9th Swing [Video]

[deadalready]

[The video lights up on Cato's face as he watches something off-screen with a very fixed look. Whatever it is, it grabbed his attention just before he opened his journal. It's only a few seconds before he looks back at the page and clears his throat.]

So does anyone want to tell me who's responsible for this --

[The video cuts away a moment, blurring as he shifts to stealthily show Clove hunkered down over some small piece of wood in her hands with a look of very intense concentration her face. There are little bandages peppering her fingers and she looks like she's trying to cut the little piece into something smaller. She keeps shaving away at it.

The video jerks back to Cato's very bemused face.]

I have no idea what she's doing. But it's been going on for days now and I'm a little....weirded out. Every time I tell her to stop because it's making her upset she just yells at me and she won't even show me what she's doing with it.

This is the first time she's cut herself with her knives in years. I don't think I've seen her this bad with one since we were thirteen and just starting out with our weapons.

Someone told her to do this, didn't they? It just...doesn't make sense for her.

Comments

[Video]

[meanoldnut]

[He may not know Cato and Clove, but he feels that something should be said in reply to the video post. Watching the latter cutting up a piece of wood like that and getting hurt is indeed a cause for concern]

Have you ever considered putting away her knives until she has grown out of her current behavior?

[Video]

[deadalready]

If I wanted to lose some fingers then: yeah. I considered it.

[Clove would more than hurt him if he tried to take her own knives away from her. Even if she was ...doing something weird.]

[Video]

[meanoldnut]

[He wasn't expecting that as an answer, but should've known how violent people can get when their items are being messed with. Not that he will go that route, but he wouldn't be pleased if someone were to take his stuff away]

Then I suppose the best course of action is to wait it out.

[It's the only thing he can think of that wouldn't require a loss of Cato's fingers]

[Video]

[deadalready]

[Insert: Frustrated Teenage Sigh.]

I hate waiting.

[video]

[trinkett]

Cato!

[The Tribute chaperone looks rather alarmed at Clove's behavior.]

Do you think she might require more practice?

[video]

[deadalready]

[Cato blanches at his name, Effie isn't really that distinctive as a Capitol citizen but he's gotten used to people looking fairly homely here. He remembers her as Twelve's representative and not much is known of her beyond that. Still, it's strange seeing her.]

Ma'am.

[Being polite to reps means little in regards to what he thinks of them, it's just what he's been taught to do. Manners are important; or so he was told once upon a time.]

She doesn't need practice. She's one of the best throwers I've ever seen and this doesn't look like it should be that hard. She's just...carving up some wood.

[video]

[trinkett]

[This is highly odd. Why would a Career be carving wood? With a knife of all things? Not a very useful tool for that sort of thing, though Effie is no expert.

Still, it's nice to hear a Panemanian voice that actually showcases some manners. Sigh.]

Why not suggest she use a hatchet, or an ax, or some other wood-cutting thing, dear?

[Video]

[starfishlovesyou]

Are her knives going blunt? Fuuko has cut Fuuko's hand before when the knife Fuuko was using was very worn out, it kept catching on the wood so Fuuko found it very hard to carve anything with it.

[On the journal, Fuuko holds up an old craft knife with a noticeably dull blade.]

[Video]

[deadalready]

[Cato looks much more attentive suddenly. Someone who seems like they know what they're talking about.]

That might be the problem? But she's normally pretty good about upkeep. We both are.

[Old habits die hard.]

And she won't exactly let me....look.

[It's almost embarrassing.]

[Video]

[starfishlovesyou]

Maybe she's carving something very important and she doesn't want anyone else to see it until it's finished. Fuuko would understand this!

[Makes sense to her. If she was carving something special and someone else saw it before it was done then that would ruin the surprise.]

But if the knife being blunt isn't the problem then maybe it's the wrong sort of knife for the job. Fuuko uses a smaller knife when carving smaller sculptures, a big knife would just be too dangerous and very horrible to use for that sort of thing.

[Voice]

[rather_be_surfing]

....Looks like she's whittling. Carving the wood into a shape or type of miniature statue. If she's never done it before, she's probably sawing too hard on the wood, so when she slips, it goes into her fingers. She needs to work away from her hands.

[Voice]

[deadalready]

Oh.

[Somehow it's a lot more obvious when Derek says it. He knows Victors take up hobbies after they win the Games; something to keep the Capitol interested in them until they lose relevance. It mostly hadn't occurred to him that Clove could be taking something up for recreational purposes because of that simple fact: Victors had hobbies. Tributes that had fallen couldn't really have that chance.]

She could have told me she was bored.

[It's almost pouting? But not quite there.]

Thanks, though. I'll let her know. If she'll listen to me that is.

Re: [Voice]

[rather_be_surfing]

Welcome.

When she gets tired of bunging her fingers up, she'll remember. You just need to let her know, most likely.

[Video]

[i_speak_softly]

I hate to diagnose a stranger over the journals, but it looks like soul-sickness.

[Video]

[deadalready]

[Okay now that look of mild bewilderment has titled into full on confusion.]

Soul-sickness?

[Video]

[i_speak_softly]

Chi imbalance. Or depression. Whichever way you want to look at. Manifests as mood swings, uncharacteristic behavior, and loss of connection with one's weapon.

[video]

[stillplaying]

[It's a strange feeling still to feel worry over Clove. To be able to understand the concern Cato might have for his fellow Tribute. She doesn't like him, not like she's slowly grown to enjoy Clove's company. But because of that, because of that tentative comradeship she's formed with the other girl, she doesn't ignore this post. Instead, she gives it as much attention as she would were someone she considered friend upset.

She tries to peer closer at the video feed. Clove's actions remind her a little of the whittling Richard does, the way he's carved those wooden animals now scattered throughout the house. But as far as she can see, the girl isn't making anything in particular.

Katniss frowns, brow wrinkling.] Is she making something?

Re: [video]

[deadalready]

Trying to, maybe?

[He shrugs, totally unashamed of being unsure.]

Anything I can see doesn't seem like it but shaving a piece of wood wouldn't be this hard for her.

[video]

[stillplaying]

[No. He's right on that. It probably wouldn't. Not in the slightest. She's well aware of what Clove can do with those knives. Felt every precise cut as the blood drained from her body. Clove is too good to keep cutting herself. Especially like this.

She's quiet as she thinks. Does her best to figure out another explanation. The last time she had seen the other girl had been at the hot pools. And their conversation hadn't exactly gone all that well. Is this some sort of continued reaction to that? Something similar to Finnick's knot tying or her own habit of hiding in closets?]

Did something happen? Something to upset her?

[Voice]

[rashness]

Huh, maybe she picked up some kinda carving hobby or something...

[Voice]

[deadalready]

Yeah, I got that.

[Finally. Seriously Cato your observational skills are somewhat lacking.]

[Voice]

[rashness]

Well, that's good she's picked up some hobbies like that.

video;

[gleamed]

Hmm...is she wood-carving, perhaps?

[ HOW NEAT. It's positively crafty, really. ]

video;

[deadalready]

Yeah, I - uh - needed a little help figuring that out but: yeah. Apparently that's what she's been doing.

[The next part is mumbled, like he doesn't want Clove to hear him.]

Or trying to do anyways.

video;

[gleamed]

[ ...Yeah, Rapunzel could tell Clove didn't quite know what she doing. ]

Maybe she just needs some practice. Or a proper teacher.