(A/N: Here's chapter six. Thanks for all the reviews and such! Sorry I did not update yesterday, I was busy. Anyways... Enjoy!)
CHAPTER SIX
I am torn awake by a shrill scream. I don't second guess that it's coming from my parents room. It' is probably just another one of my mother's nightmares. They seem to be occurring more often than usual these past few days. I glance out the window. The sky is still pitch black. I slowly get out of bed and tip toe towards the door. Even though I am almost positive it is my mother, part of me just wants to make sure. My footsteps are almost silent as I make my way down the hall. I plant my feet in front of their bedroom door, trying to find the urge to turn the knob. Instead, I put in ear to the cold, hard wood and listen. Sure enough there is the faint sound of my dad's voice. It is comforting and gentle. All my worries dissolve and I silently retreat back to my room.
I lay on my bed wide awake and unable to fall asleep. Thanks a lot mom. I think but, almost immediately remind myself of all the times they had to wake up because of my nightmares or cries. I reluctantly decide to just wait for the sun to come up, keeping in mind that I will, for a fact, be grumpy in the morning.
I open my eyes to sunlight streaming in from the window. I must have dozed off sometime during the night. As I sit up I remember the agreement my mother and I had made yesterday. I quickly jolt out of bed and throw on my hunting clothes. When I am dressed I retrieve my bow from the chest and dash down the stairs.
As I walk into the kitchen a wave of utter confusion washes over me. "Good morning Willow." says my dad cheerfully.
"Good morning. Uh, where's mother?" My reply is spoke halfheartedly.
"She's in the woods." I must have some weird expression on my face because he then quickly adds, "But don't worry she'll be back soon." I give him a forced smile and take a seat at the table. I honestly don't care when she gets back, I just want to know why she left without me. It's not like her to break her promises.
I try to come up with ideas as to how I can meet her out there. I know if I asked my dad he would give me a straight up "no". He doesn't even like me going into the woods in general, yet alone by myself. Even if I do convince him, what are the odds of me actually finding her, she could be anywhere. I am about to give up when a thought comes to mind. Unlike the others this one might actually work. "Hey dad can I go outside till breakfast is ready?"
"Sure Willow."
"Thank you" I reply as I hop up from my chair and scamper towards the door. He just nods and continues to cook.
The sun blinds me as I make my way to the meadow. From there I can get to the woods without even being noticed. I hear the loud geese honks coming from Haymitch's house as I pass by it. His liquor stash must be restocked, I think.
As I approach the meadow I notice it is the same as yesterday. There is a slight breeze causing the tall grass to ripple like a air smells sweet and I wish I could stay here all morning, but I must keep moving.
When I reach the woods the first thing I decide to do is check the hollowed out log where my mother keeps her bow and quiver. Sure enough they are missing. Knowing that she would never take her bow out of the woods, I assume that she is hunting. My grip on my bow tightens and I am ready to join her. I look around for any possible sign that could tell me which direction she went in. Unfortunately the underbrush appears to be undisturbed, leaving me with a lack of clues. Curse her many years of experience. "Maybe she's at the lake." I mutter to myself thoughtfully. It is the only place I can think of right now so I head in that direction.
On my way there I pass by a new snare. I have walked this path over a hundred times and never once, have I seen this trap. I examine its contents carefully. It is way too complex for it to be one of my mothers (no offense to her and all), yet it still looks new and more modernized. The snare must have been placed here recently, but by who? My mother, occasionally Asher and I are the only ones that come into the woods, well, to the best of my knowledge, so whoever did set up the snare must be someone I don't know.
My thoughts are interrupted by footsteps behind me. I can't tell if they are human or animal so I do the only safe thing I can think of at the moment: climb up the nearest tree. I scurry up the branches, one by one until I reach a spot that hides my body from any eyes below. I peer down through the tapestry of limbs and leaves for the source of the cacophony. There, hunched over the trap is what appears to be a full grown man. He has dark hair and olive skin like a lot of the people in twelve but I can't recall any memory of him.. I move down a couple feet to try and get a better look. As I step on one of the branches, it suddenly snaps and I go plummeting toward the ground feet first.
