I wake to a muffled cry, but nevertheless I hear it, I roll over to find Prim curled up next to my mostly unresponsive and distant mother, she looks up with tears in those deep blue eyes of hers and pounces on me, burying her head in my shoulder.

'Ka...katniss, I was picked, it was m...m..e, they said my n...n..name" she sobs uncontrollably shaking from head to toe

I rock her backwards and forwards, rubbing her back soothingly, ignoring the fact that I can feel her alarmingly protruding spine

"Shhhhh...shhhhh, it was just a dream Prim, everything will be fine I promise, it's your first year you only have one slip, you wont get picked I promise" I try and sound convincing, but Prim carries on crying

"You, you, p..prom...ise" she manages to hiccup out

"I promise" I whisper, then start to sing softly to her my fathers lullaby

Prim drifts off back to sleep, I glance out the window it's about an hour before dawn, so I decided to go hunting. I carefully slip out of bed so not to wake Prim, gently kiss her on the forehead and put on my hunting clothes, that consists of my hunting boots, my fathers hunting jacket, a pair of black jeans and a long sleeved green top which has multiple holes.

Silently, I make my way out of my house and towards the Victors Village, as I walk through the seam I notice many shutters on windows, still shut, which is unusual, but I'm not surprised it is 'Reaping Day' after all.

This is the day everyone dreads from the moment they are able to think for themselves. The 'Reaping Day' is where twenty-four tributes in Panem get chosen to enter the 'Hunger Games', but these aren't no ordinary games, these are brutal, bloody and extremely dangerous, as only one tribute comes out alive, but as a Victor.

'Victor' my ass, in the Capitol and districts like 1 & 2, they say its a privilege, it's nothing but, 'Victors' are plagued with nightmares every night for the rest of their lives, riddled with guilt and resort to extreme measures to deal with the blood on their hands.

Trust me I know, I watch my uncle Haymitch go through it everyday, he drunks his nightmares away, other victors resort to drugs, infidelity, extensive training and suicide. To my knowledge I only know of one Victor who hasn't resorted into something so extreme, he paints and bakes his nightmares away.

My best friend Peeta Mellark was chosen as the male district twelve tribute last year, I was devastated, but I also knew that he would win. I knew this as when training with my father and uncle when I was about seven they asked me to run a quick errand and me being me would have done anything to get out of training so jumped at the chance.

I sprinted into town heading for the Bakery when I slammed straight into Fenton Hills, the school bully, the next thing I know is I'm on the floor, holding the side of my face, which was searing with pain. I got up to see a blurry figure on top of a blurry Fenton. My temper flared and I pushed the figure off and jumped on Fenton, letting my fists connect with his face repeatedly. I remember my vision clearing and seeing my dad hurtling towards me, then getting pulled up into his arms.

"What on earth do you think you doing Katniss" my dad scolded

I just glared at the retreating form of Fenton, wishing I had knocked him unconscious

"Katniss!" My dads voice raised in anger

"Excuse me Mr Everdeen" a shy voice came from behind us

I turned to meet the face of Peeta Mellark, the youngest son of the towns Baker

"Yes, Peeta" my dad raised an eyebrow in questioning

"It wasn't Katniss' fault she accidentally bumped into him and he just hit her, so I hit him and then Katniss pushed me off him and you saw the rest" Peeta had huffed dramatically as if it was tiring to have explained that.

"Well, thank you Peeta for protecting my daughter...

"But Katniss remember what me and your uncle said, no fighting!" My dad sighed knowing I most likely wouldn't listen, which is true it didn't listen to him then and I certainly don't listen to uncle Haymitch now.

"Ok" I remember mumbling, inwardly smirking at the fact that I had gotten into trouble

From that day on me and Peeta became friends, which lead to being best friend and Peeta training with me, my dad and uncle, but not as hard, due to him working at the bakery and also he isn't a very violent person most of the time.

I remember seeing Fenton the following day, his face was all, swollen, cut up, bloody and bruised and to this day every time he challenges me, I also win.

I am so deep within this memory I don't even notice Peeta standing in front of his house, watching me fall apart at the seams with laughter. When I manage to get my breathing under control I look up to see Peeta giving me a questioning look.

"What has you laughing at this time in the morning, Kat" he smirks

I smirk "oh, you no me just laughing at Fenton's expense"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk Kat, you know your mouth and temper of yours is going to get you in trouble" he states trying to keep a straight face

It all too much for me, I double over laughing clutching my sides it hurts that much

"Me...going...to...get... Into...trouble...that's...a...new... Joke...funny...but... soooo...untrue!"

"I know, couldn't help myself, I should have said this 'kat when have you not gotten into trouble"

"I don't know, beats me!"

Once composing ourselves we make our way to the fence, which is rarely on due to the fact that district twelve only gets a few hours of electricity a week and it usually in the evenings. We shuffle under and make our way to our meeting spot deep in the forest where our hunting gear is hidden.