Chapter 3
Katniss
I scrub at my skin furiously as I try to get rid of the dirt that seems to settle in every crevice of my body. My fingers nails have all snapped off and been embedded with grime. Scratches from branches run up the length of my arms. My hair feels course from all the tangles. I have never been this filthy in my entire life and all I have to combat it is a cheap bar of soap that irritates my skin. I let out a frustrated sigh and throw the bar of soap angrily into the water as all my efforts come to nothing and I still feel as dirty as when I had started.
I have been travelling with these Phantom Hunters for a week now. We never stay in one place for long. They say they cannot risk the witches finding us but I hate the constant moving and lack of every day amenities. I do not think their plan is even a very good one. Father always taught me to run to your problems, not away from them. I doubt we can stay undetected for 2 months.
I am not used to walking for 10 hours a day and having to sleep on the hard bumpy ground. Every limb in my body aches and pains. I miss my silk sheets and fluffy slippers. I miss Sae's blueberry pancakes and my father's comforting stories. I would do anything for a hot bath and a day of rest.
I stomp out of the shallow pool, dry myself quickly and pull on some clothes. I hate the fact I now have to wear these silly men's clothing. The clothing is tight and I feel exposed having to wear it. But I have no other choice. The one dress I had been wearing when I got captured has been soiled with mud and smoke and it has begun to smell. Reluctantly I have had to accept these alternate clothes they forced on me. I do not know how Johanna can gallivant around the land wearing such things. Dresses are a mark of our femininity and I cannot understand why she would want to forsake them.
I trudge back the short distance to our current campsite. Johanna is sharpening knives when I reappear and gives me her usual glare. I scowl at her in return. We do not pretend to tolerate each other. I have never come across a girl who is so brazen and rude. Most of the men in the palace would blush at some of the words that come out of her mouth.
Finnick and Peeta are both sitting with their bare backs to me as they prepare for their own wash. Their identical round swirling tattoos that are the mark of a Phantom Hunter are fully displayed to me at the base of their necks. The tattoos intrigue me. The swirling pattern almost makes it look like the tattoo is moving and I find it strange that they would mark their skin in this way. It seems a strange way to display your allegiances.
Finnick turns round with a cheeky grin as he hears me approach. He puffs out his bare chest and presents me with a sugar cube.
"Sugar cube?" he asks with a grin. "It is supposed to be for Maisy over there but I think someone as sweet as you should have it."
I roll my eyes and shake my head at him with a small smile. I walk past and take a seat on the ground. Surprisingly I have grown to like Finnick. I was a bit taken a back the first morning when he sauntered around flaunting his hard chest muscles while flirtatiously teasing me. I had never seen a naked man and all the young men I have come across have been trained to keep a respectful distance from me. It is strange for a man to act such as way around me but I soon realised that the flirtations are harmless and I have begun to join in with some of his good natured teasing
"Give it to Peeta. I think he needs sweetening up," I reply.
Peeta fires me a stony glare.
"Sugar is bad for your teeth, Princess" he replies getting up off his perch. "Help Johanna prepare the squirrels. Just because you're a princess doesn't mean you get to sit around and do nothing."
I huff as he stares me down. He knows how much I hate preparing dinner. The raw meat makes me gag but he seems intent on making this journey as unpleasant as possible for me.
I have been taught my whole life to never hate another person. I have been taught it is a wasteful pursuit and as a result I have been very courteous to the many people I have met over the years. But Peeta greatly infuriates me.
From the way he patronisingly calls me Princess, to the way his stupid blonde curls fall into his eyes and the way he continually treats me like a child, he does everything in his power to annoy me. I can tell he thinks me to be a spoiled little princess who has had everything handed to her on a plate. I can feel the resentment towards me as a result.
I do not even believe everything he tells me about the witches to be true. The alternative is to believe that my mother has been lying to me my whole life.
Some of what he says would explain things. Sae has often commented that many of the things I have made happen over the years seem like magic. It could be plausible that I have witch's blood in me and it would explain the strange happenings over the years.
I struggle more to accept that there are witches after me. A blood sacrifice seems a ridiculous notion and if I am really in danger would not my mother have warned me? That is if she is really a witch. I still cannot believe she would have kept that from me.
I suppose they believe it and that is all I can do about it for now. I just do not feel in danger from a coven of power hungry witches. Being forced to travel with a bunch of Phantom Hunters seems a much more pressing problem.
I decide to not respond to Peeta's command and turn my back to him as I braid my hair. I can feel his eyes linger on me for a moment longer, he is probably give me another angry stare, before Finnick tells him to leave it and they both leave to bathe in the pool.
Finnick tries to ease the tension between us that evening as we silently eat dinner. He tries to entertain us with a tale of how he tried to catch a sea serpent in his home District of 4.
