A/N: Thanks to Casamora and ladyyuuki16 for reviewing. It sounds like Casamora wasn't too excited about the pairing possibilities.
Chapter 1
Katniss was woken by a light touch on her shoulder and not Prim screaming, as she had expected. She drew the knife she always slept with and swung it towards where the hand was. Her blade was met by another knife, one she always met on these mornings. "We're hunting?" she asked her father. He was nodding when she looked up from beneath her frayed hair. Five years ago she had been told she was going to win the Hunger Games. The two men who had shown up didn't tell her when, but that she was going to go in one day.
That convinced her not to take out tesserae, even as much as they'd need it. That was until last year, when a nasty winter had made the woods surrounding District 12 impossible to reach. The Peacekeepers needed her father to survive, and through that arrangement his family, so she took out her first one. Katniss didn't like taking them out, but it was one small problem, and one that didn't worry her like others in the Seam.
Katniss pulled herself out of her bed and pulled on pants and a simple shirt. The Capitol supplied boots and jackets for them, so they'd pick them up at the Gate.
"Today's the day," her father, Joseph said. That day five years ago when he met those two men had also been the day he had switched jobs. He was once a miner, but now he hunted. Legally. If he didn't work for the Capitol, he'd be a poacher and depending on the haul and where they caught you, it was from ten lashes up to execution.
"You sure?" Katniss asked.
"They told me seventy-four. That's the one you'll win, and that's the one that starts today." Katniss grumbles, feeling that she's not prepared enough. Her father laughs as they step out of the shack they live in. The stone tiles are cold against their bare feet and the soot from the mine coats the bottoms. A Peacekeeper transport pulls up as they reach the road. The looming vehicle fills the entire street and the side opens.
"Morning Everdeen's," the Peacekeeper inside says. "Ready for the Reaping today?" They nodded, climbing in. "Isn't it Primrose's first year?" They both glanced at their house as the transport drove away, answering his question.
"A train arrived last night," Joseph said. "Who was on it?"
"I heard some 'Doctor' arrived on the train last night," the Peacekeeper told them. "I got to speak with him this morning. Curious fellow, a little crazy if I say so myself." He leaned back and threw his arms out. "Of course, I shouldn't be surprised. I remember when he showed up all of those years ago."
"He was rather bizarre, wasn't he?" Joseph told the soldier. They both laughed, leaving Katniss out. She had never met the man; even with the story her father told her and the few she had picked off of Rory during his annual visit, he was still enigmatic.
The two men continued to talk and laugh as they made their way to the Gate. It had been created after Joseph had been given the job as a professional hunter. He never told them about whom they met in the woods nor how else to get out there; he just showed up for work, and returned with a good haul. It was that or they'd starve, for he was paid for what he brought back.
They reached the Gate as the sun just cracked the horizon. Katniss and her father entered the Peacekeeper post there, putting on their equipment. It was silent between the two, for all she wanted to know about involved what was to happen and she didn't trust the Capitol's guards sent to keep them in line. District 12, where you can starve in safety. They had tried to get them to use guns, but Joseph insisted on bows. 'Why change what I already know,' he had told them.
They stood in a holding chamber once done with equipment. The Peacekeeper there told them to keep a watch for rabbits and strawberries. Deer was always needed meat, but squirrel could be kept. The Gate was then opened and they walked into the woods.
Katniss felt all of the tension inside of her body fade away as they drew their bows. The woods had become a haven for her and whenever she could go with her father, she did. Chances to hunt with him weren't always common, but she took advantage of when they came about.
"I'm going to check on the strawberry patch and the lower traps," Joseph said. "Make sure the upper ones are fine and hunt along the way. They said we can keep squirrel, so try to get as much as you can get that won't make it look like we're plundering." She nodded before heading out. The traps her father had sent her towards were closer to the fence. There was another person who had traps in that area, but he was a poacher. Katniss had met him a couple of times before, but never alone. Please let this be his day off.
She spotted him as she came upon her first trap. His back was to her and he was looking down. "Is this one of yours, Catnip?" Katniss glared into his back as she continued to approach. "It's well made."
"Yes it is, Gale." The man turned around. He was two years older than Katniss and one of the largest men in the Seam.
"Ready for the Reaping?" he asked. She nodded, not wishing to speak with him. "Too bad this trap didn't catch anything." He reached back. "However, you did catch all of this." In his hands was a string of rabbits, seven total. A smile tugged at Katniss's lips, but she held it back. I'm going into the Hunger Games today. There is no reason to smile. Not until I get back home.
"That'll appease the Peacekeepers. You shouldn't be here. They're gonna turn the power on in an hour." Gale smiled.
"I'll be fine. I've been out here single early this morning. I came out before the Peacekeepers even woke up." Katniss shook her head, appalled by Gale's cunning and stupidity.
"One of these days they're gonna catch you and then what? Chances are you won't get as lucky as my dad did." Gale snorted.
