Glowing Embers

"Who can tell me the type of berries commonly used to kill tributes in the arena?" asked the teacher. I knew the answer, but I didn't raise my hand. We study the Hunger Games every year, always around the time the Reaping would be. Every year the questions got more in depth, and every year I would ace the test, due to the fact my mother, father, and grandfather-for-all-intensive-purposes were victors.

"Hint: They played a huge role in the 74th Hunger Games, perhaps the most famous Games, and the year District 12 had not only one, but two victors," asked the teacher. ", maybe Kat should answer, doesn't she know this?" Graydee said, in a very insulting voice. Graydee, at one time almost best friend, and biggest bee with an itch I have ever met. – I never call her that during class, it just feels weird because I've known her since I was born – looks to me. In fact, the whole class looks at me.

"Hey, Mute-alina, do you know the answer? I mean, this is your parents we're talking about," Graydee sneered. "Yes, idiot, I know. It's called Nightlock. Not to be confused with the pills used during the rebellion in case of capture, they could be consumed and would kill you in a matter of seconds. Have you ever tried Nightlock, Graydee? You should really try it sometime," I said, coolly. Graydee huffed. Effie – Ms. Trinket looked at us warningly. "Now girls, calm down." She continued pacing the room.

"Let's continue learning about the tributes from that year. Who can tell me the names of the District 11 tributes?" Effie asked. Everyone looked at me, and I looked at Effie as though I didn't notice. Graydee cleared her throat and looked at me, and I snapped. "Can you mind your own damn business?" I snapped, turning to look at her. "Excuse me?" she asked snottily. "You're excused," I huffed. She looked at me angrily. "At least my parents aren't psychopaths," she said, and I lunged at her. Effie hobbled over to us in her heels and pulled me off of her. "Miss. Mellark, could you please step out into the hallway?" Effie said. "Sure, Effie, since you asked ever so nicely," I replied, making fun of her old Capitol accent, and a famous line of hers. She came dangerously close to glaring at me. "Now, Kat," she ordered.

I waited in the hallway for a few minutes until she finally came out. "Kat, I know you hate this time of the year, but people are always going to be like that. You are the daughter of two very famous and controversial people. I understand how stressed you are, but you're going to have to control that temper of yours, my sweet," she said, the normal Effie seeping through her teacher-Effie. "I get it, but why can't Graydee just keep her damn mouth shut?" I asked frustrated. Instead of lecturing me on my use of adverbs, she gave me a real answer, "She's jealous. You're pretty, well known, and loved. She's jealous of you." I rolled my eyes. "Look, Kat, school's almost over for today. If anyone asks, I suspended you. Now go home," she commands. "Yes ma'am," I playfully salute her and walk towards my locker. I grab my bag and my jacket and head out the door and towards Victor's Village.

My mother was less than surprised to see me home two and a half hours early. "What did you do now?" she automatically groans. I laugh a little to stall. She gives me the mom glare. I sighed and told her what happened. "Come on, Kat. You've got to deal with her," she says. "I did deal with her," I reply in my favorite smart-aleck tone. "I mean, in a way that won't get you in trouble!" she clarifies. I sigh and agree to try to not get sent home early for the rest of the semester.

I go upstairs to work on some homework, but come across a question about Game history that I don't know. It's about a pretty old Game and decide to see if Haymitch can help me. I grab my binder and take the stairs two at a time. "Hey, before you run off, we need to talk," my mom calls.

I make my way into the living room and sit next to her. She seems to have a headache and is rubbing her temples desperately. "Communications in 2 aren't working out well. Abbi needs me to go check it out," Mom informs me. Abbi – or more commonly known as President Thane – frequently calls on my mom to check in on things in other districts. My mother usually doesn't complain, but I know that she doesn't particularly like going to District 2. She had a run in with a bullet – well the bullet ran into her – there during the rebellion and she has a motto that if she can remember the particular wound she got in a place, then she doesn't go there. "There's more," she begins again. I nod to let her know I'm listening.

"They want Gale to come with me, since he knows the area. Your father and I said that Alex could stay here while we're gone, and I wanted to tell you that there will be no funny business while Gale and I are gone," she says.

Alexander Hawthorne has been my best friend and partner in crime since him and his father – my mother's best friend – moved back here from District 2 when I was six. Alex and I liked to go hunting together every chance that we got, and were notorious for, well, getting into trouble.

I sighed. "I promise, we won't do anything stupid while you guys are gone," I agree.

After getting the answers from Haymitch and having Effie check it – easy because she lives with Haymitch – I head home. Its only six o'clock and it was still bright. I throw my school work onto my desk and grab my old leather boots and a light leather jacket and yell to Mom that I'm going out. She just laughs and shakes her head.

