𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆| Peeta Mellark

⁹.- 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞

The soup Haymitch sent for Katniss and Peeta seemed to be his only form of medicine right now. Zoya was just a break away from getting them a basket of food, but she hurried back to make sure she hadn't missed anything. Peeta began to tell Katniss about how he'd thrown her the bread, regretting not just going to her to give it to her. It was him, that was him, not a speech designed in his head to please the Capitol. Peeta would say that, only he'd feel guilty for throwing bread to someone instead of walking to them.

Zoya shifted uncomfortably when Peeta began to tell her about how he'd watched her walk home every day, the Valley song being what caught him attention. Katniss seemed to not known what to say, and it annoyed Haymitch that she wasn't participating in the act as well as Peeta was. She ended up laying next to him, Peeta getting worse off by the moment.

"The infections getting bad." Zoya said honestly as she watched in worry. "He isn't gonna make it unless he gets some medicine."

"I tried." Haymitch shook his head. "Not good enough."

Zoya paced and bounced her leg for nearly an hour before the speaker in the arena and on the projector began to speak again. "Attention, Tributes, attention. Commencing at sunrise, there will be a feast tomorrow at the Cornucopia. This will be no ordinary occasion. Each of you needs something desperately. And we plan to be generous hosts."

"They're getting bored. It'll be a blood bath." Zoya shook her head as the announcement came to an end. "But Peeta needs medicine."

Katniss nearly read her mind, having the same thought she did. Peeta began to argue with her tremendously. Katniss glared his way. "You'd do it for me, wouldn't you?"

"Why are you doing this?" he asked her in disbelief.

Zoya held her breath when Katniss dropped her bow, leaning over and laying a kiss on Peetas mouth. That's all it took for Zoya to realize she hadn't been protective over Peeta became he was nice to her, she'd liked him, she didn't want another girl kissing him. Regardless if this was an act, it didn't ease that hollow and sinking feeling in her chest.

Cinna had a hand on her shoulder again. This time, Zoya didn't linger, she stood up. "I'm gonna go talk to the the sponsor again."

Katniss had taken Zoyas signature move. She mixed some extremely sweet berries into a syrup, feeding it to Peeta. They were a form of medical berries, ones that would have him asleep so she could escape to the feast at sunrise. Zoya was glad Katniss had known her games well, or else Peeta would have never let Katniss go alone, trying to go after her and getting himself killed.

Foxface had her bag, the first one there and off again. Zoya nodded, because she knew she'd been too smart to get into a fight with any of the others. Clove had gotten ahold of Katniss, Zoya standing as she yelled at her TV. Thresh saved Katniss, for Rue, he'd said. Clove was dead, one less person gone until a winner was crowned.

By the time Katniss got back, Peeta was awake and crawling toward the opening. The ointment for his leg seemed to almost heal him immediately, the odds in his favor on this one. The cut on Katniss head, from the knife Clove threw, had the ointment spread as well. Zoya tried to recognize it but couldn't seem to place it, the clear color too distinct for her to know.

After pulling as many strings as possible with the sponsors, Zoya managed to send Peeta and Katniss a basket of food for them to share. Filled with creams, apples, crackers, and little things they'd love and enjoy right about now. Not to mention, giving them enough class to add plates.

"I can feel Effie Trinket shuddering my manors." Katniss said honestly after they dove in, Katniss taking the last of the food off with her fingers.

Peeta grinned as he looked out. "Hey, Effie, watch this!"

The penthouse watched Peeta toss his fork over his shoulder and lick the remainder off his plate before making a loud, sacrificed sound. Zoya laughed, as did most of the others.

"That boy." Effie shook her head, but whipped a tear they escaped her eye.

It didn't take them long, after eating, to announced they needed to hunt today as well. Peetas leg had gotten better, for the most part anyways, enough for him to walk on.

"We should probably hunt around here. We don't have any food left." Katniss confirmed as her and Peeta went through the woods. She was so light on her feet, moving a way a hunter had. Peeta, not so much. He was a baker, not a hunter. Heavy footing and loud steps surly making Katniss question her sanity.

"Okay. I'll take the bow." Peeta nodded at her. Katniss gave a questionable, look of disbelief his way. A grin went across Peetas face. "I'm just kidding. I'll go pick some stuff."

Zoya watched Peetas every move, watching what he grabbed.

"No." she spoke suddenly when her eyes fell go a bush of berries he'd grabbed at. "No. No. No."

She'd known them so well, her own signature berry. Nightlock berries he had, putting them on a stack on his jacket before walking off to get some more.

"Easy." Haymitch warned her panic, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Zoyas eyes then went to the redhead girl from her district, coming down from a tree and grabbing a handfull of berries. She went about a mile off before shoving some into her mouth. Zoya sat up with a frown, staring at her. The redhead looked out toward the sky once she took them, a small smile on her face as she rose her hand in a wave.

Foxface had known what she did, she was a sacrifice and was waving her last goodbye.

Zoya waved back slightly before the small girl laid down on the ground, looking up at the sky as the nightlock berries hit her heart, the cannon sounding as Zoya whipped her fallen tears for the girl.

The cannon sound scared the hell out of Katniss, taking off in a sprint back to Peeta and slapping the berries from his hand, yelling about the nightlock. Zoya mentally thanked Katniss and would be sure to owe her her own life, for saving Peetas, when she came home.

The game makers lowered the sun earlier then intended, the night sky taking over as Peeta, Katniss, Thresh, and Cato all walked through their own choices of woods. A yell echoed in the air, Thresh' cannon firing above.

"Did you see what it was?" Zoya looked to Haymitch.

"No." he answered. The room watching closely, Zoya holding her breath as she waited. Waiting for whatever it was to find Katniss and Peeta, waiting for another wave of panic to hit them but also her. Katniss kept her bow out, Peeta behind her slightly.

"No!" Zoya yelled on instinct when a large animal jumped from the woods, attacking Peeta. Katniss shot it, a mutt rolling off him. Looking closer, it was so clear, the Mutt had Marvels eyes.

And the pack chasing the pair had the rest of the dead victors eyes as well.

•

kylie speak

just one more
chapter!