A/N: Thanks so much for the positive reviews I have received! Special thanks to Cloud-Lover26, who has agreed to be my beta :)

Enjoy!

Chapter 2

The day of Katniss' funeral is rainy and gray, mirroring our moods as we trudge down the muddy path to the Meadow, Katniss' small wooden coffin in our wake. There are many more mourners than Mrs. Everdeen expected, but I can tell she's grateful for the support. Mom's arm encircles hers the whole trip, and Rory walks with Posy, who is sobbing into a handkerchief. Gale carries the coffin, along with some other young men from the Seam. And Peeta. He looks awful- sunken eyes, frown lines etched into his face, dark circles from no sleep.

We bury her in the farthest corner of the Meadow, close to the hole in the fence that she used to sneak into the woods. There are too many of us to actually squeeze under the fence and bury her in the woods, but this is close enough.

Once the coffin in lifted down and the dirt is ready to be shoveled back into the hole, Mrs. Everdeen and Prim step forward. Without a word, they simultaneously press the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and hold it out to the grave. Then we all step forward and repeat the ancient gesture.

When the burial is completely finished, Mrs. Everdeen and Prim come home with us, so they won't have to be alone with the memory of Katniss.

I can hear the sobbing far into the night.

When I am 10 years old, a new Head Peacekeeper comes to District 12. His name is Romulus Thread.

Thread is tall, with close cropped hair, and is much more evil than old Cray. No one is really sure why he took Cray's place after so many years, but some suspect that finally having a victor means that the Capitol is finally paying us some attention.

Thread made the rules clear from the minute he stepped off the high-speed Capitol train. Poaching is punishable by whipping. A second offense is punishable by hanging. Mom warns Gale not to hunt so often, but he doesn't listen. He never listens anymore, not since Katniss died.

One day, the door to our shack is slammed open, causing Mom and me to jump from where we stand in the kitchen, folding laundry. Gale's friends from the mines, Thom and Bristel, stomp inside, carrying a slab of wood between them. Upon closer inspection, I realize that the lump of cloth on top of the wood is actually a person. Then, in the dim light, I make out who it is and my blood runs cold.

Gale.

Mom, her hands trembling, immediately calls for Vick to go get Mrs. Everdeen. Meanwhile, we both insepct the damage.

His back is torn to shreds, bleeding heavily and showing bone through the rags of flesh. It's so gruesome I feel breakfast threatening to make an appearance and turn around, looking for something useful to do. A rag of cloth hangs from the sink. It's a start. I wet is and squeeze it out gently before handing it to my mother, who uses it to wipe away excess blood.

Mrs. Everdeen appears than with Vick and Prim, holding a bag of supplies. Pushing the rest of us out of the way, she leans down and mutters something like, "snow coat." While the Everdeens work, Thom and Bristel tell us what happened.

"He was found in the square carrying a wild turkey. Thread asked him if he'd been in the woods and Gale said no, that he found the turkey by the Meadow. Then Thread told him that it was still poaching, and that he deserved lashes." Thom started, pausing to let Bristel go on.

"Then, Thread tied Gale's wrists to the whipping post and started whipping," Bristel explained, shuddering as he remembered. "Luckily, Gale passed out after about 30 or so. We didn't know what to do, so everyone just stood and watched."

He looks so sorry and ashamed that I feel the need to comfort him. "It's okay Bristel," I say, patting his arm soothingly, "you couldn't have helped."

Mom agrees, and then asks, "So what did stop the whipping, then? Thread wouldn't have stopped until Gale was dead."

This time Thom speaks. "It was the mayor's girl, Hazelle. Ran right up and snatched the whip out of his hands. Would've probably been whipped herself if her father hadn't come to save her." He shakes his head slowly. "Wonder what made her do that."

"Yes," Mom says, "it is rather strange isn't it? But the important thing is that she saved his life in the end."

Late that night, in between Gale's groans of pain, I hear a desperate knock on the door.

I rush to open it, and right there on our doorstep stands the mayor's daughter Madge. She was Katniss' friend, but other than that, I really don't know much about her. In her gloved hands, she holds a tiny bottle, clutching it to her chest as if it is her source of life.

"Can I come in?" she asks quickly, as I stand to the side to let her through. Gale is lying on the sagging sofa by the door now, his weak grunt of pain barely discernable now. Mom is kneeling in front of him, trying to force some broth through his open mouth.

Madge gasps when she sees his body, causing Mom to straighten up and turn around, I sad smile on her face. "Madge," she says softly.

Madge, meanwhile, looks very uncomfortable. "Hello Mrs. Hawthorne-"

"Oh, call me Hazelle," Mom buts in. "Everyone does."

Madge starts again, winding a blond strand of hair around her finger. "Okay, then… Hazelle, here's some medicine. For Gale. It helps relieve the pain." She sets it quietly down on the table and turns to go, but my mother puts a warm, calloused hand on her shoulder. Madge turns around slowly, looking a little embarrassed.

"Madge, I can't express how grateful I am to you for stopping Gale's whipping, and for bringing the medicine." Her eyes shine with unshed tears. "He's in so much pain, but this should make it better."

Madge accepts the thanks, saying, "It was nothing really." Then, before we can convince her to stay, she scurries out the door and back to her huge house.

As soon Mom injects the medicine into Gale's forearm, he sighs in relief and drifts off into a more peaceful sleep. Comforted by knowing he's okay, Mom and I settle into a tiny cot that we pulled out into the front room, in case Gale needs anything during the night.

And finally, we drift to sleep.

A/N: So what did you think? Is it going too slow? Are you wondering what the deal with Thread is? Well, I'll probably introduce that in another chapter or so…. *laughs evil laugh* Sorry, but I have to sort of build up to it.

Also, I was thinking of ending this fic right after Posy makes the deal with Thread and then writing a sequel about the deal and how it affects her life. Should I do it or combine everything in one fic?

Please review if you have any questions/comments/feedback/ etc. Thank you!