supplies.

Glimmer seems to flirt a lot with Cato. I inch towards them every few seconds, tryign to hear what they say, hoping he doesn't count me out as an option.

"How old are you, anyway?" Marvel says. I don't pay attention, thinking he's talking to Paradox.

"Hey, you, Clove. I'm talking to you." Marvel says aggressively, turning me around roughly to face him.

"Don't touch me." I snap, annoyed and rubbing my arm where he tugged at me. I hate this. Everyone treats me like a child because I'm short.

"I'm 15." I spit, and turn to see Cato watching me. I look down abruptly, adjusting the apples that were in the perfect place so he doesn't see me blush.

Cato eventually speaks up, "We should set up camp here." He points about thirty yards away, where the tent was there, un-made. It was made to adapt to any kind of weather.

At once, we all turned to the pyramid and started picking out sleeping bags and other useful things to carry on our backs.

"We'll get everything set up and go hunting." Cato says, a whoop in his voice. I would've whooped aswell, but instead, I said, "But the food's just out in the open."

"Don't worry. We won't stray." He puts a comforting arm around my shoulders and I can't help but smile up at him. I love his eyes.

"We should get going, then." Glimmer interrupts, taking his other arm and putting it over her shoulders. My hand twitches towards the knives but I don't get one out.

We set off, everyone equipped with a pack, weapon, water, and some beef, apples, and crackers for the hunt.


We hunt for hours, but only see one person. The little girl Rue from 11, hopping from tree to tree. Glimmer tried to shoot her, but she has horrible aim. Rue hopped fast, until I couldn't hear her or see her anymore.

"Nice going." I'd said darkly to Glimmer, and she just rolled her eyes, "I don't care what a 12 year old says."

I turn sharply around and hold a knife to her neck, "I. Am. Not. 12." Her eyes were wide and everyone was standing tensely around us. I bring the knife back and turn away. She throws the bow at me, and I scoop it up.

"Maybe if you spent more time Training instead of looking in the mirror, you'd know how to use a damn weapon." I hissed at her, throwing it back at her. It's bigger than my usual knife, so it does have a bad aim, but still hits her in the stomach.

"Come on, girls." Marvel says with a smirk, his arm around Paradox and Glimmer. They walk forward and I scowl to Cato, "This is about fighting. Not dating."

He shrugs, "Might as well have fun while we're in here."

"Killing is fun. Killing Katniss will be fun." I say darkly, walking up to catch up with Marvel and the girls. Cato catches up and doesn't say anything.

"Hey, it's Lover Boy." I say as I see the boy from 12, Peeta, who declared his love for Katniss, walking blindly around the wood with nothing from the Cornucopia.

He turns when he hears me, and an emotion flashes across his face, but is then replaced with a casual look, "Hey."

"Where's your girlfriend?" Paradox taunts, and his eyes flash darkly, "I'm looking for her."

"I have a better idea," Marvel offered, "Come with us and we won't kill you."

Oh, yeah. He could lead us to her. He knows her.

"Fine." He agrees. Let the Games begin!