Deep In The Meadow -Gale Hawthorne-

War, Terrible War

Leilani Everdeen

I got ready in my hunting gear and grabbed my pack of knives I used specifically for hunting, I plaited my hair into a long French braid and left the house, it was reaping day so the streets were dead, miners usually roamed the streets this time in the morning but there was not a single soul in sight.

The place felt eerie, I walked to the electric fence which hadn't been switched on in years and climbed through the hole to the forest, the smell of the leaves hit my nose and I breathed in the familiar scent, feeling the crisp forest air hit my face and smiled in relaxation.

I saw a deer, grabbing a knife from my bag, I took aim and went to throw. "What are you gonna do with that when you kill it?" Gale asked and I turned around, the deer had pricked its ears up and ran. "Damn you, Gale!" I said and he laughed, I rolled my eyes. "It's not funny." I said and Gale smirked at me. "What're you gonna do with a 100 pound deer, Leilani? It's Reaping Day, the place is crawling with Peacekeepers." Gale said and I pursed my lips. "I was gonna sell it, to Peacekeepers."

"Of course you were." Gale said rolling his eyes. "Like you don't sell the Peacekeepers." I said with a snort. "No! Not today." Gale said and I laughed. "It was the first deer, I've seen in a year.Now, I have nothing." I said and Gale smirked. "Okay." He said and picked up a stone, throwing it at the tree. I threw my sword and hit a Turkey, he smiled down at me. We went and sat down on the meadow. I ran my fingers through the grass, sighing in relaxation. "What if they did? Just one you. Why if everyone just stop watching?" Gale asked, looking over at me. "They won't, Gale." I said and he rolled his eyes. "What if they did? What if we did?"

"It won't happen." I said and he looked at me. "You root for your favorite, you cry when they get killed. It's sick." Gale said and I looked at him with a small smirk. "Yeah." I said with a grin. "If no one watches, then they don't have a game. It's as simple as that. What?" He asked as I'd let out a shaky laugh. "Nothing." I said with a smirk over at him. "Fine, laugh at me." Gale said and I chuckled. "I'm not laughing at you."

Gale: "We could do it, you know? Take off. Live in the woods. What we do anyway?" Gale asked and I sighed. "They'd catch us." I said and he shrugged. "Maybe not." Gale said and I bit my lip. "Cut out our tongues or worse. We wouldn't make it five miles." I said and Gale rolled his eyes. "No, I get five miles. I'd go that way." Gale said pointing to somewhere in the distance. "I have Prim and Katniss and you have your brothers." I said and Gale rolled his eyes. "They can come too."

"Prim in the woods?" I asked with a giggle, he chuckled. "Maybe not." Gale said and I smiled softly. "I'm never having kids." I stated and Gale looked sharply at me. "I might. If I don't live here." Gale said and I sighed. "But you do live here." I snapped and he looked at me. "I know, but if I didn't. Oh, I forgot. Here." Gale said taking out a fresh roll of bread. "Oh my God! Is this real?" I gasped, taking the roll off him, I broke it apart and smelt the bread, it was warm and freshly made.

"Yeah. Better be. Cost me a squirrel. Happy Hunger Games." Gale said holding up the bread roll. "And be the odds be ever in your favor." I said, mimicking Effie Trinket. "How many times has your name entered it?" I asked Gale softly who tensed up. "Forty two. Guess the odds aren't exactly in my favor." Gale mumbled, I cupped his face and pulled him into a passionate kiss. I'd caught him off guard but after a minute or so his hands fount my hair and brought me closer.

We pulled apart and his hands stayed in my hair. "What was that?" Gale asked and I bit my lip, he shrugged and kissed me again. I climbed on top of him so I was straddling his waist, his hands ran through my hair as I deepened the kiss. "Shall we go to the hob?" Gale asked and I nodded, we stood up and Gale reached for my hand, entwining our fingers.

I went to Greasy Sae who took two squirrels off me for some soup, I noticed a pin with a bird. "What's this?" I asked, picking it up and placing it in the palm of my hand gently. "That's a Mockingjay." Greasy Sae said and I traced the circle with my finger. "How much?" I asked and she shook her head. "You keep it, it's yours." Greasy Sae said, smiling sadly at me. "Thank you."

"Good luck." I whispered to Gale who kissed my forehead. "We'll be okay." Gale whispered and kissed my lips, I smiled watching him walk to his house before I turned to walk home. "Aww. Look at you. You look beautiful." I said to Prim, she smiled and hugged me when I noticed her shirt hanging out. "Better tuck in that tail little duck." I said and Prim smiled at me. "I laid something out for you, too." I looked over at my mother and nodded, I went to the bath and scrubbed my skin, this was the only day where there was no speck of dust on me.

"Now you look beautiful too." Katniss said and I smiled over at my younger sister. "Wish I look liked you." Prim said and I looked over at her. "Oh no. I wish I look liked you. You wanna see what I got you today? It's a Mockingjay pin." I said holding the pin I got from Greasy Sae. "To protect you. And as long as you have it. Nothing bad will happen to you. Okay? I promise." I said kissing Prim's forehead. Katniss, Prim and I walked to the square where we had to queue up for the reaping.

Prim started panicking and Katniss and I pulled her aside. "Shh. Shh. Prim, it's okay. It's okay. Shh. Okay, it's time to sign in now. Okay, they will prick your finger to take just a little bit of blood." I said and Prim grimaced. "I'm scared." Prim whispered, clinging on to me. "Prim, it doesn't hurt much. Just a little." Katniss said and Prim nodded. "Okay? Go sit down there with the little kids. I'll find you after okay?"

We had our fingers pricked by the Peacekeeper and went and stood in our lines, I was on the opposite side to Gale as they separated the boys and girls. "Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Happy Hunger Games." Effie Trinket sang, I rolled my eyes. "And, may the odds be ever in your favor. Now, before we begin. We have a very special film. Brought to you all the way from the Capitol." Effie said and I rolled my eyes, looking over at Gale.

'War, terrible war' Gale mouthed to me and I smirked. "With those. Orphan..,.. and a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen districts rebeled against the country that fed them, Loved them. Protected them. Brother turned on brother until nothing remained. Then came the peace. Hard fought. Sorely won. The people Rose up from the ashes and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost. And the traitors were defeated. We swore as a nation we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed. That each year. The various districts of Panem would offer up in tribute one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice. The lone victor bathed in riches would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness. This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future. I just love that. Now, the time has come for us to select one courageous young man and woman. For the honor of representing District 12 in the 74th Annual Hunger Games."