Katniss Everdeen

I've just said goodbye to my little sister, my Prim, the only person I am certain I love. I remain in my mother's embrace for a few seconds before pulling away and sprinting towards the train station, hoping to get one last look at my baby sister.

I try to shove throught the crowd of reporters, screaming for Prim, but I can't make myself heard over the racket of the Capitol people.

I'm grabbed and dragged away, finding Gale staring down at me."Are you mad, Katniss? Don't cause a scene!"

I want to argue, tell him he's the first to badmouth the Capitol at any opportunity he gets, but I am cut of by Madge, who's standing next to him so suddenly that I wonder if I just didn't notice her before."You can't seem like you're against the Capitol. You'll put Prim in the Gamemakers's bad books."

She's right, I know she is, of course she is. But that doesn't keep me from lashing out.

Before I know it, I'm screaming at the only two friends I've ever had.

Blaming Madge for her father's money, Gale for mocking the Capitol – who knows who might have overheard? - Madge for not taking Prim's place, Gale for not getting me to the reaping in time to do it myself, screaming god knows what else.

I only stop when someone grabs me, dragging me away, giving me no choice but to go along with them if I don't want to lose my footing.

I'm vaguely aware of the tears streaming down Madge's face and I want to apologise for the horrid things I said, none of which I actually meant, but I'm crying myself and the person holding my arm wouldn't let me go back to her anyways.

"Katniss, calm down,"a gentle voice tells me, the hand no longer on my arm but on my shoulder. I blink through my tears, just about recognising Darius. The pity in his eyes is almost enough to make me sink into his arms and sob my heart out."You can't do this, okay? Don't draw attention to yourself. Don't look like you disagree with the Games. Prim has good chances to get the Capitol to love her. Don't jeopardise it by antagonising anyone. You missed the reaping rather publicly. She could well be punished in your stead."

That shocks my tears to a hold. I hadn't even thought about the fact that the whole country saw me arrive late. Darius pats me on the back awkwardly."You're coming to the station with me. We'll fix it. Miss Undersee already started sorting things out."

That just makes me feel worse about the things I said to her. Is there a more horrible friend in all of Panem?

At the station, we are met by Gale, Madge and, for some strange reason, Delly Cartwright. I fly into Madge's arms almost instantly."I'm sorry, Madge. I didn't mean a word I said. I'm so sorry. It's just – it's Prim – I lost it – I just -"

"It's okay,"she says, a smile on her face that, albeit sad, doesn't seem forced. Gale nudges my cheek gently."We get it, Catnip."

Then I learn what Madge's plan is. It's ingenious in it's simplicity.

With my mother being our district's healer and Delly's grandfather being officially excused from attending the reapings due to health issues, she's fabricated a very believable story about me taking over some of Mum's easier cases so we could get through them all on reaping day. Gale came along because I can't lift Mr Cartwright by myself and we got held up because the old man suffered a seizure.

Not being able to come down to the station himself, he send his grandaughter to relay the events and back us up, having given her a signed recount of what allegedly happened.

Darius and Madge comprise quick statements that we read over. They actually sound exactly like Gale and I would describe such events and we quickly place our signatures on the papers.

We're let off with a warning and a fine that Madge pays for us. Gale objects, of course, but she quickly shuts him up. Says their porch needs fixing and he should just view it as a down payment. I know what she's doing. Neither of us can go into the woods to feed our families for a while. Gale scowls, seeing through her aswell, but agrees. His pride is immense, but not bigger than his desire to never send Posy to bed without dinner.

And I don't object because now that I owe Madge more than I can ever hope to repay, what do a few more coins added to the debt really mean?

"I'll have to send this to the Captiol, of course,"Darius tells us, once again patting my back in an attempt to comfort me."But I'm sure it'll work out. They rarely interfere with what we do out here."

Two days later, after Prim's amazing entrance at the Tribute Parade, Darius brings me a Capitol telegram.

Miss Everdeen,

The unfortunate event of your late arrival to this year's reaping has been explained to our satisfaction.

In the light of your sister's reception among the Capitol audience, we do hope that no further unpleasantries will occur.

Hoping to see you at the interviews for the families of the final eight,

The Office of President Coriolanus Snow

The message is clear.

Our peole like Prim, so don't make us kill her to show you who's in charge – but don't think for one moment we don't see right through you. You better play nice, Katniss Everdeen.

And I'm planning to. Everything to bring home my Prim.