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★★★
"WHERE ARE WE GOING?" I ask, shivering. "What are we—"
I'm cut off by another howl. Closer this time. Clove glares straight ahead, and I can tell the sudden cold is affecting her too; she's shaking slightly, but her eyes are steely with resolve.
"To end this," she says shortly, devoid of emotion. "Come on. Stay close."
Don't panic. I nervously finger my ribbon with one hand and grip my knife shakily in the other. What do the Gamemakers have planned for the finale? Something dramatic and bloody and horrible, no doubt. Everything in the dark forest seems to have eyes. I once again feel that creeping sensation of being watched.
Another howl, impossibly close. Then a low growl. Right behind me. I freeze.
Clove visibly stiffens, turning around. "Ivy," she says slowly. "Don't—"
There's a snarl, and I dodge to one side just as a shadowy mass leaps through the space where I was standing just a second ago. Blindly, I slash out with my knife and hear a growling, inhuman scream. The shape falls to the ground. Dead.
I take a closer look and stumble back, eyes wide. Illuminated in the moonlight, the dead mutt resembles a wolf. One with dark brown fur and lifeless gray eyes. Familiar gray eyes. "It's—"
"Twelve," says Clove through gritted teeth. "I know. Clean your knife and let's go."
I realize my blade is coated in the mutt's blood and hurriedly wipe it off. Katniss's blood? No. Katniss Everdeen is dead. This thing is designed to mess with my mind.
Two more mutts burst out of the undergrowth. One is brown-furred with blue eyes, the other green-eyed with fur a light golden color... Almost blond. Glimmer and Marvel. The two tributes I killed.
Without a word, Clove grabs my arm and shoves me into a run. I catch a glimpse of the Glimmer mutt standing on its hind legs with its head turned before I'm running again.
The trees begin to thin as we fly through the woods. We're getting close to the Cornucopia, where Cato will undoubtedly be waiting.
The pieces are starting to fall into place, forming our dramatic ending. The Capitol audience will love it.
We break into the wide clearing, the Cornucopia just ahead. Cato bursts out of the trees on the other side, pursued by four, five more mutts. His sword is covered in blood.
"Ivy!" Clove pushes me towards the Cornucopia and whirls back to face the mutts. "Get up there. Now!"
I start to protest, but the ferocious look in her eye prompts me to do what she says. I dash to the Cornucopia and scramble up till I'm standing on top of the slippery metal surface, surveying the moonlit scene before me.
