Peeved and hurt from the passed few days flowed through our group as we travel deeper into the forest. Farther then I've ever been before. Beyond my fathers lake. Beyond our little concrete house. The walk being as long as it was, is equally hard. No paths Gale and I created over the years to guide us. Only the bright sun pointing us in the direction of District 13. Thorns tore at my clothes and skin. I try my best to ignore it. But every now and then a thorn catches my skin so deep I cent help but yelp. Then Peeta's there helping my take out the little thorn. I'm past bending over. So pregnant that it was stressful and uncomfortable. Plus I was worried about sudden movements. Taking it little by little seemed to keep the pain at bay. In fact the pain was gone. And with that eases Peeta's nerves. This child will act as a hope for us. Keep us going through the cool wet nights of this unfamiliar forest.

"So will I continue my lessons with Gale or you?" Rory asks from my right. trying his best to sound lighthearted. But the crack in his voice shows. After the argument with gale he been trying his hardest not to get under his skin. over the past 2 days he sat on his own. Probably thinking over the hard words Gale had shared.

"With Gale Rory." I say flat. He huffs and looks away.

"Oh and look what I found." Rory reaches into his pocket to pull out a rusty old pendant.

"Let me see." I take a look at it. Turning it over.

It looked to be a name plate like from the old days. Few elders in Twelve still had them. Before the technology of identifying us with blood they had used metal pendants. Stamped with the names of the person and where they lived. We learned about them in school.

On the pendent read

-Lucy Gray-
District 12
Seam

It through me off. District Twelve? Lucy Gray from the dark days made it this far. Probably die in the woods somewhere from dehydration or starvation. Good of her to leave. Good of her to get away from the district. District 13 must have been known back in the dark days. Spread through rebel tales probably. I had a feeling of intrusions. Her name was from a song my father use to sing to me at a girl. One I long forgot. It breaks my heart to remember the song but forget the lyrics. A piece of my father gone with time. Maybe Rory should lay the pendants in the ground to rest. If she had died out here I couldn't imagine there had been anyone to lay her body to rest. She most likely laid dead. Eyes up to the sky. Exposed to the elements that ate and rot up her body. This was the least she could do.

"We should burry this." I say.

"why?" Rory asks.

"Because this is Lucy Grays woods now." Peeta says over my shoulder. Undoubtedly thinking what I was. I looked up at him. Thinking the words. Hoping he could understand.

What if we ended up like this unlucky Lucy Grey. Dead in the woods. Lost in the woods.

"Not us." He says shaking his head. And with that he bends over and digs a hole. Not us. I can't help but to think.

As he lays the small old pendants into the ground. I close my eyes and wish Lucy Gray Rest In Peace.

"We'll make it for you."

—-

For the rest of the hour I couldn't get the hanging tree out of my head. It nags me to the point I end up humming it. We hike up a steep hill full of brush and thorns. It would make me uncomfortable by how much there was but we are far from caring anymore. We're all desperate to get there.

I make a path for my detached mother. Trying my best to make this trip easier for her. He slow sluggish steps drag behind me. This would had made me angry. Her slowing us down. But I understand now. This has been to much for her. To much for all of us.

Rory trudges faster to catch up to a way ahead Gale. He moves like is a knife in butter through the shrubs. Trying his best to stay far away from me. As he should. I'm satisfied the warning glances were enough. Better he stay away especially when Peeta knows somethings up.

Peeta's exhausted breaths fill my mind like a song. It's strong and long. He lives. And unlike his family he can make it through this. he has before

"Everything alright?" Peeta asks me. His hand on my lower back. Helping over the last of the hill.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just thirsty."

We catch up to a now still Gale, holding Rory's shoulder still. "Shhh." He hushes us.

I understands his stance. One I've seen many time before. So I stiffen.

"What's up?" Peeta asks. "SHUT UP." I whisper loud. Only to get a hard glance from Gale. In that moment we hear the cackling. Not the normal laughing of a person. A high pitch call of a animal. I look to Gale for answers. But his look just as mine. A sound we've never heard before. Two more cackles make Peeta jump. And I grab a hold of him, steadying him so he doesn't fall back.

