Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
SEQUOIA completely ignored Cassia's request against her going out early in the morning before the reaping. She had woken up from a terrible nightmare, which usually occurred around the time of the reapings for most children in the districts, and had decided to go hunting to calm her nerves. She calmly ran her fingers of her free hand over the bark of the tall and sturdy trees she passed by as she made her way to the electric fence. Sequoia had always appreciated the beauty of District Seven and basked in the rustic wooden scent which comforted her every time she hunted. She had climbed over the same tree as the day before and continued on walking through the forest before reaching a small clearing. Sequoia breathed in deeply and closed her eyes as a brisk wind passed through, hearing the rustling of the leaves and tall grass.
Sequoia then sat with her back against one of the trees in a relaxed position around the clearing and twirled one out of the three knives she had brought with her in her right hand as she watched a few squirrels running in and out of the tall grass. She took careful aim as she threw the knife, skillfully pinning one of the squirrels by the tail to the ground and watched as the other few squirrels scurried off.
"I thought I specifically told you not to come out here this early in the morning birdy," a voice was heard not too far off, causing Sequoia to react quickly and grabbed onto of the knives she had in her hunting belt, which had her axe as well. Though she soon relaxed and smiled sheepishly as she saw Cassia calmly leaning against one of the nearby trees with her brow raised and a knowing smirk on her face. "I heard you scream this morning," Cassia spoke solemnly as her smile morphed into a frown. Sequoia sighed as she grabbed the squirrel she had stabbed in the tail, snapped its neck, and tossed it in her hunting bag.
"I just needed some fresh air," Sequoia spoke softly as she cleaned the blood from her knife, not wanting to make eye contact with Cassia as she made her way over to where she was now standing.
"Do you," Cassia paused, hesitating as she looked at Sequoia with a worried expression, "do you want to talk about it?"
"I don't-" Sequoia began as she shook her head and put her knife back in its sheath on her hunting belt. Though as she finally looked at Cassia and saw the same caring expression she used to see in her mother's eyes, she caved in. "I dreamt about my mother, and how I saw her in the arena, and for some reason I couldn't reach her," Sequoia inhaled sharply as she thought about the vivid images about what she saw in her dream. "I was forced to watch her die as the other tributes, or mutts, killed her slowly and brutally." Sequoia exhaled a shaky breath of air as she looked away and wiped the tears from her eyes, causing Cassia to sigh as she pulled her close and embraced her in a comforting hug. "I know it wasn't real, but it just felt as if it was-"
"Real," Cassia finished for Sequoia as she pulled away from the hug and wiped a few of Sequoia's tears from her cheeks.
"I must sound so weak right now," Sequoia chuckled dryly as she shook her head in disappointment. "I've been attending the reapings for about five years now and I'm still acting as if it's my first time going to the Justice Hall, waiting to be picked for the Hunger Games." Sequoia sighed as she began to walk back towards the district with Cassia following slowly after her. Cassia thought about what Sequoia had said and furrowed her eyebrows in worry for a moment before putting on a stern look as she grasped onto Sequoia's left arm.
