CHAPTER ONE

Thwack. I smirked with satisfaction as yet another good sized squirrel fell to one of my arrows. I picked my way through the undergrowth and grabbed the creature, laughing as I saw that the arrow had pierced its eye, the signature shot of my mother. I've heard the stories of how she used to sell the squirrels to Granddad before her and Dad really got to know each other. She had to hunt everyday just to put food on the table. I, however, have no real need to hunt, as my family have more wealth than we could ever need, but it keeps me sane, and that is priceless. My name is Samantha Mellark, but most people call me Sam for short, only my Dad calls me Samantha still. I get a lot of attention around here for being the star-crossed lovers' daughter, but I'm kind of used to it by now.

A rustle of leaves caught my attention, and I slowly swivelled around to find my next victim. My eyes widened and my breath caught in my throat as I saw it: a large deer drinking from a stream. Bubbles of excitement rose through me, as I considered the great respect any hunter achieved by killing a deer. I remembered that Uncle Gale had gotten one when I was very little, and he had cut it up right there in the town square and given a piece to everyone around. He's got admiring looks from passers-by ever since. He was a full grown man; imagine what would happen to me if I caught one! I slowly pulled my bow string back, exhaled and thwack. I jumped back in surprise, for it was not one of my arrows now buried in the deer's head; my arrow hung loosely in my grip. I heard heavy footsteps rushing through the bushes. In a panic, I hauled myself up the nearest tree, and sat on a branch breathing deeply.

A boy emerged into my sight, I silently laughed when I saw who it was. He looked extremely pleased to have caught the deer. I felt a pang of jealousy because I'm so much better at hunting than him, anyway that deer was mine! What the hell. Well, as payback, I'm just going to have to teach him a lesson, aren't I? I pulled back the bow string again, and this time released the arrow with a swoosh. He jumped back as my arrow hit the ground a foot from where he had been standing. Obviously I didn't really want to hit him with it; I just wanted to scare him a little. His head snapped up and he looked at me angrily.

"Sam! What the hell was that? Are you trying to kill me?" He yelled up at me. God, he was always one to over-react, he did look so hot when he was mad though. It was tempting to shoot another arrow down.

"You took my kill. What do you expect, Hawthorne. I thought you were with Stephan today anyway?"

"No, he had to go meet some girl. Anyway come down here and help me carry this deer to the square!"

Is he serious right now? He took my kill and now he wants me to haul it to the town square. Sometimes I think he has no intelligence.

"I'll say that it was a joint effort" he pleaded, looking up at me with those gorgeous brown eyes that I get so lost in. I don't even know why he wanted me to help. It's not like he's have trouble carrying the thing himself, he is easily the most muscly guy our age. Well excluding my brother, but I don't like to really go there.

"Oh fine!" I say, attempting to conceal my pleasure at his offer; thoughts of everybody knowing that we killed a deer already consuming me. It was all I could do not to jump around clapping my hands with glee. Jesus, I am such a retard sometimes. I jumped off the branch and landed silently.

"Here" he said handing me the animal's hind legs. I picked them up, acting as if I could carry them easily when actually they were really heavy. I always try to be super cool around Eric. I kind of have a huge thing for him. He is my brother's best friend and a year older than me, but I swear that sometimes he acts like he likes me too.

We walked with the deer, talking animatedly about anything and everything. We like the same kind of music, alternative/rock so we can always talk about new songs and bands that we like. It was so easy talking to him, it felt like we had been friends for years, when really I only ever see him when he's with my brother.

As we entered the town square, I saw my dad talking to some customers outside the family bakery and so I motioned to Eric to walk over there. About half way across the town square, I started to notice people staring at me and Eric. He obviously noticed too because he grinned at me and started to walk faster. When we reached my dad, he stopped talking and stared agog at us. I literally thought I would burst from excitement. Deer are so rare now, since the rebellion when they were over hunted in order to provide for the rebels, and it is really special to have caught one.

"Samantha, did you catch this?" Dad asked me, looking surprised.

"It was a joint effort" Eric butted in, winking at me simultaneously.

"Do you mind?" Dad said, motioning to the animal. Me and Eric shook our heads and handed it over to him. He then proceeded to display it in the window of the bakery, and promptly wrote in chalk on the board outside: 'Deer pies, fresh deer caught today!'.

People immediately began to walk over to the shop, and dad got to work preparing the deer for cooking. Eric laughed at the looks of longing on the customer's faces as they queued out of the door, waiting for their pies.

"Let's go to your house" Eric suggested. I quickly agreed, as it was quite hot in the square, and we had a pool at our house, (one of the perks of being a victor's daughter was that we had an insane house).