We went out to the meadow shortly after breakfast. Lily runs ahead excited to be out in the fresh air, I don't blame her, the house can be stuffy at times. That's the part she got from me. She's more like Peeta thankfully, her kindness, her willingness to make friends. She's a natural with a bow and a singing voice much like my father. Lily was running through the meadow spinning and giggling. I hold her brother, Logan, in my lap. Eventually twelve has started to become more than just ash. Now it's more colorful than it had ever been when I was growing up. I hear footsteps behind me. I turn and see Peeta making his way over. He had opened the new bakery recently and bakes a little sells it and does this around meal times every day. He sits next to me kissing my head before Logan reaches for him. We sit and watch Lily who has stopped running and is sitting in the meadow singing to a mockingjay. I hear someone else approaching us, turning to see its Thom. I tap Peeta's shoulder and we get up to meet Thom. One look at his face and I know something isn't right.
"What's wrong, Thom?" Peeta asks.
"Paylor had been killed. Isabelle Snow has replaced her as president. Snows' granddaughter is out for revenge. She is planning something big. She's not alone though, she is working with some other people none of them are from here." He says.
I look over at Lily, who is still singing. Logan is asleep on Peeta's shoulder. "What can we do to stop her?" Peeta asks.
"Get your daughter out of here. Send her far away. Send her to the past. The time when your fathers parents were young, Katniss. Your daughter is part of the flaw in the plan."
"How can I do that? She's seven years old, I'm not abandoning her." I say anger clear in my voice.
"It's the only way to save everyone." Thom says with a sympathetic look.
I wake up to birds chirping and whistling. I watch them hop around on branches above me. I look down at the ground a few feet under me. This was my second night in the woods. Why am I in the woods? I ran away from my "aunt" Jane, my foster mom, whose real name is Dolores Jane Umbridge. She insists on being called Aunt Jane, I call her Toad. I have been in the foster system since I was seven my parents died. They left the few possessions we had to me. We had very little money but they left it with the adoption agency. I received it on my 16th birthday. I had snuck out after dinner through my window with my bag and my mother's leather jacket. My stomach growls so I dig around in my bag for some food I had saved up. Eventually, living in an abusive home I had to leave. I find a granola bar first, so I hold it with my teeth as I shimmy down the tree. I start walking and eating on my journey to nowhere in particular.
It's around noon when I stop to eat and rest. Shade is not a hard thing to find in the woods so I sit under a large oak tree leaning my head back, closing my eyes for a few minutes. Snap! Crunch! Crack! My eyes snap open fifteen minutes after I closed them. It's hard to tell if it's an animal or a person walking towards me. The animals will most likely leave me alone. At least I hope so. A person may be curious and ask too many questions. I look in the direction of the noises. A girl with light brown hair walks into the area. From a distance she looks about as tall as I am. Her outfit - a purple corset with lace at the bottom, black skinny jeans and matching purple lace up heels - gives me the impression she likes old-time styled clothing. She seems out of place in the woods. When she sees me she looks surprised. Who wouldn't be? She starts walking towards me.
"Everything alright?"
"Oh, yeah, just passing through," I say.
"Where you off to?"
"Anywhere. You?"
"I live here in the woods. Names' Mikayla Collins," she says.
"Lily," I say with a smile, "Where's your family?"
She looks at the ground for a moment, "My father died a few years back. I never knew my mother. Yours?"
"They've been dead since I was seven. I ran away from my foster home."
"Are you traveling alone?" She asks.
I nod.
"Mind if I tag along?"
"Not at all," I say with a smile. "Are you bringing anything?"
"Just the spare clothes I have in my bag." She says.
"You're going to wear heels while we walk in the woods?"
"I always do."
