Fire and Ice- a Catoniss Story [COMPLETED]

Reaping Part 1

2 Years Later (again)

*Katniss*

It has been two painful years since I've last seen Cato Greene, my boyfriend from District 2. I think about him everyday and this day more than most. Today is the reaping for the 74th annual Hunger Games, and Cato will probably volunteer.

It's also Prim's first year and I'm more scared for her than I am for myself, and Prim will only have one slip in. She could still be picked, and I try hard not to think about the possibility. I sat up in the small bed Prim and I shared. It was early in the morning, and the sun had not fully risen yet, but I always get up at this time to hunt with Gale.

Gale. My faithful hunting partner and only male friend. Sure Gale was good looking, but I had never thought of him as anything more, simply because there was no reason to. I never told Cato about Gale. We wrote letters every now and then to check on each other.

He'd ask continuously if I'd made any new friends other than Madge, and I'd always lie and tell him no. For some reason, I think Cato would be jealous if he'd known I'd had a friend who was male other than him.

I slipped out of bed and made sure to be quiet enough, so that I didn't wake Prim, and I shrugged on my father's hunting jacket and my hunting boots that strapped up in the front. My mother slept soundly in the room that she and my father once shared, and I smile slightly as I walk past it.

I slip out the door silently, and travel through the Seam, toward the fence that separates the district and the wilderness. The fence was silent, which meant there was no electricity coursing through it. I climbed under it stealthily, like I always did when I came here. I walked a bit more, until I reached a familiar tree stump that I hide my bow and arrows in.

I gathered them and slung the quiver over my shoulder, gripping the bow tightly with my hand. Gale was probably here already, but I didn't see him anywhere. Then a large figure was standing beside me; Gale. He too held a bow and arrows that were similar to mine though slightly larger.

"Gosh Catnip, it's just me." Gale chuckles quietly.

I scowled at him and shrugged his hand off my shoulder.

"It's not funny Gale, I thought you were a peacekeeper." I said slowly.

He grinned and pulled me along so that we could complete our daily round up. Gale placed several snares and traps around these woods that we would check daily for game. On some days we'd go and fish at a nearby lake or we'd gather strawberries from the many bushes that grew close to the fence. The strawberries we'd sometimes give to Madge, who was the mayor of District 12's daughter, and a close friend of mine other than Gale.

Now, we sat several feet from the fence in a hill that overlooked the woods, that we had yet to explore. This space was so large and abound with wild animals, I'm sure. All of District 12 could probably survive just from the animals and fruits present in these woods, but I knew that it would never happen. The capital gives us no kind of special treatment that they do to the Career districts, 1, 2, and 4.

Cato just didn't know how good things were for him. Having three full meals everyday and clothes that fit him just right, not to big or to small, was luxury compared to how we lived. We barely have enough within our district to keep going everyday. Gale's voice broke through my bitter thoughts when he spoke.

"Hey, Catnip. Guess what?"

"What?"

"I got some fresh baked bread from the bakery this morning."

"What? You've gotta be kidding me."

"Nope. Two small loaves. But I traded the old baker some squirrels for 'em, so they weren't a gift."

"He might've been feeling a little sentimental this morning since today is so special." I sighed.

Gale took a knife from his pocket and wiped it off on his shirt and then cut the two loaves of bread into four equal pieces. He gave me half and kept the other half for himself. I held the bread in my scarred hands ever so gently, and slowly began to eat, savoring every bight. The bread was warm and it reminded me of how warm District 12 was, especially in the woods.

"Ready?" Gale asked quietly, chewing his bread slowly as if he was savoring every piece of it.

"Even though I'm 16, and I've done it 4 years already... I don't think I'll ever be ready these next two years." I said, fingering my piece of bread.

Suddenly, the bread didn't seem as warm as it did before. I sighed, stuffing it in my bag. I just know something bad is going to happen today. I can practically feel it. So for now, I sit with Gale and think about how things could have been if The Hunger Games never existed.