I sat next to my grandma at her stall, looking out over the people milling about. No one really seemed to be shopping, more looking for an excuse not to go home. Not to have to look into the eyes of their starving children. The Hob seemed to be busier than normal today. The upcoming Reaping had everyone acting a little strange, like it does every year.

"I am going to go talk to Sae." My grandma said, smiling at me. She liked having me with her to sell her goods so she could talk to her friends more.

"I'll be here." I smiled back at her. I watched her hobble away, her one sleeve rolled up to the stump of her arm.

I waited for a while, scraping my nail into the wood grain, until I noticed someone walk up to my table. I look up at the customer. "Ahh, Cray! Good to see ya." I smiled at the Peacekeeper. If you were nice to them, they wouldn't give you too hard of a time.

"You haven't been here in a while, Raven." Cray smiles at me. The way his mouth curls and the look in his eyes always makes me uneasy. I'm not sure why, but I don't think he is very trustworthy.

"Yeah, finished school and have been working." I tell him. "How much are you wanting today?"

"Hmm, well, I think I'm after about three bottles." The creepy grin never leaves his face as he speaks.

I reach down and grab three bottles of the nastiest, harshest liquor you could imagine. His grin grows as he slaps some money down on the table and he pulls the bottles to himself. Once they are stowed and I have collected the money, he leans down on the table. "What are you doing for work?" He asks.

"Oh, odd jobs. I babysit here and there for the shopkeepers. Housekeeping. Weeding gardens for some who don't have the time." I tell him, taking a step away from the table, away from his rank breath.

"You ever need any…" He pauses, searching for the correct word, "supplemental income, you just let me know. I'm sure we could work something out."

I fight the shudder that makes its way down my back. "I will keep it in mind."

He stands, still grinning, and says "Well, better get back out there." He mocks a bow and walks away, his shoulder blasting past someone else who is making their way over.

"Don't you ever do it, girl." The next customer leans against the counter. At least he keeps his distance and isn't breathing down my shirt. "If you are ever that desperate, come to me. I have a house that needs cleaned, or a garden that needs… planting, weeding, everything." He looks up, and his grey eyes pierce into me. "I'll find something for you."

I smile and pull out the usual six bottles. "Thanks, Haymitch."

He grunts, slips some money on the counter and grabs his bottles. "I'm serious. You've always been a good kid. Don't need someone like Cray messing with ya." With this, he stands up and staggers away.

"Bye, Haymitch!" I say, cheerily. He throws a wave over his shoulder and walks out of view.

I've always liked Haymitch. But I tend to like people who come across grumpy. They are the people who aren't playing tricks. The people who are honest.

The day dwindles on, and I help my grandma pack up her wares and take them home. We store the bottles under the floor of her house. I say goodbye to her and make my way home. It's not too far, a short walk through the Seam.

I reach my house and carefully push open the deteriorating door and enter. I can smell that mom has made dinner from the meat I brought home earlier. Birch is sitting and doing her homework. They both look up and smile at me as I come in and strip off my shoes.

"Did you do anything fun today?" Birch asks from the table. Her long brown hair tumbling over her hands as she works on arithmetic.

"Uhm, no." I respond, plopping into the chair next to her. "Went hunting this morning and then worked my little jobs all day before going to see Grandma."

"Hmm, sounds better than school." She grumbles.

"Believe me, its not." I speak.

I spoil this girl too much. For being from the Seam, she hasn't really gone without. Sure, she doesn't have toys or fancy clothes, but she doesn't know what it's like to be hungry. We have had to skip a few meals, but never have we not eaten for a whole day. There were days before I learned to hunt that she doesn't remember. Days where all three meals of the day were water that had some mint boiled into it. Days you were so hungry that your stomach stopped making noises.

Mom came over and put some bowls of stew in front of us. Tesserae contributed to the biscuits, I contributed to the rest.

We ate in relative silence, a few things said now and then. Mom asked for details about my day and about how some of our neighbors are. None of us talks much, all our thoughts are on the same thing, tomorrow's Reaping.

