I grip the small silver flask in my hand and even though I've been out in the woods for over an hour now I can still feel the warmth of the herbal tea my mother made especially for me creeping through my body. I don't know why I'm still out here I guess I just have nothing else to do now. I don't need to hunt to make sure sweet little Prim has a full belly now that we live in the Victors Village we can well afford to have at least 4 meals a day.
I get up from the rock I have been sitting on and shake my left foot around. I slide on a pair of grey woollen gloves with gold accents over my fingers stiff from the frozen air they have been exposed to. I pick up my bow and I run my hand over the smooth wood that has been polished to perfection. I'm very proud of my new bow it took me 2 months to make. It isn't as good as the one my Father gave to me but it will have to do. I'm still angry with myself for being so careless that one day and getting my bow destroyed.
It was the hottest day if the year by far and I was out in the woods beyond the safety of District 12 with Gale. We were really tired after a long day of hunting and our snares were not very bountiful with only a rabbit, I was annoyed because we had been out all day and had virtually nothing to show for it . Usually we caught more so we decided to make our way down to the lake where my father used to take me to fish. I stuck my hand inside the hollow log covered in a slimy green moss where Gale and I conceal our handmade fishing poles and grabbed them.
I noticed a mink scurrying about the rocks on the other side of the lake, my first instinct was to shoot it but Gale told me not to because there was no point getting wet just to retrieve a dead mink. Minks are notorious scavengers and will steal anything unguarded. But how was I to know that while we were fishing it would wander over to our side and take my bow of the log I had but it on only leaving my sheath.
I didn't even realise it was gone. But when I noticed I knew straight away that it was that mink and that it had probably dragged it off to its liar for further inspection.
But there's no point beating myself up about it what's done is done. I take the 20 minute trek up the hill to check my snares. The first one has nothing and neither does the second. But my third, fourth and fifth one are more successful with two rabbits and a large squirrel.
I always give half of what I catch to Hazel. Now that Gale is working in the mines I feel as if I have to do this for Hazel and for Gale. On the way back to the fence two wild turkeys cross my path, unlucky for them. When I get to the fence I have two wild turkeys, a squirrel and two rabbits.
I check for the hum of electricity but all I hear is some of the looser wires rattle back and forth in the icy wind. I slip under the fence and haul my leather hunting bad over my shoulder.
First I stop at Gale's house. Little Posie opens the door, and when she sees me a toothy grin appears on her little face. She knows when I come she will be getting food. Hazels at the sink peeling a few potatoes. She grins when she sees me and I hand her over one wild turkey, and the rabbits. I know she isn't as fond as squirrels as she is of rabbit so I give her both. She opens her arms for a embrace. I love how Hazel always smells like mint no matter what. She asks if I want to stay for something to eat but I decline. I give Posie a quick kiss on the cheek and ruffle Rory's hair as I leave.
The Hob is relatively quiet today so I get a good price from Sae for the wild turkey. And I trade Peetas father for a loaf of bread for a squirrel. I buy some thread for mother and a bag of sherbet lemons for Prim. I stop to talk to Delly for a while but it starts to snow so I make my way back to the Victors Village on the other side of town.
