These Twisted Games By: Idol_Sweetie
Disclaimer:
I do not own anything in relation to The Hunger Games Saga. Suzanne Collins owns the concept and the characters of the books.
Author's Note:
I had an idea on Kato/Catoniss match up. I love the Hunger Games! In this fanfic Gale is Katniss's older cousin. For those of you who do not know hunting terms a buck is an adult male deer and by the phrase "ten point" it means that his antlers has ten branches with ten points on it. Please read and review my fanfic let me know what I can do to make it better. Also please remember that this is rated MA for the simple fact that there will be violence, fowl language, and sexual content in future chapters.
Chapter 1
Katniss POV
I am sitting in one of the many trees here in the woods that surround District 12 when I see a ten point buck (Male Deer). He was huge and beautiful, and he was going to bring in a lot of food and money for my family.
I aim one of my arrows at the buck. I am about to release the arrow…
"What are you going to do with that, Catnip?"
"I was going to skin it, butcher it, and sell what our families don't need and you scared it away."
I climb down from my tree and play-punch my best friend/cousin Gale in the shoulder. I started to walk when he pulled out two cookies and a loaf of bread.
"In honor of reaping day!"
"Gale, those look so good! Oh, and Prim made us some goat cheese too."
We sat and ate the meal that was provided, and then we went home to get ready for the reaping. As I stepped through the door, I hear a scream.
It was no ordinary scream though. It was the happy scream of a very happy little duck.
"Katniss! President Snow just announced that children from ages 12-14 are not to be reaped this year! This means that I am not entering the reaping this year!" Prim says with a smile.
Then she lets her smile drop. "But Katniss, you still have to be there huh?"
"Yes little duck. I do. I am sixteen." Was all I could say.
"What will we do if you are reaped?"
"You, little duck, will sell the milk from Lady and not take any extra food from the Capitol. It is not worth you putting your name in the reaping more times then it already is. If gale is not reaped, he will bring you game and herbs that are needed for food and medicinal purposes. Tell him what herbs you need and what they look like and he will get them for you. It would not hurt if you were to get the most important herbs and plant them in a small garden. Have Rory help you build a green house for the herbs. You need to learn from mom when you help her with the villagers. This will help support you and mom. Stay away from Cray! No matter how hungry you are do not go to him. Do you understand me?"
"Yes Katniss."
By this time, I am ready for the reaping. I look at myself in the cracked mirror and I see not a girl, but a young woman. I am wearing one of my mother's sundresses. It was a bluish-gray with silver and gold thread stitching that holds the material together. This dress was sleeveless and went down just above my knees. It was tight from the top to my waist, the skirt was very flowing. I wore a pair of slightly worn black low healed shoes. My mother had let my hair flow down my back and over my shoulders with small braids flowing amongst the natural wavy curls of my waist length hair.
I look at my mother and give her a stern nod as she says that it is time to go to the town square for the reaping. I grab Prim's hand and began to walk. When we reach the check in area, I leave my sister with my mother like I did the year before.
They take my blood and verify my name. They tell me to go and stand with my age group. I stand next to a blond haired girl. This is no ordinary girl. She is the mayor's daughter and one of my friends. Her name is Madge Undersee. We do not talk much when we are sitting together at lunch, but we get along very well. She helps me with Prim a lot.
She told me once that because she is the mayor's daughter that she is exempt from the reaping. She refuses to all of the perks of being his daughter because she feels that it is not fair to the other children who are forced to participate. This is one of the reasons that I respect her.
We stand there side-by-side listening to our district escort Effie Trinket start the opening of the reaping. I turn to look at my cousin (Gale) to see if he was as bored as I was. He stands there and mimics the propaganda that the Capitol forces us to watch every year. When the opening speeches are finished, Effie then says it is time to draw the names for this year's tributes.
"Ladies first" she says excitedly.
Every year I want to strangle her because children dying for no reason every year in nothing to be excited about.
