Chapter One

Welcome to my life.

I wake in the morning to the sound of my younger sister talking, trying to wake me up. "Nyx! The markets are opening and I'm hungry! When are we going to meet Hawk? He promised that he would teach me how to pickpocket! C'mon, just because today is Reaping Day doesn't mean you get a sleep in!" cries Isra. I yawn and slowly stretch, pushing the scarce blanket off of my legs. "Please wake up! You still need to get changed before Hawk comes and he said he'd come at 6 o'clock! Nyx…" I slowly rise off of my metal resting place and yawn again. "Isra, please do not jump around or the people below with call the Peacemakers on us. You also don't want to fall of this roof, do you?" Oh lord, she's going to fall of this damned roof we call a home.In case you are wondering what I am talking about, well, yes, we do live on the roof of the District 5 Justice Building (sounds kinda farfetched but there is actually a really nice alcove which we sleep in). Yes, we do not have our parents here (because they are dead). Yes, that does mean I look after Isra. Yes, Hawk is teaching Isra how to pickpocket. My name is Nyx Breeze, and I am a 13 year old homeless orphan. My best friends are Hawk Strike, a boy my age who was part of a street gang before he met me. We met by chance 2 years ago….

Isra and I's parents had been murdered by Peacekeepers 3 years ago, and we had been living on the move, stealing from market stalls, shops and the rich to keep alive. We were lonely, yes, but life was worriless. Until we had to move to the richest third of District 5 because of Peacemakers, where we encountered Hawk's street gang. That night was stormy and loud, with the District's power going out. We were stealing from a bakery stall when Isra and I were pulled by rough hands into a dark ally. Someone lit a match and the 11 year old me and 6 year old Isra were surrounded by a group of 6 boys and 2 girls, each with knives or axes in their hands. The leader, a boy with pale skin and gold and black spiked hair sneered at us and signalled to a girl and a boy, each with gold hair. "What are you doing here? This is Hawk Territory." He growled. The girl and boy pulled our arms behind our backs, and we were helpless as they were several years older and better fed. "So?" sneered the other girl, the one holding the leader's arm. "We…we… we are orphans, and have lived on the move, stealing to survive for three years. What do you want with us?!" I tried to keep the terror from my voice, but it was no use. He laughed, and asked me another question. "Will you get out of my territory if we let you two go?" We couldn't! "No! We can't!" I responded. He frowned and slapped me, hard, and I kicked at him. The leader smirked, watching me wince, and signalled to the two holding us again. They pulled us along and cast us down to the darkness in a corner, into a cellar. I held Isra, and we heard a lock click.

After what seemed many hours, the door was unlocked and opened. The leader of the gang had come in with a candle. He set it down and it filled the cellar with light. The boy, who looked my age, studied us for a long time. Before he had come in, Isra and I had hatched a plan of what we would do if anyone came in. That plan would be set in motion the second he opened the door again to exit our prison. "What would you do if I let you out?" he asked curiously. "Why should I tell you!" I growled, and spat at him. He laughed and walked over to us, suddenly snatched my plait and pulled his knife to my neck. The boy smiled at Isra and me. "Now, let's answer this truthfully. What will you do if I let you out?" I motioned to Isra to stay silent, and I did too. "Fine." He let me go, and made his way to the door. I nodded to Isra, and we attacked. We had searched the cellar for anything to use as weapons, and had a sharp slither of glass and numerous rocks as our rewards. I jumped him from behind and hit him with a large rock over the head. He fell but recovered quickly, and yelled for his group. I knew that we were finished then, and I backed away as the girl and boy from before pulled us out. Their leader was looking puzzled, almost surprised by my actions. I nodded to Isra and she cut into the arm of her captor. She screeched and let my little sister go, and Isra bolted away. The gang began to chase after her, but the boy stopped them. He raised his eyebrows and asked me: "Well, your sister seems like a little abandoner, what is her name?"

"Isra and I told her to run. No use both of us dying."

"Interesting. And what is your name, you little vixen?"

"Nyx. What do you want with me?"

"Nothing much… Actually, I am giving you a choice."

"What."

"I want you to join my gang."

"What happens if I say no?"

"Then first we find this Isra, and kill her, and then you die."

"No!"

I kick my captor, hard, and make him release me. I ditch a rock at the leader's head, and then jump up to a drainpipe. I scramble up it and bolt off, meeting up with Isra. We sprint away, and make it to a place we stayed the night before. Smack into the boy's gang. They had traced us, guessed where we were going, and beat us there. I have to admit, they're good. "So, Isra and Nyx, I think you don't deserve a place in my gang now."

I spit at him again, and try to get free. "Who even are you?! Why are you doing this?!"

"My name is Hawk. Hawk Strike. This is Claw, Eagle, Talon, Wing, Beak, Scratch and Owl."

"Fitting names for a group of bird brains."

"Oh, I knew you had fire in you." The second girl, not our captor, grabbed his arm "I have more fire, right?!" she asks.

"Oh, maybe, Talon. But none of that matters. Scratch, Beak, let them go."

I gasped. I thought we were goners! "But they hurt Beak!" growled Scratch. "Do as I say."

"No. You've been the boss for too long, Hawk. Scram." Hawk jumped at them with his knife, but they outnumbered him. Hawk ran, and we were left with the rest of the gang. Beak and Scratch knocked Isra out, then all I saw was darkness when they hit me with the end of a knife.

I woke with Isra standing over me, and we were back in the cellar. "Nyx! Please wake up!" I stood up and hugged her. "I'm ok. I wonder why Hawk wanted to let us go."

"I don't know but it doesn't matter now."

We stayed together in a corner, until we heard shouts and screams outside. A trapdoor in the middle of the floor opened, and Hawk's head rose out of it. "The Peacekeepers have received an anonymous tip off about a gang's whereabouts, and they are here now. Follow me, Vixen."

I spat at him, and refused. "I'm you're only hope. C'mon."

Isra edged towards him, and I followed her down into the tunnel. It came out at a park, and Hawk led us to a tree house. "Why?" I asked, both sceptical and relieved. "Because… I saw you, even for the first time, and thought… that chick has spirit. When you escaped and rebelled, didn't show you were scared, I knew I admired you." I laughed and glared at him, then took Isra's hand and ran off. I saw him, watching me, many times before he approached me again some weeks later. I trusted him, after that, because he taught me how to fight. We were now the best of friends.

But now, to call him my friend… it's just too different to our relationship. I know he has feelings for me, but do I? Enough of that, though. I changed into my favourite dress, a short white one that I stole from a merchant's daughter's bedroom. Isra and I climbed down from the back, and met Hawk in the square below. He smiled at me, and I grinned back. Apart from Isra, he was the only person I truly trusted. Why he gave up his gang for us, I don't know, but none of that matters. "So, Nyx, have you any problems with me teaching Isra how to pickpocket?" I smirk and slap him gently on the leg. "You know I don't, you did teach me how to."

So we spend the morning teaching Isra 'the fine art of pickpocketing' until it's time to prepare for the Reaping for the Hunger Games. We farewell Hawk and race home to change into our reaping clothes.