Chapter 2: New Hunting Partner

I find it surprising when I meet up with Gale in the Seam that next Sunday. He is usually up far earlier than I am, which means I almost always do not encounter him until the woods. The woods is where we almost always meet anyhow.

So, if I am running into Gale early as we head for the fence together, either he just got a late start this morning, or something is wrong.

I quickly find out that it's the latter.

"My mother lost her job," Gale morosely tells me.

I stare. "As Haymitch Abernathy's washerwoman? How do you lose a job as Haymitch Abernathy's washerwoman?" I don't mean for it to come out sounding like an insult of Gale's mother's competence; Hazelle Hawthorne is a sweet and wonderful lady. I am hoping my incredulity is interpreted as a slight towards her now former employer.

Haymitch Abernathy is one of only two people from District 12 to become a Victor of the Hunger Games, the annual Capitol competition in which two children from each district are sent into an outdoor arena to fight to the death until only one of the two dozen competitors remains. Haymitch Abernathy triumphed in the 50th Hunger Games, nearly a quarter century ago. Ever since, he has been known as District 12's resident drunk - the textbook case of a slob. So, I have no clue what Hazelle could possibly have done wrong as his washerwoman to warrant her firing, if Haymitch leaves little evidence that he cares to be tidy himself.

Yet Gale still has an answer. "She sent his favorite flask through the fire by accident when she was drying the laundry. Thing half-melted. He went ballistic."

I wrinkle my nose, amazed that I have another new reason to hate Haymitch Abernathy. "He has a favorite flask?"

"I know. Weird," Gale emphasizes.

A pause as I take this in. "Well, maybe he was in a drunken rage. He always is. Maybe he'll just take her back after cooling off."

Gale shrugs. "We can only hope. But, until then, I have to go into the mines to pick up the slack on our income."

I stop in my tracks. Here was the answer I was dreading. The mines are the most common cause of death here in District 12. I would be distraught if their fires claimed someone as young as Gale. But he's 18, and now eligible to work down there. "So until old Abernathy rehires your mom or she gets a new job, no hunting during the week?"

Gale regards me with a mixture of grimness and sadness. "Afraid not, Catnip."


So it is the following Monday that I begin my early morning trek through town alone. The streets are quiet and nearly deserted, the first grays of dawn rapidly losing their ability to conceal me as I steal towards the district fence.

Maybe that is why I am nearly on the outskirts of the Seam when I hear a voice calling my name. "Katniss! Katniss Everdeen!"

I turn about to see a redhaired Peacekeeper running after me. "Darius. What a surprise."

Darius slows to a light jog as he pulls to a stop. He is breathing hard, and it makes me wonder just how far and for how long he has been following me. "Where are you going this early?"

Any other Peacekeeper would make me lie, or at the very least freeze, regarding any inquiries into my whereabouts. But I trust Darius enough, and have enough of a trading rapport with him, to be honest. "The woods. Hunting."

Darius nods, and glances about. "Where's Gale, then?"

"I usually meet him in the woods. But he can't come this week. He's working in the mines until his mom gets a new job."

"Right. I heard about that. Old Abernathy threw a fit. I can talk with the bastard about rehiring his mom, if you want."

"Thanks, but Gale isn't the kind to just accept favors," I reply. Especially from a Peacekeeper, I add silently. "He's betting Haymitch will come around on his own."

"So he might," Darius agrees. "In the meantime, you're going to brave the woods all alone?"

I wrinkle my nose in offense, reading the sexist implication behind the question even if Darius probably has no such subtext. "I've done it before."

"No doubt you have. But would you mind if I join you?"

I laugh. "You? Out in the woods?"

"I just got off the night-owl patrol. The rest of the day is mine. Besides, it would be nice to watch you work. How about it?" Darius grins.

I eye him, both suspicious and amused. Despite the fact that Darius, of all people, shouldn't have an ulterior motive, he is still a Peacekeeper by virtue of the uniform he wears. He could be trying to spy on me for Cray, or even some other hunter who competes with us for game.

