Hey guys... I GOT ACCEPTED TO MY TOP CHOICE COLLAGE! Even got an $8,000 scholarship! I'm happy now. Let's see how long it lasts and I can stop my boast and you can read this story.
Ermela woke up hours later and desperately checked her ankle. It felt normal. She smiled at this and looked over at Gale and Rue. Gale was on guard Rue sleeping. "Gale," Ermela said smiling over at him.
"Hey you're up!" He said smiling.
He went over to her and asked, "How's your ankle feeling?"
"Better," She said.
"That's great." He said with a smile.
"Yeah, how long was I out?" She asked.
"About five hours give or take."
"So not too long," She sighed in relief.
"No just so you know: it's the three of us, Thresh, the boy from 3, the girl from 5, the girl from 8, the boy from 9, the boy from 10 left." Gale listed since she missed the death roll.
"Wow went down fast huh?" She asked.
"Well, we did start off with only 19 instead of 24 and the initial bloodbath always carries the most deaths."
"Good point," She said.
"Still, only nine of us left." Ermela said looking towards the mouth of the Cornucopia.
"Yeah," He sighed.
"At least it's on an even playing field now." She said.
"True," He said.
"So you'll definitely win." Ermela said.
"Or you will," He said.
Ermela sighed and decided not to argue with that. "What if it comes down to the three of us, Gale?"
"I don't know," He said.
"I don't either." She said looking down.
"Let's hope that we never find out, bad as that may be,"
"I hope so, too." She said trying to not think about what that would mean.
"Anyway, Rue has been out for about two hours," He said.
"Have you slept at all?" She asked unsure.
"No," he shrugged.
"Gale, sleep," She told him seriously.
"No, I am okay," he yawned.
"No you're not, Gale. You need sleep or you'll die."
"I am okay," he said.
"There's no coffee here, Gale." Ermela said simply.
"I know." He said.
"Seriously, sleep."
"Okay," he sighed.
"Sure you're okay to take guard?" He asked looking at her ankle.
"I will be fine," She said.
He hesitated but laid down keeping his bow in hand. "Just wake if there's any trouble."
"I will now sleep," Gale sighed and tried to go to sleep. He slid into an uneasy sleep.
Ermela smiled slightly and looked out into the forest. She was high alert waiting.
Nothing happened so after quite a while she woke up Rue. "Hey, Rue" She said shaking the girl gently Rue stirred for a second then woke up. "Hey," She said.
"How your ankle?" Rue asked right away.
"Better," She said.
"Good, I suppose it's my shift though?"
"Yeah," She said yawning.
"Alright, go to sleep." Rue said getting up.
"Wake me if you need me," She said lying beside Gale.
"I will." Rue said grabbing the glasses and climbing to the top of the Cornucopia so she could see any threat early enough. Ermela snuggled into Gale. Rue saw some movement out of the corner of her eye over in the field but even with the glasses she couldn't make anything out. She looked closer inspecting where she had seen the movement. While she was looking something pushed her off the Cornucopia from behind. She fell to the ground with a loud thud. She flew to her feat with her slingshot at the ready but still saw nothing. "Gale! Ermela!" She called out still frantically looking around.
They both woke up and came out instantly but neither of them saw anything either. "What? What's wrong?" Gale asked pointing his bow around.
"Someone shoved me off," Rue said.
Gale saw a flash of red and fired an arrow in the direction, they were long gone again but he saw enough to know who it was. "It's that girl from 5!"
"The Fox Faced one?"
"That's the one." Gale said looking around to avoid another sneak attack.
"Rue, are you okay?"
"Nothing major," Rue said rubbing her shoulder from where she fell on it.
"Sure?" Gale asked.
She rolled her shoulder and said, "Yeah, just really sore."
"Good," Gale sighed.
Unbeknownst to them, Foxface took a knife from the pile. "I can't see her," Ermela said.
"Neither can I. How is she doing this?" Gale thought constantly looking around.
