Chapter 28- Author's Note
Sorry guys, this isn't a new chapter. I just wanted to say please check out my new Gadge story, Seize the Night, and tell me what you guys think!
Summary:
Madge Undersee is Gale's hunting partner? Since when? Well... since forever. The story of how the two hunters with completely different backgrounds explore the possibility of...more. AU in D12 as we know it.
Excerpt:
"What's your name, anyways?" The boy asks.
Madge's name is Madalyn, but for some reason she gives him her nickname that so few people know. "Madge. You?"
"Gale."
Madge just nods, still looking at the bow. "Jesus, when was the last time you used this? I think its toast. You need a new one."
Gale is first surprised at her using a biblical term, since it's very much treasonous, but then his face falls at her words. "What?" he chokes out.
Madge's head snaps up at his tone, and she instantly regrets being so blunt about when she sees the look on his face. "I mean…" she stutters uselessly.
"That was my dad's," he says quietly, eyes sad. "Are you sure you can't fix it?"
Madge notices his use on the past tense, but doesn't say anything. There was a mine explosion just two weeks ago and she wonders if maybe his dad was one of the ones who didn't make it.
Madge looks back at the bow. "The riser is beautifully made. Hand carved. The limbs of it too," she mutters, more to herself than him. She looks up at him, "I only said that you need a new one because when something happens to mine I just make a new one, but that's just me. Plus it'll be tricky to restring it. Not impossible, though. You just need the right materials."
Madge hands him back his bow and picks hers up to show him, happy that the look on his face is now gone at her words. "Look, see? I used a fishing line as string."
He nods, looking at her bow and hanging onto her every word. "I don't think I have a fishing line."
Madge smiles, and misses Gale's sharp inhale at the sight of it, surprised that he hadn't noticed her beauty until now. She may be 13, but she's already gorgeous, and 14-year-old Gale can't help but take notice. "That's okay. You can use anything really. I've used rawhide before and that works just as well. I just prefer the fishing line myself, it's more flexible and stretches a bit."
Madge hesitates before offering, "I have a whole roll of it back there. You can use some of it."
Gale shakes his head. "No, that's okay."
"No, really, you'll like it a lot more, trust me," Madge smiles, trying to convince him.
"I don't thin-okay," he says, seeing the look on her face when he starts to protest again. "I'll trade for it."
"That's okay, you don't need to trade anything," Madge shakes her head, swinging her bow onto her shoulder.
"I don't need charity," Gale snaps at her, more harsh than he probably should be.
Madge looks down at her feet. "It's not charity. It's just a bit of string," she says quietly, shrugging.
"Fine," he grumbles, throwing his father's game bag over his shoulder. "Where is it?" he asks hesitantly, like he's afraid of her answer.
"This way," Madge points. "Closer to the fence." She keeps it in the log, not wanting to have it at home.
They walk in silence for a few minutes, and Madge can't hold it in anymore. "You're too loud."
"Excuse me?"
"I said that you're too loud. You try hunting with that tread and you'll scare off all the game," Madge points to his feet, avoiding his eyes. "Like this morning," she mutters under her breath.
Madge watches as Gale looks down at his feet, thinking. "Anything else?" he asks sarcastically.
"Actually, yes," Madge says seriously. "You need to stop holding that bow like its glass. It won't break, it's not some doll. I get that it's important to you, but you'll never be able to use it the way you need to if you treat it like its breakable."
Gale doesn't respond, they just keep walking side by side.
Madge can't help but notice how comfortable the silence is. Usually with people she always feels the need to talk, not liking the silence, but now she doesn't. Strange.
"Why do you hunt anyways?" Gale asks, but this time there's not malice in the question, just questioning.
Madge takes a second to think of the right words. "Well, why are you hunting?"
Gale huffs, rolling his eyes. "I asked you first."
"Yes," Madge nods, "but you need to answer first."
Gale hesitates, seeing no logic behind that, but answers anyways. "I'm hunting- well, trying to- to feed my family."
Madge nods at his answer, her assumptions correct. "Well, I've been hunting to feed people too."
Gale pauses at her wording. She didn't say family, she said just said people.
"What do you mean 'people'? What, you don't feed your family?" Despite the words, his tone is just curious.
"My family is fed. I don't need to worry about them. I-" Madge pauses, unsure if she should tell him. "Well, I feed the kids at the group home."
Gale stops in his tracks, not expecting that answer.
Gale had already respected the girl for her bravery at hopping the fence. Gale remembers her saying she had been out here everyday for five years, and if she's the same age as him, which would've made her about 8 or 9 when she started. So yeah, he respects her for hopping the fence. Nobody does that, least of all a little girl. That respect grew when she started talking about bows like she's been using them all her life, and he doesn't know for sure, but he would bet she's a perfect shot.
Now? He freaking admires her, and he doesn't even think that that is a strong enough word. It goes above and beyond respect.
The kids at the orphanage have nothing, and there are many deaths each year due to starvation alone. He realizes now, though, that it's been a few years since he'd heard about any. He now knows why.
Gale doesn't even know how to respond. "That-that's… kind of amazing."
Madge just shrugs.