I run up the steps to the Hawthorne house and Gale is standing in the doorway before I even knock. "Not here. He's way ahead of you. He left about an hour ago," he chuckled. I roll my eyes, "Did he say what area he was going to be in?" Gale nodded, "He said he'd be on the north side of the lake. I think he wanted to fish." I thanked him then ran to the direction of the fence. It wasn't electrified or anything, but it was kept in place to keep District 12 in. It was no longer outright illegal to hunt, but it was discouraged and you could be given a ticket for hunting certain animals during certain times of the year. Most people didn't hunt – there was almost always plenty of food to go around nowadays – but once my mother taught me to use a bow, I was hooked. It was therapeutic to me, like the way kneading dough was to my father. I liked to bake, but in terms of letting go, hunting was much better.

I kept running until I got to the big oak by the lake. Alex and I had a series of meeting places, and when one of us would arrive before the other we would wait by one of the designated areas, but I didn't see him anywhere. I walked over to the hollow part of the oak and grabbed the bow that was hidden in there. I pulled it out and held it up to the light. It was old and wooden, but in near perfect shape. The string was taut and the handle was curved just right. My grandfather carved it for him and my mother, and when I learned to hunt my mother drew me a map of where all the hidden bows were and I soon memorized it.

I turned to look for something to target, but instead heard the faint sound of a branch cracking directly above me. I jumped back and pointed my arrow up. "White flag, white flag! It's just me," Alex yells. I relax my stance and Alex shimmies down the tree. "Hey Kat, so you finally decided to grace me with you presence, I see," he jokes. I roll my eyes. "It is quite the honor for you isn't it?" I say in fake conceit. "I thought you would be out here a while ago, considering how you tried to kill Graydee," he says. "I didn't try to kill her!" I demand. He just shrugs. "You were there!" I accuse. "Hey, those were Graydee's words, not mine," he defends, holding his hands up in a defensive way. I roll my eyes and turn to head towards the lake.

As we're waiting to catch sight of a fish, we talk. "You better be nice. You never know what I might do while you're sleeping," I warn. "Oh so, you're mom told you?" I nod. "You know why they're really going, right?" he asks. "To find out what's going on and see why communications are down…" I trail off at his mischievous grin. "I heard a friend of my dad's from 2 talking to him. He says that something's up with the government over there. There are rumors that they're working with the Snow Project," he whispers it like a scary story. I snort. "Yeah, right, whatever you say," I brush it off.

The Snow Project is really just what's left of the Capitol people, aka Snow People or Capitolists. They've been trying to take back Panem for years now, but really there are no more than a thousand people on their side. "Rumor says that they have spies in the Peacekeeper training facilities. That they're convincing many of the Peacekeepers to join their side," he says. Now, that might actually be a scary thought. Peacekeepers are well trained and very strong. With enough on their side, the Capitolists might actually be able to hold their own.

I pushed these thoughts away and tried to focus on fishing.

The next week was both horrible and wonderful. Alex and I did our best to stay out of trouble, and almost succeeded. I helped out in the bakery a lot that week and Alex stayed with me, ensuing in many flour fights. When my mom finally returned, she was very quiet about her trip. Alex admitted that his father didn't say much about it either.

The day after my mother returned, we got the news. The anchor of the Capitol News Network (CNN) came on and made the announcement that President Thane resided and Alfred Thorn was elected in during an emergency election. My mother and father didn't know much about Thorn, but it seemed that they didn't particularly like him.

Life went on and one week later we were released from school at the normal time, with no homework and the reminder to tune into the new President's speech tonight. After dinner, we sat down in the living room, along with the Hawthornes, Grams, Haymitch, and Effie. The president rattled on and on about not forgetting where we came from and holding on to tradition. "In accordance with what I have just said, I think it is important that we not forget a tradition that was quite a large part of a country for a very long time," he began. I heard my father mutter, "He wouldn't…" and I could have sworn that I heard a few profanities uttered under my mother's breath. All the signs were there, and yet I didn't know what was going on until many minutes after. "The annual Hunger Games will be reinstated. The reaping for the 76th Hunger Games will commence on the original date! Happy Hunger Games!" The TV abruptly went black and all hell broke loose.

My chapters aren't usually this long, but I got caught up in it. I hope it makes sense. Let me explain a few things. First off, I promise I'm not crazy (well, sometimes I wonder) but I'm very much a character writer. The characters kind of just speak to me and I rush to type it all down.

SECOND AND IMPORTANTLY: This is slightly AU. It doesn't matter much, but really only sixteen years have passed since the events of Mockingjay. Instead of 15 years, they got started right away. Kat does not have a brother and Katniss and Peeta are 36 and Haymitch is around 55-ish. So Effie is like, in her forties. Anyway, if you have any questions just let me know! Reviews are very much loved! 3