They gazed around helpless. Way too fast to do anything about it, they heard a scream and Rue collapsed to the ground with a knife in her back, "Rue!" Gale said as she fell. He kneeled down next to her and took a look at the knife trying to figure out where it fell. From where it was he could tell this was a close up stab not a throw. "Impossible," He breathed clutching Rue's hand but a cannon soon sounded. "Gone" he sighed.
"How did none of us see her?" He sighed getting up.
"I don't know," Ermela said sadly.
"She was so young." Gale said looking at Rue's body.
"I know," Ermela said sadly.
"I guess we were wrong about Cato being the biggest threat in this arena."
"Yeah, very much so," Gale said.
"She might be watching us right now as hidden as the cameras." He said. "Any communicated plan against her would simply be useless."
"So we wait to die?"
"I didn't say that." Gale corrected. "I didn't even say anything that could imply that."
"It was in your tone." She said.
"We just need to find some way but we're not giving up.".
"Good," She said.
'She is like a fox and to catch a fox you have to flush it out,' Gale thought looking back and forth.
'From where though?' He thought not even knowing where she is.
"We need light," He muttered.
"We have the glasses." Ermela said before realizing they don't. "Where did they go?" She asked.
"She must have taken them." Gale concluded. "Shit!"
"Well, maybe there's some others." Ermela said looking at the remaining supplies.
"I have a better idea!" Gale said suddenly remembering something Rue had told him about the glasses. "When you wore them and light hit your eyes suddenly you could not see for a few minutes."
"Yeah, so, what are you getting at?" Ermela asked. Gale smiled and picked up a flare gun. "We still don't know where she is though." Ermela reminded.
"Have you seen how big a flare is?" He asked.
"We'd have to know where to attack before the affects wear off."
"True," he said glancing around. He tried to look for even the slightest offset.
"She might have moved on to somewhere else."
"Yeah probably," he sighed.
"Then that's good and bad."
"Bad how?"
"Because she'll be back and without knowing where she is the same thing could happen to one of us." She explained.
"True, we need to move," He said.
"Right," Ermela said taking her pack and spears.
"Grab everything we can," Gale said.
She looked over the pile and grabbed as much as she can reasonably carry.
Gale did the same they looked to Rue and then sprinted off.
They settled off quite a while into the woods.
"I think we are safe," Gale said.
He took a good look around to double check.
"We are safe,"
"Good," Ermela sighed.
"Poor Rue," He said.
"Yeah," Ermela said looking down sadly.
"We'll get her back for it," Gale said.
"Right, for now you should probably set another snare here."
"Got it," he said.
"Human right?" Gale asked looking for a good spot.
"Yeah,"
He picked a good place and got one set up and hidden.
"That should do it,"
"Hopefully,"
"It will," He said.
"Well, that makes three." Ermela said looking over where it is for any give away.
"Yeah I know," He sighed.
"Should we set up more?" Ermela asked.
"Maybe," He said.
"We should move on somewhere else then."
"In the night?" He asked.
"Right probably not." Ermela said.
"Yeah, no the predators are out," He said.
"So we need a way to take camp."
"Tent?" Gale asked.
He took out the one he had grabbed.
She nodded.
The both set in up and settled inside.
"Sleep now," Gale said.
"You have guard then?" She asked.
"Yeah I got it,"
"Well, alright, not too long though."
"Okay," He sighed.
Ermela laid down and feel asleep.
Gale sat and watched.
He became worried that it wouldn't be enough though with this new adversary.
'What else can I do?' He thought.
He guessed with her in the tent and him blocking the only entrance that should at least keep her alive for as long as he is.
Still the attack had been so fast.
"How can you defeat someone like that?" He sighed.
'What if I can't?" He thought.
He had to at least try though. With everything he had he had to try.
"How though?" He sighed.
Luckily nothing else happened for the rest of the night.
Then Ermela woke.
"Gale," She sighed coming out.
