Peeta POV
I let out a loud, deep groan as the singing birds outside my window wake me up. My eyes peel open as I slowly sit up and lean against my headboard. Morning light streams in through the window, brightening up the poky room.
I crawl out of the bed and stretch. I groan as I hear some pops coming from my back. I pick up my bunny hug I took off in the middle of the night that's lying on the ground as I walk over to the bureau vanity and unzip my bag. I take off my long sleeve shirt and put on a green polo shirt.
I keep the same pair of pants on but I change my socks and tie up my shoes again. I brush my hair with a comb and then I walk downstairs to where I assume my family is waiting. As I start down the narrow hallway I hear the sound of a door closing behind me. I turn around and see Rye standing there with his hand still on the doorknob.
"Good morning" I say to him in a chirpy voice. He raises his eyebrow in confusion and walks up to me
"Someone had a good sleep," He says as we walk down the stairs beside one another
"Oh yes, the beds here are so much nicer than ours at home, at after being on the run all yesterday it was nice to relax" I explain as we reach the main floor. I hear Grandmother making what I assume is breakfast and grandfather is sitting on a rocking chair, smoking a pipe and reading a book.
Rye goes down and strikes up a conversation with Grandfather and I take this time to take in the beauty of this place. The wooden walls seem to shine in the sunlight, with a couple of paintings hanging here and there. A grandfather clock sits in between two bookshelves that reach rest against the low ceiling. A rug sits underneath the chairs and the sofa Mother occupies. A couple of moon-shaped windows peer out into the luscious garden with red-checkered curtains hanging beside them.
The fire crackles away, burning up the dry wood and sticks inside the stone fireplace. On the mantle a couple of pictures sit as well as little wooden birds and a few candles. As I get closer I spot that two of the pictures are of people on their wedding day. The one has a happy newlywed couple in a black and white picture. The woman is wearing a lacy white dress with her wavy hair pinned into a pretty bun, she's holding a bouquet of roses and her eyes seem to twinkle with happiness.
The man is wearing a traditional wedding suit, with a black bowtie and his hair slicked back. I recognize them, but I can't put my finger on it. Now I move onto the next picture, it's colored this time and the woman is wearing a plain wedding dress, with a sash draped over one shoulder, she's holding a bouquet of purple flowers and has a short, fishnet veil. The man also has blonde hair, and is wearing a brown suit. They're also smiling, but their smiles seem fake, unlike the other couple. I recognize this couple; it's my parents on their wedding day. And that means that the other couple is my grandparents.
I move onto the next picture, which has 3 young boys, one who looks to be about 5 or 6, the other one a couple years younger and then a crying baby. It's my brothers and I many years ago. Probably the last time we saw our Grandparents.
"Alright boys, breakfast time!" Grandmother shouts in a soft voice as she exits the dining room. I follow my brother into the room and take my seat. The table is covered in different delicacies, fried eggs, pancakes, berries, biscuits, toast, hash browns and so much more. I pile my plate high and dig into the delicious food.
"Is Father back yet?" I ask Grandfather and he simply shakes his head no as he takes a bit of toast. I wonder what happened, maybe he just ran behind schedule. Or maybe someone caught them and he'll never return. Or maybe a bear or something attacked them.
Breakfast goes by silently, and afterwards I help Grandmother wash the dishes in the kitchen. Stacks of dishes and plants sit on top of the honey colored cabinets and red-checkered curtains hang on either side of the window I'm peering out of while scrubbing a pan.
The grass is a lush green, flourishing with rose bushes and tall, fruit bearing trees. A couple of blue birds sit in their nest chirping away while in the distance I see a Deer and foal walk up, nibbling on the grass. Suddenly their ears perk up and they look over to one side of the house, where I cannot see.
Suddenly they start running away and I hear talking coming from afar. I set down my cloth and dry my hands on my shirt while following my Grandfather into the yard.
Father has arrived, sitting in a small wagon towing 4 blonde, tired looking people.
Katniss POV
Having Cato and Clove here has been…. interesting to say the least. Neither of them talks much, keeping pretty much to themselves, while the younger two-whose names I have now learned as Catri and Calam-fit perfectly in with the younger children, giggling and playing away.