"Mutts?" Peeta mouths to me.

"I don't know."

When I hear the footsteps of my mother catch up to us. I turn to reach for her. Only to hear her screams. before I can get to her, her blond locks disappear into the thick brush.

"Mom!" I scream. Pulling out my bow as I run after her. But I'm so slow. the pregnancy slowing me down. Peeta and I trip over each other trying to reach her. Her calls through the forest send me in a frenzy. My name echoes through the trees. "Katniss!" her gargling screams call for me. Gale passes me in a heartbeat. In the direction of my mother's terrifying voice.

As I finally get out from under Peeta I try to get to my feet when I feel the teeth of the mutt in my forearm. before I know it I feel the branches scratch at my face I don't realize what is happening until it's to late. I scream as I notice the snout locked on me. A large dog like mouth covers my arm.

Now it's not not my mother screaming my name but Peeta and Rory. I try to grab on to anything I could but is no use. Everything breaks. The mutt stops and begins to shake my arm, trying its best to tare it off. I take this time to start hitting it's nose. Tips to getting a dog off you.

It's no wolf in fact much bigger and with a hunchback and long fingers. definitely a Capital mutt. But how? And why so far into the woods? Did they release them knowing we were in the forest?

It lets me go. Only to reposition itself. Before it can grab a hold of me again I grab it face stopping it from plunging at my mine.

"Peeta!" I scream. Hoping someone, anyone can find me. It's merely inches away from my face when I hear the arrow fly through the air and into the beat's eye. The blood trickles down onto my face. When I hear Peeta break through the shrubs. Running over to me he lifts the mutt from me and pulls me into his arms hysterical. When I'm lifted I can see a shocked Rory. Bow in hand. He took the shot. Saved my life. As I come to this realization I begin to see the black spots and slip into black.

The bright light of the sun blinded me. Soft blades of grass cradle my head. The single blades brush my face as I adjust my position. Getting comfortable. As soon as I move I feel the sharp pain in my arm jolts me to realize what had happen.

"Careful." Peeta whispers with a horse voice. I feel his hand on my shoulder. Keeping me steady. The sun is so bright it makes focusing on Peeta's face. But I do. His eyes red, face blotchy. Freshly made tears stream his face as he quietly tries to hold back a sob. What sound like Rory cry's are muffled.

"Peeta?" I reach out for him. He meet my touch. Grabbing my one good arm. This makes him more upset. What was sniffing has now turned into a hard sob.

"I'm okay Peeta."

He shakes his head.

"I'm so sorry Katniss." He says. Pulling my hand to his face, against his cheek. His tears wet the back of my palms. Something feels off. His apology isn't for what I suspect. I inspected my arm bloody bandages wrap around my forearm. I cringe at the sight. That's not how you wrap a bandage. My mother couldn't have done it. I sit up abruptly. Remembering her being swept away by the mutts

"My mother?" I ask. Whipping around in search for her.

She lays feet's away in our small clearing. Her blonde hair sprawls around her face. The red stain of her blood covers her cheek, neck, and chest. An in bandaged gaping wound replaces her neck. Unmoving she stares up at the bright sky. Face pale, lips blue.

She is gone.

But she can't be. Not truly. No.

"Mom?" I call to her. But there's no answer. "Momma!" I scream to her.

"Katniss." Gale crooks.

"No. No. No." I whisper.

Hastily I half drag half crawl to her.

"Mom please no." I sob. I pull her lifeless body into my arms. "I'm Sorry Momma. I'm so sorry." I cry into her solder. Peeta's arms enclose us.

As a girl I tried my best to show her I never needed her. I never forgave her for her abandonment. But now I couldn't for more opposite. I wanted to tell her how much I loved her. My last parent. She was gone just like father. Leaving Prim and I in a world that treats us too fairly. How was I suppose to tell Prim. If I ever even get to face her. How could she even look me in my eyes knowing I let our mother die. How could I let this happen.