She'd be back. I knew she would. Katniss never broke her promises to me. Never. We never would ever lie to each other.
We trust each other.
I grabbed my beat bucket and walked towards the door. I lightly touched Katniss's jacket, tracing each seam with my fingers. She won't mind if I wear it this once . I wouldn't do anything to it.
I tugged it down, slipping the big jacket sleeves over my thin arms. The leather touched me ever so slightly, but I loved how the inside was so cool against my skin. I looked over my shoulder to our living space, where my mother sat, staring blankly through our window. She had sat there most of the time ever since Katniss left. Not touching the cheese I made her, only moving to watch Katniss on the Tv.
I told her once it only made her worse. I told her she didn't have to watch. I knew if she saw katniss die, she would die a little inside herself. She wouldn't be my mom anymore. She would be a hollow shell.
"Im going to milk my goat, mommy." I said. I hear her exhale loudly. "I should be back soon. By noon, I would think." I grab the nob and turn it. I hit it hard with my shoulder and it pops out. As I take my first step outside I hear my mother croak something.
"Be safe, my sweet."
I skip my way to the edge of the fields behind our house, the bucket in my hand. I advanced through the flowers and light grasses. Primroses were very pretty that time of year. But they weren't my favorite. I enjoyed the frequent rue bushes. The light green stems and little leaves complimented the tiny yellow flowers. They seemed to smile at you with happiness, and tell you everything was going to be alright. That you're fine, and you would be the oil from them made my skin itch, so my mom had told me not to go near them.
I didn't care. I picked a small branch of them with one hand as I undid my two braids with the other. I kept picking, tucking more and more into my hair till I felt I had a crown. I smiled to myself, feeling as if the little flowers were pouring their sunshine into me.
"Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing,
morning bells are ringing
Ding Ding Dong, Ding Ding Dong." I sang as I walked to my goats post. When I was littler Katniss use to do the round with me, and we'd laugh as we would mess up. She would always tell me that one day we would get it right.
I walked to the edge of the meadow, where the trees started again.
My goat was happy to see me.
She clicked her back hoof and bleated.
"Hello old girl." I beamed, "You gunna help me make cheese today?"
My goat bleated again, nudging me with her nose.
"Okay." I leaned down and placed my bucked under the goat, and started to milk her. "So, how is the grass today? Do I need to move you again?"
The goat didn't reply to me, only leaned down and ate a mouthful of weeds.
"Yeah… I guess you're not done yet. I can get that."
After my bucket was almost to the top I pulled it back from the goat. I looked at her cute face, the black tuffs of fur on her was almost like a gray now. Like coal. But there was little spiky balls in her fur along with cattails. I had to groom her soon.
"Katniss said I couldn't name you because then I would get too attached to you." I think back in my mind "And if we had to eat you. I wouldn't be able to." The goat just blinked at me. "But I think I shall name you. But it'll be our secret, okay?" The goat lightly nudged my leg, causing me to spill a little milk. I took that as a yes.
"What do you like to do, goat?" I asked, carefully setting down the bucket and sitting cross legged on in the grasses. The goat made a deep grumbling noise and laid down next to me. "Ah. I have to guess? Fine… You like flowers. I know this. And the mockingjays," The goat just put down her head, and started to snore.
The midday sun shone above us, I was needed back home soon. "I say you need to be named after a flower, like me."
Just snoring was the reply from the goat. I sighed, putting my hands in the pockets of the jacket. Something rough scraped past my fingertips.
I dug my hands deeper into the pockets, feeling something as large as a small coin. I brought it out and held it up slightly to see it in the light. It was a large crumb of bread.
"Oh look, goat! I might have found a treat." I bring it lower, but as I am about to bring it to my goats lips wings fluttering and black swoop down, snatching it out of my palm. It took me a second to react.
"Oooh! Mockingjays!" I shake my hand at the trees, I feel my eyes clench into a glare. The mockingjay's reply was simple tunes, some high and some low, but they all sounded like laughing or giggling to me. My goat looked up at me, almost smiling. Her dark eyes glittered brown with the sunlight peeking through trees.
She stands and lightly rubbed her nose on my head. At first I was wondering if it was a sign of affection, then I realized she was eating my crown of rue flowers.
"Hey!" I laughed, scooting away, then stood up. I leaned over and pet the goat down her back.
"I think I'll name you… Lilac." I thought about it, turning the name around my tongue "I always wanted to name my future daughter that."
Clouds started to roll in, and a chilly breeze swept through the trees. I pulled the jacket close to my body, letting it block me from the wind like Katniss blocked me from the reaping and my death. Like her warm hugs on cold winter nights. My eyes started to fill with tears, but I blinked them back.
"She'll be back." I mumbled into the harsh wind. "She always comes back."