"Yeah?" He asked.
"You were supposed to wake me."
"I never said that," he said.
"Yes I did, right before I went to sleep."
"I said I might," he said.
"No you said 'okay', I would have made you change it if you said 'I might'."
"Sorry," he said.
"Sleep now." She said seriously.
"Fine," he sighed.
He hesitated but went into the tent.
Falling into uneasy sleep.
Just as Peeta had with Katniss, Ermela let Gale sleep for hours and hours on end. Just like Katniss when Gale woke he was not happy. "How could you let me sleep that long?" Gale asked coming out angrily.
"You needed it!" She said.
"I was fine. You should have woken me."
"You were almost asleep on your feet."
"You should have woken me." He repeated.
"Well, I didn't" she said.
"You could have died, Ermela."
"So could you," she said.
"That's irrelevant."
"No it's not!"
"How is it relevant?"
"You need to stay alive too," she said.
"Waking me wouldn't have prevented that though."
"No but I have had more sleep," she said.
Gale sighed and said, "Let's just get moving. We're burning daylight."
She simply nodded smiling.
They packed up the tent, grabbed the rest of their supplies and headed onwards.
"Now what?" She asked.
"We move on, set a few more snares, see if we can't find another water source, and as Haymitch said, don't die."
"Right," She sighed.
"Keep an eye out for anything even the slightest bit off. That girl from 5 could strike at any moment."
"I know," She said.
He kept looked around for even the slightest movement or off put. "Makes you wonder if she actually is part fox."
"Yeah it does."
"I'm not sure that's possible though."
"Maybe," She said.
"It would pretty much explain everything about that girl though."
"It would," She sighed.
"Just keep walking."
She nodded and silence fell.
They kept walking and he set a few more snares before coming across the river.
"Okay," He sighed.
"So, now we know where there's water besides the lake." Ermela said.
"We can camp here near the river I mean," Gale said.
"That should work." She said.
"Hopefully," He said.
"Better than any other place, we have water and animals should be attracted to it too needing to drink just as we do." Gale said.
"Good point," she said.
"Lastly when we have to go somewhere else and the current is low we could walk down the stream to eliminate footprints."
"Smart," she said.
"Alright, we'll camp here." She said.
"Good," he said nodding.
"Actually, we should head a little while downstream; make us less easy to track."
"Good thinking," he said.
They went into the stream and walked down it with the weak current.
They walked for at least an hour before stopping.
"That should be good." Gale concluded.
Ermela nodded and began to prepare the tent.
Gale helped with the tent and they got it up fairly quickly.
"I am on watch," he said.
"I am going to hunt," Gale said.
"Could I help?" She asked.
"Sure if you want," he said.
"I do. Besides, we'd stand a better chance together."
"True," he said.
"Then let's go." She said.
He nodded leading the way.
She followed trying him trying her best to be quite and doing a MUCH better job than Peeta but still not exactly good.
"Try to breath quieter."
"Sorry," She whispered and made a real effort to do so.
Eventually they killed some type of large bird.
"What is it?" Ermela asked going over.
"Not sure," he said.
"Is it edible?" She asked.
"Seems to be," Gale said.
They plucked the bird taking a look at the meat, "Seems similar to turkey meet. I'd say it's safe cooked." Gale concluded.
"Okay," she shrugged.
"The problem will be cooking it without attracting the Fox though."
"Good," she said.
"You think we should?" He asked.
"Yeah draw her in then strike,"
"What if we don't see her soon enough?" Gale asked.
"We run that risk no matter what with her,"
"Alright, then let's get a fire started." Gale went to works as she plucked the rest of the bird. He obviously had the groosling plucked before the fire was really started so she tried to help feed it.
Eventually, they got a good fire going. Gale smiled and made a spit to roast it on as Ermela kept an eye out for Foxface.
They waited as the sky grew dark. The anthem played showing Rue's face in the sky. Gale sighed sadly. "We need to make her pay." He said feeding some greens to the first to make it smoke more. Ermela just nodded.