I won't let Birch take out Tesserae. I can provide well enough. I have been taking out Tesserae since I could. My name will be in the Reaping twenty-eight times. The final year of my being eligible for Tesserae.

We all go to bed shortly after dinner. Mom tucks Birch into her small bed and waits for me to get settled in mine before blowing out the candles and climbing into her own bed. It takes a little bit, but I finally fall asleep.

~oOo~

I wake early, the sun is barely making a difference in the darkness. I get up and pull on a long-sleeved green shirt and my old, worn hunting pants and boots. I look in the mirror as I braid my hair back. The brown hair has gotten so long, it brushes my waist now. I should have Mom cut it before the Reaping.

I quietly make my way out of the house. My family wont wonder where I am. They know I go out every morning. The dirt pathway behind my house takes me to the fence. I listen for a moment before sneaking under it and making my way to my hiding spot.

I quickly get to the hollowed tree and pull out my knives. I have a set of ten throwing knives that were passed down through my family. They have been hidden out here for years, always waiting for the next Copperstone.

I make my way through the woods silently. I finally see some game worth pursuing. I focus in on the rabbit. The pelt would be good to trade, and the meat would make a good soup. It stops to eat some leafy plants and I raise my arm and flick. The blade implants itself in the rabbit's eye, dropping it instantly.

I make quick work of cleaning my kill and put it in my bag. I make my way further and pick off a few squirrels and a turkey. We will eat well today. A nice celebratory feast that my sister and I are safe from another Reaping.

I make my way through some brush to a clearing. In the middle of the clearing is a lake. I make my way over to the little shack and sit down on an old chair. Not much longer until he should get here.

~oOo~

Not much after my father was killed in the mines, I started to make my way out into the woods. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew that my family needed to eat. I was eight and my sister was four. My mom took in some extra washing, but that was never going to be enough.

As I spent more time in the woods, I started to hit a few squirrels and rabbits with the knives. Never quick kills, but I was bringing something home to eat. One day, I was sitting, watching a deer move through the woods. I knew I would never be able to take it down. Not with my little throwing knives. The most I would accomplish is losing a knife.

I heard a soft whistle and suddenly the deer was down. An arrow sticking out of its eye. I heard a twig snap behind me a whipped around. There was a man standing behind me holding a bow.

"You're a long way from home." He spoke kindly.

"Well, a girl's gotta eat." I said, standing. I turned to look at the deer. "Are you gonna be able to eat all of that?" I whipped my eyes back to the man standing by me.

"Probably not. I could trade the meat for other things though." He spoke.

"Well, how about you trade with me?" I asked him.

"What have you got to trade?" He asked with a smirk.

"I don't have much, but I do have some knowledge." I looked up into his eyes. "I know some medicinal plants, and I am teaching myself how to set snares and traps."

"You want to trade a deer for knowledge?" The man asks, his smile growing.

"Only half the deer." I told him. "I'm not sure I can even handle that." I grumbled under my breath.

"How about this?" He asks, taking a seat on a stump behind him. "We split our game and gathered food. You teach me snares and traps and plants, and I teach you how to shoot?"

My eyes widen. This was even better than I had hoped for. "Yes!" I almost shout. My hands clap over my mouth, eyes wide. I pull my hands away, the man smirking even more. "That sounds wonderful." I reach into my pocket and pull out my set of knives. "I am also figuring out how to throw these. You can try to too if you want."

"That sounds like a very fair deal." The man nods. "What's your name?"

"I'm Raven Copperstone." I reach my hand out.

"I am Forest Everdeen." He shakes my hand.

~oOo~

Forest finally makes it to our shack. We usually hunt together, but on Reaping days, we always just hunt alone and meet after to swap game. He smiles as he enters the little house and sits in the other chair.

"How's the family?" I ask him. I had been invited to his wedding when I was sixteen. He now has a daughter.

"They are fine. Happy and healthy. How's your mom and sister?" He asks kindly while digging out his kills of the day.

