Shake It Out

Chapter 9: Getting Better

The eleven-year-old girl stumbles through the woods, to find her valuable weapon. Peeta gave her the bread a week ago, and she couldn't be more thankful. She still doesn't know why he gave her the bread, the only thing she can assume is that he pitied her. That he felt sorry for her. Or just that he was trying to be nice. She would rather it be that he was just being nice, but either way, she has started to provide for her family. She hunts in the mornings and after school, as she won't let her family die.

Her mother still won't talk to them, but when Katniss came home again from a hunt with a squirrel, it stirred something inside her mother and her mother skinned it for them. Katniss has finally gotten her mother to eat without being forced to. Katniss knows that after this, she will never be able to trust her mother again. Her mother just blocked them out, and just didn't ever do anything to help her and Prim through this tuff time. She was being selfish, really, not caring about her two daughters enough to even get a job to support them.

Little Primrose was withering away. She still tried to get her mother out of whatever daze she was trapped in. Prim still had hope.

Here Katniss was, crashing through the forest to reach her weapon's hiding place. When she reached it, she grabbed her bow and arrows - arrows in the quiver - and then she begun hunting. She tip-toes through across the dark forest floor, in search for game. She comes across a small squirrel up in a tree, and takes aim. It doesn't get time to scream out in shock, because the arrow is piercing it's small, furry body. Katniss smiles proudly, and lowers her bow.

She walks over to the now-dead woodland creature and rips the arrow from it's body and sticks it in the quiver on her back. She picks up the squirrel and tucks the tail into her belt, so it hangs down her leg. She continues walking through the woods, farther and farther, until she sees a knife whiz past her face and hits the trunk of the tree next to her with a 'thunk'. She quickly sees that the knife went through a rather large squirrel that attempted to climb down the tree.

The girl turns her head to see Cato, moving to take the knife from the tree. However, she grabs it first along with the squirrel, and throws the dead creature at his head. It lands right on his face, which he soon grabs and tucks into his belt. He leans against a tree, silently asking for his knife back, which she playfully tosses at the tree, right next to his head. Slowly, he gives her a small smile before removing his knife from the tree and placing in his thin jacket. He has his sword on his back, for finishing off some of the bigger animals the woods has to offer.

"How's your family?" He asks, stepping forward.

She pauses, "Better now. What about yours?" Katniss tilts her head slightly.

"Well, my mother has found a job. Dabria wants to come hunting again, and she says she wants Nuri to try as well."

She nods, "That's good."

She's shaking, and he notices, so he opens his arms and she comes crashing towards him and wraps her arms around him, bow in hand. One of his hands snake up to cradle her head on his shoulder, while the other rest on her waist. She sighs, taking in the moment. He takes in her scent, and finds that she has the smell of the forest on her along with her own personal scent, making her even more unique.

"I miss this." He mutters, eyes closed.

She sighs, "Me too."

They stand and hold each other for ten minutes, until they finally let go of each other, even though neither of them wanted to. She suggest that they start hunting, and he agrees to what she has to say. They begin hunting and come across rabbits and squirrels, which they get a lot of. A lot to have a good meal for both of their families. Katniss lets Cato have a little more than her family, due to the fact that Cato has one more mouth than her to feed.

He was going to object, but she forced it on him. She gave him the share of food he needed for his mother, him, Nuri, and Dabria, while he made sure that she had enough food for her mother, herself, and sweet little Primrose.

They walk to the fence, but before they get there, they hide their weapons in the hallow part of a fallen tree. Katniss puts her bow and arrows in the trunk, while Cato slides his sword in but leaves the knives he has that occupy the pockets on the inside of his muddy green, thin jacket. Katniss picks two bag that she hides there that's her game bag and Cato's. She hands him his bag which he accepts, then he stuffs his share into the bag while she does the same with hers.

