I Volunteer

Our Mentor

2: Our Mentor

Gale POV:

"You what?" I ask in shock.

This was definitely not what I had expected. And unsurprisingly, my first thought was 'stay away Peeta. She's mine.' Peeta Mellark loves Katniss. I find myself feeling slightly irritated at him. If you love her why didn't you ever tell her? Why didn't you help her back in the days when her snares caught nothing? But I refrain. Anyway, what chance does he stand with her? They've never even been particularly good friends and Katniss and I have known each other for years and helped each other out when times were hard.

"I love Katniss Everdeen. Ever since I heard her singing for the first time," he admits. I grudgingly nod.

That, I can understand. Katniss has a beautiful voice, though I was first attracted to her fire and hunting ability. But when I heard her voice I was taken. She sang to the mockingjays and they would sing back to her as she went to collect her prey. And I would just trail behind her, listening, emptying my snare lines.

"She's my.." I hesitate. She isn't my girlfriend, she probably doesn't even know how much she means to me. Or at least she didn't. Perhaps now she understands a bit better. "Best friend. I love her and she will know that soon," I state. "But if I don't come back and she does, you may have a chance."

Peeta nods. "I will help feed your families," he says. "It's the least I can do after you volunteered for me to protect my love- and saved me from what would likely be a horrific death in the Games. I'm not exactly career material."

"Fine," I say.

I don't really want to accept anything from him, but when you've been hungry, you know better than to decline free food for yourself or your family. Being reliant on others hurts, but hunger pangs and wasting away hurts so much more.

"Good luck," he mutters. "Oh, and I brought you a token if you don't already have one." He opens his hand revealing a piece of amber with a ladybird inside it. It is quite beautiful. "I found it a few years ago," he says. "I brought it to the Reapings with me for luck. Now I want you to have it."

"Thanks Peeta. Goodbye."

"Goodbye," he says as the peacekeepers come in.

There are no more visitors. I tuck my token into my pocket, wondering what Katniss had. She would love this, she always has been one who can appreciate beauty. Maybe I can show her on the train. After she cools off about me volunteering of course. Which may take a while, knowing Katniss. But then, it is her fire that I find amazing about her.

xXx-X-xXx

Katniss POV

Why did Gale volunteer for me? Did he completely forget about our deal? Mum and Prim should live though, mum is still earning money and Prim can forage and I think she knows a few simple snares. She'll probably never use them though. And Gale and I can make a team. We can both shoot and throw knives. We can set snares. We just work well together. Maybe I can even win. But that means I will have to kill Gale. I shudder, putting the thought out of my head for the moment. That problem can be dealt with when I come to it. If I come to it, I correct mentally, there is no guarantee that Gale and I will be the last tributes alive.

I clench my fingers around the pure gold mockingjay pin given to me by Madge. A mockingjay, the creature that survived against all the odds. I can't help but hope that it is symbolic of me. As a District 12 tribute the odds aren't exactly in my favour. I remember all the times that Gale and I sat in the woods, sharing food and mocking the Capitol accents. May the odds be ever in your favour. Happy Hunger Games. I can't believe that just this morning Gale and I were mocking the Capitol and now we are on our way to the Hunger Games.