"I thought I would be clever and try to ride it! I mean the thing was 30 feet long. I thought it would be as easy as riding a horse!" Finnick exclaims.
Johanna rolls her eyes and even Peeta gives a small smile.
"The monstrous thing did a fantastic job of trying to buck me off. I didn't even know it could move that way! My poor testicles took a beating and I may not be able to procreate as a result," Finnick adds.
I giggle as Finnick demonstrates how he tried to stay on the serpent's back.
"Prince Gale once had to outrun a pack of wolves. He was very brave as he managed to slay every single one," I say wanting to join in with the story telling.
I hear Peeta scoff. I snap my attention to him and narrow my eyes.
"And why do you find that amusing? The Prince could have been killed I will have you know," I say.
"Nothing," Peeta says with an amused grin. "I am sure the Prince was very brave. I am sure he sat bravely as he watched the 50 or so guards that killed the wolves for him."
"That is not what happened!" I exclaim. "He really did kill those wolves. He told me."
"And the Prince would have no reason to lie? It is good to know you are so easily impressed Princess," he replies.
My nostrils flare in anger at his comment. Who is he to doubt the Prince's achievements? Prince Gale is the bravest man in all the Districts. It is insulting to suggest he would sit back and take credit for his guards work.
But it is Peeta's use of the name Princess that is the final straw.
"I have asked you not to call me that!" I shout getting off my seat and storming my way towards him.
I stop in front of him as I stand eye to eye to him. So close I can see the flecks of purple in his otherwise blue eyes. Peeta just grins at me smugly. I hate that stupid smug grin. I wish I could think of a way to get rid of it.
"And why ever not Princess. It is what you are. I cannot see why you would take offense to such a name," he says.
"It is the way you say it. Like you resent me for the title. Maybe I should start calling you Arrogant Pig. Because that is what you are. See how you like it," I reply.
"Go ahead. But I bet it doesn't bother me as much as it bothers you," he says bringing his face closer to mine. I move back slightly, uncomfortable with his close proximity and stare that seems to see right through me.
"It would not bother me if you said it less patronisingly," I state trying to recompose myself.
"I beg to differ," Peeta replies.
I breathe out heavily through my nostrils and resist the temptation to stamp my feet in frustration. He would have a field day with that.
Johanna, who has been watching the whole argument chuckles and gets up to throw some more logs on the fire.
"The pair of you bicker like an old married couple," she laughs.
I shoot her an angry glare. She just laughs in response and I see Peeta smirk. I turn round to scowl at him not amused that he is enjoying this argument.
"Don't scowl at me like that Princess. It will give you frown lines," he adds before flicking the end of my braid and turning away to collect the dishes.
I stare at him angrily for a few more moments as I try to come up with a witty retort but my brain is too clouded with fury to come up with anything and I end up just storming off to my tent. I can picture the smug grin he will have on his face as I do so.
I sit silently stewing in anger in my tent, hugging my knees and rocking back and forth trying to relieve some of the tension. I have never met someone so patronising in my whole life! I even prefer Johanna and her rude words to that arrogant pig!
It is moments like this that I miss my home and family. I want nothing more than a comforting hug from my father or Sae. I wonder how they are doing without me. Has my disappearance caused father's illness to get worse? Is Prince Gale out frantically searching for me? All these unanswered questions and I do not know if get answered.
Later Finnick appears in the doorway of my tent and asks if he can come in. I reluctantly accept. He squeezes his way through the narrow doorway and settles his large frame next to mine.
"Don't mind Peeta. He likes to have a plan and you aren't quite fitting into it," he says.
"He does not have to be so mean about it. I hate the way he talks to me like a child who is too simple to know anything!" I exclaim.
Finnick gives me a sympathetic smile.
"Peeta has had a hard start to life. Hell we all have. There are sacrifices all Phantom Hunters have to make, but Peeta, he's had it worse than most. He doesn't know how to handle someone who has had an idyllic upbringing," he says.
"My life has hardly been perfect. There are certain expectations of me," I reply.
"I know. And I am not saying your life is easy but bear it in mind that there are people out there who have it a lot tougher."
He gives me a reassuring pat on the shoulder before crawling back out of the tent. I sit and ponder his words for a while after he is gone. It is true that I have no idea about Peeta's life and the impact his past has on his life now. I will probably never understand it. He lives a completely different life to me. It would just be a lot easier if he did not resent me for mine.
The next day we rise before the sun is up to pack up and move on. I grumble about having to move again and suggest that we stay put for another day but that is quickly shot down by Peeta. I try to take Finnick's advice and stay calm around him. I will try and give him the benefit of the doubt and not try and antagonise him today. I keep my distance from him for the remainder of the morning.