He turned the spit a few more times until the bird was fully cooked and gave her a leg. "Thanks," She said. She took a bite and well, you know what groosling tastes like from the book. "This is great!" She said.
"Good," He said and took the other leg. They ate in watchful silence.
She didn't show up though since Foxface had seen right through the trap just and Katniss figured she would have if the nightlocks were intended as a trap instead of an honest mistake on Peeta's part. "Damn it!" Gale said.
"She's probably too smart to fall for it."
"Had to try," he said.
"I know." Ermela nodded.
"I will take guard," he said.
"Alright, fair enough." She said and they headed back to camp.
"Damn," he said again.
"What?" She asked.
"I wanted to get her," he said.
"I know. I do too."
"We will though," he sighed.
"Alright, I have faith in you."
"Thank you," he said.
"No problem."
"Trust is something I take seriously," Gale said.
"Well, good, it should be."
"It is," he said smiling.
"Well, it's my pleasure. It's only the truth." Ermela said going into the tent. "Try not to let me sleep too long."
"No guarantee," he said.
"Guarantee it." Ermela said seriously.
"No," Gale said.
"Gale please." Ermela begged.
"Maybe," He said.
"Gale," She said getting angry now.
"You need the sleep now," He said.
"Don't let me sleep any longer than you would have been okay with me letting you sleep." Ermela dealt. Gale did not respond. "How but this, I'll let you sleep in as much as you let me." Ermela bargained/threatened.
"Fine," He sighed. Satisfied, she went into the tent and laid down.
Gale kept watch circling the tent. He really wished he still had those glasses as he stayed on hyper-alert looking for even the slightest difference. He waited impatiently for something. 'Come on you little fox, where are you?' Gale thought with his flair at the ready. Then he spotted something in the words but it was no Fox. It was a boy with dark hair.
Gale drew his bow but did not fire unsure about this boy. He watched carefully observing. The boy pulled out a spear aiming it at Gale. Gale fired the arrow at the boys arm. The arrow hit his other forearm and the boy threw the spear at Gale.
It grazed Gales shoulder. "Ermela," He called gritting his death and drawing another arrow. She came out in time to avoid the spear. She grabbed one of her own spears ant threw it at him.
It grazed the boy's side. They both know they would have to kill each other. He seemed to disappear though. Gale was taken off for a second before realizing, "He's with The Fox."
"Gale," Ermela called. Gale went right over. "Are you okay?" She asked. Gale hesitated put took off the jacket at showed where it hit his shoulder. It was semi deep and blood was still spilling from it. She flinched and reached into a bag taking a first aid kit. "Hold still," She said.
He did figuring that he could trust her if she can him. She examined it before dabbing it with rubbing it with alcohol. "Not too bad," She said and plastered a bandage onto it.
"No not really," Gale said.
"So, the Fox has a partner I guess." Ermela sighed getting it on. "The boy from 3, right?"
"Yeah," he sighed.
"Of course, because it wasn't hard enough already." Ermela grunted. "Wasn't getting rid of the Careers supposed to make these games fair?"
"It did," he sighed.
"Well, this fox girl is more of a challenge than any Career I've ever seen."
"Well we underestimated her,"
"Even if we didn't she wouldn't have been as easy to get rid of though." Ermela said.
"Also very true," He sighed. "We'll find a way to get rid of her and her ally though." He promised.
"I hope so," She said.
"We will. I promise."
"Okay," She said nodding.
"In the meantime you should go back to sleep."
"No, it's your turn to sleep," She said.
"You were asleep less than five minutes assuming that you had actually gotten to sleep in that time."
"I suppose," She said.
"Exactly, so just go back to sleep."
"Okay," She said. She sighed and headed back to the tent. Gale took watch again.
Nothing else happened so he woke her up a while later. "You're up," He yawned.
