For Buttercupbadass who has been beta'ing my contribution to MS2SL and this morning she told me about a certain insurance commercial with irate vermin…lol. It got me thinking. Not Beta'd so all mistakes are mine. PS I do not own the Hunger Games If you want to donate to read what myself and the other writers are contributing it's not too late. A Corky Out Take...

It was time to open up the Bakery. Corky stood in the rafters; his little eyes were trained on the metal pail below that contained an apple the baker had thrown out. His little nose twitched, his little mouth watered at the sweet scent of apples. Apples were his next favorite thing to eat. He'd loved them all the tangy green ones the sweet red ones. This morning the smell of the apples lured Corky from his bed downstairs. The baker was drying apples this morning.

He was formulating how to grab slices of apples when he saw the baker take an apple and toss it into the silver pail. Corky couldn't believe the baker had thrown out a good apple.

Corky wanted the apple his mate would enjoy the tasty fruit. His eyes quickly scanned for a way to get the tempting fruit. Though every time he attempted to go into the silver pail which contained the pigs' food the baker's mate thundered from above moving closer to the desired target. Corky would have to go back up to the rafters to keep from being caught.

"Eugene, feed the pigs," Boudicca yelled from the upstairs.

Eugene flinched at the sound of his wife's cagy voice. His ire peeked. He mimicked his wife as he grabbed the metal tin with the scraps for the pigs. He began to pretend to be his wife. "Eugene feed the pigs." He waived the pail around. "Eugene why are you counting the nuts." He dropped imaginary nuts inside of the pail. "Eugene I have a headache." He set the pail down on the floor with a thud. He was tired of her voice complain. "Eugene are you listening to me? Eugene I'm so tired. Eugene, Eugene, Eugene…blah!"

"What are you doing down there?" Boudicca yelled down.

Eugene paused by the stairs and narrowed his eyes. He grumbled to himself. "Nothing, only opening up the bakery, drying the fruit you were supposed to do last month, stocking the case with items, where you Boudicca dear are lounging about on the sofa imperiously drinking your tea."

"Dad," Peeta gave Eugene a concerned look, "are you okay?"

"Never get married to a woman who thinks a broom is a mode of transportation," Eugene said grabbing his coat.

In the rafters seeing his opportunity Corky scampered from one beam to the other on his way to the outdoors. Pausing he saw his human Peeta scratch his head in puzzlement. Corky liked his human, there was a code between them to always look out for the other. He watched the baker point to the stairs, Corky swished his tale before he continued on his journey. He slipped into a tiny hole and followed the route to the exterior. Once outside he jumped from a small brick ledge to a branch of a tree to finally a tree he knew contained pinecones. Corky compiled a stockpile ready for the baker.

Inside of the bakery, Eugene finished putting his boots to go out into the snow. He slipped on his gloves and hat. The last thing he grabbed was the pail. Peeta was already pulling out the first batches of the baked bread to be sold. Eugene had a soft spot for his youngest. Peeta was a sweet boy with a good even-tempered nature.

"Eugene Those Pigs Are Not Going To Feed Themselves!"

"Witch," Eugene muttered under his breath. He loved wife, but lately, everything she did got on his last nerve. He yanked open the door and began making his way through the snow toward the pig pen.

Outside Corky was ready and as the baker walked Corky threw his first pine cone it landed on the baker's head. The baker looked up.

"What in the world?"

Corky took another pinecone and threw it, and watched gleefully as it landed on the baker's neck.

"Aggh," the baker cried.

Corky threw three more pinecones in quick succession forcing the baker to drop the pail and run inside. Corky overheard the conversation from the open door.

"Dad what is it."

"We're being attacked by vermin!"

"What?"

"Peeta don't go out there I'm telling you we're under attack!"

"Dad stay here, I'll check it out."

Corky saw when his human popped his head out and looked directly at him. His human looked disappointed in him. Corky felt remorse for having done what he did, he could imagine just what his mate Shirley was going to say to him.

"Listen, dad, you take out the bread I'll feed the pigs."

"Peeta it's not safe out there."

"Dad nothing is out there, just a tree with snow and pinecones."

"EUGENE WHAT IS All THAT RACKET?!"

"Nothing dear." Eugene took off his coat. "Here at least put my jacket on."

"Dad, the bread!" Peeta knew from experience just how much his mother hated when they burned the bread.

"Right," his father shuffled away.

Peeta walked outside, he raised an eyebrow at his furry little buddy. "What are you up to?"

Peeta saw the pinecones scattered on the floor. He raised an eyebrow. "If you want something don't attack my dad. I know you and he don't get along but if you want something just let me know." Peeta put the pinecones in the lowest branch.

Corky looked contrite his little paws were behind his back. He then came down to the branch with the pinecones and quickly put them away. When done he stood on the branch watching Peeta.

"What do you want so badly you threw pinecones at my dad to distract him?"

Corky pointed to the pail.

"You want something from in here?"

Corky swished his tail and gave a short squeak. It led Peeta to believe Corky really was looking for some sort of food inside the bucket. Glancing inside he saw some mushy apples and of course apple cores, peeled apple skins as well as other stuff they couldn't eat.

He lifted the pail to the tree branch. "Okay, Corky come and get what do you want."

Corky quickly ran down into the pail. He quickly grabbed the apple and ran out.

"You eat apples?"

Corky sniffed the fruit and took a bite.

"You do. Okay, get inside and don't forget to share with Shirley."

Corky ran away up toward Peeta's open window. Peeta fed the pigs and came inside.

"Well, are you alright son?" His dad rushed by his side. "Did the vermin get you too?"

"Eugene what are you going on about?" Boudicca came downstairs.

"Nothing just helping dad out with the chores," Peeta covered smoothly.

"We have vermin Boudicca, they threw rocks at me! Evil little creatures look at the welt on my neck!"

Peeta stifled a laugh, as he watched his father walk away with his mother. If his father only knew it was really on ingenious squirrel.