The forest was refreshing, teeming with greens to collect and animals scavenging for nuts on the forest for on this morning of the first day of autumn. Though the calendar says that summer's well over, the forest certainly doesn't think so, wildflowers and plants blooming lavishly and the trees blocking the heat wave created by the glaring summer sun. As Gale and I lay sprawled under the shade of a tall tree, my fingers skimmed the grass, picking a nearby blackberry and tossed it into my mouth. The bursting sweetness of the berry made me smile. Sitting up, I nudged Gale with my elbow. He lazily opened one eye.
"Gale, don't you think we should... you know, go catch some more?" I raised an eyebrow, pointing at the plump starling, well fed and sleepy in the heat. Just waiting to get shot. But unfortunately, the starling wasn't the only one the heat was getting to. Gale made a whining noise in his throat.
"I'm tired. You have too much energy. And speaking of which, I need a pillow... "He grumbled, as I sighed, slightly annoyed.
"Again?" I stretched my legs out in front of me, as he laid his head on my thighs.
"Have I ever told you that you make a good pillow?" He murmured, closing his eyes again.
"I believe you have, on many occasions." I snorted "And you're so lazy. We're wasting precious hunting time you know?"
"Relax Catnip. Most of the animals would be in their dens in this heat. And you don't want to get heat stroke..." He reasoned, voice teasing. I sighed, giving up with arguing with him, letting my hand run through his dark hair. A mockingjay chirps overhead. I softly whistle a tune back.
"And admit it Katniss, you wouldn't mind spending the day like this." A small comment slips through his lips. I look from him, to the forest, the leaves or the undergrowth concealing us, as if we were in a little world of our own. A world where there is no Capitol, no Hunger Games, no starvation. A place where children can freely laugh and play, somewhere where there would be endless berries to pick, meat to roast, and things to be thankful for.
I could almost imagine it.
"Yes," I reply. "It would be nice."