"Right, how long was I asleep?" Ermela asked sitting up.
"A few hours," He said.
She looked outside and said, "Alright, fair enough, now sleep." He nodded. She gave him a kiss then left the tent.
He stared at her and almost hated the fact the kiss had felt good, 'I'm so sorry, Catnip.' He thought lying down.
In 12, Katniss watched with a mix of relief jealousy and sadness she wanted to cry a bit which was not like her. She managed to stop herself from it though looking away. "Katniss are you okay?" Prim asked walking over to her worried.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Katniss lied.
Prim hugged her. "You're a bad liar," she said.
Katniss hesitated but accepted with a sigh, "Alright, I'm not fine."
"So tell me what's wrong?" Prim asked not letting go.
"It's just with Gale with that other girl."
"Oh!" Prim said sadly.
"Yeah," Katniss sighed.
"It'll be okay," Prim said.
"I guess. I was supposed to stay single anyways."
"Not true there is someone out there for you," Prim said confidently.
Katniss shook her head, I'm not sure why I was considering it, "That kind of love means marriage, marriage means kids, kids mean more reapings and possibly have to watch them participate and die in the Games."
"You wanted to be happy," Prim said.
"I was happy." Katniss sighed.
"I think you will be again," She said honestly.
"I guess. I just have to get over him and remind myself why I have to be single. I guess just seeing my best friend about to go in there stopped me from thinking clearly."
"No, but maybe there is someone else for you." Prim said with confidence.
"Why do I need anyone?" Katniss asked.
"Because no one, especially not you, deserves to be alone forever." Prim said.
"There's nothing wrong with being alone."
"Other than it's lonely,"
"I wouldn't be lonely." Katniss corrected. "I'd be happy being alone." Prim gave her a skeptical look. "That was always the plan. You know that." Katniss told her.
"Yeah, but it's hard to go back to that plan,"
Katniss sighed, "Well, I guess but I still can't just…"
"I have confidence you will find someone,"
"What if we end up having children though?"
"Then you'll be a great mother," Prim said.
"I don't want to be a mother though. I can't force a child into this world with the hunger and the games and everything. What is they get reaped and I have to watch them die?"
"Katniss, calm down and just think about it okay?" Prim asked.
"I've done enough thinking about it."
"We'll see," she said.
"How could anyone even consider that a possibility?"
"I would like to be a mom," Prim admitted.
"Well, then you'll be a great mother." Katniss said putting her arm around her.
"Think so?" Prim asked.
"I know so." Katniss said with an actual smile.
"So will you," she said happily.
Katniss sighed and said, "I guess if I decide to be one."
"Good," Prim said.
"I need to head out for a little bit." Katniss said getting up knowing they'll know where she had in mind and headed out. When she did, she spotted a boy her age with blond hair that you guys would most likely recognize. He hid behind a house as she spotted him. She raised an eyebrow and stormed up to the boy. When she did she recognized him as the boy who gave her the bread but that certainly did not excuse him spying on her likely that or make her any less mad at that fact than it did.
"Oh hey," he said awkwardly.
"Were you spying on me?" She demanded angrily.
"What no I was just watching you..." he said.
She looked over at her house than back at Peeta, "How long were you 'watching me'?"
"Not too long," He said carefully.
Katniss growled slightly and punched him in the eye, "Well, knock it off!"
"Hey what was that for?" He asked.
"For denying it or not, spying on me! I already have enough to deal with right now!"
"I did nothing wrong," He said.
"You've been watching me. That's creepy."
"Well maybe," He said.
"Go home," Katniss said getting far too annoyed.
"I just care is all," He said.
"Go home," Katniss repeated.
"Okay, well see you around," He said.
"Better not," She muttered headed to the woods constantly looking back making sure he wasn't creepy enough to follow her out here or she might have to shoot him. Okay, probably not lethally but maybe in the shoulder or something. "Weirdo," Katniss muttered as he left.
