Baby of Panem

Gale

I crouch silently at the water's edge, waiting on Gale to join me. Peeta and I moved into the Victors Village a few months ago, however it was like nothing in the games had happened between us. The only interaction we have with each other is a polite wave, maybe a little friendly conversation every now and then, but nothing other than that. Although I have seen him watching out the window as Gale walks in and out of my house at different times throughout the day and night. Gale doesn't understand what happened to me in the games, only Peeta can understand that, but Gale does help to give my life some type of normalcy since returning to District 12. Even though hunting with him still hasn't been normal, everything back home changed since I went into the games. Gale is working in the mines, but he planned today so that we could hunt. Today is the last day I'll be in these woods for a while as the Victory Tour starts this evening.

"Hey catnip," Gale walks up behind me and kneels down next to me, "Have you noticed that all these damn birds just act like they own the place now? Are you ready to hunt?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

I stand up and walk toward our path. We set snares along this route, catching anything that might come across their path. Usually we catch squirrels, some birds, and once or twice a deer got tangled up in it. We gather what we have caught as we walk along the path, neither of us exchanging a word as we work. We both know what tonight is and we both know what it means. We reach the end of the path and spot an opening in the trees and turkeys running around in the clearing. He crouches first and I follow his lead. Drawing my bow back, aiming right for the turkey's eye. I release the bow and watch as the arrow flies through the air, striking a young blonde-haired boy in the shoulder. I don't feel my scream as it makes its way out of my mouth, scaring anything left near us away. The boy falls to the ground, and I begin to rush toward him, more screams coming out of my mouth, tears streaming down my face as I'm held back from getting to him.

"Katniss! Katniss! It's okay. You're safe. You're with me, in twelve. You're safe," Gale's voice tries to sooth me, holding me against him, "I've got you Katniss. You're safe."

"I killed him! I killed him Gale!" I struggle against him, knowing there is a dead boy laying feet from us. I chance a look at where the boy was laying and see nothing. His body is no longer there. There are only turkeys running away. "It wasn't real. It wasn't real." I mutter.

"Lets go home," Gale suggests, usually I would object, but now I'm grateful for the suggestion and agree willingly.

He helps me to my feet, I'm reluctant to let go of him, but I do. He picks my bow up and we walk back down our path. Gale resets our snares as we walk, but he keeps looking at me. I know he thinks the games destroyed me, and he's right. Ever since I came out of the arena, I've had nightmares. I've barely slept. I know Peeta will understand, assuming he gives me the chance to talk to him on the tour. Gale sets the last snare and joins me again on the path, wrapping his arms around me to pull me into a hug against him. We hide our weapon inside the hollowed log close to the fence line and climb over, entering into the edge of the district. It begins to snow as we walk and I know I need to be heading home now, the tour will be starting soon. We walk back to his house in silence. I prepare to say goodbye to him, again. He asks the question I've known he is going to ask me.

"So, when does the tour leave?"

"A couple hours," I look at his face, he hates saying goodbye, just as much as I do, "It's just for a few weeks Gale. I'll be back before the snow melts."

"Yeah. Well, a lot can happen in a few weeks." I know what direction he's about to take our conversation in.

"It was an act. I did what I had to do to stay alive. You know this." He scoffs at my response.