As I pin the back of the skirt closed for Prim, I hear the sounds of bathing coming from the adjacent room and I know Katniss has returned with her quiet tread. I move out to the main room and see the results of her morning's work on the table. I prep the fish, cutting it into bite sized chunks, while Prim fills the stew pot with water. The greens are roughly torn and added to the pot and I set it high over the fire to simmer the day away.

"I laid something out for you" I offer tentatively

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Let's put your hair up, too," I respond warmly, as I enter the room.

She allows me to towel her hair dry and I spend some time braiding her hair into a style similar to what I wore as an older teen when I was desperately trying to appear more adult-like. Her face, with her usual serious expression, now framed with ropes of twisted hair, reminds me of just how quickly my girl has been forced to grow up.

"You look beautiful," says Prim in a hushed voice.

"And nothing like myself," she diverts the praise as always, hugging her sister. "Tuck your tail in, little duck," she says tenderly, tucking Prim's blouse back into the skirt

"Quack."

"Quack yourself,"

Their giggles warm my heart as I set the bread and milk out for lunch. "Why don't we save the strawberries and bread for supper, as a special treat?"

Katniss's eyes flash to mine and for a moment I see her fear of the upcoming reaping that she has been carefully hiding. It is rare for her to display her emotions and I watch as she wrangles her fear and her face resumes its mask. She nods in mutual understanding of the reason why a shared family treat tonight is something to look forward to on this particular day.