3rdPOV
Mid-activity, a motley collection of unsuspecting citizens of Panem are plucked from their tasks by an unseen and unheard force. They are collected and gathered in an unidentifiable and rather unremarkable room. One a President would not be impressed by. A large round table is set in the middle of the room; surrounding it is an uncountable number of seats. So many seats are required for this... meeting, that there is more than one ring of chairs.
Katniss Everdeen disappears from The Meadow just as she is about to exit into the forest beyond.
Peeta Mellark is in the middle of kneading dough when he is swept away.
Primrose Everdeen is in the middle of milking her goat, Lady, when she is brought into the room.
Gale Hawthorn is mid-trade with Greasy Sae when he is taken from his task and joins the others in the room, appearing in his assigned seat, which, to his surprise... and disappointment is NOT by Catnip's side. Instead, little Primrose is, as is her right, in the seat to Katniss's left; Peeta Mellark—of all people WHY HIM, thinks Gale—is occupying the seat on Katniss's right. Gale is left sitting on the opposite side of the table to Katniss.
The chairs are slowly filling, each additional person is seemingly placed more strategically in order than the previous.
A significant number of Victors are brought into the room. So are a few important Capitolites.
Then, Haymitch Abernathy is placed in the seat next to Peeta Mellark—the one on Peeta's right. Effie Trinket is placed in the seat at Haymitch's right.
Cinna is seated to Primrose's left. Portia is seated next to Cinna, on his left.
The last two to who are brought into the room is none other than President Snow, himself—plucked from his expansive gardens where he'd been strolling along with his Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane, discussing the up-and-coming 74th Hunger Games—and Seneca Crane. And, much to his displeasure, the only available seats left to them are in the outermost ring. The message is received loud and clear—he may hold a dictatorial power over those present in the room, but it is of no use to him whilst present throughout this... meeting. Whatever this meeting is about, President Snow knows that it means nothing but trouble for him. There's already enough unrest in the Districts—and to his knowledge, nothing is the at the heart of it, nothing is causing it. He's soon to find out, just how much trouble he has on his hands.
Three books appear in front of Katniss, with a letter on top addressed to Peeta.
Peeta reads the anonymous note out loud to the gathered crowd.
Introductions take a while, but soon enough, Katniss finds herself opening Catching Fire and reading the first chapter, as directed.