We then continue talking as we walk. I learn Mikayla was a hunter's daughter and that she is a decent shot. That brings up an old memory of my mother teaching me with an old small bow how to shoot. It's been ten years since they died in a car crash. I don't even remember their names. I look up at the blue sky checking the time by the sun as well as the direction we are heading. We avoid trails and paths as much as possible. I'm also pretty sure we are walking in one of the National Parks within Colorado. The air has a bit of a chill to it since it's fall time. The leaves on the trees are a mix of reds, yellows, and oranges. If I had a camera I could get some really good photos of the woods. There are a few times where we happen across a rabbit that doesn't move until we are only a couple feet away from it. I know I have a quiet walk even across dry and dead leaves and branches that have fallen in the fall. We walk until we can hardly see in front of us. I climb another tree but I stay on the lower thickest branches so if Mikayla runs into trouble I can help. She sleeps at the base of the tree curled in a ball. I sleep decently all night.
This time I wasn't woken up by bird songs, instead something hits me in the head startling me and making me fall out of the tree onto my back on the hard ground. I didn't get any major injuries but the wind did get knocked out of me. I think I hear a bit of laughter from in the tree.
"Lily? Are you alright?" Mikayla asks at my side.
I give her a thumbs up as I struggle to breathe right.
"Sorry there," A voice calls from the tree. It belongs to a young woman but she isn't from the states. She sounds like she is from England. "I didn't expect you to fall out of the tree."
I look up and see a girl on a branch a little higher than the one I choose to sleep on. The girl, whose light brown hair is cut short, is leaning against the trunk tossing a pine cone into the air. Her style compared to Mikayla's is completely different. She has a black leather jacket with a hoodie under that, black jeans and a pair of silver converse high tops. Eventually, I catch my breath and the new girl hops down from the tree. She seems to have spent the night in the woods as well. She approaches and reaches her hand out to help me up. I nod my thanks dusting my jeans off. I then take off my jacket and brush the dirt off the back of that as well.
"So what brings you out into nature?" I ask collecting my things.
"Making my way to Lonerville and far away from my foster home. What about you two?" she asks.
"Same I guess. I'm Lily by the way."
"Andrea. Andrea Morgan, " she says, turning to Mikayla raising an eyebrow, "And you are?"
"Mikayla Collins," She says, before turning to me, "Are we continuing today?"
I nod, "Do you want to join us Andrea?"
"I could use some company," Andrea shrugs.
I nod digging through my bag for something to eat. I find some food and offer both girls some as well. "Do either of you have water?"
"No, but there is a stream about a mile north of here," Andrea says.
We get to the stream and drink from the ice cold water before we start walking for the day. The day heats up to about 50° F which is about 15 degrees higher than the average temperature for Colorado in November. Spending a few nights in the woods makes me miss some of the usual things that happen every day. Showering is the main thing. I can't exactly find a shower in the middle of the woods. Needless to say, I feel gross not showering. I'm not turning around and going to Toad's home. Nothing will make me want to go back to Jane. I start to talk because these two don't know much about me. There isn't much to me. I'm an open book and everyone knows my secrets before I do. I tell them I've been in foster care since my parents died when I was seven. Mikayla tells us she lived with her father until he died recently, and Andrea is similar to me being that her parents died leaving her in foster care. She too lived with a wicked foster mother causing her to run away. We reach a lone cabin by about 4 in the evening close to sun down. The cabin seems abandoned as we approach so I walk up to the front and check the door. It's unlocked so I wave the other two over.
"Lily, this counts as trespassing," Mikayla says just above a whisper.
"I know, I'm aware." I say, pushing the door open. "Doesn't seem like anyone is home and maybe we can stay here for the night. You know it's starting to get colder now."
I step in and cough because of the horribly overpowering smell of alcohol that pollutes the air.
"Yes, people may not be home but they obviously live here," Andrea says a note of sarcasm clear in her voice.
There is a noise from the kitchen which is somewhere to our right. Either we are going to see a raccoon, bear, or we are about to get shot; none of which would be very good. I turn to the others when a man in his mid to late forties stumbles into the foyer. I get a sharp pain in my temple like a sudden headache. I have never seen this drunk man before ever in my life at least not that I remember. Yet, I say his name anyway.
