The Amber Successor

Chapter 1: A New Day Dawns

I do not own the Hunger Games, obviously. If I did, the stories would have gone VERY differently . Enjoy, R&R.

Fingers drumming on a wood surface. Scarpa opened her sleep-encrusted eyes to an angry face not centimeters from her own. 'You lazy sod! Get up! Get up!'

She felt the sheet ripped from underneath her, causing her to fall onto the ground. She groaned, and shakily got to her feet. Her mother stood before her, hand on her hips. 'And what do you think you're doing? This is the second morning this month you've woken up late! It's 6am! All your siblings are up. And what do you have to say for yourself?'

'That Ovidio's not up yet.' Scarpa felt the stinging slap before she heard it. Her head cracked sideways, and black spots danced in front of her eyes.

'How dare you speak to me about your brother! He died in that bloody Hunger Games last year, that 74th one. Now, cut the cheek or I will.' Her mother lifted the carving knife from the sideboard.

'I am sorry, mother. I will try harder to wake up earlier. I shall attend to my chores now.' Scarpa acquiesced. She cowered away from her mother, and moved away to her bed. Pulling her night-shift over her head, she pulled on her day-clothes, a simple set of tight grey pants, with a blue blouse paired with it. She sat and pulled on her shoes. They were too tight but she hadn't the money to buy new ones. Still sleepy, she stumbled out of their simple hut into the pre-dawn gloom. Looking out from her position on top of a hill, she could see a lot of District 10. Small farms were the majority, however there were some larger and very large farms that took large swathes of land. Small pockets of forests dotted the land, along with abattoirs at intervals. The morning slaughter had begun, and she heard the echoing screams and cries of dying animals. After growing up with death and killing, she was deaf to the noises.

Turning back, she noted that her six siblings were up and about. Their farm was on the smaller side, however they managed to have a large amount of animals on it, like cows, pigs, deer, sheep and horses. Horses were the main form of transport in District 10, as cars were too expensive and the District was large. We were lucky enough to get a mare, which had birthed foals consistently over the years. Scarpa was lucky enough to get one, a bay colt whom she had called Maggot, on account of when he was young, he got cut, and got fly larvae in the wound. Scarpa had to pick the maggots out constantly until it healed. Now the only indication was a jagged scar on his hock. He was not affected by the injury, and he was a fast horse. Now four years old, he was a beautiful stallion, who was remarkably tame and calm, even when around mares in season.

Scarpa whistled, a two-note song repeated thrice. Lifting his head, Maggot whinnied a reply and came galloping up. She swung herself up onto his back, turning, and cantered down to District 10's main settlement. Nearing the marketplace, she slowed to a walk, and then halted at the entrance. Having broken in Maggot herself, she knew he wouldn't go anywhere. Dismounting, she gave him a quick rub of the neck, and then walked into the market. Quickly crossing to the herb stall, she shrugged off her shoulder pack, and spilled out all the herbs and vegetables onto the stall bench. An old woman peered down at the bounty. ''Tis all ya got, Scarpa? You pr'm'sed me moa last week. Where's tha' pr'm'se, eh? Mah word, 'tis ain't much, hon. I cannae give'ya much for 'tis, I really cain't. Yah gotta tell ya ma, I cain't give yeh as much nowadays, time's hard. I's poor too, yah know that.'

'Come on, Maghry! This is more then I got last week, you know that! You're trying to swindle me! How about I go to Sridia, I'll bet she'll be willing to give me a better price.'

'Nah, nah! Shese a swindler too, youse know that. Anyways, I'll give yah good price, I always do, yah silly girl, don't go w'rrying yah 15-year-old head 'bout it, kay? Now, I'll give you 35 silvers for the lot.'

'40.'

'37.'

'39.'

'38.'

'Fine, fine.' Scarpa said. She took the money from Maghry's outstretched palm, large wrinkles almost concealing the motely pile of silver and bronze coins. Scarpa was not pleased with the price, but times were hard, and no one could afford to just give away things anymore. Maghry smiled, a her mouth a hideous mess of broken brown teeth and yellow gums.

'Sweetie, c'm here a mome't. Heyr, heyr, I gots somefin' for ya.' Maghry bent down underneath her stall, and withdrew a pouch. She shook out a small item, took Scarpa's hand, enclosed the item within and closed her fingers around it.

'Look, Mag, I can't take this. That's too special to you, I-'

'Scarpa, come back here tonight.' Maghry whispered vehemently, her speech suddenly clear in her haste to tell Scarpa. 'I know you don't want it, but you try the hardest out of that rotten family of yours, and I know you don't get anything for it but hits and scrapes.'

Scarpa nodded, and started to turn away, but Mag's firm grip on her wrist bade her stay. 'I mean it, Scar. We were all so sad when Ov died, but he got so close to winning! You took it the hardest, and no one was around to comfort you. Us here at District 10 all saved up to get this for you. So come back tonight, okay?'

Scarpa nodded, too emotional to speak. She turned away to allow Mag's next customer through. After all, she had chores to get to. Putting the token carefully in her pocket, she moved off to do her next errand.