"Scared. I could see it on their faces last night. They worry its gonna be me." I say as I set out 2 squirrels and a rabbit.

"I have a few years to worry about that with my own daughter." He chuckles slightly. "I really hope it isn't you." His grey Seam eyes meet mine and I can see his sincerity.

"Thanks." I mumble. I don't like thinking about it. "I also have a turkey."

"I got a turkey, too." We quickly go through and swap, making things even between each of our game bags.

He takes me out and lets me shoot his bow. "You're getting good." He says, his voice proud. "You're gonna take down our next deer."

I make a 'humph' sound. "Sure." I tell him. "I am much more accurate with my knives."

"That you are." He smiles. Forest decided early on that he didn't like throwing knives. He did just enough that he can hit a still target, but then said that was good enough for him.

He lets me practice with the bow some more before stopping me. I hit just about everything I aimed for. I either hit dead center or miss completely.

"Here, I brought something for you." I watch as he goes behind the little house and comes back, holding a bow.

"I made this one for you." He smiles at me, holding out the bow.

"I can't take that!" I jump back.

Forest just laughs. "Of course you can. Consider it your graduation gift from the Everdeen's." He pushes the bow into my hands and hands me a quiver of arrows he made. "Now, I won't make you any more arrows, so let's hope you remember how."

I grin at him. "Of course I remember." I take aim with my new bow and miss my target completely.

"You just have to get used to the new bow. It won't take too long to get a feel for it."

He lets me practice a while before we grab our things and head back. I store my bow and knives in my hollowed tree and meet him at his hiding spot. We enter the fence together and make our way to the Hob.

I trade a few of the squirrels I have for vegetables and other things that we need. I follow him while he does his trading. The people of the Hob are used to seeing us together. They know that we help each other.

They leave the Hob and start making their way along the roads. "Well, I will see you tomorrow." I smile at my hunting partner.

"See you tomorrow, Raven." He smiles and waves, then turns toward his house, whistling a tune as he walks.

I make my way home and enter my house. Mom has my dress out for me and a bath waiting. I clean up and dress. Birch comes over holding a hairbrush. "I learned a new style. Wanna try it?" She asks me.

"Yeah." I smile at her. She starts brushing my hair and I can hear Mom in the kitchen, preparing the things I brought home.

When Birch is done with my hair, I don't even recognize myself. It is half up and in a bun on the crown of my head. The rest is down, waving to my waist. I smile at her in the mirror. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiles back at me.

We make our way through District 12 to the town square. The place is packed with kids signing in for the Reaping. I shove Birch toward the fourteen section, and she sends a glare over her shoulder, a grin accompanying it, and I make my way to the eighteen section.

I don't say anything to anyone as I wait. Everyone is quiet once you get to the higher ages. We all know that we have the highest chance of being called. And the eighteen-year-olds know that this is the last one. If we can just make it through today, we are safe.

I am standing among my age group, and I look around. I find Birch among her friends in the fourteen section. I find my mom among the parents, pale faced with worry. She smiles at me, but it doesn't do anything to hide her worry. Lastly, I find Forest, standing with his wife and young daughter. He smiles at me, and they both give me a thumbs up.

Finally, the Mayor steps onto the stage. He begins the long story of the Dark Days and the rebellion. Same thing, different year. I look and see Haymitch on the side of the stage, drunk out of his mind. I wonder how many of those six bottles I sold him still have liquid in them.

The District 12 Escort, Velora Ivory, makes her way up to the microphone. She seems to teeter on her toes in her high heels. Her whole ensemble is colored a deep shade of purple. Too much purple.

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Reaping of the Sixtieth Hunger Games!" Her high-pitched voice warbles through the speakers around the square. "It is such an honor to be here with you! And now, for the Reaping! Girls first! And may the odds be ever in your favor!"

Velora teeters her way over to the glass globe and reaches in. Her fingers must have touched every slip of paper in the globe before she finally grabs one and pulls it out with a flourish. She walks her way, seemingly unsteady, back to the microphone. Everyone in the District seems to be holding their breath.

"Raven Copperstone!"