Ever hunting, ever haunting

In The Woods

The next day I wake up refreshed, the scars of my restless night evaporated; a beautiful sunset orange sky awaits me - a new dawn to a beautiful new day.

Peeta still lies soundly asleep, glorified and at peace. From the way he lays on the bed I can tell how my body must have been intwined lovingly in his, and his hand lays adjacent to his body where I was sleeping. That explains why the nightmares didn't continue. His hand was touching me, maybe he is telepathic. From the way he speaks and presents himself this wouldn't surprise me, and all I know is that I mustn't lose him.

Leaving him to rest I tiptoe silently out of the comforting bedroom on hunters feet. It's our house, not the old one but the new, fancy thing that lives on the victors' village however I let him stay as he is a close friend, and now since the games, maybe my closest.

After showering in a soapy lather and searing temperatures I turn off the shower, then slowly but methodically dry myself down - no longer having to strip myself of hair, well at least not until the victory tour anyway. It has grown thick and fluffy again, which I am glad of because it gives me a feeling that I am finally returning to myself. Katniss Everdeen. And that's good because I can now slowly start to unwind, to relax and forget the games. If only the nightmares and snow would let me.

From my complex new array of clothing in the giant spacious wardrobe in the bedroom, I select a simple pair of leggings and an evergreen tee shirt embroidered with katniss potatoes. It makes me laugh a little. Then I instantly stop laughing and remember my fathers words

'As long as you can find yourself you'll never starve!'

It brings a sad smile to my face. Reminding me of him, I dress quickly and gather my hunting jacket, it's soft, smooth leather concealing my warmth. I leave my game bag at the old house, seeing as I can't stand the sight of this new, more spacious one.

Prim and mother call it home, yet my home will never be here in the victors village, next to Haymitch and Peeta; my home will be at the small, cold cottage that I have lived in for the duration of my life.

I leave the house and I find that it's a cold winters morning, and a thin, wispy frost has coated the stoned ground. It glistens elegantly on the ground. When eventually I reach it, the cottage seems sullen - probably because of the grumpy, scrawny sight that awaits me. Muddy yellow eyes that Prim insisted were buttercup yellow, well that's where he received his name.

Half of one ear missing was the cat that Prim brought home several years ago, a scruffy kitten ridden with fleas, and a stomach wriggling with worms. I was prepared to drown him, another mouth to feed, another being to worry about. However this held a problem, the crying hysterical Prim begging me to let him live and saying that he would be useful; and actually he has been. He catches the mice, and, in return when I clean a kill I feed him the entrails.

He stalks wearily towards me now, dark and moody. I feed him entrails and he tolerates me in return. This was the closest we ever came to love. The thing is, he doesn't like the new house either so he stays here. I chuck him a slab of meat to chew on. Grabbing my game bag, I up on out and go.

Money to buy meat is plentiful however Mother and Prim hold a preference for my game - Gale will accept no money so I give him the majority of my kill.

I roam the woods alone as Gale now has to work in the mine, he can't stand it no more than I can. He becomes frustrated and he shouts about the Capitol more viciously. Are Sundays are now special, the only time we now spend together. Today is a Tuesday and I miss him already. Like the left side of my body has been torn from me - leaving me broken. Now sitting in a crumpled heap I sit and cry, asking myself why? Why? I can't find my answers, so, abruptly, I stand up and channel all my emotion into hunting.

I end up surprised as I check the time and it's five o clock. I have let time slip away from me and dark has fallen outside - I have and enormous amount of game - four fat squirrels, five meaty rabbits and a large turkey. I will clean this later - but right now I need to get out of the woods. Everything can change after dark.

The comforting thought of peeta's warm embrace makes me shiver in the cold, and I stash my bow and arrow in the hollow trunk of the tree that has kept them secure for over ten years. I almost forget the waterproof covering and hurry to get it in. Seeing shadows that remind me of the games, I hurry under the fence and trudge back to the victors' village and peeta.