Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the HUNGER GAMES. A few things might resemble some parts of the book but it's only to make more sense to the fiction. I'm not making any sort of profit with this story. Thank you for reading.

Author's Note: For this chapter, I took inspiration on God Is An Astronaut – All is Violent, All is Bright: Remembrance Day, Forever Lost and Suicide by Star.

Chapter 6 – An encounter during daylight

The 74th Hunger games had arrived. The drawn of District 12 had been a girl of 16 and an older boy with almost 19. Madge didn't know them. Later that day she learned of the draws of the other districts. A little girl of only 12 years from District 8 was drawn. Her name was Rue.
"I figured you'd be out here today," Rory appeared through the trees of the forest. They hadn't agreed to meet that day but there he was as if sensed that Madge was going to be there. He also still had the clothes he had worn earlier.
"That girl from District 8, has only 12. I can't understand how she was drawn so soon". Said Madge. She couldn't hold back her tears and didn't bother to hide too.
"When Gale was 12, he had 6 papers with his name in the pull", Rory was sitting beside her.
"Gale could survive it with his eyes closed. She's just a little girl. I could almost swear she looked younger than 12". Madge recalled mentally the figure of the little girl. In the last 5 games, most children were older than 14. The only ones to be younger than that were from the districts was 1 to 4 but someone always offered in their place. Not for kindness but because they were already training for the games. Career players.
"I know", said Rory. Madge was wearing a white dress with pink bow. She came straight from the Square after they replayed the reaping of all Districts. "How long have you been here?"
"For some time now," she replies.
"Are you hungry?" He asks. Rory be looking around as if searching for something.
"Yes but I don't want to go home yet", she admits. She used to bring a backpack with water and some biscuits. But there was no sign of the backpack anywhere, Rory noticed.
"Well, it's time to increase our knowledge then. I'll teach you how to fish". He had found a piece of wood and was watching Madge's hair.
"My goodness, will it rain today? You, Rory, will teach me something new after what? Almost 13 months together in the woods?" She laughed.
"Hey, do not be so surprised, I know a few basic things. It's funny how certain objects are transformed into something quite useful "He borrows the loops of her hair. And after adjusting with a clothes line, he constructs what may be considered a fishing rod. He digs a worm.
"Okay, that's disgusting, I'll never use that hair clip again," says Madge while watching Rory stick the lug worm for her.
"I know it can be disgusting but wait until we have to clean the fish. That's the disgusting part", Rory plays the bait toward the lake.
Before long, they catch an average fish. It was late in the day and there was still a good light in the forest.
Rory holds the handle of a kitchen knife toward Madge.
"What? I'm going to cut it? I don't know how to do it", says Madge. The fish had stopped struggling.
"That's why your master is here. To teach you step by step", he holds the fish and traces an imaginary line on the neck of the fish.
"Master? There is not too much higher thinking?" she says. Rory had a huge ego.
"Hey, the teacher this time is me. I think I can self-titling master", he snubs. "Now, stop whining. Grab the knife and cut the fish's head. Then strip the scales and clean his belly. I think I saw coriander plant over there. It'll be great with the fish. "
The fish could not be compared with those she ate at home but was good enough to eat.
"It turned out to be okay, I guess. Need some salt, but of course we can't find it here. I think tomorrow we should hunt some small animal. A squirrel or a rabbit. "Says Rory. When Madge and Rory had decided to practice they never hunted or captured an animal.
"I don't want to kill a poor little rabbit. They are cute", laments Madge. Of course she ate rabbits at home but she never had to know them before.
"Look, that little girl shook me also. I know you are already 15 but you still have about 3 years in the lottery. If at any of these times you are drawn I want to be sure that you will survive. I know you can fight, use some weapons and make traps but you also need to know how to hunt these things and how to cook them", Rory seemed upset too. From the next games his younger sister, Posy, would also join them in the pool.
"So now that you're a prince, you will teach me to be a hunter?" Says Madge.
"Nearly so. I had never fished before. "Madge was enough to start a battle of swords with Rory. She had believed that Rory knew how to fish before but it seems she had been a guinea pig for his theories. Rory used to hear Gale talk about his hunting along with Katniss, so he presumed the basics of hunting small animals.