It's midday by now, Gale and Thresh went early this morning before I was even awake and caught 3 rabbits and a squirrel. Considering our large group it's barely enough to get by. The weather is beginning to get colder slightly and I've noticed a bit of reddish and orange hue on some of the leaves. I'm thinking we're nearing the end of the summer months.
We've begun storing up for the colder months, when food will be scarce and the harsh terrain will challenge us even more. Hopefully by then we will have escaped Panem or at least be in a remote, stable home somewhere in the wilderness.
Mother and Caroline are preparing a stew made from some fish Rory and Leo caught a couple of days ago, carrots, onions, some tree bark and a bit of left over meat from a quail. Not the tastiest meal but you can't complain when you're in the wilderness, far away from any civilization.
Rue, Prim, Catherine, Maggie, Posy and Catri are making dolls out of the leaves and sticks while Leo, Vick and Calam are climbing up a very tall tree. Cato sits with his back against an elm tree and appears to be sleeping and Clove is sitting on her jacket laid out near the fire.
Rory is sitting beside me surrounded by all of our belongings reading a book he brought with him. Gale and Thresh are trying to make weapons out of some jagged rocks and long sticks and leather twine.
The whole situation distresses me, after that incident a couple of days ago with the Peacekeepers I think we are being far too careless and loud, we could be heard from miles away. I try to block out the sound, copying Cato's actions and closing my eyes, while resting my head on Rory's shoulder for support. I feel him adjust his body slightly and I drift off into my own little world inside my head.
I am rudely woken by Posy jumping onto my lap screaming in her slurred dialogue "Katti! Can you bwaid my hair pwetty like yos?" Even though she is nearing 6 Posy has always been a bit behind with her speaking. It took her a couple years before she said her first word, Gale said they were all worried she was mute. But now she seems to never shut that mouth of hers, but I don't mind knowing in the back of my mind that day by day she's improving and soon she'll say words properly and fluently.
"But Posy, I'm tired. Can't I just sleep on Rory for a little while longer?" I mumble as I burrow my face into Rory's shoulder, not once opening my eyes to the blinding sunlight.
"NO! I want my hair in bwaids" She chirps as she tugs on my hair. I groan and grudgingly sit up, peeling open my tired eyes as I do so. She turns around with her back to me and I begin running my fingers through her hair to get out any knots.
I begin braiding her blonde locks into two separate French braids on either side of her head, while Cato walks over. His intimidating walk makes me shudder inside, but I keep my head high and try to hide my discomfort.
"Care to braid my hair afterwards?" He says as crouches down beside me, smiling at Posy. I roll my eyes and finish tying up her hair.
"Yo hair is tew shot fo bwaids" Posy says in her cheerful manner as she taps the top of his blonde head. I can't myself but chuckle and let a small smile appear on my face.
"Alright kid, you're all done now go run along and finish playing with the girls until lunch" I say as I squeeze her shoulders, she giggles and skips off towards the girls. Cato sprawls himself down beside me, folding his hands under his head and facing the sky.
"How old is your boyfriend?" He asks suddenly, I knit my brows together and look at him.
"I don't have a boyfriend, who are you talking about?" I question staring into his steel blue eyes
"That one, with brown hair. The one you were making out with 2 days ago" He points at Gale who seems to be failing miserably at making a spear. I feel my face flush a deep red and I look down at the ground, feeling embarrassment creep up my neck.
I manage to stutter out "Gale's not my boyfriend…we're just best friends"
Out of the corner of my eye I see him raise his eyebrow and smirk "Maybe that's how it is in 12 but where I come from shoving your tongue down someone's throat isn't how we express friendship" I hear Rory snort and I nudge him in the rib with my elbow, hard. He winces and I look up and glare at Cato.
I get up from my comfortable seat and sit down near Clove, eyeing the stew. How dare he confront me like that! He doesn't know a single thing about Gale or me, he has no right going around making accusations like that!
He does have a point though, Gale kissing me really doesn't make sense. Is Gale keeping something from me? All I know, is that I sure as hell am going to find out.
Wow, so I got some great reviews for the last chapter as well as a couple from earlier ones! I am so so sorry for the late update but life got in the way *sigh*. Anyways, I know some of you are probably fuming over the fact that I am doing Katniss/Gale kinda right now, but I can assure you that the pairings haven't even begun to spur. And again, please let me know what pairings you'd like, I think I have most figured out but Katniss is tricky…I love all the guys!