"I don't think anyone will ever get that lucky. He got caught poaching when he wasn't even in the woods and what does he get? A Capitol job hunting." Gale shook his head, looking away from Katniss. "That's not what's supposed to happen here. Not in District 12, of all places."
"Then where is it supposed to happen?" she asked, hoping he'd soon leave. It was bad enough that he was poaching.
"Somewhere else. A place where people can go where they want do and do what they want." Gale scowled at her before turning towards the fence. They couldn't see it, but they knew it was there. "It's a symbol of our imprisonment and slavery to a Capitol that says it's here to help us, but it just kills us. Either at home in our chains, or in that dammed arena, for everyone to see."
Katniss had heard these things out of him whenever father and her ran into Gale. She didn't like hearing about them, so she turned away, the rabbits over her shoulder. "Good luck today," she said. "May the odds…"
"…Be ever in your favor," he finished, knowing the short line they heard every year. Gale watched as Katniss walked off. Once she was far enough away, she brought up her bow and notched an arrow, searching the trees for squirrel.
Gale was the closest thing she had to a brother. She was closer to other guys in 12, but he was the only one who could ever be family. She had no thoughts of a relationship with him, though. She had zero thoughts of children or even marriage as long as the Hunger Games still existed. Any child of hers was a prime candidate for the Games.
Katniss son caught a squirrel out the corner of her eye. She stopped and waited for it to cross over onto the branch above the path she was on. With the notched bow, she raised her arms and aimed for where it would be. The animal skirted from the main section of the tree and onto the branch, stopping halfway. She released the arrow and before the squirrel could move, the arrow slammed into its eye socket. She smiled as it fell from the tree.
Katniss was able to catch the dead squirrel before it hit the ground. If it had landed, then it wouldn't be as worth much to whomever she decided to trade with. She removed the arrow as if she was performing brain surgery, mindful of other parts. It took another ten minutes and one more squirrel to find her father, already on his way back to the Gate.
This was another one of his tests, Katniss realized. Every once and a while he liked to head back early. He did it to prep her for the Games, she knew, but it had started out as a simple game of tag. Now she had to sneak up, take him down, and force him to say "uncle". That was hard, she had learned.
Katniss climbed up into the forest canopy, pausing when her father glanced backwards. Once his eyes were gone, she sipped up into the high branches, thick enough to hold her weight. She moved from tree to tree, stopping each time she landed. Joseph was probably getting suspicious, she guessed, but she continued through. Being loud wasn't that helpful, but it did provide a little reassurance.
When she got right above him, she paused. Cords were wrapped around his hands, formed into fists. Katniss jumped onto him once he was far enough that she'd land on his back and shove him forward. She landed on her feet while he slid forward, crashing into branches. She drew out her knife and charged him, still down. Before he could move, she was on top of him and the knife was at his throat.
"I win," she said, breathing hard. Joseph smiled.
"You're ready. Thank God you're ready." They got up and headed back to the Gate.
The Peacekeepers took all of the rabbits and a good portion of the strawberries, leaving enough for a single trade. She was left with her two squirrels, one of them to stay home with her father. They split from their house, Katniss getting her shoes. Ready, she headed into town with the single squirrel and a small container of strawberries. It was ten and the Reaping wasn't until one, a small luxury given to them due to the fact Capitol citizens enjoy watching them back to back, from District 1 to District 12.
Katniss's first stop was the Mayor's house. His daughter, Madge, had a fancy for strawberries. Madge was also one of her few friends. On that morning, a lady from the Capitol met Katniss. It took her a second before she realized it was the District escort.
"Ah, and what do we have here?" she asked, spotting the box. The lady took it from Katniss and opened it, surprised to see strawberries.
"It's for the Mayor's daughter," Katniss said. The escort smiled at her.
"Uh huh, honey," she said and turned away, tossing one into her mouth. The door was then slammed shut in Katniss's face. She growled, wishing she had her bow with her.
She walked away from that door and headed towards the Bakery. The Baker traded for squirrels, but Katniss was sure that he didn't eat them. Even though she was still angry about the treatment she had received from the Capitol woman, she knocked on the back door. It opened and it wasn't the Baker who answered.
It was his son, Peeta.
Katniss knew Peeta well. They were the same age, thus in the same grade at school. A couple years back he had asked her on a date. She had run all the way home, frightened. Her father had already told her about her fate, and after hearing rumors about what happen to Victors, she was terrified to get close to anyone.
"Katniss," he said. "What brings you hear?"
"I…uh, have something to trade," she said, revealing the squirrel. He smiled at her and reached for it.
"Like usual, I see," he said, smiling. He reached behind the doorway and pulled out a bag, tossing a loaf of bread into it. "here you go." Katniss grabbed it and stood there, staring at him. Peeta remained in place, not sure what to do. "Katniss? What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said, shaking her head.
"Why did you run away?" Peeta asked. Katniss looked away, taking a step forward.
"You'll see." She then left, heading home.
A/N: As you can see their relationship is different. I don't know how this is going to play into this.