"Haymitch!" I say excitement in my voice. My question is why am I excited to see a drunk?
"Who are you?" the man slurs, a shaky finger points at me, "What're you doin' here?"
"We were... uh just looking for a place to stay," Mikayla says from behind me.
"This ain't an inn. Get out of here."
"Please, Haymitch," I say, with another stabbing pain in my temple, "Let us stay the night here."
"I don't know you, how do you know my name? I'm calling the sheriff if you don't get out of here."
"You just look like a Haymitch," I say weakly before I have to duck as a half empty bottle of alcohol comes flying for my face.
"Get out. All ya'll!" He yells, tripping as he tries to chase us.
We scramble out of the cabin and onto a dirt path booking it away from the cabin. We don't slow down until all three of us can barely breathe. I feel a hand grab and yank me backwards making my back hit a tree, causing a scream to escape me. Andrea has my shoulders pinned to the tree.
"How did you know that guy's name?" Andrea says, trying to catch her breath. She doesn't seem angry, just curious.
"I-I-I don't know," I sputter, "I just did."
Andrea releases my shoulders and Mikayla relaxes a bit leaning on a tree. I sigh and we continue at a slow pace. We reach city limits by dark, walking past a sign that says:
WELCOME TO BROOKSEND, COLORADO
We look at each other silently asking the same question to each other. All of us shrug and follow the paved road into the city looking for somewhere to stay at least the night, maybe get a real meal and a hot shower too. The town is a very odd looking place with shops that vary in age and size. Some look like they've been around since Medieval Times. Others look just like average nice houses. According to the town clock it's about nine when someone spots us.
"Oi, where are you lot going to this late?"
"Nowhere in particular," Mikayla says, as the man jogs over. He can't be older then nineteen or twenty.
"We are looking for a hotel or somewhere to stay for the night," I add.
They guy is taller than me; even taller than Andrea, who is a few inches taller than 5'4. He has dark hair, not sure black or brown due to the street lamps. He is wearing a light brown, maybe leather, jacket over a blue shirt and a red neckerchief. He smiles at us.
"I help run the town inn actually. I'll take you there," he says walking towards the inn.
I look at the other two who shrug and nod. We follow him into an older looking building that smells like burning wood, with a cozy warm feeling.
"Gaius." The boy calls," Gaius, we need a room. Or two. Or three."
"I don't have enough for two or three rooms," I say to the boy.
"We can share. I don't mind," Andrea says. Mikayla nods in agreement.
"We need a room do we?" An older man probably in his seventies says coming out of the back room before smiling at us. He hands me a key and I hand him money for it, with a smile.
"Emrys, why don't you show them the room," Gaius says.
"Yeah, okay," The dark haired boy says with a smile and a nod leading us up the stairs.
"Enjoy your stay," He says as we walk in and see a couch and a small twin bed. "Oh, the couch is a pull out bed and I will bring a roll away bed right now." He says disappearing. He reappears with a roll away twin and helps unfold it.
"Thank you," Mikayla says with a smile.
"If you need anything, Gaius and I are down stairs in the back room behind the desk if you need anything. Good night girls," He says with a polite smile and nod.
"Good night," Andrea says as he shuts the door.
We settle the bed situation. Andrea on the twin bed, Mikayla on the roll away and I get the pull out bed. I set my bag on the bed and dig through it and find my panda sweatshirt I packed and a pair of sweatpants.
"He seemed nice," I say collecting the small things I grabbed that make up my toiletries which is a tooth brush and my hair brush.
"He was good looking too," Mikayla says from her bed.
I look over at Andrea and smirk before she starts laughing in a good natured way. I have a good feeling I'm going to be great friends with these two.
(A/N: This is my fisrt story on Fanfiction. Hope you enjoy and stuff. Please leave comments and critisism is wanted. Thanks and peace out. This is also the first chapter of the story.)
