Later, they are curled up on the couch, watching the TV where a man with a funny yellow hat is teaching an audience how to sing. Peeta's arm is around Katniss's shoulders, and Hunter and Lyric are shoved into Peeta's side. They are shoved together, but Lyric doesn't mind. This is the closest she has felt to her parents in a long time. She is half-asleep, drifting off to the educational experience of learning how to sing different notes, when she remembers.

"What happened to you two in the woods? Why were you so dirty?"

The room is dead silent, even quiet Hunter tenses beside her. They wait together, hoping for an answer to a question. It is such a small gift that their parents have never given them-before tonight.

Lyric feels Peeta's head to turn so he can meet Katniss's eyes, and he takes a deep breath of preparation-obviously he has seen some confirmation in his wife's eyes. "We were attacked by some men. They were angry about the Old War."

Hunter shifts beside her. "Old members of the army?" He asks, disbelieving. Lyric knows how smart he is, she knows he is doing math figures quickly in his head. "They would have to be fourteen to join the army, that would make them forty-two at the youngest. They've held a grudge for twenty-eight years?"

"Some people will never get over it." Katniss says quietly. "So many people were killed. Surely there are still people that are angry."

"Can't you tell the truth?" Lyric yells jumping to her feet, instigated by the feigned calm tone that fills her mother's voice, and her attempt to distract. "I'm fourteen! And he's twelve, and brilliant. You can trust us!"

Katniss stands too, and Lyric remembers why she chose to save Peeta, the calm in the fiery storm. Her mother is as angry as she is, Lyric realizes to late. "It's not a matter of trust." Katniss seethes. "Everything I told you tonight has put you into danger. You want the truth? I'll tell you: They were old members of the Capitol Army. The rebels let a few soldiers go, a couple of boys, thirteen or so, who Plutarch decided were innocent. But I recognized one of them in the woods today. They've been plotting to take out the districts."

"What happened to them?" Hunter asks, standing so he can look Katniss in the eye. "You didn't hurt them, did you?"

Katniss winces. "No. We didn't hurt them. We turned them into the Mayor. He's deciding their punishment."

"That's why we told you our story." Peeta cuts in, standing from the couch to join their angry circle. "So...in case it repeats itself. You know what to do."

Lyric was confused. Know what to do? She turned to Peeta, to ask what he meant, but before she could speak, there was a knock at the door.

Katniss nodded to Peeta, and Peeta moved Lyric and Hunter out of sight. Lyric could hear Katniss open the door. She could feel the breeze from the country air.

There was silence. And then Katniss, surprised. "Gale?"


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