The next morning Ermela shook Gale awake. "It's morning." She said once he was awake.
"Okay," He said sitting up.
"So, what's the plan?" She asked.
"We find them first," He said.
"Right, easier said than done."
"I know," he said.
"They could be anywhere and everywhere."
"I know that too," Gale said.
"So, even that needs a plan or a coincidence."
"I know," He sighed.
"I should just shut up."
"No, but stop being so negative," He said.
"Okay, I'll try." She said as they got out of the tent.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome." She shrugged.
"First food," Gale said.
"Right," She nodded looking at what they had left. "We have a lot of the bird left," She said.
"How much is a lot?" Gale asked.
"Enough for a small meal each," She said.
"Then we'll still need to get some more food very soon." Gale said.
"I know, so hunt first?" She asked.
Gale nodded, "Definitely."
"Right," She said packing up the tent. They got all their supplies and headed down the stream. Gale killed a few squirrels along the way. "Squirrel meat?" Ermela asked surprised and a little grossed out.
"It's good I promise," He said.
She hesitated but nodded, "Alright, you know more about that than I do."
"You'll like it," he said.
"Okay, I still trust you."
"Good," he said smiling.
"Think that's enough for now?" Sheasked.
"Yeah we can eat then search," Gale said. They left the stream and got one of the squirrels skinned and a fire started. "We hunt caves," Gale said.
"Sounds like a good plan." Ermela nodded.
"And tree root gaps," he added.
"So, basically anywhere that provides some kind of natural shelter and concealment?" Ermela asked.
"Except up tree's"
"Right," She nodded.
"The boy could not climb," Gale said.
"What makes you say that?" She asked.
"Too big to get high enough to be a problem."
"Oh, right, that does make sense."
"Thanks," he said hoping they found them soon.
"Maybe they're in a hole in the ground." Ermela said mostly joking.
"Maybe," Gale said.
"After all, isn't that where foxes lay?"
"Ermela...you are brilliant," Gale said.
"Well… I was mostly joking."
"It would make sense though," Gale said.
She thought about it then said, "I guess it does but she isn't completely fox, after all foxes are solitary creatures." She said remembering from school.
"True, but they are survivors no matter what."
"I know that." She sighed.
"Meaning she will team until she can afford not to." He said.
"Well, I guess that makes sense."
"So the boy is doomed anyway."
"Yeah, I figured as much."
"Do we wait or hunt them?" Gale asked.
"Hunt them." She answered.
"Alright after breakfast."
He roasted the squirrel and gave her some.
She took it hesitantly and took a bite.
"Not bad," She said with a small smile.
"I told you," Gale chuckled.
"Well, you were right."
"I usually am." He smirked.
She chuckled and said, "I have yet to see you not be."
"That's true, see?" He said.
"Yes I do."
"Good, now let's go Fox hunting," He said.
"Right," Ermela agree with a spear at the ready.
He smiled and the set off again. "Are we seriously looking for human fox holes?" Ermela asked.
"Yeah we are," He said. So they walked on scanning the ground.
"Nothing out of the ordinary," She sighed after an hour.
"What would we have done if we found it anyways?" Ermela asked.
"Not sure," He sighed.
"Flush them out of it somehow?" She asked.
"I wish," He said. "It would be easier to trap them in though." Gale added.
"True it would," Ermela admitted.
"We'd still need to find it though." Gale added.
"I know," She said.
"What if we were wrong about this fox hole?" Ermela asked.
"I do not think so,"
"I guess but maybe we should still check the caves though." She said.
"Yeah everywhere," Gale said.
"Well, she must be somewhere."
"They both have to be," Gale sighed.
"I know." Ermela sighed.
"If only we had a clue," he said.
"No but she's too sneaky for that."
"I know." He sighed deep in thought. She tried to think of something as well but nothing came.
Just incase some people didn't get it, the fox faced girl that's their main target now is Foxface. I hoped you liked it and review and you are welcome to flame.