We make good distance today as my feet are slowly hardening up which makes walking easier. Johanna and Finnick make a game of throwing acorns in the air and spearing them with the knives they carry. I watch them with a smile as their game reminds me of my walks in the woods with Prince Gale where he would try to impress me with his good shot.
It makes me long to be home and in the safe confines of the grounds I know. Everything back there is familiar and comfortable. I know my place and what to expect. I do not know what my role is here.
Even though I have visited many parts of the District I have never ventured into the thick depths of the forest. I realise that even the woods around the palace have not been allowed to grow completely wild and have been groomed and tamed to make them aesthetically pleasing. Out here it is truly wild with the twisted trees, grasses that have grown as tall as my head and bushes that stick out their branches like an array of sharp needles. Sets of bright eyes peer out from the undergrowth and the overhanging canopy is so dense in places that no natural sunlight gets through.
This place is unknown territory full of secrets and hidden depths. As I walk along I cannot shake the feeling that something is always watching me.
We stop for lunch in a small rocky outcrop. I settle down on a smooth large rock and nibble on some of the berries Finnick had picked earlier. The juice of the berry is tarter than I am used to but I know better than to complain by now. It will only result in me having no dinner and rumbling stomach. I am not a person who is used to hunger. I dread to think how I am going to survive the next 2 months on meagre rations. I really hope for a change of tactic at some part.
"So is this going to be your plan for the next 2 months. Keep on moving, scavenging for food whenever you can and hope the witches do not find me?" I inquire.
If there are witches out there I do not think we can outrun them until this red moon passes. And it just does not seem practical to keep moving until then.
"Yes. And if you want to stay alive it would be in your best interests to just keep quiet and follow our orders Princess," Peeta says gruffly.
All my previous efforts to try and stay civil towards him fly out the window. I do not like being told what to do. Particularly from someone who believes he is superior to me.
I rise up onto my feet and stalk towards him.
"Do not pretend that it is my life that you care about. You are only protecting me to prevent the witches gaining more power. It is not about keeping your future queen alive!" I shout.
Peeta glares back at me as he stands to meet my fiery gaze.
"Not everything in this world revolves around you. You have to see the bigger picture. We are protecting the people of District 12 by forcing the witches to lose their power. And it looks like they will need it. They are not going to get protection from a self-centred queen!" he replies.
I can feel my blood begin to boil at his words. I clench my fists so tightly that my nails pierce my skin and draw blood.
"How dare you question my ability to be queen? You do not know me. You do not know what my capabilities are!" I yell.
"I know you are spoilt and naïve. I know you are stubborn and unwilling to take advice. These are not the makings of a great queen," he sneers.
The anger continues to overtake my body sending a tingling sensation throughout my limbs.
"You do not get to judge me like that!" I exclaim sticking my hands out to shove him a little.
However the tingling in my body has intensified and before I can reach out to touch him some surge of power comes out of my hands and throws Peeta back.
The surge of power is so strong that it flings Peeta back at speed until he bangs into a tree opposite. There is a loud thump as he hits the tree and slumps to the ground dazed.
I stand in shock, my eyes wide as I try to comprehend what I have just done. I have never felt it as strong as that. I have never had that much power.
Finnick looks at me stunned and Johanna looks a little impressed. Peeta raises his head dizzily to look at me in confusion.
I cannot stand to be here any longer. I take one last look at Peeta and what I have done before turning on my heels and darting into the thick forest. I can hear Finnick calling after me but I do not care enough to stop.
I run until my legs hurt and slump down next to a tree, hiding my head in my hands and letting sobs wrack my body. I sob uncontrollably as I come to terms with what I just did.
It scares me what I have just done. I could have seriously hurt him. I may not like him but I would never want to cause anyone harm. I do not know how to stop myself from doing it again. It is becoming perfectly clear that I cannot control my "magic" and that it is dangerous for others.
I did not know I had that much power. It can only be magic. There is no other explanation for the surge of power I felt. Peeta is right. I must be a witch.
I begin to hope that what Peeta and Finnick say is true and that once the red moon has passed the witches will lose their magic. I do not want anything to do with it. Power like this is dangerous. I wish I could be rid of it now.
A breeze goes past and I get a prickly feeling at the back of my neck. My earlier feeling of being watched returns and I stop sobbing to scan my surroundings. I jerk my head at the sound of the leaves rustling above me. A twig snaps and I turn to spot a squirrel running about the undergrowth. I let out a sigh of relief and scold myself for being paranoid.
I prepare myself to get up and try and make my way back to camp. I may not enjoy being there but I am woefully unequipped to venture out on my own.
Just as I convince myself that there is nothing out there I hear it.
"Katniss," it hisses.
I freeze. That did not sound like Finnick or Johanna.
"Katniss."
"Katniss."
"Katniss."
The hisses of my name begin to fill the air and appear to be closing in on me. I spin round on the spot trying to locate what direction they are coming from but I cannot pinpoint their location.
