Hey! So this is a filler chapter. I don't really like it. The beginning is important though… Please review anyway! Haters welcome! (only this chapter and only if it is constructive hate not just telling me I suck) Please review! Love you guys!
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own the HG.
It is always a lot easier to sleep when I am snuggled up to Reed. His chest is a good pillow. Also, I like listening to his heartbeat. The small sound was lulling when combined with the slow rise and fall of his chest.
My eyes flutter open. I look to Reed's sleeping face. He is looks peaceful in his sleep. When awake, he always looks anxious and slightly sad but when asleep everything disappears into his dreams. I rub his goosebumped arm gently, not enough to wake him but just enough to warm him. As the sun begins to rise, Reed slowly begins to wake. When he sees my face he smiles and kisses me.
"Good morning," I say after the kiss.
"And a very good morning to you as well!" He kisses my neck then practically tickles me to death. I am laughing my head off.
"Stop! You don't want to be my killer do you?" I say through the laughs.
"I would never kill you!" He says in mock surprise. He knew I was just joking.
"I know." I half smile. I kiss him on the forehead then press my hand into his chest as I get up. I offer Reed my hand and he takes it.
"We're almost out of leftovers so we will have to get some more food."
"Will you help me make a snare instead of watching this time?"
"No, I think I know an easier way to get food." I smile at my genius. I have seen plenty of Hunger Games to know the strategy of the Careers. First, take over the Cornucopia and all the supplies. Second, make a mountain out of the stuff and keep it guarded 24/7. Third, send out a search party to find the dregs of the tributes: the ones that have 0 chance of winning. Fourth, after everyone is eliminated, they turn on themselves. They have already sent out a search party. All of the Careers that survived the bloodbath were with them so that means that their stockpile is not heavily guarded or not guarded at all. If I am able to use my fox like sneakiness to get to the supply mountain, Reed and I will be able to feast on their supplies without them even knowing.
I tell Reed my plan and he agrees. "But I don't want you to get hurt so I am going."
"No way. You are not nearly sly enough to sneak past the Career guards. We need someone small and nimble; I fit both criteria." Reed nods his head in defeat. He knows I am right. I am the only one skilled enough to infiltrate the Career camp.
Reed is obviously making an effort to walk as slow as possible to the camp. He really doesn't want me to go in.
"Can't we just make some snares and go foraging."
"Yes, but this is much easier, it takes less time and who knows what else is in that stockpile! If one of us gets hurt, there is probably medicine and if we want to have something that is actually mildly good there are crackers and maybe even sweets." He rolls his eyes. Reed doesn't care about ease or the quality of the food; he just cares about my life. "By the way, if we are ever going to get there, we are going to have to walk a little faster. Another eye roll. "You are being awfully stubborn today aren't you?"
"Yes mom." This time I roll my eyes and he burst out laughing. "You really are like my mom!" I laugh along with him until I can start to see the end of the forest.
"We're close." I say. "Keep quiet." I order and he obeys by zipping up his mouth as they tell us to do in our first year of schooling. I have to cover my mouth to keep from giggling because I can see the camp. Wow, it is huge!
Most years, the Careers do have most of the items from the Cornucopia, but this year, it is as though they have everything! There are mounds of deadly looking weapons, tons of crate full of who-knows-what and most of all, an exorbitant amount of food. I can't help but grin. It will be easy to sneak in. There is only one guard and he isn't even a Career, looks to be from District 3, and he was only armed with a spear. (A/N: It is District 3 right, I haven't read the books in awhile.)
To be honest with you, this actually worries me. It is suspicious that they would set a non-Career, especially someone who appears so weak, to watch over their mountainous stockpile. There has to be some sort of trick to it.
That is when I notice the multiple mounds of Earth surrounding the pile. Those must be some kind of trap. I can't quite figure it out until I remember the boy from district 3. He's watching it. He is from district 3 is he not? I let out a gasp. He must have reactivated and replanted the mine! That was unheard of. I guess it explains the absence of a better guard. I just can't believe it. I look to Reed. They're mines I mouth to him. He gasps just the same as I did. We are both completely dumbfounded.
"I am going." I whisper.
"Be careful and don't die." He replies. I nod. I have to wait for the perfect moment when he isn't looking. I sneak around the back of the pile to one of the bags of apples. It is hanging off one of the crates so I am able to reach it and take out a couple apples. I also find a small bag of flour, some crackers and cheese. I also find a small knife. It will make hunting and cooking a lot easier. I don't want to take too much because then they might notice the absence of their food. I grin at my cunning. It was a very easy steal.
I return to where Reed is hiding and hand him an apple. "Nice job sweetheart."
I grin wider. "Thanks." I take a large bite out of my apple. It is so sweet. There is no bitter after taste like the berries, just a nice sweet tang. I love the slight crunch of the perfectly ripened apple. Reed is clearly enjoying it as well.
"This makes me want pie. The pie they make at harvest festival." Reed comments.
"What's pie?" Whatever it is, it sounds good.
"You've never had pie!"
"No."
"Well then you're trying some today sweetheart." He grabs my hand and we're off. I am curious as to how he is going to make a pie. It sounds like it maybe some sort of sweet treat.
"How are we going to make it?"
"We'll figure something out." He winks. "You should probably stop eating your apple; we still want some apple to put in the apple pie." I take another bite and shake my head at him teasingly. He does the same and we laugh.
I watch as he starts a small fire in a cave so nobody sees the smoke, gathers some berries to sweeten everything and a rock.
"What's the rock for?"
"A pan." I scrunch up my eyebrows. I guess a rock would work. It is concave and thin, a very strange shape. I can't believe there is even a rock shaped like that. Reed makes the crust of the pie with the flour and water and puts tiny pieces of apple in it to sweeten it. He smashes the berries and cooks the apples in the mash. The heat caramelizes the apples and berry mixture. Reed loads the mixture into his makeshift crust and lets it back over the fire. An hour later, (A/N: I bake a lot so I know how long a pie would take to bake but fires aren't as hot or as even in cooking in an oven and he's cooking it in a flippen rock! This is just an estimate, if you are a deep forest survivor and you know how long it takes to bake a pie over fire and in a rock then please don't hate me too much. Now back to the story!) the pie was ready. Reed gingerly picked it up with his hands wrapped in his jacket. The scent was amazing.
"It's probably not as good as the one my mom makes at harvest. We don't have sugar and butter and stuff but it is good enough I guess. Sorry about my amateur skills and lack of supplies."
"I should be the one that is apologizing. I am the one who gets the supplies. Really, anything is better than my overcooked rabbits." He shrugs in agreement. "I didn't mean to bash on my cooking!"
"I wasn't bashing! Anyway, let's just start eating." He got out the knife and cut two small slices. My mouth was already watering. I ate it gratefully. It was delicious.
"You really should cook our food more."
"I just realized that." He says after swallowing his first bite. We ate the rest of our slice and stowed the remains of the pie in my backpack. Reed then took my hand and we walked back to our little home.
I hated this chapter. It is so much fricken stupid fluff. I guess it was about time. Yay for fillers… Please review! I don't care if you tell me you hate the chapter because I do too! I need advice!