Katniss opened her eyes and immediately yelped as a smashed in yellow whiskered face stared back at her purring loudly. "PRIM!" She yelled as Buttercup's paws kneaded her threadbare blanket. "Get your hairball off my bed!" Prim slid out of her and her mom's bed and cradled Buttercup.

"But Katniss, he has a red, white, and black ribbon! For Panem Formation Day!" Katniss sighed looking at Buttercup's ribbon around his neck. Today was the country's birthday where celebrations would go on in the Capitol and in the districts. It took place mid-summer about a month after Reaping Day. As fifteen year-old Katniss had made it through another Reaping Day unscathed, she could justify celebrating.

"Happy Panem Day, Little duck. I'm going hunting." Katniss said ruffling her little sister's hair. Prim dashed out the door with Buttercup in tow. After setting him down in Lady's pen, she began milking lady.

"Want some milk? Oh, that's a good boy!" She crooned at her cat who was lapping fresh goat's milk off of a tin saucer. "Hi, Lady!" Prim nuzzled her face against Lady's neck as Lady made sounds of contentment. Katniss smiled at Prim and her animals before walking toward the woods.

"Hi, Gale." Katniss called as Gale appeared from behind a bush. "Gale!" She gasped noticing he was wearing nothing but his threadbare underwear. Sweat covered his pecs, abs, arm muscles, and leg muscles.

"Hey. I got warm setting up the traps." He explained gesturing further into the woods. Katniss looked at his cargo pants and tan shirt hanging on a tree. After Gale dressed, they walked to his traps where rabbits, squirrels, and a raccoon were caught. Katniss added a beaver, skunk, and two more rabbits to the pile. They knew many families would travel to The Hob for some meat to grill in outdoor coal pits later on that day. After skinny dipping in the lake, they headed back to the District to begin trading their meat.

"Hey, Breadboy!" Gale called knocking on the door to the Mellark Bakery where Peeta was inside frosting cakes with the seal of Panem. "Open up! We got something for ya!"

"Uh - Hi." Peeta said opening the door and gazing at Katniss in her hunting gear with her signature braid to the side. He blinked as a dead squirrel was waved in his face. Gale smacked Peeta with the carcass and wrapped his tanned muscular arm around Katniss' waist.

"Ya want this for your mincmeat pies, Breadboy?" Gale asked as Peeta took the squirrel.

"Yeah. Thanks." Peeta replied still gazing at Katniss. "Um - Katniss - and Gale, would you like some bread?"

"Sure." Gale and Katniss chorused. Peeta pulled some loaves that weren't cooked to his mother's standards and handed them to the Seam hunters.

"Thanks, Peeta. Happy Panem Day." Katniss said smiling. Peeta smiled as he took in her grey eyes that looked at him with gratefulness.

"Any time, Katniss. Any time." Peeta said smiling. Ignoring Gale's eye-rolling, Katniss grabbed Gale's hand as they headed back toward the Seam with their hunting bags empty and their pockets somewhat full of coins.

"WE HAVE BREAD!" Prim squealed as Katniss walked in the door with her loaf of bread.

"Yeah, c'mon, Prim. We're going to the Hawthornes." Katniss said as she dropped her hunting bag off at her house. "Put the bread in the box so it doesn't get stale." Prim put the bread in the box on the kitchen counter before hurrying into the bedroom. "Prim!" Katniss sighed.

"Katniss, I want to find a nice clean shirt!" Prim explained through the bedroom door.

"Ugh, Prim, I just did laundry two days ago!" Katniss called . "You don't smell like Lady and your hairball, I swear!"

"How can you tell, you smell like hunting and Gale!" Prim responded coming out of the bedroom wearing a light blue skirt and her least frayed red shirt.

"Rory will like that outfit on you." Katniss remarked causing Prim to blush. They went over to the Hawthornes were Gale was helping his little brothers dig the coal pit where they would grill their meet.

"That's it, Rory. That's it, Vic. We're almost done digging" Gale instructed. "Catnip and Prim are here." Rory looked up and blushed as Prim came into view. Even for eleven years old, Rory was starting to develop muscles like his older brother Gale.

"H - Hi, Rory." Prim stammered blushing.

"Hey, Prim." Rory said leaning against the wall of the house and shoving his hands in his pockets in a 'cool' pose.

"Um - Rory, you just got dirt and coal in your pockets." Prim pointed out.

"Smooth, Rory, Reaaal smooth!" Gale called as he arranged the coals in the coal pit.

"SHUT UP, GALE!" Rory yelped before running into the house and washing his hands.

"Hey." Katniss said wrapping her arms around Gale.

"Hey." Gale whispered.

"You'll get tanned today." Katniss said noticing Gale was once again shirtless.

"Yeah." Gale grunted. "Wanna help me start the fire?" Katniss nodded. Vic ran off to find Rory and Prim promising he would tattle on them if he found them kissing behind the house. Gale smiled at Katniss as they got a good fire going in the coal pit. "Ma!" Gale called into the kitchen window. "We got the coal pit going!"

"Ok, Gale, I'll bring out your meat!" Hazelle called. She brought out Gale's hunting bag. Gale took the slabs of meat and laid them on the coals. Using a metal homemade spatula, he cooked the meat until it was done.

After the meal, the Hawthornes and Everdeens went to the town square where Mayor Undersee gave a speech as the sun was setting. As he ended his speech, Haymitch Abernathy decided to stumble in front of the crowd and sing the Panem National Anthem getting the words mixed up for everyone's amusement. Once he stumbled away, several mine workers used extra dynamite to shoot off firecrackers behind the Mayor's mansion. As Katniss watched the fireworks, she had her arm around Prim and her arm around Gale. With each Panem Day she celebrated, she dreamed about the day when the nation would truly be free.