Or perhaps he just wants to spend time with you, a voice in my head theorizes.

Bullshit, I shoot down. That would mean he wants this to be a date. And this is most definitely not a date.

Finally, I communicate my agreement with a jerk of the head. "Stay close." And I march off for the fence, leaving Darius to follow me.

The sunlight glints through the canopy, casting little sparkles on the forest floor, as Darius and I move through the trees. The woods have been quiet so far, with only the sound of birds calling to one another. The sun is high in the sky when I finally come across a buck and fell it with one arrow. Darius whistles at the hit.

"Impressive." I can feel his eyes on me, and I only hope they're looking where they should.

Later that afternoon, we begin to advance up a sloped incline, emerging out of a cluster of trees onto a rocky plateau. On the stony ridge, we freeze when we spot a hulking brown grizzly bear, hunched over a fish carcass. My taste buds water at the meat; I've only ever been this deep in the woods a few times with Gale, so the evidence makes me eager to track where a stream is nearby.

But this mental note is interrupted when the bear spies us, and feeling justifiably threatened, begins to charge. I quickly ready an arrow in the notch, backing up to give myself some distance as I aim the shot, but I trip on a tree root and tumble into the dirt.

The bear is almost on top of me, and I fear that my death will be at the ends of slow digestion, when I suddenly hear the rapid retort of machine gunfire. With a roar, the bear falls dead, its monstrous body landing feet from me.

Darius is standing over me, the smoky tendrils of bullets rising from the barrel of his gun. He is breathing hard and his face is contorted in deep rage. But something else flashes in his eyes. Is it... protection? Indeed, in the next instant, he turns to me and holds out his hand.

"Are you OK?"

My eyes not leaving his, I accept his hand and allow him to pull me to my feet. I am in awe of Darius's bravery, considering especially that this is his first venture out beyond the district. His quick adaptation to these wild, unpredictable threats fill me with deep admiration for him, never mind the fact that he saved my life.

By the time Darius and I have finished skinning the bear and dividing its meat into portable shares, it is getting dark. We trek back to the district fence mostly in silence, broken only by incremental sharing of our life stories. I gradually come to learn more about Darius's past, how he grew up in District 2 before being recruited to the Peacekeeping Corps. He was in District 7 before being assigned to Twelve.

The few street lamps that light the Seam reflect brightly on Darius's hair as we make final approach to my house. I enter into the foyer, and Darius follows behind me. Mother greets me.

"Did you have a good hunt, dear?" and the salutation is unusually friendly, since getting my mother to show any life at all has been a struggle since my father's death.

Then Mother sees Darius and stops short. If a Peacekeeper is accompanying me into our home, I must be in trouble. It's the only logical conclusion.

But Darius only smiles. "That we did, Mrs. Everdeen. Quite a bit of excitement today. I, for one, enjoyed myself. Plus, I got to complete a night patrol of the Seam in the bargain!" He nods to me. "Thanks for letting me accompany you, Katniss. Good evening to you ladies." And squeezing my hand, he takes his leave.

Mother rounds on me, her expression curious. But even amidst her surprise, I can tell that she is very pleased. I can see the smile in her eyes. And why wouldn't she be pleased? For all she knows, I was on a long walk/date with Darius. Perhaps she thinks I am seeing him. The prospect of a guy courting me, and especially my courting him in return, would no doubt thrill her. Mother is well aware of my unenthused opinions on marriage, but that hasn't stopped her from trying to encourage me to marry. Start a family. And to do so with someone above my station - a Peacekeeper, no less! - would more than earn her approval. Wedding a Peacekeeper would give me financial security.

But none of Mother's fantasies will play out, a point I try to silently communicate to her as I head off to bed without another word. I will never marry. My parents' union has given me enough information to know that giving my life and love to another would only result in disaster. Besides, Primrose is the real beauty of the family, not me. And I would never marry a man associated with the Capitol. Not even a kindhearted and handsome fellow like Darius.