After she finished her errands, Scarpa had one more thing to do. She took a deep breath, and knocked on a door. Its yellow paint was peeling, revealing the old grey wood underneath. It opened, revealing a tall, tanned muscular young man, with hair like spun gold and eyes of bronzed liquid mahogany. He smiled when he saw it was Scarpa, showing neat rows of pearly white teeth. However, one tooth was missing, his left lateral incisor. It didn't detract from his natural handsomeness, though.

'Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, eh?' He said, grinning.

'Nice to see you too, doofus.' Scarpa pushed him out of the doorway, and shut the door behind her. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him.

'I haven't seen you in a while. How about we get… better acquainted.' He murmured, and moved so as to kiss her.

'Guryon, this can't go on. We knew this. My parents are starting to suspect.' She firmly pushed him away.

'Scar, Scar, come on. We haven't even kissed. What do they think we're doing, making love?'

'Well yeah, you're of legal age and I will be soon. Of course that's what they think.'

'That's preposterous. You won't even let me do anything to you.' He leaned in again.

'As much as I want to.' She pushed him again, but put force behind the move. 'Guryon. No. We are not doing this. I can't- I just can't.'

He stepped back, a hurt look in his eyes. 'Scar, come on. I… I really like you, okay? We've been friends for years. Scar? Scar, look at me. Look me in the eyes. Now tell me we're over. Tell me you don't feel the same way.' His voice cracked slightly on the last note.

Strengthening her resolve, Scarpa looked him full in the eyes. 'Guryon. We're over. We never were together. Goodbye.' She let herself out, and didn't look back. If she had, she knew she could not have left.

When she got out of sight, the tears came. Running up a small hill, she came to a tree. With natural grace she flung herself from branch to branch, until she was near the top. She wailed, tears streaming down her face. Her nails dug into the bark until they bled. At last, the sobs subsided into quiet hiccups. She whistled, and as she was climbing down, Maggot appeared. Hopping onto his back, she headed for home.

Cresting the hill, she sighted her home. Scarpa couldn't see anyone, so she galloped to the house. Leaping of, she rushed to the well, and brought up some water. Washing her face, she rubbed vigorously. 'SCARPA!' She heard her mother call. She turned to see her storming out of the house. 'What are you doing? Where have you been? It's nearly noon. Where's my money?'

Scarpa meekly brought the money out, and deposited it into her mothers waiting hand. Her mother looked at it, and then slapped her daughter full in the face. Scarpa could feel the hot red outline of her mother's calloused hand on her cheek. 'That's not nearly enough. I got 10 children to feed, you and your 5 brothers and 4 sisters. You been crying, hmm? Has that boy dumped you like he should?'

'No, mother. I fell and hit my knee, so I cried.' Her mother looked annoyed.

'That's a silly reason to cry. Do you want me to give you a reason to cry?'

'No, ma'am. I'll get right to work.' The rest of the day was spent in chores, looking after the animals. At dinner, she at with her siblings, and her mother and her father. Her father often went to the pub to drink, however money was over-tight at the moment, not that that ever stopped him before. Tonight's meal was a simple fare of stale bread, and thin soup. Scarpa was grateful, however, as that was more then she got in winter.

When everyone was asleep, at almost midnight, Scarpa stole away. She left Maggot behind, as if caught it would be harder to explain why she took her horse with her. She made her way to Maghry's house, a small hut on the outskirts of the settlement. She was ushered in silently. Scarpa sat down on a small wooden chair, and gazed around. It was a simple dwelling, on a few metres each way. Wood was the primary material used in furnishings. There was a table and chairs, a small kitchen, a tiny fireplace, a cot in the corner, and a door leading to the outhouse. Surprisingly, it was very clean; there was not a speck of dust to be seen. Hung over all, bunches and bunches of herbs and vegetables presided from the ceiling. A fire had been lit, and infused the house with its rosy light, creating a cozy atmosphere. 'Thank you, Scah, for c'min'. Now, take uut what ah gave yah.'

Scarpa complied. Held within her hand was a drop of amber, and held within was a small, bronze beetle. 'Tha's a cylindera celeripes, also known as a 'swift tiger beetle'. They's was rare long time ago, now they's extincted. My mammy gave this to me, and her mammy to her, and so on, all the way since a long, long time ago.'

'Then why are you giving it to me?'

'Hunny, youse not stupid. I's an old woman now, ain't got no children left to give it to. Anyways, I has always admired youse for youse courage and determination to get the things ya gotta do done, even when it's hard, or ya gotta make a sacrifice. Now, I's lost three chilluns to that damned hunger games, and I knows ya lost a brother last year, so we gots lots in common. Youse a good girl, ya always follow ya gut, even if no one else thinks its right. And that's a good thing, girl. I's always admire youse for it. Tha's why I chose you as the amber's successor. Now, tha's a special piece o' jewellery. Is rarer then hen's teeth, and just as precious, 'cos there ain't nothin' like it, not ever again. Even in the Capitol, they ain't got nothin' like that. Now, the reason I asked ya here was not just to give you the background, but also to give ya a preposition. Now, the way I kept tha' safe was a special way. This is a hard way to have it, but is the only way I'll give it to ya.' She picked up a needle and thread. 'I gots to sow it to ya.'

What?' Scarpa was confused.

'I gots to sow it to ya. Like, where ya collarbone meets in the middle, on ya neck, in that little hollow.' Scarpa looked down, at the tanned smooth skin. She looked back up, hard with her resolve.

'Let's do it.'