The panic begins to over take me. I was so stupid to run off like that. I have nothing to defend myself apart from some witch powers I do not know how to control. I am as good as dead if I do not come up with a plan soon. My name continues to ring in my ears as I struggle to figure out what to do.
Finally I spot one of the monstrosities snaking its way towards me. It is about the size of a full grown man with white reptilian skin. It has the body of a man but the head and tail of a lizard. It spots me with its golden eyes and bears it sharp teeth to me in a snake like grin.
I begin to breathe heavily as more and more pop up from behind the trees. I know I should run but the fear paralyzes me. As they get closer I catch the scent of roses and blood. The smell makes me gag.
They charge closer and closer still hissing my name and I try to figure out the best way to run. I spin round but they seem to be coming at me from all angles. With rising fear I realise that I might have left it too late. There is no escape for me. I scan my immediate surroundings hoping a solution will present itself but my mind has gone blank. I cannot formulate a single thought.
At a loss for anything better to do I curl up in a ball and hope for a miracle.
I can hear the beasts approaching, their stench filling my nostrils. I curl up even tighter and cover my eyes so I do not see what it is that will eventually kill me. However just as I feel the foul smelling breath of the beast against my back it is immediately ripped away from me and I hear the sound of a sword piercing flesh.
I look up stunned to see Peeta slicing the head of one of the beasts that has attacked me. Johanna and Finnick join him soon after. Johanna impales her axe into an oncoming beast that has its jaws bared to eat me. Finnick spins and turns like a dancer as he fights off beast after beast that approaches.
Peeta finishes dealing with the beast that is attacking him before rushing over to me and scooping me up in his arms. He carries me a few paces further into the forest and places me down in a partially hidden badge set. I cower further back into it, terrified of the carnage that is occurring outside.
Peeta ensures I am safely tucked away, smoothing a hand down the side of my cheek, forcing me to look into his bright blue eyes.
"Stay put," he says with urgency. "Please try and stay alive."
For the first time I do not feel patronised. I can see genuineness in his eyes with this comment. He is trying desperately to keep me safe.
I nod my head and he gives a sharp nod in return. He checks once more that I am safe in here, covering the entrance with some fallen branches and darting off to rejoin the fight.
The branches block out most of the sunlight and I cower in the darkness. I cannot see anything from my hiding place but I hear the hisses of my name and the sound of steel on flesh. At one point I hear a human cry and I wonder who it is. Johanna, Finnick or Peeta? I do not want to think of who have might have gotten hurt. I screw my eyes shut and cover my ears to try and it all block out. I feel like I am trapped in some sort of nightmare. This is what is supposed to happen in fairytales, not in real life.
Eventually the noises begin to fade and the smell of blood fills the air. It sounds like the fighting has stopped but I am too scared to move. I sit in the badger's den with my knees pressed against my chest and my arms held tightly round them.
Suddenly a bit of fern is moved out of the way of the entrance and I jerk back, scared of what I will have to face. I am relieved to see Peeta's blue eyes staring down at me with concern. His curls are all sweaty and stick to his forehead and there is a streak of blood across his cheek but he otherwise seems unharmed.
"Are you alright?" he asks reaching into to check me for injuries.
I can only nod lamely at him.
If I had any doubts about the Tribute witches they are gone now. Those lizard beasts were no ordinary animal. They are the stuff of children's nightmares and could have only originated from magic. Magic is very much a real and present danger. I cannot even begin to imagine all the other magical beasts that are out there waiting for me.
Those beasts chanted my name. They were tracking me. They were sent after me. Someone wanted me dead. I am in far greater danger than I originally thought.
The reality of the whole situation comes tumbling down on me and I cannot stop the tears that overwhelm me. I begin sobbing into my hands and Peeta quickly reaches in to comfort me. He pulls me out of the badger set and carries me in his arms. He holds me close as he lets me sob into his tunic.
"Shh," he soothes. "You are safe now. I will protect you."
I hiccough into his chest and nod my head as I bury further into his chest. The tone of voice is the kindest I have ever heard him speak to me. For once his words soothe me instead of irritate me. I cannot deny that Peeta saved my life. I will owe him for that for the rest of my living days.
He carries me back to Johanna and Finnick. They are both covered in blood and Finnick helps Johanna patch up a nasty looking gash on her arm. I am glad that they are all relatively unharmed. I do not want people dying for me.
The tears continue to silently roll down my cheek and I cling to Peeta in a desperate attempt to feel safe and grounded.
I do not know if my life will ever be the same again.
A/N: So this was the first introduction of some of the beasts Katniss and Peeta will be facing. A lot of the creatures they will meet will be based on canon mutts. The magic will play a bigger part in this story from here on out.
Thanks for all the support people are giving me. You all make me smile.
