Chapter Two

"Katniss!" My seven year old sister Prim wrapped her arms around my waist. "Let's play!" She smiled up at me. I continued walking to the kitchen table dragging her along me. I set the pail of berries on the table along with my jacket. "Go on dear. It'll be a good while until supper." My mother began sorting the berries. I let Prim pull me outside. Normally I would be happy to play with her, but I was still mad from the ordeal with the Hawthornes earlier in the day. "Daddy, come play too!" Prim ran up to our father and jumped into his arms. He had returned from selling part of our catch at the Hob.

"I'll play later Primrose. Besides, the Hawthornes are coming to visit in a few minutes. You'll be able to play with their children." Dad swung her around before setting her down. "Rory is coming?" Prim squealed happily. She was in the same class as the middle Hawthorne boy, and the two were thick as thieves. Dad ruffled her hair before going inside. Prim skipped back to me and danced around in a circle. It only took a few moments before I began to smile. It was hard not to be happy around Primrose.

"Katniss let's play healer." Prim's blue eyes shined up at me. She knew I hated playing healer, but also knew she had me wrapped around her little finger. I catered to Prim's every whim to the best of my ability. "What do I have Prim?" I sat down in the grass. "A fever!" Prim skipped off to find her cure. "You're gonna be all better Katniss!" Prim laid some oak leaves over my forehead. "Uh oh, now you're going sick crazy!" Prim gasped. This was my cue to begin acting silly.

"Oh look at all the pretty purple floaty things." I sat up and started waving my arms and swinging my head around. Prim tried to push me so I was lying down again. When that didn't work she decided tackling me was her best option. "Oof, Prim that really wasn't neccessary." I choked out. She had knocked the wind out of me. "RORY!" Prim shot up and off of me and ran towards her friend. I sighed. It was going to be a long afternoon. "Hiya Catnip, what're you lying on the ground for?" Gale smirked down at me. "I was playing healer with Prim." I replied in a monotone.

"I really liked that funny dance you were doing." He snickered as he mimicked my movements. I started to sit up but Prim soon thwarted my plans. "NO YOU ARE STILL SICK KATNISS!" She and Rory ran full force at me. "Okay, alright." I laid down quickly. I really didn't want the two of them to tackle me this time. 5 year old Vick followed after them at a slower pace. Once Prim saw that I had obeyed her command she stopped running and pulled Rory and Vick over to a mud puddle. Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne smiled and waved at us before going on into the house. Gale sat down next me. We watched as the three young ones made a mixture of mud and leaves. "Prim, what does Katniss have?" Gale called over to the little blonde trouble maker. "She has a fever and she's sick crazy!" Prim called back.

"You know Prim, the best way to get a fever down is to pour water over someone." Gale grinned down at me. "Prim, didn't you notice that Gale's sick too?" My last resort was to my Gale suffer with me. "Oh no, I didn't even notice. Gale you need to lay down too!" Prim put her hands on her hips and glared at Gale. Gale sighed and laid down next to me. "Well played." He laid his head on his arms. The kids seemed to be deep in discussion on what to use to cure us so I figured it'd be awhile until they agreed to something.

I was gonna try to start up a conversation with Gale, but of course he had to ruin that plan. "So, you think I'm pretty huh?" I could hear the smile in his voice. "Be careful, all that hot air in your head could ruin your looks." I crossed my arms. "So you do think I'm pretty." Gale laughed. "You are the worst boy in the his-" I sat up and started to insult him, but sadly that was cut short. I squealed as the cold water started gushing over me. Gale shouted and jumped up, shaking water everywhere. We had been so caught up in talking that we hadn't noticed the kids. "What's going on out here?" Our parents rushed out of the house. "We had to cure Katniss and Gale of their fevers!" Rory called out.

He, Prim, and Vick rushed over to the adults. I was still sitting on the ground in shock. Gale had peeled off his shirt and was wringing it out. "No more playing healer for today kids, you two get inside and dry off before you catch your death of cold." My mother waved us to come inside. Mr. Hawthorne and Dad were trying to hide their amusment at us and scold the young ones. Gale came up behind me and hoisted me up out of the mud and set me on my feet. "I didn't need help." I growled at him and followed him towards the house. "The proper response would've been: Thanks for helping me up Gale! You're pretty and helpful to boot!" He laughed and entered the house. I stomped in after him.

Mrs. Hawthorne was sitting at the kitchen table. She hadn't come outside and now I saw why. She was heavily pregnant. "Hello Mrs. Hawthorne." I nodded politely at her. She smiled and offered her hand to me. "Very nice to meet you Katniss Everdeen." She shook my hand lightly. I smiled back at her. She seemed like a nice woman. "Gale, I'll get something for you to wear." My mother joined us inside. The fathers were outside looking after the children now that us older kids weren't out there. "Thank you Mrs. Everdeen." Gale replied. I walked into my room and shut the door. I rifled through my drawers until I found a pair of pants and shirt that wasn't too tattered. Not that I was trying to impress anyone.

I left my room and sat down at the table with my mother and Mrs. Hawthorne. My mother smiled and caressed my cheek for a moment before continuing her conversation with Mrs. Hawthorne. "What are you hoping for Hazelle?" My mother and Mrs. Hawthorne were sorting through fabric scraps. Probably planning to trade with each other. "I'd say a girl, but I don't know how a girl would hold up with all these boys." Mrs. Hawthorne chuckled. "Maybe a girl would mellow them out Mrs. Hawthorne." I chimed in. "Maybe so dear. And please, call me Hazelle." She patted my hand.

"What are you lovely ladies up to?" Gale had changed into some of my father's old clothing and swaggered into the kitchen. I rolled my eyes. "Nothing you'd be interested in." I stuck my tongue out at Gale. He made a face back. "Katniss!" My mother's voice was sharper than normal. "Manners! And go stir the stew." She narrowed her eyes at me. I sighed and did as I was told. "This looks good Mom." I said cheerfully. My attempt at getting back into her good graces was not successful.

"Why don't the two of you play a card game?" Hazelle poked around in her bag and pulled out a dilapidated deck of cards. "Thank you Mrs-Hazelle." I smiled at her. "The two of you go play in your room Katniss." My mother shooed us off. Normally she didn't mind if the kids played in the kitchen or living room. She must have grown up things to talk about with Hazelle.

"So Catnip, you know how to play War?" Gale began shuffling the cards. "Yup." I replied quietly. I brought my knees up to my chin and wrapped my arms around them. "Considering that our siblings are such good friends, you think we'd be as well." Gale started doling out the cards. "And you know, our fathers know each other pretty well too." Gale glanced at me curiously. "Maybe it's because you tug on my braid in the lunchroom and call me Catnip at recess while I'm trying to jump rope." I said as Gale and I began the game. "Are you really that sensitive?" Gale frowned. "No, not until you made me skin my knee when I was almost at 100 hops!" I growled. "Yeah, I did feel bad about that afterward. I brought you a piece of chewing gum to make up for it, if you remember." He grinned as he won the round. "Of course I remember dummy, that was only two weeks ago!" I rolled my eyes at him. "I heard catnip causes memory loss." He wiggled his eyebrows at me. "What's your excuse for your stupidity?" I dodged the half a deck of cards thrown at me and started laughing.

A/N: This time period of them becoming friends is set about a month or so after the explosion would've taken place. I know it was longer than that before they became friends in the book, but everything's different since the fathers are alive. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Also: I apologize for any grammar or spelling mistakes. I am editing this myself and no matter how many times I go over my stories, I always miss something.

-Beaky

P.S. Any tips on how to make the format better would be greatly appreciated!