Once Upon A Dream

Chapter 11: Katniss

"What are you doing?" Peeta asks.

"I'm climbing a tree to see if I can find the flock of Mockingjays," I say as I reach for a higher branch.

"Katniss, we're supposed to be looking for nightlock, a lynx, and a wolverine, not Mockingjays," he says.

"The mockingjays will find the lynx and wolverine for me a lot faster then I could track them down and lead them to me," I say.

"And how's that gonna work without the lynx eating the birds?" he asks.

"Because he knows its me. He'll do it for me, and if I send the right mockingjay." I say as I look through the tree branches. I see a group of the songbirds and hop down onto the ground beside Peeta.

"Don't do that!" he says, "You could hurt yourself."

"They're this way," I say ignoring his question and pulling him towards the birds. I stop under the tree and whistle a four note tune. The mockingjays flutter to lower branches as they repeat the tune. One in particular flutters down and lands on my finger, her woven grass necklace with the polished wood star gleaming in the moonlight.

"Rue, I need you to find Gale and Johanna," I say picking a bundle of leaves off a nearby plant," Get Gale first, he should help you find Johanna. Being them to the Hanging Tree and wait for me there." My mockingjay takes the leaves in her beak and flies away, towards the direction I think Gale's den lies.

"She understands what you tell her?" Peeta asks as she disappears.

"I raised her. She was a baby that fell out of the nest. She's a trained messenger," I say.

"You have a lot of friends out here don't you?" he asks.

"Yeah, I was lonely," I say. "Can we go to the cottage and rest for a little while. I don't really want to fall asleep in the middle of the woods."

"Didn't you just sleep for twelve hours?" he asks.

"How many times do I have to tell you I wasn't actually asleep," I say.

"I'm sorry it's just weird for me," he says.

"Yeah, I know," I say, "Come on, I'll show you the way there."

"I already know the way," he says taking my hand.

"How?" I ask.

"I went to look for you last night at sunset," he says.

"I don't deserve you," I say, "I left without leaving a note."

"That's okay, You didn't have much say in the matter," Peeta says. He starts walking but I stop him.

"Wait, I know a quicker way," I say. I whistle and I hear a whinny before Argo (AN: Xena, Warrior Princess anyone?), my wild horse, appears out of the willow trees she shelters in. She comes up beside me and lays her head over my shoulder, nuzzling me. "I've missed you too my friend," I say running my fingers through her blonde mane.

"Since when do you have a horse?" Peeta asks.

"No one owns Argo. She lives out here not in a stable. I just tamed her a little. No one but you even know about her," I say. Peeta steps closer to me but Argo rears up and snorts at him. I snap my fingers to get her attention. "Be nice!"

"She doesn't seem to like me," Peeta says.

"She'll listen to me. She just doesn't trust you cause she doesn't know you," I say. I stoke Argo's nose and she shakes her mane. "Agro, this is Peeta. I need you to take both of us to the cottage. Can you do it?" She stomps and shakes her self again before kneeling down so I can climb on her back. She stands up and I reach down my arm for Peeta's hand, but he doesn't take it.