There is a loud thud as my body comes in contact with the Earth. "Stupid gravity." I mutter under my breath. I try to stand up but a sharp agonizing pain shoots up my right leg as I put my weight on my ankle causing my knees to buckle. I glance around only to remember that I am not alone. The man is slowly walking toward me, his fingers gripping the handle of the knife on his belt. The first thing I notice is his eyes. They are exactly like my mothers; a stormy gray.
His face looks familiar but I can't quite figure out where I have seen him before. Then, it hits me. I examine the man carefully acknowledging every detail. He looks so different without his suit, and from the images shown on the television. Standing right in front of me is one of District Two's ambassadors. What is he doing here?
"You okay?" he asks. His voice is kind, too kind.
"Yes." I snap right back. I am in no mood to talk to this guy.
He releases his grip on the knife. "You know, kids like you shouldn't be out here by themselves. What are you doing here anyway?" I try to keep my cool. If only he knew.
"You know kids like me aren't suppose to be talking to strangers either, but here I am breaking all the rules." I reply sarcastically. "As for what I am doing here, that is for me to know and for you to find out."
"Okay kid, whatever."
"This kid has a name." I retort, annoyed.
He scoffs. "Fine. What's your name?"
"Willow." I give him a fake smile. "Thanks for asking."
He replies with a similar gesture and then ponders over something unknown to my mind. "You sound exactly like someone I use to know. You even look like her too, except for the blue eyes." He dismisses the thought. "Where's your parents Willow?"
I narrow my eyes. "Around. Who's you friend?"
"More like former friend. I haven't talked to her in over twenty-five years." The ambassador looks off into the distance angrily. "She ditched me for Bread Boy." He mutters mostly to himself. "Hey, why should I tell you."
I think for a moment. "Because I am a fantastic listener and I also might know her."
"Oh yeah, I forget they mention her in school. Her name is Katniss Everdeen. She lives here in Twelve, though, she might have moved to District Four where her mother lives, but highly doubt it."
Curiosity creeps up inside my body. "Is her mother still alive?"
He looks at me as if I am completely brainless. "Uh, I think so."
All my previous emotions are replaced with sudden rage. I have a grandmother? Apparently my mother is hiding more from me than I expected! And how does she know this guy? "I have to go." I grumble before making my way (very slowly) towards the lake.
It seems like ages until the water finally comes into view. Thankfully my mother is sitting on the bank. "Willow! What are you doing here?" she demands right after acknowledging my presence. I limp over and sit next to her glad to be off my feet.
"I came to hunt with you." I huff.
She just nods and asks, "Which ankle?"
"Right." I immediately respond. She pulls some strips of cloth from her game bag and wraps it.
"Does your father know your here?" she asks while tucking the end of the fabric into earlier folds to keep the makeshift bandage in place.
I hesitate. "Not exactly."
"Willow!" I explain to her how I tricked dad into thinking I was just going out into the yard when I was actually planning on coming here.
"Hey," I protest, "It's no better than you breaking your promise!"
My mother stares at me perplexed. "What are you talking about?"
"You said that you would take me shooting today since we ran out of time yesterday." I reply.
My mother drops her gaze and mumbles "I'm sorry Willow I don't remember much of yesterday."
"Why?"
"Because," she mutters "I keep trying to forget it." I open my mouth to speak but she interrupts me. "And before you ask why, the answer is because. I will explain later."
"You always say that." I complain under my breath. She ignores this.
"Now, changing the subject, how did you hurt your ankle?"
"I fell out of a tree." I say. "And before you ask why I was in a tree, it is because I heard footsteps." She laughs.
"What type of animal was it?"
"A human." I answer simply. My mother's expression turns serious.
"What did they look like?" she asks an edge to her voice.
"It was one of two's ambassadors, you know the one with gray eyes and dark hair. He said he knew you. Oh, and by the way, I have a grandmother in four?" Her face turns pale.
"Did he say anything else?" is her response.
"Not really, just that you ditched him for dad."
My mother carefully helps me up from the ground, making sure I don't put weight on my right side. "Come on Willow. Lets go home. Your father must be worried sick." I nod in agreement and together we start off for the house.