The 74th Games were progressing well for Rue. Madge watched every day the little girl climb trees and find eatable fruits. The day before, Rue had been trapped in trees by a few Careers. But in the morning, Rue had noticed a hive of trackjackers a distant branch. With much risk she had managed to bring down the hive near the sleeping Careers and escape unscathed.
It was enough to excite Madge. If Rue could win the 74th Games, Madge was hoping Posy, Rory and even Prim also succeeded somehow if they were ever drawn. Madge was out shopping in the afternoon with the employees, a ritual every Sunday, and found a very unpleasant sight.
It wasn't the day to meet with Rory in the forest but she had a feeling he would be there in daylight.
He was lying on one of the rocks that appeared on the surface of the lake near the waterfall. Rory was topless and seemed to sunbathe.
"Hey you okay?" She asks. It was the first time that Rory was half naked in front of Madge. What made it a bit uncomfortable. She could notice that his body had developed a lot. Probably from all their practicing and hunting.
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" He turned aside to look or Madge. He was enjoying the tranquility of the lake. They had seen each other during day at school and on the sundown of the 74th Hunger Games but never this close before. Rory was admiring Madge's hair falling down her shoulder and curling near the end of the tips.
"I saw Prim with another boy today. My nanny told me that they were going out a lot lately. She also told that everybody knew since Katniss almost got into a fight with him for dating Prim. So, I presumed you also knew". She recoils Prim walking side by side with a young boy from Town. He wasn't very tall but was very pretty at least. Madge saw them smiling and laughing together and it was then her nanny, Martha, told her the rumors around the new young couple.

"She hung out with him a few weeks ago. There's nothing I can do about it, "confessed Rory. He looked defeated.
"Don't you want to talk about it?", asks Madge.
"Not really. Today, I want to teach you how to swim". Rory gets up and crouches in the rock. He was probably hoping Madge would to reject it or give one of her speeches. But not this time. When Madge was rejected and she knew her crush already had other girls, all she wanted was a good distraction. So this time, Madge would be a distraction for Rory.
"Okay. But do not expect me to take off my clothes", she says. The day was very hot. She expected at least that on her way back to the fence, the heat would dry her clothes naturally.
There were no swimming pools in District 12. Theoretically, since no citizen was to get close to the lake, they never taught anyone how to swim. Madge knew only the basic rules: keep your head above water and kick as hard as you can, which was enough to get her close to where Rory was.
"She saw me… Prim… she saw me a few weeks ago, behind the floriculture with the daughter of the butcher", said Rory. He was helping Madge to climb the rock he was. "Donna saw her when we were making out. She said Prim looked shocked and ran away".
"Wow, this is huge. I think this may be the evidence that Prim likes you. She must have felt jealous". It has been months ago since Madge had suggested to Rory to be with other girls. She never imagined that he would actually follow that advice.
"Yes, and now that she is taking revenge on me. At the moment I know I can't fix this. This thing that is between me and Prim". He sighs. Prim and Rory were no longer friends for over a year. "I still think about her but I'm afraid…".
"Just a few more years Rory and then the Games will be over for both of you", concludes Madge. It was typical among couples in the district to join, date and marry only after they were out of danger of being selected in the Hunger Games.
"I know. Until then, I want to have the level of experience that she must be waiting from me". Rory runs a hand through his hair. "I used to imagine that Prim liked Gale. Gale is strong, good-looking and intelligent. Gale is what every girl dreams of. Something, deep down in my heart, told me that Prim was in love with Gale".
Madge is silent.
"But not anymore", Rory continues. "I see that Prim want someone mature. Someone she can count on and not give up the things like her mother once did. And I'll be the one for her, one day. But right now, I know I'm not ready. I still have a lot to live and learn. If on that day Prim had accepted my proposal, I would only act as jerk around her".
Madge wanted to tell him that he is very intelligent and mature for a boy at his age. Except that there was a resolution in his words. This time he will be patient. He changes the subject.
"Madge, I know that until this point you have helped me. But I also want to help you. When you arrive at an age when you are forced to marry some idiot charlatan. I want you to run". Rory was talking seriously. He must have heard something on the streets about her being forced in an arranged marriage someday somehow.
"Escape? To where? "Asks a frightened Madge. She had thought about it when she was younger but there was much more reason that made her stay.
"To the forests obviously. Run past this point. Swim to the other border and keep going. Take only what you need and live your freedom".
"I don't think I could, Rory. My father and my mother ... and you. You're my best friend. How can I leave you all? How…?", Madge could not finish. Her father was affectionate but was very traditional. Her mother surely would want Madge to marry for love but she was never awake because of her medicines.
"If they are force you something you don't want, Madge, you better go. I don't want to see you grow up suffering alongside a miserable bastard and then being forced to have children with him and watch your life fall apart". It was a terrible truth.
"Okay, Rory. If they force me marriage, I'll run away", lied Madge. She still had more reasons to stay despite this nightmare. She couldn't look at him anymore. She sure could survive in the woods and further but how she could live alone without seeing the ones she loved most for the rest of her life, she wondered.
The matter ended up there. No spits or handshakes this time.

As a joke, a very bad one thought Madge, Rory had thrown her in the lake without warning. He immediately regretted it when he saw that she had almost drowned. It took a while but at the end of the day Madge was at least able to learrn to move better arms in the water and give lengthy dives. It was a good distraction for both.

Author's Request: Please Review Chapter 6. Prim is in that age when teens became more aggressive and bad tempered. She doesn't understand her own feelings and is oppressed with Katniss behaving like a mother and father towards her. And Rory is living his life just like Gale is. Thank you for reading.

a good distraction for both.