Chapter 1.
I saw it. A large doe, drinking from the lake. I pull my bow up and angle it towards the doe. I take two deep breaths and pull the string back keeping my eye on the doe's chest seeking out the weakest spot. My target. I let the string go and in an instant it strikes its target and the doe falls a soft thud on the forest floor leaves flutter around caught in the breeze as it fell. I ran swiftly over to it jumping over a fallen tree.
I felt most at home in the woods surrounding district twelve. My proper home. All though I feel more alive in the woods and with a bow in my hands I have family back in 12.
My sister Prim and my mother were counting on me to get food though. That was why I was always in the woods. My father taught me how to hunt. He made my bow. He also taught me about snares and wild plants. That was before he died in the mining accident.
"Hey Catnip. That's a big deer, what you going to do with that?" Gale, my best friend and my hunting partner, said coming up silently behind me. My name isn't really catnip it's Katniss I was named after a plant that my father loved.
"Hey Gale" I whisper "I thought I could sell some of it or maybe after the reaping your family could come round and we could have made deer stew." I Choke thinking about the upcoming reaping today. The reaping where one girl and one boy would be chosen to take part in the hunger games. The games where there are 25 tributes and only one victor.
Gale pulls me into his chest for a hug. I pause for a second before relaxing and putting my head against his muscular chest. I hear his heartbeat a slow steady rhythm. He strokes my long brown hair gently. We stay like that for several minutes and as always he is first to pull away I hide my disappointment by sitting down and unpacking my hunting bag. Gale sits opposite me watching my every move every time I look up he is staring into my eyes. Once I brought out all the food I had manage to scrounge for this special time with Gale I look up and he is staring into my eyes.
I am drawn into his chocolate brown eyes. My breathing becomes quicker. I lean in.
I have always liked Gale, but seeing as he is a year above me in school I never thought he would like me back.
We are inches apart now. Gale closes the distance and holds my face in his hands. A lot of different fantasies are playing in my head imagining what he is going to do.
He mumbles something but before I can say what his lips are on mine.