AN: The thought occurred to me while rereading the Hunger Games. What if there was more to the Goat Man? How did he manage to afford a herd of goats in near poverty? Sure he worked a lifetime in the mines, but surely even that wouldn't be enough to buy multiple priceless livestock. And when he had them, how would he manage to feed them in the barrenness that was District 12? There's more to this story and I decided to add to Haymitch's character because I'm evil like that.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hunger Games, the sequels, or the characters unfortunately. I only own Nira.


Chapter 1: The Secret Girl

Even the most infamous of people of the lower districts had a secret, and District 12 was no different. In a world full of oppression and impending violence, the most lowly of people had just as much a chance at being overlooked as they did being thrust into the spotlight. The Hunger Games' Tributes were those who shone the brightest, if only for a short while for the majority. But for every two children chosen every year, hundreds, thousands, were overlooked by the Capitol and breathed a sigh of selfish relief. Relief that it wasn't them, even as they mourned the loss of their friends and sometimes, their family.

One touched by a shining individual's light noticed that the unchosen here in District 12 were utterly overlooked, and in a moment of desperation, took advantage of a situation that no one, save a few, even noticed. She was a slight girl, hidden from the Capitol herself for a time, before the Victor refused to grant the President a favor. Her name was Elinore, and she was killed before the Capitol even knew one of District 12's biggest secrets. Haymitch, tormented by the loss of his family and Elinore and haunted by the Arena, was driven to drink to hide his pain from the world, and almost managed to forget the important piece of him that his lover hid away in the wilds.

Nira.


At 24, a lone female figure ran wild in the forest with goats, careful to stay from the fence, warnings from her Papa ringing loud and clear in her mind. Tall and slim, as most of the inhabitants of District 12 were, Nira shared the dark coloring with her distant kinsmen. Her hair ran down her back, dark brown and thick enough to pull the strands away from her scalp. When she hacked it short in the hottest of summer months with a dull cooking knife it would frizz and cling close to her head, stifling her scalp but allowing a breeze on her neck. But that time had not come as of yet, given the mild climate this year, and the wildness reflected in her grey eyes reflected in the leaves and twigs caught in her locks.

Today a quiet stillness surrounded the township that was her home, but which she was not allowed to enter freely without her Papa's presence and permission. This was the common Silence that always fell around this time of year; she knew when she next went to her Papa he would have that hated bottle of clear bitterness that stole his senses. The only place with any life in the early morning was the Hob, the black market Papa had spoken of a couple times, but even there it was subdued. The mine stood still, void of the noise of the machinery. When she paused, looked through a bush to the streets, the streets were hushed. Few people walked about this early in the morning, but what few were out were wandering in brighter, cleaner clothing than usual.

Except for the other girl. The Forest Girl, Catnip. Or was it Katniss? She could never tell, and the boy, Gale always called her by both names. Nira imagined it would be very strange to have two names.

The Kat girl moved quickly, in her usual thick jacket and boots. Nira knew what was going to happen; in moments the girl would slip through a bit of the fence that was hidden from general view of the town. Anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes later, the boy Gale would do the same elsewhere on the boundary separating the town from the wild.

Excited, Nira ran from the fence, leading her Papa's goats to a familiar wide meadow. She whistled sharply and the trip broke off from her, heading to the center of the meadow to wait for her return. Nira headed back to the forest and began to check the usual places she could find the others. She found the girl on the way to the second place she checked. Nira tracked Kat silently and was pleased when the boy found her. They greeted each other and went hunting, and Nira followed, as was her usual agenda. She loved watching the pair of them work together as a team, a pair of friends. Nira could sometimes imagine herself in Kat's place, running alongside Gale, weapon in hand. Or down by the water, fishing. In the forests, setting snares.

Nira had followed them for years, so long that she knew every trick in their book. From watching, Nira taught herself how to shoot a bow, how to catch a fish, how to set a trap. She wasn't quite as good as they and didn't do it often because she hated taking life. But sometimes Papa spent all his money of the bitter bottle or the doctor for his cough and it was left to her to fill in the emptiest spots of their bellies. She foraged religiously, eating what the others human ate and what animals ate, memorizing and committing to memory what plant-life was safe. When she was merely protecting herself or the trip of goats in the forest, she preferred the slingshot that hung from her belt with the sack of river-stones. She could aim the shot to kill but usually sent it to hurt, bruise, and frighten any predators with an eye for a snack.

