Sugarcubes // Finnick Odair - Hunger Games Fanfic

XXVI.

I agree to take the wire first, mostly because it's safer for me to guard when we're farther away from camp. I know Katniss's sincerity will make her switch out with me later. I need to be guarding to cut her tracker. I need to be guarding to make sure she's safe. I hate that I'm thinking so much about her safety. Unwinding the wire is hard work. Walking backwards through the uneven terrain, dodging the vines and the trees all while staying bent and making sure the wire doesn't snap is extremely tiring. Holding my axe tightly while doing all of that? Almost impossible.

When we're about halfway through, the clicking sound erupts. It's after eleven.

"We better hurry," I say unwinding the coil as I talk. "I want to put a lot of distance between me and that water before the lightning hits. In case Be- Volts calculated wrong."

"I'll take the coil for a while." She says, and I'm grateful. I won't offer to switch out with her from now on. I need to be on guard. Just as I'm handing Katniss the coil, however, there's a slight vibration. Then, suddenly, several meters worth of coil springs down at us, bunching in tangled loops around our wrists. Then the severed end snakes up to our feet. It only takes me a second to register this event, but it seems like hours. Katniss and I stare at each other. Neither of us have to say it. We both know Brutus and Enorbia have cut the wire several meters ahead of us. Working fast, I snatch the coil from Katniss as she tries to grab for an arrow. I bash it into her forehead with as much force as I can muster. She falls to the ground on her back, and even in her unfocused state, I can see the sense of betrayal in her eyes. I quickly throw the coil away and reach for my knives. I sit on top of Katniss and bury the knife into her forearm and dig around for the tracker. I find it, throw it in the direction I threw the coil and stand up. Realizing Brutus and Enorbia are on our tail, I bend down again, and press my arm into her forearm. I smear her own blood all over her face, and her neck, trying my best to make her look dead. The I whisper in her ear, "Stay down Katniss. Please, stay down."

I hope that the fact that I used 'please' when I almost never do signals to her that I'm serious. Then, trying not to think about if Finnick is okay, I run.

I can hear Brutus and Enorbia storm after me, and by the sound of it, they don't slow down for Katniss. I grip my axe in my hands tighter, slashing through vines as I run, leading them away from Katniss and Peeta.

"I want Lover boy Brutus," Enorbia says from far behind me. I can hear her sadistic voice even as I'm bolting through the forest. They have some sort of disagreement, which I can't hear because I don't stop running. And then, only Brutus follows behind me. I don't know whether I rather Brutus or Enorbia. Doesn't matter. I trip on a log and stumble to the ground, and that moment of weakness is enough for Brutus to catch up to me.

"A good job you did on Katniss back there, Kendria." He tells me, coming to a huffing stop. I should attack him, right now, when he's winded, but I want to get in a jab.

"Just like what I did to your tribute in my games, Brutus." I tell him, and he scowls. His eyes darken. He grips his spear tighter in his hands.

And then, without warning, I lunge. My axe is met by his spear, and I seem to have underestimated his strength. What he lacks in speed he more than makes up for in brute force. The impact of his weapon on mine is enough to push me back a couple of steps. He grins, becoming reassured that he can beat me.

We exchange a few more strikes, on par with each other. I'm exhausted. Sweat drips from my forehead, and I wonder just how the Capitol freaks can enjoy watching this. I draw the first blood. A fast scrape on his side, but it isn't nearly enough to deter him. He gets me back easily enough, with a quick blow with the tip of his spear to my bicep. It stings. I hear a cannon sound, and my fear for Finnick distracts me. What if when Enorbia said 'lover boy' it meant Finnick, not Peeta?