I'm Not Climbing Up There For a Squirrel

This is by no means my first fanfiction or even my first FPPOV, but it is my first one for The Hunger Games. I'm going to say that this takes place a few days before the 73rd Hunger Games, a year before the one in the first book. Please R&R and let me know what you think!

The evening that it happened it was pouring down rain. I was drenched from head to toe; my hunting jacket was soaked and might as well have weighed a hundred pounds. Fortunately even in the storm and under the weight of sopping cloths I could still shoot straight. The only problem was that everything worth shooting at was taking shelter, thus unavailable to be shot. Storm or no storm, I had to bring something home to feed my mother and Prim.

"Any luck?" I shouted to Gale over a clap of thunder. I might as well have whispered it because I couldn't even here my own voice over the torrential downpour.

"It's no use, Katnip," I just barely heard Gales voice behind me. I spun around to see my hunting partner about two feet away. "Everything's hiding and it's getting late."

I sighed in frustration. I hated giving up, but gale was right. Between the two of us, we had managed to bag only five squires. Even our snares had come up empty. I had been able to gather some berries and roots as well. It wasn't much for two families, but it was defiantly better than starving. We would have to make due.

"I guess you're right," I yelled at the top of my lungs. "We'll divide it up when we get to your house."

Gale nodded and we started to make our way home.

We were almost to the fence when I spotted a squirrel, a fat one at that, high up in a tree limb. I was sure I had a good shot, so I stopped, drew by bow, took aim taking into account the wind, and let my arrow fly. As always I hit the rodent right in the eye. Unfortunately it did not fall out of the tree completely, but landed on another branch.

"Congratulations Katnip," Gail mocked. "You just wasted a squirrel and an arrow."

"Oh yeah? Well just for that you can climb up there and get it yourself."

"What? I'm not climbing up there for a squirrel!"

"Come on Gail, that squirrel's so fat it's worth two!"

"I won't do it Katniss!"

"Won't or can't"

That was all it took. Minutes later Gail was half way up the tree retrieving my kill. When he reached the branch where the animal had landed, he tossed it down to me with the arrow still in it. I was smiling widely as I dropped the fresh meat into my bag.

Up in the tree, Gail raised his arms in triumph.

"Get down from there before you-" I was going to say fall right before Gail did just that.

He hit every branch on the way down and landed with thud that could have been another clap of thunder. I'm not the type to rush in crying when someone is possibly hurt; that's Prim's job. Instead I just laughed at the sight of my friend and hunting partner rolling around on the ground. Eventually though I decided I should make sure he wasn't dying. I was still laughing when I reached him.

He was face down on the ground. "Katniss, this isn't funny." When he rolled over I noticed that he was clenching his left leg and his face was contorted in pain. "Reaping is in three days and if I get my name drawn with a broken leg I'm dead without a chance!"

I immediately stopped laughing because I realized the potential gravity of the situation. "You're right. Come on, I'll take you to my mom."

The rain had died down to a sprinkle by the time we reached my home at the edge of the Seam. My mother and Prim were horrified at the sight of him. I let them tend his wounds while I got busy skinning the squirrels. After caring for Gale, Prim went to his house to tell his family what had happened. They all came to our house and we all ate together. It felt nice to see my mother smile ever so slightly while the two families gathered together. I told the whole story of how Gail fell out of the tree, and even his mother thought it was funny. His leg was, in fact, broken and no one wanted to say what everyone else was thinking.

Reaping is in three days and if I get my name drawn with a broken leg I'm dead without a chance!

I silently hoped for the next three days that Gale and I would be spared the Hunger Games.

At least for another year.