Kat and Gale had settled on a hill close to a clearing for lunch and Nira's stomach grumbled. She reached for her sack and rummaged around, bringing out some goat cheese and an old, sweet, wrinkled apple, similar to the meal the pair shared, sitting next to each other. They spoke but were far off, and Nira only heard the vague hints of their voices. She sat with her back against a tree, facing the forest and clear from their sight. Closing her eyes, she let the voices wash over, imagining they were talking to her and that, finally, she had friends.

But for a moment their words grew terse and it seemed like they argued. The spat was brief but unsettling. The peacefulness of the day was broken, though they quickly made up. The scene was abruptly cut short with a hum of machinery and the two jumped up, running for the forest.

Nira's eyes widened and she stared at the sky, just in time to see the large form in the air, slowing for the nearby district. She shifted through the forest like doe on the run, headed for the meadow. She ran along the tree-line, whistling sharply as the trip stampeded towards her. Luckily the strange craft had not spanned the clearing to see the strange group of domestic animals beyond the fence and Nira breathed a sigh of relief.

For the rest of the day Nira wandered the forest with the trip, never realizing that this was the last day she would see her secret friends for quite some time. After today, it would be months until she Kat, and after today, Gale wouldn't be visiting the forest as frequently.


Nira waited impatiently by the meeting spot near the fence for her Papa. It was late afternoon and the people were subdued; half the people she saw through the forest's growth either battled tears or cried freely. She saw Gale race from the main square to the forest and was tempted to follow. Eventually Nira gave in, driven by the terrible pain on his face. She stalked him through the forest, to the place on the hill he and Kat had sat several hours ago. He stood there, looking out into the sky, back straight and hands clenched at his sides.

All of a sudden Gale howled and, like the force he was named after, the sound whipped through the forest with devastating anguish. Tears sprang to her eyes at his pain and she fought to stay hidden, fought to keep from running to him in the clearing. Chillingly, the birds in the trees took up the cry and it magnified, echoing throughout the wild and further off, through the town. Nira watched as her friend collapsed to the ground in sobs, for all the world like he had lost his best friend. It never occurred to her that he had.

Gale shook with sobs and wails of emotional agony until dusk began to fall. Through it all Nira kept vigil. Finally he fell still, small hiccups escaping. He didn't move and she dared to break through the trees, cautiously approaching, ready to flee at the slightest movement. He didn't stir. When she had approached she looked upon him, for the first time up close. Gale was fast asleep, eyes closed, long lashes resting on his wet cheek. His face was blotchy from weeping.

Carefully, Nira swept a damp lock from his brow. She sat next to him, alternating her gaze from him to the trees to watch for predators. As night fell she grew twitchy at the growing sounds in the forest. Gale trembled, caught in sleep. He shouted hoarsely in his sleep, and on impulse Nira leaned forward to smoothly his brow and lay a gentle kiss upon it. Gale jerked into wakefulness and burst into motion, grabbing her arm as she pulled away to flee.

His eyes widened on his captive. "Katniss?" he whispered, seeing what he wanted to in the gathering dark, in the girl with the curly dark hair and grey eyes. He tugged her into him and kissed her fiercely.

Nira jerked back in shock with a little cry, hand covering her lips. She stared at Gale, fingers against her lips.

"You're…not Katniss," Gale whispered, slumping in misery. Still, the mystery distracted him from the full force of his grief. He took in her wild, loose hair and dirty dress, belt, and shoes. "Who are you?"

Her eyes widened in fear as Nira realized what was happening. He saw her! The One Thing Papa ever asked her not to do. One Thing: "Never let anyone see you," she whispered, echoing the words he said to her every time he released her into the forest. She turned and ran.

Gale gave chase but he was heavier, and not as familiar with the forest in the growing darkness. She lost him quickly. When he realized this he shouted helplessly, "Meet me on Sunday, please!"


Read and Review, please! Any kind of constructive criticism is welcome. I haven't written many fanfics and am looking to improve myself as a writer.

Anyone with questions or suggestions, go on, go on.

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