The pair stroll to the fence surrounding District 12, making sure to keep an eye on all around them. When they reach the fence, they strain their ears to try and hear the sound of electricity flowing through the metal fence, but find none. Cato pushes the bags under the fence then goes under to get onto the other side, and Katniss doesn't hesitate to follow. She picks up her bag while he picks up his and places over his shoulder, hand still firmly on the strap.

"Do you want to go to the Hob?" She questions.

"Um-" He starts, unsure, and unable to finish as she butts in.

"You could get something other than meat if you trade something." She explains.

"Okay." He agrees.

The pair begin walking to the Seam, quickly to leave the dandelion covered meadow. She is beginning to feel hunger, so she assumes that Prim will more than likely be hungry, so she and Cato need to hurry up. Somehow, they manage to strike up a small conversation during their walk.

"So you're really starting to provide for your family?" He asks her.

"Yes." She replies. "Aren't you?"

"Not completely. My mother does have a job." Cato states, looking over at her walking beside him.

"Yes at the school, it doesn't earn much money working there." She retorts, harsher than intended.

"So?" He bites.

"So, you are starting to be the main provider for your family. The man of the house."

He looks down, and sighs. "I guess, but I'm not sure if I can."

Katniss looks over at him, sighs, then a small smile spreads across her face. "You'll have Dabria, she's a very strong girl. She reminds me a lot of you."

"She is strong, but I don't think she's anything like me."

"Really? You're both kind and caring and strong in your own way." She pauses, thinking everything over in her mind. "Did Dabria ever tell you why she started hunting with you, a while ago?" She questions, and he shakes his head.

He says, "No. Why?"

"She told me it was because she couldn't stand to see you go hungry." Those words do something to him.

"She actually said that?" Katniss nods at him in response.

Before they know it, they are already at the Seam. People look at Cato with strange looks, but they soon fade away when they see how worn town he is. The darkness in his eyes, the dirt on his face, his tattered clothes. They don't look at him like he's from a different world after seeing that. They arrive at the Hob and Katniss walks over to an old woman who she tells him that people just call her Greasy Sae. Cato manages to get a three bowls of soup for two of the bigger rabbits he caught. Katniss trades two of her squirrels for some milk for her little Prim.

"Thank you." Katniss mumbles to Greasy Sae, as she and Cato leave the Hob.

They leave the Hob, with their game bags filled with all of the food that they have to feed their families. The two walk through the streets of the Seam, on their way to Katniss' small house. Cato walks up with Katniss to her house, her front door, where she stops him before he leaves.

"I know... I know this is selfish, but, would you mind coming into see Prim? Just for a few minutes, it will make her feel so much better." He pauses for a moment.

"Okay. But not long." Katniss nods and drags him inside her house. As soon as the front door opens, Prim looks for her sister's familiar face and finds it. She smiles and runs towards her, then she notices Cato. She changes her course and Cato kneels down, holding the seven-year-old in his arms.

"How are you, Prim?" He asks the small blonde.

"Okay! How are Dabria and Nuri?" She exclaims.

"Better." He replies, and stands up, then his hand begins to twitch slightly. "Sorry, but I really have to go." Katniss nods in response, and Cato pecks her cheek before leaving her small house, and beginning his walk to his broken house in Town. Katniss in turning slightly red and Prim is giggling at her older sister's reaction. Katniss just smiles. Maybe life could get much better after all.

He reaches his house and gives his game bag to Nuri and hands one of his sharp knives to Dabria. She smiles at him, before taking Nuri to the kitchen table to put the game on the table so she can prepare the food. Their mother said she would help but Cato just said that they would take care of it.

They eat dinner together as a family, but it isn't the same without their father. And it never will be.


This chapter is kind of rushed, sorry, I started writing this chapter later than I normally do, so, yeah... It isn't as much Catoniss as some of the chapters but bare with me, their fathers just died, they can have their salvation moments. If that makes any sence...

If you can, please review! I know I say it all of the time but I love reading your reviews, it really helps me. I will try and update tomorrow, when I get home from classes. Until then, thank you and PLEASE REVIEW!