𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐒 | ᴄ. ʜᴀᴅʟᴇʏ

The Reaping

Guide: Y/N (your name)

L/N (last name)

h/l (hair length)

h/c (hair colour)

f/c (favourite colour)

The sky is cold and grey the day of the reaping. I open my eyes sleepily before shutting them tightly them again. Maybe if I just wish hard enough, this will all be a dream and today won't be reaping day, I think. I wait a few minutes, but eventually come to terms with the truth that today, is in fact, reaping day. I have no younger or older siblings to worry about getting reaped, but I have my two best friends Katniss and Gale to think about. I have known the pair since I was twelve. I met them in the woods, where they appeared to be talking about hunting snares. Snares weren't something I was particularly good with, but I could hunt just fine with my axe.

 And of course I have to ponder that today is Prim's first reaping. Sweet, innocent, kind Primrose Everdeen who is just too good to be true. I'm not all that worried about her though, it's only her first year and Katniss refused to let her sign up for the tesserae, unlike her, Gale, and myself. The three of us have been signing up for the tesserae every year since we became eligible. We have to, it's the only way we can support our families. Gale's got his three younger siblings and his mother. Katniss has her mother and sister and I've got my mom only. We all lost our fathers in a mining accident when Katniss and I were nine. I have always felt bad for Katniss, who's mother completely zoned out after her husband's death and left Katniss to do all the work by herself. My mother's reactions was completely different. She works herself to the bone to support us, but I always end up having to sign up for the tesserae anyways.

I sigh and slide out of bed, slipping into my hunting boots. I get dressed quickly and run out the door, saying a quick goodbye to my mother. I jog past the hob to the electric fence bordering the forest. I find the torn bit and listen for the hum that would indicate whether or not the electricity is on. When I hear nothing I lift up the broken bit of fence and slip underneath, just in time to see Katniss walking into the forest a few yards in front of me. I quietly run after her into the woods.

"Morning, Catnip." I greet. She gives a small smile.

"Morning, Y/N." she says quietly. 

"You picked up your bow yet?" I ask. 

"No," she says. "Have you picked up your axe?"

I shake my head. We continue walking until we reach the hollow log where our weapons were stored. We have to hide them in the woods, the peacekeepers would go berserk if they knew we had them. I pick up the axe by the heavy oak handle and she retrieves her bow. We trudge along in search of game for a while before we hear a sharp crack  to our left. I peer through the thick trees and spot a deer sniffing about, most likely in search of food. I jerk my head in the opposite direction of the clueless animal and she immediately nods in understanding. After years of hunting together she knew that I meant she would go wait ahead and I would go scare the deer in her direction. I see Katniss slink off towards a thick spruce tree about three hundred yards away. I run at the deer from behind and raise my axe like was going to throw it. The animal's eyes widen and it darts off straight towards Katniss who is lying in wait. When it thinks it is safe it stops and looks around, failing to notice Katniss who has her bow drawn. 

She is just about to release her arrow when I deep male voice rings out, "What are you going to do with that when you catch it?" 

The deer takes off into the woods leaving two frustrated teenagers behind. I spin on my heel to see a smirking Gale behind me.