She reaches into the bowl and shuffles the slips with every girl's names on it and finally selects one. As she walks to back to the microphone, all I can think about is that my name will be the one called. My name is on a lot of those slips in the bowl because when my father (Mac Everdeen) died in a mining explosion five years ago. I had to step up and take care of my family. My mother was no help and I was forced to take out tesserea every year.
Effie then opens the slip and says, "This year's female tribute for the 74th Annual Hunger Games is…..Madge Undersee!"
I start to panic. I cannot let my only friend go into the huger games. She does so much good for our district and she helps out with Prim.
As Madge starts to walk to the stage, I rush to her and pull her behind me. While I do this, I say in a clear loud voice, "I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!"
Madge's eyes go wide as Effie squeals:
"District 12's first ever volunteer! What is your name dear?"
"Katniss Everdeen."
"Let's hear it for District 12's first volunteer, YOUR volunteer!"
No one claps for me. What they do next almost brings me to tears. The whole district takes their left hand, holds three fingers up to their mouths, kisses them, and raises them to the sky. The left hand and kiss represents the love that the district has for the tribute and the fingers and the hand in the air represents the respect the receiving tribute deserves.
Effie is unsure what to do. One of the peacekeepers walks up to her and tells her to hurry along and finish the reaping. She walks over to the boys bowl and pulls out a slip and announces the name.
"Gale Hawthorn!"
'No! Not Gale too!' I say to myself.
Before Gale reaches the isle, the unimaginable happens.
"I VOLUNTEER!"
Out steps a bulky young man with blond hair and blue eyes.
"Oh my! Another volunteer! This is definitely a wonderful year for District 12. What is your name young man?"
"Peeta. Peeta Mellark."
"Let's hear it for YOUR male volunteer!"
Peeta receives the same solute I received, and then we are ushered into the mayor's building.
The minute I am in the room in I see Madge.
"Why did you do it? Why did you volunteer for me? You have Prim and your mother to look after."
I couldn't let you go. You are so nice to everyone and you helped me take care of my family every time I got too sick to do anything. Plus, because of my skills of which we will not mention right now, I have a stronger chance at coming home. If I don't come home, promise me you will help Gale take care of Prim? Please promise me that?"
"You know I will! You don't even have to ask. I love her like she is my own sister. I do have to tell you that I am finally using the perks of my father's political status and have requested that I get to stay with you until you step onto the train. They have granted me what I have requested."
"Thank You Madge! Thank you for everything!"
Just then my mother and Prim walk into the room. I immediately kneel down and take Prim into a huge hug.
"Prim, Do as I told you to do this morning. Got it? Madge said that she will help you and take care of you. I love you and stay strong!"
"Katniss, you have to win. You have to come back."
"I will try. I promise I will try to come back."
I turn to my mother.
"You cannot and will not leave her. Not like when dad died. She needs you now. I will not be there to take care of her this time. I love you!"
They walk out and Gale walks in.
"Get to a bow! If they don't have one, make one. Show them how good you are. Now is as good as ever. I do have to tell you that Madge and I are together and I plan to marry her. I already have it in my mind to take care of Prim. We are family. I cannot let her be harmed. We all love her. You have to come back home. You have to come back home to your family."
I look over to Madge, and she has tears in her eyes.
"Do not wait for me to get back. Go ahead and be happy. Please do not let my mother and Prim starve. I am counting on you both now."
At that moment, the peacekeepers come in and take Gale away and me to the roof of the building where Peeta is waiting for us.
I look at him and notice a hand mark on his face, and I immediately want to shoot an arrow through his mother's eye. He is leaving for the hunger games and all she can do is hit him. The stupid bitch. Madge and I look at him and give him a reassuring letting him know that he will not have to deal with her anymore.
I turn to the peacekeeper and ask:
"Why are we going to the roof and not the train?"
"It is orders from the President that you get to the Capitol as soon as possible."