The dark tone of her skin and hair stood out as she walked amongst the forest green, ever so gracefully, delicately, as she scampered up a tree, an attempt to get as far away from some tracker jackers as possible, but stopped suddenly.
The other girl tiptoed around the forest, two bumps on her face from some tracker jackers. She bended down, picked up some dock leaves, held them up to her mouth as if to chew but faltered, instead just rubbed.
They both flinched when their eyes met, one looked down, one looked up. Seeing a girl their age, about 12. A small smile from both of them as they acknowledged each other.
"I'm Rue, District 11," the one in the tree said.
"I'm Prim, District 12," the one below replied.
"Allies?" They asked simultaneously and grinned.
"You're using dock?"
"Of course. For the tracker jacker stings."
"You should chew them up first."
Prim made a face at her new ally's suggestion. "Ew," she giggled.
Rue jumped from the tree lightly. She barely made a sound as she landed, Prim noticed. Rue plucked some leaves, chewed them tenderly and placed them on her friend's stings.
"Thank you."
"Anytime," and she meant it.
"Thank you for warning me earlier today as well. I'd have more of these," she pointed to the stings, "if you hadn't."
"I was happy to. So how did you get that 7 in training?"
"Oh, just a little healing. You didn't do so bad yourself."
"I was surprised the Gamemakers found what I did impressive. I just jumped around in the rafters."
She let out a little gasp. "That's dangerous! You could've gotten hurt!"
"Well you could've healed me," she pointed out with a sly smile.
They both giggled and exchanged more friendly chatter.
"So anyone at home?"
"Just Mother and Katniss," Prim recalled. "She tried to volunteer but it was too late. What about you?"
"I have a large family," a pause. "But none even tried to volunteer."
"Well if they did, we wouldn't be friends," Prim replied easily, but she felt awkward when she said it. She had felt... awkward ever since the dark haired girl had lightly walked to the table while she did plant identification during training. Prim had shifted over and left, had felt a tug in her chest as she did. She had wanted to introduce herself, get to know her, and never got the chance before the games. But fate and luck had their ways and they had bumped into each other.
Darkness came, quicker than they thought as they talked all afternoon after Rue helped Prim into the tree.
"I have a sleeping bag, Rue."
Her cheeks turned red at the thought of sleep with Prim, but survival won out and she snuggled in, strapping the bag to a sturdy branch.
"Thank you."
"Anytime," she replied, mirroring Rue's response earlier during the day as they both fell into sleep, unaware of their arms, which they had unconsciously linked.