Ch. 1

3rd person

Winter was approaching in a month or so. Katniss could feel herself shivering from the cold, but she ignored it. She needed meat. Well, more like wanted it. After a few minutes, she had caught 2 nice rabbits and 3 squirrels. She was just about to walk the snare line when she noticed something in the distance—a column of smoke from a campfire. She started walking toward it with her impossibly quiet hunter's tread. Gale immediately followed her without question. As they got closer, they heard a group of at least 2 people yelling.

"You're such a jerk! If you weren't here, we wouldn't have gotten into this stupid mess." Voice one yelled.

"Look," Voice 2 replied calmly. "I'm sorry I'm causing you such a problem. It's just—"

"Shut up." Voice one ordered.

Katniss could just barely make out their sillhoettes from where she was standing. They were all sitting, but suddenly, 4 stood up, as if they knew she was watching them. She decided to go in from the side, but they always watched her, though it would've been impossible for them to see her. Finally, frusturated, she just straight up approached them, her bow strung and ready. When she was about 20 yards away and still pretty well concealed in the trees, the first voice called out, "Just come out already! We know you're there. Just show yourself." She sounded a bit frusturated.

Cautiously, Katniss approached them. The 4 standing up were obviously the oldest, about Katniss's age, maybe a few years older. They were all from different districts. How odd, Katniss thought. Out of the 4 standing, only one was a girl. She had brown eyes and brown hair with blonde streaks. One of the boys had olive skin and black hair and eyes. He was also wearing all black. Odd, again. Another boy had perfectly tanned skin, torquoise eyes, and sandy hair. He almost could've beaten Finnck Odair in a beauty contest. The last boy standing was pale, with pale, blue, slightly unfocused eyes and strawberry blonde hair. One of the sitting girls had light brown skin, like she was from District 11. She was slightly younger than the standers. The last 2 people—a young girl and boy—looked almost alike but the girls hair was curly and fluffy and the boy's was spiked. They both had angelic blue eyes and blonde hair. There was also a small black dog with something on its back. A bit of fear shot through her. Could the dog be a Capitol mutt? Trained to kill?

"We don't fight with weapons." The oldest girl told Katniss.

"Who are you?" Katniss demanded, ignoring the statement.

"You know, if you won't put them down, we can make you." The girl said seriously, crossing her arms over her chest and shifting her weight to her right leg.

Katniss snorted. They were so naïve. But, literally, as soon as she thought that, the youngest girl came forward.

"You have to put the bow and arrows on the ground, in front of you, where we can see them."

Immediately confused, she put them down. "You're right. I have to put them down. Thanks."

"Don't pick them back up until I tell you you can."

"I won't pick them up until you tell me to."

"Thanks!" the little girl said, returning behind her elders.

"So, who are you?" the oldest girl asked.

"Katniss Everdeen." She replied, still slightly in a fog. Suddenly, her head snapped up. "Didn't you know that?"

"Yes. Of course. I was just double checking." She said.

That was odd. This wasn't a normal group of characters.

"Who are you?" Katniss asked again.

"Well, I am C29 dash 52PR6 dash 7 oh 8." The girl replied.

Then, Katniss and the girl were in a glaring contest. She was about three inches taller than Katniss's 5'5.

"Well, I'm going to have to take you guys to Coin. She'll get names et cetera out of you." Katniss said a minute or so later, sighing.

"We're not going to see anyone." The girl said in a steely voice that almost made Katniss flinch. Almost. She had survived worse. She mentally shuddered at the thought of Prim's screams in the clock arena. Tick tock.

"Do you guys not want a bed to sleep in and food to eat?" Katniss asked.

Immediately, the younger ones started begging their leader to go.

"Okay, fine. Here we go."

Katniss led them and Gale went behind them so they wouldn't escape.

"Ishnay. Sharta." The leader siad. "Total, smayt."

"Excuse me?" Katniss asked, wondering if she was talking to her.

"Nothing." Leader girl answered.

The rest of the walk back to 13 was quiet. When they got to 13, Katniss handed her bow and arrows to Gale and took the strangers to Coin. She lined them up on the wall behind her desk and looked over them with steely eyes.

"Let's start off simple. Where are you from?" Coin asked.

None of them replied. The youngest girl was concentrating really hard on something and biting on her lower lip. She glanced at her leader, who nodded.

"We're from different districts." The leader replied.

"Okay, then. We'll go down the line."

"I'm from…7." The leader replied.

"I'm same as her." The dark boy said quietly.

"Uh, 10." the strawberry blonde replied after a moment, focusing on a point on Coin's forehead.

"4." The gorgeous one replied.

"11. It's really nice but I think it would be really nice to live somewhere else like—" she was cut off by the boy beside her nudging her.

"Uh, 7. So is my sister." The youngest boy said, gesturing to the youngest girl while she nodded.

"And how did you all meet?" Coin asked, looking suspicious.

"We, uh, ran into each other outside of District 12." The leader said.

"Sure. How old are you all?"

"We're 17." The leader said, gesturing down the row at the 4 oldest. "And the others are 14, 11 and 9."

"Where'd you get the dog?"

"He's An-hers." She said, pointing at the youngest girl.

"Oh, ok. And what are your names?"

Silence. Not one of the strange, slightly dirty people said a word.

Spies, Katniss thought.

"We're not spies." The littlest girl said, looking at Katniss.

"What?"

"We're not spies." She repeated. "And I suppose we do look older than we say we are, but we actually are those ages. But Katniss has actually been pretty nice to us. You… well you've tried to be nice to us. I can see that you're trying really hard." She directed the second part of the statement at Coin, who looked absolutly flabergasted.

"How do you—"

"So, can we, like, go? Not that this hasn't been…very nice or anything, but we're kinda tired."

"Uh, okay." Coin replied, still looking astounded. "I guess we'll need…how many rooms?"

"I guess 2 would be okay." Leader Girl replied slowly, looking down the line.

"Oh, and you all need medical examinations."

Immediately, Katniss saw fear shoot through their eyes.

"That won't be nessesary." The youngest girl said.

"That won't be nessesary. Okay." Coin agreed, looking confused.

"Great, now our rooms?" the leader asked, sounding irritated.

"Yes, yes. Come right this way. Let me introduce you to the procedures of our district." Coin said, leading them out.