Sorry for the delayed update. Work has been punishing. I hope you enjoy this chapter and there's still more to come!


CHAPTER 7


I wake up very sore and stiff. I lay in the foetal position I seem to have slept in and see the sun shine through the leaves. The world has stopped spinning, but I feel very dehydrated and extremely hungry. I tenderly touch a trackerjacker sting on my neck and recoil at the sensitive, bulbous sore.

I see a stream a few metres to my right. My drive to quench my thirst is the only thing that forces me to get up on sore limbs and walk with heavy feet towards the inviting water. I'm completely vulnerable in this condition, but my dehydration drives me forward. A metre from the stream I pass by a sturdy tree and before I can register what has happened I'm hanging upside down. Blood rushes to my head and the arrows from the sheath strapped over my shoulder fall to the ground in a clutter. My leg is tightly snared in a rope and has me hopelessly dangling in the open. Despite the stiffness of my muscles, I grab the pocket knife from my belt and try to cut the rope, but to no avail. I hear quick footsteps approach and I double my efforts to free myself, but I quickly run out of breath. I close my eyes and hang in mid air, accepting my inevitable end.

"Hey Catnip."

My eyes fly open and I see Gale standing in front of me. "How's it hanging?" Gale says with a lopsided smile. I'm lost for words, so I try to look at him disapprovingly, but the sight of Gale unharmed, smiling and joking at my predicament elicits a burst of relieved laughter from me. I quickly smother my laugh by putting a hand over my mouth. Gale lifts up my torso and I wrap my arms around his neck as he cuts the rope. I stumble onto my feet, clinging on to Gale as the blood drains from my head and the residual side effects of the trackerjacker venom cause my head to spin. Gale gently brings me to the floor and props me against a tree. He takes out his water canteen and I gratefully take long draughts of water, hydrating my parched tongue. Gale reaches for my backpack, but I lay a hand on his arm to still his motion as something catches my eyes in the woods. I see bushy brown hair peeking out from behind a tree and I motion for Gale to look. Gale reaches for his sword lying next to him, but I shake my head and decide to take a leap of faith.

"Hey" I say loud enough for the young tribute to hear. I smile warmly as her big, brown eyes peer around the tree. "It's OK. We won't hurt you." She looks at Gale and he throws his sword a couple of metres in front of us. She cautiously looks around the forest then quickly strides to us at the stream on quiet feet. She stands a metre away from us, rocking on the balls of her feet ready to run if she needs to and eyes us with some hesitation. "What's your name?" I ask as openly and friendly as I can manage.

"Rue"

"I'm..."

"Katniss Everdeen. I know" says Rue. She turns to Gale and looks at him expectantly.

"I'm Gale" says Gale who gives a tentative wave.

With introductions over and having won Rue's trust for now, she helps Gale fill our water canteens and retrieve my fallen arrows. We agree that we have been in the open for too long and Rue agrees to take us to a safe spot among an outcrop of rocks about a kilometre from here. We start our trek, but it is obvious Gale has to help me and I lean heavily on him. He doesn't complain and actually offers to carry me, but I brush him off hoping that walking might help loosen my stiff muscles. Gale checks some of his snares on the way and he is rewarded with two plump rabbits. My stomach grumbles reminding me how long it has been since I last ate. By the way Rue is eyeing the dead rabbits swinging from Gale's belt, she looks as hungry as I feel.

After almost an hour of trekking we reach a dense part of the forest with rocks jutting out, providing a natural cover from the elements. Gale lowers me on the damp earth and I rest against the rocky wall while he starts to skin and gut the rabbit. Rue watches me as I remove my jacket and survey the tender and bulbous trackerjacker sores.

"I can fix those" Rue says and pulls out a clump of leaves, stuffing them in her mouth. I look on curiously as Rue spits out a wad of leaves and divides them among my trackerjacker sores. The pain fades immediately and I smile contently.

"Thanks" I smile at Rue appreciatively.

"I'll help Gale with dinner." Rue skips off to Gale before harvesting berries from a nearby bush.


Gale, Rue and I share a sumptuous dinner of roasted rabbit and blackberries, the first real meal any of us have had since arriving in the arena. With darkness encompassing the arena and full bellies, we survey the area for a safe place to rest. Rue shares my instinct to sleep high up in the trees and we both start climbing a sturdy tree. As I climb behind Rue, I turn around and look down at Gale who looks hesitantly up at the branches we're aiming.

"C'mon Gale" I coax. "It's safer to sleep up here."

"Catnip, you've forgotten that I can't climb trees like you."

"Well, you don't have to climb as high." I point to a thick branch several feet below where Rue and I have climbed to. "That branch can hold your weight."

Gale paces the bottom of the tree, looking for a suitable starting place. He is clumsier than Rue and I, but after a few false starts and muttered curse words Gale finally reaches the branch I suggested. "Happy?" Gale says after he has found a comfortable place to sit on the branch.

I stick out my tongue in jest and grin. "See, climbing isn't that hard." We share a smile and though the darkness obscures Gale's face, I can feel his relief of having me back by his side. I smile more as I feel the relief of having Gale with me.

We watch in silence as the Panem seal is projected on to the arena sky and the names and faces of the tributes are shown (5 tributes dead today. Gale informs me that 17 tributes are dead so far, which means 3 died while I was under the trackerjacker venom). Rue moves deeper into the sleeping bag and with a full belly she falls asleep quickly. I absorb the sounds of the forest, which are simultaneously similar and different to the sounds of the Meadow. I hear Gale shift around and he must be struggling to find a comfortable position in the plunging temperature.

"Gale" I call out softly.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for finding me."

I hear Gale smother a quiet laugh. "I thought you would've noticed my snare."

"I'm just glad it was your snare." I look down where Gale is perched awkwardly on the branch.

"You're welcome, Catnip." Gale raises his head to look at me and a ghost of smile crosses his lips. "I promised to find you."

"I was trying to find you too, but I got cornered." Gale looks on expectantly and I continue. "I managed to cross paths with the career tributes, but I escaped thanks to Rue." I smile at her sleeping form next to me.

"I'm really glad she helped you and I'm sorry I wasn't there with you."

My brain ignites into action as I piece together the last few days. "Why didn't you follow me into the forest from the Cornucopia?" I say almost wistfully, the question a moot point now that Gale and I have been re-united.

"I got caught up" Gale's voice catches and I can tell he is withholding details. "At least I managed to buy you extra time to escape into the forest."

"Did you have to kill someone?" I ask with a slight hesitation.

Gale is silent for a few moments before answering "yeah. Have you had to kill someone?"

The bloated body of the blonde District 1 girl flashes before my eyes. "Yes and I feel horrible..."

"Don't." Gale gently cuts me off. "Remember, it's either them or you."

I know Gale, like me, is traumatised by the experience of taking someone's life. But I get the feeling he can put his emotions aside and rationalise the necessity to kill in the Games, while the guilt will weigh heavier and longer on me, even if it was a blood thirsty career tribute.

"I'll take first watch. Get some rest" instructs Gale.

I settle deeper into the sleeping bag next to Rue, wish Gale a goodnight and close my eyes to the world.


Thanks for reading. Next chapter up soon!